2014

5Km - 18:21

10Km - 38:07

1/2 Mar - 1:24:58

68Kgs

2013 Stanchart Marathon Report

I had big dreams for this year's Stanchart Marathon. I had trained hard for it.
I had made sacrifices, taken some risks. Several risks, especially skiving work, and made adjustments in my diet that saw me shed 10Kgs.
So I had some great expectations.
I had changed my training and basically borrowed ideas from Mark's training. I mainly increased both the distance and intensity of my long runs and killed doubles and reduced speed runs.
Having Mark as a training partner to compare notes with and motivate myself helped a great deal and helped me through the low moments when I felt like slacking or giving up or just becoming one with the masses. That helped a lot. Thanks Mark. Running, distance running in particular, is a very solitary sport and every other day, one is confronted with the question, Why am I doing this again? And one will always want to quit. Or take an undeserved or unscheduled rest. But one needs eternal vigilance in order not to quit. A running partner can help in this. The reason I will not quit is because in running I have found myself. I have found strength. I have discovered who I am made of and it has enriched my life beyond my expectations. It has made me so strong and increased my self esteem and confidence and my happiness index has soared because of running so no way, no how, I am gonna hang my boots.

Besides runs where I have totally bombed to the extent of almost not being able to make it home by myself, I have dealt with injuries this year bro. Wa! Calf injuries (early in the year), shin splints (to a lesser degree - thanks to heel-toe walks), psoas injuries gave me total hell, my adductors literally killed me and made me pee in pain and cry like a baby. Well, almost. Then my hip flexor injuries made me feel like I was cut in half at the waist and I could feel like any moment, this body of flesh and bones could collapse into a senseless un-coordinated hip anytime and then early this week, a hamstring injury which I managed with RICE and painkillers - taking Ponstan Forte even became as common as taking lunch. We were on the brink of becoming junkies!

We even started peddling it: I told Mark about it - Mark had a psoas injury. Mark gave it to Jemmo (hip flexor injury) and Ochibo (twisted ankle) so it was passing around like cocaine.
Man, this sport!
So its been a tough year. I ran through the injuries. Several times, I alighted from a motorbike walking like a bugger with a grenade up his ass. Many times, I limped in the office - careful not to attract attention - and there is plenty of attention lying idle waiting to be attracted in the office. Often times, I alighted from the car and had to start by walking slowly lest I stretch something already stretched.

Let me not bore you with that. Lets get to the race, shall we?

Okey dokey.

One thing I have learnt this year is that carbo loading is crap. I don't know where people get that idea from.

Okay, lets get to the race.

I was up at 5:30am. Black coffee and two slices of white bread. Three cups of coffee. Took plenty of water when I started entertaining the fear that coffee may be a diuretic.

I left my car @ Boruras place and we walked to the venue. No signs of Ogutu, Mark or Abo. We took some photos with Borura then I left my stuff @ left Luggage area - most disorganized fellows ever!

So anyway, I pee and head to the startline.

Then I leave the startline and pee again in the Portaloos and I see Mark going to the start like and I shout three times calling him. He doesn't hear. I don't get to a good position. I get to see Ogutu and wish each other luck just before the gun goes off and we are off!

