Hastings Marathon

Well, I finally had another half-decent marathon. I think perhaps the secret this year lay with running with a more achievable game plan. Call me soft if you will but at least I've come out of the marathon with a good time - certainly not what I am capable of at my best, but a good result for what I had done. Training wise, I was definitely down on where I would liked to have been. My biggest week of training was only just over 100km, but I did manage to hold on to a 100km average for 6 weeks out of the 8 prior to the marathon. This is something I have been well short of for many years. Prior to this year's Rotorua marathon I was averaging only 75km and my long runs were struggling to get to the 2 hours. The long runs this time out were well past 2 hours and up as far as 2:35, and importantly, when I finished those runs I was not really struggling and generally could have continued. As to the race it self, it went almost perfectly to plan. And yes Chris and Craig, I did have a plan despite our discussion at the club dinner, but it wasn't really formed 'till the couple of days prior to the race, although I did have the basics sorted out in my mind some time before this. I think you always have an idea of what you are capable of but sometimes you allow your dreams to override your knowledge. I did not want to make this mistake this time so deliberately avoided making any but very generalised predictions before hand. Back to the plan. 4-minute k's to half way, then try to hold the same effort coming home. Given the nature of the course I had calculated that I should be able to come in 1:26. So I was looking for 2:50. What happened? First k was a fraction fast at 3:46 but we went through 5km in 19:57. 10km came up in a tick over 40 minutes. When I looked at my watch at the 15km mark I thought it had stopped! The display read 0:00.00, a second look revealed a little 1 in the hour's area and the clock had ticked over to 1:00:02.0. I smiled to myself as I realised that I just run exactly 4-minute k's to 15km. I was pretty happy with myself at this stage. Halfway came up in 1:24:14. Now I just had to hold the effort on the way home, and I was in. I felt so comfortable at half way that I briefly considered pushing on for something better. But remembering the mistake I made at Rotorua earlier this year, I decided to stick to plan A. From here on in all I had to do was maintain the effort, run 4 minute k pace where it was flat and just work the hills as best I could. The 30k drink station came up in 2hrs 1 minute, and from here there are only the two real hills under the Peak left. Across the bridge and the first of the hills looms ahead. It is a lot steeper than I remembered it but also not as long, and as I crested it I could see at the end of the straight, the 2nd place runner. He was coming back to me big time and I thought perhaps I would catch him. I did lift the effort to try gain some ground on him, but didn't really see him again until after the turn back onto Te Mata Rd. The second hill under the peak was just as I remembered. Not particularly steep but long and painful. Half way up it my left hamstring started doing funny things, and continued to do so all the way to the finish. Turning into Te Mata Rd with about 3km to run I got another glimpse of the guy ahead of me as he started THAT little climb back up onto the plateau. I once again picked the pace up and immediately the rest of my leg muscles went out in sympathy for my left hamstring. They all started twitching and threatening to cramp. The last time I ran this marathon was in 1993. That year a friend of mine, Gig deRidder, was standing at the top of THAT little rise when I wanted to stop and have a walk and because of his encouragement I continued on and ran under 3 hrs for the first time. This year, although I was not considering stopping to walk, I did once again get some good advice on THAT little rise. Craig Anderson was standing half way up the rise, and seeing my discomfort he offered that I should just relax up the rise and have another go on the downhill over the crest. Good advise Craig, thanks. As soon as I relaxed the cramping stopped and I was able to once again run a little more normally. As soon as I picked it up on the downhill, everything started back to cramping again, but is so much easier when you are running downhill. I didn't catch the other bloke, he finished about 500 m ahead of me, but I held on for a PB 2:50:53. I had planned on dropping 2 minutes in the second half and had dropped 2:25. Pretty close to perfect execution of the game plan. I was really happy. It had been a long time between drinks so to speak. The last time I ran a half way decent marathon was at Rotorua in 1996. Thanks to everyone who supported me around the course. There are as usual too many to name, but in particular Chris Corney who kept coming passed every k or so and stopping up the road to make I sure I wasn't going soft. Craig Anderson, for the timely input of his little pearls of wisdom. Arthur Corbett, who pops up all over the place (like a small fungus?). Craig Mathers who ran the first half with me. Thanks to all the Marathon Clinic walkers and supporters who are always so vocal and who get so upset when I don't respond - sorry but you know I'm serious when I don't answer. Paul and Anne, well Paul anyway, Anne was spotting the talent ahead of me. (Apparently he had a nice arse!). Last but not least a huge thanks to Nicole, Eric and Brendan. It was really neat to see them on the course as I wasn't expecting to see them. The boys' soccer tournament was cancelled which meant they could come over and watch. And, of course I also thank them for putting up with me while I'm training!! Mark 'Sparky' Speakman