My Forum

Ant - really pleased for you as you probably wanted it more than most. A fantastic run and now that barriers gone, I'm sure you'll go even faster. 

CC2 - fantasically controlled run. Get yourself a sub 1:30 half quick then you can join us at the champs start.

Cat Girl - thanks for worrying about me, very kind.

Starting to feel a tinge of disappointment that I wasn't more committed in training and even more so, that I didn't make it to Chandos.

Anyway, the bad news is I've just realised that I can still get a championship start next year as I did 1:29 at Reading in 2009. This unfortunately means that i will be back. For some reason I fancy doing a small autumn marathon somewhere.

So some good and bad stories as usual 

Jools -  yours was the first result I looked for. Seems like you are getting ever closer. Next time you will do it, if you can bare going through it again. 3:03 is still seriously amazing. I saw you in the champs tent before the start but didn’t want to bother you with idle chit chat as I knew you had a tough task ahead. I was hoping to just say a brief good luck but didn’t see you again.   

MM – as I have written on your thread, really feel for you. You know it would have happened on another day. Brilliant that you hung on and finished. 

GE – well done for getting a great PB and not be greedy. Unfortunately now though, you know you have to go for sub 3 next time.  

Jezza – well done on another sub 3! Lorenzo – you went sub 3.15 and that’s the main thing. Well done.

Birch – well done on a really evenly paced run and for managing to enjoy it.  

Well done to those who went sub 3.15 which seemed like a fair few. Really enjoyed reading everyone’s report, particularly MM’s.  

Have I missed Speedy’s time? 

I was actually pretty pleased with 3:20 and more pleased that I gave 3.15 a shot. If I had set off at 7.40 pace, which would have felt pretty slow, then maybe I wouldn’t have suffered at the end, I could have done a negative split and ended up with 3.17 and left thinking maybe I could have done 3.15. 7.25 did actually feel really comfortable and at 14 miles I thought I would be on for a negative split for sure. But the classic marathon story, at 18 miles my legs started to get heavy. I managed to keep the pace for a few more miles but knew the inevitable was happening. My legs got heavier and heavier and I got slower and slower. Pleased I didn’t walk. Pleased I still got a respectable time. Pleased that I have done a marathon campaign without any injuries or illnesses. Pleased that I am able to walk today without any serious problems. Pleased that my husband and kids got in just to see me at the end. Pleased that my husband brought the car in. Not so pleased that he parked it 3 miles away and I had to walk that far whilst listening to my kids moaning that their legs were aching.  

I wouldn’t say that I have had a difficult build up this year, I just have a difficult life! Partly self inflicted, choosing to put my daughters sport above my own, and partly not self inflicted like having a disabled son to look after who gets up at 5am every day. In the circumstances I am very happy. A bit disappointed that I no longer have a champs start as I have been very spoilt the last two years. Still have a GFA place and I have to go quite a bit slower to lose that.

Deperate to read back but haven't had time yet. A quick post before leaving for work so as you know i'm still alive. As kind of predicted. 3.15 was too much. Stuck with 7.25 til mile 20 then started to struggle. Hung on for 3.20. 2nd worse time, I think weight gain is the main reason but pleased I kept going.

Sorry not to make chandos too, youngest ill with croupe all weekend, so very little sleep and just needed to get home. Try and read back at work.

Starting to think 3.15 is way too optimistic. seriously think 7.40's all the way. Exhausting week for one reason and another. Bad diet, lack of sleep and pretty stressful. The saying fail to prepare, prepare to fail keeps going through my head. Not such a good mantra!

Good luck to you all.  Hope you get what you all want but most of all, enjoy it, you don't know when you might get the chance to go through this experience again.

Hoping to make Chandos.