AUCKLAND MARATHON TRAINING - 1st November 2015
Well I completed my first ever full marathon at the age of 44 years old having taken up long distance running just 8 months beforehand. I managed it in a time of 4 hours 1 minute 11 seconds which to be honest was a bit of a disappointment but I know exactly where I went wrong. However, I ran non stop without a standing or walking break to prove the body can run non-stop during a marathon and prove some people wrong that told me I would need some walking breaks. See my report below.
It has been a long hard road full of injuries, most of which were avoidable but being a novice, and forgetting my age, made mistake after mistake so thought I may pass on some of what I learnt here.
I had a number of runners knee problems when I first started due to not training correctly and not fully understanding what the body can and can’t do once you get a bit older and into you 40’s.
There is real proper science behind running and although I don’t normally follow these sorts of things, to preserve the body long term I have had to follow a few of them but discarded other things which seem over the top. Some works for one person and others for another.
The First Runs
First up I ran home a few times and was absolutely shattered. I tried my hand at a 10km beach run after doing 3 run homes from work and felt pretty good.
Orewa Quarter Marathon
My wife then saw that there was an Orewa Quarter and Half Marathon going on the following week and suggested I enter it. Man was it hard. I was drawn into the false sense of security having run 10km the week before. If finished it but the in the afternoon had a big energy crash which lasted for about half the week. My introduction to the body shutting itself down after over exertion.
Rotorua Half Marathon
Next up I decided to enter the Half Marathon at Rotorua. I had seriously poor build up training as you can see from my records below and the week before I ran, I couldn't even walk! I was on crutches with serious runners knee again. However, I had booked an expensive hotel and paid for the run so I was going to do it.
I brought the special flexi tape to tape up my knees, bandaged them, brought myself a pair of proper running shoes and hit the course. After a few km's, I felt good and ran off the pain and completed the race without any walking in 1.53.17. The joy of completing it was quite overwhelming and quite tearful for me which was a surprise but I liked the feeling of completing something I never thought I would.
I spent 3 months recovering from bad knees however and used the time between this and the Auckland Marathon training to build an award winning VW Beetle Hot Rod which would go on to win the biggest New Zealand Hot Rod Show possible so worth the running downtime :-)
Auckland Marathon Training Starts Here
I started to train for the full Auckland Marathon 3 months after the half marathon I had run it and decided it was a good opportunity to run for World Vision. I had looked at running for them the first year they started being involved in the Auckland Marathon but despite good intentions, kept chickening out as it seemed to much training, effort, commitment etc etc etc. All things I am good at but maybe not the right time or just to damn scary to do.
I started from scratch and read a few blogs and websites about training and most people recommend something called the Fartlek training including the Auckland Marathon training guide. However, this all seemed a bit to much for what I wanted to do so took on aspects of all sorts of plans and ways to eat and did my own thing - not uncommon for me!
I started off small distances and built them up over the weeks with a set plan. As usual I record and log everything to look back on which is a very good idea to do. Helps with future planning and where things went wrong if you want to do it again.
North Shore Half Marathon & Devonport 25km Classic as part of increased training
I added in a Half Marathon on the North Shore which I completed in pouring rain and was thoroughly miserable but beat my Rotorua time and got 1.52.50. Next up I did the Devonport Classic as part of my increased training and did that in 2.11.12.
By now I was flying and 3 weeks later I ran 32km (actually 31km and walked the last km)
I felt super fit at this point and set my goal on breaking the 4 hours time at the marathon with a hopeful 3.45 if I was lucky.
The night before I kitted out my Toyota Previa people carrier with a bed, supplies and makeshift toilet (yogurt tub!) and parked in the Devonport ferry terminal carpark at the start so had access to the public toilets for big jobbies :-) It was the morning of the Rugby World Cup so got very busy and noisy early with the big screens the Marathon organisers erected for the marathon runners.
Up I got and pretty much to the front of the start as heaps of people were still watching the game so the whole start in the dark was a bit hap hazard with a lot of people waiting for the gun to go off before legging it to the cross over the line to start, grabbing extra important seconds of the rugby final before their race timer chip kicked in as they crossed the start line.
I kept up the pace and got to the top of the harbour bridge which was 15km at a 5 minute pace (1.15). Between the top of the bridge and halfway point, I went into lala land and slowed right down completing the first section at 1.50.20 which although better than previously run to that point, ultimately cost me my 4 hours break point I think.