The start is crowded. Very crowded. So its all about elbowing for space, ignoring the irritated looks of strangers and rushing to every open space.
The first Km is very slow: 4:26. But I am not too worried. I feel great.
Okay. So whats the gameplan?
Game plan is to first mentally divide race into three segments.
Each 7K should be done in under 30mins coz we are aiming at sub 1:30.
I find the yoyo guy who kicked my butt in Ndakaini at the end of the 1st K and give him a thumbs up. He acknowledges. He has a lean guy jumping up and down next to him. This lean guy seems to be using him as a rabbit. I watch that leaping style of running and I note that this guy cant go far coz that style is simply unsustainable. Too much wasted energy.
I settle in next to him and we go for another 800m.
My presence seems to challenge him. He paces up. I glance at my garmin. I am within pace so I let him go. I stick about 50mins behind him.
Its on!
I look around. I cant see Mark, Ogutu, Borura, Abo, etc. There is plenty of energy around and in all shapes, sizes, genders and presentations. Some Gor Mahia junkies behind us are singing praise songs for Gor. I pass some lean lady. Several ladies. Several guys. Lean ones, fat ones. Some also pass me. The air is crisp. The weather is perfect. Perfect.
Now, I am also well hydrated. Well, rested and I have energy and I have trained and I have dressed well, I have got shoes to die for, my garmin is working like a state-of-the art garmin and I have room and the tarmacs grip is glorious. And I have settled into some decent pace. So all I have to do is stick to my target pace, dont fall asleep and dont do anything crazy either. Just go by feel and maintain the required speed. If by 16K you still feel strong, hammer the sucker!
The first 7K I am well under 30 mins so I am cool.
At about 8K, I see Mark ahead. This guy must have started fast! I ask him if he is ok and he says he is not doing too well and he tells me to roll on. I pass him and the yoyo guy at University way. Now my focus is on doing 14K in sub 1 hour.
The museum hill hill is challenging as expected but I recover and manage the 14K in under 60 mins.
Now I need to focus on the last 7k. I am impressed on forest road at how the local Indian community have come out to support the marathon.
The yoyo guy and some guy with a No pain No Gain TShirt pass me at the 16th Km. I keep them 50m ahead.
After Uhuru park, its kinda hilly but I give my very best and I push as hard as I can to keep up and to meet my target. I give everything I have. My garmin registers 21K just before we enter the stadium and I complete in 1:30:02. So I miss my target by about three seconds. I know Stanchart will probably give me a 1:32 but I am ok with that. Average pace, 4:17 min/Km.
I will take it coz this is a PR. The distance the organizers use is probably 21.4 from what it seems. We shall see. Here are my Splits:

1          4:26.9

2          4:04.3

3          4:07.4

4          4:09.8

5          4:15.3

6          4:17.0

7          4:01.8______29:22

8          4:09.8

9          4:12.8

10        4:34.6_______42:19

11        4:06.0

12        4:17.0

13        4:44.1

14        4:11.8_______59:38

15        4:17.2

16        4:19.2

17        4:27.6

18        4:20.3_______1:17:02

19        4:15.3

20        4:16.6

21        4:24.6

At any rate, I am happy with my performance. I had no stitch, no injury, no fall or anything that stopped me from giving 100%. I didn't hold back and so I don't have any "what ifs" and I am glad that I have finally reached 90mins. Now I have to go below it. That is next years goal when I will be targeting 1:25. My average pace in 2012 Stanchart was 4:39 (time was 1:37:49). This year its 4:17, an improvement of 22 seconds. I am aiming at 3:58 next year, an improvement of 19 seconds.

Onwards to 2014 Fellas! Keep rolling!

Lessons Learnt in 2013

I did my last long run yesterday -  a 10K with strides. Now I wait and get fresh legs. Stanchart is two days away. We will see how that goes. But Stanchart results don't matter so much. I know where I am and I am already setting goals for for 2014. For 2014 I will be aiming for a 1:25 Half, Sub 1:35 Ndakaini and Sub 3hours Full .

LESSONS LEARNT

1. Be Consistent - Not more than five days should pass without going for a run. Don't think too much. Just go and run. Thats it. It doesnt have to be a perfect run. Remember, NOBODY ever regretted going for a run. Ever.

2. Keep weight Sub 70Kgs. Eat more fruits and vegetables and drink more water. Reduce or cut out red meat. Watch what you eat. It matters. BE CONSISTENT with your diet too. There is no season for gluttony. Stay the course or pay the price.
3. Do more long runs. Use singles for trenches.
4. When outside the trenches, keep it intense. Keep the long runs intense.
5. Do more sprints for strength and speed and 3X1000 repeats for speed.
6. Have fun with the runs. Take risks. Go hard and let the chips fall where they will.

