Flora London Marathon 23/4/06
One night last year Mary, Ben and I were drinking wine, no doubt after a race, and discussing plans for 2006. Mary and Ben felt that the London Marathon would be good fun and being intoxicated I reluctantly agreed. It is such a major date on the calendar I thought even if the idea of running across miles of urban sprawl didn't appeal at least I could say I'd taken part.
So I blame Mary and Ben. And I was right. It was awful! And I'm not just saying that because my time was at least 5 mins adrift. I had every intention of hating it and doing a great time. After all it's a much faster course than Edinbu
rgh where I set my pb, and I had been training since the dark days of December. However it was not to be.
We arrived on the Friday so we could travel to ExCeL (no, I don't know what that means or stands for,) to register and pick up our numbers before the crowds on Saturday. We travelled on an overground train and the acres of ugliness and graffiti and overpopulated inner-city squalor - combined with an early start - left me a little frazzled. After some overpriced food we hit the expo. As we were still carrying our bags at this point, (contrary to Bert's advice,) we didn't last long after registering. While the day outside was pleasantly warm the air in the expo was more the consistency of intestinal gas. We managed not to spend any money on branded products. Did pick up one good freebie - a pace-strip from Lucozade which you wear round your wrist that tells you how far behind your ideal pace you have fallen. (Lots torn off and on the ground after 20 miles apparently.) The nearest one to my fancied time was a 2.50 finish which I matched until mile 12 then slowly fell off pace. Then plummeted.
After the expo we travelled back across the horrible landscape on a train packed tight with Friday afternoon urban sardines. Very grateful to be staying with Caitlin and Rob who provided excellent accommodation and refreshments (after the stress of the day I probably drank too many refreshments) and a comfy bed on which to recover.
Again, ignoring good advice, we went sightseeing on Saturday. As we were trying to fit everything into a tight schedule we ended up doing the Tate Modern and a trip along the embankment at a jog. This is possibly the best speed to see a gherkin, comedy paintings, a big eye and a big ben. The jaunt reminded me of the positive aspects of the capital and I nearly cheered up. We hurried back to cook pasta and drink no refreshments.
Next morning and up at the crack of dawn to the sound of heavy rain. Bummer. Breakfast and off to the tube where we were able to travel for free; nice one London Underground. As we approached the city centre the train filled up with runners. Then when we changed at Charing Cross the next train filled to the brim with even more. So many that the doors weren't even opened at subsequent stations where you could see a panic in the eyes of even more runners lining the platforms. The scale of the day was becoming apparent - something of biblical proportions - as the faithful flocked to their mecca. And Jade Goody.
We were at the green start along with the “celebrities.” Had to stand in a queue for the toilets for half an hour. Also saw some amazing costumes including a guy in a dalek outfit. And it looked pretty solid. I could imagine after 26 miles of kicking your shins on the skirting you'd feel pretty exterminated. Then after a bit of a warm-up and seeing Jim Buick, joined the pen at the start. I was a bit late in doing this and as there was no way to barge forward I realised I would start behind several hundred closely packed runners. At the start I wasn't able to go at the pace I wanted and ran a 6.45 mile dodging round trees and up on pavements. I hate to run not seeing the ground ahead so didn't feel comfortable till much later when things thinned out a little. Even then it was still running in a giant moving queue. I was still waiting for the fun to start. At mile 5 a very excited Neil Rutherford (exPRC) grabbed my shoulder. He was pleased to be easily managing what was at that point 2.50 pace and didn't seem to be remembering that it is the last five miles that tell the story not the first. He eventually managed 3.04.59 which is still a pb of 15 mins. That was the only runner I spoke to for the whole race. The soaking drizzle fell the whole day. I prefer dry and warm. Nobody was running through the giant showers intermittently set up along the route.
The information had said an arc of balloons over the road would mark every mile. This was great and made counting miles on your watch easy. Until about half way when there were no more arcs from about 12 to 16. I was just coming unstuck from my even pace at this point and although by 16 I was only 75 secs off 2.50 pace I began to lose the place in a more fundamental way. I know Ben uses the crowd and the huge noise they make to fuel his running. I just find it an irritant. I hated the banging, the shouting, the clapping, the bells, the drums, the bands, the inflated Flora bangy green stick things, the football rattles, the painted faces, the spectators..... in fact by about mile 20 I hated the world and all the coloured bits of crap stuck on it.
