Dear Kind Sponsors,
 
I will be sending you all an individual thank you note, but I just wanted to say now how grateful I am. Below is a report of the day's events, from my perspective and in gruesome detail, in case you are interested. (But if not, let me just say - thank you!)

If you didn't sponsor me and want to, you still can!
 
The blue start on Blackheath was rather like a rock festival, people lying around in strange and scanty clothing in the sunshine. I set out with a couple of friends but one of them went off ahead pretty early on. We were aiming for 8 minute miles but of course the first mile was much slower than that because of the crowds. Still we made up ground and caught the 8 minute mile pacer. However, I knew that I was unlikely to maintain it - my legs felt heavy from the start. I have had serious problems with my left shin and have not run at all since a 20 mile race three weeks ago. I knew I was running too fast and would have to slow down. I stopped for the loo about mile 12 and lost the pacer, and just settled in to what I thought was a slower rhythm. I saw various supporters (mother, wife, friends) just after Tower Bridge and they told me later I was less than a minute behind the pace at that point. I lost track of time for a bit, and stopped seeing mile posts, although it seems I kept the pace up. The heat was getting to me. Then, about 2 hours 45, I felt a toenail break loose. It hurt, but on the plus side, it distracted me from the pain in my shin. I considered pressing on but thought better of it and found the St Johns people. I sat down and took off the right shoe, and then saw that the toe of the left shoe was soaked in blood. So I took that one off too. They patched me up but it was hard to get going again, and painful to run. I came to a point where I thought the course doubled back on itself, so that I could see people ahead of me running past me. They were going slowly, many walking; and I noticed they did not look all that athletic. I supposed that I had really slowed up and I felt quite disappointed. I was just telling myself that it served me right for being hubristic, when I saw the mile 22 post, and realised that these were people behind me at mile 13. That was a relief, but also filled me with respect for them - they still had half the course to run, and I had four miles. I slowed up a lot over those miles though - legs threatening to cramp up, head spinning from the heat, toes hurting. I had hoped that I would surge at the last mile but when I tried I felt like I might die so I just put my head down and plodded on. Got in at 3.45, fifteen minutes slower than I had hoped. But then I only started regular running in September, and only started training for the marathon at the end of January - so I am hopeful for next time! I took the great Dave Eastman's place (from the triathlon club) when he had to give it up due to the progress of Parkinson's. So I'm grateful to him, and pleased I made it. The Parkinson's Disease Society are a lovely bunch (showers and pasta for their runners!) and a really worthy cause, I think, and so I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who helped them by sponsoring me!
 
Thanks again and all best,
Alex


Original message:

Rather late in the day, I picked up a place in the 2009 London Marathon. (To be clear, this counts as Good News, since I've wanted to run a marathon for a while, and particularly with a view to eventually completing an Ironman triathlon - but no promises for that.) The man who was meant to have the place suffers from Parkinson's disease. He is a seasoned triathlete, with 13 marathons under his belt, who had intended to run his 14th for Parkinson's. But it turned out to be a bridge too far, and he made a painful decision to give his place up, along with the opportunity to raise money for the same illness that prevented him from running. I admire his ambition and I am also grateful to have got his place, so I would like to be able to raise money for his cause. The Parkinson's Disease Society provides support for sufferers, family and carers, and would welcome your contribution.