The Dramathon

A 2.45am alarm...it must be a race day! A tad early but I like to have a decent breakfast and the time to eat it. Pauline, Michelle and I were meeting at the Halbeath Park and Ride for 4.15am before we drove up. Registration and the finish was at the Glenfiddich Distillery, we arrived in good time to register and have a bit of a blether with folk I haven’t seen in a while. With not much faffing we were ready and went over to get on one of the busses waiting to take the runners to the start at Glenfarclas Distillery, we timed it nicely that we were on the first bus to leave.  So was Dougie Vipond, the Adventure Show was covering the event, now how many times does it take Dougie to get on a bus? Hundreds! Well, maybe a slight exaggeration but the bloke with the camera made him do it loads!

The bonus of being on the first bus meant there wasn’t a humongous queue at the port-a-loos before going into the tasting room in the distillery. Aw, there was only water on offer, but it turned out we were a bit sharp, a few minutes later Chuck came over with a wee dram, so we went back for a wee taste. An organiser stuck his head in the door, “Right, you lot, outside, you’ve a race to run!”  

photo from Chuck Gordon

Looking around just before the start I realised there were a lot more runners than last year, we were quite near the back but that was ok, it’s a stiff wee climb straight from the off, and with just a fifteen year old Glenfarclas for a warm up we weren’t going to be pushing the pace, besides the Dramathon is about having a good time not doing a good time, it’s one just to relax and enjoy.

The scenery is beautiful especially with the autumn colours, the sun was shining, it warmed up, my gloves were off, sleeves pushed up and I even removed my Buff.  With no mile markers and mostly trail it feels more like a wee ultra than a marathon, folk were chatting away and we even walked the couple of steep wee climbs, normally I have a rule for marathons. No Walking Allowed! But the Dramathon isn’t your normal marathon.

Pauline and I were happy to scamper along together but her Achilles tendon was giving her major grief and holding her back a bit, I was happy with the easy pace and didn’t mind that Pauline was using the drink stations for a bit of a skive, pausing to eat cake and sweeties.

After around nineteen miles, along the old railway we were working at a slightly higher rate, not quite the Flying Scotsman but pulling the miles in nicely, we went past Deziree and camera man, she shouted “How’s it going?” We steamed on by, me with a double thumbs up, cheesy grin and “Fine, thanks!” Maybe Pauline played it cooler, we weren’t stopping for a chat, this wasn’t the London Marathon and Deziree presents The Adventure Show not Blue Peter!

photo from Paul Jamieson

Another few miles in I was regretting not using the port-a-loos at Aberlour, I was sure I’d be able to hang on but now I was bursting and trying to run with clenched buttocks was messing with my stride, so with around three miles to go I had to make a pit-stop, Pauline said she wanted to wait for me but at this stage if she stopped she might not get going again, in other words that translated to “Ok, I’ll just see ya at the finish then!” Her consoling parting shot was “Maybe once you’ve been, you’ll be more relaxed and might manage to put a spurt on and catch up!”  Pfft! And after me hanging back for her when she was not the most comfortable! Actually I would’ve felt the same, no point prolonging it at this stage. Once I got going again I tried to put in a bit of effort but my rhythm was broken and a clunky shuffle was all I could muster, I reinstated my no walking rule and slogged it out to the finish and the best goody bag ever!

Pauline was waiting for me and so was Michelle, disappointed with injuring her knee but sensibly pulling out. We didn’t hang about long afterwards with another three-ish hour drive home and with me being the designated driver there would be no celebratory nip for me until I was home.  But it was worth the early start and long drive, a cracking route, gorgeous scenery, a well organised event and whisky galore! Slainte!