Marathon Madness!: April 2018

Relief it's all over!

So it’s now well over a week since I took part in the 38th Virgin London Marathon. Relatives have finally departed and gone back home and the excitement of the day is fast becoming a distant memory. But before it finally vanishes and life goes back to normal, let me exploit it one more time in this, my very last Marathon Madness blog.

The lead up to Sunday 22nd April entailed continously watching weather reports hoping the heatwave that had suddenly descended on the country would go away as quickly as it had arrived. My biggest fear was to run on an unusually hot spring day. And what do I get, but the hottest London Marathon on record! It was going to be hard enough running this unknown distance but throw in high temperatures and it created a whole new challenge. Training had been in the cold, wet and snow. With a desperate attempt to climatise myself to the sudden heat a few days before, I actualy gave myself heatstroke - not a great start!

Quick photo before I enter the runners area

So Sunday finally came round and I was super nervous. “What the hell am I doing” I kept asking myself. “This is sheer madness”. And then I remembered. “OK my little star, I’m going to need your help big time today, I’m doing this for you and all the other babies taken too soon”.

Food was the last thing I actually felt like at 7am this particular Sunday morning, however I made sure breakfast was eaten, coffee was drunk and water was sipped. A quick shower, sun cream applied and I then dressed in my race clothes.

Now the good thing about running this race was the fact I didn’t have to stay in a hotel the night before and could just walk the short distance to Greenwich Park. So off I set, together with my family, Mr P, my mum and Vinnie the dog to meet my fellow runners - all 40,000 of them.

Quick selfie in pen 3 before the start

A few photo’s were taken, hugs were given, good wishes and goodbyes were said and then I enter the runners only area. I deposited my kit bag on one of the huge lorries knowing that the only way I was going to get that back was to somehow make it to the Mall. Nerves were really getting the better of me and I knew I needed to join one of the many long queues for a quick pee. Whilst waiting I started chatting to other runners and I soon realised I was not alone feeling anxious regarding the heatwave. Surprisingly the loo queue didn’t take too long and before I knew it I was heading over to my warm up area. A few lunges, stretches and gentle jog were undertaken before I entered pen 3 to get ready to set off.

Waving to Mr P and my mum at mile 7

There was a huge screen at the top of the park gates so we could see what the BBC was televising and waved and cheered enthusiastically when cameras hovered overhead. But when the Queen was shown on the screen and the national athem was played there was a respectful hush amongst all of the runners. Then at exactly 10am, the Queen pressed the button and the first set of runners were off. Now this year, as there were so many participants, the organisers were releasing the runners in ‘waves’. Zones 1 & 2 were realeased first. They would hold back the other runners for a few minutes before releasing the next section. This was to avoid unnecessary bottlenecks of runners. I was zone 3 and by 10:15am I was over the start line and charging towards Blackheath Standard. The sun had driven the crowds out in force and young children were holding out their hands so you could ‘high five’ them as you ran past. At mile one you always get the comedian “not long now”. Yeah, yeah, do you really think we haven’t heard that one before? Hilarious - not! By 10:30am the heat really had started to turn up but I felt good, ensuring I grabbed water at the water stations. By mile 3 we are in Woolwich Arsenal and the crowds just seemed to be getting bigger. There was a constat cheer and clapping as you sped past. Back into New Charlton before hitting East Greenwich and the run back towards and around the Cutty Sark.

Now I knew I was going to have a lot of supporters around mile 7. Firstly, my running club, Greenwich Runners, who screamed and waved as I waved and cheered back at them. I was having the time of my life at this point. I felt like the most popular person on the planet. Then came the Parklife crew, great friends who I’ve met through walking Vinnie the dog in Greenwich Park; and then finally there was Mr P and my mum holding her banner up smiling proudly. I waved and carried on, really pleased that everyone had seen me. I’m thinking, this is going OK. Pace nice and steady, just need to carry this on for another 19 miles!

Tower Bridge!

Now I don’t want to boast here, but my name was constantly being shouted out by the crowds. The bright yellow really did stand out. I felt a bit sorry for other runners around me as all I could hear was my own name. In fact at one point a fellow runner said to me “All I can hear is your name, it feels like I’m running with a celebrity!” “Yay, Team Tina” I shout and laugh back at him. Another runner then decided to belch really loudly and I started laughing again. “oh, really sorry about that, he says”. “No worries, better out than in” I say.

