Breaking the four hour marathon
As I sit in A&E (after being sent here by my physio) awaiting X-ray after running the Milano marathon last Sunday, I find myself (unsurprisingly when visiting A&E) with some time on my hands and start thinking back on how I got here, how I started running, the challenges I’ve faced and what I did to break the four hour marathon!
First things first, I am not a runner! Not a natural one anyway, I was a chubby kid (chubby adult for that matter) and when it came to any kind of endurance sports I was always one of the slow ones, I recall one day at school, I was 15 years old and for our PE (Physical Education) class we had a 3 mile run around the roads and lanes near to my school, I was at the right at the back of my class and my gym teacher (who also happened to be the Headmaster) was bringing up the rear driving the school mini bus and manoeuvring the 3.5 ton vehicle into position to gently ‘nudge’ me forward in an attempt of encouragement for me to pick up the pace! Needless to say I didn’t particularly enjoy running and didn’t do very much after I left school!
Roll the clock forward 13 years and I’m 28, I am getting married and decide I need to shed some (chubby adult) pounds. I decided that running would be a great way to do this as it’s cheap so no costly gym memberships but also I can exercise as and when I want and not be tied to clubs or sports that train on a specific day at a specific time.
At this point my focus was just to lose some weight and certainly not to take up running as a hobby. I worked out a 3-mile loop around my house, put on my trainers and headed off, taking it easy telling myself not to go too fast, part of the way round I was puffing and had to stop, chest was tight and I was totally out of breath. I carried on with the loop, part walking, part jogging. When I got back I wanted to see how far I had run so I got in the car and drove the route to the point I stopped, it was just ½ a mile from my house! ½ a measly mile – that was my starting point! It actually didn’t last long as after a couple of weeks I pulled my hamstring (while running) and that’s saw the end of running for another 4 years!
It was 2012 when a work colleague said he wanted to run the Reading ½ marathon and asked if I would join him. I wasn’t exactly enthused by the idea but thought ‘what the heck’ and accept the challenge. I got some proper trainers and started with slow 2 mile runs building up to 10 miles. My work colleague got injured and pulled out so I was by my self for the first one I manged to complete it in 2hours and 20 minutes and that was cool! Job done, tick in a box, running goal completed, thank you very much!
A couple years later I’m in a different company and someone there suggested running the Windsor ½ marathon and I thought, I’ve done a ½ before so why not! I trained in the same way as Reading with slow runs and building up the miles. We did it in a similar time of 2h 23m 59s and in the moment of completing the ½ I came up with the “genius” idea that we could do a full marathon and my now running partner said ‘sure, why not’ and that was that!
We decided to set our sights on The London Marathon 2016, neither of us got in on the ballot so we targeted the charities and both managed to secure a place with one off the smaller charities – Kids with Cancer UK! Now, over the years I’ve met a number of people that have managed to secure a spot at the London Marathon but not made it to the start line due to illness, injury or simply not doing enough training. Also, I met a guy who had run London the year before and had collapsed at mile 20 and knew nothing about it until he work up in hospital some time later! He was a fit an able guy so I became fully aware that a marathon needed respect, I was concerned that I too might not make the start so, my running partner and I decided on a back up plan, and decided to book a second marathon in the autumn so we had time to recover should either of us get injured and also to relieve the pressure of running The London Marathon. The subtle choice for a good reserve marathon was… The New York City Marathon (obviously!!).
London 2016
The build up to London was pretty good, we decided not to try and go for a silly time rather a focus on completing it in a respectable time which was 4h 30m 00s. I found a training plan by Asics online and the plan was three runs a week, two around 5-7 miles and a long run on a Sunday, building the long runs up to 17 miles which would be my longest distance and 4 weeks out from the race. Miles 1 through 15 were ok but at 16 I was starting to slow and my running partner slowly started to fade away into the foreground. By mile 18 I was struggling and by 20 I was done, positivity hand gone, the excitement of running the London Marathon had gone, not even the crowds cheering us on couldn’t lift my spirits. I was finished, physically and mentally done! I remember the feeling of the top half of my body becoming a dead weight that then seemed to dropped onto legs that had run 20 miles! 6 to go, just 6 to go, you can do it, just keep going, I hauled my arse to the end, getting there in 4h 28m 10s! A tear or two might have followed!
