I really feel like this challenge has begun now. I've prooven to myself that I can run a marathon so soon after finishing one. I was so nervous about this race because of how much smaller and intimate it was compared to all of the other marathons I have done so far. I was worrying so much about what the more serious, faster runners would think of chubby, slow me at the back.
Soon as I arrived my nerves and everything I was worrying about was instantly put to rest. I was sat at a table attaching my race number when I heard "would you like a jelly baby?" I looked up and thought "yes..yes I bloody do" Obviously you shouldn't take sweets from strangers, but I think that this rule doesn't apply to runners. I took one and so did another guy sat with us. Jelly babies brought us all together. Bringing on the running banter. It was just what I needed because it reminded that we all have our personal goals in running. I wasn't treated any differently and my nerves turned into excitement.
I'm now also starting to make some great friendships through running. I met a guy called Norm a few months ago, via twitter, and he's joining me on some of my marathons. He has been fantastically supportive, and it was his idea that I do 15 marathons in 15 months. Soon as the gun went off I felt someone touch my shoulder, it was my running buddy Norm. We ran together for about 4 miles but I'm aware he runs faster than me so I slowed my pace down and told him to go on. He gave me 4 miles of confidence and was happy to fall back and run alone. The biggest part of this race was there wasn't tens of thousands of people lining the streets cheering, shouting my name, there wasn't thousands of runners around me motivating me. Completing this race was gonna be down to me and my inner strength.
I got to 13 miles when the faster runners were starting to come back down the other side. This was the moment I had been dreading, but I had got it all wrong. They all acknowledged me, encouraged me. It was amazing. It felt like all my friends were running passed me. I suddenly realised how amazing running in a smaller race is. I ran to Putney Bridge, which was 15 miles, and the turning point for running back. I stopped at the drink station for juice and Brownies (which were incredible) before making my way back to finish the race. The way back is when it got hard. All the faster runners were gone. The thames path was busy with walkers, joggers, families, dog walkers etc. To everyone else I was just another runner, no one knew I was 16 miles into a marathon. I just wanted to scream "move out the way I'm running a fucking marathon here!!
As I was approaching 17 miles my Garmin started bleeping at me that the battery was low. Pissing thing. Also I was starting to hurt bad now too. One thing about this race, there was no mile markers at all. So soon as my Garmin died I'd be running just till I saw the finish. I carried on to mile 20 then decided stop my watch. I got 20 miles out if it. I thought "I'll be ok for the last 6 miles". No, no, no!! I wasn't ok at all. I had to result in walking. I couldn't bare the thought of walking for 6 miles. Then..just then.. a saviour came to my rescue. A lady in a pink pig hat. It's funny sometimes how things work out. She was struggling too. So we started chatting. Turns out she writes for 'Women's Running' magazine. She was incredibly inspiring. She's ran marathons all over the world. We did not stop talking, then all of a sudden we could just make out the finish. We both encouraged each other to start running again and we didn't stop until we crossed the finish line. She was super impressed with my marathon challenge and my plans to run the London marathon blindfolded so much that she wants to write an article about me. It was great to meet her. Had I had a better race this wouldn't have happened. Thank you Lisa if you get to read this. 2nd one ticked off now though. Marathon number 3: Vikings Coastal Marathon on 25th January 2015.
