I finished!
My goal had been under 3 hours and I missed it by 3 and a half minutes... but it doesn't matter.
My day began early, the alarm went off at 5.45 am following a less than successful nights sleep. Even when I did fall asleep I dreamt about not being able to get to sleep! Breakfast in the hotel was at 6 but really, who eats breakfast at 6! I got on the coach head to toe 'disposable', I really didn't want to use the baggage coaches - I must have had some kind of premonition about what was to come.
Our coach journey took almost and hour but looking at the weather outside I would have loved it to have taken a lot longer. I chatted to a lovely lady from Wolverhampton, she was supporting her husband who was running. Eventually the inevitable happened and we were emptied onto the pavement. We all followed each other to what we hoped would be the start, watching the skies blacken I invested in a rather fetching 'see through' poncho complete with hood. I managed to get down half a granola bar and some water between the 3 loo queue's that I did - well it was helping get rid of the time. within an hour I couldn't keep myself still I was visibly shaking with the cold. In the end I decided it was time to go to the start, I disposed of my old trousers and bag of food and drink, most of it untouched, the nerves were doing a great job of stemming my appetite for anything.
I stood for several moments staring at the line of runners which went on for ever, I couldn't make out which way they were going or where the start was so again I just followed hoping I was going the right way. We walked and walked and walked past white zones, green zones, purple zones - everything but pink!. I got to a cross-over point and the words of one of my proper running mates from work came into my head 'make sure you're on the left when you start - the right side goes up hill almost immediately' I had worked out by this time which way they were all going by using the fail safe method of checking the way they were facing so I crossed to the other side and again started walking up what I realised was the side of a dual carriageway. As I walked the elite women were introduced, they started, then the mass warm up started and eventually ended and I was still walking, quite fast now ripping off the poncho and disposable jumper as I went and abandoning them at the side of the highway. I thought I've been here since 8 o'clock and I'm going to miss the start - I'll have to start at the back - Oh, I do start at the back!
Finally, we got to the pink zone and slipped in to the penned off area. We then seemed to stand there for ages but the atmosphere was great we chatted jigged about to the music that was playing, did a mass gangnam style dance (whatever that is? I just continued to jig along with most of the other people around me) and waved at the helicopter buzzing overhead. Finally we moved forward but only a short way... it took around 45 minutes to get across the start and off we went. We had only been going a few minutes when someone said that he first woman had just finished - how is that even possible?
We went under quite a few underpasses and each time we did someone shouted 'Ogi ogi ogi' and everyone else shouted back 'oi oi oi'. Despite the heavy rain which joined us as we passed the start line we were an incredibly jolly lot. I could see the Tyne Bridge and was determined I was going to run over it, the memory of staggering over Tower Bridge in the marathon is still very clear. I made it and then went into my power walking/running faze. Now, I had been warned about the hills but coming from Norfolk it's a bit difficult to envisage quite what a real hill looks like. I certainly won't describe Snow Street as uphill from now on. I tried to put my head down and run up the first couple but they were killing. In the end I made it policy that I would run on the downhills. One stands out among many, it was very steep and quite slippy underfoot and I almost completely lost control, I couldn't have stopped if my life depended on it. You'd think it would be easy going downhill but it's quite painful cause your toes slam up against the front of your shoe. Anyway, it was all going ok although the 'oi oi oi's' were getting weaker when the children at the side of the road shouted 'Ogi ogi ogi' endlessly. I was spurred on by a group of male nuns, one wearing a very short skirt and no pants! the one who blasted his vuvuzela right in my ear sent me sprinting off just to get away from him, I do become quite 'noise sensitive' when I've run a long way!
Cue scary music (the dark clouds were already there)... again!
Somewhere around 9/10 miles my old friend arrived and I felt incredibly sick. There is an overpowering urge at this point to drink something flavoured, fresh orange juice, strong coffee etc - at this very moment this awful blue powerzone drink is pressed into your hand... as much as I know it's a mistake I can't help myself, but I know with the first couple of sips that I've made a terrible mistake. The last mile went on for ever, it was endless, the wind was howling off the sea and it started to rain. I passed the finish and staggered to the K's so pleased that I didn't need to seek out the baggage coach, the only thing I wanted was a bucket. Despite the sheet rain people around me were posing for photo's, laughing and telling story's about their race. I just couldn't wait to get to the car which seemed to be parked miles away. Luckily we couldn't get out the car park for nearly 2 hours so I was able to spend the time with my head out the door wondering why on earth I do this to myself - I clearly was not born to run. We must have been almost half way home before I started to feel anything like normal again and my clothes had dried out. We got home late and I slept incredibly well.
This morning? well it's really bugging me now. There are fat people, thin people, tall, short, young, old who run, I see them cross the line and then go off laughing and chatting, why is it beyond me? Jan has already registered an interest for next year, forgetting me I don't think I can put Andrew through it all again. I think I would just like to see if I can find the fun in running before I give it up completely.
Have to say thank you to the wonderful people from Tyneside, they are an incredibly happy bunch of people. Their hospitality was fantastic.
Thanks too to the people who have sponsored me or bought my book. I shall let everyone know how much I raise in total.
Thanks as well to everyone who messaged me with good luck and well done messages, it means so much. Also thanks to my wonderful family, especially Andrew who supports so many of my nutty idea's.
And by the way, yes, I was the only idiot!
if you don't know what I'm talking about take a look at my 'I need to explain' post
if you don't know what I'm talking about take a look at my 'I need to explain' post
You can still sponsor me at:
or buy my book by clicking on the Lulu tab to the right of this post.
Thank you x
No comments:
Post a Comment