Race report: 2013 Kent Roadrunner Marathon

I ran this, my 7th marathon, last Saturday 01 June. It didn't go so well. I've never run a marathon so soon after a previous marathon; I'd run N. Dorset Village four weeks before. This was the first race I've run, since I got back into racing in late 2009, where I've been really disappointed in my performance. I was troubled with exhaustion and calf cramps, and ended up walking for portions of the later miles. Managed a 3:32, my second-slowest marathon time ever. On the other hand, N. Dorset was my second-fastest ever, and qualified me GFA for London 2014, so my Kent shame doesn't matter so much. Was glad my family could join me at the cyclopark course, which was good in terms of diversions for kids (like the playground, where Maggie enlisted two boys to push her on a giant swing), and except for my finish time, it was a good day. Nearly failed to arrive on time (sat nav put us through central London instead of on the M25; after a stressful drive we arrived 15 minutes before the starting gun), so thankful to have even started this one. And I get some sun, a gigantic medal, and a finishing time that I would have killed for if I could have achieved it in my first marathon at age 27. This race also featured a 'showboating' competition in which runners are encouraged to strike funny poses; my attempt is below.

I'm thinking that in future, it will be sensible to leave more time between marathons, and focus on quality rather than quantity. Maybe two marathons a year, with a few half-marathons and 10k's in between. Somehow even with this failure, I love running more than ever, and am currently planning some races that I will blog about soon.