WFC Runners - The Marathon Special

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.