RACE REPORTS

28th DECEMBER 2007 - LFOTM 5KM - 16:58

Since the big success of the Amsterdam half marathon I have really worked hard on my speed in the last 2 months culminating with a 5km race. Today's race was a rather frustrating realisation of my lack of speed endurance, as I ran the same time for the race as I did in September. I had been training very hard so as to be capable of running at 16:15 pace which is 3:15 per km. The problem being that I can maintain 3:30 per km quite comfortably over the long distances and in my current shape I can probably get this down to around 3:25 per km but rather foolishly I ran the fist 2km at 3:12 pace and subsequently started to slow over the last few km.

Its not a bad result but it does reinforced the need for good pace judgment in races. In the time frame that I have left before the London Marathon how much will this 5km speed improve? Will I ever be able to break 16:15? Have I reached my VO2 Max?

Who knows? The good thing is that running in the Marathon, VO2 Max is not the most important fact, endurance is and I seem to have that part under control. I wonder how much difference running in Kenya will make, drop a few pounds, run some more distance. I will find out on the 10th of February in the half marathon, a better predictor of my potential marathon time.

21st OCTOBER 2007 - ING AMSTERDAM HALF MARATHON - 01:13:46

14 weeks after restarting my training I stood impatiently at the start line waiting for the gun to go off signalling the start of the ING Amsterdam half marathon. A huge amount rested on this race - it was a life line for the project - one last time to prove myself. If I every needed to get a result this was it.

The training in the last 8 weeks building up to the race had been a huge success. There were only two sessions which I should not have done when fatigue started to raise its ugly head, but for once I had not been so stubborn and taken the advice of coaches and fellow runners with the advice to “train hard but train smart.”

In the weeks leading up to the race I had been in contact with race director Jan Willem Mijderwijk about the possibility of filming from the back of a motor bike. Behind the UK and Japan there are a huge amount of hits on the Road to Beijing website from viewers in Holland and fortunately he agreed to the request.

Now all I needed was to finalise the arrangements, stay injury free and in good health.

I managed only one of the above! On the Thursday before the race I picked up a cold, (after not having any problems for the last 4 months) waking up on race days I did contemplate dropping out of the race. The same had happened for the Reading half marathon back in March when after 3 miles I effectively had to drop out. Accommodation, flight, filming etc from my own funds dictated that I would race but that I would run with how my body felt not what the watch said.

My other concern was the fact that 4 days before the race my cameraman’s passport was still in the post... 4 hours before the start of the flight was due to depart it had still not arrived and frantic measures were put in place to find a cameraman in Amsterdam.

Distance running and stress are not a good combination and even 20 minutes before the start I was still finalising the filming arrangements. In some ways this maybe helped because I forgot about my cold, how I was feeling and used the time I had left to really focus and get in the zone.

I can't remember the race that well but I started off at a slow controlled pace and decided to get to 15k before racing. I went through 5km in 16:20 which was way to fast but according to fellow Serpentine runner Darren McNeely who posted a very impressive sub 1:12 the marker was about 15-20 seconds out.

I felt pretty relaxed, running just inside the comfort zone and eased through 10km in 34:20 which was another personal best. By this stage I was starting to pass some of the slower marathon runners which in some ways gave me a big confidence booster but at times it was rather frustrating weaving in and out of the runners.

At 15 km I knew that I would start to struggle a bit due to not doing enough tempo runs but by this stage I was running with two other runners. I tried to relax and started to count... When I start to struggle my right hand twists inward and everything become tighter. This does not help with the stride, efficiency etc. so I have come up with a way of dealing with this problem, taking my mind of the discomfort by counting to 50 seconds every now and then when the pain hits worst and you think about slowing down and your body tells you to stop.

My basic philosophy behind it is that in the closing stages of a race when you are thinking about the finish line and starting to hurt, by counting to 50 seconds it is a long enough time to be distracting, it eats up another 250 metres but it is not so long that it becomes and effort to count to.

I know lots of other runners have different ideas of getting the best out of themselves mentally by playing tricks, using positive messaging etc. I can assure you that have tried them all, plus a number of other unconventional ones... whatever works for you.

The race finished in the Olympic stadium around 3/4 of the track - I had a good battle with another runner but by now the bile in my stomach was churning and made a desperate bid to escape.

I collapsed into the arms of Runners World Holland write Ramiro Ameneiro who I had only had contact through e-mail. I think I was just happy to finish and seeing a friendly face was great relief. I was delighted with the result of 1:13:46 which was a huge PB by 1:30.

The result was hugely significant as it shows me what is possible for next year. I am sure that I can run for this pace for the full Marathon in London next year with the right training, rest, taper etc. The question is how much further can I progress my half marathon time?

I was told about a book called the dip - it explains when you start a project, business, training etc it is fun, full of optimism and exciting but it soon gets to a point when it gets so hard that you want to give up. I was in that place at the start of the summer, I questioned if it was worth the pain, effort, disappointment - the answer was yes. I am very glad that I was mature enough to realise that then.

I would like to thank the race organisers at the ING Amsterdam half marathon for the generosity and help on the day. I can't stress enough that the project could not happen with people like Mr Mijderwijk help.

Thank you very much also to everyone who has taken the time to write wishing me the best of luck with the project, it is hugely appreciated.

Finally this is when the project can get really interesting. It give a good base for the documentary to really start exploring the reasons behind the decline in British marathon running. As far as my own running goals, I am under no illusions as to how hard the next 22 weeks of training are going to be but I can wait! Watch this space...

28th SEPTEMBER 2007 - SERPENTINE 5KM - 16:57

“If you want to run faster, you need to run slower” read the quote from an old edition of Runners World as I lay in the bath trying to relax my aching muscle this morning. The idea behind the quote is that instead of charging off like a headless chicken over the first km then dieing an ignominious death 500 metres later you start off controlled, picking up the pace during the race for a faster overall finish time.

Looking out the window of my editing studio at the blustery, wet and cold conditions I did for a minute think that running the 5km race today could be missed. Besides I had had a great track session on Tuesday and a good 16 mile steady tempo run on Wednesday but unfortunately it’s not really in my nature to turn down a race.

