Thank you so much for your sponsorship, it was a real buzz to open my emails post race and see more sponsorship money had been pledged (I was still at the finish, the joy of smartphones!). I've now raised over £706, so very close to my target and I have a plan to get there.
So, the big story. Well, the story of this year's London Marathon started this time last week when a post appeared on Facebook sharing news feeds from Boston. At first I thought it was old news, after all it was a Monday and marathons always take place on Sundays. Little do I know. I guess I also didn't want to believe it could be true. I've always thought the marathon was an obvious target for a terrorist bombing, but you never think its going to become a reality.
So having started to get excited about London, and just a bit nervous, I then felt a bit flat. I also become addicted to the news coming out of Boston and on Friday followed the unfolding story almost minute by minute. It felt like a bit of a conclusion had been reached by the time Saturday came, but this still felt like a different event.
And it was different in other ways. This year, no support crew. With Emma working I was off to London on my own. Also, no accommodation near the start. A long story, but neither of our friends houses in Greenwich were an option this year, so I found a Travelodge next to the Dartford Tunnel on the train line into London - and only booked it about 3 weeks ago! First hurdle though, getting to Excel in Docklands to pick up my race number. I was never going to be late, but after doing parkrun on Saturday morning I only left Otley at 11 am and registration closed at 5 pm. I arrived just before 3.........Good pacing! Then off to Dartford, checked in, then out to find the station. It was literally a one minute walk away, perfect.
The rest of Saturday was spent preparing my kit for the race, eating my picnic tea and watching Dr Who! An early night, but a fitful sleep - too many dreams about being late.......a recurring theme of last week.
Sunday morning arrived bright and clear. Not too early a start and breakfast of orange juice, three Weetabix with milk and sugar and two cups of tea were soon consumed and I even had time to lie down for ten minutes, in full race kit, before heading off to be the train. Now, the last time I got a train to the start of the London Marathon I travelled from Charring Cross on a train that was completely packed with runners, like sardines in a tin. Yesterday though, it was almost deserted, so it was a very quiet, relaxing journey to the start, almost more relaxing than my usual little walk up the hill. I got to the start about an hour before the off, so plenty of time for handing in make bag, queuing for the loo, queuing again and finishing off the last of my electrolyte drink.
Then, into the first pen on the Green start, watching the celebs giving their last minute interviews (Michel Roux, Iwan Thomas and lots I have no idea who they were!). We then observed a 30 second silence in memory of those killed in Boston (and thinking of those injured both physically and mentally and whose lives will have been changed forever) followed by applause that felt right. Then we were off!
The run itself didn't exactly go to plan. With so many celebrities going off ahead of us the route was quite congested and my first mile was far too slow, as was the second as we merged with the runners from the Blue start. I'd been hoping to run with the Runner's World pacers but there was no sign of a sub 3 pacer at the Green start. I eventually spotted the one from Blue, but he was some way ahead. I caught up around about 4 miles, but only after running two far too quick miles, not really ideal pacing. But, I then settled into a steady rhythm and enjoyed the next 8 miles to Tower Bridge.
The crowds on Tower Brigde are always amazing, but with far more people out on the course already than I'd ever seen, many rows deep in places and encroaching on the route a la le Tour de France in others, the Tower Bridge crowd was equally loud! And it's just so uplifting and emotional and feels like the finish line. I saw my former colleagues from Epilepsy Action, composed myself for the official photographers but as I left the Bridge I felt very tight in my chest and suddenly very uncomfortable. Having had numerous episodes of chest pain (cause still undiagnosed) I was a little concerned, there were similarities, but I didn't really want to contemplate that. Anyway, my mind was obviously whirring, trying to figure it out and as I happily let the pacer drift further and further head of me I completely missed the next three mile markers (not that easy to do, they are huge!). But I'd settled into my own rhythm, I was still travelling at a good pace but knowing that three hours was probably out of my grasp now at 16 miles, unless I really pushed myself, but I wasn't really up for that.
So, it was a case or continuing to plough on. Towing the thin blue line that marks the optimal race route, taking in the crowds and the overwhelming support - London was out in force with people from every and all communities as evidenced by the range of faces and colours and styles of dress. That combined with runners from all over the globe - South Africa, the US, Italy, Cyprus to name but a few. It really was a global race and I just couldn't help thinking if we can be this joyous as a race and so supportive of each other and so apparently oblivious to our differences, why do events like Boston ever happened in the first place? The human race is quite a bewildering creature.
At this stage in the race, maybe 18 or 19 miles runners start to falter, people start walking, sitting at the side of the road, trying to stretch out cramps but all the time being urged on to the finish by the crowds.
For me, it was maths time. Calculating how much further to go, what pace I needed to finish in three hours (not going to happen!) so what pace to finish inside 3:15 and guarantee my place for another two years (3:15 being my Good for Age cut off time). And that was well within my grasp, but I'd have to keep pushing to the end.
Luckily for me, about mile 22 or 23 an Ilkley Harrier named Sally Malir (very good runner, out runs me on the fells, but I often hold my own on the road, most recently at the South Yorkshire Half Marathon). Sally looked like she was really motoring so I shouted out hello and urged her on. However, she didn't get away from me as fast as I thought, so I upped my speed and we pulled each other along for the next few miles. This was to be the quickest I'd run since about mile 18! We were flying passed other runners (infact I passed over 230 runners in the last 7 km and was only passed myself by 23!).
Through mile 25 bang on three hours and I involuntarily punched the air knowing that I could cruise to the line and still run inside 3:15. But that isn't what I wanted to do so I stepped up my pace, started to drop Sally (sorry!) and smiled all the way to the Mall. On turning the corner in front of Buckingham Palace I aeroplaned down the finish straight, using the whole road to wheel away in delight at being able to take part in just the biggest and best London Marathon, one inspired by the events in Boston to more than ever celebrate all that is good about the running community, about London and it's people and about the human race. Truly inspiring.
My final time. Well, I just dipped inside 3:09 to record 3 hours 8 minutes and 58 seconds, my fourth fastest of my nine London Marathon finishes.
Across the line I waited to see Sally finish and congratulate her on a great run, then collected my bag, sat down and checked my phone and was delighted by a string of emails announcing that I'd been sponsored, thank you!!
Pamela and Emma had already texted my time having tracked me online and seen me cross the finish line live on TV. I just managed to avoid the tears as I chatted on the phone, then got changed and walked slowly to the station for my long journey home.
As I walked to the platform at Charring Cross station I heard a voice from the crowds heading off the train to see their runners finish the race exclaim; "That runner has got their medal already!", accompanied by a line of open mouthed faces starring at me......Very satisfying.
So, all in all a grand day out and I remain adamant that it is an event that everyone should try and experience at least once in their lives, and hopefully next year I'll get to share it with and run with Emma, Pamela, or both. Watch this space!
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