After training for 16 weeks, marathon day was upon us. Unfortunately a lot of the training had been through those winter days when it was difficult to always find roads in Renfrewshire that could be run on because of snow / ice, or a cycle track that wasn't doubling as a skating rink. Contrast that to the actual day which was the hottest of the year so far - giving rise to the usual newspaper coverage of ice creams and bathers in Bournemouth. The 10 am Marathon start (the half marathon started at 8) was not great as the sun was really well up by then and we prepared to join mad dogs and (in my case other) Englishmen, venturing out for several hours either side of the mid-day sun. Variously the forecast had said 19 deg, 22 deg or 25 deg - whichever, it felt very hot. But that's just one of the challenges of running - just means you have to adjust your aspirations and pace accordingly and focus on enjoying the day (so Derek told me in final pep talk). Difficult in Edinburgh as the first mile or so is down hill and it felt so deceptively easy. In fact for me it felt easy well through halfway, which I ran with Jacqueline, up to about mile 18 and then it just got very very tough. Even a bit of welcome sea breeze didn't help too much. Credit to the organisers for plenty of water at all the water stations, which was essential and I think a lesson learned (judging by others comments) from last year. Support was a bit varied - non existent for a lot of the way but very loud in places and towards the end there was plenty of it but by then I was just head-down trying to make it to the finish. Never felt so happy to finish a race ! But I had not banked on the interminable walk to collect baggage, and beyond that to the shuttle buses which take you from Musselburgh back to Edinburgh. Be warned if you do this race that if, like me, your legs get to feel like they've seized up after you stop, there is a lot of walking still to do ! The relay runners didn't cause too much bother and change-overs were kept well out of the way of the rest of the field. So all in all I'd recommend this race for anyone contemplating it in 2011 .... and it surely can't be so hot in Scotland in late May for three years in a row ....... can it ? | |
