London
Marathon by Sharon
I woke up at 5:40 with sunlight streaming in through velux
windows of my friends sitting room. My alarm was set for 6 so there was no
point trying to go back to sleep. After being relatively calm the night before
I was a shaking bag of nerves this morning. I felt better once I'd made some
porridge and forced it down my neck. I got dressed into my race kit and then
faffed about deciding how many gels and things I was going to need.
I left
the flat and in the 5 minutes it took to walk to the station 2 people including
a cabbie had wished me luck. Random Londoners were talking to me - this must be
a big deal! The guard on the gate was also getting people hyped up
"SHARON!!!" she cheered as i walked past. I was slightly terrified
until I remembered it was on my top!
The
train out to Blackheath was packed. Proper sardine tin and hot! So, so hot!! It
was a massive relief to all pile out at Blackheath. I followed the crowds to
the Blue start and got there about 8:30. Plenty of time. I took Coach James's
advice and didnt wander around wasting energy. I spread my disposable poncho
out on the wet grass and sat down. The sun was shining, there was a great
atmosphere, it would have all been quite relaxing if it wasn't for the imminent
26.2 miles that had to be run!
I had a
couple of bananas and a flapjack to top up my energy levels and borrowed some
suncream from another runner. As they started calling for everyone to put their
bags in the lorries I dropped mine off and joined the queues for the toilets.
By now it was coming up to 10 o'clock and everyone was heading for the pens. I
was in pen 8 at the back which would be last to cross the start line.
The
wait to start was torture. We were in the pens for over 45 mins and it was hot,
really hot with no shade nearby. Finally we started shuffling forward and then
the start line was ahead of us. A wave for the cameras and crowd and we were
off. I was running the London Marathon.
The
first few miles are downhill and the temptation is to go too fast. I'd been
right next to the 5 hr pacers in the pen but by Mile 2 I'd caught up with the
4'45 ones. I told myself not to go in front of them and dropped my pace.
I couldn't believe how hot it was. I tried to stick to shade where possible but
there wasn't much of it. I was worryingly tired as I crossed the 5K
marker. This was meant to be the easy bit! I knew Caroline was going to be
around 4-5 mile point and kept my eyes peeled. I saw her first and nearly
knocked her over with a hug. "You're actually doing this!" she
screamed at me, "it's so bloody hot!" I moaned back. A cheesy thumbs
up pic and I was off again to take in the sights of Greenwich and the Cutty
Sark, and a quick portaloo stop!
As I
approached the 9 mile mark I was starting to struggle. It was way too hot and I
wasn't coping with it well. The thought of eating any of the sweets the crowd
were offering just made me feel sick. The last 2 drinks stations had been empty
but I had picked up half a bottle of lucozade from the floor. I had run near a
couple of showers but there was long queues to actually run through them. My
family were at 11.5 miles, I just had to get there...
Seeing
them was a boost but I was starting to doubt myself. I never thought it was
going to be easy but I honestly wasn't expecting it to get this hard until way
into the second half. My school friend was just before Tower Bridge which was
unexpected but amazing. A massive hug and a declined banana and I was on to one
of the highlights of the course. Tower Bridge was something I'd been looking
forward to but actually I was too hot, too tired and had to force myself to
keep moving across it. Once on the other side there was a slight incline and
that was it, I was walking.
As I
watched the faster runners stream down the other side of the road, around 7
miles ahead of me, I was cross with myself that I hadn't even made the half way
mark yet. A gel, a pep talk to myself and I was off again. There was only one
way to the finish line so I just had to get it done. I switched on my
headphones that I had debating taking with me and let the power of Elton John
keep me moving.
I
honestly don't remember much about the next few miles. They weren't pleasant. I
had another loo stop and saw another friend at mile 15. Shortly after 18 around
Canary Wharf I reached for another gel and saw Caroline again. Tears filled my
eyes as I went over. Just one look and she could see I was struggling.
"What can I do? What do you need? Shall I hop over and run with you in
flip flops?" Her in-laws tried to reassure me. "You've broken the
back of it now". Fortified with Haribo I ran on. At least I was now
heading towards Westminster and the finish.
My
family were at mile 20 again and I missed a friend around 22. We were in the
20s now though so getting closer. I'd been walking and running since Tower
Bridge but now every time I slowed to a walk my legs were so used to running it
was just as painful to walk. A whole new world of pain. Also so many people
were walking now that trying to get past them was a battle in itself.
Throughout
the race my watch had been relaying messages from my phone. I'd missed some,
not bothered opening a few but lot's i'd seen. Some were from friends and
family saying where they'd be but lots were fit club. I'd seen Charlotte had
finished her marathon and messages from James and Anne especially had really
helped spur me on.
