Hamburger Feast

[Sweder]

I agree with Nigel on the time srategy thing. I'd harboured secret hopes of a sub 4 run in London but that went out the window when I saw we were in for a warm one. I think had I really gone for it I'd have fallen far shorter than I did in the end. I got to half way bang on 4 hour pace but took the view that in the conditions going for it would have meant possible failure to finish at all. As it was I relaxed, ran easily and lost a paltry 6 minutes.

Andy faced a similar pivotal moment when the concrete in his legs and hips started to set a couple of hours earlier than expected. The thing is, when most people competing in other sports would have stopped, Andy forced himself on, defying the danger signals flodding his brain to finish and in a PB to boot. Thus the madness of marathon running is defined.

We each create our own psychological Marathon Maze. Despite becoming hopelessly lost at some stage we always seem to find the exit, albeit not by the originally carefully plotted course.

I'm not well versed in training plans or running schedules for the big day - I do know that if I train a little harder than I did this time, maintain the trackwork, run an extra session in the week or build in some hill reps, pay more attention to diet and stretching post run I will find those 6 minutes.