BMW Berlin Marathon 2013 race review

When I entered the 40th anniversary edition of the Berlin Marathon, I had high hopes that it was going to be a special event and it did not disappoint. Entering the race was easy and communication from the organisers prior to the race was very good.

Pros:

No ballot to enter, Super-fast, flat course, scenic route with fantastic support, great city to combine with a weekend break

Cons:

Chaotic start area, busy field leading to a slow start, water and energy drinks in plastic cups

The Expo:

Love them or loathe them, the expo is part of any big city marathon experience. I wouldn't say that I loathe them but I go to the expo principally to get my race number.

When I ran VLM, I remember being a bit underwhelmed by the London expo experience. Not so at Berlin. I could not help but be impressed by the scale of the expo. It was held at a disused airport and spanned over 6 hangers! The large retailers had stores to rival those on Oxford Street and you could have bought literally anything even remotely related to running. There were also games and plenty of stalls selling food and drinks. Pre-race pretzel and beer anyone?!

At the Expo. I managed to catch a glimpse of the great man Haile

One of the good things about the VLM expo, is that you can just go and collect your race number. This is particularly useful if you are pushed for time or if you just want to save your legs for race day. At Berlin you had to walk the full length of the 6 hangers, through huge crowds just to get to the race collection point. The queues for race numbers were rather lengthy too.

The start area:

I will preface what I am about to write by saying that I have read different blogs about the race which would suggest that not everyone had the same experience as me. Nick  (@nick_runs) had suggested that we meet prior to getting to the race area. My hotel was only about a 30 mins walk from the start and Nick was a short underground trip away. As it happened, we bumped into each other on the way to the monument we were due to meet at. Perfect timing! Nick's idea to meet outside proved to be a good one because the race start area was very chaotic. We arrived with an hour to spare, which should have been plenty.

                         In the shadow of the Reichstag. Not a bad place for a race start

When to arrive at the VLM start, it is very open. You can see the baggage trucks, the toilets, drinks and the route to the start pens. The start area at Berlin wasn't as open and, due to the sheer number of people, was a very difficult place to navigate. The baggage tents were in different parts of the start area and difficult to find amongst the throngs of people. By the time I had dropped off my bag and we had made the obligatory loo stop, we had less than 15 mins to get to our start pen (F). We were not alone, there were thousands of runners all trying to get to the start and we just hit a wall of people.

                                       Clearly Nick is more used to a selfie than me!

When the gun sounded for the start of the elite race, we were standing in some woods, still trying to edge our way to the start pen. When we emerged from the woods, it was apparent that it had turned into a free-for-all. Runners were jumping the barriers to get into the start pens and there was no control over who was going where. In the end, we had to wait for the runners already in the pen to move up to the start before there was enough room for us to climb the barrier and get into our pen. Not the model of German efficiency I was expecting!

                                      Finally! We are in the start pen and about to set off!

The Race:

Having been stood around for a while, both Nick and I commented that our legs felt heavy as we got into our rhythm. The start was very bunched and we were not able to run at our target pace of 8:00m/m. This is not uncommon at the start of major city marathons and I kept saying "don't panic, it will open up soon".

Both Nick and I had been dealing with niggles on the lead up to the race, so we were both encouraged by how good we were feeling in those early miles and how much we were enjoying the fantastic support and the sights the city had to offer. The weather was perfect and the running felt easy. We made a mental note to enjoy the experience, knowing we would probably not be feeling this good in the latter stages of the race!

                                              A wall of runners as far as you can see!

One of the reasons the pace felt easy, is because it was easy. Miles 1 - 9 were run at an average of 8:17m/m, with only miles 7 and 8 run anywhere close to our goal marathon pace. I was expecting the field to open out after a few miles but it just didn't. I don't know if this was because by the time we got to our pen we were surrounded by runners that had moved forward from a slower pen. That said, I also passed lot's of runners from pen E. It wasn't until about mile 9 that the road opened up a bit. By this time, we were 4 mins down on our target time. I calculated that if we could run consistent 7:45 m/m's then our sub 3:30 target was still a possibility. We both made a concerted effort to push on. The middle section of the race was our fastest, with miles 9 - 21 run at average 7:43m/m.

