Paul RYKEN's Staging Area

### My Personal Race Experience Summary

#### Summary
My BHAG is to run a marathon on every continent (minus Antarctica) by the time I’m 60. The Marrakesh Marathon was my marathon in Africa, chosen because it suited my itinerary, and plans to explore the country several years earlier had fallen through. So, 2024 was my chance to do both.

There was a general lack of important information on the official websites, which were run by different event/tour agencies. Reviews from past participants were also poor, so my expectations were low.

I knew I needed more than the officially provided water and orange slices to get through the event, so I bought a bum bag in Marrakesh to carry bananas, dates, and an electrolyte sachet. As it turned out, support stations provided plenty of food. Better communication from the organizers could have saved me time and money.

#### Race Preparation
I run 5-6 days per week, so it’s hard to pinpoint when my training officially started. By September, 4 months before the event, I was running over 60km per week, with long weekend runs over 20km. In the 10 weeks leading up to the marathon, I ran 717km, my highest marathon training mileage since 2015. This included six runs over 30km and weekly speed workouts. I also ran six Parkrun 5km events, ending with a 19m44s run in early December.

#### Race Entry
I entered the event in early December after ensuring my training was on track and I had no injuries. The registration process was outdated and required sending the entry fee to a bank account in Morocco. Despite concerns, I went ahead and received a confirmation email.

#### Pre-Race
**Travel and Acclimatisation:** We traveled from New Zealand to Morocco with stopovers in Singapore and London, arriving in Marrakesh 8 days before the event to acclimatize and recover from jetlag. I did an 18km run at marathon pace one week before the marathon, with the rest of the week consisting of easy runs.

**Accommodation:** We stayed in a Riad 2km from the start/finish line. The Riad was occasionally noisy but had good amenities and single beds, which were important for my restless legs.

**Massage:** I arranged a 90-minute massage with a physiotherapist at La Maison du Tui Na for MAD725, which helped with final stretching.

**Race Pack Pickup:** I picked up my race pack on Friday but found my name wasn’t on the official list. After showing my confirmation email, I received my race pack. The lack of proper record-keeping was concerning for safety reasons.

#### Race Day
**Before the Start:** My race day routine includes black coffee, toast with peanut butter, and a banana. We left at 7:30 for the 20-minute walk to the start. There were no maps of the start venue, but we found the toilets easily.

**Start:** The race started at 8:30 with announcements only in French. The temperature was 9°C, and I regretted not wearing an extra layer. My pacing strategy was to keep between 4m50s and 5m00s per kilometre.

**10km:** The route was quiet with few supporters. I ran the first 10km in 48m19s, slightly faster than planned.

**20km:** The course passed through less scenic areas. I reached 20km in 1h36m50s, on track for a sub-3h30m finish.

**30km:** Traffic increased, causing safety concerns. I reached 30km in 2h26m07s, slightly slowing.

**40km:** The last 10km were brutal. I walked intermittently but finished in 3h38m32s, missing my goal of 3h30m.

#### Finish
The finish area was crowded with half-marathoners. I received a medal and a small goodie bag. I walked back to our accommodation and rested.

#### Results
I finished in 3h38m, averaging 5m11s per km, placing 395th out of 1,170 and 20th in my age group. Despite registration issues, my results were eventually corrected but still had errors. Overall, it was a poor experience.