Well, it's over. The Edinburgh Marathon has been completed and I can actually feel my legs. Result. On the down side my face appears to be glowing in the dark.After months of training and hours of planning and organisation I was ready for this weekend. All my kit was packed. I had a folder full of confimations, maps and forms. I was Miss Organised 2010. Unfortunately fate had different plans. Firstly the hotel kicked both me and my friend Collette out due to double booking. Then I managed to nearly die driving around Edinburgh trying to find Hope Street (note: it's pedestrian. #Fail). I also managed to get the wrong bus and ended up in Leith at 10pm with no idea where the hell I was and no further buses, and finally the weather forecasters all lied like flatfish and instead of 19 degrees and overcast/showers, we had 27 degrees of sweaty, burny sun. Rant over, back to the race.
26.2 miles is (by definition) a buggeringly long way. Nibbling anything more than a biscuit and my fingernails the night before was pretty much impossible due to extreme nerves. I went to bed with my RNLI vest, leggings and trainers laid out on the table waiting for my alarm to go off and me to leap out of bed and attack the day. I didn't wake to the alarm, I awoke to a troop of howler monkeys in the zoo next door at 6am. I was having a dream about cycling around Bournemouth at the time, so the inclusion of a pack of rabid monkeys on rollerskates was an interesting image. I believe I'd even put a tutu on one of them.
I tried to eat some brekkie, which didn't go too well and then headed into the city to met up with Collette and walk down to the start line. The start was 9.50am and we got there at 8.30am. It was deserted. I found this very odd as most races I have been to, the loo queue forms at least 3 hours beforehand and grows exponentially by the hour. By 9am Regent Road was getting busy and I was busier trying to spot some of my Tweeting buddies. Sadly I didn't spot any :o( Hope to catch you next time guys x
The start was good - all downhill for the first few miles, although it was very, very, VERY warm. I was feeling fine and was on schedule for a 5 hour finish. At mile 10 we passed Musselburgh stadium and the finish line. I waved and told it I'd be back round in a few hours. About half a mile later the lead runner went legging it past on the other side of road only a mile or so from the finish. Not only did he have about a 6 mile lead, but he also managed a joke and wave with some bystanders. Freak.
I was going OK and passed the half way point at around 2.30hrs. But after this the shade stopped and the sun came out in full and nearly melted me. The rest of the route was out and back along the coast path. There were lots of supporters for most of it and the people of Edinburgh were brilliant. Many of them had hosepipes out to give us 'field showers' as we melted past. One of the good things about running for the RNLI is that any kid with a hosepipe who saw my immediately tried to "sink the lifeboat!" If it wasn't so hot I might have actually drowned.
Miles 16-18 were utter hell. These were spent running around a park with no shade and away from the coast there was no breeze either. I was suffering quite badly at this point. Passing one or two of the other RNLI runners at cross over points was a highlight as we high fived, punched the air or shouted 'Go Lifeboats!' With so few of us (I only saw 3 others running, and a couple who had done the half marathon), it was a big boost every time we saw each other and could have a litte chat.
Miles 18-21 were better. The aches and pains had eased slightly and the clouds briefly appeared to give us some respite from the heat. I managed to run quite a bit of these miles and although I knew I wasn't going to hit my 5hr finish by then, I hoped to be quite close to it. Alas no. At mile 22 the sun reappearred hotter than ever. By now it was after 2pm, I was sunburnt, my head was on fire, my feet had swelled so I'd had to stop and loosen my laces and my sportsbra had cut off my circulation to my back as my skin swelled up.
Only the Rocky music someone was blasting out from thier garden, blind determination, stubbornness and the knowledge that all my friends were willing me on got me over those last few miles. The shuffling run from mile 25 to the finish line was agony, and I apologise to all the crowds at the finish when I appeared, sweat-stained and grimacing with tears streaming down my face. But you know what? I was an emotional wreck and you didn't help by shouting my name and cheering me on. It was just too much for a The Sobster to take.
Official time: 5.39. Collette did a fabulous time of 4.10, and my twitter friends did amazing runs and got times from 3.50 to 4.50. We are all marathon runners guys!
Huge thanks to all the people of Edinburgh who were amazing, the organisers and marshalls who made sure we all got water and cheered so well, and the wonderfully lovely ladies of the RNLI charity tent who repaired Collette and I with sandwiches, coffee and massages. They are the reason I can still walk today.
A massive, massive thank you to everyone who has sponsored me for my year of crazy, you are all stars xx
Finally, this is not the end of the craziness, I have other things planned, but that's for another blog post. Right now I'm off to the pub for my first pint for 5 weeks. I think I've earned it.
Here's mud in your eye.
Sad afternote: Just heard the news of the runner who fell in the first few miles and sadly died. I had passed him at mile 7, surrounded by paramedics giving CPR. I know it shook everyone and my thoughts are with his family.
