Heart of the matter by Simon_Doyle

Post Virgin London Marathon I've pretty much signed myself up to the 'do-nothing-but-continue-to-eat-marathon-training-sized-portions-club.' I can count the number of runs I've done since the marathon and still have fingers to spare, so it's fair to say that Doyley has been a bad lazy boy... and no blog since May 11^th.

My last run was last Saturday when I managed a 4-mile run at the kind of pace that wouldn't have troubled a certain Sir Jimmy Saville if he was still running. It's pretty amazing how the months of training it takes to build up fitness can be lost in a matter of weeks. Clearly I'm not back to square one, after all a four mile run without stopping would have been unlikely when I first set out on the road to VLM 2010.

I suppose at the moment I need to set myself a goal rather than just waiting for the ballot results in October to kick-start me back into it, if I get a place of course. The World Cup and Wimbledon have been convenient excuses not run, and I'm sure my next excuse will be the painting in the bedrooms which is just screaming out to be done.

Some of you may recall how I kindly entered my girlfriend in the ballot as a 'surprise'. I guess if I can get her motivated then maybe she might return the favour and nag me into getting out there. Why is it I manage to do all my training through all the crap weather winter had to offer, but when the summer arrived I truly couldn't be arsed?

Hopefully, with the World Cup out of the way after Sunday I'll be able to knuckle down, maybe start following a 10K training plan, and get myself signed up to some races so that my collection of medals and T-shirts expands rather than my waistline.

Managed a few short outings over the last few weeks to try and get the legs moving again, but fair to say they still feel like lead post-VLM. Even running a couple of miles it feels like I'm starting all over again.

I'm hoping there is still fatigue in the legs and that is the reason for how crap I feel when running lately. I've read a few articles saying that you shouldn't run after a marathon for at least a month, but I'm not sure whether to take this too seriously. Think I might cross-train for a few weeks to try and keep the fitness at a decent level but allow the legs to recover.

Dismayed to see the prices for the official marathon photos as many of you have already commented. I can't really say I'm too bothered about buying them, but it's other family members that seem to want a picture of me struggling through the marathon. I'm sure I read somewhere that some of the proceeds do go to charity so maybe it not too bad after all.

I was even more dismayed the other evening to notice a few Virgin London Marathon finishers medals for sale on ebay. Why would you really want to run it and then sell your medal? I could understand people wanting to give it to a family member but to just sell it seems sooooo sad. How much would you have to be offered to part with your finishers medal?

Like many of you, I'll be waiting for the ballot results in October. I think no-one will be awaiting them more keenly than my girlfriend who I kindly entered into the ballot as a surprise! First she heard was the email notification saying 'you have been entered into the ballot for the Virgin London Marathon'. She told me she would rather have had flowers.

Now that the dust has settled and the quad muscles are no longer crying out "why oh why did you put us through that" it's time to reflect on my VLM experience and consider where I turn next.

Sunday was an amazing experience but not one filled with the jubilation I'd expected largely because of the grim cramp which set from mile 14 onwards as I explained in my previous post. People have been constantly been telling me it was a great achievement to finish especially give the injury problems I'd had all winter (thanks for some of your words of encouragement fellow bloggers), but the competitive being in me is never satisfied why I know you can do much better.

If I'd run Sunday's race, ended up knackered and then been beset by cramp, I'd accept that maybe I wasn't very well prepared and that I got what I deserved, but during the race I was never tired at any point (other than the last 500 or so yards). I was full of running BUT also full of cramp.

That is what is frustrating - you'd usually expect to beset with cramp when you are knackered, not when you are running freely and feeling great as I was at the half way point and beyond. When the cramp wasn't there I was running at least twice as fast as anyone else!

So what can I take from this year's experience? I got the opportunity to meet up with many of you this time round. It was a privilege to meet many of you at the realbuzzer's picnic in Hyde Park (how may of you can identigy yourselves in the pic below) and it was my immense honour to be greeted by a huge hug from the real legend that is Jamie B at the Expo. What a genuinely sound guy.



I found that London marathon crowds really are superb and deserve all the praise they get as much as the runners do. Without their support I really don't think I would have made it to the finish.

I discovered the real meaning of pain (I've never had cramp while running) and found that I had more inner strength than I thought previously. I also found that when someone is waiting for you near the finish you'll do everything you can to get to the bloody end.