One of my minor gripes about the race (and another reason we took longer to cross the line), was the use of plastic cups to hold water, Powerbar drinks and tea (yes, really!) on the course. Not only does this make consuming the drink on the run nigh on impossible, it also meant that some runners were coming to a halt just so they could take a drink. On a couple of occasions I nearly ended up on the floor when a runner cut in from of me to get a drink or just stopped so they could drink without tipping it down their fronts! I know the use of cups in races is not uncommon but I expected bottled drinks for a race of this scale.

One of the downsides to pushing the pace so much was that both Nick and I were tiring by mile 21. Nicks legs were getting heavier and I could feel the dreaded calf cramps (the bane of some many of my marathon's!) coming on. I really wanted to finish the race with Nick but it was clear I had a bit more in my legs at this stage. Very graciously, Nick suggested that I should push on and with sub 3:30 a distant memory, try and hit our plan B time of sub 3:35. Now, I was definitely tiring by this stage but I was surprised by how (relatively) good my legs felt and also by my energy levels. I wanted to push on more but every time I tried to push the pace, the calf cramps started again. In the end, I settled for being able to finish strong and keep the cramps at bay. Those last 6 miles were run at an average of 8:04m/m and I finished in a time of 3:34.06 and had run (according to my Garmin) 26.7 miles. It was a PB by over 10 mins and it was fair to say, I was over the moon!

Proudly displaying my medal in the shadow of the Brandenburg gate

Summary:

Looking at my stats after the race, I ran the first half in 1:49.04 and the second half in 1:45.02, almost bang on target pace. I was placed 7794 out of 36,544 finishers and 1496 in my age group (M35). Despite the busy start area and bunched/slow early part if the race, I was still incredibly pleased with my time and performance. 

                       5k splits for the statto's

I am conscious that I have made some negative comments above. I wanted to give an honest appraisal of my whole experience. This doesn't detract from the fact that Berlin Marathon is an excellent race. It is the only race that, for me, has rivalled VLM for size, scale and support. I would recommend it to anyone wanting a fast, flat and well supported big marathon experience in a fantastic city. Finishing under the Brandenburg Gate in the bight Berlin sunshine is an experience that will live with me forever!

                 This will be one medal that I cherish for years to come!

10 things I wish I knew prior to running the Virgin London Marathon

I ran the Virgin London Marathon in 2011 (4hrs 16mins and 57secs, if you are interested). It was my first marathon and like a lot of people running their first marathon, I learnt a lot during training but also during the race itself.

Here are 10 pieces of information I would have found useful prior to running this iconic race:

1. It may be significantly hotter on race day than during your training runs. If you live in the UK, you will have done the majority of your training during the winter months. When I ran the VLM in 2011 it was quite a hot day (in the early 20's). I had adjusted my clothing according to the forecast but I hadn't accounted for the difference it would make to my hydration strategy (which consisted of water and gels during training and on race day). Cue: calf cramps at 19 miles due to a lack of electrolytes.

Smile! You might be on TV!

2. If you are staying in London for the race, pick a hotel closer to the finish (on the Mall), rather than the start. Trust me, you will be more willing to travel in the morning than after the race has finished! Public transport is free for runners on the day, so travel to Greenwich Park in the morning is easy.

3. The start of the race (for about the first 4 miles) can be a bit slow, due to the sheer volume of runners. You should be aware of your pacing strategy anyway but you should also be prepared to adjust this to account for any slow miles (or loo breaks!). This adjustment should be carried over the remainder of the race rather than made up in the next few miles.

4. Anyone who has raced before knows that it is easy to get swept up in the excitement early into a race and end up going off too quickly. Well, at VLM, this can happen at almost any part of the race because of the volume of runners and the fantastic levels of support. So, keep an eye on your pacing. Use a Garmin (or similar) and/or a pacing band (available at the expo).

At the VLM Expo

5. The VLM is sponsored by Lucozade, so you will find their gels and drinks at the drinks stations on the course. If you are planning to use these products during the race (as opposed to your own drinks, gels etc), then it is a good idea to use them on your longer training runs. Otherwise, you run the risk of an upset stomach. Not something you want as part of your VLM experience!

