Story
London marathon 2011 to remind us.
April 2010 watching the London Marathon, our spines tingle and the hair on your neck stands up, we have nothing but admiration for the runners we know how hard they have worked to achieve this we know because we have done it before. Shall we have another go?Ok we won't get accepted anyway!!!
October 2010 we have received both our acceptance magazines for the 2011 Marathon, OMG, we need to start training and form a base of 10 mile runs this month. It’s Caroline’s 60th birthday we celebrate with family and friends but not for too long the training must continue. It’s now snowing but the running continues albeit we have both taken heavy falls on the ice.
2011 enters and in January we need to extend our runs 12mls and then 14mls in 2hrs.40mins. February comes and we need to extend our mileage again but Caroline gets a heavy cold and we miss two weeks running, I continue with gym sessions.
We are pushing on 16 mile run then 18mile runs at 3hrs 30mins my hip and back are giving serious pain, the pain killers and Nurofen are not working too well.
February ends and March arrives we take another 18mile run and then a 20mile run in 4hrs keeps us locked on course. All the training has been in snow, ice and cold ideal preparation for Marathon day in the heat.
Sunday 17th Aptil, Marathon day arrive we up a 4.45hrs for breakfast, shower etc and out of the door by 06.15hrs. Arrive Blackheath 08.15hrs and prepare for the run. We are at the very back of the mass Blue start only about 40 people are behind us and its getting very warm.
The race starts and we are on our way. First two miles show we are running too fast and being carried away in the excitement so we slow down to a more steady pace.
Mile 6 through Greenwich we are jogging along well, through mile 9, 10 and 11 all OK we cross Tower bridge and around mile 12 my heart rate jumps to 174bpm we walk a little it still does not come down below 149bpm we jog and walk for the next couple of miles trying to slow my heart rate, and I seriously consider pulling out. At around 15mile the run takes us under a tower block car park the relief from the heat was instant and as we walk slowly in the shade my hear rate drops to normal and we start running again. Mile 17 Caroline is now having trouble with abdomen pains and sock problems, her socks are rucking under her feet and causing them to burn, it’s still 9miles to the finish, this is hard on Caroline but after my earlier scare I feel fine.
We now walk and jog the crowds are fantastic even at this late stage everyone is full of encouragement as we pass mile 25 tell Caroline we must push on the beat 6hrs but Caroline is hurting.
We finish in 5hrs 57mins this is 2hrs slower than 20yrs ago for Caroline and a little less for me but we need to remember why we did it. We are both pensioners and running to raise money for St Clare Hospice, we have been pledged in total about £800 all we have to do now is collect the money and hope everyone supports us in trying to make it £,1000 in sponsorship. Thank you all for your support.
Will we put our bodies through this again the answer is NO but watch this space.!!!!!
Thanks again for all your support. The money you are sponsoring us for will be going to St Clare Hospice which needs £4,000 a day to ensure all its services for our local community so we are very appreciative of your practical support.