London Marathon Blog

London Marathon Blog Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from London Marathon Blog, Sports Event, London.

26/09/2016

Today our family lost the reason I ran the marathon.
My mum was the most inspiring, courageous, loving person.
Be peaceful Mum.
Thank you for being my Mum ❤️💔

11/06/2016

Today I paid in the final sponsorship cash raised from running the marathon. When gift aid has been added, the total raised will be £3,884. Thank you to everyone who donated and supported me during my training and the day itself. X

09/05/2016

Although I had said I'd completed my blog, this is just a small addendum.
The one millionth finisher of the London Marathon was announced this morning (it wasn't me!)
However, I've just discovered I was pretty close... I was number 1,000,589!

I intend this to be my final posting of memories from my marathon journey, as it's now 7 days since I was soaking in a b...
01/05/2016

I intend this to be my final posting of memories from my marathon journey, as it's now 7 days since I was soaking in a bath drinking champagne and contemplating what had happened earlier in the day.
The support from my friends and family has been incredible. The support and cheers from the crowd was like nothing I had ever experienced before. People shouting out my name, encouraging me on, chatting to people as I ran, and the banners people held up... Fabulous! Here are a few of the most memorable:
"Your pace or mine?"
"I love you random stranger!"
"You're running London better than Boris"
"Smile if you're not wearing any underwear"
"Run like you're running away from Donald Trump's toupe"
But my everlasting memories will be talking to Mum as I ran across Tower Bridge, and best of all chatting to her as I crossed the finish line on The Mall as she cried with pride down the phone to me. Mum has taught me everything I need about resilience and determination. Mum shows bravery I have never seen before, so I will finish with 2 very special photos: Mum and me taking it in turns to wear my medal.
Thank you for reading my blog, for being part of this journey with me, and most of all for the phenomenal sponsorship for Macmillan X

01/05/2016

This time 7 days ago I was walking to the tube station to begin the journey to the marathon. It felt as frightening as medical school finals. I didn't know where I was going, and the line I was on split, and none of the trains were on the branch line I needed to go to... Not a great start. So I hopped on and got off at the next station and changed lines. There I met my first friend of the day, a lady called Helen, who looked as nervous as me. We stuck together for the journey. Off to Charing Cross and then main line train out to Blackheath. That train was packed purely with marathon runners and there the camaraderie began. Strangers chatting on the train like we'd known each other for years. Jokes and nervous laughter, and worry at how long the journey took us out of London (knowing we would have to run all the way back in).
My top tip for anyone contemplating the marathon is to be prepared for how far you will travel on your feet that day. The marathon is 26.2 miles (42km), but I did 53km that day! There's big distances to and from the marathon... But worth every step!

Day 4 post marathon. This is what greeted me on my consultation room door this morning. I'm not convinced that London 20...
28/04/2016

Day 4 post marathon. This is what greeted me on my consultation room door this morning. I'm not convinced that London 2017 is an option, (clearly my colleagues think I'm bonkers), but who knows, I may be tempted to try for sub 6 hours in the future. Tonight I had the desire to exercise again... Where did that come from? It's not really "Me!"
Now I can exercise because I want to, rather than having to because of a training programme. I did 10 km on the cross trainer and it felt great. Listening to my music, I felt my hips a bit tight (marathon souvenir), but it was pleasurable. Who'd have thought that 4 days post marathon I'd be breaking into a sweat again... Certainly not me! This journey continues to surprise me 😄

Day 3 post marathon and back to work. Physically I feel fine, and euphoria continues. The welcome I received at work was...
27/04/2016

Day 3 post marathon and back to work. Physically I feel fine, and euphoria continues. The welcome I received at work was phenomenal. My colleagues had "paved the way" from the front door to my consultation room with paper with 3 blue stripes like on the marathon road. My door had congratulation posters on it, my chair had a pink sash with my name, a well done message and my finishing time on it, and there were flowers on my desk. Friends patiently listened while I gave them the highs and lows of the run, and proudly showed off my medal. What a great bunch I work with, helping me revel in my little moment of glory.

Day 2 post marathon and genuine euphoria has kicked in. Someone said yesterday that pain is temporary but memories are f...
26/04/2016

Day 2 post marathon and genuine euphoria has kicked in. Someone said yesterday that pain is temporary but memories are forever... How true. However, I thought I should make a note of how I felt after the marathon before the rose-tinted spectacles take over.
Crossing the finish line felt like a dream, achieving my aim of:
1. Completing the marathon
2. Running up the Mall
3. Having a smile on my face
The icing on the cake was chatting to my Mum on the phone while I did it.
What happened next is a bit of a blur. In euphoric state I think I phoned my younger brother (still feeling great). I walked to collect my kit bag but wasn't able think clearly enough to find the right lorry, so I helplessly pointed at my runner's number and fortunately was in the right place. I spotted toilets with no queue (sensible to go now I thought). Then realised I was getting cold so decided to put layers of clothes on from kit bag (still sensible). Then I lost it.
I couldn't work out where to walk to find my family. My legs had stiffened. I phoned my husband and just cried. I struggled to breathe through tears. I remember telling him to stay on the line and talk to me until I found him.
Relief when I did. He sat me down on a concrete block, made me drink chocolate milk and put more layers of clothing on coat and gloves. My lips were apparently blue. My breathing felt laboured. My face was tingling.
When I tried to stand up, everything hurt. We walked to the Tube station. There seemed to be stairs everywhere and I couldn't manage them. I had to be held by Toby one side and Simon the other to get me up stairs.
We made it slowly to the station then I realised George would have been heading to meet me. My head was all over the place. Bless him he came to the station to see me (having played and won his rugby final and was also exhausted). I hugged him and sobbed when he arrived. My boys were with me and I'd just completed the London Marathon. The entire journey home I could only think of 2 things:
1. I'm desperate to soak my painful limbs in a bath
2. There are a lot of stairs at COLCHESTER station and between my front door and the bathroom
Drinking champagne in the bath was a truly decadent moment (but I felt well earned), particularly when I realised the next day that although the marathon is 42km (26 miles), my legs had travelled 53km that day. They don't warn you of that when you train for the marathon! Here's my precious medal...

Day after the marathon, stairs were a challenge and I'm more tired than I can say, but the support from you all had been...
25/04/2016

Day after the marathon, stairs were a challenge and I'm more tired than I can say, but the support from you all had been incredible. Thank you so much. I made 2 new friends because of this experience. They were such a support. Thanks Esther and Helen. The following words epitomise what it really felt like running the marathon:

Start line, finish line. Incredible experience.I was able to chat to mum on the phone as I crossed Tower Bridge and ran ...
24/04/2016

Start line, finish line. Incredible experience.
I was able to chat to mum on the phone as I crossed Tower Bridge and ran across the finish line. Mum was with me! So emotional

Kit is ready. Here is the reason for the marathon, although I may be sporting a Macmillan "tattoo" (stick on) rather tha...
23/04/2016

Kit is ready. Here is the reason for the marathon, although I may be sporting a Macmillan "tattoo" (stick on) rather than vest as I have my special named top to wear instead.

Registered for the marathon tonight. My medal will be slightly smaller than this, but in my head it will be this HUGE. T...
22/04/2016

Registered for the marathon tonight. My medal will be slightly smaller than this, but in my head it will be this HUGE. The enormity of what I'm undertaking came home to me tonight on the train when a stranger saw my marathon kit bag and came and gave me sponsorship money! The marathon seems to inspire like nothing else. The big day is almost here. Yikes x

Address

London

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when London Marathon Blog posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category