The training for the Loch Ness Marathon is a stop start affair. It starts and then we go on holiday, or I have to work silly hours in the summer leaving no obvious block in the day to go for a long run. That's why when a local race like the Haddington Half Marathon comes up I try and get along to double up supporting local clubs with a training run for the marathon.
I had no idea how I would get on, but was hoping for around 90 minutes after last years disaster of 1:35 where I got cramp. I had a plan of running at 6.45 pace but once the gun goes off I always get sucked into a fast first few miles (6.16 for the first). It was a hot and humid day but fortunately the club had put on loads of watering stations. At around 11 miles the heat was getting pretty bad and I was feeling faint, but another watering station saved the day. I was still picking off runners but then a few others caught me in the last mile or so. I finally finished 25th with a respectable 1:29:03 but I was very hot and feeling light headed. A few of the many sarnies and biscuits put on by the club sorted that out, and I went home feeling better about the my training. I nearly cracked my PB for that distance, but then as people pointed out, it is not a PB course as there are plenty of hills, not big ones, but enough to knacker your legs out. The club won the women's team prize so it was a good day out.
Photo (nicked from S.Hay): Hot and bothered after a good run.
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