Please don't read if you are tapering

So here goes not sure where this post will take....

I entered my first full marathon this year, it was on this Sunday past and it went!!

Well.. it didn't go very well at all. Myself and my running partner started at our agreed pace, we kept to it pretty well for the first half always being a minute or so under, so far so good. The conditions were fairly good we were at the back so didn't have to cope with crowds and congestion, we were still on target a mile 13 which was also good.

But to be honest I never really got into the run as I normally would, I felt very warm my body never felt like it regulated - I had to pour water over myself to cool down plus my stomach was upset. At this point I will point out that I had tapered as per my plan and I had two 20 mile runs under my belt with no problems at all in fact I enjoyed them both and ran the same times with the same partner at each. But I started to feel a twinge in my calf coming up to mile 13 and them it spasmed, and again so I told my partner to go on without me.

I knew that I wasn't running again even though I had never had this experience before. I stretched and walked for a bit I had fluids with me I had taken on fluids at each of the water stations then I tried to run again. This time I ended up screaming in pain a very kind man helped me to the side put me on my back and stretched out my leg while I cried in pain it was fairly awful. I walked the next 13 miles only able to gingerly run across the finish as I was shouted on by a fellow park runner on the sidelines.

All my friends from my group have been so supportive and positive but I am bitterly disappointed and cant really figure where I went wrong nor can I really appreciate that I finished. To me I ran a half marathon and walked a half marathon the two don't marry for me personally. I am not normally this negative sorry if the post comes across that way.

One of the best bits of the day was finding out my partner crossed in the time we both wanted that made me feel better as it was what she had wanted and I was afraid I had effected her first marathon too.

I wouldn't wish this experience to happen to anyone else and please don't let it put you off your first marathon. I suppose what I am asking for is advice as I am feeling so gutted and no one I spoke to yet seems to understand they all feel I should be thrilled that I was so determined to finish. Thanks for reading.

37 Replies

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George00013

a year ago

Sounds to me that it might have been the Dublin Marathon? Sorry to hear of your misfortune.

I heard that whatever you consume along the route should be the same that you use during training. My understanding of this is that you practice using the same brands throughout all training rounds beforehand.

For that reason I always carry my own tap water (platypus backpack); home made electrolytes (water+fresh lemon juice+1tsp/lt pink salt in belt carried bottles); and some Chiroso sausage - sessions of 60/120 minutes+

Do not try this as you will be getting into serious trouble along the way unless you are following a LCHF regime (not using starch at all) and reached the keto-adapted stage.

Last month I completed my first full marathon (25th Sept) running solo in a slow 4hr 36 min; and

my first cycling event (100 km) (11th Sept) in a moderate 4hr 11min.

In both instances my recovery was swift and I was back training 48hr later feeling recovered and refreshed.

mcgurranhouseMarathon

Need we mention that you completed 26.2 miles - I suspect it was Dublin - I was there supporting my husband and other club members/parkrunners. My husband has done a couple of 20 mile runs and he also found Sunday very tough. We had been cheering everybody on at the 20 mile mark (nasty hill before the heartbreak hill) and he was struggling but the support gave him a wee boost. We were able to cut across and meet them again at the 40k mark and there he was really struggling so I decided to run alongside him until he stopped dead with pain in the back of his leg - cramp just like you. He had plenty of fluids with him, gels, sweets etc but the cramp knocked him for six. He hobbled along until he got within sight of the finish line and then insisted on running across the line! My point is really that firstly - you finished it - just as he did - it may not have been the way you wanted to - but you finished it! What an achievement! I am not sure how you prevent the cramps next time but the point is that you can say you completed a marathon! Very well done!!! Congrats from the McGurrans. And by the way - a friend of ours who was doing his 17th marathon (why would you do 17 ), passed us at the 40k mark walking! Just goes to show that even the experienced ones found it very tough. Very well done you!

sharon1978

in reply to mcgurranhouse

Thank you for such a warm honest heartfelt response! Yes I was whipped by Dublin.

I think even if I had of slowed down and tried to get into it I may have still have gotten the cramps but next time I feel I'm over heated like that I will listen to my body rather than just putting up with it. The last time I was that hot was at the half marathon in Madrid. Then I just got away with it as I started to cramp but stretched it out as it was close to the end.

Someone at work mentioned that an experienced runner he knows commented how the weather on the day wouldn't suit the Irish.

I hope your husband is okay now and wasn't too sore after I know it took quite a bit for my calves to loosen up. I hope you all enjoyed the celebrations together! Thanks again

C3POMarathon

Sorry to hear about your marathon. I haven't done a marathon yet, but I was disappointed with my performance in my first half marathon last year. I had trained really well, run the HM distance a few weeks earlier, and everything was on track. But fairly early on in the race, I realized that something was wrong. Like you, my temperature just didn't seem to regulate, I wasn't sweating, I got the chills and goosebumps, and things were just off. I ended up walking quite a lot, and was very disappointed in my final time. It really soured the whole experience for me, and I wasn't able to feel pleased about having completed a HM. I did some reading later, and realized that I probably had heat exhaustion.