The field was not as strong as usual due to a number of runners taking place in a national relay competition on Saturday, but there were still a number of good runners that would push me today.

My legs felt pretty heavy as the gun went off and thankfully the first 1km into a strong head wind up along the side of Hyde Park was relatively slow at 3:30. Tucked in behind the lead pack of 6 or 7 runners I felt relaxed and enjoyed the feeling of being in control. Past 2km the pack had been whittled down to 3 and I started to sense that I might get my second win in as many weeks. By the 3^rd km it was down to me and a fellow Serpentine runner called Eric Phillips. The previous month he had run past me at this point, finishing more then 20 seconds in front and would not have been unduly concerned about my presence.

My advantage would be that he had no idea how much training I had done over the last month and passing under the bridge at 3.5km I wanted to see how he was feeling and surged up the hill creating a 3 second gap. I was feeling great, feeling like a real runner, I was in the unfamiliar position of leading this race and loving it, looking back now to my first outing over the course I finished down in 78^th in over 20 minutes. Back then it would have been almost unimaginable to be in this position.

Eric was still there however and breathing down my neck with 400 metres to go, I knew and he knew that if it came down to a sprint finish he would win so I tried to up the tempo again, but with just over 200 metres to go he came passed me. I tired to respond but it was too late, my vision started to blur and darken due to the lack of oxygen to my brain (or it might have had something to do with shutting my eyes). My efforts had been in vain, disappointingly I finished only 1 second behind him.

The time 16:57 was not that quick and 17 seconds slow then I had hoped for, but through 4km it felt like I was on a fast paced tempo run. What the race taught me was the need for good pace judgement from the start; certainly for the longer races pacing will be everything.

9th SEPTEMBER 2007 - MIDDLESEX AND OPEN 10KM - 35:05

Last weeks 5km had give me a real boost of confidence. Not because it was particularly quick or that I ran that well but I felt that I was approaching some kind of form again. Today's 10km had a very strong field with club runners from all over London taking part. It was also the Serpentine RC club championships 10km race and there must have been about 100 member turning out.

Over the last 2 weeks I have been really working on my speed over 300-500 meters at far faster then 5km pace and today it really paid off. As always the race started way to fast, through 1km in 3:20, however I was not overly concerned as by 5km I had over taken a number of the more eager runner and settled into a good steady rhythm.

The only problem with concentrating on speed is that you tend to neglect distance and by 8km I was starting to feel the effects of not running over 16miles in the last 2 months. Coming into the finish with just over 200 meters to go a veteran runner huffed and puffed his way passed me in long kick for the finish. I reacted well and caught up along side with 100 meters to go. I glanced at the clock - 34:55 - in a bid to squeeze a few more seconds from my time and create a competitive sprint for the line I mentioned to my fellow competitor "That he was doing well for an old man" at this we both took off for the line, him through anger at this young upstart's cheek and myself at the thought of saying this and then being beaten.

I piped him to it, before projectile vomiting over the finish line. Before I had time to catch my breath my fellow competitor who was now red in the face demanded my age. Spluttering to explain my tactics he soon saw the funny side of it.

35:05 and a PB by over 20 seconds (I think I have run 34:30 in a half marathon) but another good solid result to build on.

30th JUNE 2007 - SIS DORNAY STEEL MAN – 1:56:57 - Challenge distance 800m swim – 30.6km bike – 7.5km run.

Having had some problems with a recurring hip injury over the last few months resulting in a big drop off in the training miles I took the opportunity to include some cross training into my programme. To keep my focus I needed a short term goal, I decided to take on the challenge multidiscipline Triathlon.

Taking time out from the punishing running regime has had a positive effect on my training and certainly made me hungrier to get back to hard running training. I have still been able to run around 40-50 miles a week but with the addition of sessions on the bike, gym and in the pool it has helped me to become a stronger, balanced and injury free runner.

Prior to training for this event my swimming and cycling experience had been almost none existence, not helped by my lack of upper body strength. Until last week I had never been on the road on a racing bike and only completed my first 800 meter swim in the pool a few days before by varying a combination of front crawl and breaststroke.

RACE DAY

Jumping into the cold lake with 120 other competitors was a completely different experience from what I imagined. Unlike a road race I felt no pressure to perform at my very best and only thought “let’s just enjoy this.” After the horn sounded there was a flurry of activity as arms and legs flailed, people were kicked in the face and other were brush aside or just swum over. I rather wisely took a wide berth and ease into my tactic of a minute of crawl followed by a minute of breaststroke. Being in a lake is totally different from the pool, no wall to kick off, a blustery wind blowing off the side of the lake and on more then a number of occasions I swallowed a lung full of water. After the first lap I found it much easier going, with the breathing almost becoming second nature and finished strongly over the last 200 meters to exit the swim around the middle of the pack.

A quick transition, or at least the best I could do ensued before mounting the bike for 6 laps of the lake. One the first corner I was nearly knocked off when a rider from behind cut through on the inside of the corner, I had a bit of a wobble but enjoyed the excitement of being in a bike race. On my brothers rather dilapidated racing bike I churned away through the gears into a furious head wind, which seemed to follow me around for most of the lap. I felt like I was giving it everything but found that other riders, and not just elite highly tuned athletes but older women can flying past me. I dug deep to the end but had just about had enough when I finally came into the final transition in a disappointing 110^th place.

Only 7.5km to go but my legs felt like they belonged to someone else. Heavy as lead, stiff back and toes that had gone numb over the bike session I took short choppy strides through the timer barrier before missing the drinking cups on the table. It felt like all my coordination had gone, but having read a few books on triathlon training it assured me that after the first 1km you do get some running back into your legs. The feeling is not that dissimilar to the last few miles of a marathon but without the mental fatigue of having run 22 miles. I held it together rather well and managed to pick off a number of runners in turn, 67 in total and ended up coming in a respectable 43^rd over all and 12^th in my age group. I also managed to finish 1^st overall in the run section of the triathlon which was a pleasing result and not a bad training session for dealing with heavy legs.

