Baxters Loch Ness Marathon 2010

11819202123

Comments

  • Well done everyone.

    Fantastic race, beautiful course, friendly competitors, excellent organisation and brilliant support.

    Booked Paris Marathon as soon as we got home, didn't get in London ballot.

    Finished with my wife in 5h20 which is what we expected. It was a bit hillier than I though it would be. The big long down 1st quarter had more up and down bits in it than I realised. D'oh! Dores hill was OK, we were walking! LOL!

    Thanks to everyone who run and Well done everyone. Home you're all feeling OK.

    Ian & Caroline.
  • b1412

    "Think I'll try a flat one next though....any recommendations?"

    Have a look at the Moray Marathon in Sepetember.
    http://www.moraymarathon.com/
    There could be a couple of smaller hills at Lossiemouth but it looks like a nice friendly wee marathon with a great seaside situation.

    Does any on have any other notions what event can follow the Loch Ness Marathon? It was my first marathon and I really enjoyed it.
  • I was 5 mins faster this year at Loch Ness than the flatter Moray the month before image

    2495 finishers isn't too bad, with 20 or so DNFs for whatever reason.  Not quite the 4000 people claimed to be running although you can roughly tell by the number of buses what the true figures are.

    Remember with Loch Ness,the hills are at 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 mies (give or take 100 or so metres) and then between 18-21 miles.  At Moray, biggest hill is around 2.5 miles, slight incline up to Burghead, hill in Burghead with the wind generally in your face and then undulating a little until the incline as you enter Lossiemouth.

    Lochaber (Fort William) in April (10th) may be a good one.  Nice scenery, pretty flat although far less crowd support than Loch Ness. 400+ runners so not crowded although some places require a max of 2 abreast.
    Edinburgh in May is always popular although tends to be hot and has its problems especially water wise and the finish.

    Remember seeing you on the ground, Sumes / Adrian.  There were two or 3 people (Paramedics / First aiders?) with you at the time asking if you were Ok etc by name and you had an oxygen mask on and were blanketed.  I assume the ambulance that passed me coming from Inverness a few mins later was for you.

    One thing I missed was the pipers at the start.  Normally they walk through the runners and we part for them but this year I could hear them but saw nothing.

  • @Ian Cummins 2 - I shouted for you at the finish. "Come on, Wales!"
  • Scott S - The pipers did split the runners at the start but maybe they didn't hang about 'cos it was baltic!!

    This was only my 3rd Mara - done Edinburgh this year & last - a walk in the park compared to dumping you in the middle of a moor in the rain 1000ft above sea level and get you to run back to Inverness!

    Cramped up at 24 miles in the middle of the crowds but got great support from spectators to get to the finish in 3hr 21 mins.  Is this one of the harder Marathons in UK? - Felt like it!!!

  • @Neil Macinnes - "dumping you in the middle of a moor" - exactly, and that's what made it so good! 3h21m - superb, so very well done.
  • HI ALLimageJUST GOT BACK WHAT A GREAT WEEKEND IT WAS
    sounds if we all got a storry to tell
    here's my woes got to the bus found 1 with a toilet onboard great i thought,but it was locked & the driver wouldn't open it we were on the bus for 1hr20mins & 1 girl was in agony

    anyway we all stood up as the bus stopped @ the start area so we thought he was letting us of,but then he drove on & we all fell back like a load of dominoes i walloped my knee on the armrest then fell on top of a women which a felt really bad about,the knee didn't trouble me in the race but it's not so good now

    did not get my sub3 time i got 3hr 03.21,but i had 5 toilet stops on route so may have 3.01 otherwise

    well happy with my time as it was quite cold & wet early on,plus the coarse was hillier than other people told me the main hill i struggled on was early on @ mile 5 i handle the 1 out of dores quite well
    i do think this is a fast coarse but not a pb 1

    hopefully be back next year

    NEIL that sumned my oppinion of the start prob why i had so many toilet stops

  • Bad luck MM61. Still an excellent time for 5 loo stops! I found the trees handy at 5 miles too.

    This was my first marathon and so I was pleased to get 3:22:31, especially as I hadn't run more than 18 miles in training. The whole event was really good. The support was excellent through the villages and from the marshalls but it was also really peaceful to run along the Loch with only people's breathing and footsteps breaking the silence.

    I'm not sure I'll do it again because it's a long way to travel and there are so many events to compete in but I'll remember it fondly.

    Colhun - How was your ITB? Seems ok if you got round. Mine started to hurt for the first time in quite a few weeks when I got to about the 10 mile marker. I knew it was due to the downhills. Managed to shake it off by employing some strange high-kick running just in time for both sides of my groin to give me grief and a blister to appear on the bridge of my right foot! I'd be warned by seasoned marathoners that it was a game of mental and physical strength. So glad I've done it and really pleased with my time.

