2009 and 2010 marathon in numbers

OK - so finished again but a bit quicker this year.

           2009                                     2010              Diff
5km     0:29:35                                0:30:48            +0:01:13
10km   0:58:09                                1:00:41            +0:02:32
15km   1:35:15                                1:30:27            -0:04:48
20km   2:04:53                                1:59:26            -0:05:27
HALF   2:11:35                                2:05:44            -0:05:51
25km   2:37:01                                2:29:42            -0:07:19
30km   3:11:52                                3:01:21            -0:10:31
35km   3:54:52                                3:34:46            -0:20:06
40km   4:31:22                                4:13:27            -0:17:55
FINISH 4:47:04                                4:29:08           -0:17:56

POSITION 
(overall)  22437                                 18666            +3771
(gender) 16962                                 14416            +2546
(age)     9504                                   7926              +1578

By my own stopwatch it went a bit like this (mile splits then total time)

                      2009                      2010        

1 mile            10:10                     10:55
2 miles           9:26  (19:36)          9:40 (20:36)
3 miles           9:00  (28:36)          9:15 (29:51)
4 miles           8:58  (37:34)          9:33 (39:25)
5 miles           8:56  (46:30)          9:16 (48:41)
6 miles           9:34  (56:04)          9:59 (58:41)
7 miles           9:34  (01:05:30)      9:46 (01:08:27)
8 miles          12:00  (01:17:30)     9:21 (01:17:49)   I had to make a toilet stop in 09
9 miles          14:24  (01:31:54)     9:34 (01:27:23)   A 2nd stop for the loo in 09!
10 miles          9:23  (01:41:17)     9:19 (01:36:43)
11 miles          9:23  (01:50:40)     9:18 (01:46:02)
12 miles          9:45  (02:00:25)     9:17 (01:55:20)
13 miles          9:50  (02:10:15)     9:22 (02:04:43)
14 miles         11:14  (02:21:26)    Forgot to lap this one
15 miles I forgot to lap this mile in 2009 and 2010
16 miles         20:22  (02:41:46)    29:48 (02:34:31)
17 miles         11:07  (02:52:53)    10:11 (02:44:42)
18 miles         11:01  (03:03:54)    9:49 (02:54:32)
19 miles         11:57  (03:15:51)    11:14 (03:05:46)
20 miles         13:11  (03:29:02)    9:52 (03:15:39)
21 miles         16:03  (03:45:08)    10:54 (03:26:34)
22 miles         12:22  (03:57:30)    11:04 (03:37:38)
23 miles         11:44  (04:09:14)    13:39 (03:51:17)
24 miles         11:30  (04:20:44)    12:06 (04:03:24)
25 miles         12:12  (04:32:56)    11:46 (04:15:11)
26 miles         13:50  (04:46:46)    11:32 (04:26:43)
26.2                       (04:47:09)     2:32  (04:29:15)

Training Comparison *updated*

In October 2008 I found out I had a place in the 2009 London Marathon. My training progression over the next 7 months went a bit like this, on my longest runs:

02/10/08 - 2.2 miles in 00:21 minutes
05/10/08 - 6.3 miles in 01:09:11
20/11/08 - 6.98 miles in about 1 hr
30/12/08 - 12 miles. No idea of time
10/01/09 - 9.82 miles in 01:29:18
21/02/09 - 13.44 miles in 02:45 (this one should have been my clue!)
30/03/09 - 19.22 miles in 03:25:00 (5.6mph @ 10:40 minute miles)
26/04/09 - 26.2 miles in 04:47:04

December 29th 2009 and I found out I had a place in the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.

01/01/10 - 9.46 miles in 01:18:23
04/01/10 - 9.63 miles in 01:23:17
17/01/10 - 11.47 miles in 01:41:39
15/02/10 - 13.36 miles in 01:56:4
27/02/10 - 16.19 miles in 02:21:51
13/03/10 - 19.22 miles in 02:59:49 (6.4mph @ 9:24 minute miles)
20/03/10 - 20 miles in 03:13:04 (6.22mph @ 9.39 minute miles)
28/03/10 - 18.14 miles in 03:15:52 (5.6 mph @ 10.48 minute miles)
05/04/10 - 16.5 miles in 02:24:40 (6.8mph @ 8.48 minute miles) 

I'll update this as I do longer runs. Hopefully see some progress and improvement on last time!

Oxford Canal Run

So yesterday I ran this route and thought it would be a good one. Several problems, for the first few miles I ran like I'd forgotten how. Oh my goodness I was rubbish. Shoelaces, coat, drink, toilet stop - sort it out!! Second problem was that in many places, the ground was way more uneven than I expected and was wet, muddy, slippy and hard going. Where there was gravel and grading it was beautiful good going. Thirdly, I stopped at various places because I didn't know where I was, fourthly I chafed pretty badly and I need to sort that problem out ASAP. I wore the same shorts as I ran the marathon in last year but for the last two runs I've rubbed my legs raw. Change is needed. 26.2 miles is painful enough without me self-harming. All in all not my greatest. Scenery was beautiful though

18.14 miles in 03:15:52 - 10.48 minute miles at 5.6 mph. Rubbish.

Pleased with my latest long run

After nearly two weeks since my last long run (enforced by a dodgy stomach), I was pleased with today's effort. 16.19 miles in 2:21:51. That works out at 08:48 minute miles and 6.9 miles per hour. Plus miles 11-12 include a long uphill and between 13-14 miles it was really muddy and hard to be quick and upright! I was really pleased that I finished the second half strongly again and at the same pace as the first half. That shows some improvement.

