The London Marathon; the only race where you can come across a spotty green dinosaur, an army of rhinos, a camel, a towering pantomime dame, minions, Where’s Wally, Batman and Robin, a man with a washing machine on his back … and it is accepted as totally regular and normal. Fantastic. The only race where I felt genuinely upset that it was over, but THE RACE that I felt simply blessed to be a part of and literally beam when I talk about. (I am smiling at the fond memories as I type this now!)
I was fortunate enough to be allocated a club place for London 2016 back in November. As soon as I knew that I would be taking part the London bug swept over me and I was on countdown! I didn’t even mind those long runs in the dark, dreary January mornings – it would all be worth it! Layering up for winter training (woolly hat meticulously placed!) was just a small price to pay and the early alarm clocks on the weekends were valuable to training. The excitement literally lasted for months and the anticipation throughout the race week was fantastic, although a sense of anxiety also came in waves too. Did I have enough gels? Had a packed enough running outfits? (You would think that I was going to be running for months!) Was my Garmin charged? Would the weather be ok? The weekend rapidly approached however and straight after work on the Friday we headed down to the Capital… The experience of the entire weekend was simply superb. Visiting the ExPo to pick up my number and listening to some of the talks, a last minute carb-loaded pasta meal with my family the night before the big day, wandering up to the start – I wanted to soak up every moment. On race day I got up extra early (of course!), headed to the Tube to ensure that I was at the start in Blackheath with plenty of time to spare. The atmosphere was exhilarating, with a whole array of costumes and vests with people’s names proudly ironed onto the front. I chatted to people at the start line, laughing and joking, but there was a definite feeling of tentativeness and apprehension too! Then we started … For me, one highlight was definitely at mile three when all the runners merge and you see just how many people are taking part. I was one of those 40,000 people. This seemed surreal! The crowds definitely lift you, as hearing people calling your name, cheering and clapping gave me a boost. I was mindful that I kept thanking everyone who clapped – It felt rude not to! – However, realistically I needed to save my energy, as 26.2 miles is hardly a stroll! Seeing my family at the Cutty Sark at mile six was a wonderful boost. They were equipped with their signs, which read: ‘This girl runs for oatcakes’ and ‘Go Charlotte’ t-shirts! A little bit of home! Mile thirteen was a dreamlike highlight for me. The view of Tower Bridge was staggering and I could not help but take a sneaky photograph to help savour the moment! Running across the bridge amidst the other runners and witnessing the many charities spectating and applauding was simply brilliant. The only point where I felt that the run was difficult was around mile sixteen. I had seen some spectacular sights, even had my two seconds of fame on TV next to Batman and Robin(!) but I was very aware that there was still a long distance to go. The trick is though, not to count down, but to realise how far you have come and before I knew it, I had reached the mile twenty mark and was then hugging the pink ladies at mile twenty-five. I blame them for my emotion at this point and my inability to speak! Westminster. Big Ben. Then, the Mall … I was at the finish. A smile fixed to my face, a medal round my neck, bag full of goodies (I definitely appreciated the foodie treats!) and hugs from my family and friends. I could not quite believe what I had done! I had fallen in love with running again. My plan had been a success: 1.) Soak up every second … of the whole weekend and entire experience. 2.) Hope to say that it was the best thing you have ever done at the end. London. You did not disappoint. Thank you for the memories! Ali started the beginners group in September 2015, having never run before. This is her story:
