Its now been exactly a month since the London Marathon 2014 so I thought it was about time I gave my #VMLM2014 story. I've been trying to do this for the past 3 weeks or so but its been pretty hard to put it down into words.
I thought I would start by giving you a little bit of a ‘why the London Marathon’ background. I know I have touched on how I came to start running a little but I’ve never gone into the story of why the London Marathon in particular *checks previous blog posts*.
I’ve grown up watching the London Marathon, not because my family are runners but its was one of those annual televised events that was on in the background during Sunday breakfast time. It always felt comforting yet exciting to watch but never something I felt compelled to do myself. Its only been in the last 3 or so years that I’ve actually made a point of sitting down and watching it.
I’ve mentioned before that I took up running when I came back from travelling in 2011. By 2012 I was running about 5k every morning but I never really expected to progress from there, however it was watching a 101 year old man take part in the London Marathon in 2012 that really made me think about doing it myself. That was the defining moment for me, because if a 101 year old man can do it…
If I want to do something big I usually tell lots of people about it to ensure that I see it through, so I posted this Facebook status…
Clearly LOADS of people thought I would do it due to the number of ‘likes’ it got ;)
I have a very vivid memory of watching the 2013 race with Emma on a boat down in Chichester for Rosie’s birthday and deciding that it would definitely be me next year. I decided to apply for the 2014 race as I was still yet to do a 10k and a half marathon so it gave me 2 years to get myself up to scratch.
I was all set to enter the ballot in April only to discover that it closed at 11am, luckily I managed to secure a charity place with Leonard Cheshire who I also volunteer for.
So I’ve managed to get all this way without actually saying why the London Marathon, well…I only intended to do a marathon once so I decided to go for the big one!
"So how was it?" is something I've been asked a lot over the last couple of weeks, so heres how it was...
In the tapering weeks it all began to feel a little bit 'unreal', it only really hit me when we went down to the Expo on the Saturday that it really begun to hit. I felt awful that day, just sick with nerves about the whole thing, sad that a few special people weren't going to be there and worrying that I hadn't done something I was supposed to and I wouldn't be able to do it. Poor Russ, I was horrible that day.
The best part of the day was getting to meet some people from UKRunChat that I've been talking to via Twitter throughout my training. Our carb loading meal definitely confirmed what a special community UKRunChat is and how glad I am to be a part of it at the grassroots stage. Its definitely going to get bigger and I can't wait to see where it goes...and the new friends I might gain along the way.
Sunday, I was way more relaxed. I've sat here for a good 15 minutes trying to think of the best way to explain how I felt on the morning but there really were no words. I think because I'd felt so awful during the day on Saturday, by comparison things were looking much better by Sunday morning. All the hard work had been done and everything organised...all that was left to do was running the thing!
After a winning breakfast of yogurt, oats and raisens, Russ drove me down to Kentish Town and we got the tube from there to Greenwich Park. Although it was wall to wall with runners it still didn't hit me that it was THE London Marathon. I've done quite a few events before and this didn't seem any bigger than any previous events. I remember being awe struck by the volume of people lining up with me to do the Great North Run last year but the same feeling wasn't there. It wasn't disapointing as the atmosphere was fantastic, I just expected it to be, well...bigger.
As we moved into the starting pens, my heart sank as I realised that I was in the last one with all the people dressed as Bagpuss and fridges etc. Bang goes my 5 hour marathon...however I made the decision not to get hung up on it as I've always said that I just wanted to get round running. This is all that is ever important to me.
It started to feel like the real deal going over the start line, the speed started to pick up and the crowds that lined the route started cheering. I set my pace at approximately 5.5 miles an hour and hoped that if I could maintain this then I stood a chance of getting to my 5 hour goal.
The noise level, the amount of people making a day of it, pubs blasting out music, small children holding their hands out for fives, homemade banners lovingly made by people I will never meet, people handing out treats for energy and the feeling is something I don't think I will ever fully be able to put down into words. So I've put it as best I can into my top moments.
1. Cutty Sark and coming up to Mile 7...as I was running through Cutty Sark I was aware that Leonard Cheshire's first cheer point was coming up. I actually felt a little sick and nervous wondering how I would react when I saw my friends and family, would I even see the cheer point and had they all found it in time. The first person I saw was my Mum who immediately started screaming for me, I then saw my Dad and Russ with camera phones at the ready (Russ managed to pick possibly the worst photo he took of the day on Facebook…thanks babe ;) ) Of course that moment literally passed by in a flash, in both the time and camera sense. That was the first time I was hit with the emotion of the day and I had a quick burst of tears but quickly managed to grab myself together.