I tried to catch the time back up but it was gone and for the final 1 km, it took all I had to finish in 4.01.11. Disappointing but good to finish and I didn't walk once or stop for a drink. I run with fluid in my backpack which is a lifesaver.
I also managed to raise a heap of money for World Visions 6 to 1 food program in conjunction with the UN so that amounted to about $16100 all up I think it was. A worth while experience.
1 = OREWA QUARTER MARATHON
DATE
|
DISTANCE
|
TIME
|
PACE
|
EVENT
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
My Running Week starts SATURDAY & ends FRIDAY
|
WEEK 1
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
17/03/15
|
3.69 km
|
22.30
|
6.05
|
 |
18/03/15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3.69km bike ride x 2 - nearly got killed 3 times !!!
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 2
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
26/03/15
|
3.69 km
|
20.30
|
5.33
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 3
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
01/04/15
|
3.69 km
|
19.15
|
5.13
|
 |
03/04/15
|
10 km
|
56.15
|
5.37
|
beach run
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 4
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
xx
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
FORGOT TO RUN
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 5
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
12/04/15
|
10.5 km
|
59.30
|
5.40
|
OREWA QUARTER MARATHON - Absolutely shattered !!!
|
2 = ROTORUA HALF MARATHON
(started straight after Orewa Quarter Marathon)
DATE
|
DISTANCE
|
TIME
|
PACE
|
EVENT
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
(WEEK 5)
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
16/04/15
|
15.4 km
|
1.31.00
|
5.54
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 6
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
20/04/15
|
5
|
25.56
|
5.11
|
 |
22/04/15
|
5
|
25.06
|
5.01
|
9km aborted @ 5 - sore knee
|
24/04/15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
15km bike ride
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 7
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
27/04/15
|
11 + 11 + 5
|
59.50 + 32.38
|
5.26
|
11km run & 11km bike ride (32.06 mins) 5 km run (32.38 mins)
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Seriously bad runners knee after this intense work out - Over did the training & couldn't walk including leading up to the day before the half marathon !!! Heavily strapped knees to compete.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 8
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
02/05/15
|
21.1
|
1.53.17
|
5.22
|
ROTORUA HALF MARATHON - Better than expected run !!!
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
(WEEK 8)
|
 |
 |
 |
TRAINING / RECOVERY
|
05/05/15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
3.69km bike ride x 2 (small hill)
|
3 = NORTH SHORE HALF MARATHON
4 = DEVONPORT 25km CLASSIC
5 = AUCKLAND FULL MARATHON
(3 & 4 were part of my Auckland Full Marathon running schedule)
DATE
|
DISTANCE
|
TIME
|
PACE
|
EVENT
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
My Running Week starts SATURDAY & ends FRIDAY
|
WEEK 1
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
11/07/15
|
 |
 |
 |
week 1 train - FORGOT TO RUN
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 2
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
18/07/15
|
5 km
|
29.00
|
5.48
|
build up train
|
20/07/15
|
5 km
|
27.00
|
5.24
|
build up train
|
21/07/15
|
5 km
|
26.30
|
5.18
|
build up train
|
23/07/15
|
7 km
|
35.30
|
5.04
|
build up train
|
24/07/15
|
7 km
|
35.20
|
5.02
|
build up train
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 3
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
26/07/15
|
9 km
|
48.00
|
5.20
|
build up train
|
28/07/15
|
7 km
|
34.45
|
4.57
|
build up train
|
29/07/15
|
0.5 km
|
-
|
-
|
ABORTED 5km run - bad knees
|
31/07/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
Slow run with Wife to recover - carry over to week 4
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 4
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
01/08/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
Slow run with Wife to recover
|
03/08/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
Slow run with Wife to recover
|
04/08/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
Slow run with Wife to recover
|
05/08/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
Slow run with Wife to recover
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 5
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
08/08/15
|
5 km
|
25.45
|
5.09
|
build up knees slow run
|
09/08/15
|
5 km
|
25.50
|
5.10
|
build up knees slow run
|
11/08/15
|
5 km
|
25.10
|
5.02
|
build up knees slow run
|
12/08/15
|
5 km
|
25.30
|
5.06
|
build up pace run not looking at watch till end
|
14/08/15
|
7 km
|
33.30
|
4.47
|
comfortable run not looking at watch till end
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 6
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
15/08/15
|
9 km
|
44.30
|
4.56
|
comfortable run not looking at watch till end
|
20/08/15
|
9 km
|
48.00
|
5.20
|
slow run as sore not looking at watch till end
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 7
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
22/08/15
|
14 km
|
1.18.17
|
5.35
|
slow run
|
24/08/15
|
11 km
|
59.30
|
5.24
|
slow hill run not looking at watch till end
|
26/08/15
|
12.12 km
|
1.04.50
|
5.17
|
big slow hill run
|
27/08/15
|
14 km
|
1.09
|
4.55
|
standard running
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 8
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
30/08/15
|
10.08 km
|
52.20
|
5.11
|
hard double hill run
|
01/09/15
|
7 km
|
34.20
|
4.54
|
standard running
|
 |
1 km
|
4.50
|
4.50
|
extra 1km run after 7km stop (then 1km walk)
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 9
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
06/09/15
|
21.1 km
|
1.52.50
|
5.20
|
NORTH SHORE HALF MARATHON - miserable wet rainy day !!!
