Lessons Learned

I’ve been thinking about my Lessons Learned this last couple of weeks – things I learned from my previous marathons and what I can get from them this time round.  I don’t think I’ve done a specific blog post about this in the past, so I’ve been reading through old posts just jotting down a few points I’ve made, especially in race reports.  Some of them are quite general, which I probably should have learned from any major magazine or website, but others are really personal quirks that I have learned over time!

So, here are my top X…

1. No marathon is the same!  Ok so 5 marathons is hardly comparable to what members of the 100 Marathon Club have achieved but I knew right from marathon number two that just because I’d done one good marathon, doesn’t mean the second is going to be better!  Loch Ness (#1) was very good, partly down to luck and conditions of the day, and partly down to training consistently for my first big race.  I expected things to go just as well for London, the following April.  They didn’t, and by mile 20 almost hitting the “wall” I was very confused and disappointed why things hadn’t turned out the way they did in Loch Ness.   Marathon #3 (Prague) was different again (slower, but intentionally so, and mentally easier than London) while Berlin, in September 2013, was back to being an awesome race.  I expect my mum will say it’s like having kids – each birth is different and just because you’ve had your first doesn’t mean things will be the same for the next!  I am expecting each of the five races in the spring Marathon Grand Slam to be different each time – by the time I do Kent (my 10^th) who knows what will happen!

2.  Train seriously for the time you want to achieve.  For Loch Ness, I just wanted to finish, I wasn’t bothered too much about my time but I did try for around 5 – 5.10, and based my training run paces on achieving a pace that would get me round in that time.  It worked, and I finished in 5.05.  For London, I did more long runs, but I also did them much too slowly.  Anything over 15 miles was over a 12 min mile, and it took me weeks and weeks to improve.  I found the winter training hard, especially with the snow – and when we hit spring and get clear, dry roads again I was too used to running slowly to get time pace I wanted.  On the day though, I felt so excited and mentally ready that I told myself the crowds would pull me round and if I followed the 5 hour pacer I’d get round.   Of course, 10 miles in, the pace was a lot faster than what I’d be training at, and I dropped back.  Having gone out too fast, I then ended up slowing right down in the second half and took too many walking breaks.  It was a slower time, 5.21, but I’d been running the second half at the slower pace I’d trained all winter – so what did I expect?  This year I’ve got my sign very firmly on a sub-5 hour, and the pace needed to maintain that.  I’ve managed several 20 mile runs on or around that pace, so I think I‘ve done all I can and just got hope the training comes together in the taper for the perfect pace needed on the day.

3. Obsess over your race-day and long run routine!  Even the smallest things can make a difference when you’re running for hours on end.  The day before, I watch what I eat (excluding anything that might upset my stomach, even orange juice is a no-no) and drink lots of water.  On the day, I have lots of little quirky preferences, such as making sure my hair is in a tight bun with absolutely no strands loose, my trainers have no bits of sand in them to cause blisters, the laces are done up perfectly and tucked away, I’ve used the sports deodorant, my sunglasses are free from fog and finger prints, the straps on my hydration sack are secured in their bungees and not flapping about, the iPod/headphones cable (if wearing) is not twisted and is tucked under my sports bra strap and is at exactly the right length so as not to bounce – oh I could go on!  And this is as well as the obvious things like making sure I’ve have some carbs for dinner and got my race number out.

4. Think about clothing and don’t over-dress if it’s hot.  I’m a sucker for nice sports gear, and love colourful tee-shirts, cute running skirts and dresses (yes, you can get them!), bright tights/capris and the latest running fashion.  I really do feel great when wearing my favourite gear, and it gives me a lot of confidence – when I know I look good, I tend to believe I can perform better too.  But it’s not always the most suitable for the long run, and what works for parkrun or a 10k women-only race doesn’t work during long solo 20 milers or the marathons.  Often the simple baggy shorts and old charity vest top from two years ago are the most comfortable and best fitting.  I also have a dilemma every spring – I find cool-weather clothing more comfortable for longer runs than hot weather gear – especially tights instead of shorts, and trail tee-shirts instead of vest tops.  But I get way too hot in tights past March, which bugs me when I’ve trained all winter in them and then it’s three weeks before marathon day and I’ve got to wear shorts which always seem to ride up or just feel weird.  Then my running backpack rubs under my arms, as I’ve not got long sleeves to protect the skin, so it’s pass the Vaseline time.  (I do wish the London Marathon was held in February!).  In the autumn races it doesn’t matter so much – I've trained in shorts and vest tops all summer so I’m used to it come race day.  Which brings me to…

