Heart of the matter by Simon_Doyle

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.