7. Stick to hilly or rolling routes where possible.
8. Invest in shoes and other gear. Be nice to yourself. Stay warm. Stay comfortable.
9. Keep positive and keep positive people around. Every step is a victory.
10. Take care of core strength and flexibility. Learn from every injury and take corrective action. Strengthen and improve technique and form as the case may be. Think. Don't stumble around the running experience. Learn.
11. Have more group runs - one every two months at least. Don't sweat their planning. Just do them. Go with one guy or ten guys. Doesn't matter.

The Last Three weeks to Stanchart

It has been a busy three weeks! And buggers in the office behave as if I am the only person doing brain surgery and when I am on leave, everyone claims they are incompetent to handle my assignments! Damn annoying!
Last week in the trenches - Sep 29-Oct 5: 95Kms
26K in 2:00:46 - Group run with Mark and GK. I was sluggish already.
22k
22k
22k
25k Too sluggish. Decide to get out of the trenches pronto. I dont care. I need my legs back.
Total: 95Kms.
Week 1 outside the trenches 6th-13th Oct
I then traveled to shaggs with Mark to put up a house for my mum. We went for a 12K around Lake Simbi
12K in 58 mins - still no legs.
21K in 1:42 legs 80% back. Mark has a respiratory problem. We found a nice route with rolling hills from Osika to Kadel.

21K in 1:36 My legs are back. Time to step on the pedal. Invited Ochibo. He bombed after 8K. Asked Ochibo to invite all comers and there is a reward of 2K for anyone who can hang with us.
Week 2 Outside the trenches: 14-19th Oct
21k in 1:33:31.  Ochibo comes with Daddy, Drogba and Kelvin. Daddy does a good job with Ochibo. They bomb after 16K. But they do a helluva good run for newcomers! Drogba and Kelvin are destroyed with the blistering pace by 4K. Ochibo and Daddy survive up to 15K. Then they collapse. Man, it was a bloodbath. 21 in 1:34:36. Mark is recovering well.

Drogba and Daddy wondering WTF happened?

Stanchart week - 20th -27th

Monday 25k in 1:52:57 with 21K in 1:33:18. With Daddy and Ochibo. Ochibo steps on a stone and twists his ankle. Daddy does very, very well and completes just behind me with Mark. I really pushed hard. Used surges from 12K to try and shake off daddy. I finally did after 22K but man! Great dude!
I have a Hamstring injury though I ran with it. I hope I can handle it well so that it doesn't become a showstopper for Stanchart. I will use RICE.
Surprisingly, my weight is alright at 72K even though I misbehaved in shaggs!

Kelvin and Ochibo - and baby Hawi! Kelvin said later that what he saw on that day, he will never go to run with us again. He thought of removing his shoes at some point, when the going got tough and his legs were heavy as lead.

Out of the trenches - Shaggs!

I traveled to shaggs to build my mum a house. I ran round lake Simbi with Mark on Tuesday. My legs weren't back and we completed a 12K. Then we did a 21K to Adiedo which we completed in 1:42 and on Friday we invited Ochibo and ran with him and completed 21K in 1:36. Ochibo faded after 8K. For someone who doesn't run, he did very well  but he paid for underrating us town folks and we earned his respect. Mark is battling with a chest infection that messes up his breathing. Tough dude. I want to really push hard next week. Really hard. My weight is not bad. Not good but not bad either. My legs are back and its time to push freakin hard. I want to hit some sub 4:20s.

Next week we push hard one last time. The Osika Adiedo route has rolling hills and tarmac so its just the perfect route for Stanchart Prep.

Osika_Adiedo_Route

Distance:        21Kms
Time:         1:36:23
Avg Pace:     4:35 min/km
Elevation Gain:     112 m
Elevation Loss:     109 m
Min Elevation:     1,145 m
Max Elevation:     1,208 m

Splits:

1    4:20.5        
2    4:29.8        
3    4:29.3        
4    4:32.4        
5    4:36.4        
6    4:31.5        
7    4:29.1        
8    4:48.0        
9    4:55.3        
10    4:52.0        
11    4:50.5        
12    4:43.5        
13    4:31.9        
14    4:28.2        
15    4:48.9        
16    4:34.1        
17    4:29.9        
18    4:34.4        
19    4:29.2        
20    4:24.2        
21    4:21.0