Dumfries Marathon 19/3/06
Dumfries Marathon (Part Two)
It’s the Wednesday before the Marathon and the shingles seem to have past. I’m going to the club but just going to try a short run. I ran with Sally for 45 minutes and felt ok. There is a bit of a ‘sick’ list for the Marathon as four out of the five of us running are all doubtful (or is it just because we are men?) Graham Henry (sinuses) Andrew Jeske (Hamstring) Tom Watson (Cold – although he said it was flu) and myself recovering from shingles. Sally’s biggest worry seems to be if her hair looks ok with her Headband!
Thursday morning and no reaction from my run. It’s now a case of seeing what the Doctor says.
Thursday afternoon and the Doctor says it should be ok for me to run but warns me that all viruses take a lot out of you and I might be tired for a few weeks!! I will take my chance so BRING IT ON!!
I seemed to spend most of Saturday eating and drinking the ‘correct’ Marathon food then on Saturday Evening myself, Gillian (my partner who isn’t in the Running Club but has bought a long sleeved yellow top, unlike a lot of the members – you know who you are) and Sally drive down to Dumfries. We arrive at our Hotel and are greeted by a strange looking Receptionist who wouldn’t look out of place in the ‘Munster’s’ and who whistles when she speaks. I am now worried we have booked into a 'Horror Themed’ Hotel.
Sunday morning and I’ve had a reasonable sleep despite the crying baby in the next room who was awake from 4am. Sally’s room was at the other side of the Hotel and she was kept awake by Traffic from the main road most of the night although I’m sure she was just getting her excuses in (like the rest of us) in case she had a bad run.
It’s a nice morning, a bit chilly but no rain or wind so the conditions seem good. I can see Tom and Andrew near the start but no Sergeant Henry, he must be doing a ten mile warm up or something but no, Tom tells me he has ‘wimped’ out! My good mate Ian ‘Golden Trotter’ Campbell is also running so we are all exchanging injury and illness notes.
The course was all out in the Countryside on quiet roads and mostly flat. It was a far wider course than Edinburgh. There were water stations every three miles (roughly) and Marshalls where needed – I would highly recommend this race.
I ran with Sally for the first ten miles at the pace we had planned for a hopeful 3:30. Between nine and ten miles I was having to work really hard just to keep the pace and realised I didn’t have the strength. At 15 miles I was 2:02 but really struggling. At 18 I almost gave in but then I’m sure I heard the ‘sarge’ barking “only 8 to go, you can do it”. I was really just trotting now but with my IPod on I was getting round and I was going to complete this race as I wasn’t feeling ill, just tired and weak.
I crossed the line in 4:16:39 but wasn’t bothered about my time as I had completed another Marathon after having shingles. I have run the last two Marathons post-shingles and I was 20 minutes quicker this time so it was a post-shingles PB to match Sally’s PB 3:30:43, Tom’s PB 3:10:55 and
Andrew’s PB 3:04:07.
Due to the fact I did all my long runs with Sally I am taking some credit for her PB plus Tom said he would buy a ‘Porty Fleece’ so I went home happy and planning for Edinburgh (and hopefully keeping the shingles away).
I’d just like to say thanks to everyone who gave me advice and support,
Now it’s ‘Magners Time’
Report Alan Aitchison
Tom gives us his perspective...
Andrew and I arrived Dumfries at 8 am, parked the car and looked for “the ample toilet facilities” as stated in race details. The toilet facilities consisted of 1 male and 1 female cubicle, open 24 hours, and positioned conveniently next to night club called “chancers” !! so you can imagine what goodies had been left behind in the toilets.
As usual Andrew shot off in front…..for the cameras of course, first few miles fairly flat, just a few gentle inclines. At 6 miles could still see Andrew way up ahead, time for me to slow my pace!! Got to halfway in 1.34, so far so good. Then it began to hurt……..just a wee bit. Lovely run along the Solway Firth, trying to take in the wonderful view and forget the agony. Then one of the “wee undulations” as Graham would say, came at approx 16 miles. Can I ask where Graham gets these magic running goggles from? I mean the ones that make steep long hills look like relatively flat terrain? Felt a bit rough from 16 to 20 miles, but got to 20 mile mark at 2.24, so not so bad, and guess what? Another “wee undulation” came into view, and surprise, another at 23 miles!! I recall Graham assuring me that the course was relatively flat, and just a wee undulation near the finish, me thinks Graham should re visit the course!! But fair to say from 25 miles to finish was downhill and flat, nice run into the park for final 200 metres, got in at 3.10.46 , a p.b. by approx 1.40, also 2nd over 50 male vet, couldn’t stay for prize, too damn cold to hang around.
A final word, Andrew, Sally and myself all achieved pbs, and a great gutsy performance from Alan in even attempting the race ( and finishing ) considering how ill he was a few days prior to event.
Report Tom Watson
Andrew Jeske position 13 in 3.04.05
Tom Watson position 22 in 3.10.42
Sally Scott position 57 in 3.30.36
Alan Aitchison position 139 in 4.16.41Total number of runners 180
Times taken from Dumfries Running Club site
Photos Andrew Jeske, Gillian Hewitt and Alan Aitchison
