Club 26.2

Tapering is about winding down your mileage, replenishing energy stores and healing any injuries. In my case, injury meant I went from running a total of 21 miles in a week to 0 for the next two weeks. This bought on a mild panic as I knew I was already behind with my training but in reality there wasn't much more I could do to change that. Two weeks rest was probably exactly what my body needed, during this time I got treatment for my shin splints and I ate a lot of carbohydrates!

The carb loading was in full swing by the Thursday before the marathon, no foods were off limits as everything we ate would be fuel to ensure our glycogen stores were full. We started to think about increasing the carb intake not just at dinner but for lunch too. As a lover of carbs things couldn't have been better but the closer we got to Sunday, the fuller and more bloated I started to feel! I think we may have taken this part of our training a little too seriously! Saturday may have been a carb too far, lunch we had gnocchi with mozzarella and a tomato and basil sauce. Then in the evening we went round to our friends Joe and Anne's where Paul and I shared a large Papa Johns pizza and ate a lot of crumble. A couple of weeks before we had given Joe and Anne some rhubarb from our allotment and at that moment 'crumble wars' was conceived. We made a crumble (ours was rhubarb and strawberry) to bring round with us, although in my usual fashion I managed to get something wrong. I grabbed the first bag of flour in the cupboard which happened to be self-raising an not plain. I was concerned that I would end up making a cake rather than a crumble but somehow it worked out OK! There were 3 crumbles on offer in total and of course we had to try a bit of everyones to judge the winner (it wasn't mine)!

Gnocchi, mozzarella and basil for lunch

The morning of the race I was awake at 4am, I don't know why, it may have been the anticipation of the day ahead or that was the time it started to get light and the cats were stirring. I lay in bed as long as I could, we had house guests who weren't running so didn't really want to get up and make noise too early. I started preparing myself for the race, applying KT Tape to both shins and for my IT band. The physio had advised to tape both of my shins and wear compression sleeves over the top to provide some extra support. I wasn't hungry but I knew I couldn't skip breakfast so forced down some porridge and started sipping on Lucozade. Despite having laid out all of my kit the night before I was still running around and finding additions for my running vest. Mum arrived to pick us up, she had kindly offered to drop us off and collect us expecting us to be incapable of driving ourselves later on!

Almost mummified in KT Tape!

We arrived at the Great Notley Country Park which was the start/finish for the Flitch Way Spring Marathon. We bumped into Lindley (Run Director - Challenge Running) who was putting out some signage and promptly gave me some stick for getting my excuses in early in my previous blog post! Excuses or not I still felt massively disadvantaged by injury and lack of training. 26.2 miles seemed like a massive mountain to climb from where I was standing. We headed in to collect our race numbers and get ourselves ready to run. Paul had said some while ago that if I was going to go ahead and run the marathon that he would run with me as it was my first. I was really grateful that he was going to be by my side, he'd run two 30 mile races so was aware of the common pitfalls and was there to ensure I finished.

Around 20 minutes before the start we decided to go outside and begin our warm up. I started to jog with some trepidation as it was the first test for the shin splints. It was a little painful to begin with but nowhere near as painful as it had been 2 weeks ago when I had stopped running, however I was still unsure if it was enough to get me to the finish. As we were stretching other runners began to gather ready for the race briefing. It was going to be a small field of runners, around 50 in total. I scanned the field and felt vastly inferior, the crowd looked full of experienced runners who made running a marathon look like a stroll in the park. There were a couple of people sporting 100 Marathon Club gear, one lady I overheard was running marathon 199 that day! Then there was little me, first timer and not even sure I was capable of finishing.

Looking fresh at the start!

The briefing was pretty standard given that we were more than familiar with the Flitch Way although we did listen carefully to the instructions for when we reached Great Dunmow as the route was slightly different to how we knew to rejoin the Flitch Way and at the New Years Eve Flitch Way Marathon some runners had got lost at this point. We headed to the start line and waited for a few minutes for the clock to strike 10, I said goodbye to Mum shortly before the airhorn sounded and we were off.

We had placed ourselves nearer the back of the pack to avoid getting carried along and going off too quick. The first part of the race takes you out of the park, over the Braintree bypass bridge before joining the Flitch about a mile out. The first mile was clocked 10:08, more or less spot on pace. I had said that I wanted to aim for around 10 minute miles as this was roughly the pace I had been training for. We were soon at Rayne Station where we were expecting to see Paul's parents. Paul's Dad was hiding behind a tree with his iPad ready to catch the moment (it turns out his thumb was over the lens though). Also cheering us on were the group we run with on a Sunday, who gave us enthusiastic cheers and shouts of encouragement. Then just a short way further along we bumped into Joe and Anne who were out walking the dog and also gave us some cheers. We were not expecting to see so many people, we were really grateful for the support from everyone.