By comparison my last long run of 13.36 miles was also run at 08.41 minute miles and 6.9mph so nearly three miles further at the same pace. So at that pace I'm looking at a 03:50 marathon, which would be an improvement by an hour! Only have to keep that pace up for another 8 miles though!

Here's the route:

First run of the decade

So I'm in the London Marathon for 2010. Good news. Got to start picking up the miles though. So my first run of the new decade was this one: 9.46 miles in 1hr 18'23 doing 8.18 minute miles and around 7.2 miles per hour. Be nice if I could keep that up for 26.2 miles. But I can't. At least not now.

Stupid - 2 years in a row

So I've done it. I've applied for a place in the 2010 London Marathon. What an idiot.

The hardest day of my life

So yesterday I ran the London Marathon and it was hard. 10 things I learned were

1. South East trains at London Bridge were rubbish. Twice we were moved platforms and twice hundreds missed their trains. On the third attempt after a third platform change we got on a train.
2. The organisation of the marathon was phenomenal.
   
3. Getting stomach cramps and needing the toilet at 8 miles and then again at 8.2 miles slows you right up. Thank the Lord for a handily placed McDonalds to nip into.
   
4. Running in the sun is bad for me. Stag day - hot day and I get cramp. Triathlon challenge - hot day and I get cramp. Marathon - hot day and I nearly cramp and crash into the wall
5. People talk about the wall but until you hit it you have no idea. Chris Boardman sums it up well, "Towards the last three or four miles I just couldn't care less. I just wanted somebody to shoot me but since they wouldn't I had to keep going,"
6. From 21 miles I could have cried every time someone called my name, after the finish I could have sworn at every spectator getting in my way. Exhaustion does that to you.
7. I drank Lucozade at every stop, ran through every shower, took water on every other mile and still ran out of energy. Ran out of steam and ideas long before the finish.
8. 4 hours 47 was OK but I'm a bit disappointed. Cue another attempt.
9. I'll need to up my miles next time around.
10. You can't finish without saying something about the crowds. Unbelievable support every step of 26.2 miles. Just incredible, never experienced anything like it, would like to taste it again.
    

Here are the facts:

PERSON
Name	WHITTALL, PHIL R (GBR)	Club
Runner No.	12807	Age group	M18

TIMES
5 km	0:29:35	25 km	2:37:01
10 km	0:58:09	30 km	3:11:52
15 km	1:35:15	35 km	3:54:52
20 km	2:04:53	40 km	4:31:22
half	2:11:35	finish	4:47:04

TOTAL
Position (overall)	22437	Position (age group)	9504
Position (gender)	16962	Finish time	4:47:04

By own stopwatch it looked like this:

1 mile 10'10
2 miles 9'26 19 min
3 miles 9'00 28 min
4 miles 8'58 37 min
5 miles 8'56 46 min
6 miles 9'34 56min
7 miles 9'34 1 hr 05
8 miles 12'00 1 hr 17 (Toilet stop 1)
9 miles 14'24 1 hr 32 (Toilet stop 2)
10 miles 9'23 1 hr 41
11 miles 9'23 1 hr 50
12 miles 9'45 2hr 00
13 miles 9'50 2hr 10
14 miles 11'14 2hr 21
15 miles I forgot to lap this mile which is why the next number is...
16 miles 20'22 2hr 42
17 miles 11'07 2hr 53
18 miles 11'01 3hr 04
19 miles 11'57 3hr 16
20 miles 13'11 3hr 29
21 miles 16'03 3hr 45 - at this point I was walking
22 miles 12'22 3hr 57
23 miles 11'44 4hr 09
24 miles 11'30 4hr 21
25 miles 12'12 4hr 33
26.2 miles 13'50 4hr 47

So that was the story of my race. A big congrats to my friend Tony Thompson who did it in 3hr 5 min (and 69th for his age group) and Simon Pierce who finished in 3 hr 55. Well done fellas.

26 days and counting

OK, so I've been a bit negligent on the blogging front but fortunately not on the running front.
Highlights include keeping up with the club runs, I'm no longer at the back on the efforts or time trials. I'm at the front of the slow group so probably time to move up to be at the back of the middle group.

About ten days ago I did a 15 mile run over the Long Mynd with Eddie from the club. I'd post a map but I've no idea really of the route. Eddie tells me we did 2500ft of climbing (which did me in) in about 3hrs 15. He finished looking fresh and I just looked finished. Anyway good strength training.

Yesterday I did my longest run so far at 19.22 miles in 3 hours 25 minutes. It's a bit slow, 10 minute miles so here's my defence. 1) I had too many stops, messing around with my shoelaces. 2) I had a genuine stop to change top and pick up some fluid gels off my better half 3) I didn't quite take on enough fluid and got a bit tired 4) It was a mix of cross country and road and the river sections were quite awkward footing 5) I finished with a couple of hills 6) It's a chuffing long way OK!!!

Actually I was really pleased to manage it and it's given me loads of confidence that I can have a real go at the 4 hour mark on the 26th. I may not run further than that until the day, I'll chat with the guys at the club and get their advice.

Here's my route

Shocking news

After I don't know how many attempts, I've finally been given a place in the 2009 London Marathon. Oh my goodness. Fear and excitement are the dominant emotions, quickly followed by panic. I'm not fit, my pride says I should be. I have 6 months and 22 days to get my butt into gear.
Clearly time to start another blog. This one chronicles my progress (or lack of it) between now and my first marathon.