Surrounded by water: The Isle of Wight Marathon 2006

I had a few questions coming into this race: what sort of shape was I in after a very hard Boston Marathon 5 weeks ago? Would my lack of long runs in the intervening weeks affect my endurance? Given that I might now be more rested than after all the touristy stuff in Boston, and with it being cooler, and less crowded, could I in fact get close to my Boston time? Just how hilly is the Isle Of Wight Marathon?

I had to tell myself that times were not important. What mattered here was it was a race for position. I'd entered this because it was the Hampshire Championships.

The Isle Of Wight Marathon and the Boston Marathon make quite a good pairing. Boston is the world's oldest marathon, and IOW is Europe's oldest. This was the 50th running of the race, and we were promised some special events to mark the occasion. More history later...

This is my local marathon: another good reason for doing it. On a clear day I can in theory see the start line from the bottom of my road. Just 7 miles of Solent in between. It had been suggested that I windsurf over - don't tempt me! If I can get a safety boat and crew together, then you never know! One day maybe...

The ferry seemed a better option. The weather was already looking rather dodgy on the crossing - very poor visibility - no sign of IOW until we were nearly there. I got soaked walking to Ryde Rowing Club, but settled down for a chat with the posse with plenty of time to spare:


You can provide your own drinks at this event. I'd labelled all mine with a bright dayglo pink windsurfing sail/flag with my number on. I'd imagined it being like London where you have to spot your drink and grab it off a table as you run past. At registration I placed my drinks in the appropriately labelled boxes for each drinks station. They certainly stood out! Not realising they were mine, Graham commented that an elite runner had deposited their drinks. I thought he was joking. I only found out afterwards he was serious!

A final trip to the loo, and I met Ulla Korenjak, last year's winner. She nervously asked me what sort of time I was going to do it in. I suppose I looked the part in my crop top and skimpy shorts! I was quite flattered but didn't really think I was a threat to her. She confided she was worried she hadn't recovered from her marathon 4 weeks ago. She seemed happier when I said I'd done Boston in 3:31 5 weeks earlier. I now know she ran the Linz Danube Marathon in 2:58 - wow!

The rain had abated as we filed out for the start. A quick exchange of the typical runners' war stories and we lined up at the start. I spotted Judy Brown of Snorbans Striders (I spelt that phonetically - I used to live near St Albans). Mike Gratton had told me to look out for her. She'd been on one of his coaching weeks. She's very experienced and about my pace currently - she'd run London in 3:30.

It was nice to do a marathon where I was starting just a few rows back from the front. With only 50 women in a field of 300 I could pretty much see all of the opposition. It often bugs me that I have no idea where I am in the field. Hopefully this race would be different.

We were off and I was in 3rd place behind Ulla and Judy, running smoothly for 2 flat laps of the canoe lake to warm us up before we hit the beast of a first hill. It's a well thought out course! It might seem odd running 2 half mile laps to start, but it works well and provides a good send off for the supporters. It's also the only truly flat bit of the course!

After half a mile I started to get overtaken by the other women. I kept my cool though, having faith in my pacing strategy - I had to run my own race. As I passed Graham, with my camera, I shouted "To the hills!":



Neil was somewhere up ahead. He was in a similar position to me, having run London 4 weeks earlier. After his brilliant 2:50 in London what sort of shape would he be in?


The unstoppable Plodding Hippo and Shades followed:


Sadly John never made it to the start line, having injured his back a week earlier. Get well soon John!

After a mile and a bit of gentle flat running the hard work started as we turned away from Ryde seafront and hit the first hill. It's steep! I tried to hold back and keep to a nice even effort. Yet more women passed me, some bounding up the hill, really attacking it. Either they are fine athletes, or they are going to pay for that later! I played my waiting game.

The opening miles are tricky. They are very hilly, and have some steep downhill sections. I was trying to keep relaxed downhill and let gravity do the work, but it was tricky to keep my heartrate down. I had to concentrate on not going too fast. Pacing. Discipline. Patience.

The main feature of today's race had now well and truly made its presence felt. Oh lordy it rained! It rained lots! It was wet. It was very wet! It was swimmingly wet. It was wetter than Tory wets at an open air pool party in Manchester. It was as wet as... You get the idea!

To add to the mix, as we turned towards Newport we now had miles of strong headwind to contend with. I was wondering if my choice of crop top and shorts was wise under the circumstances!

Between the drinks stations the marshals were handing out sponges to keep us cool! Hah!

