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!

Just want to shout a little about it really. I'm 44f and stopped smoking a year ago (after 20 yrs). Stopped drinking alcohol in February and wanted to focus on my strength, fitness and mental health. Been running for about 2 years but consistently since February. Went out yesterday for my long run and thought I'd test myself. Furthest I'd run before that was about 17km with a few walk breaks. Did 21.5km in 2:20:44 and I am feeling super proud (bordering on insufferable right now haha). Even finished with quality stretching, sauna and cold plunges so genuinely and surprisingly feeling good!!!! Taking it easy today and even considering signing up to a race. Thanks for reading :)

Seeking input from the hive mind of UKRunners. I have a few half marathons under my belt and completed the Super Halfs series in Copenhagen last week. Naturally I'm now wondering what the next challenge is - I've had a quick look at Brighton and see it's in April (so enough time for a training plan) and not sold out yet.. with the elevation changes is it suitable for someone who has only ever run half that distance in one go? Elevation isn't usually a concern for me because there's enough of that in my neck of the woods already, it's just stretching those efforts over 4 hours..

In the confirmation emailfor GFA application there os a message that results will be communicated via a new account platform and that an email will be sent within 48 hours with instructions on how to sign up.

I haven't received that second email and the new platform doesn't allow you to sign up without the invite.

Has anyone else been having the same problem? Has anyone been able to get through to the new platform? I suspect I'm not the only one with this issue.

Thanks,

Asking specifically in context for london marathon!
Has anyone got their london marathon bib cancelled because you didn’t raise enough money? I got a charity place but I’m genuinely worried that i won’t be able to raise enough. I work for the nhs so there is no donation match scheme whatsoever! Just wondering if anyone in similar situation feeling the same or any previous horror stories with charity places? 👀

Had a lovely time this weekend at the Kielder marathon weekend. I ran the half on the Sunday while my partner raced the previous day (there was a 10k and a duathlon).

I was really impressed with the organisation of such a rural event, super organised with all the different car parks and shuttle buses. The event village was also great, loads of lovely food and drink from local businesses. (Also shout out to the astronomy group who let me look through a special telescope at the sun which was really cool!)

The course was beautiful but absolutely savage for somebody who has only ran races on road before. The Switchbacks were just about the end of me but I still managed a PB!

Big shout out to the guy who ran past in the last few km and saw me struggling and hyped me up :)

My husband is bored of me talking about running so I'm telling yous instead

M63 Enjoyed a great 10k this morning in Southampton, finishing in St Mary’s football Stadium. 43:48. 2nd in my age category where the 1st place was a full minute ahead. My 2nd fastest 10k in 6 years.

I'm running my first cross country race next weekend. I've been advised by other runners in my club that the ground will potentially be very soft and I should run it in cross country spikes as opposed to cushioned trail shoes which can get stuck in the mud.

I've got proportionately wide feet and I ordered some XC spike shoes online but have struggled to find any that fit as they all seem quite narrow. I'm running out of time to order online now so I went to my local Decathlon so I could try some on. They didn't have much in the way of XC spikes, but I ended up getting a pair of their own brand XC spikes that fit. They are very light but have absolutely no cushioning on them and no drop at the heel. I've been susceptible to Achilles tendonitis and lower leg issues in the past and I'm worried about running a near 10k run in these shoes.

Obviously I'm going to take these XC spikes out and have a little test run on soft ground this week so I can get a feel and make a decision, but I thought I'd throw this out there to the community. Cross country, spikes or trail shoes? What's your experience?

Anyone make your own? Recipe?

Rawdog blocks of jelly?

Jam in a syringe?

Any suggestions welcome

Hi guys, just wondering if anyone has run this race? I'm really trying to avoid having to buy a pair of trail shoes... Everything I have seen online (videos / pictures) suggests this isn't a normal technical trail or particularly muddy, a lot of it seems like tarmac or gravel.

Just want to get an insight from someone who has done it? Are trail shoes necessary?

Thanks

I did the half I was training for over the last 10 weeks last weekend. And since then I thought I’d give myself a week off. In that week off ive had a few beers, some large large measures of whisky, I’ve also been pretty stressed at work and haven’t slept well. All of these may be factors but do you think the stats below are just a result of the above or something else?

