After the split it really opened up, the next runner I saw was a good 50 meters away, so head down I knew that I was half way home. The course following a duel carriageway for a bit, then turned back to join the first lap. Just before this passed the family, around 2 hrs since I had last seen them. They flew passed in an instance, with just enough time for me to get a bottle of water off them, and inexplicitly give my dad one of those weird American high fives as I passed. Strange.
Before long I had passed the “first” water station again, and noticed the people in the driveways cheering us on. That was nice, but strange, as they clapped, but sort of automated. Tried for a couple of miles to think of some amusing things to say, which I don’t think worked to well, but took my mind off things, I tried
“Its not as hard as it looks you know”
“Is this really only half way”
“Don’t clap, this is only my first circuit”
“I missed my bus”
“Don’t let anyone tell you jogging is hard – this is easy”
and so forth. They were a lot funnier to my exhausted brain I can tell you… ;o)
Got to 15 miles in and had been chasing down a lady in front of me, but just as I overtook I went passed a toilet stop and took advantage. Luckily as this was the second lap there was no queue, so a couple of minutes later, I was away and tring to catch that woman again.
Did’nt have many people pass me from this stage on, a couple did, but not many – I was reeling them in. I has noticed around the 15 mile point that if I kept up the current speed I may well be in for a sub 4:30. Which was to be honest, totally unbelievable. I was around 4 mins less than 10 minute miles at that point, so with the extra 10 mins I had an extra 14 minutes on top of 10 min miles for the last 11. That was now my goal -with a mouth full of sticky, sweet ‘babies I picked up the pace a little.
I was feeling pretty good, my legs were a little achy, and my feet were starting to hurt, but you just know that this was the real deal, so you just have to keep on for another 2 hrs and you are home. The miles and minutes plodded by, I was dousing myself with the water from the cups at the stations, and pushing myself to overtake people who were slow, or walking up the hills. Then at 17 mile in I saw a woman on the side of the road with a hosepipe – “do you want some” she shouted – I put my arms up in delight and she soaked me, front and back – it was bliss. I am sure that without this and the sponges I wouldn’t have got round. Having that cold shiver of water down your front and back was wonderful, and I kicked on to the big hill.
This was about 19 miles in, the furthest I had ever run, and people were walking all over the place, head down with a good rhythm I plodded up and down the slope on the other side – you could see that people were suffering at this point. Next stop was the “sports drink” station – at 19.5 miles!! Slowed to a stop here, and got a cup of water and two cups of disgusting energy drink into me, ran off, knowing that this was the final push.
At 20 miles I had around 75 mins left to finish under 4:30, but that first mile took me 13 minutes – too slow, I had to speed up, but I was totally knackered – I felt almost as if I was having an out of body experience, people were walking all around, and my body was just saying stop, walk for a bit, you’ll finish now, just take it easy. My mind however was after that 4:30, next mile was around 11 minutes and this kept up for the next few, I was dreaming about that sign that said 25 miles, I had just passed 23.
The next 3 miles were terrible, as you are running every fibre in your body is saying slow down, stop you fool, why are you doing this – but my head knew that this was last chance, if I went all this way and didn’t do the time, then I would have to do it again, or always know that if I had just run that little tiny bit quicker I would have made it in time. I pushed on knowing that there was only around 20 minutes of running left. When I think now of “only” 20 minutes it seems like forever, then my mind told me 20 minutes was nothing, 2 miles, a little jog round the block.
Around this time I passed Peaky and GD cheering me on, then half a mile later the rest of the gang this helped spur me on, nearly there I knew it. Got to the end of the greenway with 4:15 on the clock, I had around 15 minutes to do the final mile – forgetting that there is another 300 yards after that! Up the road to double back on yourself I really pushed, I was panting, my legs were heavy, my hands were sticky and I was not feeling too hot, doubling back I knew this was it, I was looking at the watch every 30 seconds, as I went under the bridge for the end I was on 4:26 – not long now, I ran along the river, and with 4:27 on my watch I got to a place I had walked to the day before, the walk had only been about 5 minutes so surely I could run it in 3?
People ahead were walking, the crowds around blurred into one – all shouting not far, well done, keep going. I saw the finish, 4:28:30, nearly there. 4:29 and I got to the final grassy track with the finish in sight, a man had his one year old in front of me, walking down the track, noooooooooo, I swerve dodged passed, I saw the family, only seconds to go before 4:30 I sprinted, literally sprinted over the line. And that was that.
The end, I had finished, I walked slowely forward and a bloke put a medal over my head, my daughter came running over for a hug, but I wasn’t really there for a moment, I wanted to relax, lie down, something, but I could’nt will myself to actually do anything. I stumbled over to collect my water and banana, had a picture, the rest of the family came over – I struggled to the floor and lay down.
I had completed my first marathon, 26 hard miles – I finished in a chip time of 4:28:53 – I had made it……