Intro

Earlier this year I took interest in endurance sports looking for a way to get in better shape and have more energy. I’m 22 now and would like to keep the youth flowing in the years to come. My girlfriend has been running for a couple years, and another friend was the youngest finisher at IMFL last year, so they were both positive influences for me getting started. Triathlon seemed more fun than just running so I decided I wanted to train for that. I have never really liked running, and couldn’t even jog 1km in elementary school gym class without getting a stomach cramp, so I thought that would be the hardest part. Wanting to get the hardest part out of the way I decided to do the Toronto marathon. I started to run in June, and for now I have just been swimming and biking as cross training.

Training

When I first started training my goal was to train hard enough to run a 4hr marathon. At first running at 9min/mile pace was difficult and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run a long distance at that pace. I trained using Hal Higdon’s novice marathon training plan but substituted a 2nd 20 mile run in the week the schedule says 18. I started to train about 20 weeks out, and over time began to enjoy training more and more. At the start I was heel striking and had problems with ITBS. I modified my gait and began to strike with my midfoot which cured the ITBS but made my calves ache for the first week. I also worked on running more efficiently which helped increase both pace and endurance.

I followed my 18 week training plan very closely, so as the race got closer I wasn’t too nervous. I completed two 20+ mile runs which were both the last 20+ miles of the actual marathon course which I thought would help mentally on race day. My biggest dilemma was to select a goal pace for myself. I knew I could break 4 hours, but didn’t want to push too hard and jeopardize not meeting my original goal. Last night I decided on a goal pace of 5:30/km which is a 3:52:06 finish. I figured that would let me build enough of a buffer that even if I bonked I could probably still hit my original 4 hour goal.

Race Day

Last night I didn’t sleep very well simply because I usually don’t sleep straight through the night when anticipating getting up earlier than normal. I finished carb loading with some Vector which I usually eat in training, and brought a smoothie to the race to consume before the race. I arrived just over an hour before race start, still not really nervous and pretty confident since I had stuck to my training program. It was about 6 degrees Celsius before the 9am start time so I grabbed a discarded hoodie from the half-marathon which started an hour earlier to stay warm. My heart rate monitor wasn’t working this morning which sucked since I log all my workouts, but I had already picked my pace so it didn’t matter.

Ready, Set, Go

When the gun went off and we started shuffling through the start coral, I was feeling a little overwhelmed that I was finally doing this, but really happy at the same time. I had already decided to stick to my pace no matter how well I felt for the first half of the marathon, and only planned to make minor adjustment before 20mi / 34km if I felt like going faster. In the first 10K there is a large downhill and the biggest hill of the course, it was nice to get that out the way. I really controlled myself on the hills increasing cadence and shortening stride which I feel helped save my muscles for later in the race. For the first 8km I hit my splits nearly right on, I was off to a good start and was running smart. I was keeping out of people’s way and managing to drink on the run at the aid stations (first time drinking from cups, crimping it kept me dry).

10-21.1K - In the zone

By 10K I had settled into my pace perfectly, and was still feeling fresh. My breathing was easy, I could keep my mouth closed (a good pace test I like). I was just focusing on hitting my splits and keeping a steady supply of calories coming to keep my legs as strong as possible. I did a good job through this section and picked up about 30-60 seconds on my pace by the time I hit the half-way mark.

21.1 to 30K - A little quicker

Having picked up some extra time over my planned pace, I was still feeling good. I didn’t want to push too hard yet to make sure I had enough left to finish and decided to keep pulling in just a few seconds per kilometer and maintaining a steady pace. Up to 30K I just kept motoring along in the zone, and I kept drinking Gatorade and downing gels as I felt I could handle them. I was thinking maybe I could go 3:50 as I pulled in some extra time with each split.

30 to 36K - Feeling alright

By 30K I had picked up about 1.5min over my planned pace, now I was thinking sub 3:50 was in the cards if I could just hold my pace to the end. I only needed to gain just over 2min on my planned pace to do this. Still, I didn’t want to push too hard until 34k which is where I told myself I’d either go for it or hang in there if I hit the wall. At 34K I was still doing well, and thought I had the energy to go for it. I decided to keep pulling back some time but not ramp it up too much.

