Except for the rain. And the cold. And my performance.
I just got towards the end of a fantastic account of the day and my race, composing in Blogger, and somehow I bumped some key or other, maybe the backspace, and poof, it just disappeared.
To try to summarize: It was a fantastic event. Big crowds, wonderful crowds. Despite the rain. The constant, miserable, cold rain. Enthusiastic cheerleaders and taiko drummers. Good organization for such a huge number of runners under *very* trying conditions. A great course that looped back on itself so you could look for and cheer for you mates. And supporters in the crowd could move from vantage point to vantage point to cheer not once but two or three times. (Thank you Ms Minegishi, Satohi, Takako, Mami, Anna, Yukari, Shoji, Yoshiko, Taizo, Peter, Mrs AZ, Uchida-san -- among others)
I got off to a slowish start with the congestion, but soon settled into 4:07 pace. This was very comfortable down the hill, and then on the flat I came back to 4:10/4:11 pace. Exactly to plan. Unfortunately my legs were just not up to the plan. At around 18 km I felt the first signs that things were not quite right. By 25 km I was starting to hurt and fade. By 30 km I was well off pace, maybe 4:20s by that stage, which then ever gradually just kept fading to the point where I must have recorded a couple of 5:00 kilometers late in the race. My final gross time: 3:08. If I count the net time, the best I can say is that it probably wasn't a PW. I'm a bit disappointed, but not gutted. Shrug the shoulders. These things happen. Move on and try to get it right next time. Better training, better race conditions. I really appreciate all the support from all my blogger friends, plus various family and other friends who contaced me by email and phone. Thank you, and sorry I coudn't fulfill the anticipations that I created for you. I think I had better be a little more circumspect about my chances from now on.
Young Adam had an even worse fade than me, but managed to finish about a minute ahead of me. Somebody told me he was running sub 20-minute 5ks for the first ten or fifteen km. His splits will make for interesting reading. A 3:06 is still a very respectable debut (hey, that's what mine was!) and he will no doubt learn from the experience. I wonder if I will learn from mine?
I met Scott, and that was great. Gave him a punch in the guts for Tesso and Clairie. He came to the sento with us and dinner at our after-race party in Shibuya before scarpering back to Osaka. I'll let him give his own account of the race, but I'll just say that his, like mine, was a common story of the day: somewhat short of expectaions. It is just a bit hard to race to your potential when you are soaked to the skin and shivering.
On a final positive note, it was great to see some nice PBs and debut marathons recorded from our club; jewels among the chaff. Jay, Mary, Rie recorded big PBs, while Jayne, Adam, Yuka, Chris (sub 3!), Luke, Granne, Katakura-san--and possibly others I can't recall, please forgive me--had big first time outings.
In conclusion, the repeated reoprts on TV about the big day make it clear to me that the event itself outweighed any individual performances. Simply stunning, and I amjust glad to be able to say thatI was a part of it.
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11 comments:
Congratulations Steve, it must have been a tough race given the awful weather, but your conclusion is robust, it was an event not to miss. I'm so sorry I did not register and plan to run the race as a reunion of sorts, maybe next year. Nice run, nothing to be ashamed of in those conditions. Jim
I'm pleased you were able to give Scott a punch in the guts Steve. At least one thing went right.
As for the race... I'm sure you'll analyse how it went and make adjustments to your training to get down to the low 2:50s where you should be. Doesn't take much in a marathon to tip a perfect plan the wrong way. Your day will come. Thanks for the journey to this one, and the inspiration.
Congratulations, I respect you for running this time in these bad conditions.
I experienced the same as you did. Already after 25km I started slowing down and it got worse with each 5 km lap. This was a bad surprise to me. With the training I did this shouldn't have happened. I wonder if my training was so far of or if such cold rain actually does have quite a negative effect on the muscles. From my test runs I was certain to make it in 3:10, but actually finished in 3:26, a time which I did on my last marathon with not even half of the training.
Well, like you wrote the event itself was fantastic. Impressively well organized (except the bag return at the end, I waited 30 min shivering in front of the trucks), a fun course with nice spots, great support from the crowds. How great will this be next year if the weather is like it is on a typical winter day!
I concur exactly with Marco,
This is almost the same with my story of training and experience of the race.
Next year, well maybe, it would give me another chance to get naked, have a sento, and drink with the Nanban Rengo boys, that was fun.
I agree with what the others have said Stephen and would also add that I love your attitude.
Shrug your shoulders and get on with life....beautiful. I wish so many others would have that same approach to running and to life in general.
3.08 is damn quick in nearly anyone's language and as Ewen says those sub-3 times will come.
As always for me, the inspiration in a story comes not from the performance itself but from the way someone confronts the greater challenge of addressing triumph or adversity. Your great attitude and the way you wrote your post says far more about you than how you ran the race. Thank you.
Man, how am I supposed to come up with a deep and meaningful comment to compare with what Tuggeranong Don has said!
The most massive congrats to you. I am soooooo impressed with your 3:08, I truly am. And I know if conditions were different (eg 29000 less people and kinder weather) you would have had bragging rights to a sub 3 marathon.
That picture you posted doesn't seem like it could possible be a marathon - how nutso is that! But you must love the fact that so many people are out there running. We should never complain about that.
Enjoy your recovery, goodness knows you deserve to celebrate and relax.
Take care.
PS I think a punch in the guts could become the new CR secret handshake, you know, like the masons.
Steve-
Congratulations on completeing another quality marathon. Well done! Congrats also on going for it (it being the sub-3:00) and for feeling good about your race despite having gone for it and not quite getting there. Thanks for the race report.
Pete
Even though you have accepted your result, it will still be interesting finding out why your race expectation was not meet.
For me I dream of a cold run at the moment. Though rain is not part of that dream.
But the overall event sounded great.
Steve,
Congrats on the race. I know that you were not satisfied with the time, but you still did quite well, and were faster than my disappointing Marine Marathon race. So you should feel less upset than I did =)
I should be in Tokyo for about four weeks this summer, so I look forward to getting some Sunday runs in with you.
Dan
Mate 8 mins is only about 10 secs per km (give or take) in a Marathon - so a pretty handy result in my book.
Nice work mate and what a wonderful experience with all of those people - huuuuge.
Sorry it has taken me so long to comment - I've been in a technological whiteout (almost) - no email, unable to comment on blogs... and only very limited access to the net from the crackleberry.
HI Steve,
Time aside this is a pretty impressive effort. That is a Blue Dog time it would be interesting seeing the two of you running together.
Congratulations.
Plu
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