5. Race Day weather is unpredictable!  And usually (but not always) warmer than I expect!  I think I’ve managed to run a race of at least half-marathon distance in every condition from minus 2 degrees in Norway to over 30 degrees in a freak July heat wave last year.  If I could choose the weather, it would probably be the same as most people’s wishes – dry, sunny, a light breeze, but not too hot, humid or windy.  A crisp clear winter’s morning is perfect, or in the summer then blue skies but lower temperatures than usual to make running more bearable.  I like conditions to be similar to what they have been in the three month’s training prior, possibly slightly cooler on race day itself.  I got lucky in the Loch Ness and Berlin Marathons – both hot summers but then nice cool, sunny days on race day.  It was lovely and refreshing and I did not heat up too much.  London was the other way round – while it was a gorgeous sunny spring morning, it followed months of a cold winter which still saw snow at the end of March!  It felt like a heatwave on the day!  I felt really bad the next day when friends and family who were watching on the day said I’d got the perfect conditions for it, as secretly I had really struggled.  Prague was very hot, while Eden was a real mixture - we had rain and thunder storms on and off all day! 

6. A more traditional lesson learned now – taper properly.  Before Berlin I really wanted to do both the Great North Run and Run To The Beat in September.  They were a week apart and shortly before the marathon.  I ended up running both, but with a 20 mile run between them – mid week!  Then a week before I did a sprint-distance triathlon with the club!  A bit weird.  It didn’t actually do any harm, as I got a PB at Berlin, but I’d rather keep it one long run per weekend, gradually getting shorter and not adding random triathlons.  This time round, I’m being very good at keeping the mileage low, but the intensity of the runs the same, but not adding any sudden speed work or 3k sprints.  I’m resisting the temptation to replace my shorter runs with more cross training to “make up for it”, and have decided to miss swimming or circuits sessions when needed.  The focus is on recovering from the long runs and letting the fitness be absorbed, rather than suddenly start working new muscles or wearing myself down too much and being sore on race day.  But it’s a thin line – too much rest and my fitness will go and I’ll feel sluggish on the day.  I also start being far more aware of tiny niggles, aches and colds or headaches coming on.  After three 20 mile runs my immune system is quite weak, so having to make sure I take lots of Vitamin C and stay clear of germs and colds (not easy when people bring them to work!).

7. Bring more gels/fuel than I need.  Even when I know there’ll be feed stations, I like to carry everything I’ll need.  I’ve run out of fuel before, and struggled (mile 16 of Loch Ness) only to discover they had run out of energy gels at the next feed station.  I only drink water now too – Lucozade used to be my favourite found in the end I found it far too sweet and sickly.  I have several favourite brands, all tried and tested.  I also look forward to a bit of apple on race day – it seems to be given out by spectators and in European races and I really like it, it’s a nice refreshing snack to the sticky gels.

8. Walk around afterwards, and bring lots of warm clothing, including compression tights.  I was freezing cold after my first marathon, but a pair of thermal compression tights and a warm coat really did the trick.  Scoff what’s in the goody bag straight away, even better if you can get hold of a thick milkshake or recovery drink afterwards too.

These are my main lessons – I’ve got lots but these are the ones that really matter.  By the way – the above is not ALL I do, there’s (obviously) the training plan and following it correctly, eating the right food, testing my clothing beforehand, getting the mileage in.  The above are all extras that I’ve picked out from things not going perfectly to plan in previous races – or things that did go well, and not I don’t want to change them!!  I’m sure I’ll learn loads more in the next few months!