Marathon Madness

Well we did it. Yup the Hare and I are no longer Marathon Virgins and we have the medals to prove it. Big woop to us.

I have to admit that I was feeling very nervous in the run up to midnight having bumped into several ladies on the train to Edinburgh who were also Moonwalking but were all feeling very confident that you didn't need to train for a 26 mile walk. So there I sat feeling like the BIGGEST Idiot in the world for needing to work flat out to get in shape for something that these women were considering to be a breeze.  Needless to say - we parted ways after getting off the train - I definately didn't need to be psyched out any more.

The weather in Edinburgh was amazing and after a gentle stroll up and down Princes Street, I sunbathed in the park opposite the Temple of Harvey Nicks before joining my sister and her friend for dinner.  Both of whom had volunteered to help man the event  - I must state CATEGORICALLY that ALL the volunteers were totally amazing - especially my sister who managed to calm me down pre-Hare's arrival and work out what I should take with me clothing wise for the walk -THANK YOU Big Sis. I also want to make a special mention of the brilliant volunteer who was giving out jelly babies - The Hare has banned me from ever consuming jelly babies in the early hours of the morning as just one was enough to send me totally HYPER!! Mahhahhah xx

{This picture cracks me up (completely unintentional but captures our friendship perfectly)

Me being ridiculous and getting us into some situation and the Hare with totally zen-like calm managing to keep her dignity intact and attempting to distance herself from the choas!}

So arriving on site and after meeting up with the Hare, we spent time exploring the fab pink Moonwalk tent, having some snacks, queuing for the toilet, sparkling up (somebody, who will remain nameless, may have gone a little OTT with the sparkles and so was literally seeing stars for the first hour!), getting tattoos (mental note to self - previously unbenownst to me, when it comes to tattoos, the Hare has the taste of a rum drinking sailor so be warned!) and taking ridiculous photos - again nerves and the cold made me totally HYPER, so by the time we actually crossed the starting line at 12.15am, I was feeling a bit knackered. CLASSIC ROOKIE MISTAKE!

Though once we were on our way, it was all good although the first few miles was basically one big climb up to the Royal Mile and then up round Arthur's Seat but due to the number of Moonwalkers it was fairly impossible to go too fast.  But slowly but surely we started progressing through the crowd and didn't stop until the 10 mile mark as I was desperate for the loo.  This was probably the worst time to stop as the toilet queue took 30 mins and although it proved a great opportunity to stretch out the legs and refuel, it was murder trying to get the legs working again and we had to walk really slowly until our muscles had warmed up sufficiently.

The next stage was definately the hardest as it was just freezing, dark and the walking was relentless and I was ready to commit BALLOONGATE. (Seriously, if you want to improve your Marathon odds, just attach a couple of balloons to your person and let the choas begin as those behind you are forced to duck, dive, weave and throw themselves out of the path of said manic balloons) Luckily by our next toilet break at the 18 mile mark, the sun was rising and it was thankfully getting warmer. Here's when we started to notice that people around us were starting to struggle and there were lots of medical crews in attendance but fortunately we were both still feeling strong - all that training, it seems, had paid off.

We managed to avoid the fate of this man!

At about the 20 mile mark, the Hare mentioned that her knee was giving her a bit of grief - but total Superstar that she is she kept plodding on and at one heck of a pace - let me tell you! It wasn't until we were coming up to the 22 mile mark when she was really having to battle, but after walking slowly for a kilometer she picked the pace right back up again - I honestly don't know how she did it - but just to say that I'm totally in awe of her immense mental stamina!!

At 24 miles, just as we were returning back into town after a massive detour, to what felt like Berwick-upon-Tweed, but was actually only Portobello, extreme tiredness just hit me with absolutely no warning, after feeling totally fine -apart from some very attractive swollen fingers. Knowing that we were nearly there we both just kept battling on, although I was starting to crawl along, hunched over like Quasimodo and really struggling to keep up with the Hare's immense pace.

Crossing the finish line and getting our medals was totally surreal as even setting out 8.5 hours before, we had ABSOLUTELY no idea whether we would actually make it this far.{BTW we are resolute that our actual Marathon time was 7.5 hours as we are discounting the hour used up in queueing for loos - I'm not sure what the official Marathon rules say -but regardless, we're sticking to our time of 7.5 hours!}

Furthermore, I have TOTAL admiration for anyone who has ever run a Marathon - as I can personally verify that is one hell of a distance and walking it was an epic challenge in itself - I honestly have no comprehension how people manage to run that far and just know that this will never be an ambition of mine as long as I live. (The Hare will be immensely pleased to hear - you don't have to break out the pantomine horse costume just yet!!)

Within 5 minutes of crossing the finish line, we were both laid out on the grass, the Hare with a good old cup of tea and me chowing down on a sausage sarnie- somethings never change!

I would never, ever have considered doing the Moonwalk and jumping on the "get fit and fabulous" routine in earnest if the Hare hadn't pushed me into agreeing that we should put our names down this year - so THANK YOU x a million Girlie and THANKS for being there every single step of my one and only Marathon endeavour - I definately couldn't have done it with anyone else and still be talking, let alone falling into hysterics, with them at the end of it. 

p.s. Miss Hare: As a very small token of gratitude and as an apology for my somewhat catty but exhaustion-induced remark - although I now can't actually recall what I said - MEOW! - I've added the yawning fines to your sponsorship total and there is a little pressie winding its way to you in the post. xxx

So in summary, I walked a total of 33.5 miles between 6am Saturday and 9am Sunday morning: 4 miles walking to King's Cross walking off nervous tension as I was feeling way too antsy to get the tube, 3 miles walking around Edinburgh and getting myself to Inverleith Park and 26.5 miles during the Official Marathon course!! I finally fell into bed, exactly 36 hours after getting up to go to Edinburgh and slept 10 hours straight. Even more amazing, I had NO blisters or muscle ache post Marathon other than generally feeling a bit stiff which a bit of stretching soon sorted out - SUPERtrainer Sarah would be proud!!

The following day I was feeling completely fine (almost like I had dreamt I walked 26.2 miles) except for a slightly sore rib cage (from my impersonation of Quasimodo no doubt) and a slightly tender hamstring and hip flexor and the medal now surgically attached to my neck! Bizarrely I've had more muscle pain from strenuous SuperChick workouts when I've been unable to sit down without assistance for two days due to squat overload or laugh/cough for up to four days after an intensive ab workout.  WEIRD.

Clearly all that training paid off but in a strange way it feels as though perhaps I didn't challenge myself ENOUGH - I know, I'm shutting up now! But one great thing about not needing time to recover is that I was back Superchicking tonight in preparation for the Boutique Run in three weeks and RAN 3 MILES (including ONE WHOLE MILE WITHOUT STOPPING ONCE)

Seriously without meaning to sound big headed - I am finally starting to believe I might just be a fledgling SUPERCHICK!!!

Check out that waist!!!