I really did enjoy the experience, very different to running, but equally rewarding and would recommend it to any other runners or anyone wanting a good challenge. You always think that you could have done better in these events but over all it was an enjoyable introduction to Triathlons.

Injury free, base fitness in place its time to get back into hard marathon training with the short term target of a fast half marathon planned for the end of the summer.
 

15th APRIL 2007 - PARIS MARATHON DISAPPOINTMENT - 3 hours 11 minutes

Having dedicate the last 15 months of my life towards the project the result in Paris was heart wrenching. I was in the shape of my life, felt full of energy if not a little nervous before the start, but was safe in the knowledge that I had done everything asked of myself to achieve my revised target time of 2 hours 36 minutes.

It was a hot day in Paris, but I had prepared for this after succumbing to the heat in Palma in October and had learnt my lessons of the importance of hydration the hard way. I had gone to such lengths that I had positioned my brother with a cap soaked in water waiting a few km past the half way mark to deal with the effects of the sun. I met up with my friend Hugh from the Serpentine Running Club and ran the first 10km eight seconds under my target and felt great heading up to the park. At 12 km I felt a slight twinge at the top of my left leg in the ITB/Hip rejoin but thought that I would be able to run it out. At 17km it was still there, if not a little worse and I had to stop to stretch.

After a minute of stretching it had eased up a bit and I got right back into it, thinking that I would be able to make up the time in the last 12km, more then aware that I should not try anything drastic at this stage to make up the time. 3km latter I stopped to stretch again, the stretching was in fact making it worse and was indicative of a small tear becoming exacerbated. Still I though I would just grin and bare it as I was feeling very fresh and felt I might be able to get around in under 2 hours 45 minutes.

At 22km I was reduced to walking and had to get on the ground to stretch. I should have thrown in the towel but for some reason I did not. I thought of the members of my family who have given so much support to me from the start and thinking of them stationed along the next 10km waiting and willing me on, I felt a sense of pride that no matter what happened in the next 20km I would finish this race and that at least in their eyes I could hold my head up high.

The next 20km was the most painful and helpless experience of my life with, it consisted of a combination of; walking, jogging and stretching before I finally made it to the finish line. I just felt unbelievably frustrated!

Prior to the marathon I had gone through every possible scenario that could have prevented me from reaching this time but injury never past my mind. I might have had a few niggles over the last 15 months, but nothing at all in the last 6 weeks and never a problem with the ITB/Hip area. To say the least I am absolutely gutted!
 
Although very frustrating I am fully aware that it really is not the end of the world. To put this into perspective I have a friend who has been very unwell, I thought of him while I was limping through the last few km. He is the bravest man I know, he has been through hell, his battle is for survival mine is to run a fast marathon!

Thank you very much to all those that have supported me throughout. Good luck to those running in the London next week. May I wish you far better luck then myself.
 

BRAMLEY 20 MILE - Sunday 26th Feb 2007 - TIME:- 02:03:35:12

After the success in the Wokingham half marathon and being able to run 31.5 miles relatively easily on the weekend I felt sure that I could come up with a good result over 20 miles in Bramley. It was the first time I had attempted a 20 miler and decided to try to run at just slower then marathon pace and come in a little under 2 hours. I felt a little heavy in the legs having run a 5km run on the Friday and had suffered from fatigue earlier in the week, but standing on the start line I felt confident knowing that I had put in a great deal of quality and quantity over the last 8 weeks.

As in most races everyone goes out much too fast but it was essential if I wanted to stick in with the front pack. I felt great through 8 miles alternating the lead with a few of the other Serpentine runners. At one of the drinks station I dropped my paper cup, fortunately Andy a fellow Serpentine runner handed me the rest of his. I have found that it really helps running in these packs, not only because of the wind but running at a designated pace seems very much easier.

However they do have there drawbacks - at 9 miles the pace really picked up and I decided that there would be no way to sustain this pace to the end and dropped off a bit. At the half way I realised that the pack had dropped from 8 to 4 as half the runners had been running in the 10 mile race over the same course. This is a mistake that I made in Majorca and by the time I had gone through half way the pack was at least 45 seconds in front. I went through half way in 57mins 30secs.

My father came along to support and handed me my energy drink which slipped down well but by this stage I was starting to cramp up in the back of my thighs (similar problem as Friday) and although running well and going through 13.1 miles in 1hr 16mins I had to stop to stretch them out.

The focus was lost and my interest started to waver, I talked myself into easing up and using the rest of the race as a training run. I stopped a further 2 times to stretch and by this stage I just wanted it to end. I never really got going after that and jogged over the line in a disappointing 2hrs 3mins 35secs. The race taught me that you either race or you use it as a training run. Giving yourself the option after 13 miles when you feel pretty awful you are always going to chose the training option but that in turn makes you run even slower.

If I can take a positive from it, the first 9 miles were so easy that at times I was barely breathing but the stark reality is that come Paris I need to keep this feeling and pace going to at least 20 miles then to hang on/race the final 6. It has really shaken me up and the next 4 weeks will be crucial to the outcome of the entire project. April 15 looms ever closer.
 

Sunday 11th Feb 2007 -  WOKINGHAM HALF MARATHON - TIME:- 01:15:26:00

I found myself standing on the start line of the Wokingham half marathon one year on having a serious case of deja vu. The memories of that day came flooding back, the pain, the suffering, I even started getting phantom pains in my legs just thinking back to that fateful day.

I shook myself from this nightmare and realised something was different. I was standing at the front of the field for starters... something had to be wrong here. I looked down at myself and noticed that the belly had been replaced by a stick man with bulging veins jutting out of defined calf muscles. The count down began and I readied myself for the off... this was it... now was my chance to show how far I had progressed in the last year.

