Loch Ness Marathon. 4/10/09
A cold start to the day.When Mary threw our hats in the ring for this one, I acknowledged it was the day after my birthday but didn't realise we would have to travel up to Inverness on my birthday then spend a charmless night in a charmless travelodge. This was all pretty crappy and was in danger of creating a sour weekend if the race didn't go well. Having run a 3½ hr hill race last weekend there was a good chance of this happening.
On the drive up we had some of this...I'm not that keen on longer races, at least they're not my strength and I do comparatively better at shorter stuff. Having run an abysmal Edinburgh marathon in 2008 I felt I had to prove I could still do a sub 3 before retiring from the genre. I ran Loch Ness (in 2003 I think?) as my second marathon, but had only vague memories of an undulating course and sore legs afterwards. (This proved remarkably accurate.)
...and some of this.Friday and Saturday were hectically windy and rainy which would have been awful for running but as forecast, the storms abated for Sunday. Well not all of the winds abated. We had had the dubious pleasure of eating next door to the glum travelodge (situated on the outskirts of Inverness next to housing estates; having neither the warmth of a city centre nor the prettiness of a rural retreat,) in some mediocre golfing place where we had oval Petri dishes of lasagne microwaved till hotter than the sun then set on a plate of chips and garlic bread. This nuclear dinner was edible but not generous in portion so next morning before the sun came up I horsed down 2 bowls of cereal and some honey sandwiches I had brought along. (I once read a 2.5hr marathoner saying he started marathons feeling fairly full.) (Maybe that's all I need to do and I won't feel awful in the last 6 miles?) (No chance.) All this combined dangerously with a pint of fizzy caffeine drink to produce some pretty strong cyclonic forces. In fact most of the second half I felt boaky. On the upside I only had half a gel the whole race and felt that was overkill.
Drive time scenery
Snow on the Cairngorms.
About 25 buses waited for us in pre-dawn near frosty conditions to take us 25 miles to the start. Having got up 6am we then wasted an hour waiting for the buses to set off while a lot of nervous folk didn't know whether to drink sports drink; get off for a pee; or neither. I opted for neither and tried to snooze while nothing happened till about 9am. About 10.15 we got there after various stops and there was a massive queue for the portaloos. Another bore. Livened up by meeting lots of runners: Terry Coyle from the heb3s, the Dunbar clan, lots of Porties, Gareth Mayze, etc. The start was moved from 10 to 10.50 and was probably still late. I was remarkably un-grumpy about this because the weather was amazingly sunny and windless given the storm the night previously.
These pictures at the roundabout near 22½ miles were taken by Richard who had run the 10k.
The leader who was, Richard tells us, "miles ahead and looking oh so comfortable!" I don't think he's even sweating.Eventually we were off and Marc and I with Johnny close behind set off at 6 min/miling which is okay as the course drops quite steeply (but with some sharp ascents also) The first 8 miles go down to the loch side. A couple miles in and Gareth drew alongside. He had been doing some extraordinary long training runs but had flu too near to Moray to make a decent job of it. He decided to go for this one and soon took off into the distance. Marc and I chatted; not something I often do in a race but felt it might stop us (me) from going off too fast. Marc seemed to be well recovered from his 2.57 Moray marathon 3 weeks ago. We ran together for the first half, run in a shade under 1.24. It was much more hilly than I remembered, some of which I enjoyed, especially the scenery which was really crisp and autumnal. But I was a bit worried about going for a decent time over such an undulating course.
Marc going so fast Richard was only just able to catch him.
Not long after halfway we spotted Gareth who seemed to be getting close worryingly quickly. As we caught and passed him he had slowed to a walk and complained of sore calfs. Bummer. Obviously not over the flu just yet. Onto mile 17 and a light drizzle started to fall. Marc thought this was great but as soon as the wind and rain hit me I faded and without time to wish him well I fell behind Marc and he pulled away strong as a horse. He went onto run 2.50 - a tremendous performance and nearly even splits, a real achievement on such a tough course.
