Canberra Marathon – Andrew Dodd

Race Date: April 12th  Results: 2014

The “Shuffler” Re-Born

I'm now well over two years into my rebuild - where I said goodbye to chunky shoes, orthotics and that familiar (I assume to many of you) semi-efficient "shuffle" with head down looking at the ground just in front. I wouldn't say yet that I run like a Kenyan .... but I think there have been a lot of changes for the good since I've come under the influence of Rob Higley (some of you will know more about this than others). So its now a more upright style, stronger core, some barefoot .... and looking straight ahead. I still have a few funny quirks ... right foot splaying outward, head slightly tilted to the right. But the idea is that the capacity for running increases following these changes and then I fill it with running. There is still a lot of volume and intensity I can pour into the new model as it evolves ..... to be honest I don't train all that hard - in the sense that I'm often really pushing hard either in training and races.

The Goal

So the long term goal remains - to establish a world record for the biggest gap between sub 3 hour marathors. The last (and only one) was in March 1980 as an 18 year old uni student. My research shows that if I ran one now - it would be a WR. I’ve been in touch with the bloke who keeps track of various marathon longevity records. I even shared this goal with Rob de Castella! Deek was in Newcastle a few days after Canberra for the Indigenous Marathon Project trials (see photo below).

The Recent Past

6 months to the day - prior to Canberra I ran the Melbourne Marathon (13/10/13). My first in about 3 years. The goals were to run 3:30 comfortably; go through half in 1:45; negative split; run with good posture (esp when tired); and enjoy myself and finish feeling good. All these were achieved - going through the half way mark to the second .... and finishing strong but fresh in 3:27.

The plan back then was 3:20 in Canberra, then a 3:10 sometime in next 6-12 months and then a solid crack at a sub-3.

The Training

So down to Canberra. Preparation had been consistent without being spectatcular. Not a whole lot of increase since Melbourne but a solid 6 months of training. It was nice to go to an event having that training behind me knowing I had completed the long runs and specific sessions I intented (this included 35k, 32k, several runs in mid-to high 20s – all with hills, a two hour long run at 5:30 pace – ie much slower than goal pace and then a solid 10k in the middle of a 20k run much faster than goal pace (at 4:13s).

The Course and Conditions

It was a new course for Canberra this year - a change from the 2 lap one that Andre, Paul and Alan ran in 2009 (and no doubt many others over the years) - a one lapper but with many similarities to the old. The course profile looked OK. But when I drove over it the night before (about 80% of it) I realised it was quite hilly and when I actually ran it ... found a few more nasties. It was quite a tough course with rolling hills from about 17km and a few unexpected shorter sharper ones. The second half is tougher and the 3:15 pacer indicated he would aim for a 2 minute positive splat to compensate.

Weather was perfect. Coming off most of my training - even long run at nights - I would finish with a soaked t-shirt with temps in mid 20s. I was relying a lot of much cooler temperatures and Canberra delivered perfectly. It was nice to finish relatively dry and to run in much cooler weather - perhaps similar effects from coming down from high altitude training (which admittedly I've never done). The organisation was fantastic - couldn't fault it and a stark comparison to the debarcle that was the Newcastle Marathon the week before which was a complete debarcle (ie cordial instead of sport drinks; 25 mins late starting, spaghetti course, poorly marshalled ....... calm down Andre!!). Q. What was the only thing the Newcastle Marathon and the Canberra Marathon have in common this year? A. They both started at 6:30 !! (though Newcastle was scheduled for 6 am).

The Plan

Go out on 4:45 min/kms; half in 1:40 and then nagative split for a sub 3:20 (plus the enjoyment, good posture goals, finish feeling strong that I was able to achieve in Melbourne).