6. If you are bringing a support crew with you on the day, it is a good idea to pick out a landmark for them to support from. The crowds are huge and whilst they might see you, it will be difficult for you to pick them out of the crowds. If you are running for a charity (and assuming they have a stand on the course) then this is a good place for them to stand. Seeing my wife at about 22 miles was very emotional and gave me a huge lift!

7. You should also pick a landmark close to the finish to meet friends/family. Mobile networks may well be down.

8. In addition to the photographers on the course, there are also race photographers in the finish area. I neglected to have my photo taken but looking back would have liked an official photo in front of the sponsors hording, sporting my medal. So, be prepared to wipe the sweat from your face and give your hair a quick comb through! There is no obligation to buy the photo's but it might be nice to have the option.

                                                    You might opt for an official finish photo!

9. You may well have a long wait at the start at Greenwich Park, so make sure you have adequate clothing to keep out the elements. You may also have to wait for a while before you are reunited with your friends/family at the end of the race. I would recommend including a fresh top to change into and any recovery drinks/food within your kit bag (rather than leaving it with friends/family). Note: you have to use the plastic kit bags provided. You can't just stick your number on your own rucksack, for example.

10. Finally, VLM is a unique racing experience that will live with you forever. Enjoy the day and remember to smile, cheer the marshalls and support and take it all in.

Good luck!

Marathon Training: How to avoid hitting the wall

"Hitting the wall", "crashing", "bonking, or the "the bonk" are words or terms that are used to describe when you run out of energy during a marathon, or during a long run, as happened to me on Sunday!

I was 14 miles into a 16 mile run when it really hit me. It had known it was coming for a few miles but still miles from home and having consumed my only gel, there was nothing I could do about it. Almost immediately, I went from feeling quite good, to having absolutely no energy. My legs turned to jelly and I was finding it hard just to put one foot in front of the other. It also effected my mental state, so much so that I nearly ran out in front of a car! I had it the wall, in a big way...

Anyone who has experienced this will know how horrible it feels. I ate like a horse when I got in in the hope of restoring my energy levels and tried to rest but I still feel rubbish today. It did however, make me think that this was a good topic to write about.

Hitting the wall can hurt!

Most people who are about to embark upon training for a marathon will have heard of the dreaded wall. In fact, even non-runners know about it and will ask, "did you hit the wall?" when you are talking about your marathon experience. But despite it being quite a well known term, most people don't actually know what hitting the wall is, or how you can avoid it. Often, people think it is just about running far enough in training, so your legs are accustomed to running 26.2 miles.

In fact, it has little to do with how fit you are or how well you have trained. You may have had perfect training and completed all of your training sessions and long runs but if you get your nutrition strategy wrong, you will run out of energy and hit the wall at some point during your marathon.

Here is a very simple explanation of what happens to your body when you hit the wall. Your body uses something called glycogen as it's primary fuel when you are running (during long, slow duration exercise, fat can help fuel activity, but glycogen is still needed to help breakdown the fat into something the muscles can use). When you have used up all of your glycogen stores, you hit the wall.

The trick is to keep your levels of glycogen topped up. Glycogen is what your body metabolises from carbohydrates, which is why you will hear people saying that they are 'carb loading' on the lead up to running a marathon. This is to try and ensure that they have as much glycogen stored in their liver and muscles. Now, before you think about eating 5 pasta meals and 10 chocolate bars the day before your marathon, your body can only store a certain amount of carbs as glycogen. The rest is stored as fat, so beware!

Everyone is different but, on average, your body can store enough glycogen for about one and a half hours of strenuous exercise. The more strenuous, the exercise, the more quickly you will use the energy (glycogen) and once this has completely gone, you will hit the wall.

Most first time marathoners will be running for 4 or 5 hours, or more. In fact many of your training runs may be in excess of 3 hours. So, it doesn't matter how well you have fuelled beforehand, you will run out of energy at some point. This is where fuelling during your run comes in. This food/fuel normally consists of energy drinks / gels / jelly beans or a combination of the above. We use this type of fuel because it is easy to consume on the run and easier for your body to digest during exercise. After all, would you feel like eating a plate of spaghetti 15 miles into a marathon?!

