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My medal!
My medal - it was very cool, but it also got quite heavy - it did start to hurt my neck, but dangnamit, I was NOT taking it off!Technically this is more of a 'blog' than a travel blog, but as we did travel to Edinburgh to do our first ever marathon, I think it's worth counting!
Before getting into it, I should prolly back-track a little. So, James and I were sitting down one evening last year and he mentioned at some point he would like to do a marathon while he was still young and able. Now, me being little-miss-competitive and not wanting to let him think he could do something I couldn't, said 'yeah, why not, we should do it together!'. Thus we applied for the London Marathon ballot for 2010, but alas, we didn't get in. Now I can't say I was devastated, I actually had a fleeting moment of relief until James suggested that we just enter the Edinburgh Marathon instead - you don't have to get into a ballot for that one, just apply early, pay your fee and then you're in. So, gulping down my fear and anxiety, we signed up in October last year for the race which would be in May 2010.
As a few may know, I only really started running regularly about 3 years ago and
Pooped!
Sitting down after a hard earned run - the legs were starting to feel it! the longest distance I had run was 14.1km when we did Run for the Kids in Melbourne in 2008. I used to HATE running when I was in high school, loathing that stoopid cross country run they made us do and then made me do it a second time on a Friday afternoon after school along with the others who hadn't managed to complete the 3km in the allotted time. So a marathon was going to be a BIG challenge.
Now, as you'd prolly guess, you can't just show up to do a marathon without doing some training beforehand otherwise there's Buckley's chance in actually finishing it, which is fair enough really. I'm still not sure why we thought it was a good idea to do a marathon in May in Scotland as this meant training in one of the coldest, most miserable winters in England for years. Thus we were out back in February, running in the cold, the snow (I kid you not) and ice which was actually a novelty for half of it, and a pain in the bum for the other half.
As it got closer to May, we really needed to start doing
James' medal
James and his well earned marathon medal! some longer distances. We did our first half marathon in early April on a Saturday afternoon - we hadn't intended doing that far, but James talked me into the last 3kms, and it was then that I learned that you really need to refuel with proper sports drinks/glucose type products as your legs seriously crap out after running for over 2 hours. My legs seriously started conking out, but after we finished I was really happy to get that milestone out of the way. Unfortunately a few days later I got a chest infection and my training went out the door for a week and half, after which it was James' turn for a chest infection, which put him out for nearly 2 weeks.
I managed to do another 24kms about 3 weeks before the marathon. which was the longest distance I had done to date; which I was fairly happy with as it wasn't about going fast, I just wanted to do the distance. It was after this run that I got my first real dose of 'runners knee' (otherwise known as IBT) and I had quite a bit of pain in the knee after the run, which
Tired but happy
Chilling out on the grass to do some stretches before heading back to sunny Edinburgh made me really start to worry about the marathon. I hadn't done as many long runs as I should have and the chest infection had put a dent in my training, so I began to doubt I could do the distance.
The week before, I REALLY started to get nervous. We eased off training completely to make sure we were fully rested and were quite happy to carb-load for the better part of the week, but I'd lost my confidence a tad and was wishing I'd put in some bigger distances. However, the proud/stubborn part of me was going to go through with it regardless, (can't let James have all the glory now could I?) so Saturday morning we jumped the train to Edinburgh.
Now things didn't go quite as planned when we turned up; well, when we FINALLY got to Edinburgh. One of the delay reasons was the 'heat'; apparently it was so hot close to Edinburgh that the train lines were starting to move and buckle! When we finally stepped off the train, it had to be around 28 degrees! We could hardly believe it. The forecast at that stage was that it would cool down
Edinburgh twilight
the view of the city from our hotel - beautiful! overnight and we would have the optimum weather for running a marathon - an overcast 16 degrees with possible showers. We headed out for a carb-loaded dinner, only to find that the other 25,000 people doing the marathon the next day had the same idea. We finally found an Italian restaurant, waited 20 mins to get seated, and then waited another 2 hours to get our main meal. Not happy Jan.
