Paris Marathon 2013 - Race Report ... needing a 26 mile wee, an invisible Alex and a personal portaloo...

Today was the day. The alarm went off at 5.30am after what felt like an hour’s sleep. But today it wasn’t a nuisance ... it was a call that something amazing was going to happen today. After 16 weeks training, today was the day. All the midnight runs, the miles in the snow, the times I’d had to climb into my running gear when I’d wanted to climb into bed instead. Today was my reward for all of those miles.

I’d had some new running bands printed to go with my others that were specially for France

New bands: "1 min ,3:30 = 1 creme egg" and "1800 wanted this"

We were all meeting downstairs at 7.30am and we were getting taxis to the Asics area near the finish line. It was such a treat being in the warm in the Asics lounge at the start rather than shivering in the cold. AND we had our own loo. We decided we had finally made it. This may be the pinnacle of our running careers. Our very own portaloo. Get us!

Us all milling around by the taxi.

We left a bit later than we should have as once we left that was it. We were on our way. I started to leave then realised under my pre-race jacket, bin bag and poncho, I didn’t have my race number on. Face palm. Undressed again, pinned number on, dressed again. Sigh.

Nerves kicking in ...

We started walking to the start area in our white matching ponchos, surrounded by 40,000 other runners all dressed in identical ponchos. We looked like we were on our way to sort out a crime scene all dressed in white, wipe-clean outfits. Alex went on ahead as he had a bit further to go to get to his start pen near the front. We passed the baggage area and the Arc de Triomphe and stopped and got a picture of all 3 of us. I would like to reassure everyone looking at the picture that it does in fact say JOGGING on the front, not DOGGING which is what someone commented later ...

Me (left), Ady (middle), Mel (right)

We all started walking in a civilised way to the pens, Mel got to her time pen and disappeared in amongst the crush of runners. Ady and I kept walking and all of a sudden someone started running, then the whole crowd was running. I don’t think there was any rush but it was contagious! We were all in our running gear, about to run for miles and we just wanted to get out there and RUN!

We got to the pen entrance ... and nothing. There seemed to be no way in. The entire pen was jammed solid and no-one was moving. Nothing else for it ... Ady and I pushed and managed to move up the right hand side before we got stuck behind piles of discarded clothes and ponchos. The entire side of the pen was piled high with these. I was worried that it might be a bit of a trip hazard when we started moving but Ady was cool as a cucumber and said we’d be fine. He was right. A happy voice behind us and a lady introduced herself – RacingJules as I later found out!

We started shuffling forward and the start line came into view ... and through! We were off! The surface flying beneath our feet as the road opened out and the crush became less ... briefly! Then back into a crush of people and past supporters lining the sides of the road. Passed a sign being brandished which stated:  “Finishing is your only f*cking option.” Nope. Not finishing. Finishing SUB 3:30, but I appreciate the sentiment!

It was a very crowded course, already in about mile 3 I was passing people doing about a 10 minute mile. Either they’d got into the wrong pen, or they were being VERY optimistic about their negative split. This continued the whole way around the course and it seemed as though people had either no idea of their finish times or had assumed that the pen times were optional and had just aimed for the front.

Ady and I planned to run together as our finish times would be very close as we’d both trained for around 3:30. I’d assured Marathon Coach Steve that I would be sticking with 7:55 – 8 min/miles the whole way, but Ady was aiming a bit quicker and my Garmin was showing 7:45 min/miles which I was a bit concerned about this early on. However, with my pre-race nerves I’d forgotten to programme it for marathon so ended up doing this on the run which might have had something to do with it!

Due to the crowds, I lost Ady around mile 4 but he reappeared just in front of me at around mile 10. He was still going strong so ran with him for a while. Again our Garmins seemed to be showing different times. Mine was showing we were running at about 8:05 min/mile and while I liked having company, I didn’t dare risk it so sped up slightly to bring it back into my time range.

I missed out the first water station. The weather was beautiful with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, but I had run most of my longer training runs without water and knew I was already well-hydrated. The water stations were all mayhem. Although there were clear signs showing where they were, runners were cutting across others and tripping people up and the lids of the bottles hitting the road sounded like dominoes falling. There were plastic bottles and orange peel all over the road and I heard a runner go down behind me. 