Most of all, I learned that the London Marathon is undoubtedly the best running event around and that despite the mental scars I'll be looking to give it another go in 2011, as long as I get a place.

Some of you may have noticed I hadn't updated my blog for some time, largely because I had been hampered by a calf injury which put my participation in the race in doubt and I was feeling thoroughly fed up about it. I'm thankful though that I decided - after a three week enforced taper of no running whatsoever - to give it a go, and what an unbelievable experience it all proved to be.

Admittedly standing up at the Expo for three and a half days isn't ideal marathon preparation (some of you may have been lucky enough to comes across me at the Bupa London 10,000 stand) but on the day of the race I was feeling pretty good.

I'd managed to get along to meet up the a group of realbuzzers in Hyde Park the day before race day (thanks all for your hospitality). It was great to finally meet some of you who are proud to call yourself realbuzzers.

Sunday's race was unbelievable and exceeded my expectation - even if my time didn't! The sheer volume of people supporting was superb and the encouragement every step of the way was immense. I can still hear people in my head shouting "Come on Doyley".

The first half of the race went like a dream. I tagged onto the pace runner in the 10 min/mile group and felt great, especially considering I hadn't so much as put a step on the road for three weeks. I ran a large part of the way alongside a guy called John who had also been forced to lower his expectations due to injury.

I got to Tower Bridge and passed the British Heart Foundation cheering squad which included my beautiful girlfriend, who I decided just had to have a sweat drenched kiss from me as a passed by. So far so good... and then a mile on came the cramp.

At around mile 14 my quads started to cramp and in attempting to stretch it my hamstring also came out in sympathy and started to cramp. I thought quite simply I was screwed, but after the spasms of cramp manage to stretch the muscles out. Then what unfolded was 12 miles of pure hell. I'd manage to run for a few minutes and then the cramp would come on again. Time after time it was run, cramp, stretch, run and then I got to the point where I was doing something I'd vowed I wouldn't - I was having to walk.

It was such a strange sensation. I was actually full of energy but quite simply the cramp was affecting me badly. When I wasn't cramping I could run reasonably ok for a short while before I got hit with another attack of cramp, sometimes in the hamstring area and sometimes in the calf.

I'd fuelled well before the race and during it, taking on gels regularly (although it was a shocker to find out Lucozade had run out of them at mile 20/21). I ran the entire race with a bottle in my hand so clearly I wasn't dehydrated. I never at any point felt the sensation of hitting the wall like I had in training - the problem was this bloody cramp which I couldn't shake off.

Never at any point did I seriously consider dropping out. I could walk reasonably ok and my speed walking pace was actually faster than some runners! I lost count of the amount of times I had to stop and stretch, and I received a good rub down from the St John ambulance on my quad muscle which seemed to help. I even got a leg rub from an elderly spectator who seemed to enjoy it more than me.

Going through the 20 mile point was a bit soul destroying - still over 6 miles to go - but for sure it was the crowd that kept me going. I'd heard the spectators were superb, but they truly were. On finding no gels available, seemingly because Lucozade had run out, I resorted to grabbing everything that the crowd had. Cola bottles, jelly babies, jaffa cakes were consumed in those final agonisingly miles. I did see some realbuzzers and their banner which was a great boost though I'm not really sure what stage I was at when I passed them (perhaps they can shed some light on this? It may have been before the final six miles)

More stretching, more running, more walking, more cramp, and a toilet break. I was not going to give up. When a woman who must have been about 70 went past me I knew it was time to dig deep!

At the 25 mile point, I went to the side of the road and stretched those quads and hamstrings for the final time and from somewhere I suddenly felt great. I was literally full of energy and cramp free and managed to bound past hundreds of runners. I must have got carried away because by the time I'd got the few hundreds yards to go point I was absolutely spent and had to literally amble the final stretch. I must look a state on the official Marathon photo when it comes out.

Initially, there was no smile, no real celebration. Those final 12 mile racked with cramp had been hell. I think it was only when I got to Horseguards and the meet and great area that it started to sink in - I had done it - and there was one person there to great me who made me realise what I had achieved.

I know from my half marathon time what I could achieve if I could avoid those dreaded cramps (tips anybody? I'm sure Keith L will have some words of wisdom) plus getting less injury woes during training. For sure, I'll be aiming for another event and who knows London 2011 could be within my sights.

Here's my splits so you can see how well I was doing and how badly it all fell apart. At least I beat last year's champion (well he dropped out didn't he) and so did Gordon Ramsey.