By the end of October, I had completed my first 5k race (Spooky Sprint - Nottingham). I then took part in the National Trust "Night Run" in January, followed by the Cancer Research Snowflake Run (10k as a penguin). Most recently, in March, I completed the Stafford Half Marathon. I have the Potters 'Arf and the Birmingham Half booked for the remainder of 2016. Potters Trotters are a really inspirational group of ladies - all shapes, sizes, abilities and ages and always hugely positive. If anyone has ever thought of getting a bit fitter, then this really is the place to start! I'm looking forward to meeting new starters in a few weeks! London is looming. I needed to approach the BIG 20 … so I chose the Ashby 20 Road Race as key preparation for my marathon training … and I am so glad that I did! I adore running, it is a simple as that. When people ask why it is true what they say, I cannot really give a straight forward, simplistic response (I do talk a lot, maybe this is why!) but if I had to summarise, it is the sense of achievement after doing something quite out of the ordinary; the sense of trepidation and apprehension before a race, pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, but then actually saying at the end: ‘I LOVED EVERY MINUTE!’ I was particularly nervous before this race, but tried to focus on what running philosophises for me – enjoyment, freedom and accomplishment. I had never completed that distance alone before, as I run with my fantastic ‘Pink Ladies’, the wonderful Potters Trotters. I knew however, that London was calling (excuse the pun!) and so I needed to adjust to long distances alone and reach a new height of focus. I would ensure that I aimed to pace myself to enable a comfortable finish, as advised by my running buddies. I waited nervously at the start, surrounded by a multitude of club vests, an array of colours. Was it warm enough? Maybe it was too warm? What if I was slow today? What if I start off too fast? ... Then we were off! Just twenty miles then a roast dinner / cake / more cake were in my reach! This was definitely my way of thinking. I had heard that it was a popular race and one to get full very quickly and I can appreciate why. The participants were fantastic. I found it refreshing to be chatting (unless tackling a hill of course!) to people involved, asking them for their marathon tips, as well as their favourite races. The support from marshals was some of the best I have ever seen and I can honestly say that I do not think that I have ever consumed so many jelly babies – these got me through to the end! Each marshal point was equipped with water, energy gels, sweets, other goodies and most of all POSITIVITY! Everyone was cheering and smiling, which can spur you on for those extra miles and is not to be underestimated! At mile 10 I was feeling great – helped also by my brilliant Mum, Dad and lovely Labrador, Holly who attend every one of my races, trying to pinpoint where I will be when! I would say that the fatigue set in around mile 16 onwards, but on the positive side, I was excited as I could envisage the finish line in my reach, as well as that roast dinner of course! A short burst of energy at the end pushed me to end with a sprint finish. Crossing the finish line was tremendous and to be greeted with goodies consisting of cereal bars, a banana, water, a cheese sandwich and a rather impressive royal purple hoody was a bonus! I was pleased with my time, competing in 3:19:09 – better than anticipated. As the website states; ‘Building on over a quarter of a century of success, our philosophy is to provide a value for money, quality race organised by runners, for runners. We believe we are THE premier pre-London/Spring Marathon training race, backed up by our BARR gold standard rating and consistently high rating in Runner’s World.’ It was a challenging race, but extremely well-organised and one that was without doubt one of my favourites! Thank you Ashby 20! I hope to be back! On a damp, cold evening in January, 12 intrepid ladies from the club met at Lyme Park near Stockport to take part in a National Trust Night Run. It would be fair to say that most of us didn't really have a clue about exactly what to expect, or just how important our headtorches were going to be. We painted our faces with neon paint, snapped glow sticks round our wrists and laughed at head torch hair, whilst eating cake and drinking tea! At 5.45pm, we left the coziness of the cafe and headed out into the drizzle with about 400 more intrepid participants. We split into two groups of 6 and agreed that the groups would stick together all the way round - no one left on their own. After a bit of shuffling about in the rain, a hooter sounded and we were off. The sight of runners snaking up the first hill looked really impressive, like a torchlight procession heading "up" into the darkness. It wasn't long before we faced our first challenge - a muddy climb followed by an equally muddy descent. We shuffled, slid down on bottoms or crawled on hands and knees, but everyone made it, amidst lots of laughter and the occasional squeal. Ruth: Much more challenging than I expected but loved it! Janet: One fantastic night! A great team building, trust building, friendship making night. You felt alive! That difficult uphill followed by a squelchy downhill set the tone for the rest of the run (with lots of walk breaks). We took turns to lead the way, shouting out puddle warnings, looking for the steadiest ground and making sure everyone was ok. Michelle the mountain goat led