I’d heard people say that this route wasn’t well supported but I found it brilliant! People were ringing cowbells and shouting “Allez, allez”. Until about mile 6, I didn’t realise this and misheard it. I thought there must have been a really popular chap called Alex just behind me.

People saw my name on my T-shirt and shouted “Go Sarah!” and “Allez Sarah!” It was fantastic! Runners World had printed some pretty salmon pink vest tops for me and Mel. The front had our names on and ‘Asics Target 26.2’ and the back had ‘Follow Me’ ‘www.runnersworld.co.uk/Sarah’ .  A French chap overtook me and shouted back “Ha ha! Now YOU’RE following me.” I smiled back at him and thought “I’ll see YOU at mile 20...!”

The en-route entertainment was also brilliant. There were bands and drummers frequently and it really made the atmosphere! I had previously thought marathons were meant to be hard work from beginning to end, but the enthusiasm of the bands and drummers was infectious and I wasn’t the only runner having a quick dance along while running! There were Firemen lining the streets with their firetrucks and at one point a hose arced water across the road cooling down the runners. I was hot but decided that hot was better than blisters and avoided it.

Marathon Coach Steve had told me that the marathon was 2 runs. A 20 mile warmup run and a 6 mile race. I’d heard this before, but when Steve said it, it had really struck home. It really helped as it gave me a countdown. At the halfway point, instead of ‘only’ being halfway, I had 7 miles left to enjoy the trot before I could really let go and get the speed up a bit. I kept thinking like this. The speed was easily maintainable and it really was a comfortable speed. I had all of these people running with me – all of whom also loved running and I would get a big medal at the end of THIS long run! What was there not to like?

My only real potential problem was a toilet stop. I had needed a wee from the beginning, but while there were plenty of urinals at the start taking care of the chaps, there didn’t seem to be any portaloos ... or any time to find any. My Garmin was on average pace per mile and distance, so if I stopped I wouldn’t be able to work out whether I would be on for my time. Right. Think positive. I’d once been stuck on the M1 for 7 hours needing a wee. This wasn’t as long as that and I didn’t have to go to work at the end of this. Positive thoughts. My evil conscience reminded me I wasn’t running on the M1, I was sitting down in the car but I ignored it. And sure enough by about mile 10 I’d forgotten all about it.

I knew that this was a truly International marathon and about 5,000 of the 40,000 runners were Brits. It was lovely seeing the different club vests and the familiar charities. I saw a chap running for the Dorset Doddlers and we had a brief chat (he lived about 15 mins from where I’d grown up!), Eynsham AC, Reading Roadrunners and a Bristol club vest.

When I got to Mile 20, I decided it was time to up the speed. I’m not very good at running the same speed for a long time – treadmills are my idea of HELL – and it was nice to be able to change the speed a bit. I also knew that this was the 2nd part of the run and as soon as I entered the woods – Bois de Boulogne - at mile 21.5 I was on the home stretch. The woods were beautiful and although the support wasn’t as much here, it was lovely to run under the trees. I also found the route mostly downhill which is always a nice treat when you’re running home.

I ran out of water at about mile 22 but didn’t like to throw the bottle away and I carried it as comfort almost to the finish line. I find us runners can be a superstitious lot, this bottle was empty but what if I got thirsty? I wouldn’t have an (empty) bottle to carry! It really did make sense at the time.

Coming up out of the woods, I’d passed the 25 mile marker and knew I was nearly there. Cyclists had been riding up the pavements, ringing their bicycle bells, ringing us home but this was the toughest mile.  I was looking out for the Arc de Triomphe as I knew the finish was near this but I couldn’t see it through the heat haze. I decided to count. By the time I reached 100, I’d be able to see the finish.

98,99,100 ... Arc de Triomphe? No. Bugger. 200 then ....

198, 199, 200 ... Arc de Triomphe? No. Bugger. 300 then ....

I got to nearly 350 before I saw the finish. It was very low so although I’d been reasonably close I hadn’t seen it ... and the Arc de Triomphe was nearly a mile behind it. OK. I’m probably not the best person to ask for directions.

Crossed the finish line. The lady beside me burst into tears. It just felt surreal. After all of this build up, all of the training, 557.2 miles run and 117 hours of training ... this was it. I had crossed the finish line.

