Edinburgh Marathon

 Sounds like a real tough race with those hills near Snowden, well done to you guys who did it and finished it, and looking forward to more interesting stories!!! Glad the bib is going in the wash!!
Did alittle 7.55 mile hilly cross country yesterday morning quads killing me this am.....

OMG! - I was expecting tough - but that was TOUGH!

Absolutely brilliant weekend again meeting up with some of the gang.  Great fun.  Weather was fantastic so the views and scenery were to stunning and made up for at least some of the pain.

Knew going into the race that I hadn't done enough miles so it was going to be a dig in moment.  But at least I wasn't injured - and I had the small motivation of a certain sick covered bib.

Not sure if you were aware Dave that the only other marathon I've run was Edinburgh when injured so PB to beat was 4.57.  Unfortunately it remains my PB  but so close - Snowdon 4.58.  Phil is feeling guilty because of our pit stop - in a pub I hasten to add  - which probably lost us approx 5 mins.  But it's nonsense.  I was the snail of the two of us.  Felt like crap from about 10 miles.  Worked myself up so much I think that I didn't sleep the night before, had breakfast too early and then spent the AM on the loo.  So felt weak very quickly.  Took loads of gels to try and combat it.  But TBH, if the weather wasn't so good I think I would've chucked the towel in at 13 miles where Jill and Shaun were watching.  So all in all I have to be happy to have finished.  First time ever that I have finished a race and blubbed.

Will I be back?  Oh God - it's so tempting as I feel like I have unfinished business and on the right day with better prep I know I would prefer this race to a flat one.  But no way can I be lucky enough to get that sort of weather again.  Decisions, decisions. 

Caz - hope you and Bru have a good trip out to Vegas.  Is this weather likely to effect you?  OMG - I hope not.  Really hoping you have a fantastic time and a great race.

Take care all x 

Well done great effort, its a tough course to walk let alone run!!!

Brilliant report Fi and in honour of your effort I will sniff and lick Noah's sick stained bib - Can't say fairer than that!

We've got famous people on this here humble little thread...Fi & Philby were on the tele  It may have been a Welsh channel that I couldn't understand a word of...but still...there there were large as life...ok technically as large as however big our tele is, but there they were...Fi even mustered a wave for the camera man. 

You all did incredibly well... my quads were hurting just watching it.

Bru has assured me that the storm shouldn't affect us...other than maybe delays at the airport...so I can get back to bouncing...only 2 more works to go

Me & Bru have already booked our places in the EMF half for next year so White Hart again for post race rehydration???

White hart it is then!

Bugger, I am really torn, my fave bloody band had to tour over Edi 2013

Ha, Caz, famous not really sure my half glance at the camera qualifies ! That said, I was trying to smile, but my legs were already feeling it as early as mile 4!!! It was uphill mind.

Fi, good luck at Snowdon 2013 

My legs are getting better by the hour now thank god. Who knows I may go out for a little 5 miler in a day or two, that said I worked out that there are only 9 sodding weekends before Florida, so my respite ain't going to be much at all. Best I start the LSR saga all over again, feels like ground hog day!

Did some reading on water consumption(after messing Fi about so badly ) for any endurance race, seems like the old advice of drinking to prevent dehydration seems to be a load of pooh, now the advice is to do the following.

Weigh yourself naked!, preferably in Kilograms, go out for a medium paced 60  minute run, (clothed!!! - you lot are so predictable ) towel yourself dry, strip off again, re-weigh and the weight loss is all water, so for example:

Weight before = 76.4 kgs

Weight after = 76.0 kgs

Water loss = 400 mils, as 1 mil = 1 gram

Now obviously, this is a rule of thumb and will vary dependent on your fitness level, temperature during run, type of course, but it gives you a better idea of how much water per hour you need to replace. I am going to give this a go in a few days!

Chow for now

Phil

......you not joining me then Phil?

