r/AdvancedRunning • u/TheGamingPlatypus18 10k: 37:36; HM: 1:31; M: 3:04 • Oct 16 '23
Race Report TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon - An Embarrassing First Marathon
Race Information
- Name: TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon
- Date: October 15, 2023
- Distance: 26.2 miles
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Website: https://www.torontowaterfrontmarathon.com/
- Time: 3:47:XX
Goals
| Goal | Description | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| A | <3:00:00 (BQ) | No |
| B | <3:05:00 | No |
| C | <3:10:00 | No |
Splits
| Kilometer | Split Time | Cumulative | Pace (min/km) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 21:28 | 0:21:28 | 4:17 |
| 10 | 21:14 | 0:42:42 | 4:14 |
| 15 | 21:06 | 1:03:48 | 4:13 |
| 20 | 22:17 | 1:26:05 | 4:27 |
| 21.1 | 04:57 | 1:31:02 | 4:30 |
| 30 | 48:04 | 2:19:06 | 5:24 |
| 35 | 34:00 | 2:53:06 | 6:47 |
| 40 | 40:23 | 3:33:29 | 8:04 |
| 42.2 | 14:XX | 3:47:XX | 6:XX |
Training
I (21M) have been an occasional runner for the past 10 years. I ran XC in elementary and high school but I was always a back of the pack runner, and I usually didn't run outside of July-November.
I started running regularly two years ago and started Hal Higdon's Novice 2 half-marathon plan in January 2023 in preparation for a half-marathon at the Toronto Marathon in early May. Unfortunately, I got sick in April and had to withdraw, but I continued on with base training in May before moving on to Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 plan in June in preparation for the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. I increased the mileage in this plan by about 10%, with my peaking at ~80km/week throughout most of August and early September.
Higdon's plan involves many moderate to slower-paced runs (relative to marathon pace) in 3 week cycles with the MP day swapped for an easy day every third week:
- Tuesday - Short, easy to moderate pace (5:15/km)
- Wednesday - Medium, easy to moderate pace
- Thursday - Short, easy to moderate pace
- Saturday - Medium, marathon pace (4:15/km)
- Sunday - Long, easy pace (5:30-6:00/km)
My second-last long run of ~35km I increased to MP minus 10s/km to practiced taking gels and hydration at a harder effort.
Based on my racing history, I was aiming to BQ (sub-3h). I ran a 10k right before my taper to gauge my fitness, which I ran at in 37:36. Based on Jack Daniel's VDOT calculator, I reasoned that I should be okay to continue with my plan to BQ.
Pre-Race
I normally run fasted, but it would be a long morning so I figured I should eat something light before leaving for the race. I ate a few slices of bread and jam 3h before the start time, which is usually long enough for me to digest food before other forms of exercises.
I wore a Salomon Adv Skin 12 with 500mL of Nuun and 1.5L of water, each in the 500mL soft flasks. I also packed 8 Gu Roctanes: 1 to take 30 minutes before the start, 6 to take every 35 minutes, plus 2 extra just in case. This timing had worked very well for me in training.
Race
0-2km
I had planned to start off much slower than MP and ease into it after a few kilometres. Using Peter's Race Pacer to avoid GPS errors, I ended up doing 4:28 in the first kilometre and jumping right into MP after that.
2-10km
Kilometres 3-7 were downhill and I took them at around 4:08. My legs felt good and my breathing was comfortable, so I decided to keep going and take advantage of the downhill pace to gain back the time I lost at the start. I took a gel at 5k and sipped some water and Nuun to thirst.
Turning West onto Lakeshore Blvd, I noticed my HR was quite high, but I did a quick body scan and decided that I still felt okay so I would continue on at MP. Despite the weather forecasts the previous day, there ended up being a head wind the whole way out. This section was very exposed, so it took some work to stay at MP in the wind.
10-15km
I continued sipping water as necessary, but I started noticing some bloating as I reached the western turnaround point at 12k. I figured it must have been that I swallowed my gel a bit quickly, as I otherwise still felt good. I decided to ease up on hydration for a bit to give my stomach a break, and to wait a bit longer before the next gel.
