Yesterday I managed to complete my first marathon and my what an experience. Long race report ahead, apologies. Best grab a cuppa.
The race started at a new location this year, in Holyrood Park south of the city centre. But with all the diversions it took an age to get there from the north of the city. I was so preoccupied with using the toilet before it started I walked right past the celebrity Official Starter (Mary Berry no less!). All was fine for me being ready to start the race at 10am. But I didn't cross the start line until 10:16am having to take a slow walk up to the start from my holding pen which was about the 9th to move up.
The weather was just what I'd wished for, warm but not too hot with the occasional bit of sun poking through to make it enjoyable. Though later on when the sun stayed out for a bit did make it unpleasant at times, but thankfully it didn't last too long and there was a slight breeze to keep things coolish.
Eventually we got away and proceeded to traipse around the streets of Edinburgh's Old Town (passed Edinburgh University's Old College, right turn onto the Royal Mile towards Holyrood Palace, passed the Scottish Parliament building, then back through Holyrood Park for a long loop section. We then headed north through residential streets until we started going east on tarmac paths/roads through Portobello, Musselburgh, Prestonpans, Cockenzie/Port Seton, alongside Longniddry Golf Course before heading into Gosford House Estate for a long circular loop along an unwelcome gravel path. This was the return point where we then retraced our steps back to Musselburgh and the finish line.
The first half was great for me, my strategy was to use the crowded field to keep the pace relatively slow with the hope of picking things up in the second half. The first half worked a treat, with a great pace. I felt strong until the 23rd kilometre when it all started to unravel a bit. My pace dropped off massively until around the 39th km (I'll come back to that in a moment).
What I was feeling was that I had plenty of water to keep me hydrated. I even dropped an electrolyte tab into a bottle half way to keep things topped up. But I guess some more of these as opposed to just water would have been wise. I had an energy bar for fuelling with me, plus some energy gels I'd brought from home. The organisers also provided gels at 4 hydration stations I think. These were the usual overly sweet ones, and included a mix of standard and caffeine - the latter are revolting, so it was a push to swallow those down. What I really craved was something salty. How I wished I'd stuck some crisps in my pocket or if there were a few less jelly babies being offered by the public (though they were awesome) for something salty. My cap, skin and clothing was by this point covered in salt stains as I was flagging.
I'm definitely not a fan of retracing my steps on long runs. I like the novelty of the view changing and would have love to end up back in Edinburgh rather than being stuck in East Lothian. But on the return leg the crowds were absolutely amazing, really carrying me on - shouting out the runners names (shown on our numbers). While it was hurting by this stage I was not going to be defeated and trot to the finish line without a final push. From around the 39th kilometre I used every bit of energy I could muster. I wanted my son to see me having tried my hardest to do my very best even when things got tough.
As the road narrowed the noise of the crowd increased to such an extent I was overcome with emotion - the pain, excitement, determination all mixing together. I ended up bursting into tears with 500 meters to go. I then saw my family for the first time since the start which spurned me on despite the tears.
When I crossed the line in 4:25:02 I felt elated and knackered. I was 5 minutes under my predicted time (whoo hoo!!) and my quads were screeching at me to stop. But I'd done it. The hardest running challenge of my short running career (started with C25K in March 2019). Will I do another one? Right now, probably not. But ask me again once I've recovered and finally taken the medal off that I am wearing proudly around the house and maybe just maybe I'll be tempted...
Written by
runningdad
Marathon
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Congratulations to you runningdad on completing the Edinburgh Marathon in a time of 4:25:02, I hope you are very proud of yourself, well done. I have just watched 2 YouTube videos of yesterday's Edinburgh Marathon, one is just over 27 minutes, the other around 16 minutes, there is another video of about 16 minutes of a man who actually filmed his run at Edinburgh a few years ago, all three are worth watching.I Hope you celebrated your wonderful achievement with 🍷 and cake.
Yes that guy was absolutely shattered at the end of the his marathon and was helped by the wonderful volunteers once he crossed the finishing line, he was a great inspiration to all of us..
Well done 👏🏻 I'm glad you had a good experience (you did, honest!)🤣
It's a great achievement, all your training paid off.👍🏻
Be wary of the post event blues however, as it can often feel like an anticlimax afterwards. Don't wait too long to run again (just a tiny, gentle one) as that can help keep the blues at bay 👍🏻
Thanks GoGo_JoJo Good advice. A gentle walk today, but hopeful I’ll get out later this week for a short run. In the meantime I’ll mostly be sporting my medal and feeling accomplished.
Absolutely phenomenal runningdad! What a strong runner you are. I’m not surprised you became emotional either - running a marathon so soon after graduating C25K is nothing less than heroic! Wear that medal for as long as you want. You deserve it. 🏅💥🎉💪 🏃♂️
Superb! Well done you, I bet your son is pretty proud of you! I always get emotional near the end of races, it’s that self belief thing I think, plus I can never get over those complete strangers cheering me on to the finish- i hope they know how much that support means!
You know it often feels like there are loads of people out there doing HM’s and marathons.....but actually I saw a stat once that said there’s still only a small percent of the population that has actually finished a marathon
Finishing a marathon is such a hard thing to do. Just getting to the start line without any major injury and having done (most of) your training and without catching Covid is in it’s self a major achievement and a bit of luck too.
I completed C25K in 2019 and I too ran my first marathon this year (Brighton).
My advice would be not to run to much too soon after a marathon. Your body has been through a lot. Those weeks of training and the race it’s self will have taken a toll. Take a break, you deserve it. I canceled a HM I stupidly thought I could do 2 weeks after Brighton, 😂 I’m also seeing a physio due to a knee injury I picked up in the race. Took a while for everything to stop hurting to know what I’d injured.
You’ve completed something that most people will never think of even starting. You are wonderful. It took me a few days to realize what I’d done and even now (6 weeks on) it brings a smile to my face. Whether or not you run another doesn’t matter, you’ve done it and you chose a difficult one too 😀
Thanks Bladerunner2049 good advice there. I couldn’t manage a run just now even if I wanted to. And when I do I’ll be taking it very easy. Definitely having a break from all the heavy duty stuff.
What a fantastic achievement! I was a bit teary-eyed myself reading that. I did leg 2 in the EMF marathon relay that was at the same time on the marathon route so I was brought right back to those fantastic crowds of supporters and all those runners gamely doing their thing.
A lot of us cheered on (when we had the puff) those gazelle-like elite runners as they loped past on the homeward loop. But anyone who completed the full thing was amazing in my book. Well done!!!
👏👏👏👏👏👏. Congratulations 🥳 Well done, great job ! 💪👊✊🏃♂️🏅
Mary Berry! Of course! It makes complete sense that the
Queen of cake should start proceedings. Bet she’d done some traybakes 😀🧁🍰😋
Rest up after your gruelling adventure and look after those calves 🙂. Good grub and sleep 🛌 too.
I was 60 when I did my first marathon but I couldn’t wait to do another one just to see if I could do it again. I’ve done a yearly on or about my birthday since. I’m doing another one for my 65th birthday this winter 🥶😁. I hope you’ll run another one 👍
Thank you misswobble I’m sure I will do another one (as he slowly starts googling 2023 races…). 😆 Just need to recover properly before I really contemplate it.
Brilliant race! Congratulations on crossing this big milestone! Yes I recall hitting the same wall around 30k in. It’s just learn as you go isn’t it? Awesome work!
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Fission 2023 race report.
My 1st half marathon race
EMF Edinburgh Half Marathon
The Globe Trot Race Report