I feel surprisingly fine considering it was such a tough race.  So I guess the right tactics were used in so far as being sensible and taking the 'let's just survive approach'.  Looking back I still can't really believe we finished as I don't think I've ever felt so physically drained and shaky tired.  Oh - 1 slight issue maybe that I think I might actually join the 'losing a toe nail' club.  Will that make me a proper runner now?

Such a beautiful morning here today that I am actually contemplating running with the dogs tomorrow AM rather than taking a week off.

Funny you should do the water consumption research Phil.  I could hear the cogs turning in your brain after our conversation with the guy from Texas.

Good luck for the weekend Caz and Bru.  Hope any delays are short ones.

Take care x

linky thing  to where we're running...not quite the strip but hey ho.

Welcome to the club Fi, you is officially a proper runner now...off you go to change your status on here to afferleet.

Caz, what will the temps likely beon the big day ?

Well done Snowdonians, tough race but a b-e-a-utiful part of the world.

Good luck in Vegas to Caz and Bru.

Things seem to have been really hectic since I got back from Snowdon but now I’ve had a bit of time to sit down and think about the weekend.

Great comments from Fi and Phil on their races. All credit to them for getting round in the times they did. I was really lucky with my training and managed pretty well an interruption free schedule all the way through. Even so it was the hardest marathon I’ve done by a distance. Especially the second half which kept throwing different sorts of challenges at you. As has been said, we were so fortunate with the weather which behaved itself remarkably. Driving rain and wind on the Sunday morning gave an idea of what might have been. Not sure I would have been too keen on that.

I know Fi’s keen to have another go at this. My initial thoughts on Sunday were ‘never again’ but that’s the normal reaction after a hard race. Then usually a couple of days later I’ll reconsider. Even that Trail Wales Half in June which nearly killed me I’ve entered again for 2013. But where I can do 5 or 6 halfs a year, maras are different. I think that may be the one and only Snowdonia for me. I’ve lots of other maras I’d like to run and the years are ticking by. Already committed to Paris next Spring and think I’d prefer somewhere warm and flat for the Autumn. But it’s a race I’d definitely recommend to anyone. The organisation, support and camaraderie out on the course were second to none and the scenery was stunning. Think I will try to get back to Llanberis though sometime next year. Not to run the race but to climb Snowdon which I’ve never done.

Caz, that looks quite a hilly course. And did I read that right, 524 metres above sea level? I think that’s higher than we got at Snowdon.

GE, went to climb Snowdon a couple of years ago but terrible weather put pay to that, will defo be going back in the near future.

The strangest thing happened to me the other day, we've been to York for a short break and not sure if it's the weather being cooler or the all you can eat breakfasts causing guilt but I think I've found my mojo for running again, all I could think about for the last couple of days is "I'd love to go for a run", today has been manic decorating but tomorrow I'll be out, rain or shine, that's a promise, I've even brought some new hi-viz gear for the darker days.

Beavis, good to hear you've got your running mojo back. Long may it continue. Look forward to meeting up at a few races.

Legs have felt pretty good and even contemplated a run down the club on Wednesday...... but it was chucking it down so I exercised my right not to and went to the pub instead. Will definitely try to get out tomorrow.

Have a good weekend all.

entered yesterday,,,here we go again 4th time running this one

We're back... right here goes... a report from Vegas baby....

We had an absolutely brilliant time...weather was fantastic...pancakes were yum...race was hard...

We set the alarm for half 2 on Saturday morning to go get some breakfast and now know what a zombie apocalypse would look like...there were people in the casino barely able to keep their eyes open but "must press button"

