Failed again at my 2nd marathon attempt
Hi all,
It was my (38M) 2nd attempt at a marathon yesterday. I adhered to a training plan (pfitzinger 18/55) pretty consistently, only altering a few training sessions due to minor niggles. I was also consistent with strength training and cross training when it seemed sensible to do so. Based on the various paces (easy run pace, VO2 max pace, LT, etc.) I believed a realistic finish time was 3h30, with a secondary goal of 3h45 and a final goal of under 4h. I paced myself at ~5min/km, but was flexible enough to deviate if it felt unmanageable.
However, the same issue arose as during the first run. My body went into excruciating cramps after about 26km, despite never happening in training during longer runs, and not at a much slower pace. At first it was my quads, so I slowed down, then it was my hamstrings. They completely seize up and I'm forced to stand still. I managed to walk/run but I was very careful to continue stopping when I felt it seizing because the pain is intolerable and during the first marathon I had to stop completely and couldn't move. Everything clamped up. It's frustrating because I feel like my aerobic fitness is there, but my muscular endurance or nervous system are prohibiting me making progress.
The only thing different yesterday to my training block was the heat. It was 17oC; not roasting by any stretch of the imagination but hotter than any runs during my training over winter. It was also pointed out to me the amount of salt in my sweat. My skin and clothes have huge white patches of salt, so perhaps I sweat out more sodium than the average person, and this had an impact. I don't know. Has anyone endured a similar experience and found a way to overcome it?
This is slightly more disappointing than the first attempt because I think I followed the major training advice/science: increased sleep and lowered stress in the week prior, reduced volume but maintained intensity during the taper, increase ratio of carbohydrates, fueled with energy gels every 30mins & chewed on electrolyte tablets while keeping hydrated. Meanwhile, there were people running without even wearing hydration vests, and only relying on the hydration stations for snacks!
Thanks for taking the time.