Albi marathon

2015, April the 26th

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My race

The start was given at 8:45 am. After about two hundred meters, a quick glance at my watch tells me that I started a too quickly, I run at more than 15 km/h. This is often the case during starts, you feel carried by other runners. I quickly reduced my speed to 14.4 km/h, 4’10" per km.
At this speed, I was with a group of runners who had the same objectives as me, namely to run the marathon in less than 3 hours.

The first kilometers were in the center of Albi city. The small loop in the city center has been modified this year, it's more conducive to performance because there are fewer raises. The kilometers are chained at the planned pace, even if I see that I am a little high in cardiac frequency. I now start the round trip that we have to do in the Tarn valley. The particularity of this route takes us through two tunnels (one of 700m and one of 300m long). They are not too bright, we lose our landmarks a bit, but the freshness is good for the body. In the direction of return, we already cross the first three.

I pass the half-marathon mark late on my forecasts in 1H29'. I'm approaching the U-turn (around the 22nd km). At that moment I feel that the muscles are getting sore. No wonder, with the high heart rate, my body is producing more lactic acid than expected.
I find myself in a mentally empty moment because I never had sore legs so early in a marathon. But my pace remains constant, 4’10" per km. Suddenly it gives me good spirits.

Between the 35th km and the 38th, I feel a little weak. I'm thirsty, I have no more water on me, I can't wait for the supplies which are however only 5km apart. Still have a little ahead of a time to break the 3 hours, I decide to stop at 2 supplies to take the time to drink 2 glasses and pour one on the skull. It's almost the end, in the 40th they tell me a time of 2H50'34", quickly I take out my mental calculator, 2 kilometers at 4'10" + 50 sec for the last 200 meters, it gives me a 2:59:44" time. I'm happy, I'm finally going to cross the symbolic bar of 3 hours.

The last few kilometers pass quickly, I am confident, unfortunately too much ... I no longer pay too much attention to the time, I maintain the rhythm, I see the finish line, it's impossible to accelerate, I have too much leg pain. I cross the line, stop my watch, and there I discover in horror that I have passed over three hours.

Disappointment overwhelms me, then I put it into perspective by telling myself that I still just broke my record again. So I finished 18th with a time of 3 hours 0 minutes 5 secondes, which is only 6 seconds too long compared to what I was hoping for.

My next marathon is the Provence Luberon marathon which will take place on October the 4th, I will prepare correctly, but I don't think I will try to go under 3H. The course is not considered easy with an elevation of 150m between the 20th km and the 37th km ...

Conclusion :

Whatever the target time, you have to try to keep your lucidity until the end to reach your goal. For this you need to hydrate yourself enough and stay focused on your goal and not be too confident.

Humility may be what I missed on this marathon.

Training plan followed

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Jogging 1H including 20' SP42		4 x 2000m, 2 at SP42 then one in 8'10' and the last at SP21	Bike	Jogging including 15 x 300m first ten in 1'04" and last five in 1'01"		Jogging 1H with up hills and down hills
	40' then 2 x 15' at SP42 R=5'		8 x 1000m, first five in 4', last five in 3'50" R = 200m	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 1H with up hills and down hills
core workouts	5000m at SP42 then 3000m at SP21 R= 400m	Jogging 45'	Jogging 10 x 500m R= 100m	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 2H
Jogging 45' then 20' at SP42		10 x 800m in 3' R= 400m	Jogging on hilly route	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 2H15'
core workouts	Jogging 45' then 30' at SP42	4000m in 16'12", 3000m in 11'54" and 2000m in 7'46" R= 400m	Jogging 1H	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 2H30'
core workouts		2 x 5000m at SP42 R= 800m	15 x 600m first ten in 2'15", last five in 2'10", R= 200m	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 2H15'
core workouts	3 x 1500m R= 400m	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42	2 x 30' at SP42	Jogging 1H including 15' at SP42		Jogging 1H30'
core workouts	3 x 1000m at SP42	Jogging 25'	Jogging 30' including 3 x 200m			Albi marathon

Route

Elevation profile

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Crying can give you sympathy, sweat will give you results. Laurent Vicente

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Each step count.

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