The Flitch Way was engorged in sunshine and looking glorious, spring was in full swing with everything in a perfumed blossom and looking green and lush. We had certainly been given the pick of the weather. Although it was slightly unexpected, according to the Met Office it was supposed to be cloudy from 9 am so we had left the running sunglasses at home not wanting the extra baggage and we'd not even considered sunscreen! Still it shouldn't cause us any issues, we just had to ensure we were taking on plenty of water. Fortunately much of the Flitch is covered by trees and hedgerows so we were given a break from the sun periodically.

We were passed on the run by approximately 25 scouts out for a bike ride, the Um Bongo vests got noticed by a couple of the kids. I love how these vests bring a smile to so many people. Around 4 miles I took on the first gel. I didn't want to wait until I had already started depleting the body's glycogen stores before trying to replenish. At this stage everything seemed to be going well, a quick scan from head to toe and I was probably the more comfortable I'd felt running in a long while. A short while later we had a slightly strange encounter! We found a man at the side of the Flitch stood in a field playing blues on the harmonica. I say it was strange but then we were the ones running 26.2 miles for 'fun' on a Sunday morning, so it's debatable exactly who the strange one is! Just after Felsted we reached the first check point which came as a welcome sight, it felt like a long 5.5 miles to get this far. One of the volunteers was dressed in a chicken suit which bought a smile to my face! We stocked up on some fig rolls, grabbed a Freddo Frog for later and refilled our water bottles before being on our way again.

From here we headed towards the town of Dunmow. We emerged from the hedgerow to cross the road and run a short part of the run on pavement before picking the Flitch up again through a hedge at the back of an industrial estate. This was probably the muddiest part of the course which was still covered in puddles from the weeks earlier rain, it didn't cause the road shoes too much trouble, it just made my pretties a little dirty! Paul was fantastic, he was constantly on the case asking if I had been drinking enough water and managing my energy intake. Although I have to admit at this stage I was getting a little sick of eating, I was starting to feel like I was being force fed, I was feeling bloated and full. In fact I couldn't wait to feel hungry again so I could enjoy eating. Paul had asked me to think about what I'd like to eat post race but I couldn't bare to think about it, I would have been quite content with a piece of toast for my dinner at that moment in time.

At mile 9 I started to feel some minor issues, my calf muscles started to tighten just enough so that I was aware of them. This was to be expected with the issues I'd been having with the shin splints. I also had a very painful kneecap which seemed to be a new problem. When we reached check point 2 at mile 10 we stopped, took on some food and water and had a stretch out. Check point 2 was manned by the familiar faces of Dan and Mark from Great Notley parkrun. Not that there was any competition between the check points but it was a welcome stop, they had some music as well as a few additional goodies of gels and electrolyte tablets which they had kindly provided themselves. I had a few cheese and onion Mini Cheddar crinkles, whilst the flavour would most likely repeat on me for the next few miles I figured eating something salty at this point may help my tight muscles in case it was a bit of cramp.

I was really enjoying the route, I was on parts of the Flitch Way that we rarely venture out to so it provided me with a welcome distraction. We passed Takeley Station and knew we were close to the check point 3 where we'd have our numbers recorded and turn around. I could see the Challenge Running flag in the distance and knew we had made it! I also spied our friend Chris who had decided to surprise us, he also very kindly had bought some Jaffa Cakes. Unfortunately I was feeling too full to take on any food of substance and just ate a couple more Mini Cheddars to try and help replace lost salts. We allowed ourselves a good 5 minutes rest to ensure we were ready to tackle the next half.

Feeling good at the halfway point

We set off from the check point knowing that every step we took was one step closer to the finish line. On the home stretch I had said to Paul that I will be walking all hills as a way to conserve my energy as I was becoming very aware that if my body was going to break down it would be anytime soon. We reached the 15 mile mark, I knew anything above this and I would be in unchartered territory and this terrified me slightly. When we reach check point 4 we stopped again for a breather and I gladly took up the offer of the electrolyte tablet knowing that cramp could be setting in. The miles started ticking down until we hit the dreaded mile 18. I had heard many runners talk about the 'wheels falling off' at this stage of the race and I do believe this was starting to happen to me. By mile 19 I was exhausted, my muscles were feeling tired and like they'd been rinsed of any energy they had left. I don't think this was down to my fuelling strategy as I had been piling in the calories with each mile but more likely the effect of having only ever reached 15 miles in training. I knew that to get to the finish I was going to have to adopt a new strategy, I walked at pace and ran for as long as I could before needing to take another active recovery. It made the final 7-8 miles of the race really drag.

We were soon back on familiar territory between Felsted and Rayne, a stretch of the Flitch we run regularly. Psychologically I felt strong as I knew exactly what was ahead of me, however the fatigue was getting the better of me. All of a sudden I found myself getting confused about which landmarks came next as I tried to picture how close I was to home. The final 4 miles felt longer than the previous 22 I had just run as I continued to walk/jog, by this stage I felt like I was wading through treacle and I could tell my form was getting sloppy the more tired I got. Had I been alone at this point I could have easily drifted into a bad place. The burning sensation on my kneecap was making itself known with each stride. Paul kept telling me how proud he was of me and what a fantastic effort I had put into running this marathon. With the adage "pain is temporary, pride is forever" I persevered and pushed on knowing that I had got this far and I wasn't going to allow the last few miles to defeat me. Plus I knew Mum was waiting for us at the finish and I didn't want to keep her waiting for us too long.