15-20km
At 15k, I was already late for my second gel. The bloating didn't feel worse but it didn't feel better either. I decided to wait another 10 minutes to give my stomach a bit more time. I was still trotting along at MP and was solidly on track for 2:59. By 17k, my stomach continued to be bloated but it had already been 45-50 minutes since my last gel and I decided I needed to start taking my second one. I had very little appetite, despite normally feeling hungry when I go too long without a gel, so I elected to sip it very slowly over the next few kilometres. However, the race has a sudden uphill at ~18k where it crosses a highway off-ramp to make its way downtown. As soon as I hit the ramp, the bloating turned into acid reflux and I knew I was in trouble. The gel I had in my hands was almost impossible to get down, and I spent the next two kilometres sipping it while feeling the acid reflux get progressively worse. I realized that sub-3 was not in the cards today, and elected to slow down to 4:45 to try and get my stomach under control and finish in to 3:05 or 3:10.
20-29km
I crossed halfway in just over 1:31, but the acid reflux got even worse and I realized that taking gels would no longer be an option. I threw away the gel I had been sipping on, having finished just over half of it. From 23k onward, I was doing a mix of 80% running, 20% walking. Whatever running I could manage was at a quickly deteriorating pace, and I'm not sure how but I was still doing <5:00/km splits through 26km. By 27km I was walking more than I was running, and it became extremely difficult to run without acid sloshing in my stomach up my esophagus.
30km
About 50 metres before the 30km marker, my stomach couldn't handle it anymore and I started retching on the side of the course. This was by far the lowest, most embarrassing, frustrating, and disappointing moment I have ever faced in a race. After standing back up, my stomach felt much better and I tried to push through to finish strong. I slowly accelerated back up to 4:30/km and held it for ~30 seconds before my stomach suddenly started bloating and the acid reflux came back. Forget 3:10, I felt like walking off the course at this point. Nevertheless, my friends and family were waiting for me at the finish and I did not want to have to call them saying that they could all just go home and that I DNF'd.
30km - Finish
I ended up walking almost the entire remainder of the race - running whenever I could. As I walked through the next 12 kilometres I saw the 3:10 - 3:35 pacers pass me, which was absolutely gutting. My legs felt strong, my feet were as comfortable as they could be after 30km of racing, but none of my training had prepared me to push through digestion issues like this. I ran the last 200m to the finish and walked across at 3:47:XX - absolutely heartbreaking.
Post-Race
A day after the race, I'm still extremely disappointed and frustrated at my time, but happy that I managed to finish. In hindsight, there were a lot of signals that this would have happened. My training plan did not include practicing taking nutrition at MP, I went out very quickly at the beginning, and I pushed through the headwind instead of backing off and maintaining a steady effort instead of a steady pace. I'll be reading up on endurance sport nutrition over the next few weeks before I start building up for Pfitz 18/70 (or maybe 18/55). Given that I slowed down before the HM point and still managed a 1:31:02, I think I have some unfinished business to take care of. Hoping to come back more prepared in the spring to take another shot at a BQ.
Made with a new race report generator created by /u/herumph.
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u/Nyan_Tardis Oct 16 '23
Just wanted to comment to say don’t fret too much. Back in 2020 I ran 3:43 in my marathon debut. I was crushed: I didn’t know if I’d ever run another marathon, much less
You did it! It’s not what you wanted but don’t lose sight of the fact that you still finished.
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
Thank you, this is really motivating. Good on you for taking that experience and really making the most out of it in preparation your next attempt. It's inspiring to see others having gone through similar experiences (at least time-wise) and bounce back. I'll try my best to do the same next time.
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u/CeilingUnlimited Oct 16 '23
If I ran a 3:47, I would break down in tears at the finish line, overjoyed with the finish time. Your 3:47 is not embarrassing.
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
I apologize, I didn't mean to shame the time - I know there are many who have trained very hard to reach it. Thank you for the kind words.
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Oct 16 '23
Don't be embarrassed! There's nothing to be embarrassed about here at all. I understand the disappointment, and that's fine. But it sounds like you learned a lot, and you pushed yourself through 12km of misery to get across the finish line. And for what it's worth, you still ran faster than I did for my first marathon and I didn't even barf. Take a little time to relax (mentally and/or physically) and then start planning for the spring with your added experience.
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u/EPMD_ Oct 16 '23
Brutal. It's a lonely experience to be miles from the finish with an unwilling body. You will have much better races in the future, but it's okay to let this one sting for a bit. It will only fuel your motivation to train harder.
I suggest trying different gels just in case it was the
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
Thanks, this race has definitely left a fire burning in me to achieve even more.
