Loch Ness Marathon-the Director's Cut (Read 712 times)

According to legend, in the year 565 a.d. the Irish missionary St. Columba of Iona was traveling through Scotland and happened upon a funeral party for a man who had reportedly been killed by a sea monster which resided in nearby Loch Ness. St. Columba ordered one of his party to swim across the Loch to retrieve a boat, despite the apparent presence of the monster, and when the man was attacked St. Columba drove the beast away, making quite an impression on the local Picts and, many centuries later, the Scottish Tourist Board. This is the earliest written record of a mysterious creature living in Loch Ness and remains the only account of an attack upon a human. Sightings have continued throughout the centuries and the legend of what is now known as the Loch Ness Monster or "Nessie" has made Loch Ness world-famous. I've always wanted to visit the Scottish Highlands. When I learned that there was a marathon there, the combination of vacation and marathon was too good to resist. Three years passed before I was able to arrange the trip. Mary Ann signed up for the River Ness 10k which shares the last 6 km with the marathon route. There is also a 5k. After three days touring Edinburgh and a beautiful train trip through the Scottish Highlands we arrived in the bonnie town of Inverness, the location of the finish line. We collected our race packets on Saturday and walked back to our B&B. Sunday morning we awoke early and had to resist the efforts of Nonna, our B&B host, to stuff us full of eggs, bacon, black pudding and haggis . After all, she said, if you're going to run 26 miles, you'll need a good breakfast! Show time at the stadium was 7:50 to catch the buses for the 10:00 start. It seemed unreasonably early but turned out to be just right. The 35-bus convoy proceeded along a roundabout route to the start, over one-lane backroads through the Highland countryside past farms, old stone churches and tiny villages. It was a beautiful ride. Finally, after an hour the buses let us out at the start line in the middle of nowhere, unremarkable except that it is exactly 26 miles, 385 yards from the finish line in Inverness. Runners quickly filed off the buses and joined the portajohn lines where we were subjected to a constant barrage of the RD's exhortations over the PA to get our drop bags on the truck and get to the start line for the warmup. Warmup? That's what the first mile is for! Finally I had my turn, quickly put my extra layers in the drop bag, and made my way to the start. It was sunny but still quite cold, about 40°F, with frost still in the grass. My goal was mostly to enjoy the run, but also to run under 4 hours and avoid another late-race crash like I had in Albuquerque. The start line After a bagpipe band marched past the 1450 or so runners were off. The first portion of the course is a gradual roller-coaster descent through beautiful highland countryside and only after 5 miles did we get our first glimpse of Loch Ness. The next three miles descend along the eastern shore of the Loch. From there the course is continual rolling hills, running along the eastern shore of Loch Ness, until mile 17. It's all along a one-lane asphalt road to that point, and the course is marked in miles, not km. The leaves were just beginning to turn and the scenery was spectacular. Some runners wore kilts and a group ran dressed like pirates. Want spectators? Here's your spectators! Gradually we made our way along the eastern shore of Loch Ness, past the tiny villages of Easter Drummond, Whitebridge, Foyers, and the ancient cemetery at Easter Boleskine, some of the centuries-old headstones worn away with age. Then past Inverfarigaig to Whitefield. Here in mile 11 is a nice view of Castle Urquhart on the opposite shore. Unfortunately Nessie never appeared. The beauty of the course inspired me to maintain a good pace. By this time it was overcast and in the 40's, and I was a little chilly, not realizing how lucky I was not to be running in the heat in Chicago that day. Some runners were dumping water on their heads, which seemed strange. Water stations were placed at about 3-mile intervals. For carbs I had concentrated Perpetuem in a bottle in a fanny pack. I passed the halfway point in 1:51:50, a good time for me, but I knew that the wheels might come off before I reached the finish line. Finally we approached the wee village of Dores and our first significant human spectators. The residents were out in force, enthusiastically cheering us on for the big hill that we knew was ahead, the appropriately named "monster hill" in mile 17. Just then I looked back and had a priceless view down the length of Loch Ness: That was the scene that I had been anticipating for three years and it powered me up the hill where the course left the scenery of the Loch behind. By now I had broken out the iPod shuffle and was playing those Scottish songs that seemed so inappropriate at Crater Lake but were just perfect here. By this point I knew that there would be no late-race meltdown like I experienced last month. I was starting to tire but with extra effort I was able to keep a good pace. Just after topping the hill I caught a brief view of Inverness Castle 5 miles ahead and Moray Firth beyond. Inverness Castle and the River Ness Inverness Castle is in the middle of Inverness, mile 25 of the course, and the sight really picked me up. By now we were descending gradually into Inverness and finally joined the 10k route along the beautiful River Ness, which runs through the center of town. Spectators appeared and cheered the runners on as we ran up the east bank of the River, past Inverness Castle which had inspired me from a distance earlier, across a bridge, and back down the west bank of the river with the pirates close behind, waving to the flyfishermen in the river. I can't imagine a more beautiful way to end a race than this. At last I ran into Queens Park Stadium and crossed the finish line in 3:48:58, much better than I had planned on. It was mainly due to the beautiful course. There's something really great about finishing in a stadium! If you have ever wanted to visit Scotland, why not do it in early October and get in a nice 5k, 10k or marathon too? Believe me, you'll never forget it!

Incredible pics and race! Thanks for the report, and for another addition to my 'someday to do' list.

Tell me, did you have some haggis afterwards?

Oh, that is so beautiful. I REALLY want to run that race someday (assuming the first marathon I do next year doesn't kill me). I still kick myself for spending about a month total in Scotland and never seeing Loch Ness. I did spend time in Inverness, though...pretty town. That realy sounds like a nice, small race. After the disaster that was this year's Chicago marathon I am finding that I have minimal interest in any big city marathons. Loch Ness sounds perfect.

With scenery like that it's no wonder the race flew by. What a beautiful place, if only every run could take place in such beauty. Congrats on your time!

wow - thanks for taking the time to post this. Just takes my breath away.

One of my favorite race reports. What a great race. All that history, great locale, & gorgeous scenery. Wow. Who took the pics? You know how to marathon.

Thanks! I took the pics. Sometimes I carry a compact camera in my fanny pack and take some shots along the way. I get some strange looks. I costs me a minute or two but it's worth it. (I don't do this if I'm really trying to make a fast time).

Thanks! I took the pics. Sometimes I carry a compact camera in my fanny pack and take some shots along the way. I get some strange looks. I costs me a minute or two but it's worth it. (I don't do this if I'm really trying to make a fast time).

Thanks for the report, Russ! Beautiful countryside and scenery and as usual, you've added another one to my list of ones I want to run. I was going to ask earlier if there is a particular camera you use that is reasonably sweat proof - but just noticed that you mentioned you carry it in a pack.