New York 2016
Next step New York, the biggest Marathon in the world, it was going to be amazing! We had run London earlier in the year, I had targeted and traing for a 4h30m00s and run 4h28m10s time to step it up and target 4h15m00! Training was ok and followed a similar patted to London with two mid week runs and a longer run on the Sunday increasing the distance to 18 miles of which I did two of these at a 09m17s mile pace. We flew on the Friday and the plan was to go out for a burger at a good old traditional American diner, have a chilled evening, get up and get our bibs on the Saturday morning, see a bit of Manhatton before a early night as it was a early bus ride out to Staten Island to await the start, bloody good old traditional American diner, I got food poisoning and the Saturday was spent in my hotel room, or rather the smaller ajoining room! I had managed to get my bib and decided that I hadn’t spent months of training, travelled 3,500 miles and get a place in the biggest marathon in the world not to give it a go!
I planned the run on the half distance and would managed my pace accordingly. When I got to the half way mark I was already 8 minuets behind where I needed to be time wise, it was at this point I saw a man on the floor being attended to by medical staff, he was ok but his race was over. I remember thinking this might not be the smartest idea I have ever had, running a Marathon with food poisoning! Don’t be a hero, don’t worry about the time, just get to the finish, get the finishers medel and get home! My 4h15m00s target was gone. I finished in 4:43:52 – for me New York sucked, it was gruelling as hell, freezing cold and I really did not enjoy it. Running and I needed some time apart and I took the whole of 2017 off!
Berlin 2018
Over time the memory for how though NYC was faded, my running partner had continued running getting another one or two marathons done in 2017 and regularly suggested I should get back into it. Over time the thought of another didn’t seem too bad and I thought sod it, I’ll put my name into the ballot for Berlin 2018 – shit I got in!
Training followed the same old pattern of three runs a week with two 5 mile runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and a longer but slower run at the weekend. The reason for running slower (based on a low heart rate) but longer runs aids the growth of capillaries, which means more oxygen creation, the more oxygen the creation means the longer and faster you can run for, that’s the logic at least! Things were tracking well, and my longer runs (a 18 mile and a 21 mile) had me on the 4h 15m mark and the idea of a sub 4h marathon started occupy my mind on longer training runs. Was it possible? could I really do it? Could I do it in Berlin perhaps, just a few second quicker per mile? marathonbasics.com says “Fewer than 25% of marathoners have broken the 4-hour barrier”, I don’t know how accurate this is but a sub 4-hour marathon all of a sudden became ‘a thing’ and a target!
9 days before the race I got flu! 5 full days in bed, each day I was telling my self, its ok you’ve still have 8 days, its ok you’ve still have 7 days.. I made it to Berlin and like NYC I was going to make the start! I felt pumped, excited to be feeling better, excited to be starting the race and excited to be in Berlin, my running partner and I thought a well-earned pre-race pint was deserved, which turned into five well-earned pints! Dumb, dumb, dumb idea! Still not 100% from the flu, not hydrated from the pre-race activities and boy did I knew about it at just mile two! At mile two I was already running a minute a mile slower with a sky-high heart rate – it was going to be another long grueling race. Time 4h56m00! I was getting slower!
