Marathon day

Today was my Marathon in Wolverhampton Sunday Sept 5th, I was up early at 6am (not by choice) I had a banana for breakfast, normally I don't eat before a big run like this, but with the marathon not starting until 9.15am, weather seemed cool and overcast outside. I logged onto the Internet using the free WiFi, I started listening to the Swans Carlton game, I also rang up my Dad in Adelaide for fathers day, I want to thank Bob Harlow who is living in the UK for 4 months for getting me a PAYG Sim card that put into a phone (thanks Charlie) that I brought with me, enabling to make calls to Australia and all over the world, funny enough it is cheaper to ring Australia than to ring within the UK.

Withe Swans game poised level with about 15 mins to go, I left for the marathon, it was only 20 mins walk to the West park where it was starting. Both the marathon and half were starting at the same time, also going off 5 mins earlier was a bike ride of 19.4 kms, earlier on I actually caught the slowest cyclists.

Most of the marathon was on roads, it was basically 2 laps, with the half just doing 1 lap, I was doing about 26.45 per 5km splits, the other thing it was marked in miles, glad I have my garmin to give me my km splits, earlier on I worked out that 9min miles would give me about a 3.56, so that was calculation every mile to keep under that, the course had a few rises along the roads, so wasn't a real flat course. I went thru the first half in 1.53-54.

At the start of 2nd lap all the half people left, which left everybody strung out, I was keeping up a good pace, up to 35kms my splits were 26.20 - 27.03, my fastest 3 splits were 20-35, but the wheels partially fell off at 35, my thighs were starting to really hurt, I started to run/walk, for the rest of race I was on 6-6.15 min per km pace, also in the 2nd half of the race it drizzled so it kept me cool, shoes were a bit squeaky, I think if the sun came out I would blown out to 4 hours but I got home in about 3hrs 52 mins 40 secs, I was very happy with the run, never sure how you will after a 24hr flight and only 3 days to recover. I got a finishers T-shirt and a medal, for 25 pouns this was very good value and a very well organised run, it did get a bit hairy on some of the roads in the 2nd half, I had a semi past me by, but they probably don't have many options, most roads I was able to hop onto the footpath.

Tonight i am not feeling too bad, I had a dinner of British finest Fish & chips, legs will be sore for a few days, I will probably rest up over the next 3-4 days (no running) but I will keep the walking up, which will be good.