The Race

So to the race itself. Started right in front of the Old Parliament House (see photo of Gough and historical note below) and ran up around the newish Parliament House - which is a reasonable climb .... but hey who notices that in the first km. Then its a couple of km sort of downish to the water front before heading out to Telopia Park - the site of the tradition start / finish. For a bit I was ahead of the 3.15 pacer - who was in turn telling people he was ahead of schedule! Several times I tried to drop back from them .. but before I knew it I was running up the back of them again. I felt so good and the pace felt so slow - but I was sort of with them or near them for about 11k. In Melbourne I was much more disciplined in keeping to goal paces that I deliberately slowed several times time to keep right on pace. I was conscious of being ahead of pace .... but managed to convince myself it was OK. 10k in 45:48 which was nealy 2 minutes quicker than goal pace – could that make all that difference in the latter stages? (official 10k splits below). A couple of times (as we passed in opposite directions) in the first half I caught a glimpse of and exchanged greetings with Kirsten Molloy from Newcastle who seemed to have sizeable lead in the women's event .... which she held all the way.

The rolling hills start at about 17km and continue for a while. A few times we broke from the main roads and headed into some recreational areas on the waterfront of Lake Burley Griffin which inevitably meant downhill in (I don't do downhills well at the best of times) and then of course uphill out (this wasn't part of my reconnaissance drive the night before). At about 25k an immaculately dressed army dude in long sleeved shirt, longpants, beret – he did have running shoes on) with a very nice easy upright posture crusied past and gradually disappeared out of sight. There was a small patch of sweat on the lower back of his shirt! I ran most of the race alone though for a while in the mid-section I was stride for stride with a guy who caught up with me ... about the only words we exchanged related to us both going for 3:20 and being on pace. He left me behind though on one of those tough inclines out of the parkland. As far as I know he achieved his goal.

I ran the tangents - which meant cutting right across lanes on the highway around long bends and was amazed at how many people followed the line of runners ahead that stuck to inner or outer car lane they were in when there was sizeable advantage in following the race line. While I didn't pick up any discernable advantage (as far as positions go) through doing this, it made me feel wiser than those around me!

Went through half in 1:37 still feeling good but 3 minutes ahead of race schedule and the 3:15 pace group was now a fair way ahead. Ideally, this is where I would start to gradually increase the pace. I knew however that the way I was feeling and the hills ahead I would not be negative splitting (which would have given me sub 3:15 and then some) but I was still confident of doing 3:20. The faster than plannd first half was starting to take its toll. Without any sudden decline and with the hills, things just gradually got a bit tougher. I actually felt quite good during and almost at the top of the longest climb at around 32k but a few tight corners, a bit of running over a rough grass path and a short steepish climb really took its toll (minor concern at 29k that calves might cramp - cramps have been my nemesis over the years - as some of you would know - though in recent years I've put them behind me). The fear is still there when you experience a few twinges! The common perspective that its at 32k when your body starts to fall apart seemed to be happening.

At this point we ran past Yarralumla Uniting church and several of their members were waving large palm branches at the runners – afterall it was Palm Sunday! This was an encouraging touch. I later sent then an email telling them I was a Baptist Pastor having the day off and appreciated their gesture and they said they would print my message in their weekly bulletin!

As far as I know this was the first time someone had worn a Newcastle Flyers singlet in an interstate / territory event. The kit had made its race debut a week earlier as part of the Newcastle Running Festival. Running out of town you don’t get the personal crowd support as no one knows you (however about three times on course I got personal support from people I knew but was not expecting them to be there). Several times random people looked at me and called out something like “Go Flyers” as if they had some long term affiliation with the club and they recognized the singlet as if it was a well known club like Liverpool or Man U.

On a longish downhill section (lots of uphills - means lots of downhills) where I was maintaining pace there was a moment when it all became a bit tougher and the rhythm of running left me and from then on – running was work. For a brief period at around 35k I was still hopeful of a 3:20 - especially when I overhead a couple of guys behind me say they were on pace for such a time (I hardly looked at my watch the whole race .... mainly "sensing" how I was going).

