Marathon

And so it was finally here, race week. After 20 weeks of training and 17 months since I decided I was going to start to try and run, I was going to be running a marathon.

After the last long run on Sunday 20th, I had a rest day on the Monday, then it was a series of small runs on the next 3 days, 4 miles, 4 miles and then 3 miles and the training was done. All I had to do now was run 26 miles on Sunday.

I set off to Edinburgh on the Saturday by train (First class! I could only afford it because I booked it so far in advance) Arriving in Edinburgh on time, I made my way to my hotel to drop off my bags.This was the view from my room.

After checking in I made my way up The Mound to a bistro called Porto & Fi to meet some friends. If you are every there I recommend the Cullen Skink risotto.

Then after a lovely meal I visited the Our Dynamic Earth centre . This is an interactive exhibition all about the planet earth. I didn't go to see that. The centre this weekend was being used as the base for all the Edinburgh Marathon festival activities. As well as the marathon itself, there was a half marathon on the Sunday and before I arrived there had been run 5k and 10k races as well as some junior ones too.

There were people here checking the details of the route, starting areas and also getting their race numbers if they were late entrants. I was here to meet the volunteers of Macmillan Cancer Support, the charity for whom I was raising money.
Here's the Scottish Parliament viewed from the Our Dynamic Earth centre.

I think it goes without saying what a wonderful job this charity does, providing care and support for patients and their families in times of greatest need and I was glad to be able help to raise money for this worthy cause in whatever little way I could.You can still donate here.

I meet some lovely people here, especially one man who's name I have shamefully forgotten but I will call him Dave. He was a runner himself and had done the London Marathon a month before but was here just to give advice and support. As this was my first marathon and I still was a little nervous, I asked lots of questions and he asked me all about my training and shoes and diet and was just so very supportive. He asked what time I was expecting to do it in and he said that it was a good time for a first marathon. Dave said he was going to be at the cheer point at 11 and 23 miles (the same place as the course loops back on itself) and would be looking out for me. I came away for the meeting feeling reassured and much more confident thanks to Dave.

Then it was back to the hotel and a quick shower and then back to the Dynamic Earth for an evening of Carbs and Comedy. This was an event open to runners of the marathon and consisted of a carbohydrate loading meal of pasta and salad and then a comedy set featuring 3 Scottish comedians. Here I met guy called Steve from Glasgow who was on his own and was running his first marathon too. He was good company and the comedy was good too and I came away feeling relaxed and ready for the next day.

Back at the hotel I switched on my laptop and connected to Skype so I could see and talk to my beautiful girlfriend for one last time before the big race.

And so to bed.

Sunday. Race day.

I woke up at my usual time of around 10 past 6 and had breakfast. This was supposed to be fulfilling bowl of porridge, fuel for the race but due to a miscalculation or cock-up on my part, the hotel didn't do breakfast. I found this out when I arrived on Saturday and had the make an emergency trip to the supermarket to purchase some cereals grain bars instead.
Then it was a quick shower and into my running kit and out of the hotel to walk to London Road, the starting point of the race.
After loading my bag onto the truck that would take it to the finishing line to be waiting there for us I asked a fellow runner to take a photo of me.

And here's the starting pens just before the race start.

You may have noticed that brightness in the sky. It was caused by the sun. This was an unexpected  sight.The sun has been a rare visitor this far north this year and certainly not something most of the runners at my level had been able to train for. Even just a week before I was running in icy rain. How would I cope running in the heat? Let's find out shall we?

At 09:50 the race started. I didn't move. About 20 seconds later I and everyone around me started to walk towards the start. This built to a jog, then a gentle run till finally we were crossing the start line and we were off.

Now comes the difficult bit. How do I describe a 26 mile race? (I keep referring to it as a race and of course it is, but to the mass majority of runners we aren't competing against each other but ourselves, trying to set personal bests or just to complete the course) Do I describe each mile? Or just tell you some memories and incidents?
I think it should be the latter.

The heat. It was hot. OK, not as hot as Mexico, as my lovely Vero keeps reminding me, but hot enough to have everyone using very available water station (these were every 3 miles) and trying to find shade to run in. This proved nearly impossible as the route leaves Edinburgh for the coast after about 4 miles and there is none. The hope of a cool sea breeze also didn't materialise.
Because of the temperature, I started to sweat earlier than usual and so I had to take of my glasses, first checking I could read all the signs. I could, just about.

