The Metal Saint

Did the Loch Ness marathon yesterday. Managed it in 3.51. Chuffed with that, was hoping to beat 4 hours. Was a tough course though, hillier that I expected, legs were pretty much gone by about 21 miles, last 5 miles were torture but managed to hirple to the finish. . Was a weird feeling crossing the line, about 10 different emotions at once mixed in with the pain. Stairs are not my friend today.

Hopefully, anything can happen though. If I can keep my legs going I should manage it, but we'll see. My first marathon, and probably only, so it's all unknown to me. I'm also just wanting it done now. I've got two weeks off in October, and I won't be doing very much. Of anything.

Thanks. Yeah, I'm kinda one paced, just keep plodding along, haha, so it will be thereabouts. I've read a bit about carb loading, but I'm not gonna get too scientific about it. Just gonna eat more spuds, bread, pasta etc for 3 or 4 days before the marathon. That long run was useful though, learned more about needing to take more fuel on-board more regularly, so I'll be making good use of the food and drink stations on race day.

Did 22 hilly miles in 3hrs 14 mins today, that's my longest training run ( and longest ever ) for loch ness done. Seem to be on target to break 4 hrs, but boy, it was tough today. Legs started seizing up at about 18 miles. The last 5 miles or so of the marathon are gonna be painful. Have lost about 1.5 stone in weight since I started this schedule in June, so it's all good.

Only 6 weeks till the loch ness marathon, my first, and training is getting serious now! Did my longest ever run today of 18 hilly miles in 2 hrs 36. Pretty chuffed with that, although my legs were starting to hurt for the last few miles. Done over 200 miles since the first week of june, so gonna get new trainers soon as my current ones are starting to flatten off a bit. Want to avoid unnecessary injuries if possible. Part of me just wants this over with now. The time involved to train is pretty prohibitive.

Know the North inch too bloody well now. Sick of it. A good ( but hilly and tough ) training route for a half is to go from Perth toward Bridge of Earn, but go round the Rhynd road if you know it, then back along the main road to Perth. From craigie that's about 10 miles. I do it in about 1.26.

Done a couple of half marathons, glasgow 2 years ago and Islay last year in 1 hr 48, but decided I'd go for at least one full marathon for the challenge and, hopefully, the achievement. Entered the Loch Ness marathon at the end of september. Training is more than I'm used to with the time involved but just about coping. Did 14 miles in 2 hrs dead on Monday, 6 in 49 mins last night. No bad for a 37 year old dabbler, haha. Hope my legs last the distance. target 1- finish target 2- 4 hrs. No idea if 4 hrs is achievable for me or not, one way to find out.

I'm pretty sure I climbed that with my dad when I was about 13. Can't remember much about it obviously, but if I could it at that age, it can't be that hard.

Spent a few days in Torridon mid-summer. Excellent part of the country. Did Ben Alligin with my dad one day. An excellent climb on a stunning mountain, with a good variety of walking, scrambling etc. Did these two a couple of weeks ago. Ben Vorlich is a very straightforward climb, with a clear path all the way up. Stuc a' Chroin is a little trickier, with less defined paths and some steep climbing. A good days exercise all round.

Testing.

Eventually registered. Just a test post to find how this thing works .