Amsterdam 2022 Marathon Recap
A Personal Essay
by Carlos Vazquez
Training
Some background. Amsterdam is my 8th Marathon. In the past, injuries caused me to skip a lot of the speed work and I never felt I got a good training cycle.
This time I was able to manage my injuries: a pulled hamstring from the end of the Paris marathon in April 2022, lingering Achilles tenderness from a year before, and recurring calf strains. I was actually able to follow a training plan, without having to replace most of the main workouts with slower runs.
I also lost about 10 lbs I had put on from COVID.
About 16 weeks out from the marathon, I started following both the McMillan plan that Strava offered, and that by PPTC Coach Honerkamp. I had a base of about 20 miles per week already.
By 8 weeks, I was putting in 50+ mile weeks, plus a longer 60 and 80 mile week.
I had 2 to 3 quality workouts weekly with easy runs in between for a total of 6 runs a week. Two of those workouts were tempo and intervals, usually Tuesday and Thursday, with the longer run on Saturdays. I also lifted free weights twice a week.
A big difference, compared to previous training, was a couple progressive long runs, where I'd run slow for 8 miles, run at half marathon pace for 6, and 10k pace for 2, which really fine tuned my endurance levels.
Closer to marathon day, but not tapering yet, I could tell my tempo runs were getting easier. During one MTG (Marathon Training Group) session, fellow member Thomas even commented I was barely breathing during a 6 Mile tempo. I ended up breaking away from the pack halfway through.
The benefits of my training were further confirmed with the 4 minute PR I accomplished at the Dutchess County Classic Half, 5 weeks before the marathon.
Using both the half and my training runs, I used a couple of marathon predictor calculators that had me at a 3:10 marathon, 20 minutes faster than my PR of 3:30.
With that, I set myself to get at least my Boston marathon qualifying time of 3:20, with the goal of a 5 minute buffer at 3:15 and an overall 7:30 min per mile pace, faster than my PR’s 8 min pace.
As race day drew closer, everything seemed to be working well. With the colder weather approaching, I made sure to keep my core warm and wore calf sleeves. I learned from previous years that I tend to get calf strains when the weather gets cold (the theory here is the body priorities keeping the vital organs warm, or your core, and this draws blood away from your extremities, which I attributed to getting these strains. I even bought a pair of arm sleeves to help...something new).
Travel
I started a carb load 4 days before the race with a nice plate of spaghetti and meatballs at the airport (Thursday). And the plane served plenty of carbs for dinner/breakfast. I also drank as much water as I could stomach, since plane travel tends to dehydrate. Sleep on the plane could've been better.
I went straight to the expo after landing. I took naps Friday and Saturday, feeling okay and catching up on sleep. I never got any shakeout runs in, but walked a good amount.
For meals, I had French toast, 1 egg, 2 sandwiches and cookies the day before, and Pho Thursday night.
Race day
It was a drizzly 55 degrees...but the forecast saw the clouds parting and the sun shining later in the morning.
Taking a train from the hotel, I encountered a crowded platform of other runners waiting for the train with me.
I dressed somewhat warm to the race and removed any extra clothing to put into bag check closer to the start time.
I would usually have throw away clothing, but didn't plan well for this travelling overseas.
The croissant with strawberry jelly, plain low fat yogurt mixed with fresh banana, and half a serving of a protein/creatine/glutamine shake that I ate 3 hours before the start, was sitting well. I was also sipping on the electrolyte drink, provided on the course, along the way from the hotel (AA Drink High Energy).
Waiting on the port-a-potty line, Justin and Yichi (fellow PPTC teammates) approached and we chatted a bit, hoping to see each other at the start.
I dropped off my bag...a different procedure from NYRR races, as we didn't need a clear plastic bag. Instead, a numbered sticker was adhered to my Paris Marathon backpack and a matching one on my bib. It seemed a bit chaotic, but worked out well.
The start was in the Olympic stadium. Spectators were allowed in the stands. There was an outdoor urinal trough carousel I quickly used (not sure what it's actually called).
The track was filled with runners. I was in the second wave, coded pink for 3 to 3:30 expected times. In the middle of the field, runners were warming up and I proceeded to do my leg swing warm ups and some light stretching there. There was an occasional muddy puddle that I successfully avoided.
Five minutes before start, I took a Maurten gel and tried looking for my teammates, but it was way too packed, so I just waited for the start.
The first wave set off at 9 and you could see them on the jumbotron. And then mine started at 9:05 (so I really had 10 mins to start). I tried to keep the 3:10 pacer in front of me and the 3:20 behind.
Carlos’s (in the Prospect Park singlet on the left) off to a solid start.
Everything went smoothly the first 8 miles. After testing out the electrolyte drink the day before, I felt confident drinking it at the aid stations I came across every 3 miles or so. Per Adam Devine's advice, I swished it in my mouth before swallowing.
Forty minutes in I took my second Maurten gel.
I was consistently able to keep a 7:30 pace. I tried to draft behind groups of runners and keep a triangle formation I read about in a PPTC group post. I also used that technique in a couple training runs and the Dutchess County Half.
