Paying the piper

Since New York I've run four times, each run getting progressively worse... two runs in Virginia and two since getting back in Perth on Sunday. I suspect the absolute awfulness of the two in Perth are mainly due to a head full of allergies and an upswing of abient temperature of about 20 degrees. Hopefully things will improve soon.

Post analysis of my training for NYC reveals a few things:

1. my longest long runs weren't long enough. If I'm training for a 2:45 marathon, I need to make sure at least some long runs are that long. Maybe I need to alternate the MP finish with pure LSD runs. My problem in the marathon came from a simple lack of endurance and leg muscle toughness.

2. Easy runs a fraction too quick.

3. Some MP runs too long. Maybe limiting to 21.1km would have been a good idea.

4. Tempo runs were mostly good, but I should have kept to the McMillan paces. I need to get over the temptation to beat the workout, especially when I'm feeling good. I think my training plateued a bit - the performance in Freo HM is an indicator of that.

5. Overall I think I got the volume right ; at no point did I feel absolute fatigue and the step ups were handled quite easily. The balance in different workouts was good as well. Recovery runs worked well too, instead of taking days off.

New York Marathon 360th in 2:50:13 (23rd M45-49)

What a day. I missed my target by a minute and a half, but I'm still thrilled with the result - a 9 minute PB. This is a very well organised race, given the logistical challenge of getting 45,000 people to the start on Staten Island. The start is in 3 waves waves, sub-divided into three separate starts, blue, green and orange.

Woke at 4:30 and forced down a large bowl of porridge and honey. Got the bag together and headed from our 71st Street apartment at 5:30am we took the the 1 subway to 14th, then the 2 to Chambers St, transferred via shuttle (weekend railworks!) to the Staten Island Ferry, got the ferry to Staten Island and then bus transfer to the start; arriving at 7:45. Kim & co. with Travelling fit got a luxury coach to the start. Hmmmpph!

Lessons learned from Boston were applied here. Do not get cold! Took many layers and changed into my race shoes just before handing my bag to the UPS trucks. Went to get a coffee, munched on a bagel and headed into the corral when they opened at 8:20. There was a line of loos in the corral, so it was good to hang out there and relax. No loo stress here...

Corrals closed at 8:55 and after a 20 minute wait we headed down to the start. Getting excited now! The elites were introduced - Haile getting the biggest cheer. Everyone started hurling their discardable gear off to the side, but disappointingly some dropped their gear at their feet including water bottles, which was a bit of a hazard.

At 9:40 the start cannon went, and we started to shuffle towards the line. Starting at a jog as we crossed the start slowly we headed up the bridge. A lot of weaving here I slowly managed to get up to pace. The first mile was 7:08 accompanied by a bit of mild panic as I realised I was 2 seconds/mile off where I needed to be already. Happily the field thinned out and I speed up a bit down the lee side of the bridge, the second mile being 5:58. Whoops. Settled down and tried to relax into a comfortable rhythm. The crowds, I have to say, were amazing. I put 'David' and 'Australia' on my shirt (not 'Sugar', another lesson learned from Boston).

This is not a flat course. Most of it is either long slight climbs or descents, and four of the five bridges present a significant challenge. There were bands everywhere and the crowd noise in sections was fantastic. All the time 'Go David!' or 'Go Aussie'. I felt really good. And inspired. My favourite was 'Yo David, you in Harlem now...' and 'Oh yeah, big David's got it going on...' :-) I was trying to go on heart rate, but that was pretty high, so went to just going on feel and breathing. I think the HR was elevated just because of adrenaline...

Hit a first patch of suffering at the halfway. I was steeling myself for the Queensboro bridge, but before you get there there's another (think Narrows x 2) - the Pulaski. Up and over and then down around and up the Queensboro. That's a bastard of a bridge (Narrows x 5). The worst thing about these is that there's no crowd support - it's quiet and all you have is the sound of your own suffering. I was buoyed by the fact that I was still steadily overtaking people, as I did the whole way. Actually the worst part was the steep descent off the bridge - which is where Haile's knee blew, I can understand why. My left ankle had started feeling sore at 10 miles and turning corners was painful, so the steep decent and sharp left hurt a lot. However, we were now in Manhattan and the crowd noise went to a new level.

Then was the 4 mile haul up 1st avenue. Again loooong ups and downs. Now I was starting to have to dig. I was still picking up places and hanging onto others who were doing the same. My feet were starting to get sore, but happily the left ankle had settled down. I was having good spots and bad spots, but the encouraging thing was I was still having good spots ! By now I was doing gatorade and water when I could.The climb over the bridge into the Bronx was hard but psychologically once you're in the Bronx your're about to turn south for home. It was fairly quiet in the Bronx and after a few twists and turns you're on the bridge back to Manhattan and crowds. I had a good patch again for a couple of miles here, and really started to reel in places. At 35km I was still on track for my 4:00 pace target but then came the long climb to Central park and my legs just lost their bounce. Pushed and dug up the hill, and then we were into the Park. 2 miles to go. I can do this. Really tried to push down the hill and then we turned into Central Park south. 1 Mile to go. Come on!

