Until the last few weeks I have been fairly cautious about airing in public that I would be once again be doing this race. However, after a solid 4 months of incredible training, nailing every session long run and build up race I decided I would once again tempt fate and head to Blackheath for the third time in as many years. 

My target was 330-340. My halves in the run up had seen me hit 1:32 in the middle of big mile weeks so the target wasn’t a pipe dream – in theory it was a realistic goal. I had smashed out 4 20mile+ sessions and to be perfectly honest had actually enjoyed the last 4months of training and breaking new barriers. I was fitter, faster and stronger. 

I wonder whether my tone is obvious already but once again the London Marathon nearly beat me but let’s get to that in a bit…

After a very enjoyable expo, bumping into Tom & Martin of Marathon Talk, Adam Phillips a fellow runner who I met at the 2010 Motivation Station in Nottingham and Noel Thatcher Paralympic Gold Medalist as well as others who I have crossed paths with in the past I was ready to roll. I even collected my number right next to Sophie Raworth although I couldn’t for the life of me remember her name so didn’t introduce myself, it transpires we would have a similar story to tell of the event.

I arrived with ample time and loitered around the green start. I bumped into Ed Coats before the start – I was pretty excited by this. I have utmost respect for what him Cracknell and Fogle did crossing the South Pole and I have followed his future adventures in Running Fitness magazine. Amazing – it was photo time  

After this it was time to chill and get into ‘the zone’. I had a loaned phone from Vodafone, again playing with the Motorola Defy. I really like this phone and was chuffed to have it with me today – although would it see me round the course?!

At 9:45 the claxon sounded and once again I was crossing the start line. It felt warm, warmer than I have run in for a while. That said I was running in my comfort zone and at pace. It was tough – but this is a marathon right, it’s meant to be tough! At the mid point I was still going fine. Checking off mile by mile – I would have a few more miles to get through before I started counting down from 100!

14 check, 15, 16,17,18 the eventful mile from last year check, 19, 20, 21 saw Adam P on side of road cheering, 21.3 collapse and 21.5 I somehow wake up in a St Johns tent.

First thought on waking up ‘bugger (possibly harsher language went through my head) not again, not this time’. I knew what to do I had to call Laura and tell her where I was as i knew from last year St Johns wouldn’t- trusty defy still working! I rung but they wanted me off the phonel, partially fair as I was close to throwing up and probably not looking too great. The next min I was vomiting so they got me on the floor. This was the last time I saw this phone, I’m hoping someone from St Johns has it as the evidence I have against them is pretty damning (as my running app was still running) but it’s early days and that’s another blog post (maybe!). As I was on the floor laid out I started cramping up – I knew this would happen. Bugger. 

How long I was in St Johns for I don’t know, I will dissect my Garmin when I have time but my reckoning is 40-50 mins, with analysis probably nearer the later. As I sat on the chair throwing up I had to decide what to do. I had 5 miles still to complete, but my legs were recked having sat in a chair and on the floor – 8min miles were not going to happen but could I run walk. I did the maths how long would it take if I tried to go again? 1 hour or so?

This time quitting was not an option for me, I would make it to the end (or at least try). I found out that the next St Johns tent was about a mile away so if worst came to worst I had somewhere I could end up! I had called Laura who had lined the pavement at 22.5miles and she tried to get down to me but it was too busy, I would head to a landmark and meet her. My legs were getting worse, badly cramping. It was time to move. 

At the 13/22miles balloons I met Laura. She said she’d walk with me but the pavements are not somewhere you can walk and it didn’t take long to realise that unfortunately wasn’t going to be possible. I was on my own. I had a stop and chat to my friends and family as I went round – I even got fed a jelly baby by little Tomas who had come to see me. It was an opportunity to thank them for coming out to support me and they deserved it!

Shortly after I bumped into Iwan Thomas, I have been in touch with him via twitter and through previous expos as well as Laura knowing him from her It Pays to Watch days. I think it would be fair to say at this point it may have been a competition for who looked worse. He’d blown at 14miles but was going to make it. I hoped I could stick with him but the state of my legs said otherwise. 

My pace was slow I would call it a run walk as I ran for as long as I could before my cramps started then walked at short a distance possible before they went. It was slow progress though. I took on water when I could and felt in pretty good shape. Had it not been the pain in my legs (my body felt fine) i would have tried to run it. I learnt a lesson with this – keep pain killers to hand! 

