I was looking forward to race day of my first full marathon on Jan 15th, 2012. I have been doing distance running for quite some time now (1, 2, 3), but 42.195 km is in a different league. In this post, I’ll tell you about my experience.
Preparation:
My preparation consisted of short runs on weekdays after work hours (as the work schedule permitted) and around 16-20 km run on either a Saturday or Sunday. On average, I did practice runs of 35-40 km per week for a couple of months - the maximum being 30 km run, once.
Going into the race day: I felt that I was under-prepared physically, but mentally I was determined to complete the race. The big question on my mind was: Is my body capable of going the full distance? This meant that I had to set conservative goals for the race. Hence, I decided (1) to complete the race, (2) to complete it within 6 hours (as that was the race timing cut-off) and (3) to change the plan per need.
The race day:
I got up at 4:15 am in the morning to reach the starting point of the marathon. [Note: A constant struggle with early morning timings is the ritual of going to the loo. Yes, the loo :) - our bodies are tuned to doing shit at specified time and in this case, shit doesn’t happen! Not a major problem, but definitely an inconvenience.]
Anyways, I reached on time. The race started, on time, uneventfully, without any fanfare (no movie stars, no minister speeches – they usually arrive late or speak more), which is the way I like it.
The easy part (0-21 km):
As I have done four half-marathons, I was pretty confident about the first half. A constant reminder I gave to myself was to run at a relaxed pace and not get enthusiastic (a good way to asses that is your breathing rate). So, the first 20 km were almost a walk in the park. En route, I did a couple of stops to stretch my muscles (picking the best vantage point: Sea Link bridge to do that!) and made a mental-note-of-appreciation for folks who were in their 50s attempting the full distance!
One thing that was very different from my earlier experiences was that while running the first half I was planning for the second half - observing the route (uphill and downhill gradients) and deciding on the possible options (the route is mostly the same on the way back – see map below). During the 7-10 km (Peddar road area) it was pretty evident that the long uphill gradient was going to be tough. I was almost certain that it was going to be a walking zone on my way back (If, I was able to make it!)
The tough part (21-42 km):
With the first half completed. I ran the 21-26 km with a slightly reduced pace without any troubles. (Around 25 km, I was thrilled to see Shivaji Park - Sachin Tendulkar’s cricketing education happened here). After the 26th km, I felt something strange, it was not pain in the legs or cramps, it was a feeling of emptiness - as if there were no lungs or stomach or guts, somebody just vacuum-sucked-my-upper-body kind-of-feeling… (I don’t know why – it might have to do with depleted sugars/electrolytes in the body or a bite of banana I had a few minutes earlier. Anyone?). This meant that my race plan had to be reevaluated.
The next decision was rather simple, take a couple of km at a time and evaluate the situation along the way. I followed a slow pace, small strides and kept doing it for the next 6 km or so – walk, run, walk... By the end of 32 km it was becoming difficult. I checked the elapsed time was around 3 h 45 m, which meant that I had sufficient time to complete the remaining 10 km. Also the uphill gradient of the Peddar road was approaching. So, I decided not to be heroic and take it easy - now on, it would have to be walking all the way.
I started walking the remaining 10 km at a brisk pace. Walking in high humidity of Mumbai with no breeze and the temperature rising is no fun, even if it is scenic south Mumbai’s Chowpatty. At every water-station, I had a gulp of water to keep myself hydrated - a good Samaritan provided Parle-G glucose biscuits too. This brisk walk was strenuous on the legs, but not taxing. I completed the last kilometer with a gentle jog to the finish line. Elapsed time: 5 h 26 m 56 s.
At the end of the race, my feelings were mixed. Mixed, because I think with some more practice under five hours should have been easy for me. Also, may be I was more conservative. But, then completing the first marathon is a reasonable achievement. Hopefully, now that I know what my body is capable of physically, I can plan better for the next time. Until then, happy running!
Race Route:
Race Time Splits: Link here.
.
Preparation:
My preparation consisted of short runs on weekdays after work hours (as the work schedule permitted) and around 16-20 km run on either a Saturday or Sunday. On average, I did practice runs of 35-40 km per week for a couple of months - the maximum being 30 km run, once.
Going into the race day: I felt that I was under-prepared physically, but mentally I was determined to complete the race. The big question on my mind was: Is my body capable of going the full distance? This meant that I had to set conservative goals for the race. Hence, I decided (1) to complete the race, (2) to complete it within 6 hours (as that was the race timing cut-off) and (3) to change the plan per need.
The race day:
I got up at 4:15 am in the morning to reach the starting point of the marathon. [Note: A constant struggle with early morning timings is the ritual of going to the loo. Yes, the loo :) - our bodies are tuned to doing shit at specified time and in this case, shit doesn’t happen! Not a major problem, but definitely an inconvenience.]
Anyways, I reached on time. The race started, on time, uneventfully, without any fanfare (no movie stars, no minister speeches – they usually arrive late or speak more), which is the way I like it.
The easy part (0-21 km):
As I have done four half-marathons, I was pretty confident about the first half. A constant reminder I gave to myself was to run at a relaxed pace and not get enthusiastic (a good way to asses that is your breathing rate). So, the first 20 km were almost a walk in the park. En route, I did a couple of stops to stretch my muscles (picking the best vantage point: Sea Link bridge to do that!) and made a mental-note-of-appreciation for folks who were in their 50s attempting the full distance!
One thing that was very different from my earlier experiences was that while running the first half I was planning for the second half - observing the route (uphill and downhill gradients) and deciding on the possible options (the route is mostly the same on the way back – see map below). During the 7-10 km (Peddar road area) it was pretty evident that the long uphill gradient was going to be tough. I was almost certain that it was going to be a walking zone on my way back (If, I was able to make it!)
The tough part (21-42 km):
With the first half completed. I ran the 21-26 km with a slightly reduced pace without any troubles. (Around 25 km, I was thrilled to see Shivaji Park - Sachin Tendulkar’s cricketing education happened here). After the 26th km, I felt something strange, it was not pain in the legs or cramps, it was a feeling of emptiness - as if there were no lungs or stomach or guts, somebody just vacuum-sucked-my-upper-body kind-of-feeling… (I don’t know why – it might have to do with depleted sugars/electrolytes in the body or a bite of banana I had a few minutes earlier. Anyone?). This meant that my race plan had to be reevaluated.
The next decision was rather simple, take a couple of km at a time and evaluate the situation along the way. I followed a slow pace, small strides and kept doing it for the next 6 km or so – walk, run, walk... By the end of 32 km it was becoming difficult. I checked the elapsed time was around 3 h 45 m, which meant that I had sufficient time to complete the remaining 10 km. Also the uphill gradient of the Peddar road was approaching. So, I decided not to be heroic and take it easy - now on, it would have to be walking all the way.
I started walking the remaining 10 km at a brisk pace. Walking in high humidity of Mumbai with no breeze and the temperature rising is no fun, even if it is scenic south Mumbai’s Chowpatty. At every water-station, I had a gulp of water to keep myself hydrated - a good Samaritan provided Parle-G glucose biscuits too. This brisk walk was strenuous on the legs, but not taxing. I completed the last kilometer with a gentle jog to the finish line. Elapsed time: 5 h 26 m 56 s.
At the end of the race, my feelings were mixed. Mixed, because I think with some more practice under five hours should have been easy for me. Also, may be I was more conservative. But, then completing the first marathon is a reasonable achievement. Hopefully, now that I know what my body is capable of physically, I can plan better for the next time. Until then, happy running!
Race Route:
Race Certificate:
.
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