Through the first mile in 5:40 and feeling very relaxed. Maybe the idea of using half marathons as fast paced tempo runs was a good idea after all. For the next 9 miles I did not check my watch once as I snuck on the back of a 4 man group who were taking it in turns to dictate the pace. I felt quite happy just sitting on the back cursing along. The conditions were a lot warmer then I had anticipated and after 5 miles I discarded my gloves. I felt a pang of guilt as it felt like losing a good friend. We had been through so much over the winter months and to think of them lying cold and wet by the side of the road struck a cord. "What the hell was I thinking about its just a bloody pair of gloves... they were a dead weight and were slowing you down..." my subconscious rudely interrupted. Get focused and stay relaxed.

Through the water station at 7 miles I noticed that I lost some ground on the pack again. Mental note to myself "Speed up before the station and then drink not slow down and drink". I started to get the same feeling in my stomach as I did for the Windsor half marathon in which I could  feel the water sloshing around inside me like an internal camel back.

One mile later I had the sweats and had dropped back about 50 seconds from the pack and was weighing up to options of removing the gurgling stomach cramps in my shorts or to find an appropriate bush. Luckily it did not come to this and at 10 miles I started to feel ok. I checked my watch which read 57 mins and pushed on hard for the last few miles, feeling more relaxed and stronger again after the rough patch. I was playing games with the runners in front, taking a marker and counting down the difference between us. It did not grow and if anything was shortening but I had to much work to do to catch them and was pleased to finish in a very respectable time.

Six week to go to Reading half marathon which I want to run under 1hr 12mins and with a few days off before I think that it is a distinct possibility. With a lot of hard graft to go I feel that 2hrs 30mins is certainly possible for Paris, now its just a question of grinding out the miles and not getting injured.

Watch this space.....
 

THE FRED HUGHES 10 MILES - ST ALBANS - 21st January 2007 - TIME: 00:59:32:01

Having come off the back of a very heavy and intensive week of training where at times I have found it difficult to walk down the stairs the aim was to run the 10 miles in under and hour and to use it as a really good tempo run. Having had a leisurely run out at the Bushy Park 5 km race the day before I had hoped that some of the aches and pains would have gone but the trusty muscle rub had to come into action to get myself moving. Having run out of safety pins I had to make do with one pin and a paper clip (I am sure that it added a few seconds to my time) and tried as best to warm up.

Having never run in a 10 mile race before I did not really know what to expect. I did not really know if you should attack it like a 10km race and hold on till the end or go steady from the start like in a half marathon. I soon settled into a good pace and was through the first mile in just under 6 mins. The rest of the race was pretty uneventful except for avoiding a large lake in the middle of the road due to flooding and watching one unfortunate runner smash full on into a bollard! I wish that George had have been filming this one. (I had nothing to do with it... honest!)

The last mile was hard work into the wind and up hill but I was pretty pleased with the solid performance. Even though there were 8 other Serpentine runners in front of me (Club 10 mile Championship) I am getting closer and closer to their times with only 4 minutes separating me from the winner of the race.

The next 3 weeks are crucial to the plan as I enter the 12 week Marathon specific phase  (recommended by Bruce Tulloh.) If I can shake of my thigh strain, iron out my muscular imbalances and get some serious miles in I should be in pretty good shape for the Wokingham half marathon and my aim to run under 1hr 15mins. If I can do this then with the 9 weeks running up to the Paris Marathon I think that I should be able to build enough endurance to take me under the 2hrs 30mins mark.

Things have to start happening now but it is never down to lack of motivation or determination but whether my body can cope with the demands placed on it. All things being considered I hope that the intense and intelligence of the training pays off.

Watch this space in 3 weeks time to find out how I got on.

THE SERPENTINE NEW YEARS DAY 10KM - 1st January 2007 - TIME: 00:36:24:10

Today's race was always going to be an interesting one after the events of the night before. Being New Years Eve I had a few beers (the last drop of alcohol for the next 16 weeks) at my brother party in back home in Chobham and after the raucous New Years eve celebrations I left to come back to London to get a good night sleep for the race the next day. I did not sleep very well and last read my watch at 3:00am before closing my eyes.

The race was over a rather wet 3 laps of Hyde Park, north of the Serpentine lake with a couple of strategically placed rises. The wind also played a big factor as after the start of the race I found myself just off the leading pack and spent much of the race on my own. I ran a pretty even race and at no point did I feel uncomfortable but my legs did feel a little heavy after the hard weeks of training.

The positives from the race are that I beat a number of runners who were in front of me in the 5km on Friday and was only 5 seconds behind Urban Bettag one of the best runners from the Serpentine Running Club. I finished in a time of 36:24 which was my 3rd fastest time over the distance and even though I had been hoping for around the 35 minute mark it has set a good bench mark for the year and shows that I still need to improve on my speed as my endurance has been coming along nicely.

However to run a fast Marathon speed endurance is needed and a 10km time of 32 minutes. Is it achievable in the next 16 weeks? Yes I think it is, but at what cost? I must sit down now and examine all aspects of my training, diet, sleeping and work patterns and find the optimum balance to achieve this goal. If I can run 32 minutes for 10km then a 2hrs 30mins Marathon will seem like a walk in the park. The challenge has been laid down and if there was ever a time to make some New Years resolutions today seams like a pretty good place to start. Wokingham Half Marathon in 6 weeks time and a time under 1hr 15mins.

Happy New Year everyone!

THE SERPENTINE 5KM - 29th December 2006 - TIME: 00:17:31:09

Having not raced since the Majorca Marathon 9 weeks ago, it felt great to get back into competitive racing. 5km is my least favourite event due to the fact that the race is over before you know it, and a cautious start as in longer races does not always pay off. The time since the Marathon have been the hardest to date not because of the intensity of the training but because of a number of persistent injuries and a string of illnesses which has not only hampered my training but on more then a number of occasion knocked my confidence and my usually upbeat optimism. No one said it was ever going to be easy, and I have had to deal with it the best I could, and believe I have come out stronger because of the setbacks.

I had come off the back of two hard weeks in which I had been able to train at a high intensity and tried my best to resist the temptations of the festive season, I now felt hungry for a good race. I was using this race as a stepping stone for the 10km race on New Years Day in Hyde Park and although racing I ran at a controlled pace.

