Position 440th Position age 10th THOMAS, KEITH 2:49:49
Position 895th Position age 41st JONES, STEWART 2:59:24
London Marathon . An awesome experience.
Two Lostock runners at the Marathon this year both achieving their training goals after a hard winter season following long term high mileage training programmes.
We joined my sister in Colchester for the race weekend and were welcomed by the Colchester Harriers on their annual London marathon trip. An early start for the coach but a bright morning which was appearing dauntingly bright as we approached London and the Marathon starts. While preparing for the race group members were sunbathing and I was putting on my suncream. Comments like .. wish I'd brought my sunglasses and loudspeaker announcements to keep hydrated added to the buzz of preparation plans.Another start had a bit of drizzle while ours was in warm sunshine. The 'she wee ' gadget and womens urinal facilities were causing great amusement to the lady runners but I couldnt quite work it out. The nervous queues however still seemed long as ever and and many competitors were still seen to be going native. Both of us were together in pen 1, maybe 10 or so metres from the start line at the off with some anxiety about the heat coming through as the clouds broke.
I trained for 2,50 but technically could do better given my recent inprovements so set a challenging target based on 2.45 times given an even paced race could be run. Slight delay in the first miles meant slight higher paced adjustments had to be made which were obviously not good and though I got back eventually to target time for the 2.45 , the increasing temperature and its effects by midrace lead me to adjust my goals to my original plan easing off a few seconds a mile until stability was achieved and the push for the finish could be maintained. It felt it to be tough but fairly level paced coming to what was my previous breakdown zone around 21 to 22 miles but the pace judgement seemed to be okay and I could enjoy the cheering crowds and the spectacle around me through the final couple of miles were again I decided to hold the pace until later rather than pick up and risk cramping, building up my stride from the 600 m marker and stride out around the turn for the finish. Felt I'd controlled the race well (which was another goal) as I'd got it wrong last time .Leg muscles worked hard and tired but no distress .Delighted, I thought I'd just done over the 2.50 but in fact my official time was below it. Met with a sober faced Stew coming towards the baggage car who asked my time and then told me he had been troubled by the cramp which had sadly affected his run, ... before of course his faced cracked and he blurted out with a huge grin that he had got 2.59 under his targets .. ..... we both filled up , hugged, it was one of those moments... oops sorry ..... we punched each other on the shoulder and did manly congratulation things.. whatever.. My sister was pleased to have completed the event, though the repeated onset of cramp after reaching 20 miles at 2,20 meant there was some disappointment in her time of 3.27.17.
A personal thanks for the support and encouragement everyone especially Dave Pearson and Derek Lord in the cycle back up team for the long runs , the Rivy ramblers on the Wednesday evening long runs led by Andy Stavely, and the Colchester Harriers for making us welcome as part of their organised marathon trip.
Keith
London Marathon.
What an Experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well as the race got near all I seemed to do was watch the weather forecast, the week leading up to the Marathon it started of as 16 degrees slight rain, then it went to 15 slight rain, yet again it changed back up to 16 but sunny, back down 15 and sunny and the last one was the morning of the marathon between 9 and 12 degrees cloudy.
The morning of the Marathon we looked out of the window and not a cloud in the sky beautiful blue sky’s what we all wait for all year round but not the morning of the marathon.
Both myself and Keith were staying with Keith’s sister Lyn at Colchester who was also racing the Marathon, several clubs within Colchester had clubbed together and laid a coach on to take everyone to the start.
As we arrived at the marathon it was glorious weather we parked our selves awaiting the start of the marathon making sure we were well hydrated and making sure all the little last minute preparations were right, in a way it seems like a ritual of some sort what with going to queue for the loo’s coming back tinkering about making sure everything’s right, going to the loo’s coming back, tinkering, going to the loo’s, tink……. I think you all get the picture.
As both myself and Keith went to the start we entered pen one, as they called us forward we got closer to the start and at one stage I thought we were going to join the Kenyans on the start line we were that close to them.
As the gun started the race, we were off, didn’t see Keith for long just masses of people. As I started my legs felt terrible and all I could remember in my head was other marathoners telling me that you’re legs will fell heavy for the first 2 or 3 miles due to your tapering during the last two weeks but then you start to fell fine, well I got to 3 miles and they weren’t, four miles ….no still my legs felt heavy. I can’t remember my legs ever feeling good at all whilst I was running. As I ran I was trying to stick to my plan and splits but found they all went out the window, I reached 10 miles in 65 minutes, my split time should have been 68 minutes, half marathon time was 1hr 26/7 mins again my splits should have been 1hr 29mins, with this and the sun beating down at around 21/22 degrees I got a little worried. As I reached 19 miles all I could remember was saying to myself think of all the training you’ve done the 22 milers etc, the next thing was I was cramping up finding myself stopping to stretch my leg out, I then carried on and around 22 and a half one of the pace makers came passed my holding what I can only describe as an overgrown lolly stick and on it was the sign 7 minute miles which meant he would be reaching the finish in what I thought was around 3hrs 1min. but at this stage he was going away from me so I reckoned I would reach the finish at around 3hrs 3mins. I felt gutted as I wanted to break the 3 hours mark. So as I plodded on and at this stage it felt like a plod believe me. I reached the 25 mile stage but at this point I could make much sense of anything,” I hear some of you say no change there then” but the only thing that did make sense was when I looked up at the clock and it said 2hrs 51mins. I immediately realized I was back on to break the three hours and at this stage I tried with little success to increase the pace. As I came into the finish I could see people cramping up stopping and thought what’s going on and as I looked up I could see the 200meter sign and thought these people can’t stop, but you could see they were in lots of pain. As the crowd tried to encourage everyone to finish it was deafening and as I crossed the line all I could see was 2:59:24. Fantastic, I punched the airwith my fist, went up the ramp to get my tag cut of my shoe came down the other side of the ramp and remembered how emotional I was felling. Then I saw Keith and we hugged and congratulated each other with Keith running a Fantastic time of 2:49:49.
What a Day for both of use, 18 or so weeks of training, getting some little niggles on the way, planning for that one day and both of our predicted times were achieved.
With this in mind I would like to thank all the people who helped me with my training, who are Guy and Lisa Hayes, Keith Thomas, Andy Staverly, Mark Lysycia, Derek Coop, Mark Beresford and for the two on the bikes who came with us on the 22 milers Dave Pearson and Derek Lord.
I would also like to thank Keith’s sister Lyn and the people of Colchester who allowed us to share there coach and make life a little easier.
“””””””What an experience”””””””””””””””
Stew Jones
