Well, I think I can say without fear of contradiction that was one of the hardest Sunday mornings I have had since that one I spent trying to persuade my second child to just be born, for Pete's sake. I ran the Great Edinburgh Run, all 10km/6 miles of it. It wasn't easy and it wasn't pretty, but I did it. According to the chip, I ran it in 1.20.23. I would like to have done it a little quicker but in light of the fact that (a) it was pretty close and muggy, and I struggle in such conditions, (b) I am still on the dreaded oxytetracycline which plays havoc with.....erm......your digestive system, and (c) you don't really REALLY understand how hilly Edinburgh is until you have to run round it, I am actually pretty content.
I won't give you the full race report - I have unburdened myself of that on the running blog where people gather to happily chat about lost toenails and how best to pop blisters - so I give you instead my edited highlights and impressions:
Edinburgh was warm today. Too darn warm for someone who sweats profusely when running through two inches of hard ground frost.
You have to be very brave to run a 10k in a full-length wedding dress. Especially a strapless one.
A 6'2" black guy dressed as Princess Leia is very impressive to behold. Also, slightly scary. Luckily, attention was deflected somewhat by the guy running only in his Superman undies.
I am not sure I would ever be desparate enough to queue behind 40 other people for the dubious privilege of using a portaloo. I now understand Paula Radcliffe's decision to just go in the gutter a little bit better.
The Cowgate in Edinburgh really stinks when it is warm and you are running along it (for the non-Edinburghers among you, the Cowgate is one of the lower level streets in the City - it runs sort of under the High Street and it is lined with pubs and nightclubs. When warmed by the sun, the combined aroma of stale booze and recycled kebabs is very potent)
That hill through Holyrood Park goes on for ever.
The predominant emotion when you cross the finishing line isn't joy or exultation, it's relief.
I am delighted I did this. Also slightly astonished.
I never EVER want to run a marathon.
Off to eat some chocolate now. Thanks to all who encouraged and sponsored. You helped enormously and I am very grateful.
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Much congrats! My daughter has a teacher who did the marathon where they all dress like Elvis. But I think the wedding dress is even weirder!
ReplyDeleteWoohooooo! You rock! Well bloody done!
ReplyDelete(I have just belatedly sponsored you - I wasn't seeing your widget in the browser I was using, and just wandered here in a different one and there it is!!)
Congratulations! How wonderful!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm proud of you!
ReplyDelete(And I realize you don't know me from Adam. And I hope you're proud of yourself!)
YEA you! You totally rock for having done that. Don't give up on getting me out there to do something, uh, similar (walking?) again, now that the dark health cloud under which I've been for too many months has moved on. I am SO proud of you, and so happy you're done with it! Pat yourself on the back and eat an extra chocolate bar from me.
ReplyDeleteCoffeedog
Well done indeed. I thought of you when I went up Lothian Road today to go and collect Kirsten to take her to church and found that both Lauriston Place and Melville Drive were closed. I was a bit grumpy till I remembered why.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, jolly good. I trust you're currently lying in a bubbly bath eating chocolate and reading a good book.
Brilliant. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing the Great Manchester Run in two weeks. My Little Ducks are doing the mini run the day before. My knee has been playing up so I'm not going to do the time I hoped. Your post has given me the encouragement I need to push on through the next couple of weeks and just enjoy it. I will walk it if I have to, but I hope I don't.
Wonderful! I am full of admiration for you. I know I would take any excuse to avoid such an event. You had plenty available (sickness, weather, etc), but soldiered on regardless. Well done. Your children have obviously learned well from your example too.
ReplyDeleteOh Wow! Congratulations. You must be so proud of yourself and so relieved. What is your next project? (After you have vegged out in front of Dr. Who with a large bar of chocolate for several days...)
ReplyDeleteHuge congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great achievement especially when you were under the weather yourself and no kidding about the hills in Edinburgh, they can be nightmare enough for the lowly pedestrian I couldn't imagine actually running them.
Congrats! I'm very impressed.
ReplyDeleteWell done! Muggy weather is the worst - there's no way I would attempt any running in mugginess. You must feel so good, knowing you did it with all those things against you. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great run -- you finished!! I hope my run goes half as well :/ How do you feel today?
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter which direction or route you are taking in Edinburgh, it is always uphill. It's like an Escher painting.
ReplyDeleteWell done. you didn't have to run that awful climb from Stockbridge to Princes Street did you. That's a killer....and I'm saying that having only walked it.
Wait a minute - that wasn't a marathon? Congrats to you!
ReplyDeleteyou are a legend, loth! loved reading all about it. congratulations :)
ReplyDeleteWow! Amazing accomplishment--one that you should be really proud of.
ReplyDelete