While we were all basking in the Sunday heat and enjoying our barbeques, 16 thousand runners were pounding the tarmac from Edinburgh to Musselburgh in the 2009 Edinburgh Marathon...it wasn't a 'picnic' for everyone though as Colin Williams reports: "..I had a shocker and I’m [not] totally sure why, but I don’t think it was the heat, as when I did the 20 miles Edinburgh > North Berwick 4 weeks ago it was similar conditions.
I was struggling to comfortably hold pace from about 7 miles, went through halfway at 1.30:40 but after that things started to get messy. I started dropping about 15 secs a mile after that and then 30sec and then a minute so I went through 20 miles 7 minutes down on the time I did for Edinburgh > North Berwick and feeling terrible, and then my legs spasmed and locked solid in cramp at 22 miles. I managed to stretch against the harbour wall and set off at a waddle but the last 4 miles was a mixture of shuffle, cramp, stop and walk - I even had to stop 150m from finish and stretch against the railings as the cramp in my legs were in agony. My final time was 3.31 I think.
I was struggling to comfortably hold pace from about 7 miles, went through halfway at 1.30:40 but after that things started to get messy. I started dropping about 15 secs a mile after that and then 30sec and then a minute so I went through 20 miles 7 minutes down on the time I did for Edinburgh > North Berwick and feeling terrible, and then my legs spasmed and locked solid in cramp at 22 miles. I managed to stretch against the harbour wall and set off at a waddle but the last 4 miles was a mixture of shuffle, cramp, stop and walk - I even had to stop 150m from finish and stretch against the railings as the cramp in my legs were in agony. My final time was 3.31 I think.
I have never had such a bad experience running, and this is my 5th marathon (and I’ve done a 43 mile ultra too) and I’m not sure what went wrong as I was never really comfortable at the pace, but I clearly was 4 weeks ago. I’ve had a busy time since then moving house (I’m still unpacking) and with work so maybe I just wasn’t properly rested, but you live and learn! I think I will have to put this down to experience, although I certainly feel I have unfinished business with the marathon..."
Well done also to Moorfoot Walter 'Wattie' Barrie who completed the course in 4:00:23 ....
1 comment:
The heat certainly didn't help much that's for sure, I managed an ok time, I was hoping for a PB but the weather kind of stopped that.
Still, I managed an ok time of 3:23 not a PB but pretty close.
I recent joined Moorfoot Runner in January, not been to many of the Sunday runs due to having to train for a Marathon (Not surpringly), not been to any of the training sessions because I work in Edinburgh and can't get back in time. Such is life, will hopefully managed to meet up with you guys after September when I'm hoping to get a good time in the Berlin Marathon.
All the best, see you in October some time.
Billy
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