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| The leaders heading out on the Storgata |
Even better was the fact that my good friend Matt lived in the city, and could provide on-sight information and advice. I found a good Air BnB apartment, very close to the centre. If we were taking the kids, we couldn't live in a hotel room for 4days so had to have some personal space. Later in the year, we discovered that Matt's working rota meant he was able to enter the race too.
In November, in a piece on Radio Four's PM programme, we learned that the sun had set in Tromsø for the last time in 2018 and the city would be in darkness until January. How very depressing we thought.
We spent Hogmanay in Fife, staying in a huge detached villa on the beach at Elie. Sally and I took the opportunity for some last minute training and ran from Lower Largo to Pittenweem (18km) along the FCP on the 31st. On New Year's Day, we ran in the Kirkcaldy Parkrun at 9am, and then I made it a double by running at Loch Leven in the 11am race. The weather was perfect.
We had monitored the weather forecast in Tromsø for the week in advance, so were well prepared for the 'warmer' thaw that arrived as our plane left Oslo. Our landing in Tromsø was delayed for 15minutes while they cleared the rotting ice from the runway. Matt kindly met us at the airport and drove us along the rutted roads to our cosy apartment. The conditions looked awful.
On the Friday, we went on an unforgettable husky dog trip on the nearby island of Kvaløya and in the evening were entertained at Matt & Rigmor's house in the south of the city. During the darkness of the afternoon, I went for a recce run around the streets, following a Matt recommendation. I realised I could probably get away without wearing spikes on my shoes, even though some of the ground was pretty icy.
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| The three of us ready to go, waiting in the lobby of the cinema |
Saturday and race day arrived. We collected numbers and pins and then waited at the apartment for 2pm. It was an awkward time for a race, but all part of the experience. At least it wasn't midnight - like the summer race version. Underfoot conditions had worsened since Friday and I was now seriously considering spikes. But I knew the start of the race was on wet tarmac so wanted to keep them off as long as possible. Then I kind of knew I wouldn't be wearing them, as I wouldn't want to stop and lose time whilst putting them on.
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| At the start line |
In the darkness, we gathered in the starting throng, standing behind the 1hr50-2hr marker. The organiser welcomed us all and repeated his hope that we were all wearing spikes. Oops I thought.
Off we went, I dotted between Sally & Matt trying to find their rhythm and then after 3km, with a verbal check that she was ok, she told me to go at my own pace. I did. We left the city and followed the coastal road north towards the airport. The pavement was slick, so we all ran on the wet road tarmac which made the pace much easier. I was able to run at my own speed and was able to consistently overtake all the way until we reached the airport. Leaving the road, the ground became really slippy and I was struggling to keep my position.
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| Approaching the airport |
It was near this point that the leader passed us on his return leg, being heralded by a fast bike with a horn blaring to get us out of the way. I saw and waved at Sally on one of the out-and-back legs before returning into the wind. I managed to hold my position as we skited through underpasses and over roundabouts, before getting back onto the dark tarmac when I was able to up the pace and pick off more runners.
I felt great and was really enjoying myself, oblivious to the turmoils of Matt going on behind. As we arrived back at the city limits and the ice ruts returned, so my pace slowed and I struggled to keep up with a German fella I had been chasing for two or three kms. Finally we hit the Storgata again and I cranked it up, throwing a wee Mobot to the squatting Marathon Photos team.
Once through the finish, I found my way round to the baggage collection, quickly got changed and then returned to the finish to wait for Sally & Matt. At 16:56, Sally came storming in, looking very fresh. We greeeted, posed for selfies with our medals and then settled to wait for Matt. At 17:10 we gave up waiting and headed into the cinema lobby. At the same time, I got a text from him saying he was in the toilet, hadn't finished. Poor Matt!
1hr 40m 59s 103/938
