Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Punters Post Mortem

Thanks for all your comments. I'm blown away by how nice you guys are, and helpful to boot !!!!

I was coming back after the marathon I wasn't feeling too good with my race and as I was riding my bike to my hotel some f#!* wits threw something hard at me from out their car window. But after when opening up my blog and seeing all the kind and thoughtful comments it has reaffirmed my conviction that people are basically good! Well the ones that don't want to kill you that is ;)

Anyway, first the numbers. 5K splits.

1st 5 K 18:40
2nd 5 K 19:51
3rd 5 K 20:30
4th 5 K 20:29
5th 5 K 20:54
6th 5 K 21:55
7th 5 K 22:20
8th 5 K 25:00
last 2K 10:09

Those tell most of the story but I'll fill in the gaps. We started at 6:00am bused up the mountain hugging the coast. It was a cool overcast morning with little wind to start with and I set off like a whip with the eventual winner of the half marathon. I stuck with him for about 13K only one other guy in front of us a young guy who was flying about a K ahead of us. This guy was to hold the lead until about the 37th K when he broke down and walked it in.

I did think that perhaps I was going out too fast but it was mostly downhill, very beautiful jungle and ocean scenery, and only about 6 or so uphills in the first 10kms so I thought my heart rate would be relatively low and I felt good, maybe it was my day to go sub 2:50:00 after all ;)

The eventual winner zipped by me at 12 K without so much as a "How's your Mother?" I let it go thinking I would ask how his was when I passed him later, but never got that chance ;(

The course flattened out about the time my half marathon partner split to finish his race and at about the 28th K mark two very cheerful fellas past me, Sean the Ultra marathon runner from Portland, Oregon, I think, and a young local, a small stocky guy that encouraged me to join them. They came in, in reverse order 2nd and 3rd. It was pouring down at this stage and we were zigzagging our way through empty streets around the airport. Somehow I had no energy to give chase and although I had plenty of carbo drinks I felt like I was pulling a car tire on a rope behind me.

While I kept on moving and nobody else passed me I couldn't pick up the pace. I was acutely aware that even sub 3 was slipping from my grasp. All I could do was think about why? I haven't been that frustrated since my elder sister's boyfriend held the top of my head while I thrashed about trying to punch him but falling way short of my mark.

I'm still not altogether sure why but I think Ewen said it about how the hills must have played havoc with my quads. I reckon that is right as 2 days later and I can't bring my legs back to where the heel touches the bum. I haven't had this kind of pain before after a thon.

I was a little worried as I had such a good build up going into this and I expected more but it wasn't an ideal PB course, weather conditions being too humid too. Still, I was given some hope of redemption when I read Sean's blog I'll link to it next post. Sean was the friendly ultra marathon fella that came in 3rd 3 mins ahead of me. I found out later that he went sub 2:39:00 in a marathon in Dec 2008 and got a 1:15:00 in a half in Jan this year.

Again thanks for your comments and caring about this runner's progress or lack of it. Congratulations Toasty your prize is on its way just send me your snail mail address to abenoki@gmail.com Toasty said he thought I'd do just under 3 hours, close enough son ;)

I told you in not so many words that nobody has made money betting that I would come through :) But this will have to change one day, stick with me ;)

Photos next post.

10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the race report Scott. I am such a dill - honestly! I got confused between Steve doing Tokyo and you doing Hawaii....anyhow hope my comments make sense to you now :)

    Hills are a killer. I once read that you need to RACE hills in training if your marathon course is a hilly one. The point being we tend to include hills in our training but we don't damage ourselves on them (going down) we just lean back a bit. Apparently in training you should pound hard and fly down as this is what you will do in a race.

    Its called specifity training..training for the specific conditions you will be racing in. Makes sense to me but sometimes it is just not practical.

    Hope you start getting some movement and flexibility back soon. Take it easy and rest up. Mentally get recharged before you throw yourselve back into your intense training schedule that has me totally in thrall!!!

    PS can't believe Toasty won something..we will never hear the end of it!

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  2. I'll stick with you mate, because I like gore.

    I can understand your frustration - I used to do the same thing to my little brother. I like to think I'm the reason he did so well in life.

    There's a sub-2:50 in you (I reckon sub-2:45 but don't tell anyone) - just find one of those perfect Japanese marathons that Steve always runs.

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  3. I'm sticking too! I know absolutely nothing about running marathons so I won't give any advice. But I will say I'm tipping 2.58 for your next crack at it!

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  4. "progress or lack there of"

    Um-yeah, I don't think so. I can still remember when you thought that 3:20 was near to an impossible dream, now 2:50's a reality. I'd call that progress!

    It's ironic that people are paranoid about up hills, but we forget how devistating down hills can be!

    Hope you recover well and can't wait for more!

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  5. Hey Scott, There is no doubt about it, you have it in you. BIIM just wasn't meant to be it. There is no doubt that it has been a great experience with some lessons to be learnt. It was probably the best preparation you could have had for the day when the sub 3 happens.

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  6. I'd like to see the course profile and know the exact weather during the race. Scott, I have this tall German friend who you really have to meet. His name is Joachim and he has a PB of 2:47:37. He is a master at how to run the first half of a marathon...and the last half for that matter. He talks about starting conservatively. A little slower than your target average pace. You raise the speed gradually and you be patient. You conserve your energy and your legs until half way, then you be patient a little more, and only when you feel it is right, then you give it to it. You really should meet him.

    If it is any consolation, you are not the first to have gone out too fast in a marathon and you won't be the last. It is really the only way to learn. It was for me, anyway.

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  7. You have learned a lot and run a good PB; next time you'll thrash it. Pick a flat course :)

    BTW Wine trail runner is Mr lulu if you're wondering who that was who posted a comment.

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  8. I have to thank Steve for talking so nicely about me and my Marathon running. I guess he is right that you, Scott, got carried away in this Marathon during the first 5k. Hawaii is not an easy course, I ran the first 15k or so as a training run some years ago. Hilly and demanding, I would say. Finishing this Marathon in 3h is an achievement. Btw, your real finish time is 2:59:68...!

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  9. Great report Scott. Your times are pretty impressive - even if it wasn't quite what you hoped for. And first in your age group!

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  10. I reckon we should make the bet best of three. And for the next one I'm saying 2:48.21.

    That aside thanks for the great report. I know exactly how you were feeling with the energy being zapped, its happened to me in all bar maybe 3 of my 19 marathons.

    Top pics by the way!

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