So after a lot of thinking I decided to start in Stockholm Marathon 2010. I understood from the start that it wasn't smart. Basically no running at all since that devastating week in Björnrike end of March. The only run I had was the 18km test run last Sunday.
As all of you know I have had tremendous problem with my bursas in the right knee. After one month of resting and stretching I decided to go to the doctor. I met Pekka Kanerva who gave me strong anti inlfl medicine. It seemed to help. In the middle of May I started to ride the bike again (the tough goal back then was to do 1000km before Vätternrundan (June 18).) The bike rides have been good for me. Basically no pain at all in the knee. I feel something. The right does not feel the same as the left knee. But still, it's not pain.
After the test ride last Sunday I also had no knee pain. I was tired tough. Running is tougher than riding the bike - no question about that!
The preparations this week were not ideal. Bike riding and no carbo loading. I decided to start some small carbo loading during Friday...
Saturday. Took the car to downtown Stockholm. Met Mr Legend, Marre and Tobbe. They left for the city and Mr Legend and myself headed to get the numbers...after that we had a nice two hour chill time. Just sitting down, talking about memories etc.
13:07. Time to go to the start line (why so early? Don't know, ask Mr Legend). I decided to start in the same start group as Mr Legend so I dropped one group to group E instead of D. But after a short toilette visit I lost Mr Legend so I changed group again, starting at group D.
14:00 Start!
I decided to take it really really easy. I think I did the first km in 6:00. Too fast but very slow compared to all the rest. I think I liked the new course, going downtown Stockholm right away. I kind of fast started to make km times of 6:15, 6:22, 6:27 etc. Good! I actually tried to maintain a HR sub 150. My max HR is 200 so my 80% HR is 160. In Skövde I maintained a 145 HR during the first hours which felt good.
I was maintaining this speed during the entire first lap. After 17 I felt ok but the thighs started to say "Hey El Maco - what are you doing? We haven't dont this in ages". When we took the left and passed Berwaldhallen I understood that this will be a very very long and painful day. The right knee was perfectly ok so I got the message: This will be hell but the knee is ok!
1/2 marathon 2:18
A good time! Not fast and not super slow. I had been running all the time. Keeping the pace and keeping the HR. Hmm..2:18...I understood that I need to walk during the second lap but still 2:18 is good. Even if I walk a lot I will be able to do it in, lets say sub 5:00 or sub 5:15.
Djurgården (22km-27km)
Tough tough tough. No crowd at all. The pain is getting bigger. Can't escape the pain. Running very slowly but still managing to run. When I took sports drink at Gröna Lund I had difficulties of running again. So that was like saying - if you stop we will not run again.
Maxim cookies 28km Dramaten
I stopped and took appr 6 pieced of Maxim cookies. Needed the energy. Took some water and decided to try to run all the way pass Kungsträdgården. Managed to do that and actually ran all the way to Söder Mälarstrand. Passing the 30km sign. A short while at Söder Mälarstrand I had to take a pee (actually my FIFTH pee during this marathon). After the pee I said to myself. Come on El Maco! To Västerbron and then walk the entire bridge!Good idea!
Västerbron second lap
When the 90 degree left turn came I decided to walk. Its kind of a big incline at that stage. I walked...but when the bridge started I actually started running again. I decided to run all the way to the top and then walk down since its actually worse for me going down than up. That was what I did. Ran to the top and then walked the entire way down. Its a long way down from the top of Västerbron.
Norr Mälarstrand
Oh my god! It was so tough to get running again after that long walk. I tried to be in running mode all the way at Norr Mälarstrand. At the end, close to Stadshuset they have a Cola Drink station. I said to myself that run to that station and walk a bit after that. The cola drink didn't taste like cola (sad - I was longing for some nice Coca Cola at that stage).
Stadhuset - the bridge just before central station
Walking. There was some kind of party at Stadshuset. Lots of nicely dressed people entering. They seemed to look at the looser El Maco - walking!
Central station - Torsgatan 300 meters after the new hotel
Running! Good. Come on! Squueze it out! 5km to go! I was able to run appr 1km before I had to walk again. Actually walked during the main part of Torsgatan.
Odengatan
Ran all the way. Pain all over the thighs! All over! Ouch! Every step. So much pain! No pain in the right knee. But so much pain in the thighs!!
After Odengatan you have a sharp 90 degree right. After the Reebok station I walked for a few 100 metres. After that (appr 1.7km from the goal) I decied to try to run all the way. In pain i managed to come to Sturegatan. Yes, I saw the tower...but no extra energy. Just pain in the thighs.
Entering Valhallavägen I actually thought that I had to walk again. Managed to run and came into Stockholm Stadion. Great feeling? Yes I guess so but more of relief. This was a marathon that I just did, couldn't enjoy it because of the pain in the thighs.
Finish! 4:39. A good time! I think that I had 45 km of running since end of March. Not optimal!!!
Today. Pain as well. But the knee seems to be ok!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/35794127
The HR was ok during the entire run. 156 in average. Which is very good! The HR actually had a strange peak at Stadshuset first lap. Up to 194....don't know what happened. Incorrect of course.
All in all. The weather was perfect! Everything was perfect. I liked the course better this year. A great race. So sad that I couldn't do a better race!
As all of you know I have had tremendous problem with my bursas in the right knee. After one month of resting and stretching I decided to go to the doctor. I met Pekka Kanerva who gave me strong anti inlfl medicine. It seemed to help. In the middle of May I started to ride the bike again (the tough goal back then was to do 1000km before Vätternrundan (June 18).) The bike rides have been good for me. Basically no pain at all in the knee. I feel something. The right does not feel the same as the left knee. But still, it's not pain.
