John Farrington, Australian marathoner
After missing out on a sub 3 hour marathon last July by 55 secs, returning for revenge this year was never far from my mind. My prep had been pretty good since building up for sixfoot in March. Whilst never doing huge k's, the weekly volume was a very consistent at around 70-80k. Adding 1 or 2 quick sessions per week saw some significant PB's from 5k to half marathon being achieved and indicated that something under 3 hours should be fairly achievable. A 36:43 10k 4 weeks out from the marathon made me consider chasing a quicker time of 2:55 - 2:57 however a minor case of man flu caused me to be conservative and target the 3 hours.
As I stood on the start line, I was confident and content that I had done enough in training to get the job done. I was well rested, fully tapered and ready to go. Marthon paced runs in the days leading up to the race were very comfortable. I had a race plan and was committed to it. 6 x 5k splits of 21 minutes (4:12's), going through half way in 88:37 and 30k in 2:06, and hold on from there. Roger was happy with the plan and decided to come along for the ride.
So off we went, knocking out 4:12's. Tick, tick, tick. It was quite humid early on, but when a slight wind picked up, it freshened up. 5k splits were knocked out in 20:56, 20:57 and 20:54 reaching 15k in 1:02:50. Race plan was going well however I did have some slight doubts as the legs seemed to be ever so slightly heavy. I brushed it off and kept on with the job with the next 2 splits being done in 21:02 and 21:00, going through halfway in 88:31.
The 26th and 27th k's told me that it was time to concentrate. The effort required to knock out 4:12's was now resulting in a 4:15 and 4:16 min k's. Nothing too alarming, but I needed to pay attention. I went through the 5k in 21:11 reaching 30k in 2:06:10. So the first part of the race strategy was executed to near perfection, now it was money time. 53:50 to cover 12.2k.
It was at this point where I caught Steve Moneghetti, the 3 hour pacer and navigated the 2 ever so slight rises of the course - the bridge over to Southport and the rise up to the race precinct. It was a busy area with lots of spectators and Steve was getting a lot of cheers. It was at this point last year that I started to struggle and the way I was suddenly feeling, it was like de je vu all over again. I was very frustrated and annoyed, but determined to battle on. I pulled ahead of the pacer group and tried to keep the pace up. The pace now was in the 4:20:25 range, with a 5k split to 35k of 21:47. Turning around at the top part of the course with 5k to go, I knew I needed to maintain sub 4:30 k's, however all I could manage were 4:31. 4:33 and 4:32 and I was feeling the sand slowly slipping through the fingers. I was in huge amounts of pain. Each k felt like 5. Time seemed to stand still. If only I could up the pace ever so slightly I was in with a shot in the last couple of k's. But alas, there was no pick up of speed and no sprint for the finish, just the overwhelming desire to stop running that would only be satisfied by the finish line.
So I missed the sub 3 ever so slightly for the second time. Disappointed? Obviously yes, but to my surprise, not dramatically so. In my habitual low mileage way, I prepared well, planned well, executed to 30k well and fought as hard as I could in the last 12k. I just wasn't good enough. I am going to have to face facts that in order for me to run a sub 3 marathon, I am going to have to pull my finger out and simply train harder. Longer runs and bigger mileage.
"You have to forget your last marathon before you try another. Your mind can't know what's coming."
Frank Shorter
The plan was always to get the sub 3 marathon before dipping the toe into a 100k race later this year and for a few days I toyed with the idea of giving up on the marathon. But after some reflection I have recommitted myself to this bloody stupid arbitrary distance we call the marathon.
"No more ultras till the sub 3 is done".
| 5KM | 0:20:56 | 0:21:03 |
| 10KM | 0:20:57 | 0:42:01 |
| 15KM | 0:20:54 | 1:02:56 |
| 20KM | 0:21:02 | 1:23:59 |
| 25KM | 0:21:00 | 1:44:59 |
| 30KM | 0:21:11 | 2:06:11 |
| 35KM | 0:21:47 | 2:27:58 |
| 40KM | 0:22:39 | 2:50:37 |
| Finish | 0:10:32 | 3:01:09 |
| Half Way | 1:28:26 | 1:28:34 |
| Finish | 1:32:35 | 3:01:09 |
5 comments:
Mate, a real shame that you missed the goal - however it is a matter of when, not if, you will crack the time your training deserves
It was frustrating watching you just miss out again Chris. You have bags of speed, just need to work on the speed endurance bit and you will smash it.
Chris. Generous of you to share that. As I stood in the stand at GC I was trying to imagine what it would feel like to be in that space between 2:59:00 and 2:59:59 and the immense effort required to get there. I realised that i have to first find myself on the 'other side of it'a few times before clawing my way towards that line. in many ways privately it doesn't matter whether the line is 3 hrs or 3:05 or whatever, there is always a line, and always the anticipation, joy or resignation of attempting / almost reaching and / or breaching it. It is central to life, and picking yourself up again, learning, and having another go is what its all about! Melbourne?(!) JB
Great write up Chris. Sounds like a perfectly planned race that just fell apart at the very tail end (and only ever so slightly). Crushing to read, although sounds like you were very philosophical about it.
You are so a sub-3hour runner. You going at have a crack at Melbourne?
Bad luck on missing the sub 3hr Chris. Just for your info I held on till the 39k doing 4:12 ks. Maybe try some more MP runs up to 20ks? I also can't say enough about running the hills on the Striders runs, they might be slow some times but they help you when you get a flat course like GC.
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