This was
my 6th London Marathon in the last 7 years but it remains a challenge and a
pleasure (sort of) to take part in such an uplifting event. This year was particularly exciting as Ellen
and Juliet had been selected to run for the North West in the Mini-Marathon
which is run over the final 3 miles of the course. They were starting at 9.30am so they'd have
to manage without my support. At that
time I was sat around in the Championship Field waiting to be called up to the
start line behind Wilson, Mo, Janine and the rest.
I had
decided on a steady pace strategy this year and arranged to meet two other
runners to form a 5.55 miling train.
Unfortunately I didn't manage to find them so set off thinking that at
the right pace I'd be alongside them soon enough. Within the first mile Ben Reynolds, the V50
favourite came loping by. I thought I' d
just keep him in sight although by 4 miles I'd decided that I wasn't going to
keep up.
The
crowds seemed bigger and noisier than ever as we charged around the Cutty
Sark. It was about this time last year
that the blisters began. Not this year,
I felt good and I thought I was maintaining my steady 5.55 pace. Around mile 10 I was joined by Carl Moulton
(Congleton) and Matt Rushbrook (KnutsTri).
They both started to pull away from me but I wasn't tempted.
Tower
Bridge is always the highlight and roars of support follow all the way down
past halfway. On Narrow St there was
manic support from Di Bygrave and some of my Apteco colleagues. I somehow
missed Richard Hirons waving the WRC flag at 15. But I was feeling fresh and soon making good
progress through Canary Wharf. I
overtook Matt Rushbrook then around 19-20 cruised past Carl Moulton. Through 20miles sub 1.58. Just 10k to go and I was heading for
2.34. At this rate I might even catch
Ben …
Then
suddenly I didn't feel so good. Slightly
light headed, loss of power to both legs.
The marathon really kicks you hard when you are down and the stretch to
23 miles was like running through treacle.
Time and again runners just in front of me pulled up and stopped. This wasn't helping; I really felt like I
could be next. Nigel Rackham scuttled
past me to become 2nd V50 but I had no energy to respond or even wave.
At 23
miles I saw the mini-marathon start gate and remembered that the girls had
challenged me to match their times over the last 3 miles. I laughed as I imagined them sprinting down
through the tunnel and on to the Embankment.
They'd won by a mile. But somehow
this cheered me up a lot and I knew that I'd have no problem reaching the Mall.
Near the
Eye I passed Richard Whitehead. He'd
inspired me last year and did so again having run 25 miles without legs, he
still had the energy to play the crowds.
I jogged happily on past Westminster.
The last
800m seems an incredibly long way and I watched 2.37 tick into 2.38 giving me a
finish time that was a couple of minutes down on last year. The marathon had surprised me again. And immediately gave me a further kicking as
post-race cramp made me stagger through the finish area.
Thanks
for all the support out on the course.
London is a great festival of running and really all club runners should
give it a go - but try to pace it better than me. I'm not sure about the accuracy of my Garmin
but it's clear that my steady 5.55 pace was an illusion …
http://www.strava.com/activities/130121794
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