Actually I liked a bagpipe ensemble and some of the buildings around the docklands although none of it strikes me as a good place to set a route with the exception of the last few miles along the riverside. There was one extended underpass that smelt overwhelmingly like a burger van and I nearly threw up. I took 4 gels but only had the strength to open and consume 2. In the past I wondered if my poor finishes were due to running out of fuel. With this in mind I diligently took an energy drink from all 5 Lucozade stations along the course. I began to hate the orange nasties but knew they would see me through. It may well have been them - or perhaps the cold and relentless drizzle - that nearly did for me towards the end. My calves were aching from mile 15: partially because my heel injury was inclining me to run more on my toes. As we got into the twenties I could feel twinges of cramp snaking around my calves and knew that if I tried to retrieve the pace at all I would end up like the dead and wounded you would pass from time to time. I'm sorry to say the roadside casualties cheered me up enormously: reminders that there was at least someone in a worse place than oneself. Then it happened. All of a sudden I knew I had to find a toilet in a big hurry. By this time I was along the embankment and the crowds were 3 deep. No alleyways and no toilets. All round the course I had seen signs for toilets and thought scornfully didn't they think to go before they started running? Now I was nearly tiptoeing while desperately scanning the horizon for a discreet corner. The crowds were all watching the road, I could probably nip behind them. I looked at the wide pavements and wondered about making a spectacle of myself. Where Paula had opened the door rather modestly re going during a run, I would be opening the floodgates. People would faint and policemen would be called. I saw a policeman ahead and as I approached shouted “NEAREST TOILET?” He looked at me as if I was cursing him in a foreign tongue which is exactly what I did after I passed his stupid blank face. I ran on in disbelief, having never been troubled like this in a race before, and I think it was the disbelief that worked. It certainly took my mind off my aching legs, but I was now reduced to a speed little more than a fast walk. I hurpled along the last couple of miles and was very relieved to see Westminster and turn the corner into the Mall. I could see that I was just going to get in under three hours (chip time) but only with seconds to spare. James Cracknell got in ahead of me but due to crossing the start line before I did got 3.00.10. George from PRC was about 30 secs ahead of me for the last couple of miles. I saw him ahead but knew that if I sped up to catch him I would have a mishap. Across the line and we hugged. He was very pleased and said he had had a brilliant time. Could we have been in the same race???
Okay, I did have one hair-standing-on-end-moment; coming round onto Tower Bridge I was just being overtaken by Elvis - I had gone past him at mile 3 - and he was waving to the crowds and getting a tremendous reception. I ran with him over the bridge at twice the pace I'd been going before he took off and sailed away on a cushion of applause. Until then I had doubted the sanity of running in a costume.
It was good to see Ben's wife Alison taking photos at 2 different vantage points. She deserves a special medal for getting around capital cities (New York, Paris, London) undergrounds while marathons are being run overhead, to pop up at the right moment and get photos of Ben. Who ran this one wearing a cast on his broken wrist. Didn't seem to slow him down though. I'm thinking of ordering a couple.
However top marks have to go to the organisers of this crazy event. It runs remarkably smoothly from start to finish; bag delivery to water stations. The whole thing is outstanding. Despite this I don't think big city marathons are my thing and I will leave them to Elvis and the Dalek.
Report PB
Not everyone was determined to be so grumpy.... Here is Sandi's report;
I LOVED EVERY MINUTE!! I can honestly say that is the first time I have felt that after any race I have ever done. London was amazing. The atmosphere was tremendous and the crowd was supportive beyond comparison. Thanks to the Club for putting that London Marathon place on offer and giving me the opportunity to have such a wonderful experience.
Alex and I travelled down by train on Saturday and had to go straight to Excel to register. The trains were packed with hundreds of people with a similar mission. Alex suggested he go to a local pub to wait for me while I stood in the massive queues - but was disappointed to see there was only one person in front of me! We were quite late and a few stalls were packing up so unfortunately I missed the "print your name on your t-shirt" stall but did get two running vests for a fiver each and Powerbars for 50p each! Also picked up these fab wee pace bands from the Lucozade stall and took a selection but never used them as I don't run wearing specs and can't read without them!!
My friend had a delicious pasta meal and a wonderfully comfy bed waiting for me. Despite what the "Penguin" said in his book, I slept really well. Next day I woke up feeling very relaxed and began to feel anxious I was not feeling anxious!! The Penguin said "whatever you feel is normal" so I went with it.
