It only took seven years

I arrived in Brighton having only run 10 miles that week and 3 miles in the previous 3 weeks due to my twisted ankle. I had sort of been given the all clear by the Physio. I had done the runs she had suggested and then had all gone well without and pain during or after. Then I tried a fast run on Saturday which also went OK so I gave myself the green light.

The plan was to run Brighton but only gently. Just get round, get the thirteen miles in my legs and test the ankle at the next level. Trouble was, running with my brother has many benefits but some drawbacks, some of which was the same. Namely competitiveness.

So it was on the start line that I thought I'd just run the first few miles with Phil. I thought that with the combination of my ankle, my 3 weeks out and a slight cough/cold I had, there was no way to run the 1:47 my brother was after but I'd do a few at 8 minute miles. The first three were 7:49, 7:47 and 7:45 which were fast. My heart rate was high and it felt hard. I stuck with it and it did get easier. The next three were 7:46, 7:44 and 7:29; pretty consistent.

What to do? Risk my ankle flaring up on me to get a good time or pull back and wonder what could have been? I knew 8 minute miles was a 1:45 time so I was under that. Four more miles and I'd reassess. 7:23 (oohh), 7:38 (good), 7:48 (on track) and 7:43 (blimey, that hurt).

The last mile was really tough. By the end of it I told my brother to go on as I could see he was starting to pull away. I didn't want him feeling he hadn't given his all due to me. Mentally, this allowed me to take my foot off the gas and I did an 8:35.

I was cross. I couldn't let this slip. I told myself that I had to endure 17 minutes of pain and made myself go faster. Mile 11 was 7:52. A PB was mine but by how much. I wanted to go faster to finish with a sprint but couldn't; my legs had nothing. 8:18 for mile 13 and the finish in sight. I lumbered towards the end and the last 0.1 mile in 1:05.

A PB and a good one. My previous PB was set on the 3rd August 2003 in Battersea Park. A run organised by the shop Run and Become; several laps of the park designed to be flat and fast. I had given it all and just failed to get under 1:45 but was delighted at the time. I'd run 21 half marathons since and the closest I had got was a 1:47 at Tunbridge Wells.

I could not have been happier with 1:42:40, over 3 minutes quicker than my previous PB. My brother got 1:40:18 which was incredible for his first ever half marathon (but he now has to do another to get under 1:40. Its going to bug him).

Unofficial PB

I was supposed to get up early today to get to Bushy Park for the Park Run 5k TT at 9am but in my lazy state I did manage it. I spent the rest of the day putting off running but finally got out at 6pm.

I decided to run a slow mile and then do a fast 5k. I set my watch to autolap at 5k, ran the warm-up, selected my new 25 minute playlist, hit lap and went off hard. I had no real goal other than to pust it and try to maintain a constant speed for the whole 3 miles.

I tried not to look at my watch and managed it until about half way. It was hard going and I kept having to push myself to avoid letting my speed drop. It find the concentration levels very demanding.  It did help that I had a couple of other runners to chase down.

The last half a mile goes slightly uphill (and I mean slightly) but it made it so hard to keep the pace. I think it did drop a bit.

My watch autolapped before I could see my time so it wasn't until I'd done my mile cool-down and got home that I could see my splits. 5.2 miles in 40 minutes. The 5k split was 21.21, my fastest every 5k and an unofficial PB.

Now I can't wait until Saturday where I will definitely get to the Park Run to have a go and try and get under 22 for the first time. The cynic in me says the Garmin was out so I need an official event. Either way, it's proof that I am getting quicker.

Brighton Marathon Race Report

The Start - The day begun at 6:40 as I sneaked around my brothers flat trying to make porridge and not wake my daughters.  It had been a long night with a party downstairs and a snoring man upstairs.  My brother drove me to the start and I was all Vasalined up and ready to go by 8:30.  The race itself was late starting due to a car on the course.  We were off at 9:15.

Miles 0 to 4 - The first mile was a shock with a sharp rise around the first corner.  My usual sub 8 minute mile didn't happen and I was behind my planned pace of 3:49:00 from the off.  After that, my pace picked up and at the 4 mile marker, I was within 3 seconds of my exact race pace.

Miles 4 to 10 - My pace was still good and I crept slightly ahead of my pace.  It levelled off at 1 minute ahead which felt fine.  I had a minute in the bank and was running strongly.  I wasn't really paying too much attention to my HR as I figured that the only way to get it back down to zone 2 was to go slower but I couldn't do that if I wanted to break 3:50.

Miles 10 to 13.1 - It was getting really warm by this stage.  I'd run the hills I knew about and sweat was dripping from my cap at a regular rate.  I saw my brother and daughters at mile14 which was lovely.  My thighs were beginning to feel tight and my feet were sore.

Miles 13.1 to 20 - It was still ok until I got to a horrible out and back road that was so straight and went on for ever.  It was just a long residential road and felt like hell.  Getting off it was such a relief.  The joy was short lived as we then went into a very bleak industrial estate; was this the best Brighton had to offer?

Miles 20 to 26 - I couldn't feel any pain in my feet which was good but my thighs had become very painful.  I needed to stop and stretch which I did but it didn't seem to help much.  Miles 22 and 23 were poor and that was where my dream of 3:49 went.  It only takes a couple of stretching stops and its gone.  I felt like walking to the finish but if I had failed to get under 4 hours I would have been annoyed.  So I gritted my teeth and started hobbling.  I picked up a little and tried to smile as I passed the family at mile 25.

Miles 26 to 26.2 - I realised I could still scrape a PB so I sort of sprinted the last 800 meters and fell over the line.  All that effort to shave 28 seconds off the PB.  I called my Dad and told him his PB is safe for another year.  I don't think the Ironman is a place to try and break your marathon PB.

Today - Oh the pain.  My legs have hurt before after marathons but never like this.  I have a sharp pain from my feet and the achy pain from my legs.  I really cannot put my full weight on one leg so stairs take an age.  Its going to take a while to recover.

Thanks to all my supporters.   To my brother for looking after my girls to cheering me on, to my daughters for watching me, to my wife who I know would have been watching me if she hadn't got stuck in New York and to all my friends who sent me good lucks.