Got up early on Sunday morning. Race Day!!!! Down to breakfast, where Rob and Sarah (guest house owners) tended to our every need, providing a yummy breakfast. After breakfast we headed up to get our running kit ready. Race number on my t-shirt and I was ready.
Several bag checks later and we were off. What was really funny was how different Hazel and I were in our pre-race nerves. We kept going in and out of chattiness and quiet contemplation at different times, which meant the car was constantly full of conversation and nervous silence.
I parked my car and we went off to watch the 10 in 10 runners head out on their last marathon. Met up with Chris and had a bit of a chat about the marathon route. He gave Hazel and I lots and lots of advice on how to tackle the massive hills that were dotted around the course (invaluable advice as it turns out!). These runners are absolutely amazing. I knew they were but only after I ran the course once did I realise just how amazing they really are. A huge inspiration.
We wished Chris good luck as he headed off to get himself ready. He told us he would cheer us on at the end, to which I laughed and said "I am sure you won't still be here when we finish" but he reassured us he would.
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| This pose was Chris' idea - Caroline (his wife) just said "Why?" - no idea!!! |
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| Where we are heading! |
An hour later and it was our turn. We lined up behind a fabby samba band and walked down to the start line. As with every marathon the queues for the toilets were huge and when we headed to the start there were many competitors nipping behind trees and bushes only to find there was another set of portaloos at the start!!
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| Start selfie (with some random photo bomber) |
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| Start line. |
This worked well up until the really huge hill that Chris had warned us about at 14 miles. This hill climbed and climbed all the way until 17 miles. Quite a hill. Most people around us were walking up this hill, including us. There was such a brilliant atmosphere out on that hill, we were all in it together and that was really evident in the conversations that we were all having. Hazel and I met up with a couple who were running with the Sweatshop Running Community and they were both saying how friendly the race was. We then met up with a man who had had taken up marathon running relatively recently and had wracked up 70 marathons! He was just a normal person just like the rest of us, just shows you anything is possible. The next person we chatted to was a lady who was in training for the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. Again, just a normal person not a superfit athlete. She casually said she had only just entered this last week and had run 16 miles yesterday. A lovely woman. Marathon running really lets you meet lots of different, lovely people. That's one of the reasons I love it.
We got half way up the hill and we could hear pipes in the distance. They were playing Highland Cathedral, really put a spring in my step! They were great.
We finally got to the top of that hill and found the most stunning view of the lake. Definitely a photo stop required.
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| Top of the hill at 17, right before the demons crept in. |
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| Still looks quite a long way back to the start. |
This view heralded the start of a huge downhill, yes I did say downhill. Not that this was any easier having plodded up a huge hill first. When we got to the bottom of the hill we found ourselves at a very long flat road. Chris had given us the advice to just walk the hills, save our energy. Little did I know it was the flat bit that would sap all my energy from my legs. It was also around 18 miles that my head started to tell me that I couldn't do it and I was too tired. I knew I had fueled well enough but really had to start fighting the demons at this point that were creeping into my head. This happens in every single marathon I have ever done, they creep in just around 18/19 miles. I really had to start focusing on landmarks to try and run to. Hazel just sat in front of me chattering, I have to say at this point my head was a bit fuzzy so I couldn't really tell you what she was saying but it was good to have her company. My focus was getting to Bowness where Hazel and I had a photo taken together on Saturday and we had agreed we would stop for a selfie at the same spot. That gave me a focus. It also brought the 20 mile marker which is usually where I can regain control of those demons and get on with finishing.
Finally, we found ourselves heading down to Bowness and the lakeside. We knew at that point we would be turning back up the hill to Windermere and ultimately Ambleside.
We picked our way through the crowds of spectators and grabbed our selfie, which if I am surprised at how okay I looked given how puggled I was. Hazel, as always looked great and was running strongly and staying with me despite me telling her to just go on.
The climb out of Bowness was gradual until we hit what is known as "Ice Cream Mountain". A horribly steep hill where there is an ice-cream van at the top where you could, if you felt the need, buy an ice cream! I was just glad to see the top of it as it meant we were heading back towards Ambleside. So we were at 21 miles and heading towards 22. Not much more to go now. As we turned at the roundabout we came across a sign which said "Ambleside 4". We both whooped, now we had a distance we could cope with just fine. Still hilly though, up and down, up and down. With about 3 miles to go we looked up the road and saw - RHONA!!!!! It was so good to see her, we knew we were on our way back when we saw her. We had a hug and a group selfie and then waved her off as she rode away into the distance towards Ambleside.
We crested yet another hill, and saw this sign. We both laughed commenting at how there was no need to rub it in. We knew we were slow...
Further down the road Rhona was waiting for us again. She waved and told us we only had 2 and a half miles to go. Sounded like nothing but still felt such a long way. By this point my hip was hurting and my calf muscles were starting to cramp up. Despite being really slow I was still feeling strong but was definitely running on empty and quietly was in the head down, hard work phase of a long run. Hazel, like the great friend she is stuck with me the whole time. We have been friends and running partners for a long time and have never crossed a finish line together, as Hazel has always been faster than me. But this time we wanted to do it together. As we got to the 25 mile marker we got a little bit excited at being close to the finish when we were met with the smallest, yet steepest wooden bridge. We came to a grinding halt and staggered over the bridge. The marshall at the other side just smiled and answered "everyone said that" when we grumbled about how mean it was to put that in right at the end. That was nearly it, sapped almost the last bit of strength. But no, we kept going, run/walking until finally we were back at the entrance for Brathay Hall. Here was the 0.2! And oh my goodness did that 0.2 feel like a long way with the very last hill of the day to be tackled. Up the long Drive to the finish line. We turned the corner and there it was!!! Hazel and I ran all the way to the finish line hand in and as the announcer shouted out "here comes Hazel and Jane". Rhona met us at the end as we just flopped onto the floor having collected our medals, water and banana. We were done. The Brathay Windermere Marathon completed. And it only took us to dinner time at 7.30pm to decide we were coming back next year to tackle it again.
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| Biscuit in our race goodie bag!!! |
Oh then there was the small matter of congratulating Chris on his outstanding 3.49 marathon. Blindingly outstanding. Ten times, once and I was lying on the ground half dead!!! Can't say just how inspired I am by him. Well done Fetchie.
This was one of the hardest, friendliest marathons that I have ever taken part in. There were continual updates on facebook as to who was still out on the course, which meant people were around to cheer them on. The finish line was left up until that last person, Chelsea came over the line. It took her 7 and a half hours to get around what was a brutal 26 miles. She commented afterwards on facebook at how it was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her life. But she got a huge cheer and I am sure she will feel very proud of herself once everything stops hurting. It was not a marathon for the feint hearted. Definitely not recommended as a first marathon. First class organisation all round. I really enjoyed it.
Post race celebrations involved walking around Windermere with our t-shirts on making sure everyone knew we had ran the race and finished it!!! Even the swans were impressed.
So that's the Lake one done, can I make it to the Loch?
don't worry, be happy :)
