NCM

This wasn't my fastest marathon or my most pleasant marathon, but it was the most exciting and relevant of the 7 or so that I've run. And it was close to my PB anyway. I'm really happy with 3:53 considering my 1/2s earlier this year were 2:03 and 1:57. I had lost a lot of fitness over the past two years, but I figured the best way to regain it was to get my mileage back up. This tired me out and made me flat, but I think the benefits are starting to roll in.

The weather cooperated as much as could be expected in late May: the once-predicted high of 28C didn't materialize and though the humidity was close to 100%, this eventually became rain, very sweet rain, which kept up a while after my finish (it's sunny now). The temps were too hot for me even though I was wearing just a skort and running bra for most of the race, but the rain helped a lot.

At the beginning, it was merely overcast. I was going to wear the race shirt but it felt too hot (it was 16C at the start), so I went with a singlet over a running bra, just in case. By 7K or so, the singlet was in my hand--fortunately, I saw a friend spectating soon after and she graciously agreed to take my gross apparel.

Other than feeling warm, I was feeling pretty good. Aerobically, it was very very easy. My legs felt a little more challenged, but they were fine. I started somewhere between the 4:15 and 4:30 bunnies, and then gradually caught up to the 4:00 bunnies, first the continuous one and then the run/walk. The run/walk was actually a comfortable pace but then they stopped to walk, and I went on. Soon after, I left the cheer of Wellington Village (hate to admit that my own neighbourhood was kind of sparse with crowd support, but maybe they'll work on that next year).

Then it was onto a meditative river section. It was nice. I reset my Garmin at 1:31:34 because I didn't want to think about running much more than 1:30. I had covered 10.48 miles. more than expected!

Then Hull. Fortunately shorter, less hilly, and less ugly than the old Hull part, plus I saw someone else I knew, plus I had a running companion for a while, a pleasant British lady. I lost her at a drink station.

The hills in Rockcliffe weren't too bad, but the one up to the Aviation museum was a bit stiff. This was about 25K in, but it still felt fine. Then it was slightly downhill for a while and I picked up some time, in retrospect, too much. I hung behind the 3:50 bunny for a while and I remember thinking that I should stay there until at least 32K, but I didn't want to waste the downhill and my legs felt like going a bit faster, so I went. I should have stayed!

After 1:30:30, I reset my garmin again. 10.13 miles. I was still feeling pretty good.

Then things became a bit less effortless, but not too bad...for another 20 min or so. Then it started to get rough. I couldn't hold onto pace--I'd look at the Garmin, see 9:xx, oh, how inappropriate, and push until I caught up to someone and then it made sense to trail them, even though they were obviously going slower than I. I did this over and over again. Logic wasn't my fellow at these points. And once I hit the first mile over 9:00, it became more acceptable. Still, I didn't walk. I actually didn't walk once during the race apart from a few sudden short stops at a few drink stations. Maintaining momentum was more attractive.

But I couldn't get back to the sub-9 minute miles until the very last one!!! ah, well.

The crowds were great, though. They did their best. I saw more people I knew, including GAZ! and once I was under the Queensway, I was back into my own neighbourhood and that definitely helped me get back to pace.

So, now I need to figure out how to keep it. Fueling was good, but can be improved. The gluten mishap a week ago certainly didn't help. My lineup of gels was good, but somehow I forgot to take one, and the usually pleasant vanilla orange flavour tasted pretty foul at about 3hrs into the race.

And I need to return to regular speedwork. I've enjoyed jogging a lot this spring, but now it's time to get a little more consistent. This fall, I would like to run a faster marathon, at least one that is 3:4X and not 3:5X.