RIGA MARATHON 17/05/15
I've set myself this target of breaking my marathon
PB every year until I'm sixty. I've managed it all the way from 2009 apart
from 2013 when I concentrated on ultramarathon training and didn't run
a marathon. I'm now 59 and I've missed maintaining the streak by 18 seconds
at Seville. This is the last chance saloon before my July birthday. It's
only two months after the Eco Trail de Paris ultra so I have no time for
a proper training build up. I rest after Paris and then put in a few weeks
solid enough work with one 20 mile run, some modest tempo efforts and
the usual bits and pieces. Work was full on with lots of travelling and
not enough sleep.
It doesn't look like I am going as Moira is due to work on the Saturday
but another vet steps in at the last minute and swaps dates with her.
I enter a few days before the race, sometimes you've just got to go for
it. I travel to Latvia on my own, everyone else is too busy or too sensible.
I fly Wizzair and I am staying in the four star Islande Hotel for about
£50 a night. It's just across the big bridge from the start which
is on the Daugava riverfront outside the 700 year old castle, which doubles
as the presidential residence. Behind it is the old town, the picturesque
part of Riga.
On Saturday night I am woken at midnight by one of the venues I installed
a sound system in with a big technical problem, so I am poring over mixer
schematics on my phone in the middle of the night, fortunately I am possibly
a genius and fix it over the phone. I finally get back to sleep but slumber
on through the alarm and wake up at 7.19am, just over an hour from the
race start time. On goes my running kit, I throw my things into my bag,
eat a banana, check out and hurry over the bridge to the start. I make
it to the front of the toilet queue with less than 5 mins to go, somehow
manage a 30 sec poo and make it to the rear of the starting pen. The course
is two non identical laps. After three kilometres we are crossing back
over the bridge and a right turn takes us past my hotel. There is an out
and back along quiet streets before coming back over the bridge again,
then we are running through the old town where most of the crowd support
is concentrated. Over the river via a different bridge, another loop and
back via bridge number three. The bridges are the only significant humps
as Riga is a largely flat city. The first half is going well, I am closing
in on the 3.30 pacer after starting well behind him. However the inevitable
happens, I have to stop for another toilet visit shortly before halfway
where there is a short row of portaloos. It breaks my rhythm but I try
refocus and get back on to a consistent pace. We are now back on the long
riverside road to the castle and as we are running with the half marathon
entrants most of the field is steered to the right hand side to cross
the finish line. The rest of us carry on past for the second lap. Instead
of the short loop back to the bridge, this time there is a long out and
back section. It gets tougher, it always does. I am grateful for the enthusiastic
motivation from one of the female marshals, maybe I look like I need it
as she seems to direct it towards me as I go by. It makes such a difference
to get a small psychological boost. Back over the main bridge after 32K.
I'm slowing but I don't stop apart from to get the one gel I eat out of
my pocket with freezing hands at about 35K. My three and a half hour target
is long gone. We cross the bridge for a final time and are back into the
old town. There have been some decent bands along the route and here is
a really unusual one, sort of souped up traditional music with a choir
over a backbeat. There is an extraordinary section passing between two
long rows of tables with people in folk costumes standing on them high
fiving. It is bizarre and effective and I am nearly there, I'm exhausted
but there is just a short downward slope to the river and then a final
200 metre dash to the line. I am home in 3.41.09 but after the pre race
drama it's the best I can do. I feel kind of numb, not hungry or thirsty
and legs not too beat up. I am flying back the same day so I head back
to the hotel where my case is stashed. Although I have checked out they
allow me to use the spa, sauna, steam room and Jacuzzi lovely.
Back at the airport I drink one celebratory beer. Paldies Riga!


Tough day in Riga
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