Race Report by Tracey Howard
My first marathon experience at Loch Ness. If a hill has a name, you know it’s going to be tough!
The months of training, the ups and downs along the way, finally it was Sunday 2nd October. Many say the training for a marathon is a journey, and it’s about that journey, rather than the destination. The race day is simply to celebrate that journey, and your commitment to months of training. The day started at 5.30am, eating a small breakfast, drinking and last minute preparations before going to catch the coach to the start of the race. It was dark, cold and raining, yes I was in Scotland! I was so nervous on the 4 mile car journey to the pickup point. Lots of thoughts going through my head, had I done enough hill training? Will I finish? Had I missed too many long runs? Then I just thought,
this is it, can’t do anything more, time to step up.
As I arrived at the pickup point, and spotted other runners, the nerves subsided. I was in the same boat so to speak. I was early, so managed to fit on the first coach. Lots of smiling faces, all chatting away, and I sat down next to another female runner, who had travelled from Edinburgh. It was her first marathon too, and also very nervous. It was time to go, and all the coaches had motorbike escorts, keeping us all together making our way to the start. The journey was very scenic, mist on the hills, animals in the fields looking at the coaches as we went past. The chatter on the bus reminded me of being at school. When you finish an exam and you ask your mates what they put for certain questions. It was a case of how many long runs, and hill training people had done. I found it quite amusing, as did the Jen the girl I was sat next to. There is nothing you can do now! Our chat was simply what we had done in Inverness since arriving.
The journey took an hour to the start line, and we waved at the marshals already out on the course in the rain. As I was on the first coach, I had a longer walk back to the start line, as all the coaches queued one behind the other. I didn’t mind this, sat on my bum for an hour, it helped loosen everything up. It was a mad dash into the woods too, there had to have been 10 portoloos at the start, for over 3000 runners, so it was quicker to just use the surrounding woodland, which was also up hill! As I finally changed, got my bag on the lorry I walked towards the start line. All you could see were huge hills, with the mist on them, and of course feel the rain. It was truly beautiful and so reminded me of a scene out of Braveheart!
You were well and truly in the middle of nowhere, now all you had to do, was get back to Inverness! I was around the middle of the pack, by the time I had walked down. All of a sudden the sound of bagpipes as players made their way through the runners, right up to the start line. Everyone clapping and cheering and before you knew it, it was the start of the Loch Ness Marathon!
I took a while to cross the start line, but once there, I knew this was it, no turning back now! My initial thoughts were being surrounded by other runners; this is going to be great. Having long run pretty 99% solo all through my training, it was so nice to have company! I made a real effort to keep my pace down. The start was at the top of a hill, so some were getting really eager, and flying off. The first mile went very quickly, then it started to go up hill. Some runners already walking, and others just chatting away to fellow runners. The course was very uphill, downhill, uphill downhill. A lot like a line of hump back bridges strung together. Some longer and sharper than others. At around mile 6, we started to see a few spectators that had braved the rain. There were three children out, and I made my way over to the left, to give them a high five. Even a high five from a 2 year old, they loved it all smiles. The thing to remember, never forget the power of a high five with the kids. It
makes them smile and you smile too!
So there I was 6 miles in, after a nasty hill at mile 5, rain running off my nose, and still saying thanks to the Marshalls as I went past, it happened! This is true by the way; you always get someone that says, ‘not long to go’. I really thought, there are just not enough people out here to say that, or it was really too early, but was I wrong! Some guy on a bike shouted it as I went past. I looked at a fellow runner beside me, and said there is always one, it’s a fact, and we both had a laugh about it. It was so nice to see spectators, be it one or two encouraging us, and all the runners waving back. There was one spectator that really stood out, and that was running past what looked like a nursing home, not 100% sure. The elderly lady was sat at a huge window on the ground floor, just waving and smiling. I just happened to look to my right and saw her, and waved back, so did a few runners, it really made me smile.
So in my head I was just counting the miles down to taking on another gel, and just taking in the scenery. I was wearing my camelback, so I wasn’t stopping at any water stations, which before starting the marathon, I decided I would walk through each one, take on my own drink and then carry on. So at mile 8, I did just that, took a gel and then carried on. By mile 10 I could really feel the hills taking their toll on my legs, and right hip. I dropped the pace a little, and my hip calmed down a bit, and went for it down one of the hills, really opening my legs, to get a stretch. I was hoping to see a little flat, to recover a bit, but the hills just kept on coming. At 13 miles, I was hurting a bit, and actually had a laugh to myself, this would make a great half marathon course, I actually remembered they have started a half marathon in Inverness! I was feeling tired and telling myself half way! I kept
taking in the scenery, passing some other runners, and just thought keep going. I was even kidding myself, it’s just another 13 mile long run, but my quads were telling me different!