    I saw you too, Sumes of Sumes Hill. So pleased to hear you're ok. It's a fine line isn't it? Especially when you consider the poor young lad who collapsed and died at the Edinburgh Kilomathon on the same day. Was it lack of hydration or too much desperation to get the Sub3?!

  • B&B cracking 1st attempt,don't know if anyone on the forum met up,but i wii appolgoies for not meeting anyone
  • Great to hear how everyone got on and some cracking times done.

    Blisters - The ITB held up fine thanks, so all credit to the physio for getting me round. I tried to take it easy on the early downhill stretches to protect it but the quads suffered big time as a result. Managed to run off a really bad stich at 9 but it came back at 19 and couldn't get rid off it that time and then i started cramping up big time. Still loved every second of it though and am currently trying to decide where to tackle next.  

  • Great news Colhun. At least you know you can get rid of the ITB troubles with some stretches and/or massage. Those early downhills were such a temptation weren't they? Good fun. Best of luck in your next marathon, wherever it is.
  • Hi All,

    Well, what can I say? I think they built more hills since last year or Scottish miles are longer than English miles. The Loch Ness monster got me, chewed me about and then spat me out at Dores. From then on I had no choice but to walk to the finish in 5.31.47 and I was in agony, but who cares. I HAD A GREAT TIME and will be back next year.

    The support from the spectators and other runners was fantastic. As I approached the finish line I asked the crowd if I had won. This got a great laugh and def put a smile on my face.

    I got home at about 9pm today on the bike and covered 1.390 miles since Friday. I am now looking forward to next year.

    Glad to hear that you are better Adrian. I saw you on the hill with the help you were recieving so I gave a little prayer for you. Hope to see you next year.

    Angie. What time did you do?

  • DAVE i thought it would be alot easier than that the earlier climbs done me,i hope to go back next year
  • Thanks for the Shout out Intermanaut. That Welsh top gets notices. We did buy iron on name transfers and I tried it on my club vest and it melted.

    Dave. Well done. I saw the Runners World Forum Sign in the Pasta tent. That was one tough marathon, but absolutely brilliant and reading all your stories takes me back and... makes me want to do it again!!

    Ian image
  • Hi Beer and Blisters,

    Thanks, it was definitely dehydration. The sensible thing would have been to do a Paula (Athens 2004 not London 2005) and sat on the kerb and had a little cry but instead I foolishly kept on going for the finish.  I tend to sweat more than most so its hard to stay hydrated so I have made a promise to myself that my next marathon will be inside the Arctic circle wearing only trainers and a thong fashioned from some technical material.  I honestly don't remember the last quarter  mile of my run and suspect I was doing a rather good impression of Dorando Pietri in the final stadium lap of the 1908 Olympic marathon.

    Apologies for my bleeting, I should have said congratulations to all those that got around, esp if you made it in your dream times. Commiserations to those who didn't quite make it, you have my sympathy and complete understanding.  image  Whatever happens, keep on running.

    Cheers

    Dixon of Dock Green aka Sumes of Sumes Hill

  • Ah well, you'll know next time Sumes, though I hope you don't get to feel like that again. I sweat alot too, as my photos will testify! Being my first mara I wasn't sure what to expect with regard to hydration but ended up swigging quite alot of Lucozade Sport, which I never drink normally...a bit risky for the downstairs department image It goes to show the effort you were putting in, which is admirable in any case. You were obviously on for an excellent time. Good luck in your next one.
  • For ten miles of this marathon I was at the lowest I think I have ever been running a race yet I am trying to book flights and accomodation for next year. We drove from Banbury to Carlisle on Friday evening and it took us from 4pm till 9.30 due to the traffic. The Saturday am drive to Inverness was a further 4.5 hours 250 miles. I had booked a cabin at Auchnahillin but ended up in a 32 foot mobile home. The double room was small and ffffffreezing so we agreed to diagonally share a quilt and sleep at 90 degrees across the corner suite in the living room in front of the fire. We drove at 1pm to Inverness and got my number etc then went for a drive around Loch Ness. By 3pm I was starving. Finally found a restaurant that wasnt to expensive and bought a pasta type meal.(tight Southerners.) Went to the marathon start and nearly got blown into the Loch by the hurricane. Drove the flat course and felt my jaw drop at the sight of the 5 mile hill. Grabbed another pasta meal from Tesco as by now I was knackered, starving and panicking. Went to sleep at 9pm infront of the gassy gas fire after the wife had dislocated her toe in the mini shower. Got up at six but couldnt eat my porridge as it made me gag. Got to the busses, had a d**p, got on the bus and was crushed for 1hr 15 mins to the start. Ran for another d**p. Went into a Portaloo that was leaning backwards so hung on for dear life. Managed to get out the loo then fell in a huge pot hole near the bag lorries. Started off aiming to beat my 3.25 London marathon this year. Realised I was starving at the start then.........well basically next time its flight, food , food, food, rest, hotel toilet and a steady, easy first ten miles. I trained really hard for this and love the fact I got it so wrong. See you next year guys!
  • PG2 LOOKS DIRE THAT,but i feel the same i went there to get sub3hrs & got 3hr03,but like you stuck on a bus for 1hr20mins with a toilet which the driver wouldn't unlock,then stood for another 50 mins in vest & shorts in the pooring rain,due to all of the above i needed 5 toilet stops in the race,so i think that cost me a sub 3,if you call it 35 secs a stop inc to get back up to paceimage
  • Congratulations Peter. I too am looking forward to next year and am booking my hotel tomorrow.

