I am so proud to have completed the London Marathon (at last!). For anyone who knows me and has followed my journey, you will know I have always wanted to do this - when I signed up it was cancelled because of COVID and I ended up doing the Virtual London Marathon in 2020.
This year, on 2 October 2022, I actually completed the REAL TCS London Marathon - IN LONDON!! It was amazing - I have fulfilled a bucket list goal - said I would do it before I was 50 and I am only a year late!
I have put together a short video of the day - please let me know if you have watched it!
All comments welcome!
2 October 2022: I got up early, after very little sleep, way too excited, probably actually shut my eyes about 3am. I had my usual quiet time, did a reading, wrote some gratitude, ate porridge (added marmalade and raisins), and got myself ready with the London Marathon Shelter VEST and race number - shorts (even though its October) - knee high compression socks - a belt for gels and haribos - and another belt to put my phone, inhaler, hanky, and other bits in. Left for the station wearing an old hoodie with a hot cross bun and a banana in the pockets - left early 7:45am - Saw 12 other runners and their friends and family already on the platform at Putney - One guy in a full BayWatch outfit with the blonde wig and boobs, carrying his inflatable float! Got on the train to Clapham Junction - loads more competitors - and the train over to Blackheath was PACKED with runners. Chatted to a random lady about all the carbs we had eaten, both of us holding back a few excited tears. The buzz and nervous excitement was building.
At Blackheath the train was so packed that it took 10 minutes to get us all off the train and down the platform. A trail of people flooded the street, heading towards the start area, where there was a throng of people forming toilet queues and heading for the BLUE start WAVE pens. (RED and GREEN starters were at Greenwich and elsewhere). I joined one of the dozen or so 100 people long toilet queues of runners, all needing to do that nervous WEE!
Time passed quick enough and I got over to the WAVE 9 pen, another queue waiting to enter the PEN - where the guy shouts "no peeing in the pen" before letting us in.
A few hundred people enter the pen and wait 10 more minutes. Then we are let out to walk towards the start, in another orderly British queue, able to discard our hoodies to the charity bins, men and ladies waiting with bags and bags of items collected. We head towards the two big Air Balloons and as we turn the corner, a saxon sounds, music blasts and we are OFF - running through the archway of the official start line. I actually remember to start my GARMIN watch!
Filled with emotion, trying to remember all the important things about not going off too fast, pacing myself behind the 4hrs 15mins pacers and a couple of people dressed as mobile phones... I am running... the streets are literally lined with supporters right from the start. People outside their homes in pyjamas, families, people with flags, sweets, drums, saucepan and wooden spoon banging seemed popular - DJs, brass bands - the support was incredible right from the start along the whole 26.2 miles.
We were about 5 or 10km in when I saw my first casualty - a guy on the side all wired up to an ECG machine and I really felt for him - imagine doing all that training and then not feeling fit enough on the actual day. I pushed on - checking my pace - sometimes overtaking that marker and sometimes catching them back up.
So much time to think when you are running a marathon - I thought about everyone who had supported me in this journey, with motivation, donations to shelter, those who had run with me on the Virtual London Marathon, I thought about my Dad, how proud he would be, my Mum, I knew she was tracking me from her armchair - one step at a time - I pushed on.
Around Cutty Sark the crowds were huge, the noise was deafening and overwhelming - it was a blur of a minute with people shouting and the sun blazing - how wonderful - really took it in, breathed in the Marathon, really felt like WOW I AM ACTUALLY DOING THIS!
At halfway, I cross Tower Bridge, a London icon in itself - and iconic for the fact that it is HALFWAY and you know there is now less left to do. My daughter and partner told me they would be at Tower Bridge and I was feeling like I needed the motivation - scanning the huge crowds I tried to list
en and see them... they were stuck at the road crossing point, so I missed them until I came back passed an hour or so later. I got a phone call saying "Mum you are amazing - don't worry - we are here - we love you - keep going" - I bit my lip and carried on.