I honestly think that the stomach issues were probably a combination of starting out too fast causing me to not be able to digest the gel and water, as well as eating the morning of the race. I don't normally eat before running but at the same time it was >3h before starting, so I'm hesitant to nail it as the sole culprit.
I'm quite used to taking gels with caffeine, especially during training. I've tried almost all the Gu and Gu roctane flavours (caffeinated and caffeine-free), Brix, Clif Bloks, Maurtens, and more before settling on Gu Roctanes with a moderate caffeine level for the race (35mg). That said, I won't ignore it as a potential factor. I'll definitely have to experiment over the next few months to see how I can avoid this next time.
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u/AdamPhool Jan 10 '24
Late to the party but as someone with GI and acid reflux issues, Immodium and tums on race day are your best friend
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u/Disco_Inferno_NJ Oct 16 '23
There are two types of marathons: good races and good stories. Hope you’re doing okay and good on you for gutting it out and leaving your mark.
…sorry, I couldn’t resist. But seriously though, congratulations on getting through a REALLY tough day.
I’m curious - how much did you drink? Asking because you mentioned having 2L of fluids in your hydration vest, which feels like a lot. And if you accidentally drank too much water, that could cause GI issues. (Yes, hydrate, but it is a delicate balance.)
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23 edited Oct 16 '23
Thank you, it was definitely a rough day.
Honestly, I didn't drink that much early on. I drank to thirst, and by halfway I had drank maybe 200-300mL of water and 200mL of Nuun. I stopped drinking the Nuun after halfway to avoid irritating my stomach, and I slowly drank another 1L over the remaining 21.2k.
I honestly think that the stomach issues were probably a combination of starting out too fast and not being able to digest the gel and water, as well as eating the morning of the race. I don't normally eat before running but at the same time it was >3h before starting, so I'm hesitant to nail it as the sole culprit. Will definitely do some experimenting over the off-season and next training cycle.
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u/FRO5TB1T3 Oct 16 '23
Thats actually a lot of water/fluids to drink for halfway through a BQ attempt in good weather. Most of use just drink from the water provided and its more than enough in good conditions like we had.
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
Okay that's really good to know - this is exactly the kind of info I'm trying to learn going into the next race.
Sounds like too much hydration was definitely part of the problem. I hadn't run a HM or FM before this so I was flying blind on race fueling and hydration. I'll be reading up on The Endurance Diet by Matt Fitzgerald to see what I can learn for next time.
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u/Break_False Oct 17 '23
I agree with that being too much fluid. The weather was cool and ideal for racing and you probably could've gotten away with taking in water at aid stations. I recommend you practice that part of the race so you can leave your vest behind next time.
Great job on finishing. I've had a couple of miserable finishes where I death march the last 10K. In both occasions, I started out too quickly. This time, I started 5 min behind my goal pace group (3:25) and eventually caught up to them in the 2nd half of the race and went past them in the last 5k.
Your 10K time is impressive and I think increasing your mileage through Pfitz is going to set you up for a great Spring race.
Pfitz includes a medium long run on a week day which may suck during cold winter days.
Good luck!!
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u/Disco_Inferno_NJ Oct 17 '23
I'm...on the fence, actually! (Which is why it took me forever to reply, I've been deleting like five different responses to this.) In the end, though, I agree that you might just need more practice at taking in fluids and gels on the run. (And you might need different gels! I mean, I used Roctane myself, but I've heard that Gu can cause GI upset in a lot of people.)
I originally did think you were overhydrating - you mentioned the vest with 2L of fluids, which is...a lot for an urban race! But from your account, your intake wasn't too high. I think it might actually be a bit lower than mine - I'll usually grab a cup at every station if I can and drink an ounce or two, so I'm probably at 500-600ml by half. (Welcome to majors!)
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u/Break_False Oct 17 '23
2L of fluid is an extra5 pounds of weight that he was carrying. Def recommend racing without a hydration vest in cooler conditions.
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 17 '23
Thank you, yeah it has been puzzling and difficult to nail down exactly what it was.
I've tried almost all of the normal Gu and Gu Roctane, BRIX, Honey Stinger, and Maurten gels, as well as Clif and Honey Stinger chews. Gu Roctane slightly caffeinated (35mg) usually went down the best in training. I have been practicing taking gels for at least the last 6-7 months but never at race pace (which I think was a big factor), so I had plenty of time to evaluate each gel's impact but never at that speed.
