CAMBODIA MARATHON TRAINING - 7th August 2016
So I finally completed the Cambodian Ankor Empire Marathon on 7th August 2016. It was quite possibly the hardest overall thing I have ever done or will do. I will have and have had harder marathons due to different things not going correctly but this on the whole was extremely challenging mainly because I ran it in intense heat and had absolutely no idea what to expect.
Going from winter training in New Zealand to middle of summer in Cambodia is a little hard to prepare for and once I got ill 4 weeks out from the run, and also got bad knees, I knew it would be an uphill struggle. To add to all that, I chose an Air Asia budget long haul flight which was the most stupid thing I could have done as didn’t/’t realise there was no food or drink provided (or TV) so went nearly 2 days with no food although I did take a bottle of water on plane with me. Then not wanting to eat anything that may upset the stomach meant I was on pot noodles until the marathon.
Doing the big runs before tapering off 3 weeks before the marathon proved to be the crucial point and made me realise how important they are. I only managed 28km as my major run before tapering due to the chest infection whereby normally I would have also fitted in an extra 25km, 30km and 32km big run which prepares me for hitting the wall.
At 32km I was done on this marathon. I ran non stop for 30km but forced a walk to preserve the body but it was quite dangerous as I nearly seized up. I kept going but by then it was all over with regards to running a balanced race. I ran and walked and ran and walked but persevered and finished in 4:38:00 by my GPS watch and officially 4:39:01 I think it was.
Apart from the lesson about trying not to miss those long runs before tapering, there was not much else I could have done to prepare. I finished it in under 5 hours which was my goal and go close to my good time aim of 4:30 but next time I may have not walked so early and kept going a bit longer. If the marathon had started on time 40 mins earlier as planned, I may have made the time as it would have been cooler. The last 3 km took their toll heat wise and I would have long finished by then.
All in all it was very worth it and I’d do it again after I cross off a few other marathons in other countries.
With regards to multiple marathon running, considering I am a novice and all the books suggest you don’t do this that and the other, my body has held up pretty well. This was my 3rd marathon within 9 months 7 days from doing my very first ever marathon. My training is sporadic to say the least but I do put in the km’s but probably not as frequent as I should. Just look at my run plan on the main page. However, this is not a bad thing as I trained a lot for Auckland and then had a break and did a lot for Rotorua and a lot less for Cambodia BUT my body is fit and being preserved and adapting to the intensity.
The Sydney marathon will be the main one for me to hit a good time provided I get the training correct in between the two. I have 6 weeks to prepare and had an excellent recovery week in Cambodia with leg massages to recover and 2 runs on treadmills at a set pace which went great. Exactly 1 week after the marathon finish, I ran a flawless 4.58 min pace 15km and felt great as if I hadn’t run a marathon for a long time and will built up to a half marathon distance of 21.1km for the 2nd week. Probably will avoid anything higher until the 4th week unless the body feels good as I have 2 weeks recovery, 2 weeks main training and 2 weeks taper. Then it is the same again for Auckland another 6 weeks later.
My new training plan and updates will now revert to my Sydney Marathon page.
Check out my new Cambodia Missions page that will be underway soon explaining what else happened in Cambodia and why I have a heart for Cambodia.