36 to Finish - Finishing strong

By 36K I was now 2min ahead of pace, and on track for a sub 3:50, I was pretty happy, but nervous as my hams were starting to feel a little tired. I knew if they cramped I’d have to push to make it through in 4:00. By 37K with 5K left, I decided to go for it and picked up the pace. Either way I’d make 4:00, but maybe I could even get down close to 3:45. At 38K I was still feeling good and picked it up a little more. By 40K I was loving it, I was starting to push, but really flying. 41K felt like a push, and with just over a kilometer to go I started to really give it. The last 200m I came around the bend at Queen’s Park and could see the finish. I still had enough left to sprint through to the end and gain a few more seconds.

I finished in 3:46:16 by my watch, and was quite happy with the result. I met my 4:00 goal I had trained hard for, and even had the energy to go for it at the end beating my 3:52 pace goal.

Post-Race

After getting my chip clipped and being donned with my medal and space suit, I headed to the food tent to grab a banana. While waiting for my girlfriend to finish her marathon I stretched and had at least a dozen cups of PowerBar recovery drink. I love milk, and this was ice cold refreshing recovery goodness. I stretched well afterwards, iced my lower hamstrings which were the most sore, and got a massage which helped loosen them up.

My girlfriend also finished her first full marathon today after doing a couple 10Ks and half-marathons in the past, so today was a big accomplishment for both of us. We took turns having an ice bath once we got home and then went for a celebratory dinner. I’ll be hitting the steam room in my condo later tonight to do some more stretching and relax, and going for a massage tomorrow since I am sure I’ll be a little more sore.

What I learned

Anyone can do it. I used to think I had bad genes and just wasn’t cut out for endurance sports. I couldn’t even run 1km in elementary school. For track and field I would always sign up for the shortest races since they were mandatory. I could only run if I was playing sports and chasing a ball of some sort. The truth is that a lot of my family members just haven’t made healthy eating and physical activity a priority, so I had no example to follow. Some family members have noticed my improving fitness and asked what I am up to. I hope I can be a positive example for my family and friends, and inspire other people to live a more active lifestyle. Genetics might play a role in potential for becoming an elite athlete, but I think any able-bodied person can complete a marathon if they are willing to put in the effort and train smart.

Sticking to the plan produces results. I’m an analytical person (can you tell by now?) and like to plan a lot, but am not nearly as good when it comes to follow through. When I set the goal of running this marathon in under 4 hours I really committed to following that training plan to a tee, and I did. This is one of the first major plans I’ve actually followed through with, and it has showed me the power of sticking to a plan. Hopefully something clicks and helps me follow through with my plans from now on in all areas of my life.

Race smart. For any race, keeping a steady pace is important, but especially for marathon distance. By keeping a steady pace and not going out too quick in the excitement of the moment, I was able to run a negative split and finish strong. In the future I’ll remember this and choose my pace ahead of time. If I had run however I felt like after being tapered and carb-loaded, I would have gone out way too fast and probably not even finished.

Next?

Over the winter I’ll be switching to weight training, squash and swimming to give my upper body some of the same attention my legs have had for the last 5 months.

During the race I thought how much fun I was having, and imagined how much fun it would combine all 3 sports. Next year I would like to complete my first triathlon, and have my eye on an Olympic distance race and maybe even the Muskoka 70.3.

I’d also like to run another marathon next year and see if I can set another PR. I had a lot of fun today, and would like to see how much I can improve.

Conclusion

All in all, I really enjoyed my first marathon. The training was tough at times, but having a specific race that I was training for got me out there and made me complete every workout on my schedule. Race day was a unique experience and one I really enjoyed. It was great to have the support of so many volunteers and fans cheering us on, fun to run the distance with thousands of people. Thanks to everyone who had positive words for me during training and before the race, and I look forward to doing it again and conquering my first triathlon next year.

…I think I’m hooked.