Edinburgh Marathon.

I arrived at Edinburgh on Saturday and amongst other things to do I had to go and collect my race pack as their was a bit of a mix up this year. After a long walk and some confusion of where exactly I was supposed to be going I eventually made it to the registration point, everything this year seemed to be going wrong even before I had started, the bus tickets I had ordered were wrong, the race pack was wrong and the buses that take the supporters to the finishing area had a different departure area which also was a pain. The sun was blazing and I was knocking the energy drinks back like nobodies business to make sure that hydration wouldn't effect me for the race the following day. I woke up after a poor nights sleep due to drunks and noisy vehicles to find it cloudy and drizzling with rain which looked perfect for running a marathon.
I arrived at the start line and immediately it was getting hotter and hotter, the cold I had been trying to get rid of was still hanging about slightly but as time ticked away to the start time I was actually feeling better by the minute. I lined up on the start line with my months of planned pacing charts fixed firmly in my head as this was the year of even pacing and I knew that was the winning formula. BANG ! The starter gun goes, straight to the front and straight into a good fast comfortable pace I go, I have no idea what pace I should be going at in effort terms but I felt comfortable and was pulling away by myself. The lead car with the clock on top is perfect for checking my mile split times and the motorcycle TV crew are filming every step I take. I'm sure I was concentrating more on keeping a straight face and looking good than what I was keeping a check on my pacing but it did feel great. 10k - I bleeped over the 10k mat in a comfortable 33 minutes and was still the lone leader and I didn't feel like I was putting too much effort in so onwards it was. On reaching the ten mile point I was over taken by Phil Hinch and I stuck to my own pace and let him pull away from me, I was thinking to myself I will reel him back in over the last four miles when he's knackered. Half Way - I bleeped over the 13.1 mile mat in 1 hour 1 minute and 10 seconds which was only just over a minute of what I ran at Sheffield the month before," Bloody hell "I thought , I'm on for a 2 hour 22 minute marathon at this pace. I didn't see any point slowing down and on passing the location at approximately 18 miles which is where I was totally goosed the year before I was still going quite nicely but slowing slightly. 30k - 1 hour 43 minutes and 43 seconds, my 2 minute gain had now diminished to 17 seconds, Oops . Just passing the twenty mile point I was gutted to loose my 2nd place to Steve Littler and worse still I was really starting to suffer. From 21 miles I started passing the runners going in the opposite direction which give you plenty of support and I was trying my best to try and acknowledge as many as I could but I was in my own world of suffering and wondering if I could make it to the finish line without stopping, cramp being my biggest fear even though I have never suffered it yet in a running race but know how lethal it can be. I grabbed as many drinks as possible and still I was thirsty, downing a full bottle in seconds in those latter miles. Another nightmare was on my shoulder, at twenty five miles I lost my 3rd place and bronze medal position and I just couldn't react to the situation of all my years in racing this had to be on of my worst moments. Coming into

Musslebrough the town of the finish I was cheered on like mad by a lady who's partner or even herself must be part of the Blacksheep race series and somehow this helped me pick my speed fractionally which by the end of the race stopped me from loosing my 4th place. I entered the race

course and the finishing line was in sight, a quick glance round and nobody was in sight but it now felt like I was treadmill going nowhere and then the crowd went from cheering like crazy to an almighty shouting din, instantly I thought this is what the crowds are like when it's a sprint finish and looking round only yards away was the enemy, another runner. Somehow I managed to get to that line before him. 2 hours 32 minutes 9 seconds.
Steve Littler that passed me at the twenty mile point went on to win the race as Phil Hinch who at twenty miles was around 2 minutes ahead suffered with cramp in the latter miles. If only I had stuck to my 2 hour 26 minute plan. The slight bit of a cold I had lingering had no effect what so ever, the Adidas Adios shoes served my excellently with only one tiny little blister, the heat may of got to me more than I thought. I would say my lack of weekly mileage and not enough long runs in the latter weeks prior to the marathon were my downfall.
On a positive note, I lead and felt on top of the world for those first ten miles, I have come to accept I'm a race-aholic and can't bide anyone to be in front of me. (even pacing does not compute in my head.) With all the highs and lows I will look back at this marathon like my others, loved it.
Oh ! After finishing the race the organisers kindly parked the shuttle buses twenty five minutes walk away on top of a hill.