Here I am, in April 2024, training for the longest run I've ever taken on. On the 11th of May I'll be on the start line for the Moray Coast 50, the first of a series of ultra running events in Moray (the last event of this series is the Dava Way which I completed in November 2023 - read my blog post here). The Moray Coast 50 starts in Forres (where the Dava Way finished) and ends in Cullen, taking in a beautiful route along the coast. I've heard from others who have completed this event that it runs short at around 47/48 miles rather than the 50 it is billed as. However, I'm not so fussed about that, I will be delighted - assuming I cross the finish line! - to run the furthest distance I ever have (currently 32 miles).
Of course it helps that the event is in my favourite part of Scotland, and the start of the route features many favourite spots from childhood - and now adulthood - holidays. Through Roseisle forest, Burghead, Cummingston, Hopeman (the best!), Cove Bay, Covesea and Lossiemouth. After Lossie the rest of the route is pretty much an unknown for me, which is exciting to discover somewhere new on the way to the home of Cullen Skink.
I entered this race last July; it had been on my radar for a few months but I was unable to fathom running anywhere near to 50 miles. I still can't get my head around that!
When it was announced that the oldest marathon event in Scotland - the Moray Marathon - was making a return to the Scottish running calendar, I naturally wanted to be a part of that too! The timing was perfect, due to take place on 21st April 2024 which worked out at exactly 3 weeks prior to the Moray Coast 50, thus ensuring I'd have a last long run but as part of a very special event.
I let my fitness slip a bit over November/December, post-Dava Way, enjoying festive parkruns with family but not undertaking any long distances. I set my 10k PB in Tillicoultry on Friday 29th December 2023, feeling absolutely over the moon with 48.28 and a bit at peace with the speed side of things (especially after 2023 brought me a 22.12 parkrun too!).
The 1st of January 2024 marked exactly 16 weeks to the Moray Marathon (and a smaller event in London on the same day) so it was the perfect opportunity to start a block of training. Without going into all the details of every run (more to be found on my instagram profile) I really found it such a tough 16 weeks. It sometimes messed with my head to be trying to train for a road marathon and at the same time a trail ultra. Time is still to tell whether I've got that right - I'm not sure I have!
I had some changes in my job in January that I struggled to adjust to, and that really affected my mentality towards running. I started to see it more as a chore than a hobby to be enjoyed. It felt like I "had" to run rather than wanting to. I suppose in a way you do 'have' to if you sign up for an event - you owe it to yourself to do the training and turn up in the best shape you possibly can.
I did train. But I never felt like I'd done enough (again time will tell if I actually have!). I missed one or two longer runs due to life/illness/parenthood - but life and parenthood always come before running. And I do agree it is better to be on the start line slightly undertrained but uninjured, versus overtired and overwhelmed.
My plan was to treat the Moray Marathon absolutely as a long slow steady training run. I purposely said I would not PB - my marathon PB from Edinburgh 2018 is 4.33. Only in the last few months have I even considered I'd be in shape to beat that PB. I'm running the Loch Ness Marathon on 29th September 2024 and I intended (and still do) that that would be the PB marathon attempt.
However I did say to Dave that if I felt good, I took things steady and I didn't push too hard, I could potentially PB, as in somewhere around the 4.30 mark. That's 10 minute miles and I felt that was achievable IF I had a good day (some stomach issues on my longer training runs really made me worry I'd be diving for the bushes!). I was clear in my mind that this was not a PB attempt - this was a long run.
I had also planned to go up to the family caravan myself on the Saturday evening, stay one night, run the marathon on the Sunday then drive home afterwards. As it turned out, the marathon weekend coincided perfectly with the Speyside Stages rally, which my big brother Andrew annually attends with my nephew. It made for a great distraction on the Saturday morning and afternoon as we tracked the cars in two locations - Cooper Park in Elgin (no parkrun due to the rally!) and Keith for the service area element, which was a great way to see the cars and the kids even got to sit in one thanks to a kind driver/team! It kept my brain occupied from focusing too much on the marathon or worrying about it too much, and I did feel more relaxed because of it. It also meant I had a fantastic support team, which really made a huge difference on the day.
I had my usual pasta pesto with garlic bread for carb-loading the night before, after a week of almost excessive carb-eating - it certainly felt excessive! I got all my gear ready the night before to save making too much noise in the caravan in the morning - hopefully I didn't wake anyone up (except Dave!) and managed to get out the door at 7am after porridge.
The logistics for this marathon are very straightforward - I'd collected my number from registration in Elgin late Saturday afternoon (you could do it on the morning of but it was discouraged, and I did like that I could pin my number on in advance because that's always a faff for me!). Lots of parking at Elgin Academy and a very short nice walk to the start line. I'd been worried that two ladies toilets wouldn't be enough, but there were only 76 female runners in the end, and although there was a queue around 7.45am, it moved quickly. In a way I almost had too much time hanging around at the start but better to have more time than any stress. It unexpectedly rained at the start and I was glad of my waterproof jacket and my running pack. I tucked my jacket away before starting even though I'd considered starting the run in it because it was wet and cold. So glad I didn't because I get so warm running and I would've had to faff putting it away mid-run.
We started on the dot at 8am, and I just told myself to go really steady. We ran up Brumley Brae within the first mile and although a bit of a challenge, I found it perfect for slowing down any thoughts of a faster pace. The hill itself isn't too bad at all, then you're immediately downhill. I deliberately went slowly and steady.
