Posts Tagged ‘running’

The Loch Ness Marathon had been on ma bucket list for years. Being back hame in the UK and wanting something braw tae work towards, 2026 was finally the year tae dae it. The idea of the race is simple: they bus ye tae the far end o’ Loch Ness, drop ye aff, and ye’ve tae run back tae Inverness.

Training wisnae ideal. I did some long runs up until the start o’ August, but then I was that busy wi’ triathlons it had tae go on the back burner. Still, I reckoned the course couldnae be too hard, seein’ as Amy had set the club record on it. This, it turns oot, was a daft assumption.

We had to be on the buses at 7:30 and the drive took around an hour and twenty minutes. I had a guid blether wi’ the lass sitting next tae me, who was visiting from Florida and this was one of ten global marathons she wanted to run in the next ten years. Once we got aff the bus, we found oorsels in the middle o’ naewhere, and it was Baltic. I had tae pit on ma fleece, gloves, waterproof jaicket and waterproof leggings just tae stop masel shivering. It was just efter nine when we arrived and the race didnae start till ten, so there was plenty o’ time tae queue for a final wee.

The start o’ the race is stunnin’: ye’re up in the glens wi’ peaks everywhere ye look. I stopped at 8km tae take a photie o’ ma shoes, as ma trusty Hoka Skyward X hit 2,000km at this point. Efter 11km the course drops doon tae the side o’ the loch, and for the next 17 kilometres ye can see the watter and the hills on the ither side, maistly through the trees wi’ the odd gap for a clear view. I tried tae enjoy it as much as I could, but I was hurting a lot and ultimately capitulated to sitting with the pain and trying to keep gaun. This section had some steep but short hills and descents in it.

At 28km the route leaves the loch and we found oorsels gaun up a fair bit longer hill, and the road kept gaun up and doon past fields and ferms. Then, at 37km, ye reach the ootskirts o’ Inverness, heid intae the city, alang the side o’ the River Ness, ower the brig and back tae the finish. I was hauf-deid by the time I crossed the finish line but managed a smile for the photies.

Ma wife was waitin’ for me just efter the line. As was a cup of Baxsters soup and a roll. Ye also get two tins o’ soup in yer goodie bag so ye’ll no go hungry for the rest o’ the week. Ma official time was:

4:14:32

I couldnae walk the next day. I’ve never been that sair efter a marathon. Probably a combination o’ no enough long runs, the hills, and spendin’ a lot o’ the next 48 hours drivin’ or hikin’ the West Highland Way.

It’s definitely up there wi’ the maist spectacular races I’ve done. Tollymore was stunning but it was two laps. Man Vs Coast was braw an’ aw, but having a city finish in Inverness added something extra, and made the logistics o’ gettin’ some scran and back tae yer hotel a lot easier.

They were playin’ ‘The Glen’ by Beluga Lagoon the hale weekend, and noo I cannae get it oot ma heid.

Torvean parkrun is the local parkrun in Inverness. They typically get around 200 people. Then, one weekend per year, the Loch Ness Marathon and Festival of Running descends, and they get 600. Thank you to all of the volunteers for tolerating us!

The course is two and a half laps around the park. There is one hill, nicknamed “heartbreak hill” but it goes up maybe five metres, so I think it is more of an ironic name. Compared with say Sheffield Castle. It’s a scenic park with some trees and a pond. There is a coffee van at the end, too, but alas our pastries were a little stale.

I had the Hyde Park Harriers 20th anniversay relay band on for it, hence me waving my arm in the photo.

Bowling Park is located in Bradford and the parkrun consists of two and a half loops of the park, including doing the massive hill three times. It is a similar profile to Potternewton. Here’s a section of the hill:

Everyone was very friendly and there is a little cafe in the park. It’s been my NENDY for ages so good to get it ticked off.

Nostell parkrun is set on the grounds of Nostell Priory. There is in fact no priory, but the stately house that now sits there was built where there used to be one. The National Trust kindly let parkrun use it for free. You just need to avoid all of the electric fences. It’s a two-lap affair with one moderate hill per lap.

Harrogate parkrun is three laps of The Stray, specifically the north east corner. I was going to a networking event after so I decided to walk it. But I got a little carried away and ended up going sub-38. It’s a mixture of grass, dirt with tree roots, and tarmac. Well organised and friendly volunteers.

Family outing to East Holmes Field parkrun in Ilkley. It is four laps of the park by the river. All grass and dirt path with plenty of tree roots and nice views. Also ran into Aron and it was lovely to catch up. East was the last point I needed to complete the compass club challenge! Joining Newcastle West, North Yorkshire Water Park and Darlington South.

Endcliffe parkrun is located in Sheffield and is one of the busier ones, regularly attracting 700+ people. I had a meeting shortly after so I turned up the walk it. It is a two-lap course.

The start was well organised and there was a comprehensive first timers’ briefing. Unfortunately, at the main briefing, there were two dogs constantly barking each other so I couldn’t hear anything despite the speaker system. Once we were going, it was predictably crowded, especially as it starts with a little out-and-back section.

At around 1.5km there was a single-file bridge that we had to queue for several minutes to cross. By this point, the fastest runners were already coming around to lap us, and they seem to be able to skip the queue, which slows things down even more. The same thing happens when the path narrows around 500m further down. You also have fast runners whizzing past you as that part of the track is barely wide enough for two people with a wall on one side and a stream on the other.

Thankfully, by the second lap it has thinned out a bit and I nearly lost my way at one of the series of turns. Those who are not directionally challenged will no doubt remember it from the first loop, though. As you come into the finish, you have to dodge around the crowds of those who have already finished walking out of the park.

Thank you to all of the volunteers who were well organised and friendly.

This ticked off another E for me, which allowed me to finish the spell your name challenge (including my title, full name and middle name) and the Old MacDonald challenge. Edwin Carolan, Illaunmanagh, Endcliffe, Isabel Trail and Oakwell Hall.

A lovely parkrun. It’s a three-loop course and largely flat. Busy but a possible PB course if you started at the front. Lots of nice scenery, too, as well as toilets and a cafe. This ticks off my south on the compass club challenge so I just need an east to finish it now.

Oldham parkrun takes place in Alexandra Park, Oldham. It is well worth a visit from Leeds as you can take the A672 and get some beautiful views over the Pennines.

Alexandra Park itself is lovely with toilets, a large playground, a cafe, tennis courts, lakes and lots of other interesting features. The playground and the toilets could use some love, though. The parkrun uses the slogan “like hills? Love Oldham parkrun” so I was surprised at how flat it was: three laps of mostly running from one side of the park to the other, with a hill at each end. So there are hills but nothing compared to Temple Newsam, Chevin, Middleton Woods, etc.

It is a three-lap course and there were plenty of marshals on the route. Thank you to everyone at Oldham for having us.

Isabel Trail parkrun takes place in Stafford and follows and out-and-back along the Isabel Trail. It’s mostly tarmac with some gravel bits. It’s well organised: when I turned up there was a marshal explaining where I could park. They had a megaphone for the announcements, too, but there were a few dogs that screamed the whole way through so I have no idea what was said. It was well marshalled for an out-and-back.

Isabel Trail is currently the most northerly I parkrun, which makes completing the Old MacDonald challenge a tough one for us Northerners. Luckily, I already have one I from Illaunmanagh. Still need a second E, though!