FRANKFURT MARATHON 2016

FRANKFURT MARATHON 2016

BUILD UP

2013 and 2014 were probably my 2 most successful years to date as regards athletics, and at the end of this wee spell of form I had fulfilled a personal ambition by dipping below the 2.40 barrier for the Marathon for the first time. My run of 2.39.09 that day in October 2014 felt comfortable, and I left Chester with the feeling that I could certainly knock a fair bit off of that without too much adjustment to what I had been doing. Hindsight is great though, and looking back I had probably rested on my laurels a bit too much after that, and following a decent Half in Barcelona in Feb 2015 (76.18) the rest of the year wasn’t the best. Subsequently I gave up my Championship Place in London that year and didn’t attempt another Marathon, although I did start to work myself back to decent enough form as 2015 went on – including narrowly missing a team silver medal by 22 seconds at the Master World Champs in the Half Marathon in Lyon that summer, something that still annoys me now.

As every runner knows though, injury is but a step away, and after the Ayrshire XC Relays I suddenly found that I could hardly walk for what seemed like no reason. Eventually getting to the root of the problem (Trendelenbug Gait), the Winter of 2015/16 was a complete write off. Sitting feeling sorry for myself (and majorly spitting the dummy if truth be told) I was watching the Frankfurt Marathon 2015 results on Twitter one day, and that night on a spur of the moment decision entered the 2016 event as surely I’d be healed in exactly 12 months time.

Playing catch up for the first part of the year wasn’t pretty with some hugely disappointing race results, but gradually I was getting fitter and I actually won the Arran Half Marathon in July at the start of my Marathon prep to give myself a much needed boost. I also found that a large contingent from Scotland were also planning on heading to Frankfurt, and after a jaunt to Reykjavik to do the Half Marathon (where we took the Team Prize), although I was still a bit off the pace, I was also decidedly feeling better about my fitness than around May/June time, when I genuinely thought I’d struggle to break 3 hours and quietly considered withdrawing. By this point however I had accepted that although I was nowhere near pb shape, a sub 2.50 target was maybe realistic and as such had adjusted my goals – hence wasn’t putting as much pressure on myself than had previously been the case.

September’s training also went well, and I started October with a 76.37 Half in Glasgow on tired legs, so it was then just tapering down and seeing what Race Day would bring.

RACE WEEK

The week before the race I spent most of my last runs running a bit quicker than planned Marathon Pace in patches, and running a few miles at just under 6’s didn’t seem outrageously lungbusting  which was great for my confidence. My pb was set averaging 6.04 per mile so the decision I had to make was – do I start at that pace and risk blowing up, or do I play it a bit safer and give up on any ideas about that ambition?

Flying out on the Friday was perfect, and it was great to find myself on the same flight as a few “weel kent” faces including Shona Docherty (Kelvin)and Chris McDonald (Motherwell), as well as meeting up with Ian and Lynne Sim (Bella Harriers – I also gave Lynne’s Mum Shenagh a lift to the airport). Arriving at Frankfurt it was also a fantastic gesture by fellow Harrier and Air Traffic Controller Gordon Reid to leave a message with the cabin crew to wish me luck, and once my heart had stopped racing when initially getting the shout over the tannoy, I appreciated that massively. I then eventually found the Hotel and settled in for the night after a bit of Pasta.

After a few easy miles the next morning with Chris, most of the Saturday was spent at the EXPO where I met Marina, Kevin and Hugh (Clydesdale) and Melissah (Ealing) . Discovering how close to the start and finish our Hotel was (a 5 minute walk), was great, but by the same token knowing the race passed said Hotel at 35k wasn’t so good, as we knew that if we were toiling at that point of the race it would be mentally a killer to pass the finish line with the best part of 5 miles still to run. A good natter with Alan Blair, his wife Emma (Garscube), and their wee boy Samuel, as well as Claire and Craig Lamont (Bella Harriers) and the Sim’s, and it was an early night for me. It was also great to go to sleep finding out through Twitter that Hugh Rankin of Kilmarnock Harriers had won the Volunteer of the Year Award at the Scottish Athletics Award Evening that night while Kerry Wilson had taken the Master of the Year Award at the same Presentation.

RACE

Up early for a hearty breakfast and more chat with the Scottish guys and it was off to the start line with Ian Sim and Craig Lamont, with me still in a bit of a dilemma as to how to tackle the Marathon. Before even getting to start the race however came my first problem. Being in Wave 1, Pen 1 I figured we would be just behind the elite and guaranteed a traffic free start, but in reality the beginning of the race was hectic and it was only due to my Killie vest being recognised by Corstophine’s Mickey Breen that I was helped over the barrier and into the pen to prevent any further drama. Mickey is a far better runner than I am, however he only intended running a few kilometres due to recent injuries so after chatting to him and his Clubmate Tom Ferrington (who we had also met at the Reykjavik Half a couple of months previously) it was the start of the race.