us up one steep track, resulting in a burst of song (Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo). The singing was repeated a few times as a distraction from the wind, rain, sleet and mud! We climbed over stiles (or crawled under them), we crossed over streams, we slipped and skidded and took a few tumbles, we nearly lost our shoes. But we never stopped laughing, chatting and encouraging one another. Justine: Well ladies wot can I say about that truly surreal experience lol xxx really enjoyed it and what a laugh lol xxx Sarah: I've never laughed so much - what an experience- it was brill Our route through the woods was well sign-posted - glow in the dark arrows looked quite spooky through the trees - and their were loads of marshals out on the course, offering encouragement and giving us a few hints on the driest routes and how much further we had to go. As we tired, there was a lovely marshal to assure us there were no more uphills. There was one last steep descent with even more mud and puddles on the way down and then suddenly, we were back on proper paths - resulting in a little dance of delight from a couple of our runners. We followed the path back towards the start and the magnificent sight of Lyme Park House all lit up - wow. We knew we were nearly back now and managed a bit of a "sprint" for the finish. Each of the two groups of 6 had stuck together and got round together. We warmed up with hearty soup and admired our medals, before all heading home for hot baths and mud removal. Linda: I think we should have done a before n after photo, some of team looked quite glam when we first arrived, oh did that change Lol X Michelle: Such good fun We followed the path back towards the start and the magnificent sight of Lyme Park House all lit up - wow. We knew we were nearly back now and managed a bit of a "sprint" for the finish. Each of the two groups of 6 had stuck together and got round together. We warmed up with hearty soup and admired our medals, before all heading home for hot baths and mud removal. Charlotte: Thank you for the laughs ladies!! Loved it 🌠🌙 xxxx Jen: I don't think I would have even done that without you all being there xxx What was amazing about the experience on Saturday was seeing everyone work together, all taking a collective step outside their comfort zones and doing something out of the ordinary, if a little bit daft. The last word goes to Ali, who was one of the interpid 12 at Lyme Park, completing her first "proper race" and being inspired to do so much more: Ali: I started the Potters Trotters beginners group in September 2015 having never run before. I was never a sporty one at school and had plenty of gym memberships that I'd set up and then not used, so I was apprehensive to say the least. All the ladies are inspirational. They are all ages, all levels of fitness and ability; what they do all have in common is determination, a sense of humour and the ability to support each other to do their best. I am proud to be a Trotter and am in the process of training for my first half-marathon; something that six months ago I'd have never thought possible. Thank you Potters Trotters! Jantastic is about setting personal fitness goals and sticking to them. Jantastic is for everyone, whether first time exercisers looking to get started, regular performers after a kickstart or experienced athletes chasing a personal best. Whatever your aspirations or ability jantastic works for you. You might have seen a few posts on our Facebook recently about something called Jantastic. If you're wondering what it is all about and whether to sign up, here's a bit more information.
Put simply, Jantastic is a motivational challenge to help kick start your running during the dark days of winter. It lasts 12 weeks from January to March. You set yourself simple goals about how often you're going to run, and later how far and how fast. And then you try and achieve them... with lots of encouragement from the Jantastic community and your team mates from Potters Trotters. Points are awarded for achieving your goals on a week by week basis. The challenge also allows to play a joker if you have a week where your running doesn't go to plan due to illness, injury or other interventions. If it helps with your motivation, you can also link to charity fundraising when you register. The start date is Janury 5th and Jantastic weeks run from Monday to Sunday. The full rules can be found here: https://www.jantastic.me/rules/ So January is all about consistency in running... the weekly goal you set is related to how often you'll run, swim or cycle. The minimum number of runs per week for the challenge is 2. You set your goal, then all you have to do is run and make sure you record your runs on the Jantastic website before the weekly deadline (Tuesday at 8am for runs in the previous week).