After the test ride last Sunday I also had no knee pain. I was tired tough. Running is tougher than riding the bike - no question about that!
The preparations this week were not ideal. Bike riding and no carbo loading. I decided to start some small carbo loading during Friday...
Saturday. Took the car to downtown Stockholm. Met Mr Legend, Marre and Tobbe. They left for the city and Mr Legend and myself headed to get the numbers...after that we had a nice two hour chill time. Just sitting down, talking about memories etc.
13:07. Time to go to the start line (why so early? Don't know, ask Mr Legend). I decided to start in the same start group as Mr Legend so I dropped one group to group E instead of D. But after a short toilette visit I lost Mr Legend so I changed group again, starting at group D.
14:00 Start!
I decided to take it really really easy. I think I did the first km in 6:00. Too fast but very slow compared to all the rest. I think I liked the new course, going downtown Stockholm right away. I kind of fast started to make km times of 6:15, 6:22, 6:27 etc. Good! I actually tried to maintain a HR sub 150. My max HR is 200 so my 80% HR is 160. In Skövde I maintained a 145 HR during the first hours which felt good.
I was maintaining this speed during the entire first lap. After 17 I felt ok but the thighs started to say "Hey El Maco - what are you doing? We haven't dont this in ages". When we took the left and passed Berwaldhallen I understood that this will be a very very long and painful day. The right knee was perfectly ok so I got the message: This will be hell but the knee is ok!
1/2 marathon 2:18
A good time! Not fast and not super slow. I had been running all the time. Keeping the pace and keeping the HR. Hmm..2:18...I understood that I need to walk during the second lap but still 2:18 is good. Even if I walk a lot I will be able to do it in, lets say sub 5:00 or sub 5:15.
Djurgården (22km-27km)
Tough tough tough. No crowd at all. The pain is getting bigger. Can't escape the pain. Running very slowly but still managing to run. When I took sports drink at Gröna Lund I had difficulties of running again. So that was like saying - if you stop we will not run again.
Maxim cookies 28km Dramaten
I stopped and took appr 6 pieced of Maxim cookies. Needed the energy. Took some water and decided to try to run all the way pass Kungsträdgården. Managed to do that and actually ran all the way to Söder Mälarstrand. Passing the 30km sign. A short while at Söder Mälarstrand I had to take a pee (actually my FIFTH pee during this marathon). After the pee I said to myself. Come on El Maco! To Västerbron and then walk the entire bridge!Good idea!
Västerbron second lap
When the 90 degree left turn came I decided to walk. Its kind of a big incline at that stage. I walked...but when the bridge started I actually started running again. I decided to run all the way to the top and then walk down since its actually worse for me going down than up. That was what I did. Ran to the top and then walked the entire way down. Its a long way down from the top of Västerbron.
Norr Mälarstrand
Oh my god! It was so tough to get running again after that long walk. I tried to be in running mode all the way at Norr Mälarstrand. At the end, close to Stadshuset they have a Cola Drink station. I said to myself that run to that station and walk a bit after that. The cola drink didn't taste like cola (sad - I was longing for some nice Coca Cola at that stage).
Stadhuset - the bridge just before central station
Walking. There was some kind of party at Stadshuset. Lots of nicely dressed people entering. They seemed to look at the looser El Maco - walking!
Central station - Torsgatan 300 meters after the new hotel
Running! Good. Come on! Squueze it out! 5km to go! I was able to run appr 1km before I had to walk again. Actually walked during the main part of Torsgatan.
Odengatan
Ran all the way. Pain all over the thighs! All over! Ouch! Every step. So much pain! No pain in the right knee. But so much pain in the thighs!!
After Odengatan you have a sharp 90 degree right. After the Reebok station I walked for a few 100 metres. After that (appr 1.7km from the goal) I decied to try to run all the way. In pain i managed to come to Sturegatan. Yes, I saw the tower...but no extra energy. Just pain in the thighs.
Entering Valhallavägen I actually thought that I had to walk again. Managed to run and came into Stockholm Stadion. Great feeling? Yes I guess so but more of relief. This was a marathon that I just did, couldn't enjoy it because of the pain in the thighs.
Finish! 4:39. A good time! I think that I had 45 km of running since end of March. Not optimal!!!
Today. Pain as well. But the knee seems to be ok!
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/35794127
The HR was ok during the entire run. 156 in average. Which is very good! The HR actually had a strange peak at Stadshuset first lap. Up to 194....don't know what happened. Incorrect of course.
All in all. The weather was perfect! Everything was perfect. I liked the course better this year. A great race. So sad that I couldn't do a better race!
Oh what a great report ! I have myself been in this kind of situation on the second lap to many times.. I can easily understand the fight you have been through. Just go up from walking to running when all your body is screaming "don't move" is an new dimension... I am happy to hear that your knee is pretty Ok afterwards, since that is most important when looking into the future. Now I hope you and Ida will have a good trip down in Motala, and let's start planning for new challanges :-)
SvaraRaderaA big GRATTIS, very impressing and a very good story told. //Jan E
SvaraRaderaEl Maco! I am very impressed, you have a very strong mind. As I can read you had a big internal fight, where your body told you to stop and you said no, we keep going.
SvaraRaderaA big congratulations for a great race, you are a person to admire.
I hope you will be 100% in your knee now. I want to train as much as you do and some day beat your time, when we are both pain-free in the knees!! :) / UltraMylay (maybe I should run one more ultra race to really deserve this nickname?)