Today was another early start. Not for PT (he is away doing a big strongman thing this weekend), although I did go for a quick jog. Nope today was all about the London Marathon. I was watching, this year, at least, although I really would like to run it, it is one of my ambitions in life. Yesterday I was instant messaging one of my friends who couldn’t understand why I would want to go and watch – London is VERY busy and tubes are mental (like a weekday). The thing is, if you have never been its hard to understand. The London Marathon is not just about running 26.2 miles in a certain time, far from it. As a runner I am well aware of just how damn difficult it is to run half that distance let alone a full marathon.
Yes it is awesome and unbelievable to see these elite athletes sprint finish in 2hours and 15 minutes. It’s an incredible feat of endurance, mental and physical strength to do that. But for me that’s not why I watch. This year I knew a few people who were running. I was lucky enough to be able to watch from a charity grandstand at the finish line with my lovely twitter friend @KarenC2R. Karen is wonderful. She was running the cheering station for Action Medical Research. Action is a smaller charity that raises money to save and change children’s lives (www.action.org.uk). Karen’s other half; Lee (@Leecphotography) was running today, as he has done for several years.
It is people like Karen and Lee that make the London Marathon Special. Normal people with busy lives and full time jobs who give up their free time to train and raise money for a charity which is close to their hearts. You watch people who practically kill themselves to get to the finish line and in some cases who have to be carried over it. It makes you feel pretty inspired and to be honest, humble.
My good friend Neal (@nealgranville) was running his first Marathon this year. I met Neal a few years ago when and a friend and I decided it would be a good idea to learn golf. I think we must have been watching the Masters or something. Anyway Neal was our coach. He can tell you about my golfing skills another time (they are wide and varied I can tell you). About 2 years ago we were playing (playing may be a slight exaggeration) 9 holes together and he told me he was going to enter the London Marathon. At the time I spent several weeks taking the piss out of him, explaining it was half way to London from where we live. At this time we nick named it the Big Snickers. Neither of us were big runners at the time and hadn’t even done a half marathon. Needless to say he didn’t get in the ballot, so he ran Reading half instead. I was going to do it that year too but got my stress fracture.
After the half he said he was not ever contemplating the full marathon – it would be mental. I, on the other hand, was going stir crazy resting my foot post fracture diagnosis, and went up to watch the 2010 VLM. Like I said, when you watch its very emotional and VERY inspiring. So I came back and persuaded him to enter the ballot. We both did it. With the ballot you have to wait ages. You apply in April and you don’t find out until September/October. By this time I had also run a half marathon, Windsor (Neal was supposed to do it too but he decided a stag weekend was more appealing.. tsk). Having completed 13.1 miles I, like him, was thinking NO WAY would I be able to run 26.2 miles. It’s a bit of a mental battle as much as anything. So we were both praying we wouldn’t get in. We didn’t. Not via the ballot anyway. We had both applied for Charity places too in the meantime. He got one, I did not. He also got another place through a secondary ballot which they run after the main one. He was destined to run it but without me.
So after months of cursing me, me saying helpful things like ‘eat more pasta’ or ‘its only double the distance of a half’ and his own intensive training schedule (including relentless ‘sports massages with physio’ hmmm), today was the big day. Of course I had to go and watch, I mean it was partly my doing he was even there (PARTLY…). I think when you run that type of distance you have to have a good cause in your mind. He ran for the North Hampshire Medical trust. For me, I think that is the only thing that would keep me running over 13 miles. Entirely that.
Running any event like that is a bit nerve wracking. I am not entirely sure why because you don’t get nervous when you run round your neighbourhood. But you do get butterflies and adrenalin on a race day. For me I also get that watching because I know how it feels. You are sort of excited and also scared at the same time. I suspect for a marathon there is more fear than excitement but I have yet to find that out!
(the above pic is Fred Flintstone who finished in an ultra fast time of less than 3hrs 30 - craziness).
I am very pleased to report he finished and in around 4hours 30mins, which to me is pretty bloody amazing for a first time. It makes you very proud when you see someone who you know cross that finish line, knowing how much they would have suffered getting there. I met him afterwards and his first words to me where – never again – hit the wall at 16 miles but kept going. By the time we had got on the tube, this turned into well, I may apply if I could better my time. And by the time we got on the train (and I had force fed him Colin the Caterpillars and a snickers bar) it was a case of ok I will apply if you apply. And by the time we got back to the car we were agreed, we are applying.
Whether either of us get in or not, is not really the point. Today 36,000 people ran 26.2miles some for the first time and some for the last. What makes them run is probably personally different for every single one of them but there is one common theme. They are all running for a positive good reason. Perhaps to find good in a bad situation, to turn something sad into something more positive, or perhaps just to make others proud. It is a very powerful event to be a part of whether running, watching or helping, it is addictive and this I think is what has happened to us.
Today I am very proud, of my friend who did so well in the big snix (even after my relentless piss taking) and to all those other people who went outside and ran there butts off in the cold and wet this winter getting ready to raise money for a worthy cause.
You all rock. You are awesome. Here’s to next year. Bring it on x
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