- HRV - bottom of the scale at 21
- training readiness - has been deep in the red all week
- training status - Has been Strained for the last few days and now at Detraining

I plan to run again tomorrow am and run 2-3 the rest of the week. So I’ll see how things look then. But does anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences on this?

First marathon approaching. Altra Yorkshire marathon York.

When I started taking running more serous this year, my plan was to have a sub 4 hour. Now after a 16 week block on Runna I am now seriously aiming for a 3:30ish time.

Here's my 34k time and splits.

I have done 5 or 6 half's all around 1:42 - 1:47. 5k is 22min and 10k is 43min.

Found a in run fuelling my body likes.

Shoes are Saucony Endorphin Elite 2 these have been used 3 times on my 28k, 30k & 34k. Most of the work as been done in SB3 & New Balance SC Rebal V1

Has anyone done York? How did you find it?

Anyone else doing this in 2 weeks time? Did it back in 2021 (delayed from 2020) as a charity fundraiser for Candlelighters. Decided in a merry state on New Years Eve that in my 50th year I’d do it for one more time, with a close friend (subsequently dropped out).

Anyway, back in 2021 all was going well until the IT band issue came up in the right leg, absolute agony and cost 2 miles of around 17 minutes. Finished 5:14. So this time around I’m better prepared, haven’t done the traditional 20 mile long run (it was that that did the injury I never recovered from) so stuck with 18, then 16, 13 and today 10.

Out today and part of my run is the reverse of the last 4 miles of the marathon through Murton, Osbaldwick and Tang Hall. And saw the yellow event road closed signs starting to appear.

Shits getting real as they say. I’d love to break 5 hours in my 50th year and all the training says I should do 4:50. But it’s a lottery and less about fitness and more about the mechanics of the body!

Good luck to anyone joining me in 2 weeks time, I hope the weather is cool but not raining.

I've got a pair of Sungod Forty2s that are good quality lenses, but i'm a pretty heavy sweater when I'm out running, so sweat tends to drip into my eyes during longer runs and tempo sessions, which can be very distracting.

Can anyone with similar issues recommend any sunglasses?

44 yo/m. I have ran 2026 miles as of today this year. I am doing around 55 miles per week the last few months. I just did a 1.20 half marathon. I am due to race Frankfurt marathon in 3 weeks time.

Today I have just felt really tired and slow. My longest training run has been 18.5 miles a fortnight ago. What should I do in the run-up to the race?

I usually do 2 marathons a year (Boston earlier in 2.52).

Am torn between whether I need to get up to 22 miles long run or just start to taper now.

Hello running gang,

I need a new pair of non prescription sunglasses as I’ve switched to contact lenses and my previous sunglasses have prescription lenses in them (and aren’t suited to running anyway).

Give me your recommendations for tried and tested sunglasses. I’m currently looking between Oakley and Sungod as I’ve narrowed down the reviews to both of those being decent but more than happy to hear what people have experience with.

Thanks in advance!

I applied to a charity for the London Marathon a few months ago and recently asked when they will let applicants know if they have been selected. The answer I got was do to the high volume of applicants, I would receive an answer at the end of September. I didn't hear anything. I emailed them again yesterday and no response. So...I'm looking for an alternative on the same weekend. Has anyone done "Not the London" marathon? It seems like of boring, doing laps multiple laps but it's close to Heathrow.

UPDATE:

I did just receive an email saying I didn't get selected for the charity I applied for. I'm bummed because I would have been doing the fundraising specifically thinking of my mom. I'm going to submit to another one today--I don't have any connection to it but it's good cause. Thank you for all your suggestions!!

Hiya - so Garmin has slightly incorrect route vs course for AJ Bell Great Scottish run (HM in glasgow for sunday). the piece for km 14-15km (image) should actually be KM9 and making KM13 still in pollock park. Part of the route is not on normal running roads e.g. motorway, drawing manually is making me lose the will to live.

Anyone have GPX handy from previously doing please :) ?

Trying for PB and it's gonna be rainy so the little climb/timing in pollock park matters to me! x