The last 7k were like how many have experienced in a marathon. And that's what makes you respect the race. I knew I was bleeding time and knew there was nothing I could do. I don't think I hit the wall - and I'm pretty sure it was not a fuel / nutrition issues as I was feeling fine and with lots of energy and will .... my legs just said enough. I “hit the wall” big-time in my very first marathon back in 1978 when I ran the Harbord Diggers Marathon as a 16 year-old. I ran the first twenty miles non-stop – further than I’d ever run before – and grabbed a telegraph pole which I hung onto for quite a while. It was a long, slow, painful 10k back to Manly as I walked, shuffled and jogged (I must have been on a pretty reasonable time but finished in 3:44:26). That was “hitting the wall” and this was nothing like that.

Even though I sensed I was losing a lot of places the final stats showed I held my position in the second half. Maybe I was just aware of people passing me - rather than who I was passing. Everyone must have been going out the back door at about the same rate and not a few were pulling off to the side and cramping badly. I had that fear for myself but thankfully it didn't happen.

At 40k and within sniffing distance of the finish and just as we started to get into the city precinct I figured I was going to get to the end OK and when a lady about my age with a semi-funny hat caught up to me, I dug in and found a bit of rhythm, held her off and managed to finish with a couple of 5 min-ish ks, a strongish final few hundred metres (where typically at Running Festivals you are running up the back of slow half-marathoners). I felt ok at the finish though needed wife assitance sitting down and getting up etc.

The Splits

10k - 45:48 Ave per km for 10k - 4:35 min
20k - 46:56 (1:32:45) Ave per km for 10k – 4:42 min
30k - 48:16 (2:21:01) Ave per km for 10k – 4:50 min
40k - 51:18 (3:12:19) Ave per km for 10k – 5:08 min
42.2k - (3:25:15) Ave per km for 2.2k –5:07 min (corrected as 42.6km tot)

The Recovery

A cold water recovery (with a beer) in my mates swimming pool that afternoon - and overall I was feeling pretty good and jogging quad-pain-free from about Wednesday.

The Debrief

So yes there is disappointment at not reaching goal time. I'm not too hard on myself for going out faster .... but have learnt from it. Compared to Melbourne my time was nearly two minutes faster – but on a much tougher course. However, a very different running experience. Melbourne - I felt good all the way and felt strong in the second half and did a negative split by about 3 minutes and finished feeling great and full of running. Canberra – where I did not stick totally to plan – just gradually ground me down – and a positive splat of 11 minutes – ouch! – and just wanting it to be over in the las few slow kms.

In a post-race debrief with Coach Higley I pondered the issue of going out ahead of schedule early and whether or not there was a direct correlation with my second half. He didn’t mince words in his reply: “There is absolutely a direct link between going out faster than target pace and paying for it with interest towards the end, even in 400m and 800m racing. The trap is ALWAYS that you feel so good at the beginning that you think you are fine. With exceptional talent, youthfulness and optimal training you can get away with such indulgence, to varying degrees, but those three conditions are not readily at your disposal.” Ok. Ok.

The Goal - Revisited

The sub-3 plan and the pathway there has taken a bit of a hit .... but the goal still burns strong. However, my thoughts at this stage are to not run another marathon for 12 months or so .... but then 6 months ago I had no thought of running this one. While things could change I think I will enjoy training and racing some shorter distances .... but keeping up a reasonable level of longer stuff and a solid half-marathon in late August at Lake Macquarie. Not training for an immediate marathon does free up some time and enery and I’m keen to explore Wing Chun (A Kung Fu martial art with a lot of emphasis on posture and spine), yoga and pilates. I’ve been running distances for nearly 40 years and I’m about as stiff and inflexible as they come!! I sense that increasing mobility and flexibility could be the next area where improvement and capacity building will come.

Canberra?

Canberra is a great marathon to have on your bucket list .... but if the current course stays in place be prepared for a tough one ... not a course for PBs. The tough course generated quite a bit of discussion amongst runners. 25 runners (out of 1,217 finishers) ran sub-3 whereas in 2013 (on the old easier two-looper) 66 (out of 1,291) achieved that bench-mark and exactly the same - 66 - in 2012 (out of 1,193). The event is well organised and you are pretty much guaranteed cool temperatures. Highly recommended - but tough!

The Stats

For the curious http://www.strava.com/activities/130650895

Thanx for reading all this way!

Doddy