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Phil grabs a Pb!

Wednesday 4th May 2016

Phil grabs a Pb!

Phil Grabsky recalls his journey to achieve a new Pb at the Brighton marathon.

Sunday 17th April. It's just past 9.15am and I am walking slowly towards the start line at this year’s Brighton marathon. Others look nervous, some deep in concentration. I’m among the many smiling; I’m just, as they say, happy to be here.

Seven years ago, on my 45th birthday, I ran my first ever half marathon. I was on holiday and I asked my wife to drop me 13.1 miles from home – and I’d see if I could manage it back. I did it in just over two hours and I remember joking with my family that the next long run would have to be the marathon when I was 90. Athletics was not really for me: it was something others did, like Polo or Lawn Bowls. Then my daughter started running at Withdean for Phoenix. I'd always done a lot of sport - especially Sunday football – so rather than just sitting there waiting I ran round the track trying not to get in the way of those scary athletes. Then I started noticing some runners with waistlines like mine, speeds like mine, even running styles like mine.

I knew Paul through a mutual friend: 'er, Paul, can anyone join?' Yes, hop on the Phoenix bus and enjoy the ride, he more or less replied. I’ve written before (on his retirement from heading up the club) of my gratitude to him that he was not only personally encouraging but had created a club of members who were - and are - equally so. All of a sudden I found myself running with county champions, record holders and even national representatives. And not once did they act as if I was in the wrong group. It's been all smiles and warm welcomes. I started doing 10kms then halfs and then in 2013 thought I'd try the big one - the marathon. I'd day-dreamed that maybe one day - in New York, Prague or Rome - somewhere exotic - I'd maybe try it just once. But a friend did Brighton and loved it - the crowds with family and friends dotted about were just wonderful he said. I was persuaded.

I have a flexible but heavy workload but I did what I could and set myself the target of four hours. I was thrilled when I crossed the line in 3 hours 58 minutes and 57 seconds. I ran straight up the stairs to my friend’s car and was driven to Wembley to see an FA cup semi-final. I felt great and barely tired. I had the bug. I went again the following year hoping for 3-45. I’d earlier that year run a pb half of 1 hour 35’ and I had heard about doubling it and adding twenty minutess to get your marathon time. Was 3 hours 30’ really realistic? Surely not.

On the day in 2014 I went for 3 hours 45’. It wasn’t pretty. I was so slow out of Preston Park, and then endlessly trying to catch up lost time. The second half was just a slog, getting slower and slower. I crossed the line in 3 hrs 53’ and I didn't feel so great that time….. But nevertheless I signed up once again. I was now time-motivated…I wanted that 3 hours 45’ . But things didn't go well: work prevented proper training but worse followed in February 2016 when I foolishly came straight off a plane to a wintry Monday lunchtime run and damaged my Achilles. I won't bore you with the details but it stopped me running in March and made me defer the marathon. I'd started running the Sussex Grand Prix and I made it through ten races but always in some discomfort. Both achilles and now calves simply would not repair. And this was where I was in October 2015, a couple of weeks before I was due to start marathon training. I was sure I’d have to postpone again.

Then I had a bit of luck. I'd been getting physio that had predominantly meant acupuncture on my legs. It helped enough to allow me to run in the Grand Prix races (which I really enjoyed) but there was no overall improvement. Then my physio left Brighton. I asked around and was recommended a fellow Phoenix runner who was also a physio: Tobias Bremer. Almost the first thing I said at our introductory meeting was that I thought I should take six months off running. Just concentrate on physio and rest. Nonsense, he replied - that is the complete opposite of what is needed. You need to strengthen your achilles to repair them. Thus I found myself emailing Andy Bone for a marathon ‘plan’ – a 20-week schedule of runs that one is expected to try to do.

Andy’s plan arrived by email. What?? 42 miles in the first week? I’ve never run 42 miles in a week ever! Yes, welcome to Andy Bone’s multicoloured training plan. Long runs, tempo runs, speedwork, steady … Week 1 I managed 19 miles, week 2 I managed another 19. I was going to have to up my game but my achilles and calves were not up to it. Right, I said, Christmas has to be make or break. Week three and I got to 37 miles out of 46. Then, even while ski-ing, I managed 22 out of 45… and I was really enjoying it. I could feel my lower legs getting stronger. Running on snow certainly helped. Over New Year’s I hit a milestone: my first ever 50+ miles in a week. I tried to make every session – I tried to complete something: I can be guilty of not seeing things through but I was determined. I kept saying to myself to organize work around the running not the more normal other way around. Needless to say I started to understand why we have a number of freelance designers in the club. They work as hard as anyone, I’m sure, but they – like me – can vary their schedules.

