My Marathon Quest by Suziewee

What a weekend!  The final leg of this adventure started at 6 am on Saturday morning.  The car was packed, the children rounded up, I checked I had everything for the umpteenth time and we were off, heading for London.

After all the merriment involved with organising this trip, a compromise was reached which meant my husband driving us all down to the edge of London where I would catch the tube to the Expo, while he took the children to his sister in Slough.  Then we would reconvene later on at my sister's in Richmond.  So I was dropped off at White City and I managed to get the right central train.  I then got off to catch the Jubilee line only to find it was closed so using my initiative I went a slightly different way and finally managed to reach my destination.  I really was anticipating queuing for hours for my number but I just walked straight up to the counter and got it straightaway!  I then had a little look round, managed not to spend any money, entered some competitions.  I grabbed a bite to eat and got back on the train and was back to my sister's house by 2pm, much earlier than expected.  I then spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing in her garden and meeting my new niece for the first time.  My husband arrived later with the children and they enjoyed running about the garden in the sun.  Now I had my number in my hand I was feeling much more relaxed.

We had a lovely dinner of pasta bake, cooked by my brother in law who ran London last year,  and strawberries for afters.  By 8pm we headed for the hotel which was the Travel Lodge at Kew Bridge.  The children were very excited about staying in a hotel.  My eldest announced it was the "most beautiful hotel she had ever seen".  Can you tell we don't stay in hotels very often?  The room was tiny and despite having told them how many of us there were I still had to make the beds up.  The girls were exhausted so we got them into bed and we followed not long after.  I couldn't sleep because the room was so hot so we opened the window and had to listen to a party going on.  Also with the children in the room we had to have the bathroom light on to prevent hysteria.  Even my earplugs didn't drown out the party and bathroom fan.  I dropped off eventually, only to be woken at 4.45am by my youngest having a nosebleed.  Once that was sorted not much more sleep was had by anyone.  We were up by 6 am and I went through my routine - a cup of coffee, bowl of muesli, water with bicarb in it.  A quick shower, dressed, number pinned, tag on shoe, a quick check of my bag and I was off to catch the bus to Richmond station.  As I came down to the foyer I just wanted to check which was the right bus stop for the station and a very lovely man from Winchester AC said I could share his taxi to Blackheath.  Then another runner came down and he came along too with his wife - luckily it was a big taxi!  The Winchester AC man (whose name I have forgotten) wouldn't take any money but just said to give it to my charity.  It was a reasonably relaxed way to get to the start, apart from a worry that the taxi driver was lost as he kept checking his A to Z and the fact I had overdone the hydration and was desperate for a wee!  In the end we walked up the hill to the start and luckily I managed to get to the loo.

After that I mosied over to the Lucozade stand where I met the very lovely Sue (Firefly) and we passed the pre-race nervous waiting together.  Planning what to drink, when to wee, when to part with our bags.  She very kindly gave me a bin liner when the rain started so I kept nice and dry.  After dropping off our bags I decided one more wee was necessary so we just about managed to get to the start on time!  (Despite my overactive bladder I must admit that the name Suziewee has nothing to do with that, but it does now seem rather appropriate!)

Sue was in pen 9, while I was in 8 so we parted with a big hug and lots of good luck wishes.  It took 10 minutes to get to the start, and then we were off.   The first ten miles were quite unremarkable in the fact you couldn't really tell you were in London, but the support was amazing.  I knew I was going much slower than planned, the first mile was 10:48 and then 10 m/m after that.  But I was really struggling with traffic problems, and hopped on and off the pavement a few times to get round people.  I passed another NCT runner and said hello, and we chatted for a bit.  He had injury problems and was running after a two month break.  He knew of me and said he was surprised I wasn't walking so I said a happy goodbye and left him to it!  I also ran into the back of someone running in butterfly wings and I just couldn't get past so in the end I ducked under them giving the runner a bump at the same time.  It wasn't until I saw the news that I realised it was Richard Branson - oops!  I also had the pleasure of running behind a naked bottom in a thong, a womble, numerous bananas and  a gingerbread man!  I also passed the Angel of the North, and was amused to see him later minus the arms - I wonder where they had gone?  Another runner dressed as a yellow bird with an enormous neck had a problem in one of the tunnels as his neck was just a bit too tall for it and kept getting stuck on the roof.  I think he had to duck considerably to get through which can't have been much fun poor chap!  I can't say I enjoyed running over the stickiness of the gel stations, that was a bit grim and dodging all the bottles was interesting too. 

When we turned onto Tower Bridge it was a surprise to suddenly see it, but such an amazing buzz.  That really perked me up.  In truth I was feeling pretty good, just frustrated with traffic and feeling like I was wasting energy weaving through people.  I completely missed Gunes at mile 13 and the Runners World Group at mile 17, in fact I missed those mile markers completely and was surprised to see mile 18.  I then needed a wee so stopped at the loos but couldn't bear to wait any longer and lose time so I nipped behind.  I lost about 3 minutes there.   By mile 19 I started to feel in a bad place, but I knew I could run 22 miles so after mile 21 I perked up again.  I did feel a bit sick on and off on the way round too, so much so that I couldn't face any more Lucozade sport or even my gels, although I did force myself to take them.  I stuck to water and had a routine of splashing each shoulder and both legs, then drinking the rest.  This definitely helped to keep me cool. The crowds were building and the support over those last miles were great.  I kept going, but I can't say I enjoyed the embankment very much, too long and straight.   Once the Mall was in sight I picked up and sprinted for the line - and it was done.  I suddenly felt a bit odd - that was it all over!  I was disappointed with the time (I had misread the clock I thought it read 4:43 when actually it read 4:34), just because I had felt so strong for most of the way, and had dodged a lot of runners.  But this feeling was short lived - I suddenly realised what I had just achieved - I had run a marathon!!  My official time is 4:24:19 and I am very pleased with that.

I met up with the NCT group for a chat and was reunited with my husband, children, sister and her husband and children.  My husband gave me the hugest hug, but then whispered to me that I had been beaten by a giant peanut!! Oh well, at least it wasnt a banana!  I couldn't sit down as I was in danger of not getting up again.  Eventually we wended our way back through the crowds to Waterloo and then back to Richmond for the tastiest beer I have ever had and then we were off home.  Getting out of the car at the other end was difficult.  A lovely hot bath and couple of glasses of wine and then bed.  For some reason I woke at 4 am with an uncontrollable urge to find my medal, just to be sure it all really happened!

So the quest is over, but I have a strange feeling I will be doing this all again.  I want to beat my time and I want to get that feeling again - it is just too amazing for words.  This is just the beginning.