Well I did it again! I can't believe that I actually got in the first time round, but to get it a second time! I was stunned! I had put in for a ballot place but didn't get it, but as I belong to one of the best running clubs around I managed to win the draw for one of 4 places our club was allocated! I was so excited I was speechless!
And now all those months of training, the long runs all finished, (but not as long as perhaps I should have done!) 13.46 miles was my longest run that I did this time around. It will just have to be enough to get me through. Those months of training with Wendimoo, Bims, J.J., Hillary and Marianna, whether they ran 1 mile or a dozen miles with me, they all help enormously to get me to the end of each run.
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| Fuel for the journey! |
And now it's here, This is my vest and number, I'm running for St. Christophers this time, as both my mum and dad were in the hospice.
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| Early Morning! |
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| We're here! |
Here is some pictures of us getting to the Blue Start.
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| Blue Start |
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| The walk to the common, with Emily on the right! |
The atmosphere is exactly how I remembered it in 2013 only this time I have Paula and Karien to enjoy it with. We had a quick look around and then queued for the loos, and no, I was not going to try the She Wee thing again. With thousands of people here you can imagine how long the queues were at the portaloos! Soon it was time to put our bags on the lorries. I did mine first. Now, just imagine hundreds of people, all with the same colour bags, wandering about. If you know me, then you know I can get lost going to my local shop, my sense of direction is non existent. I handed my bag over and I turned around to see where the other two ladies were and I couldn't spot them. There were just two many people, all wearing hats, pink running jumpers and carrying red bags! I walked out to where I thought I had come from, hoping they would spot me, but it didn't happen!
I stood still for a few minutes, then I thought, well they need to put their bags up so I wandered over to where their lorry would be, and still I couldn't see them, I did see another PWR, or at least he saw me, twice when I wandered back and forth!! But I only spotted him when I virtually bumped into him! The phones of course were next to useless, But eventually I did see them, or they saw me (of course). We walked over to the starting pens, Karien was in zone 5 and me and Paula were in zone 9 (the end pen). We stood about chatting getting really excited and then I heard a familiar voice! Heleana and Robyn saw us, and came to stand next to us. The Heleana spotted Chris and Matt and we yelled and whistled until they saw us and we all stood together.
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| Paula, me, Heleana, Matt, Robyn and Chris |
Soon the mass started moving forwards, slowly at first and then we started moving a bit quicker. Can you believe that me and Paula managed to get on the telly! Out of all those thousands of people there, we could be seen waving to the cameras! Well chuffed! From then on it was just like I had trained. Nice and easy! The only thing I didn't do was the run for a mile and walk a minute! I just was so caught up in the spirit of the whole event, it just seemed good to just run and enjoy for as much as I could. If I knew how to add the video here from the Iplayer thing then I would add that! So this is just a picture of us from the live footage.
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| Me and Paula, on the telly! |
Paula runs at my pace, she is a little quicker than me but we are both in group 1 of our running club. She has a great Garmin, it gives her real time pace where as mine just averages out the mile! So I relied on Paula to keep the pace to what we had both planned to run. My Garmin is getting old now, so I may just invest in a new one!
I settled in to a nice pace, with Paula absolutely beaming with excitement, saying things like "Donna, we're doing a marathon" I don't think her smile could have been bigger! I was totally excited too, even though I had done it before, just being here was just a total high. I was full of expectations, wondering if I could beat my time before! I was certain I could, after all, last time I had that mishap with the whole, nearly fainting and puking thing! But it's early days! I know that anything could happen, who knows, we could get a negative split! (one of Paulas remarks!) We did have such a laugh on this run!
Brain Page, of So Let's Go Running!, was there among the paparazzi! He took this picture of us about 3 miles in! You can tell, the not so red face, no sweaty brow, huge big smiles from us both! It was brilliant to see him. Paula thought she had photo bombed the picture!
Running along and we were just in a world of our own
We had our phones turned off, saving power for pictures and for contacting people afterwards, it's a must! Our first photo opportunity was at the Cutty Sark, we both got our phones, waited an age before they powered up and then took our pictures. With the ship in the back ground we took a couple of fab pictures, then I did the silly pose you can see below, and Paula just laughed out loud! Paula had to have her picture done the same, we just pissed ourselves laughing! I think this was one of the highlights of our run! Or maybe delirium was just starting to take hold! But from here, this pose became our 'thing' Here, take a look.