We missed the mayhem on the tubes and trains by getting a lift straight to Blackheath. We made our way to the blue start through the station carpark and couldn't believe the stream of hundreds of runners coming off the train. No sooner had they dispersed from the station than another train appeared and disgorged hundreds more runners and so it continued. The Heath is huge so there was plenty of space for all the facilities needed and the half dozen or so hot air balloons - which did not appear to take flight but were interesting to look at anyway "oh yes" (one of them was the Churchill dog!)
I had to take my leave of Alex to get into the loo queue. At this point I felt a bit lost and missing the familiar faces of Porty runners or regulars I usually see at races. However, I picked a lone male and asked him where the holding pens were. He answered in a Scottish accent. The usual questions followed i.e was he with others? when did he come down? where did he come from? It turned out he came from Inverkip and lived near a friend of Alex's and his wife worked with her! What are the chances amongst the thousands of people and the three starts?
The organisation was without fault. Everything ran very smoothly, the officials happy and helpful. There was some amusing, friendly banter with the crowd from those manning the start. I was in pen 5 out of 9. It only took me about 2 minutes to get over the start line but about 10minutes to get into a proper running rhythm. Every time we had to stop the runners laughed then cheered when we started again. It was all very positive and good humoured.
I just ran and never really thought about it, I was too busy taking in all that was going on around me.
The crowds started at the beginning and, apart from the two bits I remember being beneath something - be it a tunnel, an underpass or a rabbit warren, they were there until the end - cheering, singing, shouting, blasting hooters, banging tambourines, waving flags, banners, feather dusters. There were brass bands, steel bands, gospel singers, drummers, DJs. Men sitting outside pubs singing England songs (it was also St George's day) and offering glasses of beer, people handing out sweets and jelly babies, a child offering his ice pole! a girl with a huge bowl of orange sections. I passed Katie and Gordy who were apparently married on Tower Bridge at 1pm.
I passed the 4 mile mark, the Cheshire grin glued to my face, and decided to call Alex. Unbelievably he had just come off the train at Charlton and saw me approaching. See the one and only photo he managed to take.
I told Alex I was hoping to finish in between 4.5 and 5 hours because it had been suggested I just go with the flow and not bank on a pb at London with the time to get over the start line, crowds, bottlenecks etc. I reminded myself I was running for charity and for the experience of "doing London". The result being Alex missed me at the four further locations he reached. He said that, when the 6th rhino had passed him at Canary Wharf, he knew I must have already gone Of course the fact that thousands of other supporters were following their own people and the trains, tubes and Docklands railway were jam packed made it difficult for him to get around.
I am rubbish with times. Sorry Bert. There were times on every mile post but because my brain was addled, and I am stronger at English than Maths, I couldn't work out whether I was doing well or not. I can tell you the names of the pubs and stations I passed though.
Crossing Tower Bridge was surreal, I really felt like I was having an out of body experience there - especially when I saw Colin Jackson. I felt like I was blown over the bridge with the enthusiasm of the crowds.
Canary Wharf got a bit crowded. People were getting tired and wavering a bit and I had to be really careful not to fall over anyone crossing right in front of me to get drinks or not to slip on discarded Lucozade sachets. I did get sprayed all down the leg with Lucozade when someone stepped on a sachet but by that stage in the race anything goes!
Oh by the way, there were at least two shower areas which you could run through. Although it was dull and overcast and showery I wanted to experience everything so ran through one! It was great fun and I dried up in no time. Also washed the Lucozade off my leg.
I don't know what happened after mile 20, don't know where my head went, maybe I hit "the wall". If I did I love the wall. I was expecting the next mile marker to be 21 and it was 23!!! For a brief moment I thought they had made a mistake. Still, there was no way I was pointing it out. I kept on running.
The crowds got deeper and noisier. My legs were beginning to feel a bit heavy but.......I was almost there. All the positive thoughts, the good lucks, the keep strongs from everyone began to flood my mind. As I came down to Westminster at mile 25 I was amazed to hear my name called. It was my neighbours. Susanna should have been running. She was number 347, she would have been on the front line with Paula - had Paula been there. However, she had a very bad cold and chest infection and decided not to run but came to support. Wow! did that give me a boost albeit fairly short but a boost all the same!
