The main thing is keeping the main thing, the main thing

Seville 2022

"My ONLY motivation for doing Seville is to keep motivated over the winter and get some good sessions in - whatever time I run on the day will reflect that - Not putting any pressure on myself again - I dont think the stomach ulcers can handle it!" AMK Nov 5th 2021

The above quote became subject to Mission Creep as the weeks went on and came back to me both during the race and afterwards.

"The best race on the day" is another way of looking at this. This was very helpful to me as the race unfolded - especially outside my Hotel at mile 22.

Sunday Feb 20th - Seville.

The morning of the race arrived - I got up at 5.50 Local time (4.50am Irish time as I kept telling my family) - Breakfast was a light affair, followed a bit later with a Maurten drink and a drink from Precision Hydration that included a lot of Salts, Magnesium and Potassium. 3 additional salt tabs, just before the start line and I was ready to rock.

Made my way to the start line and met my 2 buddies AJ & PM - dropped a bag and went to the start line - all very seamless and very well organised.

The starting pen was for 2.45-3.00 but there was a 3.30hr and even a 4.30 Pacer balloon in the our pen. I was quite a few rows back - but was not worried at all. It seemed a bit surreal that I was about to run a Marathon - it just seemed to catch up with me all of a sudden - I don't think I was mentally prepared for it - I considered this a positive as I had no nerves or apprehension.

My plan was to run as close to 6.25 per mile average for the full event (I had another marker for 20 min 5ks all the way through).

0-5km: 20:07 (Miles 1-3 6:33/6.24/6.25) - Finding my line.

We were set off and there was about 20 seconds on the clock as I passed under it.

I had promised myself that my 1st couple of miles would be my slowest and all going well, my 1st 5k would be my slowest 5k of the race. As I set off - I was moving through the field and trying to find a line - I noted that there were no mile markers - just KMs - so much for being Auld.

I think the most memorable thing for the 1st 5k was going over a bridge.

I recall the 1st water station being cups - I took 1 to trial it - worked ok but not great.

5km-10km: 19.53 (Miles 4-6: 6.22/6.24/6.23) - 'More than 2 hours of this $hit left'

The next few miles felt ok - I do remember checking my watch prior to the 8k mark saying to myself - "more than 2 more hours of this ****" - This set the mindset for the remainder of the event - unlike Rotterdam and even San Sebastian (I got bored in those races) - this was just pure disinterest so early in the race - I wasn't looking forward to it at all and the thoughts of running for that long really played with my mind.

The 2nd water stop was in bottles, so I got a good swig and pored some over my head as I noted it was starting to get a bit warm. I took a caffeine gel at 25 mins.

Went through 10km in 40 mins.

10km-15km: 19.52 (Miles 7-9: 6.22/6.28/6.21) - Finding joy in company

As I approached the 10km mark - I noted a guy ahead in a Rathfarnham top who appeared to be in conversation with another lad. I'll have some of that I thought - it might help with the mindset.

I caught up with him (Colm) and started having a chat - turned out he knew the guy & lady I had dinner with the previous night (Paul M & AJ) and he was part of the famous Jerry Kiernan Harriers group.

We had a good chat for a few miles - nothing too heavy - and sometimes just a few words, as we settled in with a good group who were chasing a similar goal.

I remember thinking about Rotterdam - at a similar stage, I felt like I was jogging - at this stage, I didn't feel like I was jogging - it felt comfortable - but steady comfortable rather than easy comfortable.

Another Maurten gel at about 8 miles (50 mins).

15km-20km: 19.52 (Miles 10-12: 6.29/6.26/6.26) - Teamwork makes the dream work

We were in the group now and not really checking time/pace - the group was moving nicely along and I was taking on whatever water I could in those pesky cups.

Nothing too dramatic here - I'm still with Colm, still in the group and working nicely. The company really helped with those last few miles as did the group.

Another caffeine gel at about the 12m mark - I felt like I was continually eating gels at this stage!

20km-25km: 19.48 (Miles 13-15: 6.16/6.17/6.21) - Things happen in 3's

3 key things happened in this 5k that in hindsight impacted the rest of the race. This is the key part of the race where I question my decision making.

Firstly - Colm announces that its getting a bit hot for him and he's going to drop back - He was pacing his buddy to half way and he reached that, so was pulling back a bit. ( I should have followed him)

Secondly, the crowd we were running with seemed to also dissipate and as a result, I was running on my own.

Thirdly - the GPS seemed to get quite messed up for a few miles - I noted paces of 5.55 on my watch for patches of the run as I approached the half way point.

At halfway - I was amazed to see the clock read 1.25.30 ( I knew I had about 20 seconds on this from starting a bit back - but still - I thought I was much move ahead given the splits. (Strava gave me a HM split of 1.23.41 - which seemed to match my splits and effort)

The GPS was all over the place for a while - so I was just guessing my pace and had no group to pace off - people seemed to be passing me, so I guessed I was going ok??

I recall thinking at this stage - while actually running very well) that this would be my last Marathon - while I enjoyed the training - I wasn't enjoying the race. This would be it.

