River Thames HM: I had written a lovely... - Fun Beyond 10K & ...

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River Thames HM

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon
24 Replies

I had written a lovely and humourous race report from the River Thames HM yesterday, where I contrasted how well everything was organised and how great it all went with how I was struggling pretty much from the start. Then we had a power cut and my PC switched off. Bugger.

So here's the short version:

Good: It was a great race. Lovely route. Nice weather. Well organised. Maintained pretty much constant speed at a level heart rate that never went above zone 4. My target was 2 hours and I got in at 1:57:44.

Bad: My heart rate was higher than expected already from the beginning, and I struggled from before the halfway point. Spent the last 4 miles constantly calculating how much I could afford to slow down (but then instead of slowing down noticeably carried on at the same pace). Meh feeling afterwards instead of elation.

Today: Happy with the result and, apart froma slightly sore hip that a lunchtime recovery run will hopefully cure, I'm tickediboo.

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Tomas profile image
Tomas
Marathon
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24 Replies
Decker profile image
DeckerUltramarathon

In your revised report it seems so matter of fact, its hard to believe you are talking about a full marathon run!!😀Congratulations on a fantastic time even though emotionally it may not have been as satisfying as you hoped. Its still an incredible achievement and very inspirational.

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon in reply to Decker

Cheers Decker, although it was only a half, so far less incredible (but to me it was a big milestone, a target I have worked towards for over a year, so I'm very pleased) :)

Decker profile image
DeckerUltramarathon in reply to Tomas

Haha sorry! Well even a half is a huge achievement where I am 😀. Congratulations on getting past this big milestone!

C3PO profile image
C3POMarathon

That's a great result, Tomas! I hope you feel up to recreating some of your report later.

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon in reply to C3PO

Cheers C3PO. I might eventually learn to save text as I write - working in IT, I ought to have figured that one out many years ago!

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon

Well done for the sub-2, Tomas, that's completely brilliant and amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry to hear about the heart rate thing, sounds to me like a gadget to avoid...

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon in reply to roseabi

Oh I don't think it was the gadet, I think it was my old ticker that for whatever reason found it harder going than it should have been. Thursday lunchtime I ran a swift 5 km at the same pace with the heart never getting out of zone 2, and everything felt sweet and fluid. Sunday it was hard work from the off and I dipped into zone 4 within the first km. I've been nursing a weird inflamation of my elbow for a couple of days, and maybe it's simply because my body focused more on that than on running.

That aside - thanks Abi :)

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Tomas

That sounds nasty :( Hope it goes away quickly!

I just meant maybe it would be better not to know what the heart rate is? Just thinking aloud, sorry...

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon in reply to roseabi

Ah, sorry, my bad. Yes, I think you're right. Sometimes I can get sooo hung up on numbers that I forget to just enjoy the sunshine, and in this instance it might indeed have been better to have been blisfully ignorant.

roseabi profile image
roseabiUltramarathon in reply to Tomas

I understand the thinking behind heart rate-based training (well, to a certain extent), but I wonder if you should make allowances for the extra excitement of a race?

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Marathon

Wow I am in awe... a sub 2 hour that is AMAZING!!!!!! Well done you and enjoy the rest now :)

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphHalf Marathon

That's a great time, Tomas , so I'm sorry you were disappointed about the HR. Hope the elbow and hip recover soon.

Was the photo of the bling attached to the longer report? ... :)

Tomas profile image
TomasMarathon in reply to Anniemurph

hahaha, yes, that'll be my excuse. Definitely in the longer report. Picture got lost when computer crashed, and the dog ate the original ;-)

On the bland side: There wasn't an event t-shirt. I love me my event t-shirts.

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphHalf Marathon in reply to Tomas

No shirt? Tut!

benwill profile image
benwillMarathon

So your complaining and you set out what you wanted to do which was to get a great time of under 2hrs? I know from when I had the same target it's not easy getting under that time and requires a good strength of character.

So well done and stop worrying about your HR you did that's the most important thing stop worrying about the facts and figures and just enjoy the achievement.

Then plan your next event (beachyhead marathon is good)

oh and no picture of the bling, this i cannot not excuse!

Sandraj39 profile image
Sandraj39Half Marathon

Well done Tomas! I would love to do a sub 2 hour HM one day (dream, dream, dream!) so big congratulations to you!👏🥇 Sorry you didn't feel brilliant though - may be fighting something off? Rest up well and enjoy your bling!🙂

That report sounds like a fantastic run to me! Well done on getting a sub 2 hour hm. Many will dream of such a thing. A great result after lots of training. Hope your feeling back to normal soon.

KimLoulou profile image
KimLoulou

Congratulations that is a great time!

AnnieW55 profile image
AnnieW55

Congratulations Tomas. That's going some! Under 2hrs is brilliant.

Perhaps the "meh" was for no t-shirt. (Felt a bit like that after the 10 I did when fun runners got medals and 10kers didn't. Although on reflection that was probably my inner toddler showing itself 😀). Hope you're feeling brighter and your hip us ok now.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleMarathon

Well done Tomas! Under two hours! Brilliant! so pleased you ticked that particular box. It's like an itch that has to be scratched😃

👍💪🏃🏅✔️🍾🥂

Eatcakeandrun profile image
EatcakeandrunMarathon

Congratulations Tomas, a great result. Sorry you felt it was a bit 'meh' - I think you did really well.

I might even look into that one myself! 😊

aliboo70 profile image
aliboo70Half Marathon

well done Tomas, Mr speedy!! i think you're right to feel tickediboo (lovely word!! ) about that! :)

mcgurranhouse profile image
mcgurranhouseMarathon

The short version was more than acceptable! Very well done young sir. It is hard to get your pace right if you start off too fast. I have done it more times than I care to count! Well done on your HM - fabulous time. Congrats from the McGurrans!

skysue16 profile image
skysue16Half Marathon

Many congratulations, excellent time (seems unimaginable to me!!) very well done 👍😊

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