25th London Marathon 2005

Well done to all the runners from Stowmarket Striders running club. Colin Pitts came home first for the Striders with the added acclaim of being the 42nd Male vet 40 finisher. Richard Fellingham for having run 2 Marathons in 8 days, the first being the Paris Marathon the week before. Also to Denise Naughton for being the only Strider to run a faster 30-40k split quicker than their 20-30k split. Well done everyone.

Results

Name	Cat.	Overall Position	Gender Finish	Age Group	10k Split	20k Split	1/2M Split	30k Split	40k Split	Finish Time
Colin Pitts	M40	254	231	42	00:36:13	01:12:50	01:16:47	01:49:52	02:32:51	02:42:43
Nick Stephens	M40	478	449	123	00:38:41	01:16:52	01:21:03	01:56:28	02:39:52	02:49:28
Richard Denwood	M30	1081	1018	459	00:39:51	01:20:50	01:25:15	02:02:28	02:50:19	02:59:32
Carole Prance	W40	5818	693	198	00:48:38	01:38:14	01:43:39	02:30:22	03:27:17	03:39:31
Les King	M40	11307	9423	2966	00:55:07	01:51:01	01:57:34	02:49:40	03:55:32	04:07:58
Les Basham	M50	12080	10008	1108	00:58:17	01:55:56	02:02:12	02:55:01	03:57:37	04:10:58
Alan Wells (Elvis)	M40	14588	11955	3672	00:55:09	01:51:04	01:57:36	02:50:03	03:59:55	04:15:57
Richard Fellingham	M50	15060	12218	1346	00:55:17	01:50:19	01:56:36	02:50:12	04:05:05	04:21:59
Maria Van der Merwe	W40	15472	2952	764	00:59:08	02:01:29	02:08:03	03:02:55	04:09:16	04:23:32
Su Browne	W45	20085	6062	564	01:02:45	02:08:03	02:15:10	03:21:07	04:42:43	04:56:57
Rosemary Thurston	W50	24098	5842	411	01:08:05	02:18:17	02:25:44	03:28:25	04:41:53	04:58:11
Jane Dolan	W40	26400	6490	1621	00:59:05	02:02:19	02:09:12	03:19:43	04:47:56	05:04:03
Jim King	M60	25335	19033	482	00:58:18	01:55:57	02:03:13	03:16:47	04:47:12	05:04:34
Denise Naughton	W30	26174	6620	2476	01:03:02	02:11:50	02:19:16	03:33:44	04:53:38	05:09:33
Joe Naughton	M40	29154	21314	6110	01:06:39	02:24:05	02:33:16	03:43:43	05:11:30	05:30:40
Russel De Beer	M20	29508	21526	4255	01:07:10	02:23:30	02:32:29	03:49:44	05:17:21	05:34:02
Julia Smith	W20	29880	8133	2387	01:12:42	02:30:00	02:38:27	03:51:01	05:20:28	05:37:43
Michael Saville	M40	32380	20018	6522	01:06:17	02:29:26	02:39:28	04:08:29	05:53:46	06:13:04
Sue Friend	W50	34498	10157	561	01:31:15	03:04:28	03:15:17	04:42:20	06:22:17	06:42:33

For those interested in split time - here you go.

Race Reports

Where's Joe...?

I would like to start by saying a big thank you for allowing me to have a club place. My dreams came true that afternoon Richard phoned me and offered me a place.

The weeks leading up to the marathon were going really well. In fact the best training I'd ever done for a marathon. No injuries, no illness and some pleasing results. With two 20 mile runs under my belt and feeling good afterwards I thought I was well on the way to a PB this year.

Then with one week to go everything went wrong. I came down with a virus, high temperature and a rash. For someone who doesn't do illness I tried to rest as best as possible. The Monday night before the big day I was in hospital and then on the Thursday I fainted. I thought my dream of completing the Marathon on the Sunday was not to be and people kept telling me I'd be mad to do it! By Saturday I felt a bit better so mad or not I thought I'd have a go. If I was taken ill then I'd be able to see another A&E department and see if they operate any different to West Suffolk Hospital. So insuring plenty of fluids on board and kit bag packed I tried to have an early night. Ha, ha!

Awoke bright and early Sunday morning ready to go. Caught the bus at 5.40am and fell asleep on route. Awoke just outside London. Panic took over as I thought I'd missed the stop, where I had planned to have a coffee, toilet stop and eat my porridge. The driver did not realise we were stopping so I proceeded to eat my congealed porridge out of my flask. Yum, yum! Arriving at Blackheath (think we were the first ones there!) we got off the bus and I waved goodbye to my boys. Will I ever see them again, tears came to my eyes waving good buy to everyone. Am I totally mad I thought. Anyway coffee time, the other runners, Batman, Elvis and myself headed for the coffee tent and prepared ourselves. Wooly hat, gloves, long trousers, sweatshirt all at the ready but not needed as beautiful day. Did I bring the sun tan lotion or sun hat? Don't be silly!

Time soon passed by with nerves kicking in, and not long after arriving I was on the start line. I had lost Joe (Batman) by now, think he'd gone off to the loo again. Taking ten minutes to cross the start line I eventually started a slow run. Soon arrived at Cutty Sark feeling great. With the odd Oggy oggy oggy to keep me going. Just got over Tower Bridge and there stood Anne, Jane and some other Striders, a bit further on I saw Linda and round the corner stood my three boys cheering 'come on Mum', how lovely to see them all. I continued to feel great till 15 miles with the terrific crowds and other runners to keep you going the atmosphere was awesome. Oh how glad I was running I thought. Then just before 16 miles I felt awful. I felt faint no energy and kept going dizzy. Oh my god what have I done? Why did I not listen to other people? Must keep going I told myself so the next 11 miles it was walk, jog and so on. Taking in the sights of London on the way. Eventually hitting the Embankment with Big Ben in sight more striders cheering me on oh how glad I was to see familiar faces and Linda with her jelly babies! Not far now I kept telling myself. Oh yes, Buckingham Palace nearly there, the finish clock in sight, so a sprint (well sprint for me) to the finish. I crossed the line in 5 hours 9 minutes received my medal and I felt overwhelmed tears sprang to my eyes again I've done it!

I then slowly proceeded to the meeting place, no Joe. Oh no I've taken so long they've all gone and left me. I decided to find a tree and fall down next to it. I phoned my son Ben and asked where Joe was. He's a good 20 minutes behind you was the reply. The day got better not only did I complete it I beat Joe. (Don't think he will ever live that down!)

Perhaps I was mad to do it but I enjoyed every minute even those miles I felt awful. But what made it worth every ache and pain was to be greeted by my youngest son Matthew, who ran up to me put his arms around me and said 'Mum I love you and I'm so proud of you.' those words will stay with me forever.

So one more big THANK YOU to the Striders who made that day possible for me. Here's to the next Marathon.

love Denise