I kept at it – 37, 47, 35 miles. But then after a wet, cold 20 mile run with Phoenix buddies on a Saturday morning I got the worst cold I can remember. I couldn’t shift it for two weeks. It hit me just when I had early mornings, long flights, long days – and I got worse and worse. I certainly couldn’t run. Half way through came the Brighton half. I was keen to run it as I felt sure, with all these miles run, I could break my 1 hour 35 pb. I felt OK at the start line but nothing went well. I had music with me – that failed after a kilometer. I had snuck into the sub 1 hour 30’ corral at the start – that was a mistake as they all disappeared from the off… And then I didn’t notice any extra strength in my legs at all. It was just hard work. I pushed as hard as I could – but I was outside of my pb by a whopping two minutes. I started to wonder if all the effort and early morning/evening runs were going to have any effect by April 17th. People said it was just the cold I’d had – I wasn’t so sure.

I redoubled my efforts. I couldn’t run the Hastings Half as I’d planned as my cold had come back. But then I got back on track: 34 miles, 36 miles, 53 miles. In total over the 20 weeks I’d done six 20-milers (and up to that point I’d only done one plus the two marathons in my entire life). What I wasn’t doing enough of though was the speed work or any real gym work (“on your core” as they say). And I certainly found it all but impossible to run at pace on those long runs. Andy had set me a plan to try to achieve 3-30 that he felt I was capable of or should aim for at least. That meant a pace of 5’/km or 8’/mile. That was too fast for me – I managed one session of ten miles but only because it was with some of the great runners I run with at the weekend – and I was determined to stay with them at my marathon pace (their warm-up pace!) all the way to Worthing. I did it but it was a lonely, slow run back.

But I had already won the race as far as I was concerned as finally my achilles problem was fading. A year with an injury is a long time - I hated the ache every time I went down stairs. Yet it was repairing. Even a twenty mile run up and down the South Downs Way was relatively easy now. The weekend before the marathon I ran at Christ’s Hospital in the road relays. I had no idea how I’d do – and I hadn’t been training for short fast runs – but I was pleased to run 3km in well under 12 minutes. (My real ambition in life is a sub-20’ 5km…). A few days later – after a wonderful week eating pasta every day – and I was at the start line.

We’re off! Well not really…it takes ten minutes to actually reach the start line…and then we’re off. Pace yourself, Tobias had said. Try to do every mile at the same pace…which actually was something over 8’ miles – as my realistic aim wasn’t 3 hours 30’ but to knock 8 minutes off my pb and break 3 hours 45’. I later learnt I had the slowest start of any 45-54 year old. My first mile was 8’51. Some in Phoenix would have run two miles in that time! But that’s what I love about Phoenix: it’s a broad church. Gradually I upped the speed – and then actually started to restrict my pace. Soon though I felt so comfortable at just under 8’ miles that I decided to go with it. And there was no-one more surprised than me that 20 miles later I was still running at just over a 3 hours 30’ pace… with absolutely no twinge or ache from achilles or calves. Twenty miles under my belt and it had gone well. I absolutely loved the crowds, the views, the weather – and, above all, family, friends and fellow Phoenix runners (both running and watching) cheering me on.

It was about now I turned into Basin Road. There was a bit of headwind and it was here my thighs started getting tired. It was here that maybe the lack of gym work (and other sports which I’d all but stopped due to lack of time) showed. Gradually my thighs – especially just above the knees – started to complain and edge towards cramp. I had to grit my teeth now and try to concentrate on keeping my back straight and arms moving close to my body. I actually like that run out to the Power Station so I kept telling myself that I was enjoying myself but it was only half true. I would have loved to have felt comfortable all the way back to the pier but that didn’t quite happen. My pace dropped but not disasterously…and I knew now I was going to get pb unless I cramped (which I’ve never done in any race thankfully). I knocked myself out with a little sprint in the end – which to me felt quick and on the video I saw later looked like something out of Thunderbirds – and crossed the line on 3 hours 35 minutes and 32 seconds. It wouldn’t have looked like it at that moment but I could not have been happier. Cheers Phoenix.

But that's only one side of the story - I have been overwhelmed with your generosity as sponsors (http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=PhilGrabsky) - our company Seventh Art will match-fund what you have so generously given which means...wait for it...we are nearly at £3000! I can't tell you how fabulous this is - not only can we see the existing two teachers through training but now can look at supporting more.