EltonFrog
Legendary Member
Well, I did it !
It was an absolutely perfect day yesterday for the London Marathon, sunny and bright but not too hot. There was a fantastic atmosphere at the start, I stood beside Peppa Pig and we all cheered the herd of rhinos as they lumbered past. It’s not often you get to share an event with Mo Farah, Batman, Wolverine, Orinoco and two power drills.
It took 23 minutes to get to the start line and I was glad to get running. I started well and at planned pace but soon realised that the huge mass of runners makes it impossible to maintain a steady pace or run faster than the crowd. I spent the first 8 or 9 miles overtaking people and ended up running 0.2 miles further than anyone else! I realised that, if I was going to enjoy the race, I needed to just relax and go with the pace. My projected finish time was 4:12:00 at this point.
Then disaster struck at 19 miles, I’d slipped on a dropped water bottle earlier and just before the end of Canary Wharf, pain shot through my foot and I could not put any weight on it. I really thought the race was over for me at that moment.
But I thought of all of the people who had supported me and were cheering me on, all the people who donated and were watching and thinking of me, and there was no way I was going to let them down. I re-laced my trainer as tightly as I could and took off running again, albeit very slowly.
The last six miles were long and slow and by 25 I was gritting my teeth, but still running. I crossed the finish line in 4:48:41 and I was very, very glad to see it! I crossed that same line that my dad crossed all those years ago and I think he probably felt as relieved and exhilarated as I did. It's an experience like no other, and nothing can prepare you for it, not even all that training.
Carl, Tracey, Annah and Alasdair chased around London all day trying to see me and missed me at every point! There's literally thousands of people lining the roads, shouting your name and cheering you on, offering jelly babies and biscuits for tired runners. It's the most amazing event, incredibly well organised and supported. It was very, very humbling to be a part of it.
But the best news is that I have raised over £3550 for Cancer Research UK! So for everyone who has donated, who has sent me a positive message, for everyone who was keeping their fingers crossed for me on Sunday, this is for you:
Because, believe me, we did it together.
Today I feel fine, amazingly not stiff or sore, but my injured foot is badly swollen and I can't walk on it. A couple of days rest and I will be right as rain, back on the bike ready for the New York Five Boro 40-mile cycle sportive on 5th May.
My final London Marathon mile total stands at 668.83. Every cold and uncomfortable minute of training in the snow, every squelchy wet step in wet shoes on flooded roads, every painful jolt on my sore foot yesterday, was worth it. Would I do the Marathon again? Absolutely! The ballot opens on 29th April and I will be entering it. Anyone want to join me?
Thanks to all CC'ers that sponsored me.
Jane
It was an absolutely perfect day yesterday for the London Marathon, sunny and bright but not too hot. There was a fantastic atmosphere at the start, I stood beside Peppa Pig and we all cheered the herd of rhinos as they lumbered past. It’s not often you get to share an event with Mo Farah, Batman, Wolverine, Orinoco and two power drills.
It took 23 minutes to get to the start line and I was glad to get running. I started well and at planned pace but soon realised that the huge mass of runners makes it impossible to maintain a steady pace or run faster than the crowd. I spent the first 8 or 9 miles overtaking people and ended up running 0.2 miles further than anyone else! I realised that, if I was going to enjoy the race, I needed to just relax and go with the pace. My projected finish time was 4:12:00 at this point.
Then disaster struck at 19 miles, I’d slipped on a dropped water bottle earlier and just before the end of Canary Wharf, pain shot through my foot and I could not put any weight on it. I really thought the race was over for me at that moment.
But I thought of all of the people who had supported me and were cheering me on, all the people who donated and were watching and thinking of me, and there was no way I was going to let them down. I re-laced my trainer as tightly as I could and took off running again, albeit very slowly.
The last six miles were long and slow and by 25 I was gritting my teeth, but still running. I crossed the finish line in 4:48:41 and I was very, very glad to see it! I crossed that same line that my dad crossed all those years ago and I think he probably felt as relieved and exhilarated as I did. It's an experience like no other, and nothing can prepare you for it, not even all that training.
Carl, Tracey, Annah and Alasdair chased around London all day trying to see me and missed me at every point! There's literally thousands of people lining the roads, shouting your name and cheering you on, offering jelly babies and biscuits for tired runners. It's the most amazing event, incredibly well organised and supported. It was very, very humbling to be a part of it.
But the best news is that I have raised over £3550 for Cancer Research UK! So for everyone who has donated, who has sent me a positive message, for everyone who was keeping their fingers crossed for me on Sunday, this is for you:
Because, believe me, we did it together.
Today I feel fine, amazingly not stiff or sore, but my injured foot is badly swollen and I can't walk on it. A couple of days rest and I will be right as rain, back on the bike ready for the New York Five Boro 40-mile cycle sportive on 5th May.
My final London Marathon mile total stands at 668.83. Every cold and uncomfortable minute of training in the snow, every squelchy wet step in wet shoes on flooded roads, every painful jolt on my sore foot yesterday, was worth it. Would I do the Marathon again? Absolutely! The ballot opens on 29th April and I will be entering it. Anyone want to join me?
Thanks to all CC'ers that sponsored me.
Jane
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