Week 8 and 9. Last taper week and Taipei Marathon Day

Last week, leading up to the biggest event of the year, the Taipei Marathon, I mostly did short, easy runs and had one volleyball session. From Wednesday to Friday, I skipped running and just focused on some mobility exercises. On Saturday, I decided to join the Montreal Athletes Club (MAC) for a 5 km shakeout run. It was my first time running with this group. We kept an easy pace for the 5 km and ended up at a local coffee spot, where we enjoyed some coffee and chatted. The group was pretty fun and laid-back! I met some new people from Hong Kong and the US who had come specifically to run the Taipei Marathon (or Half) the next day.

Whole week before Taipei Marathon I only ran 16km plus usually volleyball session:

Sunday's the big day! It's the full distance at the Taipei Marathon, and I haven't run over 30km since the last TPE Marathon in 2023, so I'm a bit nervous. Like always, I didn't sleep well the night before a big race, and to make sure I'm on time, I had to get up around 4:30 AM... since the race starts at 6:30 AM.

I was kind of worried about making it on time, so I hopped on a public bike, left it near the venue, and walked the last 10 minutes to drop my bag and get ready. At least I wasn't stressed about being late. Taking the subway was an option, but it would've been tight for dropping the bag...

The bike wasn't a bad choice; it helped me warm up a bit :) (did about 7km ;)).

I had a few goals: just finish, finish in under 5 hours, aim for around 4.30... and take fewer bathroom breaks :)... I ended up hitting two of those goals...

The race started off pretty well. Just before the start, I found a toilet without a line, so I was hopeful I'd avoid many toilet breaks this time. For the first 10km, I ran at an easy pace, breathing through my nose and keeping a pace of 6.30 per km, with my heart rate around 140-145. The temperature was nice, around 14-15°C, and I felt really good. However, at the 10km mark, I needed a quick toilet break! After that, I still kept a good pace and heart rate, trying to eat a bit at every station and take a sip of water. My body felt great, and the next 7km flew by! But then, I needed another quick toilet break... I think, based on my heart rate, the temperature, and the fact that I didn't sweat much, I might have been drinking too much. It's something I need to test out on my long runs.

The first real crisis hit at the 20km mark when my right knee started to hurt a bit, so I had to slow down to under 7 minutes per km. Around that time, I passed a checkpoint with buses for people who didn't finish, and that's when I started doubting myself. The mental game kicked in. The knee pain wasn't sharp and was manageable at a slower pace (sometimes it felt like cramps behind the knee). I decided to keep going and see how it felt over the next few kilometers, just slowing down for the next 30 minutes or so. At the next aid station, I switched from drinking water to a sports drink and had some salt candies to see if it would help with the toilet breaks and the cramp behind my knee. Surprisingly, it helped—the pain started to wear off, and I was able to pick up the pace a bit while keeping my heart rate under 150.

That part of the race is the toughest because you're running on an elevated expressway where it's usually pretty windy. Luckily, a group of 5-hour pacers showed up with a bunch of people around them, so I decided to stick with them for this stretch. It helped with the wind and got me through that part of the race.

At 28km, we finally made it down to the riverside, but then around the 30km mark, I had to take another bathroom break—this one was longer. Not sure what was going on with me; I've never had so many bladder and stomach issues. But after that break, I felt better, the knee pain was manageable, and my body felt pretty good overall.

The next 9km were along the riverside, with tons of people cheering and some running clubs setting up little aid stations. This is my favorite part of the event... it feels like the whole city comes alive for it. There's so much positive energy along the route. The highlight was at 35km, where there's a small temple. Every year, the people who take care of that temple set up a "small" aid station, and this year was no different! They had beer, loads of snacks, and even live music! Their energy and vibe really helped a lot :) I skipped all the food they were offering... didn't want to take any risks at that point :)

Right before hitting 37km, I went for the last gel I had with me (brought 3 in total). Since I wasn't hitting any walls this time (kept my fueling on point) and my heart rate was mostly in Zone 2, I felt like I could push a bit more for the last 5km. So, I started picking up the pace gradually, running the last 2km at around or under a 6-minute pace! I was feeling pretty good, so I popped on my headphones, cranked up some music, and aimed to finish strong!

All in all, I'm pretty happy. I finished in under 5 hours, kept my heart rate in check, fueled up well, and didn't have any chafing this time (I was worried about that, but I think I found the right anti-chafing cream!). I faced some physical and mental challenges, but I got through them. This was my third road marathon, and I've still got a lot to learn. I definitely need to work more on mobility and strength training, especially before tackling ultra distances...

The Taipei Marathon is hands down my favorite road race. Everything from the organization to the aid stations, the route, the vibe, and even the finishing gifts and food is awesome. I'm definitely coming back next year! ;)

After tackling 42km, it was definitely time for a break. So, I opted for some chill cycling and walking over the next four days. My first run was on Friday, just an easy 3km in a little over 20 minutes to check in on how my legs were doing. My right knee's still a bit iffy, so I'm sticking with a stability brace for now.

On Saturday, I went for a chill 5km trail run to test out my new shoes (Brooks Cascadia 3). I made sure not to overdo it so I could see how my body and knee were holding up... I've really missed trail running these past few weeks. It's definitely time to get back out there! :)

Wrapped up the week with a total of 51km. I think I need to take it easy and rest more next week... gotta keep an eye on my knee. I really want to be ready for my first Ultra Backyard in 3 weeks :)