As usual the race started at a very fast pace and from the looks of things it seamed a very competitive field. (6 runners under 15:30) At 1km I checked my watch to view my split time to find that the stop watch had not started properly. As it turned out this was the best thing that could have happened as I ran with how my body felt not some time that was dictated from the comfort of an arm chair. At 2km my shoe lace had come undone but with no time to stop I made the decision to carry onto the end. At the same time I suffered a debilitating stitch and for a while was bent double in pain. I had recently taken the decision that pain is my friend and to just deal with it. After a while it disappeared and I settled into a good stride behind a fellow Serpentine member and stepped up the pace for the final 1km over taking a number of runners. With 400 metre to go I made a last surge up the hill before the turn picking off two more runners. I had gone too soon and both over took me with 150 metres to go. I snuck in behind but did not have the raw pace to catch them in a sprint for the line.

I had no idea of the time but it felt like 17:30 later I found out that it was 17:31. I learnt a lot from the race and some thing that a lot of runners should do is forget about the watch occasionally. I certainly know what my body is capable of at the moment and how much exertion sends it into free fall. Sticking to a certain time can certainly do that as I have proved in the past. With the 10km on New Years day I hope to run a time of 35 minutes which will set a bench mark for the 3 months leading up to the Paris Marathon in April. To run under 2hrs 30mins for the Paris Marathon I will need to run splits just over 35 minutes for the entire course so there is a lot of work still to be done but it is certainly not impossible as long as I can stay injury free!
 

22nd October 2006 - TUI - PALMA, MAJORCA MARATHON - TIME:- 02:58:39:12

Where do I start to explain the emotions and drama of such an event. For the past 10 months this Marathon has been the focus of all my effort, every time I wavered in training or faltered in motivation the idea of running a fast time in the TUI - Palma, Majorcan Marathon on the 22nd October bought my motivation sharply back into focus.

I had trained and trained since the humble beginning of running a lap of the field at home. 1000's of km had been notched in training and through sheer perseverance I had lost over 3 and a half stone in weigh and felt I was peaking just at the right time.

I arrived out in Palma a few days before the race to get used to the heat. I was surprised to find it a little warmer then I had expected as I had read that for the previous year's race the temperature had peaked at around 18 degrees celsius. The temperature was around the 26 deg mark and even at the start of the race on Sunday at the start at 9.00am the temperature was creeping up to 19 deg. I felt great thought and had felt very relaxed all week as I lined up on the start line with 3000 other runners taking part in the Marathon and half Marathon courses. I was surprised to find out that the majority of the local runners were only taking part in the Half Marathon, I found out the answer to this at around 32km.

We had been very fortunate to have had the organisers www.tui.com provide us with a motor bike on which George would be able to film the race from. It was great to have the opportunity to film the entire race through the ups and downs but also in the short term to analyses where the improvements need to be made.

The race started and I set of as intended to run a slow first few km in around 3.58 a km. I remembered the advice of Jasyn, Bruce Tulloh, Keith Anderson, Philip Price and Jackie Dabinett and resisted the urge to go out too fast and to drink at every station to avoid the onset of dehydration. At 10km I ran a time of 38.30 pretty much spot on, I was running a really controlled race and felt very relaxed running with a young Spaniard who at 20km I found was only running the half Marathon. As we parted company he looked across in bewilderment that I still had another 22km to go.

I reached half way at 1.21.30 which considering the narrow street of the old city was also spot on target, 30km in 1.57 and the next two km in 4.00 mins, then it all went horribly wrong. The final 10km into a hot stiff breeze along an unsheltered costal promenade. From feeling pretty good, maybe a little hot and tired but I only needed to run a 40mins final 10km to run well under 2hrs 45mins I thought the time had come to stay strong for the final part of the race.

I started to sway from side to side on the long promenade desperately trying to seek shade under the palm trees. I remember now that I did not really know what was going on and I was fast losing control of my body. My mind took over for a while and for the next 1km I got myself back on track only to subsequently really suffer. The dream of running under 2hrs 45mins and any potential of gaining investment for the documentary was fast slipping away.

At 40km I ground to a halt, desperate I collapsed into a bowl of cold water at one of the aid station. The dream was over, At the time I can remember thinking absolutely nothing, I was dulled to any senses except deep down something was telling me that I would not finish this race in a heap by the side of the road but that I had to finish what I had started. After several minutes slouched with my head in a bucket I started to come around to the voice of a doctor telling me that "I was finito". This just is not me and I mustered up the means to stager toward the finish line. The disappointment became all to real as I saw the time on the big clock clicking down past 2hrs 58mins, beside it the temperature read 32 deg.

Crossing the line I was meet by Bella who took me over to the side and lay me down on the grass to recover. I could sense the disappointment for me in her. I felt like I had let the whole world down, those that believed in me, those that wanted to invest in the project, my family, my coach and everyone that I had told I would run a time of under 2hrs 45mins. It hit me so so hard that I had failed everyone and that it all came down to me.

Crossing the line I was meet by Bella who took me over to the side and lay me down on the grass to recover. I could sense the disappointment for me in her. I felt like I had let the whole world down, those that believed in me, those that wanted to invest in the project, my family, my coach and everyone that I had told I would run a time of under 2hrs 45mins. It hit me so so hard that I had failed everyone and that it all came down to me.

Sitting on the balcony that evening in the flat back in Paguera it hit home harder then ever that I had really messed up. What was I going to do now? What type of reaction would I get when I got back home? Then on the way back to bed I saw a book I had been reading before the Marathon about Ultra Marathon runner Dean Karnazes. I opened up the book at a random page and read a paragraph, it read.

"Most dreams die a slow death. They're conceived in a moment of passion, with the prospect of endless possibility, but often languish and are not pursued with the same heartfelt intensity as when first born. Slowly, subtly, a dream becomes elusive and ephemeral. People who've let their own dreams die become pessimists and cynics. They feel that the time and devotion spent on chasing their dreams were wasted. The emotional scars last forever. "It can't be done," they'll say, when you describe your dream. "It'll never happen".