Maybe that's what happened to you? Apparently it's quite serious, and you're really supposed to stop running as soon as it happens. I didn't know that at the time, so I just upped my water intake - luckily I was running with a hydration pack. In your case, I'm thinking that it might explain why you got the cramps.

I know I was bitterly disappointed for a long time. I just had to keep reminding myself that I had also proved that I could run the distance. It was just an off day. And then I started looking ahead to my next HM.

Remember that your poor result wasn't down to anything you did. It was your body that just didn't play fair that day.

roseabiAdministrator

in reply to sharon1978

I fell and hurt my hands, and I freaked out because I was frightened about falling. I did it a few months ago when I was visiting family overseas - I went for a run in Texas, which should have been brilliant and nearly was! On Saturday at the marathon I got up and carried on, but I had so much negative self-talk going around my head. I thought my family would tell me that I shouldn't be running marathons because I was incapable of looking after myself. But after a while I gave myself a good shake, because apart from the fall I was having such a brilliant day. It's a lovely off-road marathon, with a very demanding elevation profile, and I had planned to walk some and take my time. I'd trained well, and I felt fit and strong. So nothing really was wrong, I'd just had a bit of a setback.

A few months ago I had a horrible half-marathon with a sore throat and sinus trouble (plus warm, windy weather - yucky!), and I was so, so disappointed with my finishing time. So I really do understand how you feel. Unfortunately there's no way of knowing how things will go on the day, we just have to train hard and be prepared to make some tough decisions I suppose.

I felt good after the race, a bit sore the next day, and a little stiffer the day after that, but capable of doing some short strength workouts on both days. So I'm pretty proud of myself actually Today my legs are pretty much back to normal, and I would have gone for a run but we had a few drinks last night... Tomorrow I will go out for a 5k!

I hope you are feeling better, and that you will carry on with your race training xxx

ancientrunnerHalf Marathon

I so know how you feel - did the GNR this year, my first half marathon and had slogged away through the humid summer to prepare. All good til out of the blue awful nausea and vomiting from mile 9 on. Got to the finish where I cried - sheer frustration that I hadn't been able to run every step as I had planned. I don't know why it happened and the same thing occurred at the GSR couple of weeks back, tho I did manage to keep running for all of that. At the time - "you made it to the finish line " felt very hollow but looking on line I read something about an Olympic champion who had the same problem for the last few miles. I bet he never thought he didn't deserve his gold medal. Also- this is not a criticism as I think Paula Radcliffe is great but we all saw her pull out in the Olympics so you can pat yourself on the back for showing great mettle to keep at it. I was lucky and had the GSR already booked so had to get out again and do some (for me) longer distances again quickly, but it does knock your confidence - you obviously have great determination tho. As a friend said - it is what it is on the day and you can only do your best with that - just, I wanted to speed over that finish line with flowing hair and lightly glowing skin!!

Just seen you got a place at Barcelona - go girl!!

in reply to ancientrunner

Oh we are very similar souls!!! And it is funny that I registered my interest to enter the GNR after watching it on TV for the second year, thinking how brilliant it would be to be a part of it!!

Like you I cried many different types of tears through the last 13miles - pain frustration, anger and shame!! Its sounds like the start of a very dramatic novel, oops. I would love to have been like you and been able to keep running or at least to have run/walked. Its strange I had an upset tummy too, no where near as bad as you but it added to the discomfort. Did you ever figure the common denominator??

I am exactly like you - I wanted to run over that finish line with a proud smile on my face having done as I had set out to, thankfully my running partner was able to get across the line in the time we'd set and I was thrilled for her. But my medal and t shirt didn't feel to me that they meant the same as they did to many others, as I mentioned before it felt I had run a half marathon and walked a half marathon - they just happened to be on the same day.

I hope I get a spot in the GNR as I would love to do it. I have signed up for a race series in January so most likely I will still do that. Funnily enough I won a free place in the Barcelona marathon at the expo it came through email the other day but I don't know if I want to face into a winter of such heavy training....

Well, the only real common denominator was they were organised races with a lot of hanging around before, it never happened in training. The GNR it was hot and initially I thought it might be that I drank about 50mls of water in one go rather than sips on the way round, but the GSR I didn't drink any water on the route and it was really cold beforehand so I don't know. I had run over 10miles at least 12 times before the GSR so it wasn't brand new to me. I did wonder should I go and stand around outside for an hour or so to practice!!! I read the Brownlee's include that kind of detail in their training - but I don't have the motivation.

I hope you get a place on the GNR because it is really all the good things they say about- just took an hour from the starting gun going to get to the start line, but then I am always in a pen at the back.

Good luck

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