Miami Marathon
Miami done and very happy!
It has been a long journey since the end of August when I moved to the Dominican Republic for my new work and life adventure and I can now say the move has paid off in every way! I have a fantastic package as part of my work contract, I have met a beautiful girl who I am completely in love with and I have now smashed my marathon PB by 16 minutes!
Everything felt great throughout the race and I knew at 18miles I was going to break 2:45 and perhaps 2:42.....I am now just wondering if I'd have had a fellow runner with me from 14miles to 25 could I have broke 2:40??? That will be the target for the next marathon! It was also very pleasing at the 25th mile when I casually overtook two of the ‘elite start’ runners at my consistent 6minute average pace to finish in 14th place overall.
It’s a shame my friends can't count! They got me very excited saying I came 6th overall, but the website clearly shows I came 14th! I am happy with that though and the fact I am currently the 2nd fastest UK marathon runner of 2011.....how long will that last??? Take a look - http://www.thepowerof10.info/rankings
It hasn’t all been easy and from my first training review in September 2009 I said these words… “It’s hot, slow and painful! But I am enjoying the new scenery and the chance to impress a country/continent better known for sprinting!” I feel I have impressed my new Caribbean friends and I am most proud of my 2:41 marathon finish and all the work I put in. I want to say a massive thanks to Penny Forse for her advice and support with training, and to Lucy May for getting me 'conditioned' and answering 'all' my questions prior to my summer departure.
The training without race pressure has been really good and the heat has definitely been of huge benefit. However a lack of training partners and competition has made progress difficult to measure and when I returned at Xmas and got a chest infection I nearly admitted defeat in achieving my <2:45 target. Luckily a very supportive girlfriend kept me buzzing during January and I cannot thank Laura enough.
Laura herself did brilliantly in Miami……she completed the half marathon in 1:34 and is now poised to do great at London in her first ever full marathon. She has new found belief after smashing her HM target and perhaps she also now realises that my advice and training schedules aren't that bad after all!
So we’re both more than a little happy now and our hangovers from a wild night out have gone too!!!
As I now qualify for an Elite Marathon runner place I have the dilemma of perhaps entering London in 2012……it would be nice to race Simmo again in the Championship Start coral but I think the airfare and limited time at home will put me off! So I am probably going to resist London and instead take on the first ever Dominican Marathon in March 2012. Before this though I will have plenty of races to target with several 10k and HM’s in the 2011 calendar, so I will keep Mike Bell busy with my ever growing race reports!
I wish Stubbington Green the very best of luck this year and to all you marathon runners, do not forget the importance of quality speed sessions! Take care and keep in touch,
Lewis Chalk from the Dom Rep x