A package was thrust into my arms containing a blue plastic poncho and an electric green finishers T-shirt. I walked forward a few steps and a rotund and enthusiastic French chap placed a medal around my neck and then kissed me on both cheeks and congratulated me. A wonderful French finish to a wonderful French marathon. 

I had no idea of my time as I’d had to restart my Garmin and the timer on the finish gantry wasn’t working. The tracking app hadn’t updated my time so it was all a bit of a mystery. I decided to get back to the Asics area and sort it all out there. The Asics area was next to the start line, right? I started walking towards the Arc de Triomphe. Luckily before I got there I got a “where are you?” phone call. Yep. I was walking the wrong way. Asics was next to the FINISH line. Nearly 2 miles later I was walking the right direction and the cramp that had threatened my arse had disappeared. See. There can be bonuses to having absolutely no sense of direction. You get to walk off cramp.

All of a sudden, a vision in a blue poncho was calling my name! Richard Langton came over and introduced himself saying he’s been following the forum. It was a lovely surprise and he had done really well and enjoyed the course too.

I got to the Asics area still wearing my blue poncho. Alex and Shady Ady were already there .. and I was being congratulated. My time had appeared on the tracking application – I was sub 3:30!

... in fact was 3:25:06 !!

I may be slightly excited in this picture ...

Decided the only way to celebrate was on the roof of the Asics building with a very cold beer. We all headed up into the sunshine and watched the finishers pour over the finishing line.

What now? There was no more training schedule ....

Couldn't remember the last time I'd had a beer ...

I would worry about that tomorrow. Tonight we celebrate. 

Garmin info here

Avg 7:24 min/mile

1.       7:51

2.       7:46

3.       7:51

4.       7:56

5.       7:54

6.       8:01

7.       7:51

8.       7:51

9.       7:51

10.    7:47

11.    7:48

12.    7:45

13.    7:48

14.    7:48

15.    7:43

16.    7:45

17.    7:18 (Time slightly wrong as Garmin confused by underpasses)

18.    7:57 (Time slightly wrong as Garmin confused by underpasses)

19.    7:48

20.    7:32

21.    7:43

22.    7:46

23.    7:31

24.    7:13

25.    7:27

26.    7:15 (0.71 mile)

Note: Garmin had to be re-set about 1/2 mile in

 

Runner’s World Asics 26.2 Bootcamp 3 – March 2nd 2013

Decided to brave the trains again and walked to the Rugby train station. It was a lovely Spring morning and it was a bit of a novelty to go for a walk without my 3 year old attached to my leg. (We usually start off walking then she decides it’s too much like hard work and grabs my closest leg and demands to be carried. She’s found this to have the best effect when I’ve got a coffee in one hand and a handbag in the other and am unable to pry her off.) It was a completely uneventful walk and absolutely unpunctured by questions such as “Why isn’t Thomas a princess? Or “Why isn’t snow red?”

I’d learned from the last Bootcamp and had brought my coffee thermos with me this time. No more begging for coffee and regretful looks at the closed coffee shop door. Ha ha, Mr Starbucks. I’ve got THIS one covered!!

Nice uneventful journey to Birmingham New Street and I even managed to find the right station to get to the University station. Alright. I asked at the information desk. But I got to the platform under my own steam.

Got to the platform and there were only about 5 or 6 other people waiting for the train. A man caught my attention as he kept shuffling closer to me and kept staring at me. Not in a “I want to buy you some lovely caffeine way”, but in a “I want to push you in front of a train” way. Eek! I’ve got too much running to do in the next month to spend any time in hospital, thanks!

I ignored him and moved down the platform and put a couple of people in between us. He shuffled down and moved back in next to me. Ok. I ignored him and moved back down the other way again putting more people between us. Hopefully I was putting out “I’m too much trouble to stalk” signals. He shifted back down and stood behind me. What to do. No platform attendants around and what would I say? Someone’s looking at me? How to sound like an overwrought idiot.

With perfect timing, another girl walked onto the platform. I approached her and asked if she was going to the University station. I explained the situation and asked if we could sit together. She was fine with that so we sat together. Creepy Guy sat behind us – in an otherwise empty carriage – but didn’t approach us or try to interact in any other way. Phew! He appeared to be asleep when we got off the train and we were relieved to see the train leave. Thank you lovely German Girl for taking pity on me!

