My Forum

It was the first race of this distance after having run a couple of 30 mi races before. On Saturday I was dealing with an angry ITB during the last 20 miles and was mainly walking towards the finish. It took me 10 1/2 hours and I was just freezing cold when I finally arrived.  The walking bit was highly dissatisfying and overshadowed an otherwise actually very good race experience. Now, after the knee has already improved considerably, I can see much clearer how much I enjoyed most parts of the race. Running/walking through the darkness, following the tracks of runners in the snow that had passed  ahead of me, and seing with every step that I was on the right way was an almost surreal experience! Thank you to everybody who made this possible : Organisers, marshalls and fellow runners!!

This was certainly not the last time you have seen me on the Thames path!

MoniK

was running from Oxford down to just beyond CP1 today and can confirm that there are some muddy bits, but most parts this stretch are not too bad. Right after the railway bridge in Oxford there is a wet stretch on a meadow. Stay close to the river rather than on the actual path for a few hundered yards and your feet will stay dry at this point!!

cannot wait for the trot to happen, it is going to be my first run of this distance and I am freaking out in anticipation

 MoniK

OMG,

 I am going to do it as well!! It is going to be my first run of that length, 30mi has been my furthest so far. At night I dream of running along a moonlight-lit river, with wet feet, and hands and face being freezing cold.

And I am still looking forward to do it.

 Have I gone completely insane?  (everyone around me nods)

Moni

I did it! and I finished!

It was by far my slowest of six marathons so far, so I felt no pride when I shuffled up the finishing line. Had thought that the supporters had left one after one because their runners were already in the finish...

I was about to quit from mile 6 onwards because there was just no way to get the GFA qualification  of 3h 50 min for me. But then I just waddled along, slower than training pace. I took a shower at the hosepipe and a spongebath at the water station on every lap.

thank you to all of you at the water station, your friendly support was highly appreciated. thank you to everybody cheering on the course. Thank you to the neighbour with the hosepipe. Had there not been this additional opportunity to cool down I had dropped out at mile 13 at the latest.

the goody bag was the best one I ever got ( I really like the memento) !!!! And yes, I finally feel the deserved pride of having finished.

 Well done, organising team!

MoniK

Some enlightment for me, please....

 First of all: I had an excellent race. Unlike last year, when the weather and the hilly course got the best of me. This year I did not even notice any hills. Were they still there? Might have to do with my new running shoes. Or the slightly cooler weather. Or a different level of fitness.Or a combination of all.

But there is one open question. When I crossed the finishing line the big digital clock on top of the arch showed 1:51:xx.  This is the gun time, I presume. However, both my chip and my gun time give me 1:49:xx. It is not that I am complaining,   but I am puzzled how this fits together. 

 1:49:xx is just too good to believe it.

 Does anyone have an explanation?

moni