7 Hills of Edinburgh - Challenge 2013


16 June 2013


Now, that was a race! The chances of having muscle, mind, route, weather all working on your side are so slim that I can count such days in one hand. That was one of them!

If you are a runner, you like hills and you are in Edinburgh, you can't miss this. Don't worry if you don't know the route (there is none anyway..), you can just follow the one in front of you. For more information have a look at their website:


http://www.seven-hills.org.uk/



I run this race in 2012 with a dear friend, Araceli, and we really took it easy that time, finishing in 3h and a few minutes. I remember when almost at the end of it, on the way up to the finishing line in Calton Hill, she said she couldn't run any more and started walking and told me to go on. I got so angry and said “we started together and we finish together, now, if we can finish running that would be less humiliating”. It turns out being angry motivates people. Plus, she had so much training in her legs that she could probably have done all the race twice. That thought me, it's all in your mind.


This time the race was meant to be part of my training so that I went alone. I decided to run the challenge, not the race, because it start 1/2h before, and in 1/2h I can smoke a lot... And, the month after was the Swiss Alpine Marathon so that I didn't want to push it too much. I remember telling myself while waiting for it to start “don't push, take it easy, no injuries!” then, as soon as it started, I saw myself trying to gain positions and the only voice in my head was screaming “give me more!” There is nothing you can do. On a race, you just have to give it all. I enjoyed each stride of it. Beautiful sunny day, warm, total anarchy, exactly as I like it. As long as you reach the top of the 7 hills, how you get there is up to you. So you see people wild running everywhere. Traffic is not stopped for it so that it's wild crossing too.


I was lucky enough to be following a man who knew the way very well. He was a perfect pacer and he knew how to cross the roads, really. It may sounds trivial, but I didn't waste a single second crossing the tens and tens of main and secondary roads, which means a lot in a race! Me I was panicking and thinking "they will kill me", while he was just gracefully lifting his hand, with calm and style, and mesmerised every driver in letting him pass, and me behind him. You really learn something every day! From Craiglockhart Hill to Braid Hill, we had a wee chat and he was such a nice person. He was in his 50s and had been a member of a hill running club for years, which explained his natural and experienced approach to the race, thank you!

After Braid Hill he slowed down, but I spotted another runner and started chasing him towards Blackford Hill. At that stage there were not many runners around so that I had to be quick not to lose his track, and a direct way to the next hill! It turned out that in order to follow the direct way you did need guts...the guy was a nutter, he just threw himself down a slope full of bushes and disappeared. He told me to follow him but I gently declined the offer and opted for a more human, and longer, route, the one I usually follow on training days. Funny enough I got on the top again together with my original pacer! After a quick drink I literally flew down the hill. I felt strong, good, in the zone, like a wild child, this is why I love running. When you are in the zone, you simply reach the Nirvana.

Arthur Seat came up fast, the way down was slowed by a 5k race being held around it, very crowded of participants and supporters. It was quite a mess and it was hard to find a way among the crowd, but eventually reached the Parliament and from there it was a quick last sprint up the finishing line. When I spotted the end I was not sure of where the finishing line was so that people were redirecting me in the right direction. I crossed the line with a sweet 02h 15' and went straight to get some food, and hide for a quick smoke, gosh that was good! My watch said I run 25k while the 7 Hills website said the route should have been around 20k. I know I missed a few shortcuts (voluntarily or not), but I still wonder how I could possibly have miss 5k of shortcuts...this means I'll need to run it again at some stage.


While hiding with my rewarding cigarette, I started to feel cold and head back home. Only in the evening did I realise why a girl came to congratulate with me at the finishing line...I was the first lady to have finished the challenge! And I thought she must have been the first, it never crossed my mind it could have been me...so, yes, everything is possible, believe it or not!