Countdown to Loch Katrine

It's a week to go before I aim to  complete my second marathon at Loch Katrine.

I think it's important for me to have clear aims and expectations for this event. At Loch Ness Marathon I didn't understand the difference between hope and ability. I went in thinking that I should be able to run a sub four hour marathon and set off trying to achieve it with absolutely no regards for whether or not I was capable of it. I didn't reflect upon my training or look at the course. Since then I've made a few changes which mean this should be a more measured race

Loch Katrine is a challenging marathon course with 1879feet (573metres) of ascent and decent and although the course profile doesn't show one significant climb (famous last words) that means there aren't any flats either. This means that I've scaled back my predicted finish time as I know how hard the descents can be on the quads in the final few miles. As a means of ensuring I stick to an achievable pace I've started running by heart rate. I've also planned what I will eat in the days running up to the race to ensure I have enough energy  in the later miles. This has also meant I've tried various different foods on my long runs and have settled on Tunnocks caramel wafers (they are coincidentally sponsoring the event) for the first 2/3 then honey stingers for the last 8 miles. I had tried other brands and types of food but found they didn't settle too well. Caffeine definitely didn't work, a hard lesson to learn at the time but better learnt sooner rather than later.

I haven't stuck to my training schedule as well as I should, however I have ran consistently and I have run as many hills as I could find. Including one run that took in 4 loops of the Camperdown Parkrun, two clockwise, two anti-clockwise. I can assure anyone who has run it before the reverse route is horrid even if the 'Big Hill' is ran down, the long diagonal up is soul destroying, especially on the 4th lap. I haven't ran as far as I would have like with no 20 mile runs, but the last month I've been using the Marco heart rate calculator and it's meant I've always felt comfortable in the final miles of runs over 16 miles and felt fresh the next day. I've also improved my diet (marginally) but I am now 4kg (8.8lbs) lighter. 

So what does all this mean?

This isn't the course for me to go sub 4 hours. I need to be realistic and throw that away. An ideal finish, that would have me smiling from ear to ear would be 4:20. My own Silver medal and happy would be 4:20-4:30. Bronze and happy would be 4:40. All of these results are better than my Loch Ness result which is an easier course. But part making this assessment is to be honest about my improvements and strengths as well as my weakness. In addition to admitting just how wrong Loch Ness went as a race. 

Ultimately though all of these results have a stipulation of finishing happy. I didn't enjoy Loch Ness Marathon. If I'm honest, it broke me. I was stretched to my limits and I broke. Sadly there wasn't a Disney ending or a triumphant meme. I broke. I think I'm physically stronger now, but not necessarily mentally stronger. If put into the Loch Ness situation again I think the same might happen. However I've learnt how to better prepare myself and prevent myself from getting to that tipping point. This might seem like weakness, not wishing to expose this part of myself  but I prefer to think of it is personal awareness.

Either way I'm set to find out on the hills of Loch Katrine.

If you're doing any of the races good luck. If you see me give me a wave.

Carpe Deim, Carpe Horam.