Story
I did it! Thanks for all your support! On all fronts! It really helped.
It was an amazing day. The spectators were fabulous. They made a huge difference. Great energy. They didn't stop shouting and cheering, waving flags, or extending jelly beans and orange slices to flagging runners. It felt like a 26.2-mile block party representing the best of multi-cultural London.
I really liked the live music (lost count of the brass bands), encouragement (appreciated the 'well done, Colleens' as I ran past), and all the flavors of people -- from the monsignor at the Catholic Church in Greenwich sprinkling us with holy water to the congregation at the Methodist Church in Deptford dispensing samosas to passing runners. I also appreciated the runner dressed as Obama, with a 'yes you can' message pinned on his suit. And I got all choked up running through Greenwich (a place with family significance) and running over Tower Bridge.
I completed the course in about 5.5 hours, not including a 25-minute wait in the 'loo queue' around Mile 14 (which meant my official chip time is just under 6 hours: 5:59:58 thanks to a sprint at the finish). While waiting in the Portaloo queue, I saw celebrity duo Katie 'Jordan' Price and Peter Andre and entourage run past. A half hour later I overtook them. (Yes!) My goal at that point was to ensure that they didn't lap me later on. Turns out I was well ahead. What carried me through the last third were not lofty thoughts about altruism or strategic thinking about timing (OK, some of that) but competitive thoughts about not being bested by celebs. ☺
The one person I saw whom I recognized to speak with was a Queen Mary, University of London student volunteer working at Mile 18 - one of four students I met up with by chance on Friday in the Students' Union. A serendipitous coincidence, since our collective effort on this page has been on behalf of the Queen Mary student volunteer chapter of READ International (see details below my picture).
Btw, READ's London East Book Project is also nearing its 2009 finish: Over the next two weeks, besides doing exams, the QM student team will be boxing up thousands of books that have been collected (currently stored at a Big Yellow in Bow) for delivery to children in Tanzania this summer.
So, thank you all!
Love x, Colleen
PS for the 'retrospective contributors': Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: READ International gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
It was an amazing day. The spectators were fabulous. They made a huge difference. Great energy. They didn't stop shouting and cheering, waving flags, or extending jelly beans and orange slices to flagging runners. It felt like a 26.2-mile block party representing the best of multi-cultural London.
I really liked the live music (lost count of the brass bands), encouragement (appreciated the 'well done, Colleens' as I ran past), and all the flavors of people -- from the monsignor at the Catholic Church in Greenwich sprinkling us with holy water to the congregation at the Methodist Church in Deptford dispensing samosas to passing runners. I also appreciated the runner dressed as Obama, with a 'yes you can' message pinned on his suit. And I got all choked up running through Greenwich (a place with family significance) and running over Tower Bridge.
I completed the course in about 5.5 hours, not including a 25-minute wait in the 'loo queue' around Mile 14 (which meant my official chip time is just under 6 hours: 5:59:58 thanks to a sprint at the finish). While waiting in the Portaloo queue, I saw celebrity duo Katie 'Jordan' Price and Peter Andre and entourage run past. A half hour later I overtook them. (Yes!) My goal at that point was to ensure that they didn't lap me later on. Turns out I was well ahead. What carried me through the last third were not lofty thoughts about altruism or strategic thinking about timing (OK, some of that) but competitive thoughts about not being bested by celebs. ☺
The one person I saw whom I recognized to speak with was a Queen Mary, University of London student volunteer working at Mile 18 - one of four students I met up with by chance on Friday in the Students' Union. A serendipitous coincidence, since our collective effort on this page has been on behalf of the Queen Mary student volunteer chapter of READ International (see details below my picture).
Btw, READ's London East Book Project is also nearing its 2009 finish: Over the next two weeks, besides doing exams, the QM student team will be boxing up thousands of books that have been collected (currently stored at a Big Yellow in Bow) for delivery to children in Tanzania this summer.
So, thank you all!
Love x, Colleen
PS for the 'retrospective contributors': Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. It’s also the most efficient way to sponsor me: READ International gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.