The London Marathon - 21 miles to being a Finisher

Mile 21

I saw Tommy and family at Mile 21. More gel added to my left leg and upper thigh. 

I said my goodbyes as our family needed to travel back to Telford and Basingstoke. I cannot thank them enough for coming to see me. It made such a difference. 

Mile 22

I hear my name being called and it is Lorraine again! Went past her and turned back to chat obviously. She was encouraging me to run on but I'm like no its fine to stop and chat! 

Mile 22 - 24

Seems harder now but the support that remains at the side of the road is fantastic. The sun is out and I'm thankful that it wasn't sunny the whole time (sorry everyone) and it meant that people were standing outside pubs to cheer us on.  I was still running albeit slowly and lots of people around me were walking.  As I was running, I was getting a lot of support.  So grateful.  I was looking forward to seeing my friend shortly. 

Mile 24.5

So pleased to see my friend Roger and his brother at the Cancer Research stall/stand and stopped to chat!  

"Nearly there, just down there and turn right!" 

Mile 25

A stitch!  Couldn't believe it - mile 25 and I get a stitch.  So I walked for a few minutes to try and get rid of it. 

"You've got this!" 

"I have a stitch!"

Dug in, reminding myself that it was nearly done and why I was running!

Tommy was at Parliament Square but I wasn't expecting him so I didn't look for him! He said to a man with a megaphone there's my wife Lisa "Go Lisa Go".

Mile 26 to the end

Buckingham Palace and then that 'right' turn into the Mall.  Everyone with their cameras out to photograph the finish line.

Sped up a little bit past the people still in the Grandstand and then tried to remember to smile crossing the finish line.

Then it is a lovely smiling lady who gave me my medal.  I spoke to my brother Nick on the phone as I went to look for my t-shirt.  Then I collected my finisher t-shirt and my kit bag. I had a look for a fellow HHHO Cycling for Harry 2014 team mate, Jim but I didn't see him. Then headed to Horse Guard Parade to meet Tommy and he is waiting just at the end.

Trainers off, Crocs slippers on as well as the naughty hoodie I brought at the Expo, which lists all the landmarks I had seen.

Final thoughts: 

Some see the Marathon as the celebration of all the hard work after the training, the final lap and that was how I thought it. At points, I was thinking I am running the actual London Marathon. People tracking me at home or in London were part of that celebration too.

I knew it would be my one and only time running a marathon. My moving time was 5 hours 50 mins and it was 28.2 miles but I just wanted to be able to say that I have done it. 

Last year, my anxiety was out of control. It wasn't stopping me working but it was making me paranoid, the Imposter Syndrome was back with a vengeance, overthinking ridiculous things and basically getting upset about silly things. Once I took ownership of the anxiety and realised that it wasn't me and started to deal with it, My mind was clear for the first time in years and with the newfound clarity I decided the London Marathon was the best thing to do!

Running was as much as a mental battle for me as well as physical. I did honestly think I would have lost more weight though 😁 

Thank you Georgie and Making a Difference for giving the opportunity to raise money and awareness of Help Harry Help Others. I see what a difference HHHO makes and I'm pleased to help a little towards that. 

Thank you Tommy for making it so easy for me to train (and to study) x I have been overwhelmed by the support of others whether in person or on-line. At the beginning I was embarrassed to say that I was training for the Marathon in case people thought it was funny, but the belief people had in me to do it means the world. 

This medal was for everyone we have loved and lost to the evil C x

I will stop going on about the Marathon now... beside I have a 10k and an EMA to finish in May!