London Marathon

The sign creaked as it swung in the gusting wind and driving rain. No, not a scene from Jamaica Inn but Needham Station Car Park at 6 a.m. on the 18^th April. Did I really want to catch the Striders coach and attempt my 5^th London marathon? I’d only slept fitfully since 2:30 and, almost certainly like my fellow masochists, was worrying about whether my knees or shins had suffered so much in training that they wouldn’t last the final 26 miles.

After some confusion about an excess number of passengers on the bus (would anyone really stow away?) we were on our way and there was no opting out. Thurrock Services gave us the chance to meet up with coach 1 and by then the rain had eased. The coach dropped us conveniently at Greenwich Park (at least for the Blue Start) and the countdown reached 90 minutes. The priority was to find somewhere to shelter from the wind and drizzle and a cup of PG Tips drunk in an aroma of Vaseline and muscle rub wasn’t part of the pre-race plan but was very welcome.

The minutes ticked away and we were off, jettisoning old sweatshirts and bin liners as we went. The atmosphere was good-natured and the early crowds encouraging. This is the time when you can get carried away and I forced myself to keep to the schedule. This would have been simpler if I’d pressed the lap marker on my stopwatch at the second mile point instead of the stop button. I didn’t realise until mile three and spent the rest of the race struggling to add 8:30 to the elapsed time shown.

The Cutty Sark is always a welcome landmark (about 25% of the distance) and I started looking for supporters. It really does help to be cheered on and Richard, Ann and Denise made their presence felt. The next few miles were uneventful (so much so that I didn’t even notice the girders of the Dome). I was a little disappointed to find that Ray with his toolbox (I shan’t go into details) and also the telephone box were keeping up with me, but I’ve got used to being passed by Wombles and all manner of animals over the years and enjoyed the shouts of the crowd as they responded to these amazing runners.

Tower Bridge with its big crowds and the first tranche of photographers seemed to arrive in no time with the welcome prospect of greeting the main Striders support contingent a little round the bend – no, Linda, I don’t mean you.

Then the halfway mark and the opportunity the see some of the elite men and women as the out and back routes passed side by side. No sign of former colleague David Miller who I’d seen at this stage on my previous run. I struggled with the arithmetic trying (unsuccessfully) to decide the significance of this on his time or mine, but I did see Jaffa’s Gail Pryke.

It was around this time that I started chatting to a one-armed Scot from Newcastle (yes, really) who was running at my pace, and the next few miles passed quickly and fairly pleasantly. By 19 miles I was struggling to keep up with him and the part of the route through the City became a struggle culminating in dropping down to a walk between miles 23 and 24. Perhaps foolishly I’d refused the Lucozade Sport earlier and where was it now that I needed it? Like all good children I’ve never taken sweets from strangers before, but now I was searching the spectators ahead for those who were offering gifts. I consumed a few jelly babies and wine gums and managed to get my aching legs moving again.

My son and daughter had set new records and given great encouragement by already spotting me in four different places. They were poised for a massive fifth rendezvous on Birdcage Walk but somehow I slipped past them unnoticed. (Perhaps they were distracted by Bob the lobster who finished just behind me.) This made them wonder if I’d dropped out and their relief was enormous when I finally made contact.

For me, crossing the line is a bag of mixed emotions. After all, as experienced runners we expect to finish really but it’s still a relief to do so. The processing at the finish is super efficient with timing chip removal, photo, goody bag and baggage handling all completed rapidly. This year it was a little too wet to sit around and I was glad to stagger away from the crowds back to the normal streets. Every café and pub seemed to be filling with runners and their supporters and we were lucky to find seats as the rain came on more heavily.

The crowds along the Embankment were almost non-existent as we waited for our coach and pitied those still passing us on the course with a couple of miles to go.

Thanks to supporters, Phil for arranging the coach, and club members for support and advice along the way.

Was I excited at this point, YES I WAS.

