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The biggest and best street party ever.......
Apr2720098:48 p.m.
Up at 5.15, green tea, oatcakes and honey and half a banana. Bowels in full lockdown mode – worrying. Husband drove into London. Exactly 26.2 miles from our house to The Dorchester. Left the house at 6.40 got to Trafalgar Sq at 7.15.
Felt strangely calm, I’m hyper before 10ks, must have been the chillout music on my iPlod. Squeezed on the train at 7.30am from Charing Cross it was full already.
Blackheath was beautiful in the morning light but when I saw the start I thought Oh f***!
I was way back in pen 9, held back hoping it would thin out by the time I got to the start so that I could actually go faster than walking, which it did. Crossed the start at 9.59. For the first mile high fived as many children as possible – they’re so adorable got a bit emotional. Passed Mr Stay Puft (he's at the end of the clip) at about mile 1, saw him again at Tower Bridge when I was just over 22 miles and he was coming up to 13.
Dodgy bowel feeling at about 10 miles, my pace started to slip, tried to ignore it but no good, queued for a loo but was taking for ever decided to keep going then about 15 miles more loos with short queues, very relieved! Very sore legs – was it the heat? Decided not to worry about the pace and just enjoy.
Got a real boost from: high fiving people along the route, the Sparks charity cheer points, friends and random people shouting out my name. 4 bottles of lucozade, three of water, two gels and two cola/caffeine ride shots – what does that stuff do to your insides?
It was the biggest and best street party ever, revellers spilling out of pubs, rock bands, steel drums, music blaring, mic’d up DJs calling out our names, BBQs smoking, every creed and colour in party mood under the sparkling sun. Still on track for under 5 at the half way point - 2hrs 17mins. The heat and the hills (ok, short inclines) got to me. Ran with a bit of walking miles 19 – 25 then ran the final 1.2 to the finish.
The roar of the crowd was amazing. 5hrs 7mins, not the under 5 I hoped for but close enough. Garmin said 26.62 miles, hit 26.2 at 5hrs 3mins – adjust for the loo break, high-fiving too much, running back to hug a friend........
Thought I would be emotional at the end but just enormously relieved, I’d done it and I swore never again! 5 hours later changed my mind and persuaded husband to join me and enter the ballot Monday morning.
Thanks to Sparks who provided showers, a painfully good sports massage and hot food at the post-race reception.
What did I learn? Pain really is temporary, positive attitude will get you through. The best bits - High fiving, people shouting my name, the start, the middle and the finish.
Hope you all had the best day ever.
Previous Posts
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Apr23200912:16 p.m.
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Apr2220093:43 p.m.
Expo....
What a gorgeous sunny day! Got to the expo just as it opened - almost went to the wrong event - there's a human resources type thing going on at the same... -
Apr21200911:43 a.m.
The coffee muscle....
Finally found out where the hip pain is coming from. It's the top of my tensor fasciae latae - try ordering that in Starbucks - this is a really easy... -
Apr1920098:35 p.m.
2004
Husband ran a very wet London in 2004. Been watching the video tape I made of it - still can't spot him, got an hour's worth of tape left to watch. ... -
Apr1820092:22 p.m.
Comments (22)
vickibombicki 'a lovely story :) i laughed at that costume trying to get under the banner!! dont forget to change to vlm blogs chuck! x' added 27th Apr 2009
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Bupa 'Hazel, great report, great effort, and sooo glad you enjoyed it, see you soon at another race then ???' added 27th Apr 2009
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mel_watson 'Great story, loved the bit where costume was trying to get under the banner. A BIG well done, the heat got to all of us' added 27th Apr 2009
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HellenH 'Well done haz-lovely post and wasn't it a fab day!! Excellent :-)' added 27th Apr 2009
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Keith_L 'Brilliant - You are a marathon runner - no one can ever take that away from you now The guys at Sparks are great arent they - can still remember the massage from last year. Well done and enjoy the rest' added 27th Apr 2009
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kraftykat 'Great post! Great run! Great run! so pleased you had such a wonderful day and enjoyed the whole thing. MAssive CONGRATULATIONS. Well done!' added 27th Apr 2009
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Nick 'Well done on making it to that finish line. And a great report as well!' added 27th Apr 2009
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simonedumergue 'Nicely summed up - it really was the best street party ever wasn't it! A huge congrats to you. Well done!' added 28th Apr 2009
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Baywatch 'Well done! Sounds like the dizziness at the end disappeared quite quickly. Great to have met you and hubby - albeit very briefly!' added 28th Apr 2009
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sarahllaw 'Good blog there and well done on running it. You’re a marathon runner now!! Big question is will it be the first of many more or is it definitely your last? You know there be that little voice saying you can do it again. We all have it as runners! Well done again.' added 28th Apr 2009
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kizzi10000 'Fantastic Hazel! Big well done to you. Hope you're feeling ok today. Were you lucky to manage to get on the site? Can't wait to gte back there after reading all the stories :)' added 28th Apr 2009
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sally41 'A massive well done Hazel - brilliant ! The atmosphere is overwhelming isnt it?' added 28th Apr 2009
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stacyw 'those showers were amazing weren't they! bless them!' added 28th Apr 2009
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Gazz1971 'Sorry I missed you at Sparks, well done though' added 28th Apr 2009
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Way_Too_Slow 'It was a fantastic day wasn't it, and you soon forget the bad bits (I've been told it's a bit like childbirth in that respect!). The time doesn't really matter, crossing that line and getting that medal, no one can take that from you! Welldone, be proud of yourself' added 28th Apr 2009
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janisbrown 'Well done Hazel - that was fantastic. I'm glad I'm not the only one who said "my one and only attempt at a marathon" only to enter again!!! Have at last managed to get into the ballot for 2010 so fingers crossed - hopefully we will both get in and get the chance to meet up next year. Well done and enjoy the rest this week' added 28th Apr 2009
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peterb 'Well done , we were quite close there , must have missed each other by secounds .' added 28th Apr 2009
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crooxi 'Congratulations! Great report too. I remember that 'never again' feeling............. it's very temporary! I'm sure you'll be back for more.' added 28th Apr 2009
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shazzer 'It certainly was the biggest and best street party ever. Massive well done!' added 29th Apr 2009
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daza_smiffy 'great blog well done see you next year?' added 30th Apr 2009
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JSIMMONDS 'Great post - brought it all back again! Very brave to enter again, although you are right - one amazing day! Jon' added 1st May 2009
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Vlad 'Well done!!!! It was an amazing day and I'm glad you're doing it again next year. I'm sure you'll beat that 5h without even trying too hard ;)' added 4th May 2009
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