Provence Luberon Marathon

2015, October the 4th

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My race

For my fall marathon, I ran the 19th Provence Luberon marathon, the start is from Pertuis (a few km north of Aix-en-Provence) and the finish at the Tour d'Aigues.

This is my 8th marathon and I aim to do less than 3 hours for the whole marathon.
Looking at my times over 10km and half-marathon, I came to the conclusion that I was not enduring enough. So I prepared a 13-week training plan, with a lot of endurance and a few bi-daily runs.

For the longest runs, I did 2 times 30 km on a hilly course to prepare for the elevation of this marathon. I also included in my preparation a sports weekend with a triathlon on Saturday followed by a half-marathon on Sunday.

The preparation went very well, despite some residual pain in the plantar fascia of the right foot and a sometimes capricious Achilles tendon. With a lot of km done, I felt slightly tired, so I relaxed training 2 weeks before the race.

Departure time is approaching, I'm pretty confident, I know I can do it. We are about 250 runners to start. I stand at the forefront while waiting for the start. 9:15 am, let's go. I try to be careful with my pace, not to start too quickly.

Even if there was a descent, I realize at the 2nd km that I am once again too fast. I am restoring my pace around 4’10" per km as I planned.
Until the 9th, I would be very stable in pace. At this time of the race, I am 10th. I get caught by two other runners and of course we try to stay together. I would stay with them for 3 km, but our pace having been 4’15"/km on these 3kms, I decided to accelerate and return to my planned pace hoping I won't pay it later.

The first part is very flat, on small roads where you still have to watch out for potholes. I pass the half marathon in 1H25, exactly on schedule. We are in a sparse fog that rises gradually.
The difficulties will start after the half-marathon because there is an elevation of 200 m planned up to the 37th km, and to that will be added the sun. I regularly hydrate from the start at each supplies but also with a bottle of Aptonia Iso + isotonic drink.
First climb of a hundred meters, in my head reason the words "After the half-marathon, you will have to be strong".

From the 23rd km, the difficulties come one after another, false flat rising, frank ascents, passage on paths ravined by the storms of the day before but in my head I remain strong, at least until the 31st.

I see in front of me another runner in difficulty, I have been following him for several km, but here I am catching up with him even if my pace has decreased (4’30"/km). At this moment I begin to have a moment of doubt, these climbs put me at pain.

I pass in front the runner, I try to stay focused on my race. I’m starting to catch up with the last runners of the half-marathon, overtaking runners even if they’re not on the same race motivate me.
I know that I still have difficulties to face until the 36th/37th kilometer.
In the 35th, seeing that I am still on time, I allow myself to take the time to have a good drink at the supply while walking. These few seconds to breathe do me a lot of good. We go around a very pretty lake, you have to be careful where you put your feet on the trail because there are a lot of roots sticking out but which are marked.

I really feel better and better, especially since from the 37th there are more descents than climbs. I pass the 37th in 3’52", in super form, I pass a marathon runner.
The last km pass quickly, the finish is here, I will do it, I will go under 3H for the first time!
I finish in 2:58'23", proud of myself, in 8th place.

I receive my beautiful medal and I go to collect 2 bottles of wine offered to marathon's runners before going to refuel.
I would have the pleasure of getting on the podium to be rewarded as 1st senior (excluding first 3 places).

Conclusion :

Many thanks to the volunteers and the organizers, this is a very nice marathon, well organized, which has some difficulties which give even more pride to have finished it.

Training plan followed

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Jogging 8 km	Jogging 8 km	Jogging including 10 x 300m in 59" R = 50"	Jogging 8 km	Jogging including 4 x 1000m in 3'35" R = 1'40"		Jogging 18 km
Jogging 12 km	Jogging 12 km	Jogging + 10 x 200m in 38" R = 35"	Jogging 12 km	18km including 7 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"		Jogging 22 km
Jogging 11 km	15km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"	Jogging 11 km	15km including 4 x 1500m in 5'40" R=2'	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 26 km
	12km including 6 x 100m R=2'	Jogging 6 km	11km including 10 x 400m in 1'25" R=2'10"	Jogging 6 km		Jogging 15 km
Jogging 12 km	Jogging + 10 x 200m in 38" R = 35"	Jogging 12 km	18km including 7 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"	Jogging 12 km		22 km
Jogging 11 km	15km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"	Jogging 11 km	17km including 4 x 1500m in 5'40" R=2'	Jogging 11 km		26 km
Jogging 11 km	18km including 5 x 1000m in 3'35" R=1'40"	Jogging 11 km	2 x 3000m in 11'44" R= 3'	Jogging 11 km		30 km
	12km including 5 x 100m R=2'	Jogging 8 km	17km including 7 x 800m in 2'55" R=4'20"	Jogging 11 km	MAS test	Jogging 15 km
Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 15km including 10 x 400m in 1'20" R=1'05"	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 20 km including 3 x 3000m in 12'30" R= 3'	Jogging 11 km		30 km
Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 17 km including 3 x 3000m in 12'30" R= 3'	Jogging 11 km	Jogging 11 km + 21 km including 2 x 5000m in 20'50" R= 3'		Triathlon M competition	Half-marathon competition
	17 km including 2 x 3000m in 12'30" R= 3'	Jogging 6 km + core workouts	15 km including 2 x 2000m in 8'20" 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		Provence Luberon marathon

Route

Elevation profile

I don't say it will be easy, I says it will worth it.

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I do it because I can. I can because I want it. I want it because I'm told that I can't.

If you're absent during my struggle, don't expect to be present during my success. Will Smith

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Go to the end of things before giving up.

Not having tried is worse than failure.

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Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently. Henry Ford

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

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. Henry Ford

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

Don't think limits. Usain Bolt

Running is the only medicine that my legs and my head, but also my heart and my soul, need. Laurent Vicente

A man who conquers himself is greater than one who conquers a thousand men in battle. Bouddha

If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon. Zatopek

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I had as many doubts as anyone else. Standing on the starting line, we're all cowards. Alberto Salazar

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Your legs are not giving out. Your head is giving out. Keep going. Jillian Michaels

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Ask yourself: « Can I give more? ». The answer is usually: « Yes ». Paul Tergat

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start. John Bingham

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That little voice inside your head that says you can't do it, well... it's a liar!

Wake up with determination. Go to bed with satisfaction.

Be not afraid of going slowly, be afraid only of standing still.

Each step count.

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We run, not because we think it is doing us good, but because we enjoy it and cannot help ourselves...The more restricted our society and work become, the more necessary it will be to find some outlet for this craving for freedom. Roger Bannister

You do not get to the summit by overtaking others, but by overtaking yourself.

Life's battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man, but sooner or later the man who wins is the fellow who thinks he can. Steve Prefontaine

To win a race, the swiftness of a dart availeth not without a timely start. Jean de la Fontaine

If you feels good racing an ultramarathon, don't worry, it will pass... Guillaume Millet

Never allow your fear to grow larger than your faith. Jillian Michaels

Why choose to fail when success is an option? Jillian Michaels