People will say that I was clutching at straws but it reignited the fire inside me to succeed. There was no way I was finished, things might not have gone well in the race but I was a better runner then that, and in that moment my resolve hardened 10 fold. This might have been a major set back but I believe that it will make me stronger because of it. One other positive from the experience was that it was 1hr 23min fast then my first official Marathon and 37mins fast then my PB over the distance.

On returning home I was surprised to receive a very warm welcome from my parents who were incredibly supportive. My father quoted Churchill in saying "Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning. I am very fortunate to have their support and after discussing what is to happen I have made a number of decisions.

I am not finished! but things have change considerably because of my failure. The documentary will continue but on a shoestring budget in the safe hands of filmmaker George Olver. I am to just concentrate on the running now as without the running there is no documentary anyway. I am to enter the Paris Marathon on the 17th of April and due to running under 3hrs it means that I get to start with the first groups of runner. To stand any chance of running under 2hrs 15mis the following year I need to run a time at least under 2hrs 30mins and will dedicate the next 6 months totally toward this aim.

I realise now that maybe I was getting too caught up in all areas of the project rather that just concentrating on the running. My thoughts can often be elsewhere when they should be focusing on how to get faster and fitter. Long distance runner Emil Zatopek once said that "A runner must run with dreams on his heart, not money in his pocket". I certainly don't have any money now but I do certainly now have dream in my heart that is beating strong then ever.

I would like to thank all the team involved in organising the TUI - Palma Majorcan Marathon which I would say was the most efficient, well organised race I have come across. I know that some of the English races might not have big budgets but they could learn a thing or two from them. I would also say that the half Marathon is one of the most exciting I have ever taken part in but with regards to the Marathon I might take a rain check on it for next year. www.tui-marathon.com
 

THE GREAT NORTH RUN - 1st October 2006 - TIME: 01:21:12:00

The Great North Run was an interesting experience but for all the wrong reasons. I had not grasped quite how big the event has become. Forty-five thousand people lined up to take part in the 2006 edition of the race making it the biggest half marathon in the world. I had sorted out my entry through the British Lung Foundation and having been given a charity place realised that I was to start in ZONE 5 (about 30,000 people back) with the fun runners.

I though that spending 6 hours in the car and a restless night sleep would not be ruined by starting with the Mr Blobie's and the Rhino's towards the back and was able to sneak my way into the club runners stalls towards the front past a group of burly bouncers. I still found myself at least 10,000 runners back from the start and spent the first few miles fighting my way towards the front of the field. I am ashamed to say that I literally had to push people out of the way to make head way. Only after 5km did I settle into race pace in a desperate attempt to regain the lost time at the start. I passed the 10 miles mark in 1.01 when my watch stopped, later I realised that due to the multi-functions on the interface the seconds had turned to minutes and minutes to hours. It was a silly mistake to make but good that it happened at this stage. I will be totally tried and tested for the Majorcan Marathon in less then 3 weeks time. I slowed down the pace for the last few miles as I had been advised to do so by my coaches and sauntered over the line in 1hr 21mins 12secs. A few minutes slower then I had intended due to the unforeseen circumstances and chaos at the start, To take the positives from the race it had been a useful final tempo session before the Marathon and the finishing touches to 10 months of preparation.

What I really learnt is that I have reached a stage where I fall into a category between fun runners and the elite athletes. For the bigger races there really is not point in attempting  them (if I want a good time) unless you have an elite start number because being held up can add minutes to your time and disrupt your race/pace strategy and mental attitude towards the race. I learnt however that even if things do not go your way you need to take a step backwards, re-evaluate the situation and adapt.

This was only the start of the exertion, 9 hours after setting of from Newcastle both George and myself arrived back in London. For me that car journey down was a huge test of mental endurance in itself. A big thank you is also in order for Harry Walker for putting George and myself up in his house and an apology to his bemused house mate (who had not been informed of his guest staying for the evening) who received the shock of his life coming back to find us both tucking into our supper while watching the X - Factor.
 

9th July 2006  - THE WYCOMBE HALF MARATHON  - TIME:- 01:23:49:01

Having not run a half marathon since April I was confident that a good time would be achieved. At the Serpentine track session on Thursday I had been advised by a number of the runners that it was a tough course and that a good time would be hard to achieve. This was partly due to the fact that after the first kilometre there is a hill accent that lasts for over a mile.

Race conditions were considerably better then had been forecast. Sunshine had been replaced by a light drizzle that would keep me cool throughout the race. With a smaller field then in the London 10K the week before I eased my way to the front of the race and set off at a steady pace. I still felt a little stiff from the effects of a number of speed session earlier in the week but found a comfortable pace in which to attack the hill climb. The road surface was rather slippery and a number of the runners struggled with traction on the accent and later the decent around the six mile mark, but the accent made the rest of the course feel relatively easy in comparison.

At the first drink station at the top of the accent I decided to take on some water even though I felt fine due to the advice of both the dietitian and sports physiologist that dehydration is a runners number one enemy. I choked on the first sip and really struggled to breath as the water from the plastic cup shot down my wind pipe. I thought that it would be rather sad to be the first runner to drown during a race. After 30 seconds of coughing to remove the water I composed myself and fought hard to regain my position in the chasing pack. 5 minutes later I had closed the gap and attached myself to the back of a group consisting of 4 runners. The pace was good and with the other runners doing the work I shielded myself from the blustery head wind. Around the 4 mile mark on a incline I decided that the time was right to make a move and towards the top of the hill when the pace invariably drops I pushed on and detached, never to see them again, they had served their purpose and had made my time with them easy. I picked of a few other runners and started the decent down a very steep hill. This is where I struggled and due to the leg speed turnover and slippery surface could not fully let go. A number of the runners who I had earlier picked off over took me, this was short lived and by the 8 mile mark I had overtaken them again.

