Some races are circled on your calendar with excitement. This wasn’t one of them.
Looking back, this race probably shouldn’t have been on my calendar at all. Well, I didn’t plan it that way. I signed up before the season turned out to be one of my toughest in years. My fitness was at its lowest, confidence was fading, and yet I still wanted to end the season with a marathon.
Dengue disrupted almost everything. Just when I thought I was getting back into shape, I had one setback after another. At Vagamon, the route marking was such that I was completely lost. At Red Stone, I had a bad fall and strained myself. That also derailed my plans for New Delhi (half) Marathon – the build up half marathon before the Marathon.
By the time Edinburgh came around, I was carrying low confidence, multiple niggles, and very little belief that I was ready to race.
Planning BMU also demanded a huge amount of my time. Then came a second bout of severe allergies, thanks to prolonged heat exposure. Training stalled again.
From February to May, I spent more time trying to stay healthy than trying to get faster. I avoided taking risks, did very little speed work, and simply focused on staying consistent. Deep down, I knew this wasn’t going to be a great race.
There was also plenty happening outside running.
I had to leave for the UK on May 21, race on May 24, travel to London the next day, spend a week there, return to India on May 31, and immediately move houses. House hunting throughout May took up mental energy that should have gone into marathon preparation.
Delhi’s brutal summer didn’t help either. Many runs ended up on the treadmill, and I couldn’t manage a long run beyond 30 km. Not ideal for marathon training.
Limited training, constant stress, interrupted preparation, and low confidence; the race turned out exactly as expected.
Then came the weather.
Scotland was in the middle of an unusual heatwave. Before the race, organisers advised everyone to layer up and bring throwaway clothes for the cold. None of that was necessary. Instead, everyone was desperately looking for shade before the start.
It was already around 24°C at 10 a.m. when the race began, far from ideal marathon conditions, especially in Scotland. It may well have been one of the hottest race days the city has seen in years.
The Race
The first 10 km were genuinely enjoyable. The course rolled downhill through the city, the crowds were fantastic, and the atmosphere carried me along.
From 11 km onwards, things started to change.
The course became quieter, the crowds thinned out, and long stretches along the coast felt endless. The heat slowly began taking its toll. Even so, I reached halfway in 1:45, still believing I had a shot at finishing around my target.
Going into the race, I thought I had enough fitness for a 3:40 finish; maybe even a Boston Qualifier on a really good day.
Between 21 and 30 km, I tried to hold a pace under 5:30/km.
Then everything unraveled.
The final 12 km were brutal. After the turnaround, we ran straight into a strong headwind that seemed to suck every bit of energy out of me. At that point, I stopped racing and simply focused on getting to the finish.
My only thought was:
“Sunday long run… easy… easy…”
Somehow, I held on and crossed the line just under 3:50.
It may be my slowest marathon in the last four years, and certainly one of my most difficult.
Looking Ahead
This race was a reminder that marathon results don’t come from past performances or ego.
They come from consistent training, good health, and months of hard work.
This season taught me humility.
The road back to fitness is going to be long, but I’m ready to start again; from the basics. Build patiently. Stay healthy. Trust the process.
A new season begins.
Let’s go.
Eat, Run, Live, Sleep, Repeat 
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