Race Report from "Run of the week" Monday 2nd May

Going sub 3 at the Belfast marathon 2022 (or should I say 2020) was the original plan when I came to see Dave for the first time back in 2019. 

Obviously for one reason or another that race in spring 2020 never happened! Things moved on but the motivation to run had changed. My partner's Dad, from Belfast, had passed away from Pancreatic Cancer at the end of 2020 and it seemed even more appropriate that Belfast be where I would toe the line.

Training wise my focus moved to the marathon in January when I knew I had to start to put the hard yards in. I'd identified the Dewsbury 10k and Retford Half Marathon as the two races where I would put my training to the test. Training was going well and then bang, a sharp pain in my left shin a few days before Dewsbury As you'd expect I was fearing the worst, thinking the marathon was in jeopardy, but after a few days off and a tentative return I seemed to have avoided the worst of the dreaded shin splints. Nevermind Dewsbury, Retford was now the target. What followed was probably the best 4-5 weeks of training  I'd ever done and I was feeling confident for Retford. 

The race was exactly what I had hoped for, a 5 minute PB of 1:17:36, I was delighted. I knew that now I had 7-8 weeks to get ready for Belfast. But I felt like I needed another race so picked out the Salford 10k on Good Friday, just a couple of weeks before the marathon. Feeling confident again I managed to go sub 35 minutes at 10k for the first time with now I had 7-8 weeks to get ready for Belfast. But I felt like I needed another race so picked out the Salford 10k on Good Friday, just a couple of weeks before the marathon. Feeling confident again I managed to go sub 35 minutes at 10k for the first time with a 34:47, once more I was delighted. Now it was just time to stay clear of maranoia!

For the race day itself everything was set up perfect, the weather conditions were ideal and although it isn't an easy course it was certainly there for the taking. 

I'd originally said to myself 2:50 was a realistic time and planned to run at that pace. However early on I found myself in group content to run a touch quicker than that. I convinced myself at that point to stick with the group's pace for as long as I could, in the knowledge that there were uphill sections at miles 17/18 and 24/25 to negotiate.However by the last uphill section on the Ormeau Road I was almost finished off, it was tough going! But I remembered why I was there and what I was doing it for and that got me through those last couple of miles. I crossed the line in 2:48.00, over the moon so I was! Thankfully this year the organisers decided not to add an extra 500m to the race length and I for one was happy with that! A great race in a great city and the support along the route was superb. As you'd expect a few well earned Guinness' were sunk to celebrate in the evening!

Hope you enjoyed the read as much as I enjoyed writing it!