Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. This is to let you know that yes, I did manage to do the full 26.2 miles in the London Marathon on April 18th 2004, despite rain and wind. I was of course a little behind Margaret Okayo, coming in at about 4 hours 25 minutes! As you probably all saw on TV in the comfort of the indoors, it rained mercilessly for some of the time. Anyway, this is not too bad news for runners, as at least it lowers the termperature. However it did mean that I had quite a puddle in my shoes and literally squelched my way for the last five miles.
It was an amazing day. Nearly all forms of life were represented. There were rhinos, kangaroos, dinosaurs, nuns, Red Indians, aborigines, fairies, Santa Claus, priests, Gurkha soldiers laden with packs, quite a menagerie. There was a carnival atmosphere, with plenty of noise and colour to give life to fading runners. The orchestra, bagpipes, aspiring Elvis Presley singers, rock bands, steel band, belly dancers, Irish fiddlers kept us running in rhythm and style. Thousands of supporters lined the streets, chanting, whistling, shouting, clapping, ringing bells, urging runners to step up their pace and just keep going. I didn't get to meet any of the celebrities and there was at least one that I would rather not be associated with (guess who that was!).
After you crossed the finishing line, the magic chip in your shoe, which records your exact time, was removed. Then your photo was taken and then you were given a bag of goodies, full of yet more Vittel water, Lucozade energy drink (disgusting!), jelly babies, chocolate, winegums. You then picked up your Flora marathon kit from the designated lorry, found a tree under which to change, and made your exit through the thousands of people thronging in the park.
After the event I went to the get-together organised by Concern - the charity for which I was raising money (for their projects to assist victims of landmines in Cambodia establish a living) - at the Slug and Lettuce. Unfortunately I couldn't eat anything. All I wanted was a hot cup of tea. The next challenge was trying to get home to Brighton on British Rail on a Sunday (marginally more difficult than doing the marathon - perhaps it would have been quicker to run!) For the rest of the day I was totally euphoric. However, reality set in the next morning when I tried to get out of bed!
Thank you all for sponsoring me for this event. If you have not yet had a chance to sponsor me, there is still time. In a week or two I should have photos displaying the wondrous medal. I'll keep you in touch about these, and if my IT skills are up to it, add a photo to this page.
Once again, thank you all for your support.
Best wishes
Jude
P.S. Concern is a non-denominational organisation working in 30 countries across the world. It runs long-term development programmes in some of the world's poorest countries and also provides humanitarian relief in emergencies. For more information about Concern please visit see their website - www.concern.net.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Concern will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
