22-07-2009, 10:01 AM
A belated report from the Windermere Marathon - my first marathon in something like 15 years ! I didn't know what to expect, except that it would be hard, and I wasn't wrong.
Because I hadn't done a full marathon for so long, I had no particular target, apart from getting round, but had in my mind that I could manage 3:30, which would mean approx 8 minute miling all the way round. So I planned to do the first mile steadily, in about 8:30 - 9:00, then get into my stride, and see how I went on.
I felt comfortable from the start, but as soon as I reached the first mile in 7:30, I knew I'd blown it. Pace judgement was difficult because of the nature of the course, but I tried to relax into a more sensible pace, and was still on target at 15 miles, but then started to slow.
The last 6 miles were painful, but I still managed to keep running, managing to pass a few other runners in the uphill stretch to the finish, and finished on 3:38:39.
Six months ago, I would have been delighted with that time, but I know I could have done better, if I'd run a bit more sensibly at the start.
Still, there's always next year
Because I hadn't done a full marathon for so long, I had no particular target, apart from getting round, but had in my mind that I could manage 3:30, which would mean approx 8 minute miling all the way round. So I planned to do the first mile steadily, in about 8:30 - 9:00, then get into my stride, and see how I went on.
I felt comfortable from the start, but as soon as I reached the first mile in 7:30, I knew I'd blown it. Pace judgement was difficult because of the nature of the course, but I tried to relax into a more sensible pace, and was still on target at 15 miles, but then started to slow.
The last 6 miles were painful, but I still managed to keep running, managing to pass a few other runners in the uphill stretch to the finish, and finished on 3:38:39.
Six months ago, I would have been delighted with that time, but I know I could have done better, if I'd run a bit more sensibly at the start.
Still, there's always next year