SCSM 2007

Race Report

My Race:

Felt quite undertrained for this event. Compared to previous 2, total mileage is probably down by about 20%, longest LSD short by 3k. Only saving grace is some speed work done. Also, tried a late taper as suggested by RW. My thoughts on this are a little mixed. I think my last LSD, a week later than I would usually run it, was probably about 3-4 days too close to the event. On the other hand, I think it did provide me with a much needed training boost. It may mean I will need to split the difference and run it mid-week in future.On the morning itself, still feeling a little leg heavy from fairly hard training 2 weeks prior, plus chasing the kids whole of Sat.

Got on the bus, and was at the esplanade shortly thereafter. True to my usual routine, queued for the esplanade toilets, thankfully still empty at around 4.50am. Nothing to pass out though, despite sitting on the bowl for a good 10 minutes.Had my last drink of 100plus, took half a banana and went to pee one more time at a porta-loo. Time was 5.15 and I made may way to the start line. Saw Sealboon on the side of the sub-4 pen, seemed very focussed so I did not trouble him. Didn't recognise anybody else.

Horn blows, away we go. First couple of clicks going as it typically does, some speedsters streaking away, some slowbies who have decided that they need to start in front, but the wide open avenue makes it less painful for everone. Stop at the telok ayer market toilet for a pee, good to get this out of the way early! Once the adrenaline kicks in, urine output will be minimal and I don't expect to need to use the loo anymore for the rest of the race. For the first 10k, fairly uneventful, was walk-breaking more frequently than expected as I couldn't properly identify stations with isotonic, so pretty much every water point I slowed downed to take a swig. Unfortunately, that meant each walk break was shorter than usual. Did this contribute to the crash? Maybe. Out of marina south and past the esplanade again. Huge crowds, which was nice and a good boost at this part of the race. Going better than expected at this point, clocking 5:30-5:40 pace and at the halfway point time was 2:01, just a little off my AHM 2007 timing. HR still under 162 average.

Now fully into the East Coast Park. Support was tremendous! Thank you volunteers. Was tracking an older gentleman who was running bow-legged. He was fast enough but I wonder what sort of impact this type of running biomechanic would hold for his knees in the future. At the 23km point, I see Freddy coming back own the other direction. Holy cow! What a smoking quick run he was doing! I am beginning to feel it. Pace average dropping off, now around 5:40-5:50 per km. Made the u-turn, back towards the city. The sun is now high enough to make a difference. I stretch my arms a little, and BANG, my whole upper back and shoulders cramp up. It was excruciating in the extreme and I almost stop running. I hang my arms down and push on. Pace is now 6+min/km. Legs are getting noticeably heavier, at 28km, its 2:41, still on target for a sub-4. A short while later, twing, and my left calf seizes momentarily. Oh no, the dreaded cramps. I've blown it, it was going to be a real struggle from here. And indeed, when I hit this wall, the fall was precipitous. In a matter of 1km, left calf, left thigh, right thigh, left hamstring, all started to threaten to cramp. I slow to a walk-run. For the first time, I gratefully accept deep heat, I have never ever used that stuff before. It seemed to work and the worst of the cramps were staved off. I mentally prepare myself to struggle for another 12km.

The rest of the way was pure agony, basically completely played by ear, shuffled when I could, walked when my legs refused to respond, stopped at almost every drink station. My lack of training and over-ambitious start had caught up with me. No chance of my heart giving out, now ticking along at 145/min, not even 85% max! Definitely the legs are rate limiting. Amazingly, still averaging around 7:30/km. I was going to come in PB! The last 500m, picked up to a decent trot so that I don't look too bad in the pictures :p.

Completed in 4:22.A PB by 6 minutes, despite being undertrained, hotter weather, less rest and being 3kg heavier. I think with a more discliplined and smarter program, better taper and race strategy, a sub-4 will be achievable by next year end. 2008 will be the year to try. Perversely, I felt as good about myself for having struggled through the last 12km and having run a good pace for the first 30!


Organisation:

Overall, a 9/10 for the organisers. Bag check was smooth and painless. Porta-loos seemed a plenty. Start point management was also pretty smooth with a nice clear avenue for folk to get to their starting pens. A 5.30 start is good, gives us a chance to get the miles in before the full brunt of the morning heat. Have not actually run the full in SG before, but apart from the first 10k in the quiet of Marina South, the rest of the way was quite well supported. Drink stations were plentiful, although it wasn't clear which had isotonic and which did not. Made my drink stop strategy a little messy. At the end, bag collection was a cinch. Well done organisers! Some feedback for improvement below.

Feedback to organisers
a. Get pacers positioning right
b. Get isotonic on all stations, or at least post in advance which stations will have them

Aetiology of Muscular Cramps in Marathon Runners

Review of article outlining Current State of Knowledge for Muscle Cramps after Long Distance Running

Martin P. Schwellnus; Sports Med 2007; 37 (4-5): 364-367

This is not a novel article as such, but more a review of other articles, and therefore is short on data. So, take it for what it is.

EAMC is the commonly used term, or, "exercise associated muscular contraction", which the author expands and adds qualifications to become "a painful spasmodic involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle that occurs during or after exercise."

Two of the more commonly hypothesised aetiological causes of "muscle cramps" have been "electrolyte imbalance" and "dehydration". He explains why electrolyte imbalance, although implicated in severe enough cases, with generalised muscle spasm, is unlikely to be the cause in localised muscle cramps of the type seen in sports or distance running. Likewise, he describes a
number of studies that seemingly disprove dehydration as a causative agent.

The rest of the article puts forth the position that "muscle fatigue" is the chief cause of EAMC. It is quite technical so I will spare the details. Suffice to say, lack of details notwithstanding, I find this hypothesis more credible than others, and bears out my own personal experience.

My editorial;
I have had my share of muscle cramps in my younger days from other sports like soccer and tennis. Invariably, they occurred after prolonged sessions in either sport. When you are young you think you are invincible and will push well past your limit. To date, have not had any cramps while training or racing long distance running. This of course is occurring only recently for me, in my more prudent, middle aged state, when I rarely push so hard outside my envelope. I did, during my very first marathon, feel a cramp coming on in my right quad at about 35km, a distance I have not reached before in training. Having been the "beneficiary" of previous cramps, I backed off the speed and ended up run-walk the rest of the way.

I believe, hydration, electrolyte top-up and so forth as useful insofar as they put off the point when fatigue sets in. But at the end of the day, it would appear that your exertions on the day, in relation to your training levels, will determine how quickly and badly you fatigue, and hence how prone you will be to cramping.