The supporters. The hot weather had it's advantages, it meant there was wonderful support from the large crowd nearly all the way around the course. As well as the Macmillan
supporters at every cheer point, the general public were great. As well as clapping, cheering and general encouragement, I was particularly lucky being in a vest with my name on it. The sound of a total stranger shouting "Come on Phil, you can do it" always lifted my spirits and spurred me on. The shouts of small children, arms raised for high 5's always made me smile.

Some enterprising people also had hosepipes spraying very welcome cold water in the air to run through and I know that at the same age as the young boys with Super Soakers, how much I would have enjoyed spraying passing runners. Still would do now.

My race. As I said before, the goal was to complete the course. I had a secondary goal too, that of trying to finish in under 4 hours. I was fairly confident of completing the race one way or another as I had already run a few training runs of 22 miles, what's another 4 miles? I was slightly less confident of the 4 hour goal although, again, the training runs seemed to make it look like that it was possible.
I set off well. I was using an app on my phone so I have the pace for each mile recorded and after the first mile of 8 minutes and 20 seconds, the pace went up the just under 8 mins and stayed there for 16 miles. This was good, comfortable running. I was keeping a steady pace despite the heat.
But after the 16 mile mark, the pace slipped, first to 8:10, then 8:20, then.. who knows?
The phone battery died and my family and friends following my progress on-line where left in the dark, worrying.

I didn't know this, but I did know my pace was slipping. Despite my best efforts, I was having to start walking for short periods, about 20 seconds every mile. I have never been comfortable having to do this and on the 22 miles runs had managed to do them with only a minimum walk at 11 miles to turn around.
It wasn't the case today, the heat or the slightly faster pace had got to me and I was struggling.
I could feel the tops of my thighs burning. I started to have to walk more and more. Taking a rest from running but still moving forward. Fellow runners were doing the same. I saw someone receiving oxygen at the side of the road.

I reached 22 miles. I had never run further before. I checked my watch. It was about 3hrs 20 mins. 40 minutes to do the final 4.2. I had done 6.2 (10k) before Christmas in 43 minutes. I could do this.
I stopped feeling guilty of having to walk a little but it got more difficult to walk as the crowd wouldn't let me! The shouts of "Nearly there Phil" "Phil, come on, you can do it!" were getting louder and more frequent. I didn't want to let these strangers down.

At the 23 mile point I saw Dave. Remember Dave? He remembered me! He looked at his watch and shouted "Great time, Phil" as I ran passed, legs really aching now. But once again, I was spurred on by the thought of people willing me to success.
As well as the support on the course, my head was full of all the people who believed in me and it was this that kept me going.

Mile 25 came and went, slowly. And here was mile 26. The finish!!
No, another .2 miles to go!
The longest part of the race.
The crowds were larger now and I was determined not to stop again. More shouts of "Phil". A fellow female runner commented "I wish I was called Phil" I said "You can be, we are all in this together" and that's how it felt. We were all completing, not against each other but ourselves. Together we were helping each other, I had never felt more a part of something.

Nearly there.
I rounded a corner and there it was, the finishing line.
Up a slight incline and I was running to the finish, just yards to go.
I could see the clock. I could see it was 3 hours something but no more. The sweat was in my already blind without glasses eyes.
I put my head down and ran as fast as my legs would go.

Finish.

I had done it!! I had completed my first marathon. But had I done it in under 4 hours?
My watch was still going. 03:58:35. Yes!!

I would have to wait for the official time but I was certain I had done it.

I collected my medal and t shirt and a very welcome bottle of water and tried to collapse on the floor. I couldn't do it. my legs wouldn't bend. I carried on walking.

And I think this blog has gone on long enough so I will bring it to a close.

I want to thank again the wonderful people at Macmillian for all their support, before during and after the race. The massage was most welcome! Please give your support to these lovely people doing a vital job.

And finally I want to thank, and I know it will embarrass her, my Veronica. She has made this whole running thing so much easier with her endless support and her willingness to listen to all my boring talk about running. Thank you my love.

Race Number: 3337
Category: Over 40 Male
Full Time: 03:54:34
10k split: 00:49:28
Half marathon: 01:47:47
30k split: 02:38:16
Overall finish position: 2321
Category finish position: 598