Up Birdcage Walk, remember what Karen said "watch out for the Palace, you really cant miss it". The palace was easy however puzzled as to where Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament went! Then round the corner and there it was....THE FINISH....just there, (a sprint away Paul E.) and the clock was showing 4hours something. That was it I went for it and crossed the line at 4:01:?? You know I don't do seconds.. (but the Marathon time keepers do - actual time 3:58:10)
p.s. had to wait more than one and a half hours after I finished for Alex to meet up with me at the repatriation area and when he reached me the battery for the camera was flat so the finish photo is in our friends' garden!
Report Sandi BomphrayNext up is Mary's report;
The time before a marathon is an anxious time and a time when a normally fairly rational person can resort to superstition and unproven theories to try and catch a glimpse of what will happen on race day.
Myself, I had a surf on the internet to see how my biorhythms might be on the day of the race, and immediately regretted it. It seemed the 23rd of April would be unprecedentedly bad.
I felt tired and heavy-legged and hoped this was some kind of psychological phase which would pass. A week or so before the marathon I re-awoke an old injury behind my left knee by stretching carelessly on a cold day. This was probably a blessing in disguise as it stopped me going out for runs to see if my legs were still tired. At this stage I really didn't know if I would run. If I ran on an injury and made it worse I'd be wasting all the good summer months I'd been looking forwards to for so long.
So come race day when I was in half decent shape I was grateful just to be fit to run.
I thought my 3h30mins goal was unlikely given how things had been going lately but that I would still go for it rather than compromise and start slower. IfI didn't try I wouldn't know!
The first 10 miles were a doddle - as they are in a marathon, and I was keeping pace nicely. Where I was in the green start was very civilised and I was only held back by about 10 secs in the first mile and after that not at all. I enjoyed the whole London thing I must say. There were lots and lots of bands and failing that people playing music out their windows. I took my mp3 player with me but there was no need for it and I never switched it on. By 15 miles I was falling off the pace by about 90 seconds but that still seemed retrievable although some of my oomph was disappearing and it seemed difficult to contemplate holding on for a further 11 miles. The next few miles I slowed decisively so that by 20 miles I was 8 minutes behind my target time and as no second wind had manifested I acknowledged to myself that I'd had it.
God those last 6 miles are a long way. There were others, true, who looked in worse shape than me. I had little doubt that I could just plod on at 9min30sec pace and that I would get there. I tried to muster my thoughts for a report but then realised that my thoughts didn't make sense. I thought the race I was running was called the “London Ambulance” and it took me a while to realise my mistake.
Intellectually, as my biorythms would suggest, I was no great shakes. I missed a mile marker and two lucozade stops - just never saw them. Likewise I missed the whole of the Cutty Sark around the bows of which apparently I ran. Never saw it mate. At one point I actually saw the high flats in Leith until I had a word with myself.
Ben had assured me that the last mile or so of the race was just so gob-smackingly awe-inspiring that I would feel no pain - or something like that -and it was spectacular. Big Ben (no relation) loomed impressively ahead, and then a long, long road which I could only assume was the mall. I knew there were no spectators allowed in the last 120 yards and it was that I was waiting for. No spectators would mean I could stop running. I crossed the finishing mat in a time of 3hrs 44 mins 39 secs. A minute slower than last year and 3 minutes slower than the year before that. Somehow I just haven't got my training right. I've made myself a promise not to sign up for another marathon for at least a year in order to regroup and see if I can find a new approach. Maybe gardening, like Andrew Jeske, something like that...
I worked very hard on this one, though I dare say all that winter training will show itself somewhere down the line.
Today (Tuesday) I have a decent-sized cold but having tested my legs walking round Scotmid last night I would appear to have escaped uninjured.
Well done to my fellow finishers. Have foolishly signed up for the Edinburgh to North Berwick race in 2 weeks time so I'll see whoever's there, there!
Report Mary HunterHere's how it was from George's perspective
Ghostbuster!
Having entered the London Marathon last year and contracted food poisoning the night before (but still decided to run - before dropping out extremely unwell after 10 miles..... we runners are a funny breed), taking part this year afforded me the opportunity to put that particular ghost to bed.
Angela (my wife) and I arrived late on Friday evening and used Saturday morning to visit the Excel and register. Unlike some doom-and-gloom-merchants (sorry Peter) I actually enjoy this part - despite the journey out to the site. The playing of the London Marathon music gets the hairs standing on the back of my neck (if only there were more on my head!) Angela always comments that it makes her feel like doing it some day...... still working on that though.