Time for a change
I came away from Berlin (somewhat disappointed in myself) but also questioning if my training methods were right, illnesses aside I hadn’t really improved since my first marathon in 2016! Also while I have a running partner that we choose races to do together we don’t actually train together as we don’t live that close to each other, rather we follow each other on Garmin and Strava, so 99% of my training has been alone. I decided to join my local running club (Windle Valley Runners). The club is great as are the people, due to work and family commitments I can only really train with them once a week but even this made a impact from the get go, someone was in charge of the interval sessions and all I had to do was turn up and follow the sessions, as others were there I definitely pushed myself harder than I would running by myself. Also I picked up some tips knowledge that helped me like 5kgs of weight results in about 20 seconds a mile or 9 minutes over a marathon (easy minutes if you can shed some pounds!), another tip I got that was really useful was S.T.A.R
- Straight – run straight, don’t move from side to side during the race high fiving people and making the distance longer and by keeping your body straight you are using energy to propel you forwards
- Tall – stay tall as this helps your stride and also getting much needed oxygen in
- Arms – push those arms back as you run as it helps push your legs forward
- Relax – try and relax
Milan 2019
I had put in a ballot entry for two races, the London Marathon but also the Milano Marathon, Milano is much smaller so got in straight away so I had my next run to target. In January 2019 I was listening to a podcast with Freddy Flintoff (England Cricket Legend) who was taking about when he used to train and now how he trains his kids and he said “you train how you play” and that hit a cord with me. I had based all my training on long slow runs totally focused on a low heartrate and building up to just one 20 mile run before the race. But is that what the pro’s do, is that what the serious amateurs do, No! They train how they play, running hard runs, interval runs, hill runs and the doing far more miles than what I was doing. To run a sub 4 hour marathon I needed to change and find a way to change above and beyond the one club session a week. The problem was how!
It was at this time I came across John Beattie who’s a coach and has a Marathon PB of 2:16.38, he’s even competed in the Commonwealth Games!
I got in touch with John and he guided me in three areas:
- Mind-set – you need to work to get your head to a place that believes you can achieve this goal
- Strength training – strengthen the areas that aid your running (ankles, calves and glutes) as this will reduce the chance of injury
- Running – mix it up and do more longer runs, get comfortable being uncomfortable
So here’s what I focused on
- I needed to step up my running, not in the number of runs a but more the intensity
- I needed to lose 5kgs
- I needed to get my head in a place that believed I could achieve this goal
- I needed a pre-race plan (the week before)
- I needed a actual race plan
- I needed a pre-race race to simulate the day, a dress rehearsal
- The running
At this point in time specifically the end of January 2019 my long run was 2 hours and 01 minute, and I covered 12.48 miles!
| Week | Run 1 | Run 2 | Long Run |
| 1 | Club run Intervals 4.5 miles | 40 mins, out & back aiming for 20 min out and 18 min back | 15m with sets of 2 miles at marathon pace followed by a slower recovery mile |
| 2 | Flu – No Running | Flu – No Running | Flu – No Running |
| 3 | Flu – No Running | Flu – No Running | Half Marathon |
| 4 | 1 hour recovery run 10 min mile | Fartlek session – 10 min warm up then 4 sets of: 3,2,1 minute efforts, with one min between the 3 and 2, then two mins after the 1. | 19 Miles with 9 sets of alternating.. 1 miles @ marathon effort then 1 mile @ closer to 10 (recovery) |
| 5 | Club run Intervals where I ran there and back meant 11 miles | Fartlek Session – 15 min warm up, 10*2/1 fartlek, 10*1/1 fartlek, 5 mins cool down. 70 mins total | 15 Mile Interval with 5*3 miles, looking to hit 8.45-50s for each mile with 3-4 mins rest between each one |
| 6 | Club run Intervals where I ran there and back meant 11 miles | Fartlek 1 Hour, 30 mins steady to get going (around marathon effort), then into fartlek of 20*60/30, so 60 secs quicker, 30 secs easy with 10 mins easy to finish. | Milton Keynes 20 mile aiming between 8:50 to 9:00 min/mile pace (The Dress Rehearsal) |
| 7 | Recovery 50 Min | Fartlek – 10 min warm up then into 6*5/2 fartlek – so 6 mins on, 2 mins steady | 23 Mile – 6 sets of 3 miles @ marathon effort (9.05-10 pm) 1 mile @ closer to 10 (recovery) |
| 8 | Recovery 45 Min | Fartlek – 10 warm up then into 6 sets of: 3,2,1 minute efforts, with one min between the 3 and 2, then two mins after the 1. | 5K Plus sessions with 10 min warm-up, 1*5k (hard run out), 3-4 mins recovery, then into 3*2 mile efforts @ 8.30s pace. Take 3 mins rest between the 2 miles |
| 9 | Fartlek – 10 warm up 10*2/1 fartlek, 10*1/1 fartlek, 10*30/30, 5 mins cool down. 75 mins total | Recovery 40 | Milano Marathon
26.2m! |
- The Diet (get down to 75kgs)
Small gains not big life changing transformation was the focus here, instead of a chocolate bar maybe an apple, instead toast and jam for breakfast I’d have porridge, I took sugar out of my coffee (took some getting use to) and I also reduced my alcohol intake, of course the training was also going to contribute here and I lost 5kgs in two and a half months!