As I
came onto the embankment I knew the finish wasn't too far away. I actually
zoned out from the crowds, listened to my music and enjoyed the view over the
river. I saw the 40km sign with relief before realising I didn't actually know
far that was! I knew a marathon was around 40km but not exactly. As if by magic
the message appeared on my wrist from James 'One R has reached 40km. 2 to go!'.
Right about 12 minutes then. So close!
Then
there was the 1km to go sign, then 800m, 600m, 400m, 385 yards. There was
Buckingham Palace and there was the finish. Arms up, big smile and wow its all
done. I've just run the London marathon!!
I could
have hugged the person who put the medal around my neck but figured she
wouldn't appreciate it! I had my photo taken, collected my T-shirt and goody
bag and hobbled off to collect my bag. I didn't get far from the lorry before I
gave up and flopped down under a tree. I was pleased I'd researched what to
pack in my kit bag. Baby wipes, deodorant, flip flops, crisps and coke were all
gladly appreciated. I hobbled my way through the crowds to meet up with friends
and family to start the celebration.
Now
it's over the whole thing feels like a surreal experience and I can't believe
I've really done it. I wish I'd enjoyed it more but the truth is the heat just
made it far too hard for me. The only way I got through it was by going into my
own world and just putting one foot in front of the other. The crowd were
amazing but a bit much at times. The physical support that spectators put in
was amazing though. I was expecting jelly babies and oranges but there were
crisps, buckets of ice and water. Lots of people had water pistols and spray
containers they were squirting at the runners which was very welcome. My
favourite were the several fire crews that were out on the course cooling
everyone off with their hoses.
I'm
sure with time I'll forget the pain and remember the good bits but for me it
was a once in a lifetime achievement. I'm very proud of myself for getting
through the hottest ever London marathon but I won't be doing another. Ever!
Southampton Marathon by Charlotte R
As per
usual, I carried out my eve of race ritual of laying out my kit, number pinned
on, ready to go. After a night’s sleep disturbed by a rather apocalyptic
thunderstorm, I got up, did my 10 minutes of yoga, 10 minutes of abs then got
dressed and made some toast, with avocado on one slice and PB + banana on the
other. At the train station I met Lynn from WFC, who was marshalling the race
and her partner who was running the half! We hopped merrily on the rail
replacement bus service from Winchester to Eastleigh, via every small village
on the way … needless to say, we missed our connecting train, so grouped up
with another keen runner and shared a taxi to Southampton.
The start
line was its usual buzz of pre-race anticipation, but we arrived 2 minutes
before the gun, so had to rush over to bag drop, take a couple of photos and
dash back to the start. You can’t beat the atmosphere; met with the butterflies
of having made it by the skin of our teeth, I started to feel rather excited
and fortunate to have made it this far! I was starting alongside a group of
guys who were dressed as firemen and all of a sudden felt rather warm…
… it was a
very busy first 10K, and to be honest it went by rather quickly – the first
‘beat the bridge’ was surprisingly easy and I felt good going down by
Southampton water. Back over the bridge and through St Mary’s was fun, I took
great pleasure in hearing someone shout ‘Play up Pompey’ whilst inside the
ground! You can’t escape the emotions sport brings. I definitely had Goosebumps
there. The rest of the first lap went by fairly well; there was a surprise
second bridge and a nice park, by which point I was definitely heating up.
Through the common was good, and I made a mental note that in a couple of hours
this would be my home straight!
I made it
half way in about 2h10 and had to make a convenience break (!) at which point I
started to feel very hot and started to see people lagging, as well as some
runners on the sides with paramedics. Being a fair red head, I thought it best
to slow down, so once I crossed the Itchen again, I was run/walking and take on
more water. Going slowly means that you can talk more however, so I got
chatting to some lovely marathoners, including the man dressed as the postbox!
The spectators loved him which definitely gave me energy! Around mile 20 I
started to realise I had taken too much water, and had to ask a lady cheering
from her garden to use her loo! She was very obliging – I love humans!
The last
hour was quite good and I had recharged significantly to be able to run a lot
of the shady park bits, so when I got to the common I was looking to nip in
just under 5 hours. I kept an eye out for my auntie who was cycling around
Southampton looking for me and that spurred me for the last couple of miles.
With the
finish line 500m away I legged in down London road and raised my arms for the
crowds. I crossed at 4h58 and was met instantly by Lynn, who gave me a lovely
big hug and presented me with my medal! I was welling up by this point, happy
that I had made such great connections through running and simultaneously
relieved to be done. I saw my auntie and even bumped into a friend from primary
school. I was handed some leaflets for more races… and have now signed up to do
Bournemouth in October. I am clearly a glutton for punishment (and really want
a sub-4!).