In hindsight (isn't it wonderful) - I was amazed to see the mile splits back at me - far too fast I know - but at the time, it was difficult to know if they were accurate. Another gel taken here.

25km-30km: 20.03 (Miles 16-18: 6.22/6.20/6.35) - The beginning of the race

The next couple of miles mirrored the last few - far too quick - and I kept trying to take on water in cups, but you can only take on so much. I was staring to feel the heat now and I was starting to see people walking and stopping.

This is the beginning of the race I thought.

At about mile 16 I felt the beginnings of a discomfort in my left quad, wasn't hindering me but I noticed it. As mile 18 approached, I noted my right shin was starting to cramp - this was something I noted previously after some faster sessions, but not in a Marathon (apart from the infamous Dublin Marathon when everything cramped).

I took some of my 'Hotshot' drink and reduced the pace a bit and the shin issue went away, but the left quad was becoming more of a hindrance. I was going to have to reduce the pace or risk a bigger issue.

My 30k split shows up on Strava as my fastest ever (1.59.26)

30km-35km: 22.06 (Miles 19-21: 6.37/7.04/7.19) - Hello Cramp my old friend.

This 5k would be quite tough - the 'quick' 5 miles from 13 to 17 would come back to haunt me here.

At about 19.4 miles (from Strava - where my pace dropped) - I got my 1st real cramp of the race. As I felt it coming on - I took my hotshot thinking that would fix it and I'd keep going - It didn't make 1 bit of difference as the cramp took over my right hammy - I tried punching it similar to Rotterdam - but it was strange, it was if I couldn't really care if I cramped as I didn't have the mental fortitude to attack it as I had in Rotterdam and previously in Dublin. I was kinda slapping it.

In hindsight (theres that word again) - I had put so much stock in my Salt strategy and my magic elixirs that I actually though I wouldn't cramp - so when it came - I was kinda gutted and even more so when the Hotshot didn't work. - it really knocked me. I had a 2nd magic elixir called Cramp Fix - it was also 1 year out of date, so I was keeping it for a 'just in case' - and this was my 'just in case'. I took it and noted a reprieve so I could keep going.

But I was bleeding time here. Another sniper fired a shot at 20.6 miles - just before the park - I stepped off the course to stretch it out as punching it wasn't working (I dont think I was really punching it - kinda slapping again). I took more Cramp fix and the ramp went away - I got going again.

What was interesting was that when the cramp went - I could pick up the pace a bit - my left quad was still an issue, so I was managing that as well.

Good grief - at least I wasn't bored or disinterested I thought (& smiled)

35km-40km: 22.34 (Miles 22-24: 7.27/7.15/7.01) - This is the End

We left the park - I felt I was running 10 min/miles at this stage and I came along a familiar road - close to my hotel - actually - it was going by my hotel. Right outside my Hotel, and I mean, right outside it - I got another cramp and I considered calling it a day - I couldn't face another 30 mins or so of this. I was just about to press my Garmin and I thought about my daughters - would they want to hear about their dad quitting when things got tough?

I thought about a conversation I had with Johnny on the Saturday when I told him I was going to finish it no matter what.

I thought about the massive support I had gotten all the way through this training block - the many well wishes on Saturday flooded my brain at this stage.

All the above happened in a matter of seconds as my hand hovered over my watch - Fcuk it - lets go and finish this I thought.

"The best race on the day means exactly that".

The next 2 miles I actually enjoyed - I was picking up the pace - I began to think of different goals - maybe sub 2.55 is possible - if not - then a sub 2.58 will be the 2nd fastest Marathon you've ran. Both great goals and both kept me going.

The course got really interesting now as we were going through the old town and down side streets - this is fantastic I was thinking. Finally - I had woken up.

40km-42km (Miles 25-26.58: 7.03/7.10/ 4.53 (8.24 pace for last bit) - Just open the fcuking thing

The last couple of KM of this race is just MAD - the crowd comes in on you as the streets get narrow, theres multiple trip hazards with steps on your left and right, and there are about a million arch's that you go through - I was waiting to see 800m to go on every arch, but no.

I finally turned onto what I knew to be the finishing straight - Can I get a 2.56 finish I thought? I was pushing and noted a twinge in my right hamstring again - always the right hamstring - I punched it - actually gave it a proper punch this time as I could see the finish line but I think this made it worse - I had to stop - even though I could ee the finish line 200m ahead - I couldn't even hobble.

Then a funny moment in the chaos - A guy came over to me with a pouch that he was trying to open, I thought it was a cream for my cramp - and he was struggling to open it - I was shouting at him to open the damn thing. Eventually he opened it but it was one of those silver reflective things that you put over yourself at the end of the race - I told him to Fcuk off that I wanted to finish - my cramp semi subsided and I hobbled across the finish line.

Time: 2.57.20

The aftermath:

So - while not the time I wanted - I took so many learning's from this race, which I'll detail in another post.

