Barcelona Marathon Race Recap

Hello Running Shogun Tribe,

It sucks to lose.

It really does.

Six months were spent in training and setting multiple personal records for the 5K, 10K, half, and 30K. I was primed for a personal record at the Barcelona Marathon in March.

• Weather conditions: perfect— 10 degrees and partly cloudy.
• Pre-race fueling:? check— Spanish omelet dinner and my regular breakfast with rice and protein.
• Sleep: Despite possible jet lag, slept like a baby.
• Course: Relatively flat and fast— Known for its stunning cityscape, rich culture, and enthusiastic crowd, the course is relatively flat and fast. The route winds its way through the heart of the city, showcasing Barcelona's architectural wonders, including the stunning Sagrada Família, the picturesque waterfront, and the vibrant streets of the Gothic Quarter.?
• Crowds: Most enthusiastic spectators lining the streets of any marathon I’ve run.
• Perfect race: ummm….no….I choked. ??

The game plan was for a steady 4:25 per kilometer and to finish in under 3:08 for a PR. Instead, after about a kilometer, I was soaring at a 4:15 pace. The voice in the head told me to slow down, ease back.? That worked for a bit, until I looked at my watch to see the ominous 4:05! That is a recipe for disaster, and I knew it.

I slowed, but something in me kept my pacing too fast. At the halfway point, the lactic acid started to boil in my legs. I knew I was screwed. And at this point, there just isn’t much you can do about it except slow down and enjoy the pain.

??While I was crashing and burning at the middle of the race, at the front of the pack, elite runners from around the globe battled for supremacy. The men's race saw fierce competition, with Tadesse Abraham winning at 2:05:01, with a pace of 2m 57s/km. He was at the front after 25K and remained there.

??In the women's race, Degitu Azimeraw won with a time of 2:19:52, with a pace of 3m 18s/km, starting at the front and staying in first place the whole race.

So what was happening to me in the middle of the pack????

????The wheels were falling off…I was crashing and burning.

It’s so easy to be swayed by the crowds, the race day excitement, the adrenaline kicking in, and after a couple of kilometers, the endorphins. If the mind isn’t set stern and steady, then everything vanishes.

Finishing in 3:34, this was one of my worst performances to date. However, as I told Simon Jelfs Jelfs, the first objective is just to finish. There is that accomplishment.?

Now the learning:

• Train mindset.
• Stay vigilant to your own race and your own pace, even if it's slower than those around you.
• Control the adrenaline rush as much as possible, or at least channel it into joy rather than speed.

So I lost: not to anyone, but myself. And keeping those standards and bouncing back for the next race, that’s what it’s all about.

Thanks for all the support and congratulatory messages that have been sent. Though this was a shitty performance, it really was a splendid race in a beautiful city with the best crowds ever.

As we are in April, it’s time to start filling the calendar for the next races… which I’ll be sharing my process to do with you next time.

Happy Running,

David

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David Sweet is the founder and CEO of FocusCore Japan FocusCore Japan, a leading executive search firm. He is the author of six books and holds a Ph.D. in Leadership Development. For more information, follow his running on Strava or contact him at [email protected]

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