Forssa marathon
Forssan suvi-ilta
(16.6.2007)

Why Forssa

Before Boston marathon I was considering Stockholm marathon as the next one but originally dropped the plan as I thought the 7 weeks between was not enouhg. I later changed my mind and decided to go there anyway, but as before, was too late in my registration as Stockholm seems to become more popular year after year, and the closing date for registration becames earlier and earlier.

I then even considered to run Joensuu marathon again, but it was only 4 weeks after Boston and I was going to arrive from another work trip from Shanghai just the day before. So I had to find another marathon better fitting my plans. Since I was eager to run another marathon soon, and wanted to have another shot for the sub 3 hours result, I chosed Forssa. It was only one week after Stockholm, it was one of the "larger" and well organized events in Finland, and most important fact is that I had friends there to visit.

Race story

Forssa's summer night (Forssan suvi-ilta) gathered 3580 participants, of which 440 run the marathon. The weather was nice, sunny, +19 C, and mild wind. The course was 21 km route to a turning point somewhere in countryside, and almost the same way back to the central sport park via pleasant and suburban or sceneric countryside nature.


I started with good pace and kept eye contact with the leading group for about 5 km. First I followed in the second group but my legs wanted to go faster and started to lead the group. The running felt easy but heart rate told different message: too high. I was relatively high location at this point, at top 10 I think.

The early part went through the town, local high way, via suburbans to Tammela, and from there though country side scenery to a turning point almost at the half marathon, and then almost identical route back to the town center. Service points were approximately after every 3 km, except the hilly mid part in 10-15 km (and 25-30 km) where there were none. The only hills were also during this part.


For the first 15 km I was about 1-2 minutes ahead of my schedule, and in the half marathon point still more than a minute (1:28:46), but at the 28 km (1:59:50) not anymore. Already before the turning point, couple of runners passed me which indicated that my pace was slowing down. Soon after the turning point, I dropped few more places and felt that my pace was slowing down further.

During the forest part at 25 km, I had small indication of cramps probably because I had decided to pass by the last drinking station just before the longer 5 km non-stop leg, but I got over it when driking double in the next stop, both water and sports drink. My faithful support group were there in the same place, at 10 and 31 km point, from whom I got a gel package both ways. First gel I carried in my hand and enjoyed at about 15 km, and the second one immediately.

The second half

I lost my faith just after the 28 km. I had made 2/3 of the distance in 1:59:50, which was still within the reach of the 3 hours target time, but all time reserve was already spent, and to keep the pace had become more and more difficult. During the last 7 kilometers I had to push myself to keep the pace even at tolerable level. At his point, the course merged with that of the half marathonist (yellow plated numbers in the picture). I was back within the crowd again, and started to pass them while forcing my legs to give more than they were willing to provide.

At some point I came to the conclusion that I would reach 3:07 or 3:08 but the pace dropped so much that my final time eventually became 3:09. In the finish, I felt really exhausted. Even more than after Boston or any of the previous marathons. According to the pace measures, I had started too fast. My supporter group had travelled to the stadion meanwhile, and told that they expected me about 3 minutes earlier.


According to my exercise diary, my "performance peak" appeared just in the previous weekend when I had run 20 km with 4:26 pace in Helsinki with heart rate 146 in hot >25 C weather. But the work trip got best out of me. To sum up, the speed was there, the race felt good in the beginning. The heart rates, however, indicated that something was not right. Maybe I should have dropped the pace more clearly below 164 level, but because of the head wind and long straights along open fields I decided to follow the second pack that I had running with.

Overall, Forssa was plesant place to visit even for a such short weekend trip. Thanks to Pavel and his family for their support. I anyway had made my personal best, which will remain unbeaten until Stockholm marathon 2008 at least. :)

Race facts

Finish time: 3:09:05
Ranking: 18 / 440
Average heart rate: 165
     
  5k 10k 20k Half 30k 35k 40k 42k
Total time 0:20:35 0:41:27 1:23:53 1:28:46 2:09:00 2:33:24 2:58:17 3:09:12
Leg time 0:20:35 0:20:52 0:21:13   0:22:34 0:24:23 0:24:53  
Pace 4:06 4:10 4:15 4:14 4:31 4:53 4:58 4:29
Heart rate 165 167 167   166 164 162 165