Well I did it, see below for a mini diary. Thanks to all who sponsored me it all helped me knock my target into touch and double it.
Virgin London Marathon 2011
Build up:
Friday before I set off I woke up feeling crap, worried now, the Wednesday before I had done my last run, just 3 miles, and could not do it, stopping every mile, I felt shattered, cold, weak, I knew I had a bug. The Friday I felt really bad and the taxi from my house to train station made me feel sick as did train ride. I got to the hotel and just went to bed. 5pm I met my cousin and her fiancé and we went to the excel centre to get the race numbers. I felt really sick now and weak and had a crap headache. I was seriously worried I would not do the race as it states in the magazines do not run if your ill and especially if it’s going to be a warm one.
Anyhow we had pasta for tea and everywhere we went to look at menus the restaurants were full of people in posh restaurants in tracksuits all just eating pasta, was quite a funny sight to be honest.
So then we went back to the hotel, all shattered, I was exhausted and at this point still had not decided if to run, I wasn’t enjoying the build up as much as I wanted to as I was just worried about not feeling better on the Sunday.
Anyhow Saturday came and I felt a bit better, we walked to a cafe for breakfast and then I went back to the hotel to try get some rest and sleep etc . Later on we all went out again for something to eat, again a decent Italian place that was quite posh but again full of people all drinking water and eating pasta, you could feel the build up and feeling better I started to get more eager to just start the run.
So back to the hotel and lights out at 9pm for me but I didn’t get to sleep till about 12 is I think, I then woke up at 2am and felt wide awake so thought it must be 6am but it was only 2am, so another 2 hours of trying to sleep but I had no chance, eventually I dozed off but at 5.30 the alarm went. So another video diary later and I was in the hotel canteen for the marathon breakfast they put on, I hate eating as soon as you get up, I feel sick and can’t do it but managed 4 slices of toast.
So race bags packed we shared a taxi with 2 fast runners we had got speaking to the night before, they asked me my time and I said 5 hours or just get round depends on the knee and when I told them about knee op and ACL injury etc they thought I was mad to try run the Marathon and astounded. TBH this spurred me on and its small things like this that stick in my mind and make good ammunition for going for it.
We got dropped off by a taxi 2 miles away as roads close to the start were closed, we walked it and met with the charity we were running for, we had team photo took then walked to the start to get ready and hand the bag into the security section to collect at the finish line. We then made our way to the start line and joined our section with 25 minutes to go, so we just soaked up the atmosphere until the countdown then we were off walking about 20 minutes until we got to the start line then all of sudden your jogging.
First 5 miles: Pace was good, 9 minutes per mile I think which I was comfortable with, I’d had under 5 hours in my mind as a target that pace would do it even if I slowed down last 6 miles.
The heat was starting to affect people already, the sun was bright and the roads crowded, straight away the atmosphere was on show, kids would hold their hands out wanting a high five from the runners, people held sweets out and cakes.
After a few miles one of our runners in our group started to feel the heat and became ill, we went to fast walking but the pace had slowed right down to about 15 minute miles I think. We had hoped to make time in the 2nd half of the race, the last 13 miles. We had to stop quite often due to cramps, stitches and the runner being sick, it was obvious she was not very well.
At 13 mile mark we stopped at St Johns and she collapsed, at this point we were behind the sweepers and coach that picks up strugglers and the machines that clean the markers off the road, we were more or less at the back. The time to get to 13 miles was 3 hours 30 minutes and I have run 18 miles in 3 hours comfortably so we were hours behind more or less.
The runner (my cousin) was taken to hospital with severe dehydration. After it became obvious the runner in our group could not continue I set off, I ran at my normal pace and started to make progress, passing the cars and sweepers and walkers, thing is as I was one of few running still amongst the walkers the crowd tend to fix on you and encourage you, it was a great feeling, also for a 2 mile stretch the road doubles up and the left side is the runners at the 23 mile mark and even they were shouting encouragement at me as I had my name on the front of my charity vest. At this point I thought I’ll get round.
Mile 19 mark: I started to get back ache and could feel a blister on my toe, my quads hurt but I still felt ok with some running left in me. I took a few short walk breaks and took a gel. The crowd from 19 to the finish were fantastic, loud and encouraging, people were sat on roofs and buildings to cheer you on, I was still passing people and one of the few running at this point at the back end of the pack.
Miles 20 and 21 I had nothing left in the tank, I actually got quite emotional here as I was worried I’d not finish and to come so close, I was shattered, my bottom lip was going lol, I had to clear my eyes as I just thought any minute now somethings going to happen or go wrong to stop me finishing, I must have welled up 3 or 4 times until I got to mile 25, I walked although it was fast walking till mile 25, I was tempted to put my MP3 player on but it would not have been as good encouragement as the crowd. I was still overtaking people and trying to run every few hundred metres, especially when the crowds were loud as it spurred you on.
I passed the last Lucozade sport fuel station and took a bottle and more or less drink it all and then once I turned into the last mile section I thought sod it and just started to run again, I was surprised at how ok I felt running as 4 miles back running hurt like hell. So I weaved my way through people, setting targets like I’d see some bloke in a pink tutu and I’d think no way is he beating me etc, I did this for the last mile and it worked. Before long I was seeing the 800 metres to go signs then the 365 yards to go sign and you turn right and the crowds are in their thousands along both sides, the location is brilliant for the finish and I just felt I had to push it and speeded up, the crowds were great and pushed you all the way. I could have run another 3 miles in that state of mind.
Once I passed the line and I stopped I walked to get the chip off my trainer took off and then it hit me, my left foot was sore as hell and could not take any weight, my knee was sore, but I was hyper, 3 months ago I was almost 18 stone and could not do 1 mile comfortably.
I saw a member of the charity I run for and she helped carry my bags and I got in a tuc tuc to get home, once back to the hotel I just took my trainers off and collapsed on the bed, thats when the suns affects kicked in.
I had hoped to do it under 5 hours and considering my training and times during training I could have done this I think or been pretty close but due to various factors out of my hands the run for a decent time tactic went at about 10 miles but who knows what would have happened if I’d have run faster at the start till mile 18 etc.
Good Parts:
The last 1.2 miles and finding something from nowhere to run it.
The crowd and atmosphere, amazing.
Running over Tower Bridge.
Running past sites and the street bands.
The commerardary between runners.
Bad Points:
My time, way way over what I had planned and knew I could go.
Not enjoying the build up as much as I was ill and worried I’d not start the race.
The heat, it knocked you for six after 5 miles.
Would I do it again, for sure, on the train back I was phoning my knee surgeon to see when the knee op is so I have time to rehab and train for next years Marathon after the op.
Next year I aim to do it in under 4 hours, this time it’s personal!
