My legs are a bit sore (not looking forward to the next couple of day - stairs are already something of an issue), I have some hard core chaffing on my side from my waist bag and I managed to bleed through my lovely white trainers, but other than that - not too bad.
But, how was it?
Well, Tom & I were up at 5am and out of the house and on route to Farnborough station for 6am to catch the coach to London with a load of other marathon nutters. The coach was great - very stress free, and a great option especially because the trains from Farnborough (and pretty much everywhere in the country it seemed) were all screwed up with 'works' of one sort or another. Anyway, the coach was blissful.
We arrived at the start area at about 8:15 and headed off to our starting areas - Tom on Blue, me on Red.
So we said goodbye, and I went off.......
Put my bag on the baggage lorry (they take the bags from start to finish) and sat in the shade and waited. (Picture of me waiting - note my lovely green hair!)At 9:30 I headed into my 'pen' - pen 4 - and tried to get quite near to the front so I could see the 8 min/mile pacing chap in the pen in front of me.
At about 9:40 they moved us out to the start area, and at 9:45 exactly we set off!
I guess I was reasonably close to the front, so it only took me a minute or so to cross the line, but not so close that I had the opportunity to run off like a whippet (a good thing)
I managed to catch the pacer, and ran with him and his posse for about 3 miles, and then got a bit fed up with tripping over people so I went ahead a bit (only a bit, I was very conservative).
I was a bit worried from the start though - I just never felt good at all. Usually you get a bit of time where you feel fantastic - fresh legs, excitement of the race, etc. - but not today. Not sure what the problem was (something very similar happened when I did the Paris Marathon) - could have been the heat, eating too much/too little, too much/ too little tapering, or something completely different - but I know that I was finding it hard running 8 min/miles even in the early miles, and that is 45 seconds a mile slower than I ran the Reading half a few weeks ago!
Anyway, it was incredible - the crowds, the noise, the party atmosphere - all exactly as I was expecting. And wearing your name on your shirt - like having your own supporters all the way round, amazing!
The first real landmark for me was tower bridge - just after that is 13 miles and the half way point, also just after that was my support team - Jon, Helen, Andrew, Nic, Archie & Tish. Helen had made a banner - which was great because it meant that I spotted them. That was the problem with so many people shouting your name - you just couldn't tell when it might be someone you knew, and when it was people just cheering you because your name was on your shirt!
Anyway, going past the support group was great, and just a bit further down that road was a massive Macmillan supporters group who gave me a huge cheer as well - much appreciated.
From the half way point I just started to get slower - it was so hot, and so hard - I was taking water at every station, and taking an energy gel every 4 miles (rather than having lucozade drink), but it wasn't helping. I managed to talk myself round canary wharf without walking - although I was REALLY tempted by that point - but when I hit mile 20, I admit that I did walk through the water station - necking the whole 330ml bottle before setting off again, I pretty much did the same at every water station (1 mile apart) after that.
I was a bit sorry for myself - disappointed that I didn't run all the way round - but when I did get running again I was moving pretty quickly, so overall I don't think my time suffered any more than it would if I had just run more slowly for the whole time - and it meant that I could have a proper drink.
I really didn't want to get outside the 3:45 target I had set myself, I didn't want to let down all the people who have sponsored me, or myself I suppose - although you can't tell what is going to happen on the day, I wanted to do well.
Part of the problem with a marathon is that there is a lot of training involved for one event - and if doesn't go right, it's not like a half or a 10k, you can't really have another go at it in a couple of weeks, so it feels like you have wasted your time almost if you don't do as well as you hoped (if you see what I mean). I think all these things prey on your mind, and sometimes you talk yourself into slowing down or walking or whatever, when really you could have kept going and would have been fine - once you start thinking "I can't do this", you find that you act accordingly.
Anyway, saw the supporters again at the 22mile point, and then it was just the final push for home.
Another thing about having your name on your shirt - when you have a little walk, EVERYONE is shouting for you to start going again - in one way, a little annoying, in another a definite spur to get going again - and a big cheer from the crowd when you do!
So, I ran the final 2 miles without stopping (although it wasn't pretty) and I started thinking to myself "this is it, I'm going to finish the London Marathon - I'M GOING TO DO IT" and the crowd get bigger and bigger, and more noisy and then it was "800m to go" and we can see Buckingham Palace, and then we are in front of Buckingham Palace and it is only 300m to go as you turn into Birdcage walk and you can see the massive finish gantry with the photographers across the top, the clocks, the people - the end!!
My time? 3:39:23 - easily under my 3:45 target - and making me 5,091st out of 35669 total runners, and 665th out of 10,851 ladies - which isn't bad.
I reckon on a different day, I should get much closer to 3:30, but I am trying not to feel disappointed that I didn't do it this time.Once you get through the finish line you get your medal (a marvellous feeling), and then I had a bit of an 'episode' - suddenly discovered I couldn't breath and was quickly hustled into a waiting wheelchair by the lovely St John's people while I regained myself. Met up with Alison (3:28 - well done!) and crazy Alan who was marshalling between the medals and the baggage lorries.
Got my bag, headed into the Macmillan recovery centre for a massage and a cup of tea, met up with the cheering squad outside, Tom joined us looking a bit sorry for himself (4:30 - not a good day!), we got some lunch and came home.
Did I enjoy it? Hmm. Well, it was tough - so in that sense, no - but, it was amazing in terms of the event: well organised (brilliant in fact), incredible support (practically the whole 26 mile route is lined with supporters, in some places 5+ people deep), the bands, the people in costumes, the sense of achievement, being part of something so well known......... definately something I am glad I did.
Would I do it again? My first reaction is definately NO - but having secured my good for age time today (sub 3:45) that does mean that I will get a guaranteed entry for next year - if I want one! Will I be able to resist? We will have to wait and see :)
For now though, it is bed time - time to crawl up the stairs and rest - can't wait.
And that's it - another blog draws quietly to a close.
Thankyou to everyone that has supported me, both financially, in terms of charitable donations, and with moral support - so many texts & emails with good wishes, made me feel quite emotional at times (it's been a funny week!) - and it's all hugely appreciated.
Speak soon
Trish
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