Beyons the Arctic Circle

Albert sends in his report of running in the Midnight Sun Marathon - some 300 miles north of the Arctic Circle

"My internal alarm clock woke me at 3:46 on Saturday morning and I
immediately realised my troublesome hamstrings were painful. After a hearty
brekkie I then rushed around looking after my sheep before the journey to
Tromso which is the largest town in the Arctic Circle. The locals call
Tromso phonetically "Trumsa".

My first dilemma was should I run at all? The group organisers Martin and Cathy Burke of Nice Work advised me to drop to the 1/2 marathon. As ever I
ignored the sensible approach. The Nice Work party was 21 persons of which eight
elected for the marathon, with the others in the half and 10K. Naturally we all sized each other up to see who the fast buck (and buckesses were). I had worried whether or not I would make it within 4 hours, if at all.

On arrival I tried to rest but all too soon I was standing on the start line
for an 8.30pm start. I had another dilemma. That is what to wear. It was
raining lightly and the sun was hidden by cloud. The temperature was just
bearable for a vest but what would it be like in 3+ hours? I chose vest only
(don't worry, I wore shorts too but had forgotten running socks so had to
break rule no.1 by wearing day socks). My hamstrings were painful at the
start.

The start is friendly and has a circuit of the town before a grinding rise
all of 44 metres to run over the Tromso bridge. I was overtaken by a couple
of the team and could not afford to match their pace. The route was
undulating following the coast road for 10K and returns via the bridge via a
long uphill route. It was 12 miles at this point.

I was surprised to see by my Garmin that I ran 07:59 minute miles for 9
straight miles (I thought the watch had failed). Then 8:0 dead for 3 miles
but then I lost 1 second per mile after the undulating bits. Interestingly
the race was measured in kilometres on a count down basis marked 42.195, 42,
41 kilometres and so on. Very useful to know where you are.

Over the bridge, back through the town to the airport for another 10K out
and back. Rather boring especially as the route was undulating but fairly
straight. At least one could see ahead as it was still daylight. The
hamstrings were playing up and very painful. The last turn seemed to be
distant but suddenly I was on the road home.

It was good to see another Waddie - Barry Gilbert and the Nice Work team on the
outward track as the 1/2 marathon runners started at 10.30. It was
disconcerting to have the fast 1/2 marathon runners storming past at a near
sprint.

Then my calves at 31K started to threaten to cramp so I developed the well
known Kemp shuffle to try to stop them pulling. At 37K I was beginning to
think the unthinkable - dropping out for the first time in 33 years of
running. Hang on a minute? Is that Justin from the Nice Work team ahead? Bloody hell,
try to keep going lad, I thought. I whizzed past with a shout to him of
encouragement; except I had got his name wrong - I heard someone shout
Justin as the locals had a running list.

The course spectators were thin in numbers but all were enthusiastic in
encouragement shouting hoy ya, hoy ya, hoy ya. Nowegian for 'urry up Harry -
wer're goin to the pub.

38K, Dig in boy I thought. Justin may be close. 38K pain, cold, no sun. 39K
more pain. 40K but my Garmin says 41K but sign says 2K to go. 41K pain but I
will beat 4 hours even if I walk - but I carried on the Kemp shuffle. 42K
and the finish was somewhere ahead but Martin Burke of Nice Work was there
to encourage to finish. The pain was excruciating made worse by the uphill
finish. Made it in 3:38:49, well within my estimate (the Garmin said 26.36
miles). A blanket was wrapped round me as, boy oh boy it was chilly and
then it was off to the pub.

It felt so strange being 00:08:49 in the morning and it was daylight. It was
even lighter at 3am when we retired, exhausted but jubilant.

Would I do it again. Yes of course - once my hamstrings forgive me.

Do it one day and enjoy!