Memories of my 2005 Marathon – Never again till next year

Memories of my 2005 Marathon – Never again till next year! The morning of the race and I was getting quite excited!! The disappointment of not being able to start with the elite runners was over and I was planning a race strategy to get me through. It was agreed by me to go strong for the first 8 miles and be up there with a chance before working my way back through the field. The latter strategy was later to be proven.

The start is amazing as you mix with runners in different silly costumes and serious runners who want to make the best time. It takes up to 40 minutes to reach the start line. I started in the back group…perhaps they knew my abilities or they were putting my endurance to the test by setting me the goal of passing everyone in the race. The start is something special, filled with nerves, excitement and most of all fun. The voice on the load speaker calling out names and charities as you go by, telling you to wave to the cameras on the way through. You reach the start point and then hear the buzzer go as your chip registers your start.

Mile one and already you feel on top of the world as you pass the back streets with people wishing you well. At this point I am starting to pass people and this is all part of my race strategy. Miles two and three go past and you are swept up with the atmosphere and all the start points have now joined the main run so you have a mixture of people running to beat times and those out just to enjoy the day.

Between miles three and four is the first drinks station. I read before the race that you must take in loads of fluid so I reach out and take a bottle of water. I froze when I had finished the water with thoughts of how do I get rid of the empty bottle? I am not a professional athlete and I notice that they just sling it to the side - do I just drop it and let people see that I am not a professional? I chose to sling it - although I make a mental note to drop the next one to see which method I felt more comfortable with.

Mile five and my first chance to make an impression on the crowd, the Royal Victoria with the Elvis impersonator was playing "Is this the way to Amarillo" so I gave it my best shot at the Peter Kay walk with arms clapping and the punch in the air - massive applause from the crowd!

Approaching mile 6 and the first speed camera I have passed, this would be a good test of how fast I was going. I knew my number was on the font so they can't trace me. I started to sprint…but it did not flash. Three miles to go before I passed Jane, my wife, and the pub LEPRA was based at. The pain of actually running started to kick in at this point. I pass the Cutty Sark and phoned Jane to inform her I was not far away. Hobbling along at blistering speed (more on this later) I noticed the pub ahead. Passing people you know is a great feeling. Past Jane saying come on gave me encouragement to keep going and off I went knowing that I was on my own.

The 9 mile mark and I need to go back to my morning preparation, I asked Jane to take my wallet with her and she said that I should put a fiver in my pocket in case. Well I never listen to Jane and I ignored her on this occasion too! It was to be my downfall, passing McDonalds, Burger King and KFC was bad enough, not having any money to stop off was even worse. I made a mental note to take more notice of Jane in future!! Just passed the nine mile mark was a pub playing the song "Tragedy", for those of you who don’t know the words it goes along these lines, "when the feelings gone and you can’t go on its tragedy" - why now I ask myself!

Between mile ten and eleven I make the decision to stop running and walk the remainder of the course. The next three miles pass with no problems although I feel the onset of blisters, I put this down to the blistering pace set earlier in the race. Going over Tower Bridge and turning the corner you notice the fast runners coming back the other way, you get this false sense that you’re not that far off the leaders, you hit the 13 mile mark and they are at the 22 mile mark - there is still a long way to go.

At this stage you go into auto pilot - things go by and you don’t notice. At 17 miles the brick wall is in front of you - do I pull out or keep going? The crowd is trying to lift you and you keep saying to yourself "sure but you’re not out here running!". Then a voice comes from the crowd, "keep going Doug, someone is going to benefit from what you're doing" - the realisation that I am not doing this for myself! I have now got something to focus on. I receive a Text from Jane saying "keep going, you’re doing very well, there are still people coming past the pub" My reply was "I know that, because they are still coming past me!".

The twenty three mile mark and I ring Jane to say I am not far away. You know things are bad at this point because for the past two miles you are told to move to the side of the road as they are going to open it up to traffic. At mile twenty three you are told to walk on the pavement for your own safety, I am not sure this is true as you now have to dodge shoppers, bikes and wheel chairs along the way.

Big Ben is in sight - almost there is my thought; blisters are hurting, your legs are like jelly and every step is an achievement in itself. Past Big Ben and onto the home straight, Jane is there to walk the last little bit with me. I ask how far to the finish? Just up here and around the corner came the reply. I reached the end turned the corner, no finish line, where is it I asked, just up around the next corner. Turned the next corner and there waiting was Bernard, Lizzie, Debs and others from LEPRA Head Office wearing LEPRA T-shirts. With the finish line in sight you start to feel a little emotional as you know you have finally done it.

You collect your medal, your personal bag and wonder why the hell you did it? The answer is, to say that you have done it and to raise money for a good cause. I must say it was a great atmosphere and I would recommend anyone to do it, although next year I will take photos instead!!!

I would like to thank everyone who sponsored me, and to Bernard, Lizzie, Debs, Jane, Flo and Lizzie's family who waited around all day for me to reach the finish line. I am sure they wanted to be home much earlier than they did - for us that was 10pm! The 2005 Marathon has given me many magic moments, not least the knowledge that the money raised from my run will help many people and I thank all the sponsors once again for their kind support. 20/05/2005.