I got back
to Winchester and showered, then went straight to Pi Pizza for a feast in the
sunshine with a good friend of mine. Living the dream!
Brighton
Marathon by Mikaela Price
I’ll do anything to avoid
doing the ironing!…I’ll even run a Marathon!
Last year I fulfilled a
lifelong ambition by running the London Marathon….I got in with a charity place
(like so many I didn’t get in through the ballot). Initially it was very
daunting the thought of running 26.2 miles; the furthest I had ever run was a
half-marathon…once! There were quite a few moments of self-doubt but as I
trained the miles got easier and I started to believe it might be possible
especially once you get the long training run of 20 miles under your belt. But
there was unfinished business….I missed a sub four time by 4 minutes, so I HAD
to have another go to try and get a sub four hour time this year. Fast forward
to the Brighton Marathon.
When I was deliberating
whether to run the Brighton Marathon (again I didn’t get into London this year
through the ballot, I only know One ‘R’
to be successful first time;) I asked my nine year old son for his
opinion and I thought he might say ‘no’ because the training does take time but
he said ‘Yes, I'm really proud of you.’ Those few words of encouragement from
my nine year old were all I needed, that evening I had registered! The
butterflies and excitement started straightaway!
I won’t lie the
training is hard! Someone once said to me 'the training is the marathon and the
marathon is the reward’, which is so true. When you train you don’t have the
atmosphere, the crowds, the adrenaline, it’s just you putting one foot in front
of the other for miles and miles. It’s especially hard through the cold dark
winter months BUT when you feel your body getting stronger and fitter it’s a
great feeling and the miles do get easier. It’s so satisfying setting yourself
a challenge like the marathon and finally achieving it.
When you commit to
something like a Marathon it definitely takes over your life for a few months.
I started training just after Christmas. I trained three to four times a week
gradually increasing the miles. You never actually run the full 26.2 miles
before the Marathon my longest run was 20 miles.
I find following a
training plan hard with three youngish kids and working three days a week free
time is limited, but I always pin a training plan up in the kitchen, I have to
be flexible and fit in training when I can.
I honestly wasn’t sure if
I was going to be able to run the Brighton Marathon as I had shin splints (in
one leg), it started as soon as I had increased my mileage and training …
possibly I increased the mileage too quickly and without stretching enough!! I’ve
never had shin splints before, it’s painful! A friend gave me a very good
analogy the other day, she said you warm plasticine up before you start working
with it if you don’t; the plasticine snaps….just like our muscles!
I reduced my running and
I did a lot of cross training (lots of Winchester Fit Club classes) with some
short runs, I really didn’t want to do any long term damage. If not rested
properly shin splints can develop into a stress fracture! I started stretching
lots more and bought some calf compression socks, which helped loads to support
my leg. There were a couple of blows to my training, firstly the British
weather!! I had planed a long run the weekend we had heavy snow so I missed that
window and then I had a another rare three hour window for a long run, the
first eight miles were good and I felt strong THEN the pain in my shin started
and my knee this time! (another running coach I know always says rest a rest a
niggle before it becomes and injury!!) so head hanging low I reluctantly started
to walk/ jog home… I was in Chandlers Ford feeling really fed up and let down
by my body and with no phone, and only my bank card! By chance I saw a bus
coming and started running to find the bus stop waving my arms frantically, he
luckily pulled over and said he didn’t know if I was just running or I actually
wanted him to stop!
So my longest training
run ended up being a mere 11 miles but I cross-trained a lot to keep my fitness
up and strengthen my legs.
I had messaged Coach
James a few weeks before ‘James is it normal to have self-doubt before a
marathon???? I feel quite nervous! I ran London last year maybe I forgot about
the nerves!! I think I put a lot of pressure on myself!’ he replied ‘Perfectly
normal’ and then he gave me lots of good advice about getting everything ready,
sorting out travel plans, running kit and then having confidence in the
training you’ve done (I didn’t tell him the longest that I had run was 11
miles!!!;).
The week before the
nerves really kicked in! I carb loaded (I find this quite easy as I LOVE bread,
rice, pasta etc!) and I hydrated well to build up the reserves. I also took
Ibuprofen for my shin splints.
The support from everyone
at WFC Runners and WFC was incredible and gave me a huge boost.
Fast-forward to the
weekend of the Brighton Marathon. I had my leg taped the day before, which also
helped, the lady I saw advised I go and see a physio after. I did chuckle to myself
as there were runners with taped limbs everywhere! Who said this running
lark was good for you and this was the day before the marathon!
On the day the weather
was perfect (not too hot, not too cold, not too windy! (sorry London 2018
Marathon runners!).