In February, you can stick with your January goal for runs per week or make a change. So if 3 runs per week seems a stretch after a break from running, why not start with 2 and increase to 3 runs per week in February. You'll also add some distance goals for your longest run each week... but you've got all of January to decide what those goals will be. It's a good idea to choose a distance that's a challenge but realistic. You can also set a different distance goal for each week in February if you're aiming to run a little bit further each week. If you prefer to be consistent, that's ok too. March is all about setting a time goal... How fast can you run a distance of your choice. Perhaps you could test yourself at parkrun? Or the Stafford Half. Or a club run over a measured route... the club to the garage and back is about 3 miles for example. You'll set this goal at the end of February and by March you'll hopefully be running regularly, further and faster. I've taken part for the last few years and found it really motivating. It's good to set a goal and get friends and team mates involved in helping you achieve it. It's a good discipline to decide how often you're going to run, especially when it's cold outside and it's easy to stay at home in the warm. It has helped me to prepare for longer races but also just get into the habit of running. Just remember to log your runs... I log mine after I complete them so I can see instant progress, but you can also log weekly too. It might help to set a reminder so you don't forget to log your runs. There are loads of inspiring stories / videos on the website too: https://www.jantastic.me/why-take-part-in-jantastic/ So get signed up... When you register, join Team Potters Trotters too. Let's see if we can get the whole club involved. There'll also be an award at our AGM for the club member who gets the highest overall score in relation to achieving their goals. The great thing about Jantastic is that it doesn't matter how far or how fast you're running - it measures effort, consistency and outcomes against your own goals and not anybody else. All the registration information is here: https://www.jantastic.me/sign-up/ C'mon ladies... let's get running! It'll be Jantastic! Potters Trotters member Caroline is taking part in 14 events in 2014 to raise money for the Stroke Association. Here is her report from the Great South Run in Portsmouth: This run is supposedly the flattest 10 mile road race in the world but runners were warned about the coastal wind providing our tired legs with a challenge over the last two miles. The race certainly starts off on the flat but I found the staggered start most unusual, as by the time I crossed the start line I had done 3 warms up as the orange wave started, the white wave and finally the fun runners wave, the green wave. At the start we ran past a supportive crowd and the candy floss stalls, penny arcades and fun fair at South Sea before passing Portsmouth Cathedral and winding through the old town and on past the Spinnaker Tower. Runners then have the privilege of running past HMS Victory and through the Naval Dockyard by special permission where sailors stand on their ships providing cries of encouragement from on deck. The next stage (mile 3-4) is probably the lowest point of the race as the route goes out on one side of a dual carriage way, round a round about and back along the other side. Passing runners coming towards you as you are running out was hard going with one runner confessing to me that she had cried at this point the year before. Yet a bit of encouragement amongst us fun runners and a reminder of who we are running for and why soon got us down the other side of the dual carriage way and heading back towards the coast and up to the half way mark. At this stage the crowds got thicker and the encouragement louder, the kids started lining up for a high five from the runners and jelly babies and biscuits started being handed out by the generous spectators. The running vests I read as I passed other runners were also a constant source of inspiration to keep going. At mile 7 we started to run down residential street (Henderson Road) and the encouragement from the crowd went up a gear. All the residents had brought their stereos outside and their sofas from which they yelled your name and a few encouraging words. It was a much needed boost before hitting those dreaded final 2 miles. I know we were warned but I still wasn't prepared for the leg zapping strength of the wind as I swung onto the coastal road. This was where my head wanted me to give up and walk but the views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight made it a beautiful run into the finish, past the Royal Marines Museum & the famous Yomper Statue. Unfortunately myself and a fellow runner didn't quite have enough strength in our legs to out run Pepper Pig. Yet despite that embarrassment we were very proud to cross the line and receive a fine t-shirt, medal and haul in our goodie bag for our labours. It was a good run, with great scenery and support and a decent goodie bag at the finish. I'd recommend it, just remember to save something in your legs for those last 2 miles. Back in 2012, Bobbie decided to do something a little bit different: Well, where shall I begin? A few weeks ago I casually mentioned to Jo that I fancied the look of the Shutlingsloe Fell Run which was advertised on Bryan Dale’s website. That was my 1st mistake as Jo immediately jumped at the chance to try something different and it was decided that we would give it a go. After further investigation and from