The miles ticked away on beautiful quiet country roads.
It got familiar on the stretch from College of Roseisle to Burghead, and here I texted my support team to let them know I'd be at Hopeman soon. A wee climb at Burghead at mile 8 but very short.
I had goosebumps running the stretch through Cummingston towards Hopeman. It brought back all those childhood feelings of excited anticipation after a long drive nearing our caravan holiday destination. I felt almost emotional here, feeling the sense of occasion (I'm sure this will be amplified when on the coastal route here on 11th May!). The emotion continued as I passed my support team at the top of Hopeman High Street, complete with signs. It is such a hard thing to just keep running past your child - feeling guilty for not stopping but knowing if you stop it'll be hard to get going again!
I gained another support team here as some lovely people cheering on another runner then shouted "go Aunty Helen" at me whenever they saw me on the route, quite a few times actually, so nice!
The long stretch between Hopeman and Lossiemouth was challenging in some ways. I was more wary of cars here because this is a fast bit of road and by 10am there were more cars out. Because of the rain there were puddles at the side and runners were swinging out more onto the road to avoid them (the trail runner in me was horrified I wasn't running through them, but the white-trainered road runner in me couldn't do it!). Thankfully every car I encountered allowed for runners to do this, hanging back and being very respectful I thought.
As I got closer to Lossiemouth I was a bit concerned that I hadn't been passed by my brother's big blue SUV. I called Dave a couple of times and was reassured they'd catch me in Lossiemouth - I was past the marina before they did, and I saw them before they saw me! But they drove on ahead and got out to cheer again. By this point I was almost at the 17 mile mark and feeling really strong. I was starting to pass people which honestly who cares, but sometimes mentally that brings some strength. I was proud of myself that my steady start had allowed for a strength in the double figure miles. I pessimistically kept waiting for the wheels to fall off and everything to go wrong - I definitely expected this to happen after 20 miles.
They say that the marathon really begins at 20 miles and it is so so true. We were now out on the back roads from Lossiemouth, heading towards the A96 at Elgin. Mentally at 20 miles I was starting to feel ready to be done. I still felt really good, and confident I'd finish - and PB was on - but those last 6 miles can feel like a bit of a grind. It's that sense of anticipation. I felt strong and my splits (end of blog) on my last 6 miles show that.
We turned off the road onto a cycle path on the outskirts of Elgin; I'd never been here before and I knew I just had to follow it, all the way to Elgin Cathedral at mile 25. As I got closer to this I saw four young teenagers climbing a fence onto the path and saw them say something to the female runner ahead of me. I braced myself - they were drinking a bottle of Buckfast and made some comment which I'd say was rude but not aggressive or threatening (I was chased by some teenage boys in Newtown St Boswells last year as I trained for the John Muir Way Ultra, who shouted to each other to "kick her legs" and I felt very scared by that - thankfully I could run faster than them!). With these guys I wished I could have come up with a better comeback than "get a life" but they didn't really have much comeback to that - or I was far enough away not to hear it. I wondered if they'd said anything to the male runner behind me?
It spurred me on as there's nothing more incredible than reaching the last part of a marathon knowing you're going to finish strongly. Lovely marshals got me across the road, past the cathedral and through Cooper Park, then it was onto a bit of the parkrun route right back round to the track at Morriston. I was ready to be done, but I felt like I was flying here.
Round the track and just before the finish my wee girl ran out to finish with me - amazing as always! I think this was caught on camera but no photos from the finish yet - I'll add in when they're posted.
I crossed the line in 4 hours and 14 minutes, 19 minutes faster than Edinburgh Marathon in 2018. The key here is that I am a totally different runner now than I was then. In lots of ways. I'm not any more confident and I still doubt myself every minute of the way, but I have a touch more confidence in my physical ability than I did back then, and ultimately I put this down to experiencing childbirth. No marathon will ever be as painful or difficult as that was!
I felt great at the finish too, fresh and happy and strong. Not knackered. That means I possibly have more to give and maybe Loch Ness will have a different time goal now that the PB has happened...
HOWEVER I am daunted beyond words that I'm going to run another 21 miles on top soon! The marathon brought it home to me what a long long way it will be, on much more challenging terrain. But I will have to take it slowly and steady and try to enjoy as much of it as possible!
I highly recommend the Moray Marathon as an event - it'd be a great first marathon, and it's simply a great event. I'm honestly not sure I could cope with the crowds and the noise of a big city marathon like London; I really enjoyed the peace and quiet of the Moray country roads with brilliant marshals and locals cheering us along! It was fantastic.
The word I keep coming back to is CHILLED, which seems very appropriate given the organisers - Amy and John - have named their events company Chilled Running! It was all very relaxed. I had wondered if it was more designed for faster runners but it really was for everyone - all abilities welcome, and I see next year's event is offering 7 hours to complete, making it even more inclusive!
There's nothing to fault here. It's simply a very well organised event in a very beautiful part of Scotland. I am so so tempted to sign up for next year already (I probably will let's be honest!).
I'm chuffed to bits at how my run went; I really have given myself a tiny bit of credit for having a good day. And thanks to the lovely Rachel on instagram who pointed out I managed to negative split the marathon - running the second half (2.03) faster than the first (2.11). I hadn't even realised this!
Splits here:
Recovery has generally been good too. I was tired but not too sore.
Hopefully the next blog post will be as positive a tale about the Moray Coast 50, even though my pessimistic brain is telling me I've bitten off more than I can chew with that one!