Frankfurt is a spectacularly well organised Marathon, however one major thing that could be improved upon is the start. The first couple of kilometres were spent weaving in between a number of athletes who were probably going to run about 30-60 slower than people who were lining up behind them and a lot of energy was spent in the first mile or two for little rewards time wise, and this could have been organised a bit better. Nevertheless it was what it was, and with the race using kilometre markers as opposed to miles, by my calculations I was probably about 30-45 seconds down at 5k as to where I hoped to be. By now I was – probably naively and through a bit of frustration at getting held up at the start – deciding to get some time back and get to halfway around the 1.20 mark to see what transpired. After running a short spell beside both Tom Ferrington and Alan Blair – the duo eventually speeding off ahead of me – I eventually latched onto a good group, and in fairness the next 10 miles had me back “on target” and by the 13.1 mile mark I had pegged it back to 80.15 which I was happy enough with at that stage.

Never at any point in the race however did I feel totally comfortable, and by the 30k (18.3 miles) marker I knew without looking at my watch that my pace was slipping a bit. My fitness and breathing were all fine, but my legs were feeling heavy and I couldn’t get them turning over as quick I’d have obviously liked. I then saw Chris just ahead who was suffering with cramp, and after running with him for a spell my mindset was to dig in and get to the finish line without totally blowing up, and hopefully getting a respectable time in the process.

As previously suspected, passing the hotel (and finish line) at 35K was tough, and with the closing stages having a number of twisty turns (as well as a street of cobbles) I did lose a few places. I did also however pass many a person who was walking/had stopped so it was swings and roundabouts, although I definitely did lose more than I had gained.

The Frankfurt Marathon is famous for its unique finish in that just after the 42K marker you go through a door, and enter an Indoor Arena to the finish and it really is spectacular – no matter how many miles you have ran, or how tired you were at that point.

Entering the Hall, I crossed the line in 2.46.05 – a time that initially I was a bit disappointed with. It was however my 4^th fastest Marathon of the 12 I have ran to date, although it also happens to be that my previous 3 Marathons were also my quickest 3. Despite this, had you had told me in 2002 (when I crossed the Dublin Marathon Finish Line in 3.54 having not long prior to that started any form of regular excercise) that 14 years later -and 14 years older – I’d have a Marathon pb below 2.40 and be slightly annoyed with a 2.46, I’d have grabbed my neck and shook it hard!

Finishing very marginally behind and looking a heck of a lot stronger than I did, was Craig Lamont who clocked a tad over 2.47 for a massive pb of 7 minutes. Pre Race I was confident of Craig having a belter and told him that, and I was absolutely delighted for him and don’t doubt for a second there is much more to come there. Seconds behind that despite the cramp issues was Chris, and with around 8 minutes separating about eight of us, as well as a massive pb by Kevin Farmer of Clydesdale (2.51), Ian Sim clocking a remarkably impressive Marathon with next to no training due to recent injuries, and Ian’s wife Lynne smashing 4 hours in her first Marathon, it really was a great day.

One thing striking me as odd during the race was that at the refreshment stations during the Marathon the choice was water, cold tea, a fizzy concoction, and bananas. The only thing that appealed was the water, so at the finish line it was a case of going first for fluids, and then heading to try and get a massage that was on offer. Unfortunately we discovered that before a massage you had to go for a shower first, so not having a towel I chose not to take that option up as did many other athletes.

POST RACE

With 26.2 miles safely negotiated it was then the short hobble to the Hotel and a quick shower before heading down to the Hotel Reception for a couple of refreshments with the Scottish crew,  and to exchange individual tales on the race. At this point a huge thanks should be given to the non running supporters including Claire, Shenagh, Chris’s Mum, Emma, and wee Samuel, and also to the large number of friends and family who had sent messages of support pre and post race. A number of people in the company hadn’t previously met, and it was commented that everyone immediately got on like a house on fire so this was another huge reason that the weekend was a big success.

Having carbo loaded for a few days it was burgers and steak that was in order for dinner, although bizarrely the steakhouse restaurant we were in claimed to not have any alcoholic beer. Wine and spirits were however aplenty, so it was all good. Finishing the night in one of the many pubs in the Old Square was also good, as was a boat trip before the following days flight and there ended a top few days.

SUMMARY

Great well organised event, although the start could have been better and (for me) the course was a bit twisty at the start, and also towards the end in the City Centre. Would I do it again? Probably, as it’s a fast course and Frankfurt is a decent City, not too expensive and very easy to get to. There are however many Marathon’s out there and London and Lochaber to date are the only ones I’ve done more than once so I’d imagine it’ll stay like that for a while. Never say never though.

I would do one or two things a bit differently next time – there were a few aspects in training that I didn’t quite nail or get right, and I also think I left a bit out there so there’s always room for improvements. I’m happy enough with the run though and I’m not anywhere near good a runner to say 2.46.05 is a bad Marathon. Overall it’s also certainly better than I suspected I would have ran 3 or 4 months ago so there’s loads to be satisfied with. I’m also feeling really fit just now so once I recover (and hopefully stay injury free) I’m keen to get another one in the diary fairly soon. Right now I’m thinking an early season one in March/early April, and potentially another in late October/early November but all TBC at the moment.

Next stop Winter Training!

Scott Martin – 5/11/16

(photo courtesy of Claire Lamont)