RACE DAY!

Sunday, Week 15 of 15

Woke up at 6:30am to drizzle and grey skies and thought "Brilliant!". The heat from Saturday would have completely changed the whole day for me.

Got to Holloway Road tube station 5 minutes before it opened, and got my first unexpected 'Good Luck' from the London underground ticket inspector who let me through.

Within 5 minutes I was on a train packed with other runners, and after a steadily more crowded journey, I arrived at Blackheath at 8:45am.

I think my smile started on arriving at the heath, and never left my face for the whole day. The start was an incredible place. The heath is wide and exposed, and thousands of people milled around (or queued for toilets), with 5 huge hot air balloons sitting next to us ready for take off. I got into a few conversations, before making my way to my start pen, within sight of the elite runners.

We got called forward, then suddenly we were off - I never heard the gun. The bloke next to me said "False Start - call everyone back!". I was over the line a minute after the elite runners.

The first two miles were crowded and pretty weird. Not too many spectators, and we were just running down ordinary suburban roads. It could have been anywhere. They took a while too - the first mile was the slowest of my whole race.

At three miles there was a nice downhill section, with the first view of the river. The whole of the first few miles was downhill, and it was a pity not to be able to make the most of it.

By the 4 mile mark I'd started to slip into sub 7 and a half minute miles, and the runners were getting a bit more spread out. By now there were a few people out in front of pubs and tower blocks - bit early for drinking though. Generally most people managed to read the hastily scribbled name on my front and back Ok, but around this point I high-fived a small boy who then shouted "Come On Simeon!".

10K - 48:25 mins

Arrived at the Cutty Sark feeling like I was going really easily. This was the first slightly scary moment though. Coming round a sharp bend just before the ship, the streets were quite narrow and on either side people were screaming encouragement. I was running close to one side and was getting loads on "Go on Simon"'s. At this point I was still trying to wave and thank everyone who said it. This became more difficult later on!

Managed not to slip going round the tight bend at the end and then it was back to less shouty surroundings for the next couple of miles.

Reached 8 miles in 1 hr 2 mins, and realised I was unlikely to make up the time I would need to beat 3 hr 15 mins. I was so into it by now, and still feeling really easy, that I was quite happy with that.

Going through the Surrey Keys development, I noticed 'Clint', one of the people picked by the BBC for the 'Run For Glory' programme. I moved across and wished him Good Luck as I went past. It really made him jump! I don't know if many people had recognised him, and he said 'Cheers Mate, Good Luck!' back. He was the only 'celebrity' runner I saw.

20k - 1 hr 35 min (Split 47:21 mins)

There was then a long run along to Tower Bridge. The pubs were open now, and there were a great selections of bands, many of them playing 'fitting' music - i.e. Keep On Running by The Spencer Davies Group, We Are The Champions by Queen, Is This The Way To Amarillo and other classics.

Coming round the corner and seeing Tower Bridge was special, and the hill up to it nowhere near as bad as I'd expected. It didn't really compare to the hill at 8 miles in the Liversedge half marathon, or even the end of the Prom at Blackpool. Going over the bridge, I just kept looking around trying to take it in, and coming off the far end there was another wall of sound.

Halfway - 1 hr 40.55 min

Then it was off towards Docklands. At this point I saw my first elite runners - some of the stragglers of the women's race, before at about 14 miles the leading men came past ( at about 20 miles for them). I saw Martin Lel and Khalid Khannouchi as they sped past but didn't see the eventual winner Felix Limo or Haile Gebrselassie. The speed they were going was incredible, probably about 4min 40sec miles at this point, just as I was starting to struggle to keep to 7 min 30 sec per mile.

I reached 16 miles after just over 2 hours while running through some back streets in the Isle Of Dogs, before turning north and heading up towards Canary Wharf.

30k - 2hr 23 min (Split 48:04 mins)

For me this was the most amazing part of the run. From 18 to 20 miles, just when I needed it, the route goes through the high office blocks, and both side of it are crammed with people yelling and cheering. It's like a cross between Blade Runner and Gladiator. The road zigs zags round, and I kept an eye out for my 'team' who had said they might be around. One call of 'Come on Simon!' made me turn round to see someone I recognised from 'The Bill' smiling at me - must look up her name - she was on the course giving out sweets.

Came out the other end of the development and hit the 20 miles mark in 2 hr 34 mins. I knew I wasn't going to hit 3hr 15 min or even 3 hr 20 mins by now, but I knew that if I'd really pushed myself to get the time, I wouldn't have been able to take it in and enjoy it like I was doing.

Running through Poplar, I got to the point where the elite runners had been when I saw them, and could see masses of runners coming away from Tower Bridge at about the 14 mile mark. It was amazing to think they had taken nearly 3 hours to get to there and that they'd still be going in another 3 hours. They must have all been shattered when their runs ended.

I passed through the point where I hit the wall in my first marathon and was still feeling Ok, although obviously starting to slow a bit. Past the Tower, and the support was awe-inspiring. There were so many people calling out my name that I couldn't acknowledge them any more, and I took to just waving generally.

At about 23 miles I reached the point where my 'team' were waiting and broke away to sprint towards them waving my arms about. Typically they all missed the photo opportunity but it was a brilliant lift to see them all. For about 100 metres I regretted the sprint, but then took on some Lucozade Sport at a feed station and felt so sick, it took my mind off the muscle pull.

40k - 3hr 15min (Split 51:16 mins)

Through a long tunnel under Charing Cross station, where there were no spectators. This was so odd after the last hour or so of constant shouting. A few people around me took the opportunity to slow to a walk. Came back out the other side and onto the Embankment.

Again it was impossible to say thanks to everyone shouting my name, but fortunately one of the people I looked at was someone who'd come to see me. I nearly strained my back waving back at them.

I was trying to speed up a bit, but my legs were finally giving up. Turned round into Parliament Square and tracked over to the crowd to get some encouragement.

Then saw the '800m to go' sign. Looked at my watch, which said 3:21, and thought "If I run this at my speed session pace I could go under 3:25". Sensibly just kept on past Buckingham Palace (I assume it was there, I was just looking at the road), and around into the Mall, past the Grandstands, and across and through the gate.

Finish 3hr 26.22min

Stopped my watch at 3hr 26.30secs (official time was 8 seconds faster), and turned to shake hands with the bloke who'd come through behind me. He was an oldish Japanese man, and he wouldn't let go of my hand - it was like 'Shaky Hand Man' from Banzai.

After pulling my hand back from him, I looked down and saw that I'd suffered from chafing. This is the first time I've ever got this - I blame the rain and the charity vest that I was wearing for the first time. My only thought was that the bloodstains would spoil my Finish Photo - never mind; I'll get to work with Photo Shop.

Still grinning from the marvellousness of it all, I walked in a daze through Baggage Pick Up and on to Trafalgar Square to meet the family and bask in the thrill of the day.

I was slightly disappointed by my time (probably about 4/10 on the disappointment scale), but enjoyed the whole thing so much, it doesn't matter.