Virgin London Marathon + 30 colours
Challenge 6 was always going to be a tough one – completing the 26.2 miles of the greatest marathon in the world and on its 30th anniversary no less – very appropriate for the DO30 campaign. Trying to fit training into my busy schedule was a challenge in itself. Coming down with swine flu after my very first training run was not a good omen! Thankfully I reached the weekend of the marathon with no injuries and feeling confident.
On the Saturday, the day before the event, I headed up to the London Excel centre to register. While up there, I was one of only a handful of people that managed to get a photograph with Sir Richard Branson. Head gear in place, I grabbed the attention of his PR person and successfully secured his support for the DO30 campaign (well a pose for a photo at least!).
After this, it was back off home to get ready for my 2 hour hair appointment, at Coco’s in Soutwater, to get my hair coloured in 30 different shades to represent my 30 charities. Over the past 2 months I’ve had to grow my hair so it could be spiked up for the marathon. Thanks to all of you who have greeted me with comments such as “Have you had your hair permed?” (thanks Nan) and “What have you done to your hair?” The things I’ve had to put up with for a good cause!
It was then time for mass pasta eating and to get ready for the Marathon with an early night.
I woke at 5.15 in the morning and joined a few other people on the 6.04 train from Horsham to the Big Smoke.
I arrived in good time, had an interview with the NSPCC TV cameras, got rid of my bag, which I was hoping to see at the end of the race and 4 toilet trips and some last minute munchies later, I was at the start, waiting for the GUN in the pouring rain!
The run started off really well. I was nice and relaxed, and after another toilet stop at 500 yards, I thought nothing was going to stop me until the end. How wrong I was!
The first 8 miles were fine and the atmosphere was superb. The crowds were massive and every so often you run past a band, radio station, drummers or people playing trumpets etc – the vibe is absolutely fantastic.
At 9 miles my knee was already playing me up – but I knew it would so I had prepared for that, but not the agony that was to develop. At 12 miles the great sight of Tower Bridge loomed before me and then I saw the DO30 team that had come down to watch. My time at the halfway point was 2:08:02
Then at 14 miles, my left knee effectively gave up – but I was not giving up. I want to complete 30 challenges this year and nothing was going to stop me, despite the pain. From then on it was a case of a little running and, embarrassing to say, walking. The more the miles went on, the more I saw people either dropping out or being helped by St John’s Ambulance staff, so at least I was still moving.
I then started chatting to another guy, who was also running for the NSPCC. Like me, he expected a good time, but our bodies were not listening to our heads or our hearts. I think both of us enjoyed chatting along the route and thinking – let’s just soak up the atmosphere.
Three things really rubbed it in – being overtaken by Sir Richard Branson, a camel, and the final nail in the coffin was the Caterpillar (34 runners chained together)!
I got running again the last 2 miles and the end was finally in sight. I was in agony passing the finishing line. I felt I had let people down in regards to my time, but I still have another 24 challenges to go – so bring on the next challenge! My finishing time was 5:16:05. Would I do it all again? Hell yeah!
A huge thanks to everyone who has sponsored me so far, especially to Printzcharmin for producing the DO30 Team t-shirts. In addition, a special thanks to my family and friends who came down to watch me, including my daughter Ellie who led me back, limping all the way, to Victoria station, carrying the London A-Z under her arm to make sure we didn’t get lost!
