There’s lots of things important things to say before I write my unexpected race report from yesterday.
How sad it is to hear of a fellow runner die at just 29 during the event.
To echo what Bob says about the day, conditions, and disappointments, as runners I think we all feel disappointed when we’ve trained so hard for so long knowing in our heads what we could be capable of only to be dashed by the one thing we can’t control. We all know that both Billy and Steve are great runners for our club and both will have far more successful days than this blip and will recover a lot quicker than us idiots that ran on.
Race day itself for me whether you’re running, marshalling or supporting is one of the best days of the year.
We walked to the start area having received good luck wishes from the marshals and other runners on the coach. Once again it was really nice to see so many harriers at the green start and we headed for the shade because it was already warm and sunny.
Geoff and I carried on our “bromance” having
trained for and start together for the previous two London’s, we had already re-set our goals twice because of the forecast and settled on a 3.15 target at the start.
We followed the 3.15 pacer who was really good thinking that in the later stages we could change if we felt good or not.
After 3 or 4 miles Harriet came up along side us and I explained our plan and I must say I feared for her when in a couple of miles she disappeared ahead of the pacer.
At about 10 or 11 miles Geoff told me he was going to slow down , the heat was starting to take its toll, I stuck with the pacer but then at mile 14 a runner darted across my path and stopped right in front of me, it was swerve or jump on his back so I swerved and the runner behind clipped my legs and I hit the tarmac. I managed to roll and get straight back up. So no time lost just a bit of skin.
At 15 miles I started to feel it was too much effort to keep with the pacer so from that point I made the decision to “run as you feel”
I think it was around 18 miles when I came up on Mike King he told me he was just “jogging in”
I think he meant not writing a” race report”
I came across harriet again and said “dig in mate ” as I passed her, she did and went back in front again but i then passed her again and the next harrier I saw was David Barker at the u turn bit, we exchanged waves but I honestly don’t recall passing him.
The best part of the race for me is 23 to the finished guaranteed support from Di Bradley
23 and our fabulous club at 24 to see our two club flags and the noise that you made lifted my spirits more than you can know. I hope you all understood why I took off my cap because I do take my hat off to you .Our club is just the best.
Great also to see my brother at 25 and double great to see the finish line .
The best marathon in my opinion always well organised although the run through showers were rubbish this year.
The full results have been posted by Bob but highlights for me were Harriet and Rich setting PBs in that heat. Rosies first road marathon and Ana-maria Green’s last (55th) .
Hadders
I know there will be a lot of you reading this that did not take part in today’s London Marathon and will look at the results and think that the times achieved by our runners are disappointing.
THEY ARE NOT
In all my years of being a part of this event I can say that conditions today were the most challenging I have known. I applaud every one of you that completed the course and overcame the heat to finish. It was a day when times were not important, and to show what our Club is all about the question that most people asked when they finished was about Billy’s wellbeing after he dropped out at about half way.
As most of you know it has been my privilege to help him prepare for today but The Marathon is a beast when it bites and the heat took its toll and he felt unwell, quite faint and dropped out. He should be quite proud of the fact that he showed great maturity in dropping out, thereby preventing any potential damage and he will gain from the experience. I should like to thank you all for your concern. He has recovered well and will return in the next University holiday to show us all a clean pair of heels again.
I should also like to ask you to spare a thought for Steve Austin who suffered a bad asthma attack after only four miles of the race and after two or three efforts to get going again also took the sensible decision and pulled out. He was last seen in The Silver Cross looking none the worse for his day.
Bob