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Jackie
A most welcome opportunity to stop...and then there was the jelly baby bag.
Whoever the lady I spoke to was, she seemed very pleased to see me.
Afterwards, I wondered if she thought I was RichK. Ho-hum.
As I predicted at the time, my wheels were starting to fall off in a very big way and I finished in...well, I finished.
One way or another, I'll be at Mudchute next year.
Thank you, Support Group 2!
Morning all
First of all, thanks for the marvellous effort you made for us, Sezz and Debbs and Helen . . I saw the balloons from way back and of course the huge number 2 was visible from quite a distance away too
The other Forumites there were good, of course, but you guys was da bestest
RichardW . . I'd already been trhough Mudchute so whoever the lady was . . it was you she was pleased to see
For me it was a mixed day as I was supposed to be running with Trinity . . we'd talked about running the London Marathon some day for a long time and this was the year . . unfortunately Trin had to defer on the Friday before the race because of an injury which manifested itself shortly before the event and wouldn't respond to rest . .
Got to the Blackheath start from our hotel at Limehouse nice and easy, once all the red starters had got off in Greenwich it was a very pleasant journey to Lewisham and then onwards by bus from there. I'd got an Oyster card before I went to London and it was great using that to pay for travel the whole weekend . .
The start was well-organised and everything was there that was needed. Many more toilets than my last London in 1997. The only thing that bothered me were the selfish so and so's who stayed in the changing tent after they'd changed to keep dry, meaning there was no room for those who needed to get changed . .
Lined up in pen 6 . . waited 15 minutes and we started to shuffle . . and just under 4 minutes' later crossed the line . .
I won't bother you with too much info about the race . . the first few miles weren't as slow as I thought they were so I ran at too quick a pace for the first half and was to pay for that later . .
The crowds were just astonishing . . my decision to have my name where the number usually goes, and wear my number on my shorts really paid off . . and despite myself, despite missing Trin's company, I was enjoying it and couldn't wipe the grin off my face
Saw Fat Buddha and Hollywood at Greenwich, and then Nicko and Meldy (first kiss of the day) marshalling at Mudchute . .
Ran past Colin Jackson on Tower Bridge . . ran past the spot where I had to drop out in 1996 . . and approaching 14 miles started to look out for Trin who I knew would be opposite our hotel. Suddenly there she was, and a hug, a kiss and a few words later and I was on my way with the couple of gels she had waiting for me . .
Took me a few moments to re-focus but I was able to and got on with it . .
Looking forward to Mudchute
As Mudchute came into view I found I was running alongside Shiraz. I knew she'd missed the Forum completely last year so I started telling her were you all were and astonished both of us by remembering which Support Group she was in!! What I didn't know until much later was that because I was slightly behind her she didn't know who it was talking her into the support area!!!
Suddenly there you all were and I wanted to stop and hug and kiss everybody (well, not everybody obviously but you get my drift) . . I don't think I was there for more than a few seconds really . . and I started to run again and all of a sudden it was like you weren't there anymore and I got quite emotional and it took me a couple of miles to focus again . .
Then in the 19th mile I overheated. That's what it felt like . . I wanted a hole in my head to let the heat out. I was wearing as little as possible . . I'd drunk water regularly and sensibly and taken my usual gels on board but I felt far too hot. My pace slowed and for a couple of miles the people I'd just passed came back past me . .
In the 22nd mile I ran past our hotel again and there was Trin, who somehow had managed to cross the road . . ready for another hug, a kiss, a few words, a photograph and one more gel . . and I had to push for home . .
I did actually feel a little better by now and was able to pick up the pace marginally . . but that only lasted a couple of miles and then I was back on my heels again . .
I've already said how good the crowds were . . but here, in the final 5 miles . . they were just astonishing and I think my smile was as broad as the Thames as I ran alongside it . .
In the last mile I just unashamedly milked the crowd for all it was worth . . where most runners were cutting corners I went wide around them - I'd enjoyed hearing my name and I wanted more . . especially on that final bend before the Mall where everybody cuts the corner . . not me . . I went as wide as I could and the crowd there loved it
I had to turn that corner eventually though and as I did Geoff Wightman (the announcer) began the count down to 4 hours. I hadn't realised because I knew I was well under 4 by my watch but the clock had just ticked over 3.59 . .
Everybody around me started sprinting . . I looked up and I knew I could stroll that distance in under a minute so I jogged down the finish straight with both arms high in the air smiling my head off . . and made it with 20 seconds to spare
Crossed the line and burst into tears because for all that I'd enjoyed the previous 235 minutes Trin should have been beside me and she wasn't. The tears continued for as long as it took to get rid of my chip, get my medal and goody bag and fight through the crowds to the changing tent. Got some dry clothes on and an hour after finishing I was back at the hotel with Trin . .
My target for the race had been sub 3.45 and I really believed I could achieve that having run 3.49 two months previously at the Duchy race in Cornwall. But I hadn't factored in how much weaving between bodies is needed to maintain an even pace . . by 20 miles my hips were so sore and tired and I know I lost time because of that . .
But I'm not so disappointed about the time . . I ran my 43rd marathon and survived it and whilst I haven't run many Londons I can now say that I've run it in the Eighties, The Nineties and the Naughties
And despite wishing Trin could have run it with me it was an astonishing experience which I'll never forget and hopefully Trin and I will be able to share it another year . .
Thanks again You Twos . . you were amazing
forgot to say . . there's that photo of me that Trin took
www.richk.co.uk/FLM/22mMe.htm
Thank you for all your work in getting the groups ready this year. I was soooo in need of the group at Mudchute and so emotional when I got there.
Give our best wishes to Trinity and I do hope her leg responds to treatment quickly.
Even so well done all you supporters - knowing you would have been there helped, and it helped us from mile 15, looking forward to seeing you - if you know what I mean!!!
Thanks for all your best wishes and words of support.
I spent a lot of Friday and Saturday spontaneously bursting into tears and then on Sunday I did my best to be there for Rich. I did manage to bein the right place at the right time with the right amount of gels and I even managed to take some photos so all was not lost.
Well done to all of you who ran and my respect also goes to all who supported...I don't think I could ever do that again.
Next year I will be on the right side of the railings.
Many many thanks to all the supporters. I had a tough run, but I got a real boost at mile 17. So thanks again so much for the hugs and the jelly babies.
I managed a 3:53, some 20+ minutes slower than what I was hoping for, and it hurt all the way from the first few miles.
The support was realy great.
Evenin' everyone . . just a quick note to say that I've finally got some London Marathon photo's online, including those that Berry took at Mudchute on behalf of RW (thank you Sean Fishpool) . .
big thanks also to Ailsa, CdK, Moomoo, Womble and Snapstinget for sending me their photographs . . and to Trinity for taking some when injured and unable to run and wishing she was anywhere but London that weekend.
they're at www.richk.co.uk/FLM06/FLM06Main.htm
sorry it took a little while . . life does have a habit of intruding!!