# Edinburgh Marathon



## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Well, I'm on my wind down before I run the Edinburgh Marathon on the 25th of May. I've not had the 14 week cycle that I would've liked as I got an unexpected free entry based on a qualifying time from another race. This late entry only gave me 11 weeks but it's been a tough journey with me building up to and peaking at 92 miles per week leaving me tired and bad tempered towards the end. I'm now looking forward to an easier week of 50 miles at a chilled out pace.

I've not decided if I'm going to take the 'easy' option and get round at 6 minute mile pace giving me 2h 37 min or whether to go for 5 min 45 sec for a faster time. I suppose I'll have to see on the day. The 6 minute mile pace will give me a guaranteed entry for London 2009 with a front place start so that may be preferable.

We'll be driving up early on the 24th and running the race on the 25th. If any Scottish forum members happen to be in the city and watching, I'm the short arsed miserable looking one with brown hair in the red vest with black chevrons on it! :lol:


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## blackandgolduk (Apr 25, 2005)

Just want to say good luck - a mate of mine does the odd marathon so I know how much training goes into it. It's something I aspire too, but I genuinely don't know if I could! Your pace sounds stunning - I hope you blitz it! :thumbsup:


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Good luck and best wishes in your endeavour. :thumbsup: A couple of my colleagues did the London Marathon this year for a local children's charity. I know I couldn't do it. :no:


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Cheers guys, I'm getting a bit nervous already and it's only a week away. What I'm not looking forward to is the carbo loading diet on the week leading up to it. Always makes me ill!


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Good luck mate! I can't read your expected mile times without sitting here saying "Bloody Hell!" out loud. :notworthy:

For those of you that haven't done this sort of thing, the 'take it easy' option is ripping the road up. As for the 5:45. :jawdrop: .. 

So we know what the sharp end of the RLT running team is about to do, what about the fat old man? I will be doing the Chester Half Marathon on Sunday, in not much less time than our Billy Whizz will be doing a full 26 miles. :sweatdrop:


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Russ said:


> Good luck mate! I can't read your expected mile times without sitting here saying "Bloody Hell!" out loud. :notworthy:
> 
> For those of you that haven't done this sort of thing, the 'take it easy' option is ripping the road up. As for the 5:45. :jawdrop: ..
> 
> So we know what the sharp end of the RLT running team is about to do, what about the fat old man? I will be doing the Chester Half Marathon on Sunday, in not much less time than our Billy Whizz will be doing a full 26 miles. :sweatdrop:


Best of luck for Sunday Russ. :thumbsup: What's your estimated time?


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Over the last three years I've really started to feel it, my HM times have gone from 1:45 to 1:50 + recently.

The best I ever did was a 1.37. I don't expect to do anything like that on Sunday. The best thing I can say for myself is at least I'm out there doing it. My last race was the Coniston 14, I felt more like 67 than 47. :lol:

Here's me in the Coniston puffing and blowing at the 10 mile mark.

http://www.edstaggphotography.com/albums/u...mb_IMG_8250.jpg


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Mate I wish you all the best, I'm sure you'll be fine and live up to your forum name


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Russ said:


> Over the last three years I've really started to feel it, my HM times have gone from 1:45 to 1:50 + recently.
> 
> The best I ever did was a 1.37. I don't expect to do anything like that on Sunday. The best thing I can say for myself is at least I'm out there doing it. My last race was the Coniston 14, I felt more like 67 than 47. :lol:
> 
> ...


I can never get in that race - it's always full as soon as the entries open!  Regarding your times, have a go at doing less mileage but upping the pace slightly in your training. A heart rate monitor will help you gauge your general shape. Those Casio ones Roy sells seem pretty good. They have a percentage feature so you can see how hard you're training. They're still very respectable times you've done.



PhilM said:


> Mate I wish you all the best, I'm sure you'll be fine and live up to your forum name


Cheers Phil, I'll do my best!


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## Bladerunner (Jun 4, 2006)

Good Luck Andrew, hope you put a good time in.


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Bladerunner said:


> Good Luck Andrew, hope you put a good time in.


 Cheers Alan.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

They are some awesome mile times. You must be tremendously fit. Good luck with it.

My girlfriend is a bit of a runner. She did the last London Marathon in 3:30 which I was made up with and she has booked the Berlin marathon.

There is such a lot of training goes into something like this. I was going to say enjoy the scenery as you run around but at those speeds everything will just be a blur


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## Guest (May 15, 2008)

Best of luck


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

mjolnir said:


> They are some awesome mile times. You must be tremendously fit. Good luck with it.
> 
> My girlfriend is a bit of a runner. She did the last London Marathon in 3:30 which I was made up with and she has booked the Berlin marathon.
> 
> There is such a lot of training goes into something like this. I was going to say enjoy the scenery as you run around but at those speeds everything will just be a blur


She must be really fit too! That's a very good time.


