From John Hayes…
Well done to all the Harriers who ran this year’s London Marathon. There was a record field of 50,000+ runners this year. Also, as well as trying to finish ahead of the Rhinos, the man carrying a fridge etc, there was the added incentive of trying to beat Matt Hancock. The deafening crowds were out in force and it was a lovely day. It was, however, cold at the start and I decided to set off wearing my buff. I quickly warmed up though and didn’t need it. Other runners must have done the same, and the first few miles of the route were scattered with various items, notably buffs, gloves and hats. But I couldn’t cast my buff aside. Why? The answer is simple. It was the iconic Ilkley Harriers buff. The thought of discarding it horrified me. So I carried it the whole way round the marathon. I expect you all to be impressed by this dedication, although I confess it wasn’t quite as arduous as carrying a fridge.
From Geoffrey Howard…
The weather was perfect, the crowds were wonderful and my fellow 7+ hours charity runners were great company and massively inspirational. Not what I’d intended back in November when I acquired my place and, even by my standards, to be three hours out on predicted time is a bit extreme. Just one mile too many in the last run of the penultimate week of six months textbook preparation put paid to any idea of a ‘decent time’ as my hamstring tore. Three physio sessions within six days got me to start line but five miles into the marathon it tweaked again. By really good fortune, walking was sore but not excruciating and the subsequent stroll to The Mall was largely very enjoyable, and completion allowed me to feel justified as a fund raiser. It isn’t the first time something like this has happened before a big event and maybe it won’t be the last but, thankfully, walking provided an option B. I have had many great running experiences and this was one of them albeit not textbook. I’ve been very moved by the many messages of encouragement sent by Harriers and thank you to all those who made donations to Outside The Box.