Loch Ness Marathon Race Report
Okay, let’s be honest — at this point, writing race reports late is just part of my brand. Moving on.
Marathon #3. The Loch Ness Marathon. Scotland. And yes, it was every bit as incredible as it sounds.
But before we get to the running, let’s talk about the trip. Because this one was special.
Getting There: Sleeper Trains and Highland Dreams
We flew into London on Thursday morning — Mel, Leo (my 11-year-old), and me. After landing we spent the day doing some sightseeing, including a ride on the London Eye, before making our way to the train station that evening to board the Caledonian Sleeper, the overnight train from London to Inverness. If you’ve never done an overnight sleeper train through the British countryside, put it on your list. You go to sleep in England and wake up in the Scottish Highlands. It’s a pretty magical way to arrive.
From Inverness we made our way to our base for the trip: The Highland Club in Fort Augustus, right at the southern tip of Loch Ness. The place has an incredible history — it’s built inside the walls of a former fort, monastery and abbey. Fort Augustus Abbey, to be precise. Waking up there with views over the loch and the Caledonian Canal every morning was not a bad way to prepare for a marathon.
In Search of Nessie
We also drove around the loch and at some point spotted a roadside sign — the kind you can’t ignore — leading us to some Highland coos. If you’ve never fed a Highland cow up close, with that ridiculous shaggy hair flopping over their eyes, you’re missing out. Leo was a fan. We all were. 🐄
On Friday we did a boat tour on the loch. Leo was on full Nessie watch the entire time. I’ll let you guess how that turned out. 🦕
That Saturday afternoon we picked up the race package — in absolutely torrential rain. Cats and dogs. Classic Scotland. We tried not to read too much into it as a sign of things to come.
We shouldn’t have worried.
Race Day
September 28th. Race morning arrived and Scotland had apparently decided to save its best behavior for the marathon itself. Sunny skies, mid-40s — perfect running conditions. Crisp, clear, exactly the kind of day you dream about when you sign up for a race like this.
The Loch Ness Marathon course is point-to-point, starting up in the hills above the loch and running mostly downhill and alongside the water into Inverness. The early miles drop significantly — you can see it in the splits, with a lot of negative elevation in miles 1 through 9. I started controlled, right around 8:12–8:33 per mile, letting the downhill work for me without going out too fast.
Around mile 7 — right on schedule, as it turns out — I made my now-traditional pit stop. At this point I’m just going to start budgeting it into my race plan as an official split.
After that, miles 8 through 17 were steady and strong. The scenery alongside Loch Ness is just extraordinary. There were moments out there where I genuinely had to remind myself to keep moving — the views demanded to be taken in. Mountains, water, that particular quality of Scottish light. This was my favorite marathon so far, and the course is a big reason why.
The Colfax Shirt Moment
I was wearing my Colfax marathon shirt during the race. A few miles into the race, I heard two girls behind me yell: “Hey Colfax!!!”. They were both from Denver. Running the Loch Ness Marathon. In Scotland. Of all the marathons in all the world. We had a good laugh about that one. Colorado runners get around, apparently.
Nutrition & Fueling
Same protocol as MDI, with one small tweak. About 3 hours before the start: protein oat banana shake. One GU pouch 30 minutes before the gun. During the race I carried 6 GU pouches this time — one more than MDI — spacing them out through the miles. Water only until the later miles, then Gatorade when I needed the extra electrolytes.
And of course: Salt Stick tablets, one every 6 miles or so. After how well they worked at MDI, these are now non-negotiable. Zero cramping again — three marathons into this journey, I’ve finally cracked the code. The calves that seized up at mile 23 of Colfax are a distant memory. Everything went to plan.
The One Wrinkle: The Pinky Toe
About three weeks before race day I kicked a box walking into my office and suspected I’d broken my pinky toe. Yes, really. By race day it had probably healed up just fine — but the damage was done in terms of training. I missed some key runs in those final weeks and arrived in Scotland feeling a little underprepared. My expectations for pace were low — I figured I’d run comfortably, enjoy the scenery, and see what happened. I wasn’t chasing a time, just a finish.
Which makes what happened next all the more satisfying.
The Monster and the Push Home
Miles 18 through 20 are where the course pushes back — and mile 19 has a name: The Monster. Fitting, right? You’re running the Loch Ness Marathon, you’ve been chasing Nessie all week, and then at mile 19 the real monster shows up under your feet. A proper climb, right when your legs least want it. My splits slowed to 9:17–9:44 through that stretch. But after cresting The Monster, something clicked.
Miles 21 through 26 I ran strong and consistent — 8:33 to 8:57, with a couple of blips. And then the last mile and a half through the streets of Inverness — the crowd support was just incredible. People lined the streets cheering everyone on, and it gave me a boost I didn’t know I still had in me. That stretch reminded me why destination marathons are so special — the locals genuinely show up for you. I came home feeling good. Really good.
The Finish
I crossed the line in 3:51:01 – Marathon PR 3:50:02
A new PR. Two and a half minutes faster than MDI, broken toe and missed training days notwithstanding. Sometimes the plan works better than you deserve. 😄
(For the running nerds: my Strava marathon PR clocks in at 3:50:02 — slightly faster because Strava calculates strictly from GPS distance rather than the official course measurement.)
The progression now stands at:
- Colfax 2023: 4:20:20
- MDI 2024: 3:53:35
- Loch Ness 2025: 3:50:02
After the Race: Edinburgh, London, Germany
After a well-earned rest day we drove to Edinburgh, then slowly made our way back south by train — stopping near Lincoln to meet up with our friend Dan — before spending 4 days in London doing all the tourist things with Leo.
And then, because I’m German and I can’t come to this side of the Atlantic without showing my face at home, we spent another week in Germany visiting family. Three weeks total, zero work. Exactly what the doctor ordered.
What I Learned
Same lesson as MDI, only reinforced: trust the plan. I went into Loch Ness under-prepared (or so I thought), with a broken toe, low expectations, and a “just run and enjoy it” mindset. And I ran a PR.
The Hanson Method (Luke Humphrey’s Version) builds something deep. Something that holds up even when your training isn’t perfect. Even when you kick a box in your office four weeks out.
Stop and smell the roses — or in this case, the Scottish Highlands. Take in the views. Enjoy the journey. The finish line takes care of itself.
No Nessie sighting though. Still. 🦕
“Stop and smell the roses. Trust the plan.
The finish line takes care of itself.”
⏱ Finish Time: 3:50:02
📏 Distance: 26.3 mi
⛰ Elevation Gain: 906 ft
👟 Shoes: Saucony Endorphin Pro
