Why we run
Why not join us on a Tuesday and have a go?
Andy Kwok Martin Tony Why we run summaries
Here is my account on the "race". The Flora London Marathon (2007) experience, lest I forget.
After deferring from last year entry because of injury, and having done the Amsterdam marathon last October, I was in good position to appreciate the benefits of a proper training regime.
So thus my four months of training began, just before Christmas last year. Indeed the last four months was spent agonising over training schedules, worrying over illnesses and injuries occuring in this duration.
Then finally in the last week it was clear in my mind that I done all the training for a 3:30 schedule, all my incurred injuries had come to past. I must say aside from all the tips and advice picked up and hours of researching of nutrition and strategy, the most relevant and useful one was advice from Bev saying on the Tues evening, "because of the hot weather predicted on the Sunday, keep drinking water from now onwards to Sunday".
The night before sleep was interspersed with anxiousness, but my two nights before sleep I slept like a baby. Before I go any further I must say that I achieved a 3:33:44 time and I'm not particular blessed with sporting prowess. Anyway in the morning I had my porridge breakfast at 6am. By the 9.45am time start I made sure my system was cleared from waste. It was good to meet the fellow runners from the club for an encouragement boost before the start.
Bang. I had crossed the start line at 9min48sec later. There was a lot of congestion in the first two miles, by the time I reached the three mile mark I had lost four minutes. I planned to keep an eight minute/mile pace.
After the three mile mark, my race strategy was to become as follows, keep to the sides as much as possible as it was less congested, pick the lucozade at every five miles and keep on sipping it for three miles. Pick up the vittel water every five miles, after discarding the lucozade, take small drinks from it for one mile.
The run up to Cutty Sark, Rotherhithe and then to Bermondsey was filled with much fanfare. Seeing the rows of St Georges Flag and smelling the barbecue at Bermondsey was an experience. After crossing Tower Bridge, at the beginining of The Highway, I was fortunate to see the africans bursting along the other side of the road. I was tracking this fair hair guy with a orange/white charity top for the first sixteen miles, then we seemed to lose each other, he was my weaving partner, communication was by telepathy.
After seventeen miles at Mudchute, thats when things started to kick in and the real work began. The journey through Canary Wharf was like a giant size crazy path, I made a note of keeping along the blue chalk line to keep the running distance. After running back through Westferry at the 20 mile mark my body/mind wanted to shutdown. Seeing my club members gave me support again on Shadwell/The Highway was a real encouragement.
Then back to Tower Hill. The crowd support throughout was amazing, but at Tower Hill, I was looking out for two work colleagues who said they would be there, didn't see them. By now I ran through two run-through showers, the blisters on my feet which I had earlier had now gone, maybe it's because my whole body was aching.
In the last four miles my thoughts were filled with, stay positive, keep it up, keep it up, keep body shape, keep the pose, use gravity. Going under Blackfriars bridge then onto the Embankment was awesome, it reminded me of a computer game, ridge racer, except the cars were runners.
Finally, after endless mind games and endless overtaking, Big Ben loomed ahead, then I knew it was almost over. Onto Birdcage Walk, people seemed to dropping like flies, grinding to a halt, but not me, my momentum carried me along, like a knife through butter. I did have a carbo gel whilst running along The Embankment. But after passing Big Ben I knew I didn't need anything, just the thought beating my mate's time of 3:37 and thus getting the club record for the specific category.
On The Mall, on the home straight, I ran alongside a fellow runner and we shook hands. From then it didn't matter I knew I had beaten the time of 3:37 but the 3:30 time had already elapsed. I didn't bother stopping my watch when I crossed the line. I had raised £582 pounds for charity.
This is the best event I have experienced, all the hype and adulations didn't even come close to rating an event which digs deep into the human psyche. I urge anyone to do it, at least once in their life, so that I can read their version.
My thanks to everyone for the support, especially to those who met me at the end.