The only way to ensure that you don't run out of fuel and hit the wall during your marathon is to practise your fuelling and re-fuelling strategy during your long training runs. As I mentioned before, peoples metabolisms are different and their fuelling needs may vary greatly. You will also find that, over time, your body becomes more accustomed to endurance exercise and therefore more efficient at using it's fuel stores. I used to start run out of energy after about an hour to an hour and half of exercise. Now I can often go for 2 hours before I start to feel my energy levels dropping.

So, it will require some trial and error. If in doubt, it is better to take more gels with you on your training runs (unlike me on Sunday!) and if you do feel your energy levels dropping, do react to this because if you do hit the wall, it is very difficult to restore your energy levels and recover to the point where you can carry on running.

One final warning. Once you have found a fuelling strategy (both pre-race and during the race) make sure you stick to it on race day. Do this and you can avoid hitting the dreaded wall.

Good luck!

Is this harder than I remember?

I am now into the 3rd week of my 14 week training schedule for the Milton Keynes marathon and do you know what? I feel absolutely knackered!

The last time I trained for a marathon was a year ago, when I was in training for the Brighton Marathon and I really don't remember it feeling this hard. Particularly this early on in my training. Now, I'm not sure if I just remember it as being easier or if the fact I am pushing for a quicker time (sub 3:30) just means that I am having to push myself to go that much harder?

Thinking about it logically, my first three marathons were run at a pace closer to what I would deem to be a much more comfortable pace. VLM and The Robin Hood Marathon were both run at 9:00 m/m and Brighton at 8:30 m/m. I would say that my 'natural' easy pace is around 8:30 to 8:45 m/m. In order to go under 3 hrs 30 mins at Milton Keynes, I will need to be running at 8:00 m/m for 26.2 miles. Something which still scares me!

The University of Nottingham

I know it's really early days and I even blogged recently about it getting harder before it gets easier but my I found my 14 mile long run this weekend really tough. I switched my LR day to Saturday (as I was due to be going to a party Saturday night and wanted to avoid a #hangoverrun). This meant I wasn't as well recovered, from having run 8 x 400m at 5k pace on Friday. The conditions were quite tough and wearing shorts probably wasn't the best move. I ended up getting really cold and it took me ages to warm up afterwards. I also didn't deal with my post-run fuelling very well, so ended up feeling pretty grotty afterwards! The session itself went well though. I did just under 15 miles with the last 5 at marathon pace and took in the sights of Nottingham Uni and Wollaton Hall as part of the 'old' Robin Hood Half course. It is quite a challenging/hilly route but one I enjoy for the sights.

Bruce Wayne Manor. Also known at Wollaton Hall

I ended up falling asleep on Saturday afternoon (something I rarely do) and rested completely yesterday, apart from some stretching and foam rolling. This morning I went for a 4.5 mile recovery run but my legs still feel pretty battered and I feel like I could sleep for a day!

I have stepped up to running 5 times a week (from 4 times) and this is the only thing I can really point to as being different from how I have trained in the past. I would be really interested in hearing from people who have been/or or are currently at a similar stage in their marathon training. Is this something I should expect as part of the extra training load and increased pace of the MP efforts?

Thanks!

My Marathon Majors Mission!

I blogged recently about the positive benefit that committing to and sharing my goals publicly had on my mileage in January.

Sticking to this theme, I wanted to announce publicly that I will be running all 6 of the World Marathon Majors. Granted this is not a particularly huge announcement and it is something that many people have done/are doing. If fact, I know someone who recently attempted all 5 (as they were before the recent addition of Tokyo) in one year. My first marathon in 2011 was the Virgin London Marathon and ever since then, I have thought how cool it would be to run all of the Major Marathons.

I am not going to set myself any time limit on completing all of the 6 Majors, I just know that over the course of my (running) life, I would like to be able to experience them all.

Recent unvailing of Tokyo as part of the WMM Series

I will be making a step in the right direction in September this year as I have a place in the 40th Berlin Marathon. My flights and hotel are booked and I am very much looking forward to running this iconic race, as well as experiencing all that Berlin as a city has to offer.

Assuming all goes well, this will leave me with Boston, Chicago, New York and Tokyo still left to do. Something which makes me very excited about my future in running.