At 15 miles, I walked the water station and it was a big ouch, so I decided not to walk any more. At this point there were a lot of runners in pain, some walking, and some limping their way to the first aid station. Some others in tears, the course so far had really knocked some runners sideways. Mile 17/18, bursting for the loo, and no portaloos, people just darting off the course, I just decided I had to go. So I kept looking for a good spot, the fact was, there were no good spots! Finally I had to pull over, use my long legs to stride over a stream and head uphill into some trees. Without going into too much detail, almost cried from the pain in my legs and thought I have to get back up too! I managed to get back on the road, and get running again, no idea how! By this time I was pretty much on my own for a while, no traffic of course, and I lost sight of fellow runners in both directions! I didn’t mind, again used to it, just kept going forward, singing a song in my head, to take my mind of my legs!
Taking in the view of the Loch, and how amazing it was, I noticed so many runners, just looking ahead, or down, not around at the amazing surroundings. It just seemed such a long way to come not to! I did know there was one HUGE hill to come, Dores Hill. The fact is, if a hill has a name, it’s going to be tough! I had done some good hill training, up some long fairly steep hills, on what I classed hilly routes. The thing is, when you have run 18 miles of pretty much hills, coming face to face with a 2 mile steep hill, I just thought wow! The sun was out by this time, nice and clear so I had a great view! So mega tired legs, setting off up the hill, everyone else in range just walking. I gave it a shot, head down, quads burning, kept it going for a mile and a half. No one else around me was running it, just eating and drinking. I just thought to myself, I’m going to walk just as quick as ‘shuffling’ it, so took the opportunity to let my legs recover a little, walked it as quick as I could, and used the opportunity to crack out my mars bar and drink. That was going to help me run the last
6.2 miles! So surrounded by everyone else, I was eating and drinking. Near the top there was a biker, telling us we had a break for a couple of miles, it was downhill with some flat. So I ran over the top of the hill, onto a nice downhill section, I say nice, my legs hurt just as much going down as up!
I caught up with some runners that had passed me at the start, and just kept willing myself forward on the flat. This is it a 6 mile run with CPRC, it’s clubnight, you can do it. Even when it came to the flat, my legs were screaming to stop, each step my quads screaming, my hips hurt from the hills, I just kept saying my kick up the bum word, telling myself I will finish, I have to finish. It was a case of emotionally digging deep, never have I dug so deep to keep going. A lot of people were walking, and I so wanted to walk too, but I knew if I stopped I wouldn’t start again. One foot in front of the other, just keep going. I soon realised, here is why people say this is where the marathon starts. I knew it was going to be tough, but until you experience it, you just never know. I just thought of all the training, time away from my kids, friends, the early nights, all the sacrifices I had made to be there. This was it, my day to finish, and do my marathon. I made it to 23 miles, and the course
started going into the town. The signs had also turned to K rather than miles which was nice. Lots of spectators were lined along the streets, shouting keep going, you are looking great. I didn’t feel too great, I did think at one point I’m I actually running, I feel like I’m shuffling!
Again, high five to the kids, thanking the marshals and those shouting at me to keep going. At 24 miles you could hear the finish at the park. Again lots of runners walking, again me thinking I would love to walk, even for a few seconds, but knowing I couldn’t and wouldn’t. The last mile, you ran around a river, with pubs either side, and you could see the runners on the other side making their way to the park. Coming up to the bridge to cross over, that little bump, ouch, even stopped some runners dead in their tracks. Again more shouts from spectators, getting a few pats on the back, I carried on to the finish. It was here that final .2 to the finish line.
Hearing my name announced over the tanoy, ‘Tracey Howard of Chineham Park Running Club’, I raised my arm in the air and smiled. I spotted Cody shouting go mum in the crowd, just as I finished, and that really made me smile. Finally crossing the line, being able to walk at last, I made my way to get my medal. A huge handshake and a well done, I had my medal. This is where I really thought I was going to cry, but no I didn’t cry! I walked round and had to be reminded about my t-shirt and goody bag, I had got what I came for, my medal. I made it out into the general area and was greeted by Cody, and that’s when I had a few tears in my eye, when my little boy said he was proud of me and gave me the biggest hug ever! I had done it, my biggest challenge to date; I had run a marathon, but not any old marathon, the monster that is Loch Ness.