Nerves got the better of me the night before (as did the heat - the Scottish don't really have something called air-conditioning) and I was awake around 4am and already thinking about the run. We were up at 630am, eating our podge, drinking lots of water and congratulating ourselves for doing a number two when we went to the toilet (its weird the conversations you have!).
We got out to the course and had everything sorted before the race. We had two more toilets stops, and then we said goodbye to each other as James was going up front as he is a tad faster than me (just a tad) and was going in a different group. I did a last minute check: iPod charged and ready, puffa, sports gels, sunscreen, vaseline, check check check! I checked out my fellow runners; all of varying ages, shapes and sizes and a few nervous faces amongst them so I felt a tad better!
Suddenly it was time and we were off. My strategy was just to take it slow and steady and not get overly excited and run hard at the start, so was quite happy to let a few people overtake me and settle into my own pace. We started off on Regent Street which curves down and alongside Arthur's Seat and past Holyrood Palace, and meanwhile its still a tad overcast and temperature is nice and mild. There wasn't really a huge crowd - I hadn't really expected one - but there were a few people who lined the streets giving support to start with. The route would take us alongside the coast for most of the race, and an hour in the sun was out and shining. It was lovely, however it then started to get quite warm and it was not long after that I realised my half dozen toilet trips that morning had not been enough - I needed to go again! ARggh, so annoying.
I found my first half quite difficult as it started getting quite warm and after two more toilets stops (!!) I was going at quite a slow pace and my knee had flared up after the last stop. I started thinking - far out, I've been going for ages and I've still got at least another 2 hours to go! However, once I got past halfway mark, I suddenly found a good stride and was really lifting my pace. I felt good, and even though it was starting to get really hot; surprisingly I was doing much better.
The locals were out on the streets with their sprinklers and hoses to help us cool down which was great, as well as offering us oranges and sweets to help with some sugar intake. I was throwing back water and lucozade as often as possible to try and keep well hydrated, and I was actually overtaking people! heh heh! At the same time the route loops around and the faster runners were starting to run past in the other direction, so I was hoping to spot James and have a quick hug and catch up as we didn't know anyone else in the crowd, but alas no sight of him. Which was also kinda good, as that meant that he wasn't THAT far ahead of me (secretly I was hoping he would burn out early and I'd catch up with him and overtake him - sigh).
So miles 16-20 were actually quite good for me, however I did slow down in the last few miles. Lots of people around me were walking, but I was determined to keep going and to run/walk the rest of the way. At this stage I was counting down and knowing that I was soo close, it was a great feeling that I knew I was going to be able to make it. The last mile seemed to go
forever, but finally it was the last 200 metres and I picked up pace to try and sprint home. It was here the crowd were the biggest and they were so encouraging, shouting 'well done', 'you can do it', 'you're amazing' - it was great!
I managed to cross the finish time in 5hrs 23mins - not quite under the 5hrs I was hoping for, but hey, I made it! I found James waiting for me as he had finished in 4hrs 43mins which was absolutely fantastic, and suddenly it was all over. I had completed my first marathon! As an asthmatic who less than a year ago had had a collapsed lung in hospital, I was pretty darn chuffed that I had made it when I never thought I would be the type of person who could enter a marathon, let alone finish one. I firmly believe that if I can do it, anyone can, and it's so completely worth it. I still don't think its quite sunk in.
After the race we had a very slow walk to get to the buses to take us back into the city and it was then that the muscles started tightening up and we started discovering the various chaffing and blisters which we hadn't noticed during the race. It was quite funny having dinner that night, watching everyone hobble around and giving each other that knowing smile as we're all part of the club now - yep, we all look like old people in need of a wheelchair - but heck, wasn't it worth it?!
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Dave
non-member comment
Hey Tan - Congratulations on finishing! Nicely written blog too, glad you enjoyed the whole experience - you're part of an exclusive club now :) Dave