26.2 or 41.2 km

The numbers tell a tale...

10k: 01:15:46 - Good
Half: 00:00:00 - the watch says 2:46 - Good
30k: 04:05:07 - Fantaaaaasssssstic, last time I was out this far it was 4:45ish
Marathon: 05:53:49 - Holy cow I've just hit a hot exposed area on rough ground, slammed into a wall of heat, forgot how to run for a bit...

I don't know if its normal but the further I got in the marathon the more my running regressed in time... 1st 10km good solid running, hell the first half good solid running (my PB for a half is only 8min faster), tried to stick to the game plan 2km run 500m walk... Then 30km came, and a huge exposed section of the run, rough ground that no one (based on the reviews) were expecting... I walked passed chicken sheds where the chickens were hiding in the barn rather than the heat... Fellow runners were in all sorts of states at the side of the route, and it would've been the easiest thing in the world to sit down and join them.

But I didn't, if the last 1400-odd km have taught me anything its that even if I slow down I can keep going. So I slowed down, started drinking my emergency supplies of fluid and thanked every local who was spraying us with their hose pipes. It became run the distance between 2 lamposts, walk the same... Until 26miles where my stubborn pride kicked in and I "ran" the last .2 of a mile.

http://connect.garmin.com/player/34288126 is the run - enjoy the viewing of the "fun".

Everything worked, the training kicked in when it needed to, the toughness in the head and feet from the countless times I've pounded the pavements and towpaths of Bootle, and the support from friends around the world.

What didn't I like, the HEAT back in September I had a hot half marathon at the great north run, and that took me 3:10... so this was a huge improvement. Oh, and the walk to the shuttle buses was insane... Most are reckoning it at 2miles... with the last bit uphill.

So, a spare day doing the 4 bus tours of Edinburgh and pottering around yesterday, today a quick pop into the office to show off the t-shirt and medal (and a the fry-up) and then a gentle 8km (5mile) walk into to town to stop the legs from seizing.

To answer the question from one of my friends, the heart worked... No extra beats, no racing (well anymore than I'd expect)... and to answer someone else, yes the Edinburgh marathon is the same length as the London one...

The photos, and possibly video, will be ready tomorrow sometime, and I will look hot and burnt but hopefully happy at the marathon end shots!

So what next? A gentle series of walks this week, just easing the legs in, may go for a slow 5km run on Thursday. At the weekend I'll be doing a test run of my walking and camping kit before June's efforts, the target there will be to finish before the eurovision starts.

And then next week, well a trip to the Palace... and hopefully 1500km

TTFN

Paul

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