Edinburgh Marathon 2012

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S  26.2 miles in 2:29:33 (5:42mm avge)

Total  BIG SMILEY FACE

I flew up to Edinburgh on Saturday evening and was staying with a friend, Fraser who was also running the race. We managed to get in a sneaky drive of the course as well which is great for seeing all the quirks, and helping you to visualise getting through each stage. It also reminds you of how bloody far 26.2 miles is!

Got to bed in pretty good time, and I had a good four and a half hours sleep before I woke up needing the loo. As soon as I was awake there was no going back to sleep, no matter how much I tried. So I just lay there waiting until it was ready to get the kit on! Needless to say I felt pretty knackered when I got up, but I knew once the day and race got going I wouldn't be able to feel it.

The concern for the past few days has been the weather with the UK enjoying beautiful summery weather. Fortunately it looked like it wasn't going to be too bad on Sunday and I just had to hope it didn't heat up too much. I also told myself that it wouldn't be too hot to negatively impact my race. I only really started to feel uncomfortable because of the heat at about 22 miles.

Anyway, to the start area Fraser's wife dropped us very close to the start and then we had a little mooch down to check out the whole area, Fraser dropped his bag off and I made my way to the 'Elite' start. I spotted Peter Tucker who is a local athlete that runs for Blackheath and Bromley and someone I rate very highly. Unfortunately he has struggled with injuries this year and so was racing on a very compromised build up. We shared what our intentions with each other and agreed that we may run together. As it turned out we did but not until long into the race.

As the start time approached I could feel my excitement building as I focused the mind on the task ahead. Steady there, though. Rmember you need to feel like you're driving with the handbrake on. 

Soon enough we were on our way and I set off very steadily indeed. The first couple of miles are very down hill so I expected to be roughly on pace by this point but having not expended much energy getting there. There were already hoards of folk that had shot off into the distance and I think I was in about 25th position after the first mile (although I missed the first mile marker hence the double tap at 2 miles). I let them go, I was running this my way and I was so committed to running to how I felt. I usually race marathons with my heart rate showing on my Garmin but this time decided to run without it for once and just go completely to effort and not let the heart rate reading have any influence whatsoever I am glad I did as the looking at the data there was a serious spike in the first mile which must have been to do with a very poor contact and had I seen the reading I would probably have been worried!

The race went on and I felt like I was running really well, I was relaxed but running with purpose. I was running at my Marathon Pace. We hit the sea front and there was a definite breeze but it was reasonably refreshing as opposed to particularly draining. Just before half way I started to eat into the gap where I could see Stuart Kerr and another guy up ahead to try and get on terms with them. I manged to catch them just as we went over the timing mats. I split in 1:14:13 unofficially. That was basically exactly as I had planned. Not too fast but not too slow. Just right. I then ran with Stuart and Mr X (who was clearly working way too hard - I assume he ended up having a bit of a blow up!) for a while and then about 15.5 miles I started to open up some ground on them. I then focused on the next two guys up front, one of which was Pete Tucker and an Italian guy called Marco Verado. They were still some way into the distance, perhaps 150 metres but a target nonetheless.

The course at Edinburgh basically turns at 17.5 miles and then you run back to Musselburgh which we had passed about 9 miles into the race. Just before I caught up with Pete and Marco they had gone past Stephen Dawes and I quickly went past him. I got level with Pete and Marco at just after 30k (18.75 miles ish). At this stage I still felt incredibly strong and even felt like I could possibly push on a bit more. But I was glad I still kept it all pretty controlled. Marco and I suddenly had a few yards on Pete and we began to pull away. Marco's Garmin had broken just before the race so he was constantly asking for splits, how long to go and although I wouldn't ordinarily mind, it was getting to the business part of the race where I prefer to just focus on putting one foot in front of the other. It was great running back along the road we had just come as you see all the other runners coming the other way shouting their support. I got to 22 and then I started to feel pretty hot but by this time it was not long to go. Just ticking off the miles. But the legs were definitely starting to hurt and I was conscious that I may be starting to cramp a little so really had to concentrate on my stride.

We reached 24 and I knew that by this time I should come in under 2:30 unless something drastic happened. I don't know if this psychologically made me back off, or if I was truly knackered but I really struggled to get my legs turning over and so the pace was gradually slowing despite aerobically still feeling OK. The legs were just starting to say 'no'! Just keep them going. Marco gradually pulled away. Although my calculations were pretty sound I got to 25.5 and thought it was going to be bloody tight and you're never 100% sure whether your mental arithmetic is that accurate after that long. I still didn't know that I was going to do it until I turned into the final straight and saw the clock at 2:29:10 and had a short matter of 100m 'sprint'. There wasn't much of a sprint but the relief of knowing I had achieved something I'd dreamt of for so long is so incredibly satisfying. I can now move on and focus on the shorter stuff for a period of time. I will come back to the marathon, possibly next spring but more likely in Autumn 2013.

I thought I had finished 9th but the results show me in 8th for some reason. I think it may be because a pacemaker decided to go on and finish the race so his name is not showing in the results just yet. Even so very pleased with 3rd Brit and a whoppingly satisfying PB.