Woodrush Star June 2013 | Page 25

With its fast and flat route, the Edinburgh Marathon Festival is one of the fastest in the world and a perfect choice for runners chasing a personal best. Edinburgh also acts as a stunning backdrop to this IAAF Bronze label event. This year on 26th May Mr King joined the thousands of enthusiastic runners to compete in this gruelling and mentally challenging event. Nothing can prepare you for a marathon! You have to DO IT to really know what it’s like. Training is “He crossed the line with a huge smile on his face…what a feeling!” therefore the key to your success. Mr King started his training way back in January 2013. He followed a strict training plan which involved running long distances, building up his stamina by doing a variety of cardiovascular exercise to maximise his potential. It was sometimes difficult for him to find the motivation to train as it seemed like he was running all of the time. Even in poor weather conditions and later after a knee injury, Mr King still persevered with his training plan. As the race approached, Mr King did everything possible to prepare for his big day. He arrived in Edinburgh a day early to give himself time to familiarise himself with the course and ensure that he got a good night’s sleep and was well rested. In the morning he was up bright and early as he had to be in his starting pen an hour before the race started. When he got to where everyone was huddled around, it started to get exciting but the tension was a ?6?'V??F??r?v?V?B?R&R&?P?F??7BF?RF?7F?6S??B?R&W&V@????6V?b&?W&????B?^( ?2?fb?B??S?"???~( ?2?&F????GfV?GW&R?B&VwV??f?"F?Rf?'7@?fWr??W2?RfV?B&WGG?v??B?B?P????F??VB7FVG?6R???F?W6P?V&?7FvW2?RWfV???vVBF??( ?V????( ??B&V6?FRF?R7W'&?V?F??w0??B?7GW&W7VRf?Ww2??BF?RwF???R?B&V6?R??&P?6???V?v??r?F?R6?W'6RGW&?2&6???????G6V?b?B?VG26?v?F?????B@?F??2???B( 2v?g&??F?R'&VW?W2??v?g&??F?R7&?vG2?v?g&??F?P??5T4??dTEU$P???"???~( b???&F?????vFW"7FF???2?'?F?RF??R???W0?6?R&?V?B?F?Rv???rv?BF?Vv???WfV?F?R&WGF??W72?bv?6f?&B??W6P?6?V?F?( ?BF?7G&7B?????GF??r??FR???fVV?&WGFW"v????B?Rv6?( ?B&W&VBf?"F?R&??7@??^( ?BvWBB??P?#??^( ?B?WfW ?'V?gW'F?W ?F??#??W0???G&????r?@?#&V??fV?@???R?76?fP?66???6??V?B??F?R7&?vG0??W&RvW&P?V?&V?Wf&???V?gV?BF??0????B?F?R6?v?@??bF?R??P?#R?&?W"v2vV?6??R?F?R7&?vG0?vW&R&V??'W????rBF??2???B?@??R?6?VBW??26R?f??F??rV?W&w???WB?b??v?W&R?F?Rf?????R6VV?V@?F??7Bf?&WfW"'WBF?V?F?Rf???6???P?????VB?&vR?B?R???v??6VB@?F?RF??RV?6??F?6VRF?B?Rv0?7F?????F?RR??W"???R( 2F?N( ?2???P?v?FVB?R7&?76VBF?R??Rv?F???VvR6??R????2f6^( bv?BfVV??r?vV??F??R?"???r?w&?GFV?'????2&?6??2?B?2F??? ??#P???