From Rumana Chowdhury…
I’ve been a right moaning Minnie through my training for the London Marathon – I’m too slow, still too injured, too unfit, it’s too cold, too snowy, blah blah blah. I seemed to have lost all my confidence after sustaining an injury in my last marathon training a few months earlier. My husband says I’m a pessimist, I like to think I’m more of a realist, and so it was I turned up on the start line feeling undertrained and very much glass half empty.
Well, that feeling rapidly evaporated. Despite the pouring rain, and fairly bland first couple of miles, it turned into the most glorious experience of my life. The support from the crowd was unreal, so strong and loud and willing you on with such force. I was smiling so much my face ached more than my legs. I hit my first low point at mile 14 with cramp in my calf, but rather than the usual drama I go through in my head, I accepted it, slowed down, smiled and carried on. And it was fine! A hug from my husband and friends at that point helped too. The rain cleared, the sun came out and the crowd kept on shouting. Running alongside Batman and a rhino was also pretty fun!
I had been thinking beforehand what my mantra would be when things got tough – I can do this? This is my race? Keep going? Hmm, I wasn’t sure, I’m not really a mantra kind of gal. But as is often the way on long runs, it came to me whilst running – run with your heart. And from mile 21 to the end that’s all I had running through my brain. And my god I did.
A big thank you to the club for giving me the chance to do this and all the encouragement from fellow Harriers. Some great results for the club too. I keep saying never again when it comes to marathons, but I would do that again in a heartbeat. Looks like the London Marathon turned me into an optimist.
From Hilda Coulsey…
London on marathon day is so inspirational: the vast numbers raising millions for charities, the volunteers, free transport, multitudes of excited cheering supporters, world-class runners and runners of all abilities challenging themselves.
Of any other marathon I’ve run it is inclusive – the ballot is much oversubscribed but open to all plus there are other ways via, like me, a good-for-age place, a very good time championship place, the ballot for a club place and of course via the very many charities. Also many marathons have strict cut-off times so no medal: in Boston 6 days ago it was a, quite randomly and not well publicised, 5.5 hrs for the slow runners, similar for Tokyo. Not so for London, fast and slow are equally included and supported. The support, in the rain, was fantastic along the route and 3 or 4 deep in places.
I subscribe to Cancer Research UK and proudly wear the vest. It all helps, makes you smile when passed by the disabled and their supporters, all those in costumes helping to raise funds and the vast numbers of runners like me in their charity vests.
It’s an inspirational route too, lots to see and points of interest to look forward to. Over Tower Bridge at halfway and of course none more so than running along the river towards the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and turning down The Mall to the finish.
My race went well, I didn’t tail off too much until the last few miles when my hamstrings and calves started to cramp up. I’m very happy with my time 4:23:31, 7th v70 in a world-class field, the best of the 4 I’ve run these last 6 months. I’ll be giving road marathons a rest for a while…
And a poem from Jill Ezard…
Another “not this time” top
And my London dreams met a full stop
Til the club ballot results
Saw a spike in my pulse
Got my training plan off the laptop
This was not my first rodeo
Yet changed my plan with just 9 weeks to go
Introducing new training
Led to injury sustaining
“No running” said the brave physio
When you’re injured at 7weeks out
And riddled with boatloads of doubt
For your marathon place
And a half decent pace
I debated whether I should drop out
But I’m known as a feisty wee thing
And a positive mindset I bring
So a change to the plan
And Jeff was my man
To the marathon dream I would cling
At the start line I met some old friends
For a hug then t’was off to the pens
Just a visit or two
To the short toilet queue
And a stretch and some half hearted bends!
It was peeing it down to begin
I was totally soaked to the skin
But the joy of the race
put a smile on my face
Within minutes my rhythm was in
I stuck to my run/walking plan
Covered 23 miles with elan
Thank god for the cheers
Which rang round my ears
As I thought to myself “yes I can!”
So the moral of this epic tale
If you don’t want your dream to derail
Avoid any new fad
Just in case it turns bad
And in my case, stick with the trail!