So, how did I do? Well, I am going to go all American sit
com style and go for a dramatic build up before a big finish.
Between my last blog and the race I still had a couple of
warm up runs to complete, more just to keep my fitness up than really stretch
myself although I was quite worried about doing myself some sort of stupid
injury and wasting the months and months of training. On the Thursday I did a 4km run on the
treadmill and on Saturday morning a fast 3km along the canal, both of which
went pretty well.
I also attended the runner’s expo on Wednesday evening. The main purpose of this was to pick up
timing chip and race information, although I also had a good poke around. Strangely
there were loads of stalls selling trainers and clothes, even through the
advice is to not wear anything new in the race! Also, in the goodie bag there
was the usual health stuff, plus a can of Fuller's London Pride. Now, Pride is
one of my favourite beers but it was odd to find it in a marathon goodie bag. A
post-finish treat perhaps? Anyway, mine didn’t last beyond the evening.
I also had a 15 minute sports massage, mainly focused on my calves,
which felt tight through the majority of my training. The masseuse said that I had impressive calves,
but they were also incredibly lumpy. After 15 minutes of pain she beat the
knots out of the muscles and recommended some stretches for me to do in the
next few days.
My alarm went off at 6.30 on the Sunday and I forced myself
out of bed, trying not to think about what I was going to be up to that day. I
had the usual pre race breakfast of porridge and a slice of toast with jam
(carbs and a bit of sugar) and left the house at 7.30 to meet Steve (who was running
for Shelter) and get the Overground to Shadwell, before changing for the DLR to
Greenwich.
The weather forecast had predicted rain, but it was in fact
a glorious sunny morning. Too sunny perhaps, and I was glad I had put on some
sunscreen. I was starting in the red
area, with the majority of the other runners, and was in pen 8 to start. There
was a lovely sort of Glastonbury
type atmosphere, probably helped by the sun and the fact that no one wanted to
think about what was ahead of them!
I joined my pen at around 9.30 for the 9.45 start and was
over the actual start line surprisingly quickly, at around 10.05 to begin the
race. However, it was more of a fast walk at the start, with so many people still
bunched together and I found getting my pace up was pretty hard. After the
first few minutes I just decided to go with the flow and was running at around
6.30 mins per km, slower than the 5.30-5.45 I needed to come in around 4
hours.
Nonetheless, I still managed to overtake a variety of mad
people dressed in silly costumes. These
included the Blackpool Tower (all 12ft of him), a couple of rhinos, a giant
apple, three wombles, a clown, two guys running BAREFOOT, some army blokes in
full kit and a guy with an inflatable Zimmer frame. I also saw a couple of
people running for Willow
and had a brief chat with them.
So, miles 0-6 were pretty slow but I was getting on ok and
enjoyed looking out for people dressed in silly costumes. By mile 6 though my
right trainer had started to rub. No idea why, it has been fine on distances
much longer than that, but there you go. My left shoulder was also quite achy,
but that was no real surprise since it had been hurting the week before. It did
mean though that when I saw my family at mile 9, I had to stop and get some
painkillers from them, which my Mum took forever to find in her bag. Still, medicated I trotted merrily on and was
quite pleased that I had yet to even slow down to a walk, despite going over a
few hills and feeling dehydrated due to the sun.
Mile 12 is roughly where Tower Bridge is, and I did have a
little walk as I came up it, as I was feeling a bit tired and the slope is much
steeper than it seems when you are walking over it! Still, as I crossed the middle I picked up
the pace again, and at the halfway point (mile 13) I was on for a 4.10 finish
if I could maintain my pace. Now, given I had never run the full distance
before I was not sure I would be able to hold that pace, but I was still very
confident that I would do the lot in the target time of 4.30.
Coming down the other side of the bridge, I turned right and
along this part of the course I could see the fast runners going in the other
direction, now only 5 miles or so from the finish line. Bastards. Still, I was
doing alright and came through Limehouse and into Canary Wharf,
seeing my family again at mile 15 and some friends a few hundred meters along.
I stopped for a quick chat (it would be rude not too, since they came out to
see me) and then plodded on.
However, at mile 16: disaster. My right thigh suddenly
tensed up and every step felt like someone was stabbing me in the leg. I slowed
down to a walk for a few minutes, and then tried to run again, but after a few
hundred meters I couldn’t take the pain anymore, and had to slow.
My race was over.
But there was no way I was going to waste months and months
of training and not finish the damm thing. I revised my target time to 5 hours
and worked out what speed I needed to hold to get through that. Essentially a fast walk and some jogging
where I could should see me home in time, so that was the new plan.
At mile 19 I saw my family for the final time, and stopped
to get some instant ice packs from them and let them know I might be a bit
slower than expected.
From then on I stuck to the plan, using the GPS watch to
guide my pace, running wherever possible (especially down hill). The pain was pretty intense but the crowd
were marvellous, shouting encouragement and offering Jelly babies galore.
By the time the 25 mile post came up I knew that I would be
able to finish the race and picked my pace up a bit, thinking that I would just
deal with the pain later on, and the sight of so many people who had come out
to watch pushed me on a bit further as well, although I still had to slow to a
walk a couple of times.
The original plan was to sprint over the line, but in the
end I just about managed to jog.
So, my final time? 4 hours, 54 minutes. Not too bad, but I did feel like I might
never walk again. Annoyingly, the top
half of my body felt fine, I was tired but still had some energy left and I
know I could have gone quicker. It was just a stupid injury, and on something
that I have had no issues with all the way through training that held me back.
After crossing the line I collected my medal and was found
by Carol from the Willow Foundation, who took me to the recovery centre, where
I was fed tea and sandwiches before receiving a well needed massage. Again, the masseuse felt the need to comment
on my “serious calves”, which were also spasmisming all over the shop, making it
look like there was something trapped underneath the skin. Lovely.
I also had a shower, which made me feel much closer to being
human again, before having my photo taken with the legend that is Bob Wilson
and then going for a well deserved pint with my family.
So, that’s it, over. I am not going to lie and say that I
enjoyed all of the process. I did find
that I like running half marathons, and also having a bit of time to myself
while I am out running, listening to some music and generally getting some
fresh air (well, as fresh as can be expected in zone 1). I am also fitter and
healthier, although I have only lost about 6kgs through all this (about 13
pounds) but I suspect I have managed to shift a fair amount of fat into muscle.
However, having to go training all the time obviously had an impact on my
social life, while the last 10 miles of the race itself was agony.
Anyway, onto the thank-yous.
So, thank you to my Wife and family for supporting me over the last 5
months, putting up with my moaning and getting me running stuff for Christmas.
Thank you to EVERYONE who sponsored me, particularly those who I have not
managed to see for some time, although of course every penny counts. Special mentions go to the Mystical Mr Miyagi
for being the largest single non-family donor and to Mark Coughlan for rounding
me up to a square £2000, and if anyone else wants to contribute then the page
is http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/runningfatbloke
What next? – Well, I am looking at the Hackney Half marathon
this Sept and the Run to the Beat at the end of Oct. Plus, the ballot for the
2013 London Marathon opens on Monday…….