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| Me, doing the 'Mara Pose' |
As we moved a bit further along Paula heard her name being yelled really loudly! There we saw Hannah and Michelle! Hugs all around, they were our first supporters we had seen! Considering we were way at the back, it really is fabulous to see them still there. They took some great pics of us! Here take a look!
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| Quick! Rhino stampede! |
The crowd just kept us going, we were so enjoying the whole experience. Several times on route Paula mentioned again that we were 'doing the marathon' It really is, such a fantastic day! You can't help but just be in awe of it! As we were running along, a lady had asked if we were at St. Pauls yet. For a start, I don't think you can see St. Pauls on our route and besides, we still had to get to Tower Bridge!
Tower Bridge was still a long way to go! Getting there was fun though! Along here somewhere at point 10 miles or so Auriol and Nigel had hijacked their friends flat for the night! Their friend live right in front of the Marathon route! The noise was just to much for my ears and it was Paula that saw them shouting at me more urgently than the other supporters. Not only that, they actually came onto the road and started running with us! In full pedestrian winter gear! Shiny shoes and everything!
Auriol pulled out a little earlier than her hubby Nigel, but then she has been suffering injuries! Nigel however said "I shall run with you until the bridge." Now when he said that, my mind went straight into "Oh my goodness, a bridge, that can only mean one thing! Going up hill!" But actually it wasn't that bad. He stayed with us until we crossed over the bridge, I hadn't a clue what it was bridging, water or rail, and then we said our good byes.
We ran just for about another mile or two and I wondered when Tower Bridge and Tooly Street would be here. I didn't recognise it last time, and I felt sure that I still wouldn't know I was there this time round.! Now Tooly Street is a favourite hang out spot for all those there to watch loved ones or friends as after they have seen you there they cross over the bridge and then watch you on the other side as you come back along the road to go all the way to Big Ben! The muscles were aching, but we soon forgot that as we saw the second of the cheer groups, Michelle and Denise! Yelling so loudly, Paula heard them first, I think my hearing is getting old as well as the rest of me, because I didn't hear the straight away!
We had a hug from them and then they pointed to over the road, and there, with a huge smile and ready arms was SingstarJo and Sonia! Double supporters! Just brilliant! In fact, they are there in the picture that Michelle took! Here is me and Paula, doing our marathon pose, and just across the street is SingstarJo and Sonia! Now I know we are nearly half way there! It was marvellous to see them there, it is such a moral boost!
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| Can you see them! Sonia and SingstarJo! |
We carried on with our running and of course just up the road and turning right, it was The Bridge!, Tower bridge just looked magnificent. The phones came out again, taking pictures, posing and just enjoying running over the bridge! We were just having so much fun, still cracking up laughing. I think this marathon I will remember how much I laughed along with Paula, We didn't seem to care that we were aching slightly with still another half marathon distance to do!
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| Come on and do the Mara! |
We crossed over the bridge and then just a little further I saw my family! They were there cheering me on, two of my brothers, Nick and Dean, my sister Dawn (Bims) and her boyfriend Dan and my niece Ashleigh! All enjoying the day! All with a glass a beer or wine! Of course I had to just had to have a sip from them, it would be rude not to!
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| So happy to see you! |
After saying goodbye we carried on. We ran on for a bit more, Paula was wondering when she would see her band of supporters. "I know my little boy is going to be so pleased to see, me" she said. "I hope I haven't missed them!" I know that feeling, when I didn't see my family last time I was a bit disappointed. But it was just along this it that I did see Karin! And guess what! This is exactly where I saw her again! Only this time she was on the right side, and wasn't nearly falling over the barriers, screaming like last time.