Anyway to cut 5 long and slow miles short I made it to the Mall and this time collected my medal. I crossed the line in 4:40 although that time doesn’t really mean too much to me. That said without the ‘power nap’ as it has been ironically called and doing a 21.5mile run/5mile walk I would have come in about the 4 hour marker…

Thanks to getting my place through Virgin I had entry to a party organised at Planet Hollywood. This was a great opportunity to unwind, Iwan was there and we chatted some more as well as having an opportunity to be meters from Richard Branson, an idol of mine. A very rewarding finish to a difficult day!

As I sit and reflect, my legs are totally recked, to an extent I have never felt before. I went out to conquer and win and once again I had another bad day in the office. That won’t stop me. I have been quite protective about who has helped me over the last few months but at this moment I would like to thank Liz Yelling for being a great mentor. Her schedule has seen me get fitter, faster and stronger and without a shadow of a doubt I would have hit the 3:30-3:40 target if my body had let me. The question that now needs to be answered is why this happens to me. Why when everyone else can dig in and ‘zip up the man-suit’ does my body shutdown and stop me. I’m sure over the coming months I will get to grips with this through Liz and the running community at large!

Thanks again for all who have supported me upto this Marathon especially Laura who is no doubt sick of roasted veg and chicken tomato pasta! I don’t think I could have worked, eaten and got the miles in without her support. Another personalised shout out to Chris D at the Sports Clinic for massages and an ear to bash when necessary. 

Much love, remember run hard, run fast, run strong – or something like that! See you at the next race

N

Ps I have lots more photos to upload but trying to do it on an iPhone is too time consuming!

On Sunday I will be running the London Marathon and once again I will be raising money on behalf of Havens Hospices. I’m aware that a number of you have donated to my campaign in the past and so far I have raised in excess of £2000 for the hospice so am looking at new followers and those who have seen how much I have given in training and support to this fantastic charity. On Wednesday night I even got my apron dirty and made some cakes to bake for the office and raised over £60!

Donate Here

Please check out Havens Hospices website and look out and cheer for all those in a yellow bib!

N

Top tips for the few days leading up to the marathon…

The week before

Look after yourself in the final weeks to ensure that you don’t catch a cold at the last minute. Eat healthily, hydrate regularly, avoid spending time with anyone who has a cold and get plenty of sleep.  It has been suggested to me to wash hands regularly and carry around hand sanitizer to use when not near a sink

Avoid any unnecessary stress in the final week, and don’t tire yourself out with activities such as gardening, partying or shopping. Relax, get lots of sleep and chill out.  A story that sticks in my mind is one of a very good runner who killed his hopes of a fast marathon the weekend before when his Mrs asked him to build a shed!

Set yourself achievable goals for the marathon – ideal time, a satisfactory time, getting round without walking, etc.  If you started in January with a particular time in mind then you should reassess.  How has your training gone?  Is this still a realistic goal?

Work out your travel arrangements well in advance and aim to be there an hour early. You’re advised to use public transport, as many roads in and around Greenwich will be closed. The train system is surprisingly efficient, although it gets increasingly crowded the later you leave it. There are no tube/train closures this year to contend with but the trains are busy – think rush hour!

Eat more carbohydrates than usual in the last 3 days before the marathon. Food such as pasta, rice, potatoes and fruit should make up approximately 70% of your diet, although you should avoid making any radical changes to your diet at this stage.

Try and get to the Expo early.  This leaves the day before the race clear and ensures you are not on your feet the day before.  The Expo is busiest on the Saturday with long queues to collect your number and at all the stands.  If you can get there earlier in the week all the better.

The day before

Eat a large meal the night before that is high in carbohydrates and low in fibre. Choose food that you’ve eaten before a long run in the past. Now is not the time to be trying out new recipes!

Drink plenty of fluids the day before the marathon to ensure that you are properly hydrated. This doesn’t include alcohol, save that until after the finish line!

