La Rochelle marathon

My race

After the Paris marathon in the beginning of year 2016, here is the story of my second marathon of the year.

For my fall marathon, I opted for La Rochelle, a charming city that I already knew. During this weekend, I wanted to introduce my little family to the "Ile de Ré". We arrived on Friday after about 4 hours from Toulouse. We didn't go to bed too late because the children were exhausted.

I plan to collect my bib very early to avoid the crowd and be able to enjoy the whole day on the "Ile de Ré". After waking up, I realize that my back and the right adductor are painful. The day on the "Ile de Ré" was really superb, we went to the end of the island, at the top of "the whale" lighthouse to admire the view. Then we visited some charming little desert villages as winter approached.

At the end of the day, the back pain had not disappeared and the doubt about my participation to the marathon on the next day started to make me think. After a rather restful night, I know that I will try everything to reach my goal of 2 hours 55 minutes.

I start to run to reach the start, I feel pain in my back on certain movements, I will have to be careful and try to keep an upright posture throughout the race. The pressure is growing, the departure of disability people has just taken place, there are only 5 minutes left, I'm in my bubble but I listen with a distracted ear to the comments of the runners around me. In my head, I play the film of my race, for the first 5 km I will limit myself to 4’10"/km to reach on the following kilometers 4’07"/4’08". I think about lap times every 5 km, 20'50", 41'40", 1H02'30", 1H23'20", 1H44'10", 2H05'00", 2H25'50", 2H46'40" to finish in just over 2H55'.

PAN !!! That's it, I have to get started, walk 10m then I run to take the rhythm. There’s a lot of people, I’m having trouble getting on the right pace, but it’s okay, it’s going to be better. Our departure joined other runners, but we are separated by barriers because until km 3 we will have 2 different paths, a slight climb is already coming. I respect my forecasts for the first 2 km, but the 3rd is runned in 3’58", no panic, there was a nice descent before joining all other runners. I pass the first 5 km with 10 seconds ahead, perfect, at the 10th, I am 16 seconds ahead, I am still as regular, I feel good, the pains don't come back.

Arrives the 15th with 23 seconds early, I'm in my race, at that moment, I know that whatever happens I will be under 3H, on the other hand I don't know if I will hold for 2H55', when I will be in the 30th I would know a little more. The 20th km passes with 37 seconds in advance then arrives hal-marathon. Unfortunately I cannot see my time, but it's not annoying, my previous checks show me that I am still as regular. The 25th with 28 seconds early then the 30th with 5 seconds late. I'm still on schedule, but the climbs and the headwind weakened me in the 29th km. There are lots of other runners around me, I try to shelter myself from the wind. I am in the 35th km with 31 sec late, nothing catastrophic, but I realize that the end will be harder. I still manage to enjoy the atmosphere even if I stay focused. I can smile and thank with a wave from my head those who encourage me by my first name.

The passage at the 40th is done with 1'24" late and I find strength once passed the arch of the last km, carried by the crowd, the vision of the nearby arrival gives me a boost of energy where I feel that I'm going to give everything I have to lose the fewest seconds possible. The magic arrival on a blue carpet after passing over cobblestones frees me after 2h57'39" of racing. At that time I realize that my body must have suffered, my ankles hurt me very much when I did not feel anything few seconds before.

Everything will be back to normal after few minutes spent refueling. With the medal around the neck, the windbreaker and the oyster basket in my arms, I go to change and join my little family who is taking advantage of this beautiful morning to watch the animals in the park next to the finish.

Conclusion :

A French marathon to do for the atmosphere and the kindness of the volunteers. The supplies, especially the one at arrival is very well organized and provided. I am very happy with this 11th marathon and I think back to my first when I said to myself that it was really nonsense to run such a distance… I now no longer have these negative thoughts during the race and it's now 2 marathons which I appreciate more the race and where I benefit more. The B-cure Laser sport device allowed me to reach my goals by maintaining my training despite my Achilles tendon injury.

Training plan followed

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
15 x 300m in 59" R = 50"		Jogging including 4 x 2000m in 8'20"	Jogging 9 km			Jogging
Lactate shuttle 5 x (1000m LT2 + 1200m LT1)		15km including 13 x 300m in 1'03" R = 1'40"	Jogging including 5 x 100m	Jogging including 3 x 2500m en 10'25"		Jogging 19 km
Lactate shuttle 5 x (1000m LT2 + 1200m LT1)	Jogging 8 km	Jogging including 10 x 300m in 59" R = 50"		15km including 4 x 1000m in 3'35" R = 1'40"		Jogging 18 km including lactate shuttle
Jogging 12 km	Jogging 12 km	Jogging including 10 x 200m in 38" R = 35"	Jogging 12 km	18km including 7 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"		Jogging 22 km including lactate shuttle
15km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"	Jogging 11 km	15km including 4 x 1500m en 5'40" R=2'	Jogging 10 km	Jogging 11 km		Jogging 26 km including lactate shuttle
12km including 6 x 100m R=2'	Jogging 6 km	15km including 10 x 400m in 1'25" R=2'10"		Jogging 6 km		Jogging 13 km
13km including 10 x 200m in 38" R = 35"	Jogging 12 km	18km including 7 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"		Jogging 12 km including lactate shuttle 6 x (400m LT2 + 1200m LT1)		24 km including lactate shuttle
15km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"		17km including 4 x 1500m en 5'40" R=2'	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 12 km		26 km
Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11km + 15km including 7 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11km + 17km including 2 x 3000m in 12'20" R= 3'	Jogging 11 km		28 km including lactate shuttle
	12km including 5 x 100m R=2'	Jogging 8 km	17km including 10 x 800m in 2'54" R=400m	Jogging 11 km		Jogging 15 km
Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 15km including 3 x 3000m in 12'20" R=3'	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 15 km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R= 1'05	Jogging 11 km		30 km including 5km SP42
Jogging 11 km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"	Jogging 11 km + 17 km including 3 x 3000m in 12'20" R= 3'	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 21 km including 2 x 5000m in 20'32" R= 3'	Jogging 9 km		30 km including lactate shuttle
	17 km including 2 x 3000m in 12'20" R= 3'	Jogging 6 km + core workouts	15 km including 2 x 2000m in 8'13" R= 3'	Jogging 6 km + core workouts		15 km including 2000m in 7'40" R= 3'
Jogging 11 km	Jogging 13 km	Jogging 8 km				La Rochelle marathon

Route

Elevation profile