I was nice and early to the University. Café was still shut. Passing the Starbucks sign saying “We have a cup of coffee waiting for you inside” I resisted the urge to kick it over.

Had a good catch up with Steve Marathon Coach and we discussed the next few weeks in the schedule. The next 2 weeks are going to be the toughest yet … and then taper. I still can’t quite believe that there are only 4 weeks until Paris. 

Said to Steve about this cold and chest infection and how I don’t feel it’s completely gone yet. Steve reassured me that although I had Silverstone half the next day, I shouldn’t let the result knock my confidence. The important race is Paris, not the half marathon beforehand. He’s absolutely right. I love to race and would turn a run for the ice cream van into a sprint-out with the 10 year old next door if it came down to it, but at the end of the day I’ve got to focus on Paris Marathon. There’ll be plenty of time for other races after Paris. He suggested just playing it by ear or running it at marathon pace if I wanted.

Steve also said we’ll have to see whether we can fit another parkrun into the schedule – hooray! There’s something nice and reassuring about parkruns. Lots of people who love to run just running in circles down the local park! And coffee and cake afterwards! Steve also mentioned that he ran over 10 miles of the Paris marathon with Knightrider (the Asics Target 26.2 sub-3 marathoner) last year … without a number and just for the heck of it! How cool is that!!

Had a catch up and physio session with Sarah Connors. She of the soft hands and pointy elbows. I got away lightly this time and Sarah said how nice it was to see someone without any niggles. She did however find some areas of tightness on my back which I hadn’t realised were there. However this time no elbows were required and I proudly demonstrated that I had been practising my bridges.

I told Sarah that I DID want to be a better runner but it was fear of The Elbow rather than anything else that had me doing my stretches every day! She recommended getting a sports massage every couple of weeks during the high mileage marathon weeks just so no niggles get the chance to get any worse. She also checked out my feet for me. Brave lady. I now officially have marathon runners feet. In other words, feet not fit for sandals and which may be relied on to shed toenails at every opportunity.

Had a chat to Victor who is the sports psychologist. Victor was lovely and gave us some good tips for the day before marathon just so it’s a stress-free as possible. Number 1: Set out your kit the night before and use a tick-list of necessary so you don’t forget to pack anything. Number 2: Rest the day before. Just stay off your feet and watch TV. Victor also does triathlons and uses a special method for warming up his wetsuit in the holding pen before the open water swims. However, he assured me he drinks lots of water beforehand so he doesn’t burn a hole in his wetsuit.

It was time to do the marathon pace session. We had been reassured that this was a nice easy session. Sounded good to us! A quick jog up and down a pretty canal path and then back to lunch. Nope. First we had to pretend to run up and down the canal path so photographs could be taken. Ady had a near miss into the canal but we managed to do it without any incidents and without any cyclist road-rage … so a win!

Marathon Coach Steve and Sam Murphy had marked out a mile on the canal path so we had a nice run up and back at marathon pace. They set us off at intervals so we could run at our own paces without feeling that we had to keep up with anyone else. It was such a gorgeous day to run – a proper spring morning with blue skies and the sun shining on the canal. It could have been the middle of anywhere and with the green banks and the gravel of the canal path underfoot it was lovely.

We got back to the start point full of the joys of Spring. And Sam Murphy promptly confiscated all our Garmins. What?! We were then told to run the same 2 miles at 5 seconds quicker than marathon pace. Without our Garmins.

We were all set off at intervals as before. Ady went off 15 seconds in front of me and I was told strictly by Steve Marathon Coach (who seems to have me all figured out) that I wasn’t to just follow Ady but I was to judge it for myself. Bother. There goes my nice easy run plan.

Set out and tried to judge it by my breathing. I’ve got into the (probably bad) habit of using my Garmin for every run (except the very muddy or obstacle races) and I soon realised just how bad I was at judging my pace. Even on the flat and relatively smooth canal path I went off far too quickly and next thing I know I was practically tripping over Ady who was doing his best to ignore my heavy breathing over his shoulder. He must have worked out it was me rather than an asthmatic mugger as he didn’t speed up. I had the quandary then of whether to trust my own pace judgement or Ady’s. Was he going to slow or me too fast?

Overtook him. One of us had to be wrong. I knew me better.

However, I had a moment of self-doubt when I caught up with Bacon Steve and Mel. Hmmmm. Well. I was set at my pace now. May as well carry on with it. At least I hadn’t fallen into the canal.

