The Mystique of the Marathon
The marathon. A distance many runners aspire to. Some run one marathon and never intend to repeat such a feat. Others become multiple marathoners, and some take it further and become a member of what’s known as the ‘100 Marathon Club’. 42km or 26.2 miles, whichever measurement is preferred, a distance that tests physical endurance and mental toughness.
Therefore, careful planning is required, tempo and threshold runs, marathon pace runs, long easy efforts, intervals, hill sprints, recovery runs and rest days. I coach and plan each of my athletes programmes and discuss race preparation and strategy. I marvel at each and every one of my athletes, their drive, fortitude, focus, energy and commitment to the process. 16-18 weeks of dedicated training.
Race day. Standing on that start line at Edinburgh along with near 10000 others, I remind myself it is an achievement in itself to complete the training programme. But this time, it’s different, I’m racing, not coaching. My 20th marathon and the eighth in my home city. My first flirtation with marathon distance in 4 years.
Race Strategy
Key strategy. Do not go out too fast, be realistic with your target, get your fuelling right, race the conditions. It is the warmest day of the year. 18c in the shade at the start. Thinking, raced in much hotter weather before, Vienna, Cologne and Palma in the past, the latter where it reached near 30c in the shade towards the end. I know this course very well. My home city. I’m confident.
The Race
The first 10 miles feel easy, a nice downhill start. A healthy support in the streets of the city. Then along the seafront to Musselburgh where the crowds had gathered at the earlier half marathon finish. The next 3 miles I slow a little. Still on course for a couple of minutes over 3 hours at halfway. So, I’m feeling great. Then the fatigue hits hard from 16 miles on. The section on the gravel path round Gosford House was awful. So glad to be back on the tarmac heading homewards, though now contending with the coastal breeze in my face. Trying to think of this as a positive, the breeze cooling me down, but it saps more energy out of me.
Finally, I trudged over the line in 3 hours 15 minutes, mentally and physically spent, into the arms of my lovely wife along with my stepdaughter and mum.
The Performance
Initially really disappointed with my performance, given my realistic aim was sub 3:07 to gain my GFA back for guaranteeing London next year. So, what happened? Fuelling was right, I’m usually great for even pacing and knowing my body and my limits. Was it the weather? Did I go off too quickly? Perhaps a little I have to confess. Did I complete all my intended training? Mostly, but the last 4-5 weeks didn’t go quite to plan. Remembering I am 4 years older than last time. A combination of varying factors then. Once I looked at the results though, I felt better. 356th overall. 9930 finishers. Top ten age category. Not bad for a 53 year old.
Edinburgh Marathon Festival
I would definitely recommend the Edinburgh Marathon Festival events – 5k, 10k and junior races on the Saturday, and half marathon and marathon Sunday. The marathon is 12km in the city and the remainder in beautiful East Lothian, along the coast and back. The 5k and 10k take you round the historic Arthur’s Seat close to the city centre. It is a beautiful city, friendly people (I’m one of them!) and plenty to explore for a long weekend if visiting from elsewhere. And the unique medal and quality running shirt will remind me of this day for years to come.
Are you Interested for next year? Here is the link to the Edinburgh Marathon Festival website. Edinburgh Marathon Festival – 29th/30th May 2027
Coaching Services
If you need a coach for Edinburgh or elsewhere, or looking to improve your performance at any distance from track events upwards, please contact me via this site or my Facebook page.
Running coach – liveforrunning.co.uk
Final Thoughts
To sum up, each race we do, we learn more about ourselves, our bodies, our limits, our physical and mental capacity. We can always be our worst critics. Yes, everything didn’t go the way I wanted, but still a solid performance and one to be proud of. Plenty of positives to take away for next time and some experiences to continue to learn from, to perform better next time.