As a sharing, caring husband we then made for Oxford Street and an afternoon of shopping: lovely! Anyone watching would have thought Angela was the marathon runner as she darted from one store to another, spotting gaps and opportunities to overtake and barge unsuspecting tourists out of the way (perhaps her shopping would improve with a gel or lucozade drink after every 1/2 hour!) I trudged along, worrying about the incredible sun and heat which, having trained all through the winter, were the last weather conditions I wanted to see.
"This is great," Angela would say.
"T'rific," being my gloomy, Del Boy like response.
Not to worry - Sunday morning: light rain, cool and slight breeze. Positively dreich - fantastic!
At the Blue start - that's with the elite men and the masses (unfortunately I am one of the latter) - the buzz and excitement of the build up is suddenly replaced with the realisation of what it is you have to do.
My preparations had been hampered by a cold and chest infection 3 weeks before the run which meant my last 20 miler and other important runs had not been done. I kept reminding myself of all the miles done with Tom over the long winter, the excellent sessions on Wednesday evenings and tried to convince myself that I would be extremely fresh given the enforced, elongated taper.
The first 1/2 went very well, consistently hitting 6.50 per mile and feeling good.
How great it was to run through the 10 mile marker ( I had stopped there last year violently sick) where there was a white, scary figure safely tucked up snoring away. Yip - that ghost had been put to bed!
By 20 miles I was still comfortably under 7 minute miles and, psychologically, I was able to continue at that pace as I was able to convince myself that I must be fine to be running as I was.
At 24 I did actually think about upping the pace and genuinely felt 2.57 was possible. However, two stronger thoughts kept my feet on the ground: firstly there were a number of runners dropping by the side with shaky-leg syndrome and any increase in tempo may have pushed my body too far; secondly, the marathon distance has to be respected and, having never gone sub 3 before and given that this was my aim for the season, I decided to content myself with feeling good (or at least as good as you can do!) and enjoy the finish.
How great to finish and meet Peter who, despite being disappointed with his time personally, was keen to share my elation. Cheers mate.
Having had a few days to reflect, I now want to do sub 3 again to prove to myself that it was not a one off and to better my time. I also wish to thank Gordon and everyone at the Club for the excellent, competitive sessions we have, and to Tom too for the miles we run together over the winter in preparation (we have understanding wives!) - Oh yes - to Angela too; perhaps we'll run it together next year......
Report George SalmondJohn reports what he made of it...
It was 10 years ago that I last took part in the london marathon and I would like to thank PRC for giving me the opportunity to run it again. Sunday morning got up at 5.30. Iam used to getting up early being a postie and had everything ready the night before so it was a case of have a shower, get breakfast, go for the train and get to Blackheath in plenty time so there was no last minute rush. Walking across to the start I was getting such a buzz or was that just the energy drink? 9.30 I thought i'll join the toilet queue so that I won't need to again; no such luck. 9.45 we're off. Settled in to just over 7 minute miles, then just after 2 miles oh no need to go again, but tried not to think about it. If I thought Cutty Sark was noisy Tower Bridge was just amazing; you were getting such a lift from the crowds who were just fantastic.15 miles - toilet stop; I thought better go now or I'll never get going again. Gets going again then at 19 miles caught up with Colin from footworks who I was just going to run with the rest of the race but said on you go I'm knackered or probably something else then just after 20 miles go over ankle; bloody water bottles. 22 miles - Colin must have got second wind as he whizzes past, mind you was walking at the time. Jogged / walked till just before 24 - had another drink then ran the rest and in the home straight there is Colin who looks like he has had one too many. He later said that he has never felt like that at the end of a race. So that's it 3.23.53. Not what I'd hoped for but never mind, there's always Edinburgh. So thanks again PRC for the entry. Don't know what's next; Edinburgh to North Berwick, who knows?
report John Pickard
Photos Alison Kemp, Peter Buchanan, Alex Bomphray
Ben Kemp 2.42.50
George Salmond 2.59.13
Peter Buchanan 2.59.36
John Pickard 3.23.53
Mary Hunter 3.44.39
Sandi Bomphray 3.58.10Here are some further (partially moving) images which I have put on a separate page as they will take some time to download if you do not have broadband.
