LonDONE!

When William James said ‘beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never pushed through the obstruction’ I have a feeling he was referring to the London Marathon.

Although it wasn’t part of my training plan, and despite not really being fit enough (I have only consistently got up to ten miles), the opportunity was to good to miss. On the Tuesday when I accepted the place, due to my friends’ injury, I never really had any doubts.

I had previously accompanied Nikki on a 16-mile training run. After all, it was only ten miles more!

I can now confirm the London Marathon is the most fantastic and by far the toughest event I have ever participated. Perhaps it was due to the lack of high mileage in my legs, or perhaps it’s the way I ran it, either way during the last couple of miles, as William James described, there were elements of fatigue and distress and I had to find sources of strength never taxed!

It was fantastic. From the bus journey up to the event right through to Nikki’s birthday gathering in the evening. It was the most incredible day.

I started from the blue start line at quarter to ten and saw nothing of the difficult start many had warned about, the first few miles I made fast progress and reached the three-mile point in less than 23 minutes. I had a plan to try and run at a 3hrs 45mins that meant I would have to run about eight-minutes thirty-seconds every mile. After the first three miles this plan changed a little as I found my comfortable speed running eight-minute miles.

The race went incredibly well up to the twenty-mile flag, at which point I was on for a time of 3hrs 30mins if I just maintained my speed. After a brief consultation with a guy next to me, I decided I could run a little bit faster. And this was the start of my decline.

It seems like such a cliché – The last six miles were the toughest I have ever ran.

Lets make this clear - there was no wall. Between miles twenty and twenty-one I managed to increase my speed slightly, however, after that my legs started to tighten and it was the beginning of the end.

At first my quads began to cramp, which caused me to adjust my running style ever so slightly. I continued for another few miles when after passing the 25-mile marker I felt like I had been shot in the back of both legs. It was the most painful cramps I have ever experienced. So much so at that point I couldn’t stand upright! I made my way to the side barriers to try and stretch but being so tired this was really difficult. And this is where the crowds of supporters really keep you going. After getting a policewoman to stretch my legs I got back on my feet and ran all the way to the finish line.

I finished the London Marathon in a time of 3hrs 44mins and 26secs.

I thoroughly enjoyed my London Marathon experience and can’t wait to have another go. I learnt a lot about running during the day including pacing myself, using energy gels and hydration and perhaps most important how far twenty-six miles actually is, and I cant wait to have another go!

This was fantastic experience for my Six Marathon Challenge in September. I can’t wait to get out and run – just as soon as my legs stop aching!