Since the Lyke Wake 40 miles 6 weeks ago in July, I have been struggling a bit with things - feeling like there was way too much going on and going by so fast, everything was getting on top of me, and I hadn't managed to fit in any long runs. Done plenty of short runs, but to be honest I hadn't really been trying that hard with them, was just doing them as a way to help me feel in control of other things, which I find running always helps with. The longest run I have done since the Lyke Wake was 12.5 miles while on holiday in Devon, which included a cream tea break half way round (a training approach which I recommend highly).
So, going in to this marathon I wasn't expecting much of myself. But, hey, I love this marathon, so who cares, it'll be a nice day anyway.
I did this marathon last year as part of 13 in 2013 and it was one of my favourites! Love running along the south of the Thames, sounds silly but I always feel at ease there and at one with the world, and I couldn't wait to get back there. The start this year was different to last year, and wasn't so great I didn't think, more busy and as the route went straight out onto the Thames Path which is quite narrow, everyone seemed quite on top of each other for the first few miles. Today was my 22nd marathon, but I still struggle in the first few miles to get into my own pace especially with lots of other people around me doing their own thing, and I always go off to fast. Can't help it! See other people running and want to run as fast as them!
Anyway, after a few miles it settled down and I felt comfortable in my own pace. The route goes straight from Kingston to Richmond and along the Thames Path to Putney Bridge, then back to Kingston and along a bit more for an extra loop at the end. There is a half marathon that starts at the same time, and this goes half way to Putney and then back, so after this point it's a little bit strange as suddenly a lot of people disappear (including several I was trying to keep pace with, which serves me right for trying to keep up with others who I don't know anything about!). Lots of water stops with nice snacks - coconut flapjack squares a highlight (more sugary than a pure sugar cube)!
Everything was going well until 19 miles, when I tripped over a rock and headed superman style straight into the ground covered in grit and soil. I wanted nothing more than to burst into tears, but restrained - too many people to see, too embarrassing. The man who was running just behind me was really kind, and stopped to help me up and made sure I was alright. Didn't really feel it, mud and blood everywhere! But no reason to stop - everything was really stingy and my hips and foot felt a bit funny but didn't feel like I had hurt anything inside. Got some funny looks in the last few miles- one side covered in dirt and cuts and ripped leggings! A few miles before I fell, a lady a bit ahead of me had done the same and eventually I caught her up and asked if she was OK and said I had just done it too. She told me she had broken 3 bones from falling over when running! And also that she had only started running 4 years ago when she was 58, and since then had done 60-odd marathons! Wow. I want to be like her.
Weird, but falling actually made me feel better, firstly I wanted just to finish as everything was hurting and I wanted to get it over with which was a good incentive, and also having a real pain distracted me from the less-bad aches that always start after a couple of hours running.
Running past the start to do the extra couple of miles loop at the end was pretty good actually, I hadn't been looking forward to seeing the end so close, and then having to go off and do 2 more miles! But there were loads of people watching and cheering, and as it was a loop you could see the runners a bit ahead of you coming back the other way, and everyone was smiling and encouraging each other as we passed each other, and I high-fived a couple of the runners I had been talking to earlier in the race! So that was a moral booster. Had a bit of a sprint finish at the end with a bloke who I had overtaken and was just behind me, then he came back and overtook, but I held on for the last 50 meters, and everyone was shouting at us! He just beat me (but only a tiny bit), but it felt wicked to be able to sprint (relatively) at the end!
Went to the St John's Ambulance tent at the end as was worried about my cuts which had a load of mud and grit in them and looked a bit nasty. The man was great, it's such a nice thing these guys do, giving up their time to make sure everyone is looked after at so many different events, and they are so cheerful! He cleaned them all up and put a dressing on my knee which was the worst cut, and I got an accident report, which I guess makes this my first proper running accident. Official.
Stats: finish time 3:48:39, 17/104 in women and 91/326 overall.
The end was quite eventful. The runners were only allowed to use the showers round the back of the leisure center, but there was only one shower room, which was full of naked men. After a mostly peaceful protest, the leisure center let some of us girls use the proper showers inside, but warned us there was only cold water. Which turned out to be no water. I had a minor (major) panic. I had to meet Andrew and Norma for lunch at Jamie Oliver's Italian in Kingston in an hour, and currently was covered in dirt, sweat and the odd tear. But one of the other runners saved the day and had some baby wipes with her and was kind to give me some too, so ended up having a festival-style-baby-wipe shower, which did a good enough job.
Re-fuelled with spaghetti carbonara and ice cream.
Today's recovery plan: biscuits.
