The road to Valencia marathon 2024

December 1st - Valencia marathon. The race that almost didn't happen. Valencias reputation has grown enormously in recent years. I entered almost a year ago with the "excitment" of sitting in a queuing system for almost 2 hours to secure my bib.

Having finally gone sub 2 hours 40 at Manchester marathon, my excitment at racing in Valencia grew further. And then in May, a freak accident (not my doing) meant a badly damaged Medial crucial ligament. This was the first time I've ever taken out race insurance, and was both relieved and gutted at the thought I might have to use it. I wasn't giving up. I got in the gym 4 times a week 2 hours at a time slowly rebuilding the ligament. 6 weeks of limping slowly turned into 2km runs, then 3km. And then one day, 8k and no pain.

So almost 9 weeks out and I'm running again, only to run into a tree branch and seriously injure myself again - another 10 days out. So in total, I was out May, June and July. I now had a 16 week training block from zero miles to Valencia marathon.

I'm writing a separate blog about the training block, as there was some interesting race performances - I'll post it shortly.

So having pulled back my training, the worst imaginable scenario played out for the Valencia region - major flooding, loss of life and devastation to many villages and infrastructure. Valencia itself wasn't hit - would the race go ahead...? It took almost 3 weeks for confirmation the local authorities would allow the race to go ahead! So off to Manchester airport on the 29th November - shock horror with Manchester, our flight left an hour late to Alicante which meant we missed our transfer bus to Valencia. Quick car hire (Fiat 500s aren't ideal when you're driving 2 hours with sore legs by the way) and we arrive in Valencia Friday evening.

Saturday - The one thing I always say is make sure you rest the day before the marathon. Famous last words this time round.......... The one piece of infrastructure still recovering from the foods was the tram network - only 2 lines out of 9 operating. And even those lines had a minimal service. Having boarded a tram towards the EXPO, we got 1 stop and it broke down. So walked the 2km to the expo. I did manage to catch a tram most of the way back. We then decided to do a little sight seeing. Again, no trams, so we walked and walked and walked a bit more. Not ideal. So advice number one in this blog - if you're travelling with a partner to a race as part of a holiday, be blunt about what you won't do the day before the race! (or just don't take them). Fab day though - the people of Valencia were so welcoming.

Race day - I have a set routine the day of any endurance race, and no change this time. Porridge, coffee and orange juice. Thats followed by a Maurten 160 drink mix, 2 x beetroot shots which help improve oxygen capacity in an endurance race, and a glug of feriglobin liquid, which heps in the formation of red blood cells. Does it really make a difference? Not sure - will I keep doing it? Yes. And the weirdest routine I have is using Krauferhof heat gel. Originlly designed for use on race horses, it helps warms muscles ahead of exercise.

Thinking I was ready, I headed to the tram - except they're weren't running yet. And the first one was 35 minutes still. No hire bikes nearby, so I was going to have to jog the 6km to the start. After yesterdays walking, this wasn't good. Set off t 5:45/km pace so really light and making sure I wasn't using glycogen stores aleady. So piece of advice number 2 - be ready for the unexpected, and don't stay too far if hotels are affordable. For those who struggle with busy baggage areas and start ines, this isn't your race - it's mental. People everywhere, The buzz is electric. And then we start..........Crackers.

The calibre of runner is immense. So even as a 2 hr 40 runner, you're hemmed in for 8km before you start to get any space. I was behind 2 partially sighted runners and their guides - truly impressive to see them running this pace. Having had my lactate threshold test a couple of weeks before, I knew I wanted to maintain my heart rate at 158, and aiming for an average 3mins 43 per km average across the race. First half of the race - bang on. But as I approached half way, my quads were in trouble. It was like they were seizing, but this early in the race.....? This wasn't a traditional "hitting the wall". I slowed my pace down to nearer 3:55/km (even slower on the downhill as I tried to protect the quads as they extended further). Everything else in the race was perfect - temperature started at 14 degrees, got to around 17, but that's not hot really. Cadence at 187, heart rate dropped once I slowed down, so average HR was only 155. And no pain across any other muscle group. What it did mean was I wasn't then likely to hit te wall as I wasn't going as fast as I'd train to. And by this point, my heart rate was down to 153 - 154 BPM - well beow threshold.

At 32k, Joe Clevely from Hyde harriers went past me - that really helped - we kept each other going for the final 10km, swapping who was leading and I crossed the line seconds ahead of him. I finished in 2 hrs 42:30. The weird thing about this race - it never felt that long, time just flew by. At no point was I thinking "when wil this end" or "how much longer". I was mentally prepared for this race, and also knew how to change from the A-plan to the B-plan and execute it perfectly. I carried out every other element of the race exactly as planned. Fueling - spot on, cadence and heart rate perfect. So yes, I was disappointed, but weirdly satisfied at the same time. Interestingy, there was a ot of other runners struggling with quads, struggling up and down pavements at the end. All in all, a fab race, one I'm glad I entered and got to take part in.

And now 2 days later, what do I think went wrong? Well, there's no doubting the extra walking and jogging due to no trams didn't help, albeit that wouldn't normally have caused an issue so early on. I suspect my strength work from earlier in the year has played a big part. I've had to spend 12 weeks strengthening my quads to aid the knee ligament recovery - and where as I've focsed on glutes and calves too, I've neglected hamstrings, so I'll build that back in so I'm not dominant in 1 area. Second, I did quite a lot of hilly long runs - I wouldn't say that formed large amounts of my mileage, but perhaps I'd of been better heading up and down flat canals so I was used to racing such a flat course. FInally, I've not done enough to drive stride length focus on cadence - absolutely, longer threshold speed sessions - yes. But short sharp strides or 200s that might hep my stride alongside cadence - not nearly enough.

I'm really proud of delivering another good race at nigh on 51 years old, I was gutted not to get close to 2:37. It's a race I'll remember for a long time, right up there with Boston. And looking forward to Newport in April, another flat course, I know what I need to focus on - no family members attending, lots of flat long runs, lots of strides and strengthening hamstrings more. Until then, Stockport 10 miler and Cross country next up.