Marathon running - what I reflected on whilst running at the weekend!

I ran a marathon on Saturday at Dorney Lake, near Windsor. So great to have organised sporting events back, albeit with lots of restrictions.

I've run marathons before, and my goal has always been to get a sub 4 hour time. On paper I should be able to do that, the training backs that up.

But the reality is always different! This time round I beat my PB (which was10 years ago, so that's something I am pleased about), but I was nowhere near sub 4. 4 hours 17 this time.

As I was running, I knew from about mile 11 I wasn't going to do it. There were a number of factors:

1. I started way too fast. The first 8 miles were all around 8.30 minute mile. My plan had been to run consistent 9 minute miles. It was a flat course, it felt easy at this point, I got carried away.
2. It was so windy. Lots of people had said the wind is a factor at this venue.
3. The laps. They say it's 4 laps, but that's of this weird double horseshoe thing they have set up. So actually it's 8 laps, and all you see is the path and the lake, no real 'sights'. Plus, you run past the later mile markers (22 miles etc) 3 times before they are for you! It's pretty soul destroying.
4. Too cautious? I felt my knee twinge a few times, so slowed down a lot for a period of time on each mile from 11 onwards so I didn't cause damage. I heard a few people really grunting through the pain they were in - should I have done that? Maybe. But I didn't want to injure myself so I couldn't do all the other sports I love for a while.
5. Do I have the mental strength? I'm not sure I do. I find it very hard to stop the negative thoughts once they start. However, I'm pleased I finished, I seriously thought I'd stop after 2 (well 4!) laps. But I didn't, and I was able to knock 2 minutes off my PB.
6. There were NO spectators. As part of covid regulations, no one could be on site apart from runners. That was tough.

During the race, I was thinking to myself this is hard. It's easy to forget how much it hurts running a marathon once you're done.

You then start telling yourself if I did x, then the result might be different. The friend I've trained with asked me afterwards "Why have you done this more than once, what's the matter with you?". An hour later I asked her if she was ready to enter another marathon "Go on then" she said!

My husband dropped me off and picked me up, and luckily he was able to see me a couple of times on the final straight from the edge of the car park. I shouted over "Don't worry, I'm ok with not doing my sub 4" because I knew he'd think I was upset. I really wasn't - I'd come to terms with it during my reflections in the race!

I decided during the race that I'm going to run more marathons, but they will be city based so I can sight see at the same time, and I won't worry about my time. My friends have already laughed at me and said there's no way I'll lose that time goal. Apparently I'm stubborn.

I do plan on setting time goals for shorter races though - 5k, 10k, half marathon - my times for those this weekend were not bad so I reckon I could do good things with them.

3 days after the race, where am I now? Well, I'm not hurting anymore, I'm looking forward to my recovery run tomorrow, and maybe my friends are right, surely I must be able to get that sub 4 hours?

I'm going to follow this article up with the parallels I think there are with job hunting. But I think this article is long enough as it is for now!

I'd really love to hear any thoughts from others!

Attached below strava stats!