I battled hard for the last few miles and although my legs did begin to feel heavy I felt very in control mentally and believed that I could have done another lap in a similar time. This was a great confidence booster and another personal best over the distance and almost ten minutes quicker then at Silverstone back in March. I can't tell if the fact that I felt like I could have done another half marathon afterward is of huge significant or the fact that I should have pushed myself harder over the course is worrying. I finished in a time of 1hr 23mins 49secs which considering the factors involved was a good result and another building block firmly in place.

THE BRITISH 10KM - 2nd July 2006 - TIME:- 00:37:53:21

This was a race that I had high hopes for having recorded a personal best of 17.57 over 5K two days before. My original target time of 35 minutes set back in January was even at the time a little ambitious so a revised time of 36.40 was set.

I had woken up in the morning feeling pretty awful and had trouble stomaching my breakfast but after a good warm-up before setting off I felt considerably better. Arriving with over an hour to go before the start of the race I warmed up methodically and then headed for the start line. The whole race was almost too well organised, with no jumping over barriers or under ropes I found myself about 200 yards back from the start line in which I waited for over 25minutes. I had completely cooled down by the time the race started. It was so frustrating to see a number of the elite athletes warming up freely beyond the start line. To be really competitive in these races you have to start from the front and in order to do so I need to be an elite athlete.

My race plan was to start slow and build up the pace after the first 3K. As it turned out there was no scope for going fast to start with as I spent the first 1k weaving my way in an out of the horde of runners. I settled into an easy pace making sure that I did not burn out too early on and stuck on the back of a number of runners who looked like they were capable of running a good time. I past the 5K mark in 18.50 which was ok but it was time to pick up the pace for the second half. After a dowsing of water which did little to cool me but made a good job of soaking my top making it rather heavy I pushed on. My running style did not feel as smooth as it had been earlier in the week and felt towards the end of the race that I was fighting hard rather then relaxing and letting it flow as it shows in the video.

I finished in a time of 37.53 which was a good result considering the weather and towards the top end of the results table. Phase two now complete I feel delighted with how things have gone. I am feeling very fit, I have lost 3 stone of weight and touch wood I have not had any injuries. Phase 3 will be a tough slog towards the Majorcan Half Marathon and a time of under 2hrs 45mins but certainly achievable. The next 14 weeks will be the making of this project and an opportunity for people to really take note.

SERPENTINE 5KM - 30th June 2006 - TIME:- 00:17:57:43

Having just returned from a few day training in the Scottish Highland where the air had been so fresh and the space so vast I felt confident of posting a good time. It was another hot day but I was better prepared then ever by planning my water intake the day before. To become a professional runner you need to think like one and their preparation for a race days is meticulous. It does not come in the few hours before the race, but in weeks, months and years leading up to it.

I felt confident and strong after my warm-up and despite drinking plenty of fluids before hand knew that the searing temperature of 30° would make running a good time particularly hard for us all. I had discussed the race before hand with my coach and had decided on a time of 17mins 30secs with the first kilometre in 3mins 40secs and then an even 3mins 30secs for the next 3k then to drop the hammer in the final kilometre and go all out.

I set of at a speed that I thought was slow and felt very comfortable passing the 1km mark in 3mins 22secs. It would prove to be too fast in relation to the rest of the race but gave me confidence that I could run at that pace with easy in the future. The second and third kilometres went as planned in 3.31 and 3.32 respectively. With a very dry mouth I slipped back a bit on the 4th kilometre but held it together to run a 3.37 final leg before crossing the line in 17mins 57secs. I went passed the line and proceeded to be sick, I think it was something to do with having too much water in my stomach in an attempt to stay hydrated.

This is an area that I will have to work on in preparation for hot days, but as far as times go it was another personal best by 36 seconds from last month. So in terms of improvement it is a big step forward. Sunday's 10km will be a sterner test and the end of Stage 2 of my training plan. The following 15 weeks will be geared toward the Majorcan Marathon on October the 22nd.
 

BUPA CAPITAL 10KM - 11th June 2006 - TIME:- 00:38:46:10

I only decided to do this race at the last minute, so fitting it into the schedule was intended as a good way to get a competitive training run in. It was a hot day again which is not conducive to fast running but I felt that a good time could be achieved over the Hyde Park course that I knew well.

The size of the event was far greater then I expected and turning up at the start with only a few minute to go I found myself trapped toward the back of a queue of 10,000 other eager runners. There was no way I was going to be wasting my time at the back, and subsequently hurdled the barrier and snuck in at the front.

After the formalities the race started and again I went out too fast but felt pretty good. If this race had have been a 5km event I would have posted a very impressive time with split times for the first 3K's of 3.20, 3.22 and 3.25, still in control I tried to remain at an even pacing. I started to struggle in the heat around the 5K mark but being in the top 10 I felt inspired to push on through. The water stop was around the 6K mark to my annoyance, as I had expected it at the half way point. This had played on my mind but after a few sips to re-hydrate and wet my mouth I refocused and tried to remain calm. Running back in the opposite direction against the flow of the masses was very inspiring and made me realise for the first time how much I had progressed. It might not have been the strongest field in the running calendar but it was good experience to understand what it felt like to be running alone towards the front of the field.

I dug deep and ran a solid rather then spectacular last few kilometres before finishing in a time of 38mins 46secs. It was slower then my time around Dornay Lake but the conditions and weather were against me. I finished the race in 10th place out of 10,000 runners so I felt that for someone who could only manage 400 yards of slow jogging back in January it was an achievement in itself. The London 10K in a less then a months time will be a far sterner test and one which I must get right.
 

SERPENTINE 5KM - 26th May 2006 - TIME:- 00:18:32:27

After a very tough Thursday track session with the Serpentine Running Club I awoke feeling pretty stiff but looking forward to the 5km race around the Serpentine Lake in Hyde Park. Jasyn my coach kept telling me at the Thursday session to push myself as hard as I could and not to think about the race but that I had to think about the long term goals. It is something that is hard to do day in day out but is a necessity to follow if I am to achieve my ultimate goal.