The drinks station marshals were fantastic. I needn't have worried about spotting my drink as they handed it to me at each station. It helped though that I could clearly see which marshal had my drink. I mimed a flag and made a sail shape with my thumb and forefinger at each stop, but they could see my number anyway. Several thanked me for helping them with my clear marking of the drinks. Smooth operation!

Why then did I run 26.2 miles with 2 gels stuffed down my crop top? I felt I needed an emergency supply just in case. I guess I have trust issues.

At one of the timing points someone shouted out that I was in 9th. That's the first time I've done a race knowing what position I was in. I now just had to catch a few places up.

My first target was Judy. I could see her up ahead and I was definitely closing. Soon I passed her and I was in 8th. I then had a challenge from another woman as I slowed slightly after a touch of stitch at a drinks station. I was briefly back to 9th but soon re-established 8th. This really was a proper race! I'm usually not bothered about people passing me if I'm doing my own thing, but here it mattered. I'm loving this!

I had a Fleet and Crookham man on my shoulder for most of the race. We didn't say a word - he just stayed there slightly behind my right shoulder, occasionally passing if I got held up, and then happy to let me take the lead. I found that rather odd. We weren't racing each other. Did he think that I was about his pace and wanted to not have to concentrate on pacing? How did he know I wasn't going to do something silly? Why couldn't he take some of the head wind? Just seemed slightly odd.

The hills and rain just kept on coming making for a steady stream of water flowing down the gutter. It made you want to run further out into the road but the traffic was so heavy in places this seemed a little dangerous. The race director had told us that this was a road race and we were to keep off the pavements, which I found a little odd given the crowded roads. He may have meant us not to cut corners, but I think better advice might have been to use pavements wherever possible. The pavements often seemed the drier option, but all that meant was that the cars could cut in closer and catch the puddles in the gutter. I got a mega soaking from a 4-wheel drive. Just when you thought it couldn't get any wetter!

A steady stream of a more helpful kind was the line of runners ready to be reeled in and overtaken. I don't think anyone overtook me after the opening miles - I definitely have marathon pacing sussed. I was playing guess the girl. It's surprising how even a manly man can look a bit girly in a high neck vest (men's usually scoop lower than women's) and lycra shorts from 400m back. I had a few disappointments but every now and then a girl would come in sight: hmm, short hair, boyish hips, but is that a sports bra under the vest? It is! Bingo!

8th place became 7th then 6th, 5th. Things were going well!

I had a problem knowing how much to drink. With 3 miles between drinks stations I wanted more than just a gulp, but in fact given the conditions I didn't need much more. I could have probably just kept my mouth open and got enough water. I drank too much - I got major stitch at 15 miles. I tried all the tricks to shift it but it seemed to last ages. At one stage I got a stab of pain right down my midline. It was as if my whole digestive system had suddenly had a spasm. It was somewhat alarming but was mercifully brief. It took my mind off the stitch though which lifted soon after. Must remember to drink less at the next drinks!

Shanklin will forever be in my memory for torrential rain. I think that was the heaviest cloudburst of the whole race. I wasn't cold though: the croptop was proving to be a good choice of attire - less clothing to get wet.

There were a few miles of urban running through Sandown and onto Brading. I'd finally dropped Mr Fleet and Crookham as he faded. After a few false alerts with long male hairstyles I overtook what proved to be my final woman to take me to what was probably 4th place. On the long long hill out of Brading I spotted a high neck Serpentine vest which I thought might be a girl, but it was another false alert. He was struggling up the hill and I overtook him with ease.

We crested what I knew to be the final hill and now we had 2 miles of downhill and flat running to the finish. I passed Ulla jogging back up the hill - she looked happy so I guessed she'd probably won. I was then overtaken by the Serpie man absolutely flying downhill. I felt strong so he must have had quite a second wind. We rounded the corner onto the seafront and then turned for a final lap of the canoe lake. With half a mile to go I passed Mr Serpie who was now walking. How can you be so strong and then conk out within site of the finish line? I suppose I'm never going to fully understand the challenge of the marathon until I've experienced that myself. I hope I don't!

Despite the hills, that was the freshest I've felt at the end of a marathon. The downhill mile 26 was done in 7:30 and the flat last canoe lake lap at 7:40/mile - well ahead of average race pace. I crossed the line in 3:36:25. No blisters, few aches - I felt good!



Neil had a few problems in the closing stages. He wasn't so fresh. He still managed a respectable 3:12:18, but I think he was a bit disappointed with that.