I do want to acknowledge the many many people who took the time to post a comment on Strava, Social Media etc - its so much appreciated and stays with me - so thank you - I get kinda embarrassed with some of it - but hey ho. I even got a video message from the Curragh Plains :)

The race itself - with the exception of the water in Cups - it was fantastic and I would love to & will run it again, under a different mindset.

I think back to a few months ago - sitting in a hospital bed, thinking that my running career was over, pulling out of Manchester as a result - so in this light, I'm extremely proud to finish the race. This is the dominant feeling in the aftermath.

My 2 girls also got me a card when I got home, saying how proud they were of me for finishing a mentally and physically bruising race - that meant so much to me and reiterates the decision to finish was always going to be correct.

I also got a lovely message from DD saying I'd have laughed if I said a few years back, I'd cramp a few times in a race and still manage a comfortable sub 3 - that's quite the true statement.

I met up with a lot of the Jerry K Harriers later that night and had such a wonderful night with them, swapping war stories - I spoke with Mark Kirwan (who was a 2.17 DCM guy at one stage) and Dave Mansfield (who ran 2.16 in Seville) - along with a plethora of guys & gals who had similar experiences similar to myself. I actually ended up going for dinner with Colm (from the race - he ran 2.55 - and also sitting beside him on the plane home :) - lovely fella)

The only people who care about your Marathon time is you - that's true - but there are a lot of people who are very interested in the journey you took to get there - that's the interesting part and that's what we covered a lot in that bar in Seville and also what interests us here in this fabulous running community on Boards.

Seville - you were great - you taught me a lot, more than any Marathon I've ever done and I'll be back to repay you.

I do believe habitually exceeding goal effort in training is a problem - how can you get the adaptations you require if the appropriate stimulus is routinely exceeded? Especially over a gruelling marathon block. Isn't this a far more likely contributor to the cramping issue than anything else? Cramping seems to be a huge problem with marathon runners whose training is suboptimal - if it was happening to me regularly, I'd be asking questions about the training first, nutrition second. (Still good to ask questions about both, of course.)

I am questioning my training. I don't think my training was 'sub optimal' - I think I chose the wrong strategy. Tergat/Tinman would have loved my training as it matches what he espouses. I need a new training strategy.

My MP training paces were 5 seconds off as I outlined above (Intervals) I dont think this is a more likely contribution to my cramping.

Also curious about over-distance runs. Seems to go against a good bit of the conventional wisdom these days - why?

Explained above to Paul - there are a lot of plans and coaches who would recommend 26m runs and a lot that dont.

Ultimately, as most of us know from looking at people we know well, and whose training we can see every day, most of us, most of the time, get about the right result for what we put in.

I'm not quite sure if that is a general point or not??

On the “working with a coach” section, I would phrase it slightly different: instead of following a generic plan (one not designed for a specific runner/target race), would you take the time and sit down look at another runner who received coaching in the lead up to a race and write down every session, every run including notes on paces, elevation etc and then follow that?

You wouldn't believe how much I do that - but its dangerous to do that as well.

with regards to longer runs, would you differ between: more time on feet during a long run that your actual race time on feet and distances covered? Personally I don’t think you need to run a marathon during training for a marathon but definitely should at least get close to the time on feet during the race. Though I can see the mental benefit of running longer during the training as long as it is slower too.

I ran 2hr 50mins once in the build up - I'd do that more often and perhaps go further.

as mentioned I do believe your cramping have a lot to do with your nutrition on the day. Overkill at least from own experience. Though SB I don’t see anything wrong in your lead up to a session. More the opposite, if you manage your tough sessions on a “weak” body race day should feel like a walk in the park (as you know I remain to be a firm believer in running on empty even if the run is late in the day!!!).

Maybe it was overkill but it needed to be done to rule out 'stuff' - would I run a Marathon using the same stragety I use on a session day. No - I wouldn't have the confidence - what If I got Cramp :)

Race pace vs Training pace, my question here would be what’s your thought process behind what route to take for a hard session? I have noticed that runners (I could myself doing that too a few times, won’t happen again) would pick a route with the mindset “here I will definitely be able to hit them paces. Not too much uphill, slightly downhill or flat and wind of almost no issue”. What’s your approach?

My Tempos were on a 2m loop - so no issues there.

My longer runs were typically done on the same route from Castleknock, down to the Canal, back into the park and home - again - I dont think this is an issue (maybe more on Roads v Tar)

The race itself, how do you approach that mentally? Do you look at it like “I’m going to run a marathon today!” Or more like “right, I break it down into 7 different, small races!” (Which I do to keep me mentally sharp throughout!). I usually come up with a good number of small targets that I want to accomplish in such a race and by that the first 30k fly by like it was nothing. 

I usually break it down into chunks - but didn't in Seville - no reason for it other than I didn't prepare for it like other races.

Thanks DD

I spent a lot of time with the Jerry Kiernan group in Seville and a lot of here Marathoners follow a very simple style approach to training - maybe even conservative (certainly in regards to my approach)

This will certainly be a feature in my next block as will the lumpy side of the park.

Looking forward to it already!