London - Done
One down this year, and a minimum of one marathon to go.
On Sunday I completed my fourth London Marathon, on what turned out to be an ideal day weather-wise for running... So much so that the overall winner, Eliud Kipchoge was within spitting distance of setting the world record with a fantastic run.
I ambled to the start in plenty of time on a chilly, damp morning in East London, and was surprised by how calm I was. I felt like I could have had a nap - not through tiredness, but through serenity - even up to entering the start pens on the Blue start.
It only took me 11 minutes to cross the start line, which considering I was in start pen 8, was pretty good. I would have been quicker over the line, but I couldn't see the point in running before actually reaching the start line!
Pacing was good throughout, up until the point where I mentally switched off around the 20-mile mark and started walking. I am yet to work out why I did this. Yes I was a little sore (my right hip is giving me a bit of nuisance) but I wasn't completely out of it. I was on to finish around the 4h25m mark, against a target time of 4h22m so I was really on it, and I was happy to see that my prolonged absence from beating the pavement hadn't had an impact on my fitness.
Once I'd stopped running and switched to walking however I was stuck in the all too familiar position of trying to get going again. The last six miles became a real battle, but once I made the right turn at Big Ben, I vowed to run the remaining mile or so, and did - at a fair pace!
Finishing in 4h46m34s puts my personal best nearly 25 minutes further up the chart. I'm happy - though not ecstatic (I could have gone faster - I had no need to stop!!). I am confident however, that provided my body (particularly my hip) recovers well, that the Edinburgh marathon on 29th May will yield a quicker time again - partly as it's a less busy route meaning a smaller distance run (London clocked in at 26.54miles - which isn't too bad considering how busy it is), and partly because I know I can go faster than I did in London.
Pictures will follow, but I loved this year's race. I was amazed how far I could go, and I now firmly believe that I can aerobically run the entire thing at 10-minute miles. Now I just have to do it!