Marathon #7: the Lancaster Marathon...the one with the hills

Wow that was easily the toughest marathon this year! I was a little (OK, very) apprehensive beforehand as it has a reputation for being very hilly. I was right to be worried about it......

The race being held in Lancaster I had the opportunity to go home for a long weekend, which was really nice. Wedding dress shopping for my best friend on Saturday, lunch in a cake/chocolate shop (marshmallow and strawberry chocolate kebabs!), and dinner for my Mum's 60th birthday at a local Italian restaurant in the evening = well carb loaded and relaxed in time for Sunday :-D

Sunday dawned bright and sunny. Whatever! Overcast, windy and a bit nippy more like, but can't complain, better for the running and at least it's not raining. The race starts and finishes at the Lancaster Brewery (a genius stroke of planning!) and it was a nice place for a pre-race cuppa...

It's a really small race, only just over 100 people ran it, and it started on a small country lane, among some fields of cows and sheep.

The race started and finished in the same place, but there were more uphills than down for sure, and the hills were also much steeper on the way up, the upward trend beginning after approx 1 meter and continuing for 26 miles. I'll stop complaining about the hills now, just for the moment....

...look how STEEP it is!

I met a nice guy called John quite soon after starting and he was the most cheerful person ever, and was so optimistic climbing the hills! His enthusiasm was contagious - so thank you!! We both figured out that even though we were both hoping for around 4 hours, you just had to see how it went with the hills, and enjoy the run without focusing too much on time. 

My Mum and Dad and sister all came along to support me which was fantastic. They drove around the course in the car, stopping every few miles to shout encouraging things and hand out cakes/drinks :-D My Mum even ran with me for a little while at the top of a particularly unpleasant hill...thank youuuuu! It was so nice that they were there the whole way around the route, it really helped me to keep going, thinking I would see them again soon. They drove past me and waved going up the hills a couple of times (in what, 1st gear?!), which was quite depressing. They could have given me a lift. I'm taking skates next time, then I can hitch a lift on the back. 

The route was completely enchanting, along little country roads, in the fells and through tiny villages, it was well worth all the work, and sometimes I even forgot I was running I was so distracted by the scenery (well, OK, not completely forgot, just less aware).

I surprised myself by finishing in 4.08.39, which is pretty close to my usual times this year! I felt worst between about 14 and 20 miles, when I started to feel quite vague and a bit woozy, but sadly not quite vague enough not to notice that the hills were getting harder. I tried to drink more, but the only water was in cups every few miles, and there was Lucazade in bottles, but I feel quite sick from drinking that, but I decided eventually that that was less bad than getting even more dehydrated, so I drank just over a bottle in all, and a few cups of water, and a few sweets and a piece of flapjack. Which isn't enough I  know, and I paid for it again afterwards with a bad headache. I never learn :-( but next time I have promised myself I will, I promise I promise! 

At the top of a very step hill, there was a farm, and a bit of their machinery had 'Marshall' written on it, which was my Auntie's surname, and I thought to myself that that was exactly the kind of place she would have come to watch if she had been there, right at the highest point, sitting with her face in the wind, and loving it all. And then I remembered why I was doing it, and it seemed to get easier again.

My eye started bleeding the day after, which is AWFUL!!! Ewwwww. I though it might be from all the effort I put in going up the hills so fast (ha!) but apparently it's more likely that something blew into my eye, from all the wind, and burst a small blood vessel. It really looked quite dramatic though and is my most unusual injury yet! 

My sister is a trained massage person, and she gave my legs a proper sorting out afterwards. They feel amazing, not stiff at all! THANK YOU sis!!!! 

The finish was great, even though it was a little race, the other runners and the people who came out to support us, and the marshals, were so much fun and really kind. I really really loved this race, and you know what, without the hills it wouldn't be so good, so there, I'm converted! Fabulous day, thanks to all involved!

xxx