‘Heja! Heja! Heja!’ (Cheering from the Swedish crowds)
Beautiful city, well organised marathon, great support from the crowds, my family and a couple of strangers cheering for QPH! The temperature was 25 to 27°C so I gave myself a chance to feel what the right pace was in the first few km and then settled into that effort level.
Hydrated well before, during and after, including pouring lots of water on the head and body to cool it down. I was pleased to feel strong in general and push with a steady pace on most uphills (seeing the benefits of XC and track races here).
Passed the half marathon mark feeling like the effort level was just right and had sufficient energy left to keep going. The second half had the most elevation gain and the last couple of km were mostly uphill. Towards km 41, the 3:15 pacer was starting to catch up with me so this gave me an extra boost to speed up at the end as by then I had the stadium in sight.
I managed to fuel properly during the race and also carb load during the final week and day before. This played a key role in not hitting the wall. Finishing at the Stockholm Stadium was perfect for me as it has a beautiful track (and I love track racing), lots of spectators cheering and a great atmosphere.
My finish time was 03:13:08 (PB) and recovery was swift so this gives me confidence to keep chasing a sub 3h marathon. Overall, I’m pleased with the experience of getting to know Stockholm, their welcoming people and their friendly and scenic marathon.