Thank you for joining me on my journey
Holly
x
After a winning breakfast of yogurt, oats and raisens, Russ drove me down to Kentish Town and we got the tube from there to Greenwich Park. Although it was wall to wall with runners it still didn't hit me that it was THE London Marathon. I've done quite a few events before and this didn't seem any bigger than any previous events. I remember being awe struck by the volume of people lining up with me to do the Great North Run last year but the same feeling wasn't there. It wasn't disapointing as the atmosphere was fantastic, I just expected it to be, well...bigger.
As we moved into the starting pens, my heart sank as I realised that I was in the last one with all the people dressed as Bagpuss and fridges etc. Bang goes my 5 hour marathon...however I made the decision not to get hung up on it as I've always said that I just wanted to get round running. This is all that is ever important to me.
It started to feel like the real deal going over the start line, the speed started to pick up and the crowds that lined the route started cheering. I set my pace at approximately 5.5 miles an hour and hoped that if I could maintain this then I stood a chance of getting to my 5 hour goal.
The noise level, the amount of people making a day of it, pubs blasting out music, small children holding their hands out for fives, homemade banners lovingly made by people I will never meet, people handing out treats for energy and the feeling is something I don't think I will ever fully be able to put down into words. So I've put it as best I can into my top moments.
1. Cutty Sark and coming up to Mile 7...as I was running through Cutty Sark I was aware that Leonard Cheshire's first cheer point was coming up. I actually felt a little sick and nervous wondering how I would react when I saw my friends and family, would I even see the cheer point and had they all found it in time. The first person I saw was my Mum who immediately started screaming for me, I then saw my Dad and Russ with camera phones at the ready (Russ managed to pick possibly the worst photo he took of the day on Facebook…thanks babe ;) ) Of course that moment literally passed by in a flash, in both the time and camera sense. That was the first time I was hit with the emotion of the day and I had a quick burst of tears but quickly managed to grab myself together.
2. There was a feeling of euphoria
in the air going over the half way mark, everyone cheered when they went over
but I couldn’t help but glance to my left and see all the runners aiming for a
3.5 hour finish…how far away is the other side? Well when I was on the other
side the sweepers were behind the last people, they were all still running though. It was that moment that made me realise that its true, ANYONE can run.
3. I felt a real sense of enjoyment
around the Canary Wharf area where I really felt like I was running the London
Marathon and that I could go the distance. It was mile 18 and I wasn’t in any
pain, just feeling good and trying to take it all in.
4. I had my ‘oh god’ moment when I
got to Tower Bridge. The sheer volume of space and the sight itself was breath
taking, a moment that everyone had been waiting for and thinking about in those
long, dark and wet January runs. The noise fell slightly as it felt like everyone just took a mental step
back to enjoy where they were and think about what they were doing and maybe why they were doing it.
5. As I was approaching mile 23 and
the second Leonard Cheshire cheer point I saw the pacer for 4:58. I had made
sure I had maintained my pace of at least 5.5 miles an hour the whole way
(minus a pesky stitch moment) but had long shoved a 5 hour finish to the back
of my mind. I thought that if I could just keep up with him then I would make
my 5 hour target, I still tried to tell myself that it didn’t matter though.
Mile 23 came and went in a quicker flash than before but I managed to get a
glimpse of Katie and Emma whilst going past. After that moment, I got hit with
a lightning bolt like surge…I had 3.2 miles to go, I was
level with the 4:58 pacer. I decided to just go for it and run as fast as I can, for as long as I can and just get that 5 hour time. I kept looking at my running watch and seeing my
speed increase, I was sure I’d burn out before the end and limp over the finish line, but I just kept on going
faster and faster, so much so that I almost missed ‘The Mall’ moment. It was so
busy at one point I actually had to ask someone if it was The Mall.
6. And of course, the finish line itself. I wasn’t sure if I was within 5
hours as I got over the line but I made sure I enjoyed the moment...and I
bloody did! I can’t describe the feeling of crossing the marathon finish
line…but I urge you to find out for yourself if you’ve ever had the inkling to. If I had to put that moment into words that about 37,000 other people can probably identify with then it could only be 'I am a marathon runner'.
My official time was 4 hours, 48
minutes and 34 seconds and I couldn’t be more ecstatic. From no running to a sub 5 hour marathon in 3 years. I always said that this
would be my first and last marathon, but after my London experience…now I’m not
so sure. Watch this space...
I have so far managed to raise £1580.20 so far for Symonds House - Leonard Cheshire Disability, a charity I volunteer for. Please help me to get to £1800 if you can, its what this whole 26.2 miles was all about for me... http://www.justgiving.com/hollysrunningthelondonmarathon2014
I have so far managed to raise £1580.20 so far for Symonds House - Leonard Cheshire Disability, a charity I volunteer for. Please help me to get to £1800 if you can, its what this whole 26.2 miles was all about for me... http://www.justgiving.com/hollysrunningthelondonmarathon2014
"There will be days when you think you can't run a marathon, but a life time of knowing that you have"
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