Capital

Been a long time since I did one of the mass-participation runs; Great North Run 2005, at which I proved that if you’re stupid enough to try a half marathon with precisely zero training, you’re going to get precisely what you deserve and will take precisely “a long time” getting it. The atmosphere in the multi-thousand events is great though, and with that in mind I decided to put my newly rediscovered love of running to the test in the Great Edinburgh Run.

I hadn’t appreciated the profile of the course (why don’t Great Run put them on their website?) until reading a press release about the new world record-holder’s participation and mention of a “very tough course with a couple of steep climbs”. Cue hasty recalculation of target time, which had been around 46 mins, but a good “last run” made 45 seem feasible. 46 was now reinstated (and any hope of “beating my age” by going sub 44 abandoned)

Sunday broke bright, breezy and early, and the drive across the M8 - broken by a stop at Harthill to release a frankly infeasible amount of pre-race hydration - got us to Edinburgh in time to meet cheerleader Lockhart and stroll up to the starting area on George IV Bridge. Ignoring the support crew’s Bacon-roll taunts, I managed to end up at the front of the Orange pen, directly behind the elite athletes; worrying, as it meant there would be hoards of extremely keen folk itching to make a fast start just behind me – so I would have to do the same.

After a slight hitch as the Marshalls didn’t realise they’d have to get themselves and their rope out of the way to avoid getting squished, we’re off. Steeply down to Prince’s Street Gardens at what can be described as a very healthy lick. Then over Waverley Bridge, up to the Royal Mile, down to the Parliament (which I passed without noticing it!) and past Holyrood Palace to the 2k mark. Check watch. 7:45. Aaaargh; too fast, too fast.

Excess speed isn’t a problem now, as the next 2k is uphill on a steepening gradient around Arthur’s Seat (described a “serious and challenging” climb by the C5 commentator. No shit…). Settling into a steadier pace, with those hilly EK & Helensburgh runs helping; over the top and through 4k in 17:10. Better (well, the time is; I’m knackered).

A nondescript but pleasingly flat couple of k, turning onto Cowgate, passing the support team and under the finish line at 6k in 26 dead. Mentally work out that passing “under” the finish line - possible thanks to Edinburgh’s unique streets - means that the rest must be net-uphill, and the next couple of k up to The Meadows are just that. Not overly steep, but enough to notice when you’re blowing quite hard. Through 8k in 35:10, so a good margin for sub-45.

After a flat 9^thk, a small rise entering the 10^th is worryingly morale sapping, and I’m starting to feel it now. One last effort and a generously downhill last k gets me over the line in 44:12. 

Genuinely pleased with that on a course that must be a couple of minutes slower than a flat one, and nice though it would have been to shave the extra 13 seconds off, I’m claiming that at 44¼ the age has been beaten anyway. 

Official stats are 463^rd finisher out of 7817, 440^th man, and 48^th man in the 40 to 44 category.

Next, the Glasgow Half Marathon on September 6^th.