I'm in! - London Marathon 2023

London 2023

So Monday this week an email dropped into my Inbox, subject line, "Your 2023 TCS London Marathon Ballot result". 

I was fully expecting a rejection but after clicking through to the actual result, I was shocked to see "You're In"!

Being totally unexpected it's a mix of delight and trepidation. Not only am I attempting a Marathon but I have to sort the logistics of transport, accommodation and support on the day. It all suddenly seems a massive enterprise.

As people hear about it, the most common reaction is to ask, is this wise at your age?  I don't really know whether it is but I've dreamed of marking my 70th with a full Marathon for 5 years and now I get to do it with the London.

Stress and Pain

After the Knutsford 10k I took it easy for the week but it has been apparent that I was pushing it as I have experienced ankle, knee and calf pain from time to time, particularly after getting up in the morning. 

I injured my right Achilles 10 years ago when I first started running and it still hurts when I push on a bit. The combination of the stress of the race and my Wednesdays currently involving a steep climb in work boots to the job site has antagonised it and I can feel the swelling along the tendon which isn't great. I have completed 2 x 35 minute runs this week but have reverted to 4 min run and 2 min walk to reduce stress everywhere and give things chance to heal without injuring them further.

My current dry stone walling job at National Trust Lyme. The car park is on the lower ground beyond the outcrops in the foreground.

Follow me on Instagram @Ged70Marathon

A Quick 10Km

A little over a week before the Knutsford 10K I did my last long run at 8.3Km. Still being cautious of injury, I completed it with alternate run 8 min, walk 2 min. This was to be my last run before the race; in my early running I felt I should train right up to the day but nowadays, I know my body performs best with a rest week between my last long run and race day.

10 years ago I felt a need for massive preparation before the race. I would "carb' up" for two days, no alcohol and early to bed. I have learned that for me, this is unnecessary and I now have my traditional Saturday night Chinese takeaway, though I do avoid over indulging on the wine and don't start watching something on TV that will take me past midnight, but that's about it. 

Before bed, I pin my number to my vest, charge my watch and phone and lay everything out.

Race Day

I enjoy porridge and sultanas for breakfast on race day; I find it settles my nervous stomach nicely as well as putting fuel in the tank.

Arriving at the venue I will eat a banana - slowly!, swig some water and do my stretches. Then a gentle jog around to loosen up and shake off any nerves.

Not aiming for any particular time and expecting to inject some walks, I found the 1h 10m pacer and slotted into the crowd; However I quickly concluded that most around me hadn't run a 10K before and knowing how congested the start gets, I moved in front of the pacer to the back of the 67.5 min group.

It was a stunning sunny morning heading into the beautiful lanes of Cheshire near Jodrell Bank and I quickly found myself in a very comfortable stride and breathing really well. By the 3rd Km, I was moving through the pace group and was close to the 65 min pacer. Tempting to head on past but I decided to hold back until at least the 4Km marker. I very easily get carried away when it's going well but know I need to keep something in reserve. It is always noticeable how later in the course you find yourself passing many of the runners who disappeared in front of you at the start.

Later, I was closing on the 62.5 min pacer and was tempted but knew that I was asking for trouble if I did, after all, this is about a marathon next year, not a time today.  

Pacers and Time

Following a pacer from start to end of the race, you should be close to that time on chip timing; However something that took me a while to work out is that moving between pacers doesn't set you to that new time. I you go forward, your time will be lower than the pacer as their chip start time was earlier than yours. Similarly, if you move back, the pacer near you started later than you so your time will be longer than theirs.

I started close to 67.5 min pacer and finished behind the 62.5 pacer with a time of 1:01:40. (61.67 min) 

Absolutely delighted with my time and ran the whole race without any walk breaks - and no injuries!

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social media tags #26at70 #MarathonDream #MarathonAt70

More Interrupted Training and A London Ballot Entry

Well, it's almost two months since my Last Post and things haven't exactly gone smoothly. 

I mentioned in my last post knee problems and that continued quite badly and then we moved onto a new walling job with particularly heavy stone and I managed to damage my back as well as my knees. Recovery has been slow and long drawn out and not helped by a two week driving holiday in Spain and Portugal. So, all in all my training has been heavily interrupted.

A visit to my osteopath on returning from holiday assured me that nothing drastic had happened with my back but the strains were going to take some time to recover. It is improving but I still can't lean forward with my right leg out for a hamstring stretch without low right back pain.

I have now got back to regular running and my distance is increasing in readiness for a 10K in one week's time. All is looking well for the 10K but I'm not optimistic over the time as I am still running five minutes and walking two to in order to avoid excessive strain to injuries.

The big news is that I have now definitely decided to try for a marathon. My birthday is early May 2023 so I searched for marathons late April or May 2023. Three possible options are Edinburgh two weeks after my birthday, Manchester three weeks before and London only two weeks before.

I hadn't really considered London but having watched it this week on TV and feeling it is the big one I bit the bullet and spent my money and entered the ballot this week. 

So it's now watch this space until the end of October when I'll know whether it's the London or whether I'll fall back to Manchester which would be my home marathon and a lot simpler and cheaper with no travel or accommodation required.

Follow me on Instagram @ged70marathon

social media tags #26at70 #MarathonDream #MarathonAt70