    It was hard work and hurt a lot yet I love the atmosphere of the event and the pain is worth it for the fun I have.

    See you next year and good luck with any other races you have planned for the new year.

    Best wishes, Dave.

  • DAVE I can't book up yet i gotta sort the time off work but i hope i can make as well as i love the race & inverness it is also my 50th birthday that dayimagethinking about doing the cornish marathon next on 21st november,i missed it last year

  • I'm blaming last weekend's poor outcome on a cold that came to light on monday- no wonder I fel a bit out of sorts- anyway, at least I've no risk of over doing it during my recovery- as it's just a shuffle between box of kleenex, and packet of sudafed just now.

    I think Loch Ness STILL leaves me with a feeling of "unfinished business"- and until I feel like I've done the best race I can, it's difficult to leave it alone......................I'll be back.

    Lochaber first, though ( now THAT's a flat route!)

  • Tricia, I'm trying to decide between lochaber and Edinburgh for my spring marathon next yr. I think I've read that you've done both so which would you recommend?
  • Very different- Lochaber is very easy to sort out accom/ transport, etc, low key, nice peaceful run, Edinburgh- big race atmosphere, but hassle of big expo to attend, getting to start with roads closed etc, and the scenery is pretty horrible in Edinburgh- you run aout along a pretty bleak coastline, so that only the first and last few miles have a lot of roadside support, Lochaber has none- but easy to chat to other runners.

    I prefer Lochaber, but that's just me.

    A big city marathon is probably worth doing , but I'd maybe chose one of the others, dunno.

  • Cheers Tricia. Think I'll plump for lochaber as already got hotel in mind that can take us and it's also in school hols so can make a wee break out if it.

    Hoping to be able to do a couple of the big ones over next couple years and have already got plans afoot for Paris in 2012 and make a family hol out of it too.
  • ChimneyChimney ✭✭✭

    Hi everyone. Home now after a week of walking up and down mountains. Ben Nevis on Tuesday was very, very tough! Congratulations to all and glad to hear you're fine Sumes.It was very sobering seeing a runner wrapped up on the side of the road with an oxygen mask. 

    For me it went better than I could have wished. Had hoped for under 4hrs but driving from Inverness to our lodge in Whitebridge there seemed to be a lot more ups & downs than I had thought! I even said to the wife there was no hope of me getting under 4..... Finished in 3:45:05. Now if only I'd gone 6 seconds faster.....

    If reality matched intention I'd know I was dreaming
  • Tricia, Colhum,  fancy lochaber myself, only thing putting me off......is it not an out and back course???

    Never came down from my marathon high until midweek lol.

    Done London last year in pretty warm conditions, give me the wind and rain any day, think last weeks weather was spot on, one of the reason I won't do Edinburgh is it's always hot.

  • HI ALL  reading above can anyone give me the date for LOCHABER,where abouts is it,is it fast & flat or hilly & slow,i've done EDINBURGH twice got sunburnt there last year,another 1 i've been looking @ is

    MORAY FIRTH MARATHON

  • Lochaber is in Fort William, think itis the 10th April.  Not done it before but I think it is flat.  Done an easy 5 miles this morning and thought am I really up to all this marathon training again, so sooooon ?????  Going to give myself 4 weeks to decide.

  • THANKS PLODINALONG i will put on my to do list

    just done my 1st run since loch ness a 6 mile x-country race,the coarse was bone dry never seen it like that more of summer run manage to run in my road shoes,downside is i had a bad knee after the marathon altough it wasn't present in the race,& it's quiet sore again tonight

    i agree on the marathon front the're hard work but the buzz makes you want to do more

  • Yup Lochaber is an out and back- I like that, when else do you get to see the really GOOD runners in full flight?

    Flat, fast except that road not closed so a little dodging around traffic/ bridges, etc.

    Small, no difficulty with accom/ parking etc.

    Starts bang in the middle of FtWilliam

    Can be lonely, especially if you're slower than about 4 1/2 hrs.

    It's in april, date was moved to avoid same weekend as VLM- think it's the weekend before.

    Only 600 places- better keep it a secret between just us, eh?

Sign In or Register to comment.