A big breakfast...
It's been a mere six weeks since my comeback marathon in Yorkshire but I've had no more niggles and managed to notch up some decent mileage.
So last Saturday saw me return to road marathoning for my fourth crack at the testing Snowdonia Marathon. I've always flown solo here but this time was joined by three Team TAC club mates, including my wife Joanne for what would be her third marathon.
As always seems to be the case when I run here, the day was gloomy with grey skies and low cloud obscuring what would otherwise be breathtaking views all along the route as it circles Snowdon. I've yet to even glimpse the highest mountain in Wales on this course!
I made my way towards the front of the 2275-strong field and settled in the row behind the start line. Here I bumped into previous 10in10er and indeed record holder, Adam Holland – in 2010 he completed all 10 marathons in average time of 3:02:05!
I'd been alerted to his presence earlier that morning through Facebook where he'd posted a picture of his insanely huge breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, beans and chips! Introducing myself, I asked him if he'd really scoffed all this which he confirmed. Apparently he was having an "easy run" around (final race time was 2:55:36!) as he had his main sights set on the another event the following day! After the gun went I actually kept Adam in sight for the first mile or so before he disappeared into the distance.
I had an unexpectedly good run in the end. It's a brilliant course packed with twists and turns, some long hills and steep descents. I was going very well up to mile 24 but running all the way up the infamous Waunfawr climb took it out of me. Most of the last two miles are on slippery wet grass, so with increasingly agonised quads and witnessing people literally falling around me, I lost a good few minutes picking my way gingerly down the slopes in my balding road shoes.
Entering Llanberis I came to enough to pull out a decent finish and crossed the line a shade under 3h 25m. This was my second best time on the course and only four minutes slower than my fastest. I'll take that considering I'm now eight years older, almost a stone heavier, and still not fully fit after injury.
What a difference six weeks and plenty of Tarmac can make!
So last Saturday saw me return to road marathoning for my fourth crack at the testing Snowdonia Marathon. I've always flown solo here but this time was joined by three Team TAC club mates, including my wife Joanne for what would be her third marathon.
As always seems to be the case when I run here, the day was gloomy with grey skies and low cloud obscuring what would otherwise be breathtaking views all along the route as it circles Snowdon. I've yet to even glimpse the highest mountain in Wales on this course!
I made my way towards the front of the 2275-strong field and settled in the row behind the start line. Here I bumped into previous 10in10er and indeed record holder, Adam Holland – in 2010 he completed all 10 marathons in average time of 3:02:05!
I'd been alerted to his presence earlier that morning through Facebook where he'd posted a picture of his insanely huge breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, beans and chips! Introducing myself, I asked him if he'd really scoffed all this which he confirmed. Apparently he was having an "easy run" around (final race time was 2:55:36!) as he had his main sights set on the another event the following day! After the gun went I actually kept Adam in sight for the first mile or so before he disappeared into the distance.
I had an unexpectedly good run in the end. It's a brilliant course packed with twists and turns, some long hills and steep descents. I was going very well up to mile 24 but running all the way up the infamous Waunfawr climb took it out of me. Most of the last two miles are on slippery wet grass, so with increasingly agonised quads and witnessing people literally falling around me, I lost a good few minutes picking my way gingerly down the slopes in my balding road shoes.
Entering Llanberis I came to enough to pull out a decent finish and crossed the line a shade under 3h 25m. This was my second best time on the course and only four minutes slower than my fastest. I'll take that considering I'm now eight years older, almost a stone heavier, and still not fully fit after injury.
What a difference six weeks and plenty of Tarmac can make!
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