Race Reports: The Vienna Marathon

Race Reports: The Vienna Marathon

Tash’s race report from a perfectly executed Vienna Marathon. 

The Build Up

Had to change my kit last minute due to the terribly cold weather forecast. But I had everything organised and planned out, including my mantras:

• Enjoy the experience 

• Run with gratitude that I get to do this 

• Strong self belief that I can do it 

As for the build up …

Race kit – practiced ✅

Carb loading – all the usual ✅ 

Race day breakfast – standard ✅

Training – all boxed off with many really great weeks and smashing my set paces ✅

Trusting in the process and coaching has been helpful for me recently and I think this, alongside some confidence-boosting long easy runs, meant I had a good sleep the night before the race. Previously unheard of. 

Race Day

The sun was out first thing but the icey winds were so bitter. On the subway to the race start and the whole train just smelt like deep heat. A couple of the volunteers are wearing ski pants and coats 😳 oh no!

Big queues for the loo and then reached my starting block just as they were doing a 5 second count down – perfect. Bit emotional as it started to move off with some deep house music on the speakers, probably nerves. 

It’s A Marathon, Not A Sprint

Quite a bit of weaving in the first half which had the half runners too (GPS recorded 42.7km for the marathon), so couldn’t have gone off quicker even if I’d wanted too – but I knew this would help me not set off too fast and blow up.

Had to reign myself in from 15-21k

The mantra was “it’s a marathon not a sprint”. 

Handbrake Off, Let’s Go!

Then after halfway I decided to pick it up a bit. To quote Bryan I took the handbrake off and it felt good! The mantra became “strong but comfortable, I can do this.”

Starting to feel harder from 30k and my heart rate was steadily rising, I knew I would get to 30k fine though. Felt pretty good still up to 32km and then I put an earphone in for some early 2000s bangers (Scizzor sisters, Enrique Iglesias, Basshunter). I also had my caffeine gel which gave me a boost for a couple of km – whether that was real or placebo it’s clear in the splits. 

But at 37k I decided let’s try to keep it as fast as possible despite struggling and changed my mantra to “wreck myself before I check myself”. Big vibe change 😂

Keep Pushing

37-39k was also only bit of poor road surface on the whole course, so something to be grateful for but also inconvenient timing. From 38k I was in a dark tunnel as my quads felt like they’d turned into breeze blocks on every impact and I just wanted to have a little walking break. Kept coming back to that fact I can do this, I believe in myself and sod it let’s push it, wreck myself and see what I can do as that’s what a recovery week afterwards is for. Thinking of all the positive and insane mantras and inspiration that I’ve picked up from my Swim Squad buddies ❤️🖤

At 40k the Wein radio station had a stand that was playing the random choice of C’mon Eileen, this made me do a little internal bop and probably helped. 

Tried to sprint the final blue carpet in but not sure that happened in reality. Felt a bit dizzy and wasn’t sure my legs were going to move at all to get out the finishers area. Suddenly really cold and really windy!

Those last 4K are the hardest thing I’ve ever done so far. 

Massive ‘PB’ as my first standalone road marathon. 4:19:12 on the watch or 4:22:38 on the official timing mat. 

Actual temperature probably 1 degrees in the end with a feels like of -3 due to 35mph wind gusts. Luckily the buildings sheltered from almost all the wind so wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been thankfully, but still a cold day for a long way. 

Reflections

I think a lot of what can hold me back is in my head and not wanting to go over the line and completely blow up – but I’m really proud that I kept pushing and didn’t stop at all even in those final few hardest kilometres. (Except brief 30s loo stop 15k and to refill my bottle for 20s at 23k). 

I’ve had a really good running year so far with new 10k, 10 mile and half marathon PBs at Wrexham in February followed by Vienna marathon at 6:07/km pace. I’m over the moon with this as I started this training off with a sub 4:30 as a the *dream* goal and thinking a 6:30-6:45/km was a realistic pace for me (after having a really hard and disappointing run at Outlaw last year followed by physio and recovery).

I love running at the moment and I’m excited to keep pushing. Wirral ultra? 4:15 or 4 marathon? Enter London ballot 8th time lucky? Another summer 5k PB? Let’s see if these quads ever recover first…

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What a race, eh? Tash executed this race perfectly, with a negative split race (running the second half quicker than the first half). Tash ran the first half marathon in 2.13 and the second half marathon in 2.09 – showing great patience and discipline early on, followed by lots of belief and courage in the latter stages.

Brilliant running!

Tash is currently one of our coached athletes – and has been since 2023 – completing her first ever Iron-distance race last year (The Outlaw). You can read her report of that race here.

Race Reports: The Vienna Marathon

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