As with my Brighton blog ... I'm not going to write a mile by mile account of what happened but neither am I going to chunk it up and tell you about the roller coaster of emotions that I went through on my 26.2 mile journey through the streets of London with 38,000 other runners because quite simply ... there was was no such roller coaster. There was no down time, no emotional struggle and most importantly (and much to my relief ...) there was no wall!!!!!
That's not to say I found it easy, 26.2 miles is still a very long way even if you are feeling happy, but running a positive run certainly makes for a more enjoyable experience.
After the nightmare of Brighton 2 weeks prior to London, my prep for this event started much earlier than usual. Calorie intake was upped from the Monday before, discussions with Mr Osteo happened on an almost daily basis, nutritional advice was sought from numerous sources and I gave myself some serious lectures on positive mental attitude and how London was NOT going to be a repeat of Brighton! Time targets, peer pressure and self expectation went out the window and all that was left on my list of aims was to run every step and enjoy it from start to finish!
I kept wondering when the nerves would kick in and I would be lying if I said they didn't feature in my pre-marathon week but they really weren't as bad as I was expecting. I spent the week seeing pictures of people proudly holding their running numbers at ExCeL but it still didn't feel very real to me and I've no doubt that probably helped me to stay calm. Denial is clearly the way to.
I wasn't able to get to ExCeL to collect my own running number until the day before the event which felt really late to me but looking back, this probably helped to keep the reality of the event at bay. The added bonus of not collecting your number until the day before is that it's so ridiculously busy you just want to get in and out as quickly as possible and so you avoid the nerves, excitement and hype of the other runners. I stayed just long enough to meet and chat to some facebook friends, catch up with the very lovely (and ever patient) Gavin from Breakthrough Breast Cancer (my chosen charity) and to listen to Martin Yelling's annual motivational, hilarious, uplifting and honest talk (whilst I ate my own body weight in rice cakes) and then I left.
The evening before felt as calm as the week leading up to the marathon but I could feel the emotions bubbling under the surface ... bursting into tears because you have to say goodbye to your dog (who was going for a sleepover) is always a sure sign that heightened emotions are not too far away but I still felt in control of what I was about to do and that gave me a real boost.
Mr McB took me for a glass of wine (it's ok, it's tradition) ... we ate dinner and we went to bed where I had a surprisingly peaceful night's sleep!!!
Then it arrived ... the morning of the London Marathon. I got up, got dressed, drank tea, ate toast (don't worry, that's not all I had!!) and then we were on our way to Stansted, to get course 2 of my pre-marathon breakfast: a sausage and egg McMuffin and a hash brown washed down with coconut water!!! I very much doubt it was what Paula Radcliffe was eating/drinking at that moment in time but it seemed to be working for me!!
Once parked at Stratford, everything seemed to speed up ... almost like somebody had pressed the x2 button on the remote. Trains were caught, more friends were found, hugs were given, legs/hands were written on, goodbyes were said, tears fell, toes were taped, bags were stored, portaloos were visited (as were female urinals but that experience is a whole other blog in itself!!!!) and then I was on the start line of the 2015 London marathon ... my 9th London ... the one I WAS going to run ... the WHOLE way!!!!!
My first worry was my foot and although there was some foot pain, it was nothing like the pain I experienced 2 weeks before so I instantly relaxed and allowed myself a smile. I also warmed up pretty quickly; a double layer of plastic sheeting is good for that, so I tore one of the layers off and kept smiling. Soon enough, the second layer of plastic came off, as did the socks that I had put on my hands, and I was running a very safe, very comfortable, very enjoyable pace ... and yes, I was still smiling!
I got through mile 3 (where the 3 different start zones merge) without any issues and then headed on to mile 6 ... where I launched myself at my boss and his wife for a very happy and possibly slightly sweaty hug!! Sorry Mr/Mrs Jones!!
On past mile 7, 8, 9 ... with a a quick stop to put the world's biggest dollop of Vaseline on my left foot to ease the pain of a growing blister, but even this didn't stop the smile!!!
Hmmmmmm, it seems I am giving you a mile by mile account after all, apologies!! Stick with it though, it has a very happy ending!!!
My next focus was to get to mile 13 ... not because it was the half way point that most marathon runners focus on, but because that's where my parents were with my first bag of food. I have come to realise that I do not store energy all that well so I had asked my family for goody bags at crucial points on the run and once over Tower Bridge (always a highlight and ALWAYS tear jerker) I was able to top up my energy stores with half a banana, a few jelly babies and a bite of a cereal bar ... and a hug!!!