Get your kit ready the day before to avoid rushing around on the morning of the marathon. Pack clothes for different weather conditions and take all of your running essentials – race number, Vaseline, energy bars/gels, drink, sun cream, change of clothes, tissues, safety pins, plasters, timing chip etc.  You might also want to think about taking a long sleeved top that you don’t mind dumping at the start to use once you have left your bag at the baggage trucks (a bin liner with holes cut in for your arms and head would also do if you don’t have old clothes to dump).  Also think about taking your own toilet paper just in case. The race toilets will quickly run out and that’s a chance you don’t want to take!

Wear tried and tested kit.  Run in something comfortable that you have worn during training. This includes everything from your running shoes and socks to your underwear and top. New kit may cause chafing, blisters or general discomfort.  Do not go to the Expo and buy anything new, especially trainers.

I have been advised to go for a short, slow jog the day before the marathon to relieve tension and get rid of any pre-race apprehension. This will also help you to sleep.  At the Dublin Marathon last year I took part in the International Breakfast Run the morning before the marathon and I found it woke my legs up.

Don’t worry if you don’t sleep very well the night before – most people don’t! A combination of nerves and anticipation will keep you awake. As long as you rest in bed for 8 hours, you’ll be fine. Some people find it helpful to set a routine of getting up very early in the week before the race, causing tiredness in the evening and allowing you to go to bed early. As long as you have slept in the week running up to the big day you will be fine!

The big day

Remember to set 2 separate alarms to minimise the chance of sleeping in. Make sure you eat something on the morning of the marathon, even if it is too early for you to feel hungry. Eat a light meal consisting of foods that you have eaten previously before a long run. Drink some water or a sports drink, whichever you use consistently. Again, stick with what you know.

Apply Vaseline or similar to any areas where it is common to suffer chafing problems – under the arms, bra band, toes, etc. Be careful not to apply too much to the toes as this can make them slippery which could cause blisters. If you suffer from ‘jogger’s nipple’, use plasters or surgical tape to prevent soreness and bleeding.  It amazing how many people you see at mile 20 in a white t-shirt with red lines!

Queues for the toilets will be very long, so allow yourself plenty of time. Stop drinking 30 minutes before the race to avoid the need for another toilet stop.  There are also toilets along the route so don’t panic if you need to go.

Make sure you have arranged where to meet up with friends and family afterwards. You’ll be too tired to spend time wandering around lost!  The official meeting point is on Horseguards Parade and is arranged in the letters of the alphabet.  It does get busy here around the 4/4.30hr mark when the biggest concentration of runners cross the finish line, so if you have another idea of a meeting place then go for that.  A word of warning, do not rely on your mobile phone to get through to people, the signal is like at New Year and you will find it really hard to get through.

The first few miles are very crowded. Many people tire themselves out by dodging in and out of runners because they’re behind on race plans or get caught up in the moment and go out too quickly. Maintain a slow, even pace, relax and enjoy the occasion.  Keep an eye out where the coloured starts merge – you run along side each other for a while before you come together and the heckling that goes on is quite good fun.

Be sure to know where your supporters are.  I find knowing that they are X miles away helps get through bad moments.  If you have more than 1 group supporting make sure they are spread out so you have more encounters to look forward to.  Give these people anything you might need during the race – Jelly Babies or extra Gels just in case you need a pick me up towards the end will be greatly received.

Drink plenty of fluid and eat something as soon as you can after crossing the finish line. You might not feel like eating but the sooner you do, the quicker your body will start to recover. Choose something easy to digest, such as a banana or smoothie or the sweets in your goody bag.

To keep warm, wrap yourself in the space blanket provided as soon as you finish.  Get changed into dry clothes as soon as you can. Treat yourself to a mild sports massage, a hot bath or even an ice bath – as favoured by Paula Radcliffe!

After the marathon, be sure to rest – you’ve earned a break! If it’s your first marathon, don’t try to run in the following week. It’s a good idea to take a few days off work as your body will feel very tired on the Monday and often worse on the Tuesday. Stairs will be your nemesis, but it wont last!

Make a conscious effort to congratulate or reward yourself after the event – the training has taken over your life for so long and completing a marathon is an incredible achievement.  I have treated myself to a few nights abroad this year and fly out on Monday afternoon.

See here for my cobbled together Interactive Virgin London Marathon Route Planner

The tool allows you to put in your expected finish time and plots the mile splits based on two different algorithms. It is a useful guide to print and share with friends and family who are coming out to cheer you on!