Edinburgh Marathon 2009 - Prepare for Battle.

I went to Edinburgh with a plan to try and beat as many of the elite athletes on the start line that had run a marathon faster than me over the last few years and with eighteen on the list there was plenty to have a go at. I felt I had nothing to loose so I was prepared to go out all guns blazing and run myself totally into the ground. Darran Bilton of Leeds City the countries No1 V40 marathon runner also one of the top runners on the national rankings was my main target (as I wanted his London Marathon Crown) , along with his club mates, Hilton and Birchall. Nathaniel Williams of North Yorkshire Moors AC who beat me last year was also under close observation along with Pulmani Bangani of Salford AC.
The weather conditions where hot with a very slight breeze but getting hotter by the minute. From the start a very large group of elite athletes had gathered together with Andi Jones the National number one marathon runner at the front. The first mile was passed in 5 mins 05 seconds then as we settled into a slightly slower pace the groups split in two. Probably five runners in the front with loads of us behind. As I never look behind in a race I can only explain what is happening around me or in front of me. After the first two/three miles Pulmani Bangani was setting the pace and a hard pace for my liking to be trueful, as we passed the 10km mark in 32 mins 26 seconds. Pulmani pressed on and runners where drifting off the back slowly but surely. I did notice most of the other runners were sweating like hell but myself I seemed to be looking quite normal as was Bilton.
As we Passed the 10 mile marker in 54 minutes I was starting to regret the do or die tactics as I was finding the going very tough, obviously Nathaniel Williams who was second last year found it too hard as well as he had been disposed of and never to be seen again. The beauty of head to head racing. From the ten mile to the half distance there was Bangani, Bilton looking very comfortable unfortunately, his team mate who I think was Hilton , and also a runner in a red vest with a white stripe, and surging passed us was last years winner Mcnamara of Ireland. After Mcnamara had gained a good lead on us, Bilton decided he was having non of it and pressed the pace in pursuit of him. Well ! This did some real damage. By the time we caught and passed Mcnamara there was only four of us left in our group. Bilton and his team mate slightly ahead of me and the other runner. On reaching the 18 mile point things altered slightly as the lad I was running with left me as we both passed Bilton's team mate. That bloody 19 mile marker flag had it in for me again, as I passed this point my legs turned to stone and blisters started to burn like hell. Bilton was now showing his class as he continued with the pace as I slowed massively. I plodded on past the twenty mile flag in 1 hour 50 mins exactly so things weren't looking too bad, but by the twenty three mile flag I was in absolute hell with the pain in my legs and feet, I had prepared myself mentally for this outcome but I was now in more pain than that as I struggled to keep a good pace going. An athlete from nowhere came flying past me that I had not seen all race but obviously had paced the race well and was still going strong. In the final mile I was passed by two more runners but I was unable to respond, I was fuming as I had plenty of energy left but no legs to respond. I finished in 9th/10th position in 2 hours 30 minutes 09 seconds. A bit slower than the year before, but I was over the moon as I had beaten a good number of my rivals and had been in one hell of a battle.
Andi Jones won the race comfortably. Bilton went on to finish fourth along way ahead of me, so the hope of snatching his V40 marathon crown will have to wait another day.
But I did beat the other two Leeds City Runners, as well as Bangani, Williams , and last years winner Mcnamara.
All in All A Fantastic Battle To Remember.