I started well and ran the first 3km in under 10mins 30secs and was on track for a good time despite having heavy legs. The next two 2km when I decided to pick up the pace nothing happened, it felt like I was going backwards. It was very frustrating after all the good training I had done prior to this event. For the last 1km I started wreathing, I kept going but had lost my rhythm, I battled hard to regain it and crossed the line in 18mins 32secs.

It was not quite what I was hoping for, but used in the context of a  training run it has its uses in the bigger picture. It was also over a 1min 40secs faster then I was at the end of February over the distance, so to take a positive, it was good to see the improvement.
 

Saturday 6th May 2006 - DORNAY LAKE 10KM - TIME:- 00:38:27:43

Another cold day, but ideal race conditions, a fast flat course around the venue for the 2012 Olympic Rowing Lake. After a week in the Alps and a hard 5 days training in Majorca I felt confident that I would achieve a good time. For the first time I was starting to believe in my ability as a runner and duly took my place towards the front of the field.

I went out a bit fast as I had become over eager to set a really good time. I past the 2nd km mark in just over 7 minutes and then started to suffer a bit. The course was flat and boring around the lake, seeing the half way mark and finish all is one view was a  demoralising experience. I kept pushing on spurred on by the fact that I was towards the front of the field.

Past half way in 18.50 I felt invigorated and tried to up the pace. Even after all the training on the long winding roads of the French Alps I struggled to find the speed I needed. With 1km to go I was passed by a man who must have been in his 60's. It hit me hard that there is still such a long way to go towards my end goal. I tried in vain to catch him to no avail and past the line in a respectable 38mins 27secs. I was very pleased with the result but knew that I could have gone faster. Another box ticked and a checkpoint achieved. I know thought that they are only going to get harder from here.
 

SILVERSTONE HALF MARATHON - 19th March 2006 - TIME:- 01:33:31:00

Silverstone was my second half marathon of the year and after the pain of the Wokingham half marathon earlier in February my thoughts were divided as to whether I was looking forward to this or if it would be another long slog and hard work just to stick it out. My aims had changed for this race, at Wokingham I just wanted to get around and finish, here I wanted to post a reasonable time.

Things did not get off to a good start. After heavy traffic we arrived at the race with less then ten minutes to go. I rushed to the start line not to the amusement of my girlfriend who had kindly come to support me. I had forgotten to bring pins for my race number and after a frantic search rushed towards the start line. My efforts were in vain as the race had already started, a few thousand people had already crossed the start line.

The first few miles I jostled for places becoming increasingly frustrated with my  pre race preparation, or lack of it. Conditions were cool and with a bitter north wind blowing across the Formula One race track. Conserving energy was one lesson I learnt from the race as I tucked in behind a pack of runners. I ran a better second half of the race and finished in the respectable time of 1hours 33mins 31secs.

Preparation is key, and this race certainly served as a reminder to get my act sorted out and come much more prepared.
 

Sunday 12th Feb 2006 - WOKINGHAM HALF MARATHON - TIME:- 01:35:20:00

Having spent much of the night worrying that I would over sleep. I made some porridge and a cup of coffee and tried to concentrate on what I wanted out of the race. I looked out the window and saw the torrential rain coming down and wondered if my target time of 1hr 40mins would be achievable in such atrocious conditions.

I arrived in plenty of time and like most runners was desperate to go to the loo due to over hydrating.  I arrive at the start line with about half and hour to go and hid myself from the rain in one of the officials tents. Not only was it still pouring, but there was a strong north wind blowing making it bitterly cold. I decided to keep my jacket on for the race, which bellowed in the wind like a parachute, it was not the best call but at the time it seemed like a good idea. I was rather nervous about this race as it was the furthest I had run since resuming training in January.

The race started at a fast pace and after the first 3 miles I thought that there was no way that I could sustain this pace even though it was not particularly fast. It was a race that I was not really ready for, and one in which I had to dig really deep to finish. I used all my experience and just tried to settle into a controlled shuffle, trying not to waste too much energy. The race appeared to go on and on and even a slight inclined felt like climbing a mountain due to my lack of fitness and sodden clothing.

Spotting the finish line across the playing fields was a welcome relief from the strains of the race. I came in around the 200 mark in 1hr 35mins 20secs. I was very please with the effort but just glad that it was over and that I could start building for my next race. It has set a bench mark now for all my future races, no matter what the time is you have to dig deep because the clock never stops ticking until you get to that line...
 

27th January 2006 - NIKE 5KM - TIME:- 00:20:38:00

I had been eagerly awaiting this days after spending 6 weeks in bed recovering from the operation to remove the Pilanidal Sinus from my lower back (a group of in growing hairs). During that time in bed I dreamed of this day and just being able to have the opportunity to race again felt amazing.

I had trained hard for the last 3 weeks to get myself into some sort of shape to run this race. It had been a hell of a lot of hard work! With the majority of my training consisting of half hour sessions on the cross-trainer in the gym. I had only managed a few runs around Hyde Park with the furthest one being around 7km. I had struggled a bit in the run up to this race with shin splints due to the fact that when I first started training again my weight has soared to 16 stone, having not done any form of exercise for 4 months.

I had entered the race with a very ambitious target of going out as fast as I could. I had been ill prepared, having had an awful breakfast consisting of a poached egg which had gone horribly wrong and would nearly return to say hello later on in the day. I had forgotten to bring along some water and had to grab the nearest discarded bottle to quench my thirst.

I forced my way toward the front of the field believing that I would be pulled out my a race marshal, as I did not have the correct top on due to the fact that it had never been sent to one. I  went out at a furious pace, one that I would not be able to sustain. I dug deep for the entire race and kept telling myself that if I am to achieve my ultimate goal to qualify for the Olympic Games then I will have to push myself unbelievably hard. The pace hurt really badly, and the 5km finish line came just in time. I was exhausted but very pleased with my ability to push myself through the pain barrier.

This is the start, a base to build on, what a journey I have in front of me. Who knows what road I will take on my way to Beijing or the obstacles that I have to overcome, but one thing is for sure I will never give up on this goal.