Got back and Marathon Coach Steve read out our times. Everyone had done really well which meant … yup. I’d gone off far too fast, carried away by the thought of people to chase and the thought of running around in the sunshine. It wasn’t too terrible though – I’d done 7:35 min/miles instead of 7:55 min/miles but it would still be enough to make the marathon a struggle if I’d tried to run it at that speed.

Sam Murphy told me that I was still hunching my shoulders when I was running. A good trick she suggested was to put my weight into my elbows and pretend I was pressing down on egg cups.

Went to the track. It was very strange to think that this was our last time running on this track as part of the Asics Target 26.2 group. The Bootcamp in December seems a very, very long time ago. The belltower chimed while we were there. It has been a familiar landmark throughout the training as you can see it from pretty much everywhere on the campus. 

This session was a paced mile. On the straight sections of the track we were looking to do half marathon or 10k pace and on the curved sections we were to do marathon pace. So about 7:20 min/miles on the straight parts and 8 min/miles on the curved sections. Ady and I ran together on this part as we had virtually the same goals. Of course we got far too enthusiastic and finished the first lap at an average of a 7 min/mile. Whoops. We slowed down a bit and did the 2^nd in avg 7:23 min/mile. A bit better. The 3^rd in avg 7:28. Not too bad. The final one in avg 6:21 min/mile.

However, this was mainly down to Marathon Coach Steve telling us we could give it a bit of welly on the final straight so Ady and I had a sprint to the line. Yup. He got chicked.

We had some photos taken at the track where we ran a small section and then where we gathered around in a circle with our hands on each other’s shoulders and looked down into the camera. Apparently ‘Up The Nostrils’ shots are very Now. I apologise in advance for the bogies.

Pic thanks to Katie at Runner's World!

Back to the lecture theatre for lunch and then a shower and change. We all hung around afterwards, unwilling to go as this was IT. The last time we’d all be together before Paris. This was almost the end.

We took one last picture in front of the Sports Building in the sunshine, took a deep breath and headed away from the University and into the final weeks of training.

                     

Track work garmin info:

Pacing work garmin info: 

Week 9, Day 6: Dorney Lakes, a Sprint Finish & Squirty Gels

Week 9, Day 6

Goal: Dorney Lakes Half Marathon

First 3 miles at 7:55, 7:45, 7:40 then final 10 at 7:20 – 7:25 min/mile

Dorney Lakes was about 85 miles from me so I’d decided to book into a hotel to save having to drive an hour and a half on the morning of the race. The race didn’t start until 10am so a lie in and a leisurely breakfast sounded amazing. I have terrible pre-race nerves so having one less thing to worry about would be good.

Mel liked the idea too and we booked into a Travelodge just down the road from the race venue and we travelled down separately. We arranged to meet up for dinner at 7pm for a catch up and chatter. Texted Mel and we both decided to meet in the hotel lobby. 15 minutes later and I’m still standing there … where is she? I get a text from Mel. We’re both waiting in the lobby in the hotel. But the hotels are 20 miles apart. She’s in Slough Traveleodge, I’m in Maidenhead Travelodge. Thank God Asics are arranging Paris travel and accommodation for us. We’d never get there.

I couldn’t work out the kit I wanted to take and what to leave. So I compromised and took everything. I ended up taking a rucksack, a running belt, a handbag plus a large suitcase on wheels. Well … at least if a piece of running kit broke, I‘d have (about 3) spares …

I slept really well and had an entire double bed on my own to stretch out in. Bliss. A leisurely shower and porridge - pre-measured by me the day before and put into a plastic bag with sugar. Can’t say I’m not taking this pre-race prep seriously! Dried hair and got an electric shock from the hairdryer! So long as the jolt of electricity gives me a boost for the race …

I got all organised and packed up. Rucksuck on the bag, handbag slung around my shoulders, running belt around my middle and suitcase dragging on behind. Got out of the door – which slammed behind me – and my tummy gave an ominous rumble. Dashed back into room and running belt off, handbag unslung, rucksack off and suitcase abandoned in the middle of the room. A hotel room loo MUCH preferable to a portaloo at the race venue … and I did not want to have to pack loo roll for THIS long run.

The drive to the start ...

