Flora London Marathon

Saturday afternoon. The day before, and Charity has become quite ill so the day and evening is spent taking care of her. Her health was more important and so I ended up getting everything ready just after midnight. On top of my already reduced sleep, the rest of the last two weeks and the tribulations for the past 16weeks, I really wasn’t all that concerned. My only plan for the marathon now was to just go, run, take in the atmosphere and enjoy the day. A quick weather check and the 24hr forecast said that there’d be heavy showers at around 1pm - pretty much right in the middle of it. All part of the event and London in general I suppose...

Sunday morning. A nice sunrise, Charity feeling better, a bit of a late start, and we were on the bus to Bank and the light rail to Greenwich and the start. The closer we got the more and more folks appeared heading in the same direction. Interesting atmosphere on the way in too - hard to describe - friendly yet reserved or anxious maybe?

Anyway, we made our way to Greenwich Park and the start zone. The queues for the porta-loos were massive! So a quick bit of gardening with others was called for. Unfortunately, the start zone was runners only, which meant we stayed outside with many others who had family or friends with them. As a consequence this meant that many of us were shut out of the start zone when it was time to gather in the starting ‘chute’, and had to go around to the very end of the start zone to get in and then line up at the back of the ‘chute’. No problem you say? Well, it would have helped to be amongst runners of a similar pace as things were pretty crowded with the main portion of the other 35,000 runners.
The start went fairly smoothly as we walked to the start line, and didn’t actually break into at least a jog until about 5metres from the start line itself. Twenty something minutes had gone past since the actual start and when I reached it. Only 42.2kms to go...

Even in the first few kilometres the sides of the road were packed! In fact the entire length of the course was packed with spectators and well wishers. My first real taste of what was to come came at about the 2km mark when I was trying to get the idea of 40kms to go out of my head. A balcony full of half-cut cowboys, Indians and banditos having a Mexican party and suddenly chanting ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie, oi oi oi”. Now while I find that chant rather embarrassing, it was more just the frivolity of their little party and cheering to encourage us out there pounding the pavement that gave me a lift and a smile. I was told that the atmosphere of the event will carry me for the whole event, and I’ll admit it did. There were so many little things to see and enjoy. Things that the spectators were up to, things the runners themselves were up to. I guess one good thing about being down the back and moving up through it all was to see all the more unusual runners - stilt walkers, costumes and all manner of get-ups...

Every pub along the course had a band or dj pumping away. There were people everywhere. Plenty offering jelly babies and other lollies along the way. Kiddies with their hands out for high fives. If you’d printed or written your name on your shirt then folks would cheer you on by name. I heard about three ‘C’mon Simon’s and turned to see that I was near another Simon...
All good, these early stages as things were all new and to be experienced. No niggles or discomforts while just simply running and taking it all in - well, okay, so the top of my right ankle was a sore spot for some reason, but that came and went. Reaching the 10km mark pretty much on the hour mark was quite a nice surprise too. It meant that I could realistically do the whole event in 4hours, but I would need to not only maintain my current pace for the entire time, but also pick up the extra 2.2kms somewhere in there. Considering that I hadn’t run for more than 25kms before, I disbanded the idea and just kept on going for now...

The dark grey clouds that were moving towards us also gave me good enough reason to not push anything at this stage. They happily dumped out a good downpour on us for some time too! Thankfully it stopped raining before I reached Tower Bridge (the famous one that everyone thinks is London bridge). Turning the corner onto this famous bridge was something else. It was PACKED with spectators and they were LOUD. While my ipod had been doing a great job with my playlist of music for the day, it was pointless to have it on here - despite the lift I was getting from the Benjamin Gate's 'Rush'.

Not long after crossing Tower Bridge, came the 20km mark - nearly half way, and I was on 2hours. Again, time target possibilities came into the frame, but were fairly easily left again simply because I had no idea what was waiting for me beyond 25kms. I was feeling fine and travelling pretty comfortably, but things like The Wall and possibly becoming one of those floppy people you see staggering sideways near finish lines could lay ahead...

At this point I was still enjoying the atmosphere and the sites along the way. Happily just passing folks along the course, and looking forward to seeing Charity, Marty n Karyn at around the 15-16mile mark near Canary Wharf. With the sun now back out, a brief toilet stop in what seemed to be a VERY popular detour for the runners, I was drying out and feeling quite good. No niggles or discomforts either, which was a good sign. I passed through mile 15, 16 and 17 with no sign of either the Slug n Lettuce pub or it’s three occupants I was hoping to see. By mile 18 i was resigned to having missed them. Oh well, on we go... Then I hear a voice call out my name and turn to see Marty - perfect timing, so a quick u-turn to the sideline for a quick greet and then onward again. This section of the course then u-turns itself to go past the other side of the square of Canary Wharf, so while I was lamenting that I’d missed Charity n Karyn, they were there calling out. Another trip to the sidelines before nearly going arse-up on some discarded water bottles trying to get back onto the course.