As you turn in Columbus circle seems a loong way away. The crowd is screeaming - almost as load as your  body..... turn north 800m to go, 400 - 1 lap come on, 300, 200 ... finish!

Elation, emotion, mind snap, body snap, recover , medal photo....

Next was the stagger up to pick up the bag. Trucks started at 70,000, my number was 4693! My calves were seizing I was shivering and shaking. I thought, I don't know if I can make it ; slowly we all staggered up, consuming the contents of the excellent food bag given at the finish ; gatorade, apple (what else in NYC ), protein bar, pretzels etc. Finally got there (what's one more mile when you've run 26.2 ?!) and was able to change into dry clothes and started to feel more human - bag pickup was quick because I was only the third person from my corral to finish. Than came the walk back to the apartment - including a nice chat with a cop about the race as I waited for a pedestrian light. New Yorkers love their event and really take an interest. What a treat...

Very happy with how it went. 3 min positive split, the legs just didn't have it when push came to shove. The time for analysis is later, the time to reflect on my most enjoyable marathon experience to date is now.

Splits:

5 km

10 km

15 km

20 km

13.1 mi

25 km

30 km

35 km

40 km

0:20:02

00:39:32

00:59:16

01:19:05

01:23:30

01:39:27

01:59:16

02:20:01

02:41:00

Philadelphia ; 3 days to go

Well, it's getting close now. We arrived in the State last Wednesday to work for a week before heading up to NYC. Flew into JFK after an 8 hour layover in Tokyo. A good way to go - 10hrs to Narita, 8 hour layover, 13 hour to JFK. Legs felt OK at the end helped by the layover and wearing skins. Couldn't help the cankles though, but they disappeared after a day or so.

Did 15 minutes on the sweatbox of a gym at the Hilton JFK on Wednesday evening just to get some blood flowing again. Followed that up with another 30 minutes the next morning. I was wringing out the shorts after that one! We got a cab to Penn Station, NY to get the Amtrak down to Philadelphia where we're working for a week. Had a nice brekky at Zaro's - a large coffee, 2 cinn/raisin bagels and a cranberry muffin, with another two bagels to go. Got down to Philly and into the Sheraton Center City hotel room by 11am.

Spent the afternoon in the office and then hit Kelly Drive for my evening MP hour (map). It was very warm and I felt great with no significant after-effect from the plane trip. Melbourne has the Tan, Perth has the Bridges, Philly has Kelly Drive. The place was swarming with runners of all shapes paces and sizes. Great to see!

Some kind soul has marked the path at quarter mile intervals as well, a handy pace guide. Over here, one has to think of pace per mile, not per k. No-one understands '4-minute k's, I guess just as we don't understand '6:20 miles'. Adding to the oddness, most marathons (including NYC) put timing mats every 5 kms, but have mile markers...

Friday I did a 30 min recovery up to the Schuykill row houses and back.

On Saturday Kim and I had a date with the local running group the Philly runners, meeting at the Rocky statue at the base of the Art Museum steps. Unfortunately I couldn't get anyone at my pace, so it was another solo run ; out in ~4:10's and back at MP. 20k for the last 'long' run and I felt great! Conditions had turned though, it was only 9 degrees. We also had to dodge regatta watchers as we ran past the Schukill row houses, including a classic 'guy carrying oars turning around' incident. I went up the river to Wissahickon reserve and up in that park for a bit before turning back. The leaves are turning here and it was gorgeous. Afterwards we headed for the coffee shop for refreshments... route here.

I woke really early Sunday so just did my 30min recovery on the treadmill - a much better gym than the Hilton at JFK. Sunrise is at 7:30 am here and it was pretty cold to I plumped for the easy option.  Monday half hour easy (4:07) at 6:30am, Tuesday 25 min recovery at 6:30am again and Tuesday evening 45 minutes at MP after work - the last significant run before Sunday. Another 30 minutes Wednesday morning @ 4:05. Kelley Dr is a very scenic place to run, but it's a PITA to get to with all the road crossings in the first mile. Probably do another recovery Thursday am, nothing Friday, and a 20 minute loosener on Saturday (or not!).

 Feeling great - no aches and pains, low HRs, the best I've felt in a taper, hopefully a good sign for the weekend.

Forecast is looking good, if a bit windy, for Sunday - it's going to be sunny 8° with a min of 2° with 16/32kph NNW winds. Forecast - Course