Richard lifted my spirits greatly by saying it was only 20 minutes to go.
(In fact the winner took 23 minutes from this point, I took just a little longer but it cheered me up. Thanks Richard.)I had already said to Marc I expected that if he kept it together and was untroubled by recent calf problems I anticipated Johnny going past about mile 20 as I slowed. However it was sooner than that: just as the famous hill from 17½ to 19 miles reared up, Johnny appeared before going past. (Terry Coyle also cruised past on his way to 2.51 and first o/50 by miles) I chugged slowly up the hill (although not walking like some) but by the top could still see Johnny a short way ahead. He had expressed doubts about the last 10k and I thought if he had trouble we may end up running them together. However he managed a great first marathon and increased his lead to 93 secs. I had hit 20 miles in 2.11 (about as fast as I've managed in a marathon) so had some hopes for a pb but really flagged in the last few miles, as ever, and finished in 2.57.33 – about thirty seconds over my pb. However I was just pleased to be finished, and happily under the three hours. I can now go back to doing races I enjoy and don't have to quit the road marathoning business on a windy 3.14 from 2008.
I was really impressed with Johnny and his first ever marathon and Marc and his 2.50; both excellent performances that suggest even better times on easier courses (although it was nearly perfect conditions.) Congratulations to both. Unfortunately not everyone had the race they were aiming for and my heart sank when I heard Stuart Hay from Dunbar, (looking for his first sub3 again) who I was surprised didn't fly past in the last few miles, crossed the line in 3.00.31. (Doing a Moray Paterson?) So really, I can't complain. (Talking of Moray we heard from the Dunbar runners he came second at their 10 mile off roader on Saturday. Great stuff Moray.)
Ben at the finishI was just beginning to recover from the race when I had to leave the beer (rehydration) tent to meet Mary at the car post shower. She had realised we didn't have time to eat the free meal provided (if only I'd realised this) so I abandoned Ian Rowland and the Hays saying I'd be back shortly. However I was whisked off to try and get home before night fell (our car's lights are very low power and make night driving a bit dodgy.) We nearly made it despite lengthy tailbacks and 2 flexi-stops for cramping legs. And all the time I was picturing the bowls of Chilli and Rice I'd missed out on. Nothing to eat apart from a couple of cereal bars from 6am breakfast till 8pm home time. Some birthday weekend.
Edinburgh Marathon could learn a lot from Loch Ness about goody bags, pricing, picturesque routes* and post race (inclusive) food and drink. And not having a ned DJ on the start line PA. (TV's Bryan Burnett was doing a good job, being a runner himself and gave Portobello a name check as we started.) (Although we were subjected to Kylie, YMCA and Amarillo before a chunky spray-tanned young lady led some warm-up aerobics that most ignored.) It was a pity so much went wrong before the start. Probably a result of over-subscription. And I would prefer a race that started later in the day that would allow same day travel. But you can't have everything. Next weekend the Skyline – my third 3hr race in three weeks.
*I heard a few different opinions expressed; from the course being way too hilly, to it being the most scenic marathon ever. Myself I found it sufficiently distracting to run all 26 miles wthout recourse to the music player rubbing a small hole on my arm.
ps next day and my legs are so stiff the Skins support tights are back on. Day off running today.
Report pb
Photos pb and Mary and Richard Dennis.
Results here which were up before we got home.
Mary's blog
Mary having her cake and eating it.
Accidentally set the camera to Kitch 1950s Postcard mode for this view of the Slochd Pass between Carrbridge and Inverness.
Moonrise on the way home.Also here is Richard's Report from the 10k...
This has to be the fastest 10k course I’ve run – provided you get the weather and push your way right to the front. Same last four miles as marathon, and first two miles largely downhill. But downhill down narrow lanes, and although I was in the “40 and under” pen, loads of slower runners clogged those narrow lanes – so don’t be shy about using the elbows before the start!
Sure enough Richard managed under 40 minutes as hoped for (39.03). Well done and thanks for taking the photos of us marathoners.
Results here