I head Karin and turned around, she was behind me, she missed me pass by but when she looked around she saw me she must have pushed and shoved and elbowed her way to run up to where we were. Ok it was probably only a couple of feet, but then to elbow her way to the front! All I can think is that woman has had training in the art of 'Shopping in the Sales for Bargin shoes' (she likes her shoes!) I went over to her and gave her a very big sweaty hug! Peter, her boyfriend was standing next to her, obvisouly seen a new side to her the 'whole I am getting to the front' scene that he has just witnessed! It was fabulous to see them. After say goodbye to them we carried on, with our eyes peeled on the lookout for Paulas family. I do hope we haven't missed them.
I am sure it was along this bit that a blond hair woman shouted out "Come on Paula and Donna" I thought that Paula knew her as she said "Oh hi!" and she gave a big wave. But apparently she is from one of those programmes on the telly, Made in Chelsea or was it the other one TOWIE, I have no idea! But that was quite fun,
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| See, tears of joy! |
We soon got to the half way sign. The camera came out again, it was Paula's camera that kept coming out, mine was in my jacket pocket witch was tied around my waist! Such a palaver to get it out, but at least we will be able to swap pictures through the power of media, and smart phone apps! Lots of selfies later and then Paula found out that her family will be somewhere between mile 13 and 14! We kept an eye out, and ear out for them.
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| Half Way! |
She looked around and couldn't see them, "I hope I haven't missed them" she said. The phone came out again to give them a call! Now she knew exactly where they would be! Just a little bit further up the road she saw them! A big sign was being held by her son, and her husband was there, mum, mum in law and dad in law! The smile on her face I think went from ear to ear! I should have got my phone out to capture it, but I just couldn't find the zip of the pocket! But they were all taking pictures anyway. Her mum gave me a huge hug too! She was thanking me for running along with Paula, but we were really helping each other! After she said her good byes we were off again, on a very emotional high!
We kept trying to keep our muscles from seizing up with some stretches, but I had never seen this stretch before, it looked like she was about to do a ballet dance! I was glad I had my camera out as she didn't even realise I had taken them!
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| All set for the Royal Ballet! |
Running down this bit, I think, was also a very emotional moment for a different reason. It is why probably, some of the runners are here, raising money to fund research into diseases and disorders such as we saw a very young boy standing with his mum, who had obviously some sort of disorder, and he was out there cheering along all the runners. It was such a lovely, poignant moment, and just makes you think just how fortunate you are. And like all parents who have trouble free pregnancies and births, and raised children into responsible adults, I thanked God for that. There but for the Grace of God.
We ran along just quietly in our thoughts, Paula, not being able to stop the tears from falling. We were heading for the Docklands now, the doldrums! Going around here were not too many spectators, and going through the tunnels, there were no spectators! The loo stop was here, and of course by now there were well used! You just don't know if the next one will be worse than the one your are in!
From this point on, the things I write about may not be in the correct chronological order! We were both tired and our muscles were hurting. I think from this moment or it could have been back further, we saw the 'This course is now closing, beware of vehicle' on top of a car. The sweep up bus was behind that! That was the most demoralising part of our run! They had overtaken us while we were having our 'potty stop'!
We ran as fast as our sore legs could take us, in silence, feeling really deflated! I really couldn't remember that happening back in 2013! I can't remember any vehicles on the road when I ran it last time. Paula checked her Garmin and the pacing strip she had and according to the that we looked to be on for a 6:30 finish! How come this bus is here now!? Especially as runners have 8 hours in which to receive their medal when they finish! We were very quite as we ran along, and then we saw the coach!
We kind of sprinted to get in front of it! As it was doing a right turn we managed to get in front of it and put some distance between it and us! That bus or at least the car with that darn sign haunted us for the rest of the way! I can't remember when we first spotted this darn car, but from here on end it really put a dampen on things! We just knew we had to keep in front of it!
I think it was after we started coming back on ourselves that we saw Michelle and Denise again. I can't believe they were still there. Although the weather was just perfect for running, the spectators may be finding it a bit chilly! But it was fantastic to see them. After the 'whole end of the race' car behind us I was really needing a boost, and I know Paula was too.
Another great moment somewhere along our marathon journey, which could have been after we saw the girls, we heard another one of the fantastic bands. Bands were playing all over London, drums, steel bands and this one, a rock band. They were playing some brilliant rock tunes and I couldn't help but feel lifted by them. The 'air guitar' came out as I approached the band, actually before we got there! "Come on Paula, get that guitar out" I said. I stopped running for a few minutes to listen and to dance to the band! Totally delusional now, because I thought I was really rocking it out there!
