More a learning exercise & training run than all out race - do an event aboard, a holiday, a bit of warm weather practice and if possible move forward a pen for Comrades ultra in June.
Not as warm as hoped for, but a few days R&R definitely needed. Lots of good sessions with coach Jonny Mellor at UTS Hoylake so knew leg speed was very good but not at peak marathon fitness yet, with only 2 very slow 20 milers done. A little 6-7 day mini taper before not a full 2-3 week one like on a target marathon so would be interesting to see what I was capable of early in training.
Race started at 8am in Mdina, and finished at Sliema right next to our hotel. $5 euro bus dropped us off 7am nice and early at Mdina, the old "silent" capital of Malta, very picturesque, buildings from 1500s and also quite high up. Course used this and appeared to be fast on paper, 600-700ft of downhill. Had risked wearing my favourite Saucony Kinvara shoes, light, fast, but untested at marathon distance or on Malta's roads. Light jog, some drills and strides to warm up 15 mins before. Marathon started at 8am, half at 9:20 with my missus running so we hoped to meet in the last mile. 500 people doing the full distance, 2500 running the half, and more walking it.
Prompt start, into stride quickly, mile 1 whizzed by 7:40. Really wasn't pushing hard but well under the 8:20 mm I needed for a sub 3:40 time.. 7:20, 7:15, 7:21. Hmm this felt odd. Easy and at PB pace nearly. Began to get tempted, under 3:20 would be forward 2 pens for South Africa. 10k done in ~46 minutes, on track for 3:15-20 finish. Let a few miles slip by then told myself off. No need to go this fast, end up injured or needing 2-3 weeks recovery. Started to feel impact of the road on my quads and a little in left calf maybe from choice of shoes. Needed to stop for quick loo break so used that to slow myself down and get sensible head on. Weather was warm but not roasting, water every 3 miles and music on too.
Around mile 9 met someone from Portsmouth going for a sub 3:30 pB, a friend was pacing him but had left him behind, they gone off at mad 3:15 pace which was pushing it after doing 3:51 in October. Gave me something to focus on, settled around 8 minute miles and kept it there for 5-6 miles, chatting. Started to see some of the course for second time, the loops they had us doing to make up 15 miles before joining back with walkers and runners.
From then onwards, this was not a fun race. Walkers spread across the road, at stations taking on water, not leaving space for runners. You needed to shout "stay left" to get through and loads wearing headphones. Girl posed for photo and stuck arm out just as I passed to smack me in the face. Not happy. We shouted ahead, and got dirty looks from some.
Entering a small town, roads narrowed, more walkers and slow half people was getting silly. The guy's friend pacing came back so I kicked on, I was getting annoyed with the traffic, even some cars and bikes whistling past with the other lane still open. Marathon field starting to thin out, very few to pace against. Was becoming a solo job, lots of swearing, still evading half runners. More stations with water & sponges across the road even little empty hard powerade bottles, was actually pretty dangerous.
Miles all sub 8mm comfortably though, With no need to push myself for a fast sub 3:20 time, walked a couple of little ups and then put head down to just get this finished. 3 miles to go, bumped into the missus, looked to be struggling. Mile to go kicked for finish, finally some crowds and people cheering.. so as 2 hr+ half marathon people finished so were full 26 mile 3:15-30 people with different lane, good atmosphere but slightly strange. Happy to see that finish line.
Finished in 3h 24m which is 9-10 minutes slower than my best time, but still my second fastest marathon. 18 months ago this time would've taken 12-16 weeks of training, all my effort and wiped me out, but I wasn't even flat out, only 4 small cubes of clif blok so slightly more than 1 gel. More endurance from ultras, strength work at UTS gym and different speed training with Jonny Mellor meaning stronger legs? Whatever the cause, great confidence boost for marathons this year, going sub 3:10 in the future and Comrades in June.
Ps my wife finished with a 5 min half m PB so everyone had a good day.
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