I was questioning whether I could keep this pace another 18 miles, but using Adam Devine's mental training, I reminded myself of some key training runs I did to help motivate myself.
In a couple of those 20+ mile long training runs, I used no fuel and just water, going just a minute slower, so I knew I had it in me. I just needed to keep my nutrition instep.
I had a few second winds throughout the course, continuing to have the electrolyte drinks at each aid station and a maurten gel about every 40 mins. This was a big difference from other races, where I usually just drank water and depended on my own fuel.
I made use of the sponges at most aid stations, which I've never really done before, mostly to wipe any annoying stickiness from the gels. This was actually more of a mental boost!! European races tend to have sponges at every aid station, while Americans only once later on in the course ..or so I've noticed.
At about mile 13, I broke away from a couple of runners I was drafting, but then fell back behind them again...maybe I got a little too confident there.
There was also a girl named Elena who was running in front of me since the beginning (our names were on our bibs so I kept hearing her name called).
My waist belt was starting to bounce and getting annoying, and I was fidgeting to tighten it. I was getting close to mile 18 where I was going to meet my girlfriend and I was thinking of giving her my belt, phone, and headphones, which I had yet to use.
I took out the 2 remaining gels and put them in my pocket, and low and behold, my belt stopped bouncing. I realized that removing the last gel I consumed, I created an imbalance.
I never did see my girlfriend on the course (train issues), which was kind of a good thing because I was in so much of a zone, it wouldn't have done either of us any good for me to stop.
At the 17 mile point, I was able to successfully pass those 2 guys I was drafting behind.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention my right quad was feeling bruised, like someone had punched it. I've had similar happen to me at the NYCM, which I always attributed to all the hills and coming hard down the Queensboro. But Amsterdam has no hills, so I was like wtf! I started questioning the advice I gave others to build up your quads with squats and lunges to absorb the impacts, as now my own advice was failing me!!
But...the bruised feeling didn't get much worse and by mile 20, I barely noticed them. I also told myself to visualize fresh blood flowing into my legs!
At this point, I decided to turn music on, a random marathon playlist I found I never really tested. Oops... another thing tried new 😂. It had a mixture of calm and upbeat music, and I skipped songs depending on my mood..and from past marathons, my mood typically sours at this point.
With 6 miles away, I tried something else new…again! 😮 At the expo I bought a cola flavored Science In Sport caffeinated gel thatI never tried before. I wanted something caffeinated at the end to help me through and I failed to get something to test out during training.
The gel settled in perfectly. I still drank electrolytes at every aid station, and added some water in too. As I started breathing out my mouth more, I picked up the pace and needed the extra liquids to keep it from drying out.
Carlos in the final meters of the marathon.
Around mile 22, I ended up passing that Elena girl and I started pushing the pace, surprised at how much energy I had. I did my best to keep my form strong, but admit I was slouching a bit as I pep talked myself to push through and remind myself of all my training. I concentrated on keeping my legs from overstriding, which I attributed to my hamstring strain in Berlin.
I noticed one guy going at my pace and stuck with him. I was passing runners and the plan was to really push it the last 5k. I knew my watch was at least 0.2 miles ahead of the course, so I was doing the math based on that and decided at mile 23.5 I'd go all out. I kept redoing the math and trying to estimate my finish time to make sure I met my goal. During previous races, I tended to miss a mile in my calculations somewhere and it wasn't going to happen again this time.
I knew I shouldn't let up or I'd sacrifice all the other previous miles of work! Feeling the soreness and fatigue, I again reminded myself of all the training and fuel I gave myself and that this could be my only chance at BQing (qualifying for Boston! I really felt like it helped, because despite some pain and fatigue, this was feeling easier compared to other marathon endings!
Passing so many runners, I kept watching my time. I yelled out some motivation to others, and heard my name called from spectators!
Approaching the 800 meter mark and the subsequent dwindling other markers, I kept my head down and continued focusing on form. I made it into the Olympic stadium, confronted with cheering crowds as I ran the last 200 meters or so to cross the finish line with a time of 3:16:48... hopefully enough buffer for Boston Qualifying and a 13 minute PR!
The finish: Carlos crossed the line at 3:16:48, hit the BQ time and a secured a huge PR!
Post Race
Still in the stadium, we were given our medals, and plastic sheets to keep warm. There were no refreshments except a water trough, where I went to drink water upside down from a faucet and wash the grime from my face.
Exiting the stadium, I walked into Justin, giving hugs and congratulations. When we exited we saw Yichi. We were then given a banana and an energy drink. We took some pictures, said our goodbyes and I picked up my bag.
Summary
Key points for this training are:
Managing injuries
Following the plan (because of no injuries)
Setting a goal
Progressive long runs
Mental training
Fueling strategy…I ate more simple carbs during the carb load, plus using the course fuel. And Maurten gels are easier to stomach than others!
Good rest throughout the entire training cycle
Keeping my core and extremities warm, in training and during the race
Strength work
Managing injuries..yes I said it twice!
Text by: Carlos Vazquez (he/him)
Photos by: Marathon Photos
Produced by: Rachael DePalma (she/her)
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