|
06/09/15
|
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
2km trot to car and back
|
 |
5 km
|
-
|
-
|
5km trot with the wife in her race
|
 |
2 km
|
-
|
-
|
2km walk back after race
|
10/09/15
|
5 km
|
24.00
|
4.48
|
Aborted 6km run @ 5.5km bad knees
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 10
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
12/09/15
|
8 km
|
-
|
-
|
run round estuary with daughter @ her pace - 47.30 mins
|
14/09/15
|
8.73 km
|
42.45
|
4.59
|
standard running
|
16/09/15
|
16 km
|
1.21.00
|
5.03
|
standard running
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 11
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
20/09/15
|
25 km
|
2.11.12
|
5.14
|
DEVONPORT CLASSIC 25km - Happy with quickpace on this one
|
23/09/15
|
9 km
|
43.00
|
4.46
|
standard running
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 12
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
26/09/15
|
30.21 km
|
3.00.00
|
5.57
|
long run - slow pace (last 8km bit with daughter)
|
29/09/15
|
8.73 km
|
41.30
|
4.50
|
standard running
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 13
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
03/10/15
|
28.57 km
|
2.36.00
|
5.27
|
long run - faster pace - went for 30km but gave up
|
06/10/15
|
11.05 km
|
52.45
|
4.45
|
standard running - faster pace with big hill @ 9km
|
08/10/15
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 14
|
 |
 |
 |
Begin Tapper week after big run
|
11/10/15
|
32 km
|
3.10.00
|
5.56
|
long run - slowest pace possible - 31 km in 3 hours - 1 km walk
|
15/10/15
|
8.73 km
|
40.20
|
4.37
|
standard running
|
16/10/15
|
21.1 km
|
1.57.00
|
5.32
|
Big hill run x 3 with and extra 1km end walk to 22.1km
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 15
|
 |
 |
 |
2nd Tapper week
|
17/10/15
|
10 km
|
-
|
-
|
slow run with daughter, pushing her bike !!
|
19/10/15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
20 km cross training bike ride with big hill (57 mins - big hill)
|
20/10/15
|
10 km
|
48.00
|
4.48
|
10km slow run followed by 10km bike ride flat (26.30 mins)
|
21/10/15
|
8 km
|
39.00
|
4.52
|
8km slow run followed by 8km bike ride flat (21.11 mins)
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 16
|
 |
 |
 |
Final Tapper week
|
25/10/15
|
11.5 km
|
59.00
|
5.07
|
Trying to keep to 5 min Km Pace - includes big hill
|
26/10/15
|
8.73 km
|
43.39
|
5.00
|
Trying to keep to 5 min Km Pace
|
27/10/15
|
5 km
|
25.33
|
5.06
|
Trying to keep to 5 min Km Pace
|
28/10/15
|
5 km
|
24.56
|
4.59
|
Trying to keep to 5 min Km Pace
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 17
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
01/11/15
|
42.2 km
|
4.01.11
|
5.42
|
AUCKLAND FULL MARATHON - missed my time limit by 1.11 mins
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
RECOVER 1
|
(WEEK 17)
|
 |
 |
TRAINING / RECOVERY - 10 days minimum NO RUNNING
|
02/11/15
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
lots of gardening, car building & moving - no runs / other exercise
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
RECOVER 2
|
(WEEK 18)
|
 |
 |
TRAINING / RECOVERY
|
11/11/15
|
8 km
|
36.24
|
4.33
|
Anti clockwise esturay - first short run after Marathon - fast
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
RECOVER 3
|
(WEEK 19)
|
 |
 |
TRAINING / RECOVERY - GENERAL RUN
|
19/11/15
|
10 km
|
47.10
|
4.43
|
10 km Clockwise Estury/warehouse roundabout run
|
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|