 

The satnav directed me perfectly to Dorney Lakes, but far from the perfectly organised parking at most venues we were directed to park along the sides of the road. Apparently the car parks were mainly underwater. Oh well. Better to park along the side of the road than to come back after the race and find the car floating peacefully down the river …

Texted Mel, Shady Ady and Bacon Steve who were all also running this one. It was great to catch up … even if we did all look like a matching set with our pink and blue T-shirts. At least we’d be able to spot each other easily in a crowd. Or a race. Mel, Ady and Steve were all going for PBs and had a specific time they wanted to beat.

Me, Mel, Ady & Steve just before the start!

Steve Marathon Coach knew full well that I have a bad habit of going off far too fast and then paying for it and this race was to be an exercise in pacing. He’d asked me to start off the first 3 miles slowly and build the pace. He had suggested 7:55 min/mile, 7:50, 7:45 and then sit in the goal range of 7:20 – 7:25 min/mile.

I started off with Ady as we thought we’d probably be aiming for a similar end pace of 7:20 ish. It was so difficult to keep my pace slow as he and everyone else streamed past me in the first starting-gun rush. I felt as though I was moving backwards, but when I checked my Garmin I was already doing a 7 min/mile which was well outside the pace I wanted. It just highlighted to me how easy it is to get swept up in the first rush and get carried away. It had felt as though I was barely moving but I was almost a minute a mile quicker than I’d wanted to be. Eek! Brakes on!

The view across the lake. The race was 4 times around this.

It was a pancake flat course around a rectangular lake and each lap was about 5k long so it was a great course to pace yourself and you knew exactly where you were at all times as you could easily see the other sides of the lake and work out how many laps and miles you had left. I kept the first 3 miles very steady at 7:45, 7:40 and then 7:35 just increasing the speed by a steady 5 seconds each mile. 

Me ... looking as though I'm walking! I'm not - promise!

 

It was a relief to be able to increase the speed to 7:20 min/mile and because the route was so flat and predictable it was an easy pace to maintain. I ran with a chap for about a mile at about mile 8 and he paced me quite well – just over the pace I was aiming for - was why the pace increased a little bit, but he disappeared just as we came up to the main building again. I did briefly consider waiting … but it wasn’t quite in the spirit of a race so I carried on. I DID feel a bit mean though. 

I was taking a gel every 3 miles as recommended by Ruth so I did this as I passed the main building as it was a big landmark and I didn’t have to think about the mile markers. Gels were available on the course but they weren’t the brand I’d trained with so I’d carried the ones I wanted.

This all went perfectly to plan until the final gel which I squeezed a little too hard and it ended up in my left eye, hair and all over my face. There wasn’t a lot I could do about it although an older chap spectating though it was highly amusing. I was just relieved it wasn’t mid-summer as I’d have been followed by a cloud of flies and wasps around the remainder of the course. Might have been good for a PB though. Nothing like being chased by an angry swarm of wasps to add a bit of an incentive to your speed. Maybe a tactic to consider if I start slower down at Paris …

I decided that as I’d been so good so far, I’d speed up the last 3 miles just a little bit … again by just 5 seconds a mile. I was having so much fun, I decided that the last mile should be a good one and ran it at just under a 7 min/mile. I could see the red bridge in the distance and I knew that the finish was just over that.

I was overtaken by a young chap in a grey top just as I cam e over the bridge. He’d been hovering at my shoulder ready to overtake me and he pulled away slightly towards the finish. What happened to ‘ladies first’? Stride lengthened, arms came up, and the sprint for the finish started. Over the line in 1:35:42. And I beat the bloke in grey. Well and truly chicked. 

Sprint for the line ... what happened to 'Ladies First'?

P.s. Check out the speed of the final 0.1 ...

Summary         

Time: 1:35:42.0           

Distance: 13.10           

Average Pace: 7:19

Mile Splits

1. 7:43 min/mile

2. 7:40 min/mile

3. 7:36 min/mile

4. 7:19 min/mile

5. 7:20 min/mile

6. 7:20 min/mile

7. 7:20 min/mile

8. 7:17 min/mile

9. 7:19 min/mile

10. 7:17 min/mile

11. 7:11 min/mile

12. 7:11 min/mile

13. 6:55 min/mile

0.1 4:57 min/mile

Garmin Info Here: 

Asics Target 26.2 - Getting free kit! Meeting Coaches! Getting Confused on Trains ...!

