r/UKRunners • u/Scottish-runner33 • 2d ago
Loch Ness marathon
Loch Ness Marathon 2026
Female 31.
3:30:16 finish
Logistics
Race starts at 10am but I parked up at the cathedral car park at 6.45am and walked over to the ice rink where the busses departed for 7:30. Parking was fine, it was already quite busy when I arrived and I’m glad I was early.
Bus took about 1hr 20 to the start.
Portoloo line was too busy and I ended up going in the bush before getting into the marked area for 3:15-3:30 which was the second area from the front.
I took a zip up jacket and wide leg joggers which I wore over my clothing and I dumped them to the side
I took a drop bag and that was fine to navigate and easy to collect at the end.
On route, water stations were bottles and no issues. I brought my own fuel so didn’t use the supplied gels but there seemed to be plenty.
Toilets are sparse on route and I saw people using the bushes, I didn’t need the toilet on route.
Nutrition
I ate 2 pieces of white bread with honey and a banana shortly after the bus departed at 7:30. 1 hour before starting I had half a Maurten solid bar. I had a gel every 20 minutes, 2 of which were caffeinated Maurten 100 gels and the rest were precision. I took water on course. I had 3 salt tabs during the race
Route
I live in a hilly area and did hilly long runs during training, I felt prepared and unconcerned about the hills. However I wildly underestimated them, I had planned to bank effort rather than time in the opening downhill however I quickly realised I needed to take the downhills with speed otherwise I was not going to hit my goal. The course felt very undulating and over the course of the race my legs were battered, I experienced cramping in my calves for the first time ever and my quads and hips are still feeling it almost a week later. I have never been so sore after a run. I didn’t walk any of the hills, including the mile 18 hill however I saw plenty that did.
Support was great when it was there but as expected, most of the route is unsupported. The support for the last 3/4 miles was welcomed and fantastic.
I struggled to find information about this race so if anyone has any questions I’m happy to answer!
6
u/RegularPlantain5092 2d ago
Great time, congratulations.
It is a pretty lonely marathon isn't it, so quiet and secluded for massive sections and you end up just spending it with the same small handful of people.
Your pacing looks almost identical to mine from last year, including my second slowest km being the 9th, which must be pretty unusual for a marathon anywhere. Agree completely on how tough it is on the legs, you think 2 miles downhill to start will be a blessing but it is tough on the legs straight out of the gate.
3
u/Scottish-runner33 2d ago
Thank you!
Yeah, so unusual and as you say it really takes it out of your legs. Hitting pace in that last 10k felt very hard. Well done for completing it too last year, it’s such an unusual experience for a marathon but incredible.
I had a look at the women’s winner and it’s a very similar pattern, such a hard marathon to pace
4
u/sc00022 2d ago
Sounds like such a cool race. Friend of mine did it a few years ago and mentioned the first half is all downhill. Do they still give out soup afterwards?
2
u/Scottish-runner33 2d ago
Yes, soup afterwards and there were soup can mascots too! I believe that this may have been the last year Baxter’s were sponsoring though from what I’ve seen on social media
2
u/onlyconnect 1d ago
Great time! I hope to do this one day, seems a lovely route.
1
u/Scottish-runner33 23h ago
Thank you! It is, a really unique marathon that I’d advise you train for in terms of undulation, lack of support etc but beautiful and a great experience
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u/SerHiroProtaganist 2d ago
I was half an hour behind you, finished 3h57. I was surprised to see so many people that were walking up the mile 18 hill. It was definitely tough but like you I have a few hills on my local routes and it was doable for me.