- The Head space
I worked on ‘Why’ am I doing this and what will it feel like to achieve it, what do I need to do to get to the start line ready to execute a plan, there were a lot on unknowns so a number of longer runs around the 20 mile really helped as I knew I could run the pace over 20 miles
- A Dress rehearsal
I got recommended the Milton Keynes 20 mile as it’s a few weeks before, I followed my Race Plan (point 5 below) got going and averaged 8:47 and completed it in 2h 55m 13s. this was so helpful when I was on the start line in Milan with this knowledge and experience, I knew I had it in me!
- The Pre-Race Plan
- The week before the race no booze
- Pasta dish at least once a day fromWednesday onwards
- Rest the day before (Saturday) and not spend the day walking around sight seeing!
- Aiming for 8 hours sleep per night
- The Race Plan
For the previous marathons I had only planned to see where I was at the half way mark and that was it for this I broke it down into 5 sets of 5 miles monitoring each mile to adjust accordingly:
- Mile 5 Target: 45m
- Mile 10 Target: 1h 30m
- Mile 15 Target: 2h 15m
- Mile 20 Target: 3h 00m
- Mile 25 Target: 3h 45m
The result: 08:40 Pace and 3h 53m 23S!!!!
Other Points
Firstly the Gear I use is quite simple. I have a Garmin Fenix 3 watch, I use proper running socks and have trainers that I have been filmed running on a treadmill to ensure they are right for me. Gels, yes I take them and in Milan I took a gel just before the race and then at each of my 5 target points (5 miles, then 10 miles…)
Niggles Yep I’ve had one or two:
- large blisters on my feet – corrected by changing my shoes
- Raw nipples that changed the colour of my shirt – corrected with wearing plasters when I do longer runs
- Tight IT Band – corrected with a foam roller
- Tibilas Prosteria Tendentious- Physio helped tape this
- Achilles Tendonitis – Physio helped tape this as well
- Tight Calf Muscles – corrected with a foam roller
Conclusion
So what have I learned through this process, firstly it’s not just the running but you need to strengthen those components crucial to running (ankles, calf’s and glutes) as this will help reduce the chances of injury (#somewhatironic), then its increasing the miles and type of runs, do hills and intervals with others (like a club) as this really helped me to push harder and increase my stamina and speed, I also totally ignored my heart rate monitor through my training for Milan, getting to be in the region of 40 miles a week and not building up to one just one long 20 mile run but doing three or four of them and even a 23 mile, this really helped me at the start line knowing what how I was going to perform and having a mile by mile race plan. Finally, and the most important bit is get your head in the right pace and believe it’s possible, if you believe you will if you don’t, well, you probably won’t!
What’s Next?
At my starting point of running as an adult I had the ability to jog just ½ a mile and that was it, at that point was would I ever thought it possible that I could complete a marathon let alone do one in under sub 4 hours, yet here I am!
So what’s next, well firstly it’s the 8 weeks of immobilisation to deal with and the suspected stress fracture to my navicular bone in my right foot (no pain, no gain I guess!), if that’s not painful enough (no pun intended!) it’s sods law that I had made the ballot for London 2019 which I’ll obviously have to miss (gutted)! So, when I can I’ll start by trying to get myself back to where I was at Milan and that will be done by building back to a 1h 52m ½ marathon and from there build up the miles etc. with a focus of 3h 40m 00s in Chicago later this year, and if I can do that what about a sub 3h 30m 00s in London 2020 (deferred from 2019)! Is it possible? could I really do it? just a few seconds quicker per mile!
Maybe I am a runner after all!