Next up came the 30km mark and funnily enough, 3 hours. The whole time target thing re-emerged as I did the maths on maintaining a 6min/km pace and being able to possibly make 4:15 - the time that was my “predicted time” based on my time for the RuntotheG half marathon last May... Inspired by this idea I opened up my stride a bit with an idea of just picking the up the pace to just under the 6min/km. (In case you’re thinking that I was doing some amazing maths in my head here, I had my pace monitored by my heart-rate monitor watch and footpod, so I knew exactly what it was at all times.)

This proved to be that little too much as my left quad (thigh) started to hurt slightly. Uh-oh, need to take it easy and make sure I get through the last 12kms in one piece here. But it was just the run home from work. That’s all I had left to do - just a run home from work that I’d done countless times since January. It should be easy...
Well, it could have been except those dark clouds were back, and I don’t mean metaphorically either. Down came the rain, or more accurately, the hail. Hmmm... well, i’d done long runs in wind, rain, hail and snow before, so other than being uncomfortable I can still do this. Pull down the visor of my cap to protect my face and just keep going.

At just after 22miles I came across the other marathon runner from work! He looked stunned and told me that “I wasn’t supposed to see him here. I should have been somewhere up there well in front of him.” “Cheers for the thought Andrew. See you at the finish.”

By this stage, with the rain pouring down, the crowd numbers increasing! and the markers showing 23miles, I had only a 5K run left to do. If I could maintain a good enough pace, close to 5min/km then 4:15 is well and truly ON. So despite the now constant discomfort in my left quad, and the now REALLY annoying blister between my toes and ball of my foot, I kicked it up a notch.
Unfortunately, the traffic was starting to become an issue as the number of folks that would just stop and walk were increasing. It seemed like I was the only one who was increasing his pace, but also doing quite a bit of winding my way across the course. By 24miles it just became a case of calling “excuse me!” and just barging through any available spaces as I threaded my way through everyone. Another reason that starting in the correct time zone and running with like paced people would have been a help... Too bad, what’s done is done.

1 mile to go and 7minutes to do it in. I’ve no idea how quickly I can run a mile - I’m a metric baby for crying out loud!! But I wasn’t about to not give it a shot. I had no real idea of how much I had left in the tank, but I was going to drain it if I must.
“What are your legs?”...“Steel Springs”...“How fast can you run?”... You get the drift of the famous pep talk from Gallipoli... and yes, I did actually run it through my head at this stage. Hey, no one said that my head would be where it needed to be at that moment. Ipod blazing Dial 7’s ‘Crazy’, which probably couldn’t have been a better song at the time, and I went for it.

Definitely ambitious, and maybe a bit reckless, but it seemed to go well as even someone I passed called out encouragement as I legged it towards Buckingham Palace and the final 300yards. Unfortunately, I needed to do that final 300 yards in 32 seconds and I was done. I couldn’t go faster if I tried. It was then that I noticed two photographers under their ponchos on a road island between me and the finish. Time for an arm in the air and to make sure they got me (which you can see they did above on the right). I ended up crossing the line with a time of 4:16:10 - so close yet so far? Naah... To get to the line in the condition I did after everything and in such an unexpected time was enough to leave me on a high. Although there was a brief moment after crossing the line that standing still or walking was a struggle...

A shower, a rub down, ‘lunch’ and Charity awaited me in the Spinal Injuries Association marquee. From there it was a short tube ride to Covent Garden to meet up with Marty n Karyn and round out what turned out to be a top day being a part of a most enjoyable event. Would I do another one?
Yes. And a sub 4hour one at that - if all training goes to plan!!

Just the final £409 left to raise, so if you haven’t yet then www.justgiving.com/aussierunner is the place to go!!

As I sit here now with a pair of quite sore legs, hopefully this won’t be like an academy award bit, but there are a few folks to thank...

Charity. You may have broken my heart two weeks ago and left me in such a state where I questioned even being able to make the start, but you’ve been with me in this one from the beginning. Whether it’s been running together, massages, general encouragement or many of the other things you’ve done along the way. For being there as you were throughout the day itself. Thank You Honey.

Karyn n Marty. Thanks for all your support, especially in the last two weeks. Appreciate it!

Maryanne. Thanks for your words early last week. You may not realise it, but one thing you said really helped bring me back to the real world. It was just what I needed.

Becca at Sports n Spinal physios. Thanks for helping get me to the start line in one piece as well as through the whole thing without breaking.

Mum, Dad, Mark, Jen n Cuz - cheers for all your support throughout all this as well as the last two weeks.

Trish n Rina, for your thoughts n words in the last week.

To everyone who texted, emailed or sent me messages of encouragement in the lead up to the run itself - Thanks!! But Andy, 'An inspiration to us all' was a bit much! ;)

To ALL who have donated money to help me reach my sponsorship target for the Spinal Injuries Association. Both I thank you and so do the folks who receive help from SIA. Good on You!!

Funny how the song playing on iTunes right now is the Muttonbirds - ‘Ten Feet Tall’. Always a funny moment isn’t there...

Where to from here?

Who knows... Pamplona and the bulls are coming up soon, as is an invite to ride some of the french alps in late July, which is about the same time as a small bike race around France...

Perhaps after a bit of rest first.