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| Rocking out to the band! |
I ran for a little longer and then the emotions got to me and I cried a bit. Just then, when I need to see someone, Brian (snail) was there with his two sons, James and Johnathan and his mum Helen! I am not sure if I was crying or laughing when I hugged them all. I introduced Paula to them all, and Brian took some brilliant pictures, take a look!
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| Tears stopped in their tracks |
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| Helen walking with me! |
Well, that was such a well needed and well timed boost for me especially when Helen ran a little way with me. I caught up with Paula, she had started running as I was saying goodbye, and we both felt pretty good. I am sure along this road we saw Paula's family again. Paula was thrilled to see them. Mile 22 is quite an emotional point! This is where you just dig deep and hope the crowd keep you going.
I had noticed that the crowds, although were still pretty big, they were not as big as 2013. I guess the weather has a lot to do with how long people stand around watching. I was looking ahead and thinking, I still have just over a Parkrun to do! Paula kept saying "Just a Parkrun, come on we can do this, pain is temporary but pride is forever" She had heard that before we started and it kept us in good stead.
A little further on and I saw someone coming out of the crowd with arms opened. It took me a while to realise it was my sister Bims! I looked over at the direction she came and I could see my husband there, The Old Boy! I was so pleased, he said he may not have made it as he had work to do! So it really was a lovely surprise! He took some great pictures of me and Paula! As I was chatting to my daughter via Facetime Paula noticed the car coming up! "Come on Donna, that car is here"
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| My sister walking with us |
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| Alan and me! |
I said good bye to them and carried on, I walked and jogged for a few steps, and walked some more for about 2 miles with Paula! But I was really suffering, my knee kept giving way, and I normally you just ignore it, but with two very tired legs it almost had me on my arse! But I was not going to give up!
The bus was breathing down our necks, I told Paula that she should just go, get as far as she could, because I just couldn't go any faster than what I was doing at that time. She started to ran a little fast, looking back to me, beckoning me to come to her. But I just told her to run, "I will see you at the end" I said. I watched as she got further away.
I struggled on now, alone. Tears came and went, anger came and went! I was annoyed at myself for not keeping up with Paula, "Pain is temporary, pride is forever" was the words coming back to me. Big Ben was right in front of me. Not far at all to go! The crowds here do seem to scream the loudest, is it because they know you really need it?
I was hobbling along half running half walking, the 800 meters marker was just up ahead! I couldn't believe it, no longer was miles, we had flipped over to meters! Runners and spectators were calling now, "come on not far, just around the corner" and it was. How I loved turning that corner. I decided I needed to run over the mat this time. My half walking/running turned into a little jog and skip as I approached the finish tunnel. A lady in a yellow running jacket was next to me, she held out her hand as we both ran for those finish mats, #handinhand over the mats!
I hobbled through the fence to collect my medal and then looked for Paula. I saw her in the queue for the official marathon finishers photo! We hugged each other, its a very emotional run, and there is a lot hugging involved! And then we set about getting our photos done together. the selfies with the flags, the marshal taking our photo. After we headed off to find our bags.
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| Our bags were here! |
The first time I did this my bag was still on the lorry, and don't forget, I had finished in 7 hours 3 minutes, but this time my bag had been turfed off the lorry, the lorries had all be done up again and were ready for the off! The goodie bags were all gone, but the contents were there, handed to us, tee-shirts, chocolate, sweeties and water! It felt like a game of CrackerJack! (now I am really showing my age!) This really was a pressurised run! At least the mats were still there to record our time!
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| But we did it! We beat the bus, We beat the car, we beat the clean up crew Just! |
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| Cheers everyone! Thank you all for you support!! |
The day after the run, these arrived for me, because my daughter Catherine couldn't be at the run, physically, but we did Facetime at mile 22, she sent me these, saying how proud she is of me! It bought me tears! Love that little girl!
Geeky stats.
Most of the photos are from Paula, some are from Michelle and Hannah, and some are from my family! I think I may even have added some of my own! Brian Page's photo is up the top!
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