 Got to the start in plenty of time, which didn't really matter as it was over half an hour late starting due to poor light on the course.  By 7 o'clock it was already starting to get warm so knew it was going to be tough out there...hadn't banked on how tough... miles 1 - 9 were rolling/undulating so no biggie managed to plough up those inclines without too much trouble...then came miles 9 - 11... winding path that seemed to climb, climb & climb some more...I had to admit defeat and walk up the last section as it was taking too much out of my legs. Was ready for the water station at 11miles as it was getting quite warm at this point...unfortunately it looked like they'd run out of cups so we had to forego the water, back the way we came...mile 13 water station loomed in the distance...minor problem...no water left and only a dribble of gatorade in the few cups remaining on the table.  By now the sun had truly got his hat on and as it was a mountain loop trail there was NO shade at all.  Bruce was determined to keep running until at least 15miles but I was struggling with the hills and was having to resort to running part of them and then power walking until it levelled off again...Managed to keep going with this run/walk strategy until we got to 22 miles when the incline again seemed never ending... I was telling myself to start running, in fact I was swearing at myself to get running again but I just couldn't get my legs to go any faster...Bruce had carried on running albeit slowly as he was aware I was having to walk and when I finally caught up with him I was so frustrated with myself for letting Bruce down that I just wanted to burst into tears...gotta love Bruce though, he told me not to be daft he knew I was struggling and doing my best.  21.5 to just short of 24 miles was all uphill so when we finally got to the turnaround point we knew it was all downhill to the finish.  Edinburgh 5:27:25.... Las Vegas....5:01:44 (official)   Very beautiful course just very very frickin' hilly.

I am sporting lovely tan lines...thank goodness it's winter and there's no chance of my legs being seen...

Caz, Bruce well done on what sounds like a tough course in hot weather. The race organisation sounds a bit suspect if you were encountering problems getting a drinlk at mile 11 ? The fact you walked some of the course is what I guess more than 90% of entrants do on the day, I can tell you honestly in the 5 marathons I have run I have only run one continously and that was Edi 2011 which for me was perfect weather has it pi**ed down most of the course As for hills having done Snowdonia now which has a monumentally difficult climb between 22-24 miles I can sympathise, you are knackered physically and mentally then they throw that at you for shit* and giggles!!! Fi, Rog and I know only too well how that feels.

But lets not forget you got a PB !!!! Yay so mission accomplished and a big WELL DONE

On a personal note I have 9 weeks to the Goofy and will have to start straight back into LSRs soon if I am to be better prepared than I was for Snowdonia - it seems never ending this marathon malarkey!!!

Lastly, I am trying to blackmail Fi and Rog (and anyone else in this wonderful group!) to run the "Race the Train" half marathon Aug 2013. Fancy it ?????

I have had to pull out of the 2013 Edinburgh marathon in May as my sister is getting married. Unfortunately the event do not offer defer/ refunds, but the place is allowed to be filled by another runner. So if anyone is interested, or knows anyone who is, then please contact me! It cost me £50 to enter...

Whoo! Hoo!!  A new PB - well done Caz!  Brilliant race report.  Sounded a toughie by all accounts.  As Phil said though - organisation sounds totally un-American.  And in that heat frankly dangerous to run out of water.  Well done though - both of you.

Another nudge to look at Race the Train.  Need to work out dates etc with everything else going on.  Will let you know Phil.

Well what a bonkers few weeks.  Snowdon - ticked.  Last weekend my mum's 80th bday.  We arranged a surprise party with lots of people my parents would not have been expecting to see.  My cousins from Scotland came down - 6 of them (mum hasn't seen them for 19 years!) - and all stayed from Thursday night in my house.  Shaun and I were on a blow up bed - in the next room to where my dogs sleep so invariably at some point during the nights they managed to sneak in.  So seriously lacking a good nights sleep.  And God can they eat.  I felt like I was running a restaurant.  Do not want to see another cooked breakfast for at least 6 months - and then only if someone else is cooking.  Always knew that Henry (married to one of my cousins) used to run marathons.  But found out that his PB is 3.17.  Non to shabby hey?  Plus he is (an older) double of Dave in looks and mannerisms.  Really funny.  So.....Dave.....have you got any Scottish ties.........?

Talking of Dave - happy belated Birthday greetings to Noah for yesterday!

Take care all. x

Great reports well done on the PBs.....and thanks for putting the reports up great to see how you got on. NOt good running out of water......bad news.