Heat really getting to me near Blackfriars

I can honestly say the first 11 miles were fantastic. I loved it. It was like a crazy carnival. And then, I just started to feel really hot. I was conscious that I needed to start taking on some more carbs for energy so got some running beans out of my running belt to quickly chew. But as I was chewing the sweetness of the beans just repulsed me. I spat them out - nearly hitting a spectator - oops “sorry” I yell. I then tried sipping some Lucozade which they handed out at mile 11 but again, the sweetness of the orange flavour just made me gag. OK, I’m just going to rely on my own energy drink and hope I have enough. I had over a litre of it in my new hydration belt but I was getting through it pretty fast.

I can see the finish!

So there I was, striding along but the heat had started to make me feel a bit uncomfortable. Turning the corner along Tooley Street and seeing Tower Bridge brought a huge smile to my face. I knew I was near the halfway mark where my Chairity Tommy’s would be supporting. OK, lets get to mile 13 and then take every mile as it comes. Tommy’s didn’t disappoint. They went absolutely bonkers when they saw one of their runners. I smiled and waved back at them and plodded on OK for another mile. And then, really really annoyingly, it started to go pear shaped. The nausesous feeling completely overwhelmed me. Oh god, I thought, I’m not going to make it. I kept sipping water trying to overcome the feeling. Constant running was replaced with fast walk, run, walk, run, fast walk. The heat was beating down and to be perfectly honest, there is a huge section of the race that I don’t really remember. I was feeling so ill and delirious. I was passing runners who were dropping like flies to the pavement. My own energy drink supply was pratically depleted and just as I was thinkng I really need some more miraculously a bottle was thrust in front of me. I grabbed it, looked at it, thought that’s not orange Lucozade even though it was in a orange Lucozade bottle and greedily drank from it. Ooh, that’s nice. At the time, I did not realise that it was my beloved Mr P who had thrust the energy drink at me and it was one of my own concoctions that I had made up earlier that morning that I was drinking. In my bewildered heat confused state I had absolutely no idea Mr P was my saviour in handing me one of my energy drinks!! Other relatives were there as well and I hate to think what they must have thought when they saw the state of me!

And over the line.

I managed to get a bit of oomph back and ploughed on through to Canary Wharf. A friend mentioned that she was once again helping Buxton by handing out water to runners around the mile 19 marker. “I’ll look out for you” I said. Now to be totally honest I had forgotten about that by the time mile 19 was coming round. I just needed some water. But then there she was with a cup of water outstretched to me. “Deb” I say, “Tina” she says and then she gave me a much needed hug. “You are doing so well. How do you feel?” “Knackered” I say “it’s too bloody hot!” “Here” she says “have another cup of water” and with that I was off. The miles now seemed to get longer and longer. I kept looking at my watch and seeing the time I was aiming for totally slip past. If I speed up a bit I can still get in under 4:30. But I just couldn’t. Even with the constant cheering from the crowds. When I slowed down, they would chant my name “Tina, Tina, Tina” and really cheer if I started running fast again. It did bring a smile to my face.

Celebrating with Mr P.

When I got to Embankment I knew it wasn’t far to go, but those last two miles really were the longest I’ve ever run. Turning that final corner and seeing the finish line was just the best feeling. I was determined not to walk the end bit and started running. "Come on" I cheered to a fellow runner who looked totally spent. And then, finally, I was over the finish line and relief totally engulfed me. “Congratulations, you have just run the hottest London Marathon on record” a marshall is telling me. Great, no wonder I feel so crap! I get my medal, a photo is taken and then I collapse in a heap on the floor for a good 10 minutes thinking, did I really do that!

The weather made it extremely tough. But everytime I had a doubt I prayed a silent prayer to my little star and I was able to continue putting one foot infront of the other. This last year has been about breaking barriers and not being afraid to talk about what happened all those years ago. In the process I have raised a significant amount of money - £4,000 in total for Tommy’s for which I am truly proud. Probably more proud than running the actual race.

I want to thank once again all my family and friends for all the support they have showed over the endless months of marathon training. But most of all, I want to thank Mr P. He has had to put up with the most. I couldn't have done it without you.

Will you do it again? I keep being asked. Today, 30th April, the ballot for the 39th London Marathon opened. Will I be entereing? I do feel I have unfinished business with the marathon distance. It no longer daunts me. I know I can do it. I want to be able to say I ran a good race, which I can’t say at the moment. The second half was not my best. So, maybe, not straight away and maybe not necessarily London, but I will definetly be attempting this distance again to get the time I really want and know I can do.

Watch this space. 😉

Tina completed the 2018 Virgin London Marathon in 4:41:29