Carol and Graham did a fine job of supporting. I think we have a perspective problem in this pic. I'm 5'11'', but surely I'm not that much taller than Carol? Look at the size of that medal though!



There was some debate at the finish about where I'd come. I was again rather flattered to be asked by a couple of girls whether I'd won. I assured them I hadn't. Ulla returned to confirm she had won, but had only spotted one other so thought I was 3rd. Ooh!

So where had I come in the Hampshire Championships? John was trying to work out the results but was being tight lipped.

I promised you some more history. Well here it is. take a look at the following table. Spot anything?

Women's world marathon record progression

Time	Athlete, Country	Place	Date
3:40:22	Violet Percy, GBR	London	03 Oct 1926
3:37:04	Merry Lepper, USA	Culver City	16 Dec 1963
3:27:45	Dale Greig, GBR	Ryde	23 May 1964
3:19:33	Mildred Sampson, NZL	Auckland	21 Jul 1964
3:15:22	Maureen Wilton, CAN	Toronto	06 May 1967
3:07:26	Anni Pede, GER	Waldniel	16 Jul 1967
3:02:53	Caroline Walker, USA	Seaside	28 Jun 1970
3:01:42	Elizabeth Bonner, USA	Philadelphia	09 May 1971
2:46:30	Adrienne Beame, AUS	Werribee	31 Aug 1971
2:46:24	Chantal Langlace, FRA	Neuf Brisach	27.10.1974
2:43:54	Jacqueline Hansen, USA	Culver City	01.12.1974
2:42:42	Liane Winter, GER	Boston	21 Apr 1975
2:40:15	Christa Vahlensieck, GER	Dulmen	03 May 1975
2:38:19	Jacqueline Hansen, USA	Eugene	12 Oct 1975
2:35:15	Chantal Langlace, FRA	Oyarzun	01 May 1977
2:34:47	Christa Vahlensieck, GER	West-Berlin	10 Sep 1977
2:32:29	Grete Waitz, NOR	New York	22 Oct 1978
2:27:32	Grete Waitz, NOR	New York	21 Oct 1979
2:25:41	Grete Waitz, NOR	New York	26 Oct 1980
2:25:29	Allison Roe, NZL	New York	28 Oct 1981
2:25:29	Grete Waitz, NOR	London	17 Apr 1983
2:22:42	Joan Benoit, USA	Boston	18 Apr 1983
2:21:06	Ingrid Kristiansen, NOR	London	21 Apr 1985
2:20:47	Tegla Loroupe, KEN	Rotterdam	19 Apr 1998
2:20:43	Loroupe, KEN	Berlin	26 Sep 1999
2:19:46	Naoko Takahashi, JPN	Berlin	30 Sep 2001
2:18:47	Catherine Ndereba, KEN	Chicago	07 Oct 2001
2:17:18	Paula Radcliffe, GBR	Chicago	13 Oct 2002
2:15:25	Paula Radcliffe, GBR	London	13 Apr 2003

Apart from the fact that British women top and tail the list, did you notice Dale Greig in 3rd spot setting a world record in Ryde? This marathon has history! In 1964 women weren't allowed to enter officially, just as I reported in my Boston write-up. It wasn't until 1976 that the first women's results were officially recorded for IOW. Dale's 1964 record though is officially recognised. Along with Roberta Gibb and Kathy Switzer in Boston she's a true pioneer of our sport, in an era when women were consider too frail to do anything further than 800m on the track. (It astonishes me that the women's 1500m only became an Olympic event in 1972!)

So onto the prize giving, and to my delight, not only did I get 3rd lady, but my prize was presented by 1964 IOW world record breaker Dale Greig. Apologies to Dale for this rather cropped shot:



I also got 2nd vet 35 prize.

Onto the Hampshire medals. Neil got a pleasant surprise with bronze in the V40s:


And after a nervous wait. I got gold!. I'm the Hampshire W40 Champion! I got the medal I came for but hadn't dared dream it would be this shiny. Result!!



A final twist to the day. This was the scene that greeted us as we headed back to the ferry.



Back in Portsmouth an hour later and it was dull and raining. What an odd day!

I'd answered my questions:
You can recover to be in good shape for a 2nd marathon 5 weeks later.
Your endurance is not affected by a lack of long runs in the intervening period.
I wasn't too far off my Boston time, given the conditions.
The Isle Of Wight Marathon is very hilly.