Hot!

Its hard to know how to illustrate a hot run without taking the camera out so forgive my mugging. That was supposed to be before and after. And gone are the days of my taking the camera out as I am now a serious marathoner again. Gone are the days of dawdling for ultramarathon training.

Watching the Edinburgh Marathon brought successive waves of needing to do some hard training and improving on my 3.28 marathon best, so I signed up for the Loch Ness marathon last night. Today I thought I better get out a longer run as its been a few weeks (and lbs are creeping on -shhh!) My plan was to start off steady and then to increase the intensity later in the run. This was the strategy I used for my long runs for the 2008 Edinburgh Marathon and which finally got me under the 3:30 mark.

Unfortunately it was hotter than hell out there and I started off slow and then slowed down! Lost 5 lbs though, nothing like going out in the heat for distilling yourself. I know it doesn't count but it was pleasing anyway. I have now rehydrated with diet Irn Bru and tea.

Being out there today gave me new respect for yesterday's marathoners. Idling around on my bike in a self-made head-wind yesterday I felt rather detached from the suffering before me but today I think I got it as things started to slide around in front of my eyes and my legs ached in the latter part of the run.

Looking at the results today it looks like the race benefited the quicker runners (scandalous) with some very good times from local ladies Toni MacIntosh (2.47?) and Jenny MacLean (2.52?). It always seems unfair that the slower runners ALSO get the hotter sun etc. (Those cruel elites.)

Quite a few Porties ran a good bit slower than they would probably expect to and today must be suffering sunburn, tired legs and disappointment. I am very sorry. Even if you are in my category for the club championship. Lets all go and kick ass at the Baxter's Loch Ness Marathon.

Neither Peter and I could think of a suitable comment as in horror we read Stuart Hay of Dunbar's account of setting out in good form and then decking out just after 4 miles only to continue and finish the marathon bruised, bleeding but unbroken. Its the drama that makes the marathon I guess. It takes such a lot of hard work and ambition and then something small (or big - like the sun!) can come along and kick your ass and take away your prize, and then you have to recover before you can even try again...Lets hope for a favourable wind at Loch Ness...

Anyway, despite all my good intentions, my longish run was surprisingly similar in pace to my recent "easy" long runs for ultra running. 15.2 miles in 2 hrs 20 mins. 9.16 average pace. Weather = Scorchio. avHR 150bpm