I had my porridge for
breakfast, Lucozade, and a couple of Paracetamol and then made my way to the
start from our accommodation (we stayed in Brighton the night before as I had
to pick my race number up), grabbing a black coffee on the way,. I said goodbye
to Rich and the kids after agreeing where they were going to be to cheer me on.
It was about a twenty-minute walk to the start at Preston Park. Once my kit bag
had been dropped off, and the obligatory last minute pee after a ridiculously
long queue, I got into my running pen with my fellow runners (I always feel a
bit emotional and grateful at this point – you can’t avoid all the running in
memory of someone messages on people’s running tops, these actually make me
stronger when I run and provide me with buckets of inspiration, when my legs
want to stop I remind myself how lucky I am to be here and that I am able to
run!) I didn’t have too long to wait before the marathon started. I actually
love that moment when you cross the start line! The excitement, the unknown,
the buzz!
Some things I love about
running: the camaraderie, friendships, the challenge, the fitness, the sense
of achievement, getting outdoors, pushing yourself, getting out of your comfort
zone.
The first few miles were
run around Brighton and were comfortable – I saw the kids at mile 3 and I got
high fives from them and then I saw them cheering and smiling again at mile 5
and Ruben (the nine year old who got me into this) ran along the route shouting
‘you are 1 minute 20 seconds’ ahead of getting 3 hours 45 minutes!! Such a
boost and the other runners were laughing and loved this, some checked their
watches to check what he was telling us was true. It was such a boost. But this
was early on so I wasn’t getting my hopes up! And I know I always start out too
fast!!
The route then takes you
out of Brighton along the coast, which is lovely, less supporters but beautiful
views. I had one very quick pee stop. Then you head back towards Brighton and
the supporters increase again. Rich and the kids said they were planning to be
there around Mile 12 to cheer me on but I had been running faster than they
thought I would so hadn’t got there in time. The tracking app wasn’t working
quite as well as the London one. There were lots of people so I just thought I
had missed them.
At this point I still
felt good but then I get to Mile 18!! My thighs are burning (thighs are the hardest working muscles
used while running) and I want to stop,
I desperately want to walk! But I know IF I walk that would be it, I would
never get going again! The rest was just gruelling! It was just pure
stubbornness and determination that got me through the next 8.2 miles! I
probably had over 14 energy gels in total; I was grabbing handfuls of jelly
babies, anything, that would give me the energy to finish. A shout of
encouragement from the crowd can be such a boost at this point!!
Around 22
miles you head out to Shoreham Power Station, runners are falling by the wayside (cramping, walking, puking
this bit is really hard, I hear the 3 hour 45 minute pacer say to another
runner this is the worst bit as he seems to fly past me!) I’m just head down here using every
ounce of will power to put one leg in front of the other, you can see Brighton Pier in
the distance BUT it feels like miles away although probably only three miles
maximum, it’s torture as it never seems to get closer... I find I start feeling a bit delirious with
exhaustion, elation, dehydration, pain, emotion, sugar high. In my head I just
keep saying ‘you can do this’. I have barely looked at my watch but I start
obsessively looking at it realising I’m actually doing okay and I’m going to
get my sub four time!!
The crowds gets deeper, I
see the kids and Rich about 500 metres from the finish and then I realise I’ve
done it and then when you realise you are nearly finished, the elation and
relief carries you over that finish line!!!
It’s a bit of a blur when
you finish, your legs are like jelly, I felt a bit nauseous. The marshalls keep
you walking to get your medal, a pint of non-alcoholic beer and then your goody
bag. Then it starts sinking in that you’ve done it!!
I had run the
Southampton half marathon the year before then set my sights on the London
Marathon. Mikaela crossed the finish line in 4 hours 4 minutes. As well as
training for the marathon the pair have also raised over £2,500 for
Oxfam. I felt like I was capable of a sub four time so this
was my next challenge (surely two wee stops equalled four minutes, Id di
contemplate doing a Paula Radcliffe but decided against it and queued in a
typical British fashion for the portaloos?!).
A highlight for me before
the London Marathon was meeting the inspirational Paula Radcliffe at the Expo
the day before, the women’s marathon world record holder wrote a good luck
message on my race number which was a massive boost.
I was deliberating about
whether or not I should do the Brighton Marathon and one evening I asked my
nine year old son whether I should do it and his answer clinched the deal he
quite simply answered ‘Yes I was really proud of you"., later that evening
I signed up!
‘It has been an amazing
experience, the atmosphere and the crowds were incredible and the support from
family and friends has been overwhelming’ said Mikaela ‘Training
through the cold, winter months was the hardest part but it has definitely all
been worth it.’
For me running a marathon
is a whole journey of emotions and I often question myself
why I’m doing it? But the sense of achievement once you cross that
finishing line is huge.
