31/05/09 Edinburgh Marathon Report

My first marathon! 26.2 miles! Yes really!
Well I entered this on a whim I had run three halfs and thought ‘why not, it can’t be that much of a jump from 13.1 miles to 26.2!” Ha Ha Ha, yeah right.

Well, training had gone ok including five long runs ranging from 17 to 20 miles. Having decided to run it for charity I was running for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (nice t-shirt!). It was on Saturday the 30th of May my Mother took me to East Midlands Airport to catch my flight to Edinburgh, oh did I mention I don’t like flying? The plane was full of runners which was good as the conversation took my mind off plunging 23,000ft to my death! The main topic of conversation was the heat and that it was going to be completely the wrong kind of weather for a decent marathon time. My hoped for time was just under four hours but getting round would be great as it was my first marathon and Edinburgh was having a heat wave.

Arriving in Edinburgh I caught a bus to the city centre and had a walk round it is a very beautiful city and will be even more so when they finish the tram! After an XL bacon double cheeseburger & fries from Burger King, I needed the carbs! I jumped on a bus to take me to Heriot Watt University where I was spending the night. On arrival and finding my room I felt like Norman Stanley Fletcher! (‘Porridge’ a prison reference). Basic but adequate and then I started on the most important task of the day hydrating myself ready for the race. After a good night’s sleep and receiving lots of good luck text messages I ventured down to breakfast, hmmmm porridge but staring up at me was a full Scottish (English) breakfast oh what the hell it is three hours until the start! Catching the shuttle bus it dawned on me what I was about to do, run a marathon in 23 degree heat with no shade and hardly any breeze but I was equipped with a cap, a bottle of water and covered from head to toe in sun cream and Vaseline.
Handing my bag in at the start going for a last wee and I was ready, I was pretty sure I would be ok till about mile 21 but after that was a journey into the unknown. The race started at 9am for the elite runners I got underway at 9.15am and I felt great and did so for 19 miles then it started to hurt, it was red hot and after about 17 miles the supporters ran out until we circled back and reached approx mile 23! At mile 22 I walked a bit and realised that a sub 4 hour was not going to happen. I was in Edinburgh on my own and had a flight to catch at 6.30pm I could not afford to collapse as people around me were doing. I kept drinking water & lucozade, running a bit then walking a bit. My legs were really hurting when at the 25 mile marker I decided to go for it and ran, even sprinted the last mile and a bit crossing the finish in 4:18.29 I had done it! A Marathon!

On autopilot I managed to make my way back to the city centre then to the airport where I bartered for a Cornish pasty! The flight (I was too knackered to be worried) was on time and I was relaxing in a hot bath on terra firma at 9.00pm, job done!

Edinburgh Marathon 31/05/09 stats;
Time:(26.2m) 04:18.29(pb)
10k 00:54.22
Half 01:58.22
30k 02:49.10
Position 3,789 (out of 13,104 of which 8,257 finished)
Condition: Knackered

Would I do another one? You just watch me!

A new blog!

Recording my running and other random rambling rambles of a forty plus bloke!

A bit of history,
I started running on the 1st May 2009 and have to date run two 10ks, six half marathons and one marathon. My PB’s (personal bests) are 49.43 10k, 1:43.35 half marathon and 4:18.29 marathon.

My aim this year is too run ten half marathons and one marathon (done it! Edinburgh 31/05/09) and various 10ks. I would like to get a new pb in the half of less than 1:40 and get under 48 minutes for a 10k.

Next race is the Stoke half on Sunday the 14th which is supposed to be a bit hilly but training this week is going pretty well did eight miles last night in 1:00.43 which is my fastest to date for said distance.

Tonight I am going mountain biking around Sherwood Pines a local country park and also the venue for quite a few 10k races throughout the year. Have not been cycling for a while but it will be a change from running and should be a good laugh. Am using my brother’ bike a very nice Raleigh Team replica which fingers crossed he will forget I have, though not if he reads this blog!

Will let you know how I got on tomorrow, Ta Ta!