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Russ said:


> She must be really fit too! That's a very good time.


Cheers, She is. She really got into running just over a year ago, joined a running club and just basically went for every event that she could enter. She just loves it. She sprained her ankle a week or so before the marathon and thinks that she could have knocked 10 mins  off the time if she had been in better condition. I couldn't drive it in that sort of time.

Nothing compared to Andrew here though. His times aren't just fast, they're damn fast.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Best of Luck, my son-in-law will be running for the Breast Cancer charity, but nowhere near your times. He's a footballer (semi-pro, Scottish Junior, ex Senior), so his training regime isn't optimal for marathons.









If you haven't done the Edinburgh one before, watch out for the relay team ******s (playing at it teams) who have gradually been allowed to walk/jog into the relay changeover points going against the flow, David (the S-I-L) reckons it can be disconcerting to have someone suddenly running *towards* you rather than with or away from you :yes:

The course runs out into the coast at East Lothian for the halfway mark, fairly flat throughout, if there's an East wind itll be sharp at the halfway mark - bloody cold that can be.

In the words of the song "Keep on Running" - and Best of from myself and Mrs Mel


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## thorpey69 (Feb 8, 2006)

Good luck,i have big repect for anyone who can run like that for that period of time,im knackered after a mile


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Russ comes in at 1:48 in the Chester. Reasonably pleased with the time. Over to the pro end of the team now........


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Russ said:


> Russ comes in at 1:48 in the Chester. Reasonably pleased with the time. Over to the pro end of the team now........


Well done Russ, is that faster than you anticipated? I was wondering how you went on. Just looking at the elite times in yesterday's Great Manchester Run, I'd hardly call myself a pro but it's very nice of you to say so.  :blush:

(It was won in sub 29 minutes!  )

A.


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

thorpey69 said:


> Good luck,i have big repect for anyone who can run like that for that period of time,im knackered after a mile


Yeh, me too  . Well done Russ! :thumbsup:


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## Mrcrowley (Apr 23, 2003)

Good luck to you all!


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Well I did it. I decided to err on the side of caution set off at 6 minute mile pace to give me 2:37. After 4 miles we hit an almost gale force headwind that was against us until 18 miles knocking our pace off considerably. To top it all off, I cramped up at 21 miles and hobbled over the finish line on 2h 51 min which despite being 14 minutes slower than what I wanted I'm pretty pleased with considering it's my debut at that distance and I only had 11 weeks training.

Next time I'll plan it properly with the full 14 weeks build up and I'll balance speed training with distance instead of panicking and concentrating on distance alone. The result will be a different story.... 

Off to Keswick tomorrow for a week with the family so I'm not even thinking about running as my legs are f****d! (I'm just wondering which watch (es) to take with me!)

Take care all,

A.


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## Russ (Feb 7, 2006)

Running_man said:


> Well I did it. I decided to err on the side of caution set off at 6 minute mile pace to give me 2:37. After 4 miles we hit an almost gale force headwind that was against us until 18 miles knocking our pace off considerably. To top it all off, I cramped up at 21 miles and hobbled over the finish line on 2h 51 min which despite being 14 minutes slower than what I wanted I'm pretty pleased with considering it's my debut at that distance and I only had 11 weeks training.
> 
> Next time I'll plan it properly with the full 14 weeks build up and I'll balance speed training with distance instead of panicking and concentrating on distance alone. The result will be a different story....
> 
> ...


Well done that man!

If the winds were anything like down here, mile times have to go out of the window.

I believe only 1.5% of runners who do a marathon come in under 3 hours, that's from those fit people who are capable in the first place.

Enjoy your rest!

Russ


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## Bladerunner (Jun 4, 2006)

Against a such a strong headwind, that's excellent - very well done indeed Andrew


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

Congratulations and well done Andrew.  An excellent performance indeed.


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## Running_man (Dec 2, 2005)

Cheers lads, I'm just getting used to the pain of walking downstairs! Off to Keswick in about an hour to sample lots of Jennings Cumberland Ale! Might do a run towards the end of the week but I not banking on it. After much deliberation, my holiday watch is going to be the G10!

Cheers all and see you in a week,

A.


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## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Congratulations on the time, the S-I-L (David) managed 3 hours 45, he's happy with that, it's around what he does for the race, and given the wind he's amazed, reckons he would have been better without the wind.

Oh, PM me your snail mail please, and I'll see about getting something to you! :yes:


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## mjolnir (Jan 3, 2006)

Congratulations Andrew. That's an excellent time, Especially with the wind being like it is at the moment.

Enjoy the beer, You earned it. Dog and gun in Keswick by any chance? I like it in there.

Well done to your son in law too Mel. I don't know how anyone manages a Marathon. Such a lot of work.


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## PhilM (Nov 5, 2004)

Well done Andrew on completing the challenge, Enjoy the break with the family :yes:


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