More photos to follow……
7 = CAMBODIA FULL MARATHON
(Cambodia Full Marathon running schedule)
DATE
|
DISTANCE
|
TIME
|
PACE
|
EVENT
|
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My Running Week starts SATURDAY & ends FRIDAY
|
WEEK 1
|
RECOVER 3
|
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09/05/16
|
15 km
|
1.17.26
|
5.10
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - trying for 5.20 min
|
15/05/16
|
10 km
|
52.44
|
5.17
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - trying for 5.20 min
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 2
|
RECOVER 4
|
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 |
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25/05/16
|
15 km
|
1.16.45
|
5.07
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - trying for 5.20 min
|
27/05/16
|
18 km
|
1.35.23
|
5.17
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - trying for 5.20 min
|
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 |
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 |
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WEEK 3
|
 |
 |
 |
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30/05/16
|
15 km
|
1.19.10
|
5.17
|
Aborted 21.1km run at 15km due to bad left knee
|
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RESTED REST OF WEEK DUE TO KNEE
|
WEEK 4
|
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 |
 |
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6/06/16
|
12 km
|
1.02.56
|
5.15
|
Aborted 15km run due to bad left knee again. Started at 11.41km
|
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RESTED REST OF WEEK DUE TO KNEE
|
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 |
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WEEK 5
|
 |
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11/06/16
|
 |
 |
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RESTED FOR WEEK DUE TO BAD KNEE
|
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no running from 6/6/16 to 19/6/16
|
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WEEK 6
|
 |
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20/06/16
|
6 km
|
33.04
|
5.31
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE
|
21/06/16
|
8 km
|
42.07
|
5.16
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE
|
24/06/16
|
10 km
|
54.30
|
5.27
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 7
|
 |
 |
 |
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27/06/16
|
12 km
|
1.01.46
|
5.08
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - tender knee
|
28/06/16
|
10 km
|
50.53
|
5.05
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - minor knee twinges
|
30/06/16
|
18 km
|
1.36.10
|
5.23
|
DELIBERATELY SLOW RECOVERY PACE - 5.24 pace aim - better knee
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 8
|
 |
 |
 |
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4/07/16
|
12 km
|
58.13
|
4.51
|
FAST pace
|
6/07/16
|
21.1 km
|
1.58.23
|
5.37
|
Aimed for 5.30 race planned race pace - to slow as became ill !!
|
 |
 |
 |
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CHEST INFECTION STRAIGHT AFTER 21.1 km run !!!
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 9
|
 |
 |
 |
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11/07/16
|
 |
 |
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CHEST INFECTION - strickly no running for safety reasons
|
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 |
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plus had huge car show over from 14/7/16 to 17/7/16
|
 |
 |
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 |
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WEEK 10
|
 |
 |
 |
Begin Tapper week after big run
|
16/07/16
|
28 km
|
2.44.23
|
5.52
|
Had to squeeze in big run between car show, no running from being too ill, no proper km increase, dehydrated, full belly of greasy food and bread etc etc - every rule broken for running - AND IT FELT GOOD :-) no injurys, aches or pains - book out the window !
|
18/07/16
|
10 km
|
48.27
|
4.51
|
FAST pace
|
20/07/16
|
12 km
|
59.51
|
4.59
|
FAST pace
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
WEEK 11
|
 |
 |
 |
2nd Tapper week
|
23/7/16
|
21.1 km
|
1.53.46
|
5.24
|
Average basic running
|
25/7/16
|
12 km
|
1.03.09
|
5.16
|
Average basic running
|
27/7/16
|
10 km
|
52.56
|
5.18
|
Marathon pace except 8th km at 4.12 super fast as bored going slow
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 12
|
 |
 |
 |
Final Tapper week
|
30/7/16
|
5 km
|
27.17
|
5.28
|
REPLICATE MARATHON LOAD & PACE (3.8 litres fluid) - too heavy!!!
|
2/8/16
|
5 km
|
26.11
|
5.14
|
Slow pace to keep limber
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
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WEEK 13
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
07/08/16
|
42.2 km
|
4:38:00
|
6.35
|
CAMBODIA FULL MARATHON
|
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 |
 |
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AIMED FOR A FINISH OF 4:34 but anything under 5 hours I would
|
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take due to the 33 degree (92 F) heat !!! started at 5.10am.
|
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Did Half distance in 2:05:55 but blew out at 30km due to
|
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intense heat and preserving myself for Sydney Marathon in 6 weeks
|
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RECOVER 1
|
(WEEK 14)
|
 |
 |
TRAINING / RECOVERY - 7 days minimum
|
09/08/16
|
5 km
|
30.00
|
6.00
|
On treadmill for safety (1 degree incline) - 32 degrees (90 F)
|
11/08/16
|
5 km
|
27.10
|
5.26
|
On treadmill for safety (1 degree incline) - 32 degrees (90 F)
|
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