The Race
So.... I did the London Marathon. I did it. 5hours 45mins. And I'd like to share just a few highlights of the day with you.
HIGHLIGHT 1
The walk to the start line in Greenwich Park. I was late. Now this sounds terrible but it actually played into my favour. The huge humming bulk of mass that was the 'on-time' runners had left the scene and I had a few straggling rhinos to contend with. A nice easy start with plenty of uncrowded photo ops.
HIGHLIGHT 2
Miles 0 - 14. Felt as I fully expected. Steady running taking in the amazing event, the costumes, the effort, the throng of support at every step. Running light and loose.
HIGHLIGHT 3
Toilet Stop! Running, running, running, bladder filling, filling, filling. Must keep going, going, going......NO I MUST STOP HERE! Immediate halt, queue, bit of banter, hobble up step into stinky portaloo, do some sort of shaky sitting down action, drag myself up and then the worst bit. Getting down the step again and getting going. Nigh on impossible. Like getting a square tyre to roll again.
HIGHLIGHT 4
I found a runner (about my height 5'3") who was running at a similar pace to me. Tucked in behind her through Canary Wharf. She was all in black and seemed determined. We ran through those streets together and I'm sure she must have sensed she was being followed - erm, maybe not!! I felt I was the fitter party. But after 5-6 miles I left her in front. A good memory.
HIGHLIGHT 5
The final highlight. The final run home. Climbing up the gentle gradient that is The Mall I was in full flight. For every 1 that overtook me, I overtook 5. And the professional pics show my PAIN. Not bought those. Round the right-hander to the finish line to have the one and only good pic. Arms up, make race number clear, smile, big smile. Not to be! Another runner was already on the finish line, collapsed after her exertion. My final pic has it all, including flailing paramedics arms and legs. The lady did get up and we both deservedly received our medals!
My Thoughts
Yeah, ok, so it's just another charity that needs help. Call me unpassionate, non-caring or whatever, but I'm far too busy dealing with my (actually rather important) stuff to think about charity. Yeah, they definately need money and they do good things, but my donation isn't going to make a massive difference. Not really.
Fast-Forward to March 24th 2009
I remember this date reasonably well. After 3 nights in Intensive Care, 2 op's on my liver, half my liver being removed, several blood transfusions, a ventilator down my throat making me breathe, 1 night on the High-Dependancy Unit and 4 more nights (and days) going mentally crazy from drugs and shock, the 24th was a peaceful moment laid in Ward .... of Queens Medical Centre. I'd survived.
So what happened?
Well, after a 20 mile pony trek with my sister Jess, we were 10 mins from base. One last little canter home and 'pat on the back, another good ride out together.' Textbook!
Except this (oh so sadly) was not to be. You see, we'd not counted on the rather insignificant looking, silver birch tree. It couldn't have been more than 3 years old, but it took me on.
Not a broken bone, or damaged piece of clothing anywhere. Just me winded on the floor, getting my lungs back after a few seconds and then trying to get up. Little did I know that my new-found silver friend has ruptured my liver and I was bleeding internally. My abdomen was actually filling with the blood oozing from my broken liver. When I could move no more, I laid on the floor and (sorry folks) wet myself. I was scared.
Jess rang 999. The Lincs and Notts air ambulance was sent to recover me. After what seemed like forever, I could hear it coming. Each beat of the rotor was a wave of relief to me. And when it landed in a field and the medical crew reached me I felt so safe.
What About That Donation?
There's only ONE air ambulance covering Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
This life-saving service needs £1.3 million pounds a year to keep flying.
It may well surprise you that the critical work they do is
NOT funded by the government, and is
NOT funded by the National Lottery.
It is funded by charitable donations. Even the helicopter fuel has to be paid for out of donations. When I found this out, I couldn't believe it. It's made me feel very close to all those strangers out there who've donated, and kept the ambulance up there, un-noticed above our heads flying about with casualties like me aboard.
On 25th April 2010 I'm running the 26 mile 385 yard London Marathon to raise awareness and money to keep our helipcopter flying.
Please help support the charity. It's out there waiting to save lives.
