My approach to marathon running is that training for it should not be allowed to eat into my life too much, and that if I was going to do one, it had to be in a good time. Of course to get a good time means putting in more effort, which could use up time I would rather spend with family, watching telly or lying in bed. However, my casual running had been improving with minimal effort, so I decided that with a bit more commitment I could probably achieve a reasonable time for a marathon, and I was looking for a new running challenge to keep me focused. As the Loch Ness Marathon is so well organised and is a long run I would like to do anyway, I decided to go for it.
Training: I looked around for a suitable training programme. They all promise the earth but not all fitted around my life. I opted for Hal Higson’s Intermediate 2 programme. It’s not based on achieving a particular time, but challenges you to push a bit further. It also fitted in well with my life. It was the first time I had followed a guide, and it was very helpful in keeping me going. It involved a long un on Sunday and 2 medium sized ones, plus 2 rest days. Not too time consuming.
Diet: Until the last 2-3 weeks I didn’t really have much of one. Then it was lots of pasta, rice, potatoes and water. I cut the coffee and had less wine, ate loads and loads of everything. The training was burning off my weight, despite eating a lot of food. I think I lost around 5-6 llbs in the final stage of training. Not a pretty sight, given how light weight I was already.
The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon registration was fairly straight forward but lacked a good expo. Hardly anything on offer, and lets face it we have come to expect a goody bag or free t-shirt and pen. All that was on offer was some over priced running gear that desperate runners were snapping up in the belief it might make them run faster. I am sure it does, but at those prices I would hope so. Later we went to the pasta party for pasta and baked potatoes, and a chance to mill around all the other runners.
Race day arrived and as the race is a point-to-point race, we all needed transporting to the start near Fort Augustus by bus. This is included in the price. We boarded our bus at 7.30 am, but unfortunately there was over an hour wait before it left, as not enough buses had turned up for the 3000 runners. Eventually people were crammed on buses, standing for the 50minute journey through winding roads of stunning Highland scenery. The conversations are all about running, and I did my best to get into a zone. It was not the best lead up to a race.
Eventually the buses arrive in the middle of who knows where? There is a party atmosphere as runners realise they have made it to the start and there are enough portaloos to cope with the thousands of people who were by now desperate for a pee. Tea, coffee and water were also being served and a running commentary and music calmed everyone down. There are loads of baggage buses too so no worries about bringing loads of kit for the end of the race.
The starting area had the usual signs for your predicted time, but it seemed like almost everyone was stood behind the 3 hour mark, and only a few in the 100 meters of space leading up to the start line. I decided to go forward amongst the faster runners. Then a pipe band marches through the runners, adding a special moment to the event, and then the hooter blows and the race starts.
Miles 1-5: This early stretch of the race is overall downhill. But don’t let that trick you into thinking it is easy going. It is undulating and winding. I went off with Ian & Stuart from the club. 2 experienced marathon runners who were going slower than the 3 hour pace I had on my pace band. “Maybe they were having an off day?” I thought, and foolishly crept ahead. I also broke my own rules and went faster than my band pace which would later cost me dearly.
Miles 6-16: This next stretch of the course is mainly flat, with a few climbs and drops here and there. It runs along the edge of the Loch and is overloaded with drinks stations of water and Lucozade. The great views of the Loch and the mountains are a pleasant distraction.
Mile 17-18: This is a significant part of the course because it is all uphill. At the point of a race when your legs are working hard and feeling it, a hill arrives to make them work harder. By now I was beginning to rapidly lose my speed on each mile and my pace was way off what I wanted. At 14, Ian and Stuart had passed me, which was no surprise really. My enthusiastic start was now costing me valuable minutes, not just seconds.
Mile 19-24: With the Loch now behind you, you follow the River Ness through a more residential area, which means the crowds are out to encourage you along, offering jelly babies and words of support. As you break away from the Loch, try and look back at the view. There is a photographer there so take a moment if you can to look over your shoulder at the view.
Miles 24-26.2: This is the last part of the race which I think is mentally the most challenging. You know that the stadium is just across the river from you, but the u-turn you make as you cross the bridge is a long haul. By this point I was pretty much exhausted. I was nursing cramps in my hamstrings, but knew I had to keep the legs moving. Then as you run around the stadium, there is a sharp right into it, on to grass. The turn and change of terrain gave me cramp just 100 meters away from the finish. I managed to get it together enough to run in to the cheering crowds at a 3 hour 13 time. It was way off my planned time and I felt a little bit annoyed with myself for not sticking to my original race plan. I think if I had gone at a 3:10 pace, I would have actually finished quicker. Never mind, lesson learnt. I also think that the cold I had picked up the previous weekend was still creating some difficulties as some fairly chunky stuff was getting coughed up as I ran.
Post Race: Straight after finishing I went and had a massage. This was very good and made me appreciate how much of a hammering a marathon gives your body. Make sure you take a tenner for the cost of it. I had more Lucozade and water, plus a meal (complementary for all runners). Things were sore but I was coping. It was around 3 hours later that I was suddenly hit by a fever, yet felt really cold and shivery. I could hardly move, but once I ate a sausage supper and had some painkillers I felt better again. I’d be interested in hearing what caused that. Was it the cold or a virus being made more acute by fatigue? I don’t know, but it was pretty horrible and completely floored me for a couple of hours.
Well that’s about it. If you are thinking of doing a marathon, then this is one I recommend. It is an event where runners are looked after and where for the cost of entering, you get good value and a slightly different experience than some city races. Plus a t-shirt and a goody bag full of useful stuff rather than the litter of promotional fliers many races stuff in them. Make a weekend of it though and see the sites, and enjoy the place.
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