I might try the Maurten gels for racing next time. It was a toss-up between the Gu Roctane and Maurten for me. The former made me thirsty but was a lower volume to take, while the latter was fine on its own but the higher volume made it tough to get down if I was really pushing hard since it was easy to consume too quickly.
Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me this winter on the nutrition side of things. Thanks for your feedback.
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u/DroidEroticaLover Oct 16 '23
This hits so close to home. This was my third marathon, with my last being 3:09:xx back in the spring so I was also target sub-3 hours.
I also took advantage of the early downhill section and went faster than I should have. I settled into my target pace once we were westbound on Lakeshore and was feeling great until we passed the
My legs were starting to feel a bit fatigued, which turned into tightness after the little out-and-back on Bayview, then turned into full cramps in my hamstrings and calves by km 30.
I ended up walking/stretching approximately every 500m until the end, and finished just over 3:10. I was really gutted as well, but we've always got the spring marathon!
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
Thank you - you mirrored exactly my feelings here. Proud that I finished but not happy knowing that I could have done better.
Hoping to see you on at the Toronto Marathon in the spring. We'll be back stronger, faster, and ready to take advantage of the net downhill!
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u/DroidEroticaLover Oct 16 '23
I think digestion issues are much harder to push through than cramps. You didn't get the result you wanted, but I'm sure you gained something by demonstrating that fortitude!
Spring 2024 will be ours!
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u/VARunner1 Oct 16 '23
I respect that, in your first marathon, you went with a lofty goal. Somebody once said, if your goals don't scare you a little, they're not big enough. A BQ and sub-3 in your first marathon is a serious goal, and you should be proud you aimed that high. As for your finish, we've all been there (I certainly have, lots of times!). You didn't quit (something to feel proud about!) and your other PRs show you have clear potential. Keep working and you'll get there. And keep aiming high!
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Oct 16 '23 edited Oct 16 '23
Hey man, I ran Toronto yesterday too and had a not-so-dissimilar experience. I was targeting 3:30, flew through the first 30k right on pace but by 37k I had sputtered to a near stop. I walked the rest of the way to 40 but didn't bother crossing the finish line. I've already ran a marathon, and crossing the line isn't the accomplishment I was aiming for. I want that fast time.
I was a bit upset with myself at first, but it's not all waste. I set myself a great 30k PR and the last twelve weeks of training will prove incredibly useful as the cold weather arrives and I start aiming for some casual PRs in shorter distances.
Congrats on your first marathon. Both of us will get 'em next time.
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 16 '23
Congrats on PRing 30 and sorry to hear you had a rough race! I'm hoping for the same - time to see what we can smash out of 5, 10, and HM in the colder weather. Hope to see you on the starting line this time next year.
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u/O667 Oct 16 '23
Your ‘embarrassing’ finish is a dream time for me. Enjoy being young. 🤣
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u/Repulsive_Ad7301 Oct 18 '23
It has nothing to do with youth, there are women in tneir 70s running better times.
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Oct 17 '23
Hey just wanted to say I had almost the exact same experience at my first marathon this weekend. Same age and credentials and thought I could go sub-3. Conditions and stomach issues brought me back to no man’s land after the half and ran walked through hell the last 10 miles. Ended up with a 3:36. We will both be back better and ready to crush it next time now that we’ve learned these lessons. Best of luck to you!
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u/TheGamingPlatypus18 Oct 17 '23
Thank you so much, and I'm sorry to hear that you had such a miserable last half of the marathon. Cheers to next season's race and a better BQ attempt.
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u/heyhowmuchfun Oct 16 '23
Sneaky tough day out there. Training for NYC myself so I went out on course early to get my long run in and cheer at the turn, that wind was sneaky tough. On to the next one.
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u/Simosa88 Oct 17 '23
Can’t imagine how frustrating this would have been. But at the tender age of 21, you have many years of racing ahead of you! I did the waterfront HM and have soooo much more respect for you marathon runners. Just seeing 18km and then the split off of the marathon runners that day and thinking how you/they were less than halfway made me feel physically ill (I was dead at 18km) - well done on finishing the race regardless!
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u/Vaynar Oct 16 '23
Strong work to finish.
For the future, practice every part of race day. This includes waking up and eating before your long run and practice with consuming multiple gels during the long run. Sounds like you did some of the latter but always ran fasted, which is probably what caused yourdigestive issues
It was a tough day, I ran 3 min slower than my goal HM as did many other runners, the wind made it hard, so don't beat yourself up too bad.
The good thing about marathon running is that there's always another one to sign up for.