From not quite the couch to marathon in 7 months

[Windswept1]

I have posted some of this before but yesterday was the day! I was doing jog Scotland and aquafit last year but felt it wasn't enough so in earlier this year embarked on c25k and graduated at the end of March. Meantime a so called friend entered me for the Callanish Stones Marathon for my 59th birthday present in January.

So yesterday was the day. Got up early for breakfast, the previous day I had dropped sports drink at intervals on the route, but the organisation was good and there were lots of water stations.

There was an 8 am start for walkers/slow joggers and 10 am for others. (Also a 10k & fun run).

As always I found the first couple of miles the most difficult, but then settled into it. Weather was perfect, overcast, dry and enough breeze to keep midges away - unlike today with a gale & driving rain.

No big crowds but passing people were waving and hooting car horns.

I settled to my own pace with just 2 people behind me and was just about halfway when some of the super fit from the later start passed me.

All the experienced marathon runners were very supportive saying 'well done, keep going ' etc.

Although I did a lot of walking towards the end I made a point of jogging to every mile marker and saved enough to run the all important 0.2 to the finish in the middle of the famous stone circle.

What a high :-)). 6 hrs 34 minutes.

Think I want to rest for a while but plan to do 30 mins on exercise bike later in the week for Dozzers triathlon.

Got my t shirt & posters and have had a picture taken at surgery but will post that another time.

[janemac Graduate]

Very well done! We kept popping outside to watch for runners passing but wee ones were a bit cold and grumpy so we only saw you passing from the living room window. You looked like you were in the zone! I'm completely in awe of everyone that took part, perhaps I'll work up to 10k one day but can't imagine ever managing a marathon! Take a well earned break! x

[misswobble Graduate in reply to janemac]

Fantastic!!! Hats off to you as I can only begin to imagine what running a marathon must be like. Hell probably! Well done. You deserve a good rest now to give you body time to recover for the Dozzer Challenge

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to misswobble]

Thank you, my glutes were sore from the start and all the way round but there was lots of encouragement from people and various friends, although thinking me mad, had confidence I could do it.

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to janemac]

Thanks it was great to see people watching out and everyone at the marshalling points, especially Cathie Mary and Rick & Hettie up at Gearrannan.

You should manage a 10 no problem. Why don't you aim for the Linda Norgrove one in October? Its a lovely route around the Valtos peninsula and because there are walkers as well there is no pressure for speed. I would do it again but I think it is when I am away.

scottishrunningguide.com/ra... - Although having looked at this, I could do it away but it will be about 35 degrees!

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to janemac]

Not sure if I sent this correctly first time!

Thanks it was great to see people watching out and everyone at the marshalling points, especially Cathie Mary and Rick & Hettie up at Gearrannan.

You should manage a 10 no problem. Why don't you aim for the Linda Norgrove one in October? Its a lovely route around the Valtos peninsula and because there are walkers as well there is no pressure for speed. I would do it again but I think it is when I am away.

scottishrunningguide.com/ra... - Although having looked at this, I could do it away but it will be about 35 degrees!

[janemac Graduate in reply to Windswept1]

Thanks, I'll have a wee look but think October might be too soon. I think the westside 5 and 10k is on next Saturday and I'm a wee bit tempted to do the 5k but I think I'll stick to early mornings by myself for a bit longer, no hurry! You were lucky with the weather on Saturday, what a horrible night it turned into! Hope acupuncture helps x

[runner56 Graduate]

Wow!!!!

Couch to Marathon in 7 months!! Wow!!!

You are one of those superfit athletes. That is fantastic and what a setting!!!

Again, wow

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to runner56]

Thank you but at 59 I think it is a bit late to consider myself an athlete! :-))

[Realfoodieclub Graduate]

What a fanatic post. Time goes so quickly I remember you posting that you had been bought a place. Well done I hope you are suitably very proud of yourself because you deserve to be.

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to Realfoodieclub]

Thank you. I have told my friend I don't want any more presents from her, but I am pleased I did it.

[Net68 Graduate]

Superb! What a great friend lol! That is a fantastic achievement. You should be so proud and pleased and rightly so. Well done

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to Net68]

Many thanks.

[lizziebeth57 Graduate]

Fantastic! What an achievement, and in such a short space of time. Very well done and hope you are taking an easy day today

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to lizziebeth57]

Thank you, I am having another easy day today catching up after having had visitors last week. Also looking forward to acupuncture tomorrow to loosen off any remaining stiff muscles.

[tanyag_163 Graduate]

That sounds wonderful and amazing. A great result you should be proud of.

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to tanyag_163]

Thank you.

[AmberC Graduate]

Wow, what an achievement....puts my 5km race of this morning into perspective. Well done you, fantastic run.

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to AmberC]

Thank you, but I don't think I did a non stop 5 k running during the whole thing. When I am recovered I want to get back to doing 5k again.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Windswept!!!! Congratulations m'dear, that is a completely awesome achievement. C25k to marathon in 7months! I am speechless! You must be so incredibly proud of yourself. Very very well done

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Thank you very much.

[GettingFitter Graduate]

Fantastic Windswept. You must be so chuffed with yourself.Sounds brilliant. Congratulations!!

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to GettingFitter]

Thank you

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Brilliant. Well done. I can't imagine running that sort of distance!

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Thank you, I did a lot of walking as well though.

[poppypug Graduate]

Massive respect to you Windswept , fab stuff ! C25k to marathon in 7 months ? Amazing , you should feel very very proud of yourself , Well done ! xxx

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Thank you pp

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

ANYBODY can run a marathon in 2hours and a bit :)-- but it takes TRUE GRIT to do it in 6 hours. It is well known , even by the elite marathoners themselves, that running for 6 hours is MUCH harder than running for 2 + hours. WELL DONE!!! I wish I had your tenacity!!

[Windswept1 Graduate in reply to Bazza1234]

Thank you, yes several of the super-fit who sped past me said the same thing.

There was a lady behind me also jog/walking who was using a very strict timed walk/run from her Garmin.

I am not technically minded and because I knew the route so well I had just decided I would walk a lot of the uphill bits and jog down.

[Windswept1 Graduate]

Thank you, I did enjoy it in a strange sort of way.

[misswobble Graduate]

Don't denigrate your own efforts Amber. There's nothing wrong with running 5ks. Marathon runners cut their teeth and build speed on 3 and 5k's.

[OldNed Graduate]

Big Respect!!

[swanscot Graduate]

Very well done, Windswept. (I was at the Glasgow Games last weekend, so just seeing this now)

That's a massive achievement completing a marathon only 7 months from starting running. It sounds like you enjoyed the event. I bet there was a great community spirit to the event.