One Marathon Task by cyberpixie

• The Finale

  Like on realbuzz.com

  0

  0

  ScrapbookShare

  Apr25201111:57 p.m.

  The day dawned early for me on Sunday 17th April 2011, my alarm rousing me from my slumbers at 5am. Goddam engineering works at the station near me meant I had to get up even earlier in order to get to a train station to get into central London. The sky was overcast, but the weather forecast said it would brighten up later. Oh goodie, I thought. A nice spring day. Hmm. 
  So...yeah. It was a hot day. A horribly hot day, really. I had spent my training going through ice and snow at the beginning of the year, I was not equipped for such things. I had a t-shirt on underneath my vest top which was discarded at around the 8 mile mark. Had I not done this, I suspect I would have come down with a brilliant case of heatstroke or something. 

  There is something reverential about how quiet people are in the holding park before it all really begins to get close to the start time. They had people talking over the tannoy system about why they were running. One father had lost his baby daughter a week before to cancer and when you hear stories like that, you begin to realise the enormity of what is about to take place. Why is running this distance so utterly special to people? It is such a personal challenge to so many people and such a focus for such a long period of time that it becomes this wall you alone can climb. Let's face it, you can talk about running a marathon all you want, but only you can get out there and do the training and push yourself to complete it. And those training runs aren't all going to be slow motion smiley-affairs, running through buttercup fields. No. Those are the runs which help, but pushing through the painful ones, the ones where every step has been the biggest challenge to just keep going? Those really do prepare you - hell you can do it. You have been through worse when you were alone and thousands of people weren't cheering you along the route. 

  The worst bits for me were around 13 mile mark seeing the 22 milers going the other way. This emphasised just how slow I am (I really am) and made me annoyed I hadn't done more training, really. I did enough, but I think I scraped through with a bare minimum. ANYWAY. The other bad bits were around mile 22 (ironically) because I got a horrible stitch. But I kept going. You have to. I am no quitter and the photos of people on the back of running vests, the people cheering...goosebump territory. Enormous, massive event. Still can't quite get my head around it a week later.  

  The wave of other runners around you just pushes you forward. The crowd cheering your name yelling at you to keep going, keep running, you're almost there, you're almost there. The surreal - but oh so welcome - feeling of hitting 20 miles and knowing there is only 6 more miles to go. The aches that you just have to ignore. The high of seeing friends along the route yelling at you (a special mention to Katy G!) and the feeling of being part of something amazing. 
  Moments to remember...well, there are a few, but at points the miles just seemed to fly by, even though really I ran it very slowly. I am in awe of anyone who ran in a costume (dear GOD). 
  I will always remember running through Canary Wharf. The glare of the sun disappearing as the towers raised themselves above you. The cool air in the City was so welcome. 

  I felt myself carried by a wave of energy after mile 23. The crowds by the Tower of London and then along down towards the St. Paul's area. I felt like I could do it, 3 miles? Yeah. Hell yeah. 

  The final few miles along the Embankment. Seeing the Houses of Parliament rising in the distance, peeking above the bridges. Not long, almost there, you're ALMOST THERE. Spectator after spectator telling you this keeps you going. And then...you have to turn right. And there before you are crowds of people lining the sides of Birdcage Walk. And you see 800m to go. And it hits you. The last few hours....a blur. 

  So, I have a medal. I have a 5 hour 41 marathon time and I still can't quite get my head around how I did it. The last few months of training has disappeared into a quiet blur in my head and the difficulties I felt seem to have dissipated, because I succeeded at this task. And now I want to do another one. 

  Truth is, I loved it. Oh god there were times I was wondering what the hell I was doing. I ran a long way and my legs ached and I was so exhausted, but my god - nothing prepares you for how good it feels to get past that finish line. Of course I cried, who wouldn't? 

  As personal journeys go, training for and running a marathon is pretty much up there. I will admit I prefer half-marathon distances, but I would like a sub-5 marathon. I am not quick, but I would like to at least try...

  So there you go. Thanks for following this little blog. A new one will begin in earnest soon - I am training for a 10k in mid-May and then I am going to find some half-marathons to work towards...and so it goes on. 

  It's been...one hell of an experience. And I will never forget it. 

  CP xxx

  834 post views

  Comments (4)

  • gravygraham 'Brilliant - so you're hooked on London as well eh? Better get your 2012 entry in v soon.' added 26th Apr 2011

    Report as inappropriate

  • onthefloor04 'You know this year i've not really had the chance to read peoples reports and yours is reLLY THE first one i've read and its made me well up with my own experiences and recognising exactly what you mean along that route, you've done really well, congratulations and welcome to the marathon club' added 26th Apr 2011

    Report as inappropriate

  • Nick 'Well done on making it across that finish line! I'm glad it was such a memorable experience for you. Maybe we'll see you back next year?' added 26th Apr 2011

    Report as inappropriate

  • Katy83 'YES YES YES! And now you have the pleasure of me to run with (todays never happened, sodding hired help turning up late)... trainers are out ready for me in the morning, podcast has been uploaded, sports bra located, route mapped.. albeit a little one! Gotta start somewhere though haven't I! Like I said on the day (mile 22!!) YOU ARE AMAZING! Had goosebumps reading this... no tears this time, I'm all cried out from watching 'Remember Me' earlier but I should imagine there will be some more tears as I go on.. big love to you CP xxxx' added 28th Apr 2011

    Report as inappropriate

  Please login to comment
  
  

Previous Posts