There are hundreds of people who have to help with the marathon: marshalls, people who set up, plan, drive equipment, provide toilets, ....too many to mention - I thank them all. There are also the people you actually cross paths with who hand out bottles of water at many hydrations stations along the route and the Lucozade Crew. The idea of having a few swigs of Lucozade from a plastic cup is great - you swerve in towards the outstretched parade of arms with paper cups, you grab one, maybe spilling a bit, you swig it down - all three mouthfuls - then you spend the next 5 minutes squelching along the road on the sticky tarmac as if you have suction pads on your trainers. The most surreal part of this was entering a tunnel where there was suddenly quiet from the crowds and just a strange sucking noise coming from every running shoe!
There were some real memorable moments worth a mention along the journey:
The steel band under the flyover near Woolwich - that was deafening and great fun.
A couple of brass bands of pubs out on their rooves!
All of the supporters at Cutty Sark - wow - that was overwhelming - I fought back the HAPPY tears round there!
The blind runner who passed me "Blind runner on the blue line - excuse me" going at breakneck speed
The guy carrying the Ironing Board and Iron!
The guy walking with a massive gym circuit weight!
The guy walking in army uniform with a backpack (of what might've been bricks) - I am sure I read he finished in 19 hours - I mean good luck to him - I was only carrying my phone and that seemed enough!
The person who whooshed past me pushing a wheelchair (Yvonne do not feel less than, just be happy that you are keeping up this pace, its ok, I told myself)
Seeing my brother and niece at various locations - really shouting out and routing for me
Deptford - I used to live in South London - but my life looks 180 degrees different these days - a few thoughts came around on those streets about how blessed I am these days.
Tower Bridge - just the whole thing was emotional - knowing we are halfway - looking for my daughter and partner in the 6 deep crowd - the iconic tower bridge moment - the crowds cheering
Seeing the Shelter support crew - 3 times throughout the route - that was really good.
Finally seeing my daughter and partner at mile 22 because I had missed them at Tower Bridge - quite emotional, knee was hurting, felt so relieved, needed those hugs!
The final stretch along the river towards Big Ben - Amazing crowd support
The many signs people had brought like "My arms are hurting" "Come on Random Runner" actually meant quite a lot
Hundreds of people calling out YVONNE throughout the whole run, as I had it printed on my vest
I would like to make a mention of Josh Milton, 36, the one runner who did not survive this year and send prayers to his family and friends. He was stretchered off at around 23 miles and passed away in hospital the next day. I found out a week later that he was extremely fit, used to run 10km into work and had two small children - it just wasn't his day - very sad. RIP
I realised after about 18 miles that my knee was hurting badly when I walked. So there was no choice but to keep taking the SIS Gels every 10km and run all the way to the finish.
After turning the corner at Big Ben, I knew I would definitely be finishing the marathon - DEFINITELY. The crowds were thick and loud all the way - I pressed on in the sunshine - still smiling - my face hurting from smiling so much. Running up towards Buckingham Palace seemed like the longest stretch of road, just when you think you are at the finish, you take the bend of St James' Park and there is a little bit more!!
So proud of myself crossing the finish line. Stopped with another girl and we took pics of one another before even collecting our medals. Both of us just barely speaking and clearly very proud of ourselves.
I collected my medal and my T-Shirt, received an amazing message from my friend Clair - who had been tracking me online and wanted to congratulate me on crossing the finish. The first call I made was to my Mum, who was also aware that I had just finished and congratulated me. My first words were "Mum, I am so proud of myself, but please please remind me NOT TO if I ever say I am doing another challenge like this one anytime soon"
Walked passed all the bag-lorries, and all the letter meeting points, around to Y, where I met my daughter, partner, nephew and my friend Vicky (who had also run) and her hubby. So happy!!! A bit of YOGA stretching, got on the tube and went to NANDOS. Job DONE!
I recovered really quickly and was out running again after 1 week - just small half hour runs are fine for me now. I have joined the gym and am enjoying being about to fit in some other sporting exercise like swimming and yoga.
I have inspired quite a few friends to get into the ballot for the London Marathon 2023 and I promise to be the best supporter!!!
Thank you for supporting me - thank God for getting me to the finish! Literally One Step at a Time!
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