Alarm bells should have started ringing when the new ticket was half the price of the original … but nope I was far too excited at the thought of going to visit the Asics Flagship store on Oxford Street to even think about it ...

I got to the station this morning to pick up my tickets to London … and back. And found out the very helpful young lady from Virgin Trains who helped me book the tickets over the phone had cancelled my original return ticket and booked me a single.

I can only assume she imagined I was moving there. Or that I’d have such a lovely time at the Asics store that I’d never want to leave. She was almost right …

I’d been spoiled by the trip to bootcamp – Birmingham is 35 miles away, but today I was venturing into the Big Smoke. I’d had to drive down to Northampton and catch a train as apparently Rugby isn’t allowed to run London trains early on Sunday mornings in case us hicks start getting big ideas …

Managed to make it into Euston and met up with Bacon Steve also known as Santa Loves Bacon who is the First Timer in the Asics Target 26.2 project.

Bacon Steve prepares for a hard day of photographs by eating more bacon..

I think he twigged that I was a bit of a novice at all of this train stuff when I tried to stuff the five pound note into the card slot of the ticket machine. And referred to the underground as ‘The Tube Train’.  However, he resigned himself to the role of carer for the Country Bumpkin and managed to navigate us both to Oxford Street where after a bit of a walk we spotted the Asics store.

My heart leapt … I couldn’t quite believe that I was here and standing outside the flagship Asics store in Oxford Street! And that we were going to get free kit and photos taken! And meet our coaches. And smile for pics. And generally get spoiled rotten! Woo!

As we were half an hour early and the store wasn’t open yet we decided we could do the tourist thing and have our pics taken outside without fear of being spotted by the others and having the mick taken.

Cheesy grin when I found the Asics Store!!

We put on our cheesiest grins and took in turn to have pics taken. We went off to get our coffee safe in the knowledge that our shameful tourist pics hadn’t been seen when Bacon Steve got a call from Kat in the Runners World team. “Hi, we saw you taking pics of the store… then you disappeared. Are you coming back?” Busted! So much for making a cool and insouciant entrance.

Kat took us around the store and showed us the clothes. There were also a couple of labs and treadmills all set up ready for gait analyses. It was a really smart store and everything was very hi-tech.

The view across the store from a gait analysis room looking across at the other.

We were told to choose 2 full sets of training gear and a pair of trainers all up to the value of £500! Let me just say that again … We could choose kit. Get it for free and we could spend up to £500!!! Eeeeek!!

It was strange … normally in a running store I walk in and find the item I’m looking for. Check the price. If it’s under £25 I try it on, if not. I look for something cheaper. But today I could try on everything … I could even –gasp! - coordinate an outfit!

Tried on lots of clothes and outfits. Then the camera crew who wanted shots of me smiling while browsing for clothes grabbed me. I was ecstatic to be browsing for sports kit and being given it for free but I’m not very good as staged photographs. The best they could really hope for was a bit of a gurn and mad eyes.

I tried on the red and black top and black trousers from the Top Impact range and some of the items from the Inner Muscle range. I found a gorgeous pair of long running tights in pink and black. Plus a black top with a zip front and a pink panel. And a beautiful pink running jacket. I had spotted a gap in the Asics range in the shape of garish pink compression socks so I was filling the void with lots and lots of pink clothes.

I also chose a pair of amazing leg balance running tights. They felt great on and looked really nice and were supposed to reduce muscle fatigue. Sounds like a win for me … especially on the long marathon training runs! They were also very flattering. Suspect I may have a new favourite pair of running bottoms.

Also chose a sky-blue ‘Inner Muscle’ top that improves posture and apparently reduces injury risk! Anything that stops me doing my ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’ look at the end of a long run has to be a bonus!

We were then called for a photo shoot in our new clothes. I came out of the changing room in my pink and black outfit … Mel came out of her changing room and we exchanged looks. Somehow out of all of the clothes in the store, we had decided on exactly the same outfit. Down to the trainers. 

We had a few staged photos with (right to left) Ady (Shady_Ady), Alex (A.W), Steve (Santa Loves Bacon), Mel (MelanieJayne) and me (RunnyRunRun).