Next target (and next bag) ... mile 15!! Here I had a few mouthfuls of ready salted crisps (thanks for that suggestion Mike) ... a couple of bites of a sausage roll and a gulp or two of coke!!!
Next target ... Mile 17!!!
There was no food (or loved ones) here but it's where I stopped running/started walking in 1998 and 1999 and I was determined to get beyond this point ... and I did!! I'm not sure I have ever smiled a smile that was bigger than the smile that I smiled when I ran under those balloons at mile 17. It was beginning to hurt now but I was also starting to believe I could actually do the whole distance so the smile continued. The other boost that comes to getting to mile 17 is that you only have 9 miles to go ... single figures ... less than 2 hands worth of fingers and thumbs!! From here on in I was counting down, not up!! I had this!!!!
Mile 20 ... still running ... still smiling ... still doing this!! 6 miles to go ... 10k ... 2 parkruns ... I got this!!!
Getting back the Tower is always a bit of a tough section of this iconic marathon and I really started to feel it. My legs were heavy, the blister on my toe was now making me limp and I knew I was getting slower (even though I hadn't looked at my Garmin for the entire run). BUT, I was still feeling positive and could deal with the discomfort for a little bit longer ... less that an hour, that's all I had left. Then ... POP!!! The blister on my toe was a blister no more, the pain had doubled and I actually yelped! Raw skin was now being exposed to my socks and I was in agony!!!! Cue Caroline to come into my thoughts. More specifically, Caroline and all treatment she had to have, the hours and hours of attempts to get needles into her useless veins and the pain she went through every time thought about what was going to happen to her. Suddenly my toe seemed very insignificant!!
Smile back in place .. on I went!
Next target ... mile 24 and food bag (and hug) no.3! I couldn't face eating anything here but I did have some big gulps coke. Knowing that I usually have a bit of a 'wobble' when I cross a finish line (dizziness, sickness blah blah blah) these gulps of sugar were all about ensuring that I stayed 'with it' long enough to find Chris at the end!
Mum was grinning as much as I was and my dad, well, my dad looked as proud as punch!! Never one to go overboard with emotions, he simply put his hand on the back of my neck, looked me in the eye and calmly said "you are looking great, keep going" I nearly lost it there and then but took a deep breath and got back to it ... I'd see him for a proper hug in less that half an hour!!!
Big Ben ... Birdcage Walk ... A quick shout of "I'M GONNA DO IT" to Chris (whilst leaping over someone who collapsed right in front of me) then up to Buckingham Palace ... Turn the corner and there it was .. the finish gantry of the Virgin London Marathon 2015 and I was still running!!!
On to that famous red tarmac and I had done it ... I had finally run the London Marathon!! Something I had said I would do when I watched the very first one 35 years ago. Something I had attempted to do (but failed) twice. Something that always seemed so impossible for me to even consider ... but I guess nothing is ever really impossible and dreams are there to be realised!!!
I had played it safe and run a very sensible run. I had stayed focused and controlled from mile 1 to mile 26. I was even focused and controlled whilst collecting my medal and bag at the end and didn't even lose it whilst being wrapped in foil by the most wonderfully warm-hearted volunteer or when I met up with Chris at the runner's exit.
I may have had a bit of a moment when I saw my dad and he calmly looked at me again and said "You looked amazing" before giving me the biggest and tightest of hugs ... but I kinda knew that would happen so that's allowed ... right??!?!!?!!
I had done it ... I had done what I set out to do ... I ran London and if I never get to do London again, I will die happy!! Having said that, I absolutely will be applying again and I will be disappointed when I get my rejection magazine but the memories from the 2015 London Marathon will stay with me (and make me grin like a loon) forever!!
So that's it ... I am drawing a line under London now and my focus is now shifting to event #4 ... which is worrying me a little as I can't run at all at the moment thanks to a bit of a problem with my right Achilles! It's gonna be interesting to see if this year's challenge actually gets beyond event #3!!!
Watch this space!
And that's if for now, but if you want more regular updates, please take a look at www.fb.com/AnotherUltraCrazyYear as I post there very regularly. If blog reading is more your thing ... I will see you at the end of #4!!
If you feel the urge to support this latest Ultra-Crazy challenge with a donation .. please head to www.justgiving.com/McUltra-Crazy/ and give what you can. Thank you so much
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