Stockholm Marathon 2011 - El Maco Story

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/88502641



This was my first marathon this year. Due to work in Kiev I have not been able to run Skövde 6-timmars or Lidingö Ultra.

Early start this year - 11:30 instead of 14:00. The weather was perfect, 13 C in the start and probably 16 C at the finish line. Before the start I didn't know what to wear. I actually bought the long thin sweater just before start and decided to go with that one. I know - a gamble since you should never wear anything for the first time when you run a marathon.

I met Mr Legend at 10:00 so we had some nice talk before the start. My plan was to start in 5:30 pace and then try to make it sub 4. I decided to follow Mr L as long as I could. He started in paces between 5:20-5:30 which was perfect for me. My HR was appoximate 80% during the first 10km which for me is a tough start but hopefully ok. Between 10-20km the HR increased to appr 83% and I knew that I was playing with fire now.

Passing Valhallavägen during the second lap after 17km I decided to increase the speed since its downhill during appr 3km. That was a really good thing to do. No HR increase and I had kms of appr 5:00 - some even sub 5:00.

At 20km (Tekniska museet) I continued to increase the speed and I think that this was the place where Mr L let me go. I didn't see him after that point.

Passed 1/2 marathon at appr 1:54. Great! Now I only need to do 2:06 in order to make it sub 4. But I continued my high speed and noticed that the HR didn't increase. Great! So just continue the flow! The legs were fresh and I decided - this is it! Make it or break it! So I had a lot of kms running fast 5:03 min / km. Passed Kungsträdgården second lap and I felt - I actually felt fresh. Söder mälarstrand second lap is normally a nightmare. I felt like flying this time! Passed a lot of people.

Västerbron was a little bit tougher but I actually think that I passed it running 5:15 or something like that - super! Now I realized that I will absolutely make it sub 4. Can I even make it sub 3:50?

Norr Mälarstrand. The legs are tired now. Specifically the back side of the thighs. But not at all as previous years. So I decided not to decrease pace. I actually think that I increased the speed during the last kms. Check the GC link above - didn't I do fast times even during the last 5 kms?

Passing 40km I realized that I will make it sub 3:45. I was not able to make it my personal best but it was going to be close. And close it was. Finishing 3:42:30 - just 45 seconds above my personal best from 2007. Yes - I agree, the temperature 2007 was crazy (+29 C) so of course that was a much better race. But this was just a fantastic experience!

Now I will have 20 days of extensive bike riding. I have so far only 56km. I will need to ride at least 500km before Vätternrundan June 18.