I was on the end as seems to be the job of the shortarse. It was quite daunting having a camera pointed at you and knowing the pics would be in such a big magazine as Runners World but it was amazing at the same time … It was slowly starting to sink in that this was it!

The photographer gave us instructions. We had ‘stern, serious runners’ face. Then ‘smiley’. Then ‘chatty’. I wouldn’t be able to do this for a job and I gained a lot of respect for celebrities who do. After 10 seconds I got glassy eyes and a fixed grimace. A bit like my office job, but no-one is taking pics of me there. 

We were told to look like 'Stern, Serious Runners'. I gurned unintentionally.

Tip: Don’t believe photographers who say “Just one more picture” …

Got whisked upstairs for an interview with Kate from Runners World. She was really lovely although I was put off a little bit by the chap who was doing the lighting and holding a big shiny silver circle opposite my face. It looked like the plate they put Christmas cakes on and I kept thinking I was going to get offered cake.

The interview wasn’t too bad. Kate was lovely and approachable. As usual I babbled nonsense but managed to rephrase the question into the answer as requested although my waffle-ometer was on high and I was talking at 100 miles per hour as usual. No doubt it will come out like gibberish. Normal Sarah then.

Walked downstairs and was told that my coach was going to be Steve Smythe. He was waiting downstairs and we chatted as we walked. He was very approachable and really nice and totally committed to running. I was expecting him to be a bit scary but he really wasn’t. He gave me some great tips too about getting quicker and advised me how to manage the forum thread. We also had a look at the My Asics training plan. He advised we might add some extra speed sessions in at some point but we would be sticking to the basic plan so it would be easier for everyone else to follow too.

Can’t wait for the plan to come through! I want to get started and get running! The fact that I’ll be able to show off all my awesome new gear is purely coincidental ;)

After this, I went with Amelia from Asics to do the foot analysis. I took off my shoes and socks and she stuck blue dots to the widest parts of my feet and my ankle bone. I had to put my foot into a machine like a large shoe box that came up to my knee and which took a 3d image of my foot and showed my footprint. My foot looked like an elephants’. Not the delicate ballet dancers ankles we like to think we all own. Looks like I may be the proud owner of cankles. Dammit. 

I seem to have lost a couple of the dots somewhere between the treadmill and the chair when I went to sit down to take them off. No doubt they’ll turn up somewhere odd. Probably on my ear in the middle of an important work meeting or something.

Dotty feet ...

I then put on a white pair of neutral shoes with strategically placed dots and stripes and had a run on the treadmill so Amelia could have a look at my gait. One foot was neutral and the other was varying between overpronating and supinating. Hmmm. A rogue foot. Tried on a LOT of shoes and probably managed a couple of km on the treadmill with the gait analyses… seems like I am fitting in a run today after all!

The neutral trainers with strategic dots and stripes.

In the end Amelia recommended the GT2000s in a wide fitting. They felt great and I couldn’t believe I was getting a brand new, beautiful pair of trainers for free!

We went downstairs to tot up the purchases and with the trainers, the total came to £470 … of new kit! Mine, all mine!! My usual sportswear shopping consists of me going into Sports Direct, finding something cheap for under £25 and buying it. Couldn’t get over being given this beautiful, beautiful kit!

Also … as I was slightly under the £500 limit I was encouraged to go back and grab another sports bra … and some socks! No pink I’m afraid. I’m slightly concerned that this hard training will curb my more bizarre colour choices. Hmmm.

Then we were all handed a Garmin Forerunner 210! Wow! What a present! I have absolutely NO excuse to not hit my target with all of this support.

The photographer took a pic of us all with our bags going out of the shop. I didn’t have a glassy grin this time! It was SO amazing to be given all of this great kit! I kept expecting someone to stop me as I walked out of the shop. Or the security guard to rugby tackle me or something.  

(L-R - Me, Steve, Mel, Alex and Ady)

I walked back to the station in a daze. Today had been SO amazing and I’m at the start of my journey to Paris …!

The Runners World team - these guys were AMAZING!!

I've started a new forum thread on the Runners World forum where I've been asked to keep details of my training plan and the runs so everyone else can follow it and train with me for a sub 3:35. Please, please, please come and say hi whether you're training at the moment or not - would be really lovely to speak to you!

Cobbles & Red Wine - my sub 3:35 Marathon Training Thread