This was the first time I had seen my running buddy Sue and she sat with her daughter and was feeling very sick. She had found it hard to eat as I had and nerves were making her feel sick, she sat very still and surprisingly quiet. I sat with my husband Glenn and opposite Heidi and Tamara and chattered on and off, more on probably, well definitely!

I remembered we stopped at services before we hit London and was concentrating on timing my toilet stops this had to be the last BIG toilet if you get my drift. Wee wees and be done anytime anyplace anywhere but PORTALOOS don't go there! Mission completed! as we left the services I knew I had left so much behind but that felt good. Was I nervous? no I couldn't wait to get to Greenwich, all I could think of is lucky lucky me ,how many people get the opportunity to fulfill an ambition, and if all goes well I can fulfill my dream today. Was I excited YES YES YES!

The coach stopped ,it was time for the runners to get off the bus at Greenwich. Tamara and Heidi had also given me a beautiful card, I gave this to my mum for safe keeping and gathered together all that I needed, I hugged and kissed all my family and my mates and to the sound of good luck wishes left the bus. I was very upset at this point I suddenly felt very alone and the task ahead was beginning to seem so very real. I began to think about my Knees ,were they gonna get me round? could I really run 26 miles, as all these things went through my head the bus pulled away and I waved like made and couldn't stop crying ,I missed them all already. But as I wiped away my tears there stood Les Basham, Chris Gladwell, Sue ,Rachel and the Fellinghams and the Norton Posy so how could I feel alone.

As we crossed the Green all I kept Thinking was OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD. I could here Jamie Theakston on the loud speaker I could see masses of people I WAS SO SO SO SCARED BUT AT THE SAME TIME EXCITED. Les and I were on Red start but most of the others were on Blue so we got to a cross roads where we had to leave the others. I hugged Sue and Rachel and I really began to cry, Sue was always with me she and now suddenly she goes right and I go left. We said our good lucks and our goodbyes. As I turned away Les was there with his kind smile ,"lets go find the Red Start" he said I knew he would help me and he did. Les helped me find the lorry to leave my kit bag on and was so kind and sweet to me. We bumped into RNLI man Richard from Sriders and stood with him for a while he had orange hair to match his vest.

It was time to find our pens, Les was in 7 and me in 8. Les and I walked over and we then had a hug and wished each other luck and the rest is history! Now I was PROPER ON MY TODD BILLY NO MATES this was so unreal I was stood like an extra in Lord of the Rings, I had never ever been surrounded by so many people but I felt so lonely, and at this point to past the last few minutes I began to read peoples shirts and a lump came to my throat and I felt so emotional, but as I fought back the tears the mass in front of me began to move this was it I was on my way.

My Knees started aching from the start line and although I had covered them with Titanium I kept telling them they were not going to ruin this fantastic day. The next 26 miles was a carnival the weather was wet and cold but the crowds were warm and caring and supportive. People called your name ,gave you sweets, cheered and made you want to carry on however much it hurt. I ran for 21 miles solid and I couldn't believe my luck, and then I started to feel a bubble like sensation in my calf muscle, OH NO I had never felt this before so I began to power walk and this feeling went. I had seen my kids, mum & dad, Hubby, cousin, auntie & uncle, Miles and Family all on tower bridge so knew how they would be waiting to see me again about 23 miles. I Knew once I made it to 22 mile mark I would be going home with that medal, 23 came sooner than I thought and seeing my family again fired my legs back up into a run now all I had to do was the Embankment my legs were now heavy but as I power walked my stride became longer and my confidence grew. With only 200mtrs to the corner of the MALL I heard Joe, Denise, Ann, Richard, and a few other Striders what a feeling to see them all now I was chocked as my eyes filled with tears of joy I proceeded to RUN down the Mall it seemed like a lifetime and as I turned the corner I whispered to myself "there's the Finish Well done you!"

As reports go this is probably the longest in Strider History but a Billion words would not be enough to express how I felt. From start to finish I had a day that will live with me forever and a memory so precious to last me a life time, or 2005! Thnks to everyone who supported the dance ,all the support through training.

Stow Striders Is Such A great Club