We reached Rayne Station and I knew we were just a mile away from the finish. The station was buzzing with families, cyclists and walkers taking advantage of the glorious sunshine. Although there was no one there cheering for us it still gave me a temporary lift as this was probably the most people we'd seen over the past 5 hours of running! I could just about see another runner ahead of us who was also walk/jogging and there was the temptation to try and catch him up. I quickly realised there was no chance and turned my focus onto the finish. Paul suggested that we hold hands as we crossed the finish line just as Paula Radcliffe had done weeks previously at the London Marathon (paying homage to the 1981 finish). We walked the final bridge on our way back into the Great Notley Country Park saving one last burst of energy for the hill of doom. As we ran towards the hill we spotted two familiar figures in the distance, it was Colm and Michelle from the Sunday running group who had waved us off in the morning! Seems they had tracked our progress through Mark (one of the marshals) on check point 4 (mile 16) and timed their arrival for the finish. Paul and I were truly touched by the gesture as it was completely unexpected.

Conquering the hill of doom hand in hand

Given a boost we started our ascent up the hill of doom and joined hands. Colm sped up the hill ahead of us to get some photographs which just seemed like showing off as we put every last ounce of effort into making it up the hill. Mark also captured us on video crossing the line, you can watch it here:

We crossed the finish line and touched the bird sculpture to stop the watch at 5:09:53. I had half expected to be crying like a baby especially as I saw Mum at the finish line waving and cheering us but the only emotion I felt was joy, I did it, I was a marathoner! With a smile beaming from ear to ear Lindley presented us with our finishers medal, the second in a collection of 3 for the Flitch Way series.

Happy, relieved and proud!

For what I had anticipated to be a journey to hell and back actually turned out to be one of my most enjoyable race experiences to date. It wasn't to be underestimated, it was physically very tough and for me an ultimate show in my stubbornness! I don't think I could have done it without Paul's help, he was a star and ensured I was at the best I could possibly be to concentrate on running and completing the race. The show of support from my family and friends was really touching and helped us through the race, I can't thank every one of them enough for being there for us. The volunteers were all amazing, friendly and supportive. I have done a few trail races now and found it to have a much more pleasant vibe than there seems to be in road racing, you really do feel part of a family. Even Mum commented on what a pleasure it was to watch the race, she had arrived way too early for our finish and enjoyed sitting at the top of the hill watching the other runners finish. A huge thanks to Challenge Running for putting on another seamless, well organised event, everything was perfect and I could not have wished for a better first marathon.

I have no shame in admitting I spent the evening wearing my t-shirt and medal!

Seeing as this blog is about food as well as running, I thought it would be fun to work out what I had eaten for the race so here it is:

The fuel

• Porridge with chia seeds, banana, honey
• x1 bottle Lucozade Sport (Caribbean Burst)
• x1 Banana
• x2 fig rolls
• x3 Freddo Frogs
• x2 cups of flat coke
• x4 energy gels
• x1 packet Honey Stinger energy chews
• Handful of Mini Cheddar crinkles
• Handful of salt and vinegar crisps 
• Handful of salted Hula Hoops
• Electrolyte tablet 
• 1.8 litres of water

My Garmin reliably told me that I had burnt 2291 kcal. I worked out that this equates to the equivalent of 81 Party Rings! I have had a little bit of an obsession this week with Party Rings as I discovered that they are now vegetarian so have been scoffing rather a lot of them, is it me or have they gotten smaller?!

I got home and dived in the shower before I seized up too much. I needn't have worried about my appetite as it soon came back and my mind turned to the victory dinner. Given that we had pizza the night before it had to be a Chinese takeaway so we placed our order and impatiently waited for the delivery. After we'd eaten, the rest of the evening consisted of me sleeping through films on the sofa before we decided to call it a night at 9:15 and head to bed!

Victory dinner tasted so good!

I had booked the following day off of work as I had expected to be unable to walk. I wasn't doing too bad to be honest, I expecting a lot worse. I didn't need to resort to bum shuffling down the stairs which was good and even managed to hobble out to Tesco to do the weekly food shop. To my total surprise my shin splints had behaved themselves throughout the entire race, not the slightest whinge from them. A week of physio and the KT Tape really did the trick! Here is the recorded damage:

Triage list

• Armpit chaffing
• Boob chaffing
• Matching blisters on inside of each heel
• Swelling and redness of right kneecap 
• Sun burn
• Plantar Fasciitis grumbles
• DOMS of all DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)

It was always about the finish line and not the finish time but a little bit of me can't help but think had I not spent so long resting and chatting at the check points (approximately 20 minutes) I would have probably got a sub 5 hour finish time. That's perhaps my goal for the next one. Just a couple of days on I am already looking for my next marathon, preferably another in 2015...