speaking to various people I realised that this race was going to be a bit more tricky than I first thought and as the day approached I became increasingly nervous. The day arrived, gloriously sunny and very hot at about 27c (my favourite running conditions – not!). The run was part of The Wildboarclough Fete which was held at a stately home. The venue was lovely and the scenery stunning. We quickly established which was the ‘hill’ we had to run up and I was horrified. It was a mountain! We registered for the race and at that point only 28 other people had registered and I started to feel a bit sick. We got talking to an experienced fell runner who told us that fell runs were graded from A to C with A being the hardest. Shutlingsloe was graded as an AS – the S representing steep!!!! We lined up at the start in an overgrown, uneven field. I think the field had reached about 68 by now. I knew I was going to be last as everyone looked very experienced. Thankfully Jo had promised that she wouldn’t be her usual speedy self and we would stay together. The whistle went and we were off. All the runners went speeding off and immediately it was clear that we were a bit out of our depth – oh well can’t give up now! We ran as fast as we could down the bank to the river. We had to cross the river which was about calf high. This was really nice as it was nice and cool. I could have quite easily stayed in there. Next we had to climb through Bluebell Wood. Easier said than done. This was really steep and very muddy with rocks. There was no way I could run and was using the trees to help me get up. At the top of the wood we came to a track along which we had to run along for a few hundred metres before the climb to the summit. The climb up the hill was very challenging. There were several stiles to cross and I’m not exaggerating when I say it was more of rock climbing exercise. There was no way I could run and was on all fours most of the time trying to climb up. Although it was very sunny it was extremely windy up there and I did feel rather apprehensive and scared. When you got to the summit you had to go round a check point and then come back down. This has got to be easier than going up, I thought. WRONG. There didn’t appear to be a natural path down and I really found it very difficult and spent most of the time on my bottom! Eventually we got down to the track and just had Bluebell Wood to get through again. It was harder going down as all the mud had been churned up by the front runners and again I spend most of the time on my bottom. When we got to the river on the way down it was so cooling I could’ve stayed there all day but alas we had to finish the race! Back to the field and just a short steep climb to the finish and everyone was clapping and cheering us. 1.9 miles clocked on my watch in approximately 42 minutes. My slowest race ever but I had done it!!! This may a bit of a negative review but on reflection I did enjoy it and felt a real sense of achievement at finishing. I don’t think I’ll be fell running again but glad I gave it a go and we had a lot of laughs both on the way up and down. I can’t finish without thanking Jo for sticking with me because if she hadn’t of done so I can guarantee that I would still be sitting at the top of that mountain waiting for someone to come and rescue me. Bobbie was back at Shutlingsloe in 2014 as part of the Staffordshire Moorland Summer Series... and conquered the mini-mountain all over again! On bank holiday Monday 26th August 2013 I ran the very first Rugeley Open Spaces Association 10K Race, which just so happened to be my very first track race. The race set off from Rugeley Leisure Centre along the heritage trail and makes its way onto Cannock chase. I set off at a comfortable pace and almost straight away found myself running on my own, with the back end of the leading pack about 200 meters in front and the trailing pack about the same distance behind me (a marshal even joked with me about it). The trail starts off on a tarmacked path which soon turns into a firm track which leads you alongside some fields and over a couple of small bridges, at one point I even noticed a small waterfall, things you just don't see on a road race. It was a nice flattish start and it soon became apparent that there were no distance markers, this threw me as I use them as psychological markers to help keep me going in the early stages.
The trail ends and you made your way across a road (which was marshalled very well) into Cannock chase, this is where my lack of off-road running kicked in. As I made my way through the forest, the path ways started to get more difficult to negotiate. They started to vary from firm trail to soft ground to pebbly paths, but I persevered and started to get to grips with it. I soon found myself running alongside the fishing lakes and I knew from looking at the race layout beforehand that I was almost half way around the course. This part of the race became very challenging, as I had lost site of the group in front and I became nervous about taking the wrong path (you sometimes hear stories of people doing this and running an extra 6 miles). As this part of the run is on one of the main routes around Cannock chase, it became difficult to see some if the route marks as they were placed on the trail route posts and there were families on bike rides and dog walkers standing around etc. I was happy to make my way around the lake to the left; I am familiar with this area so knew I was leaving the popular areas. This feeling was short lived as the marshal’s directed me up a hill. It was steep but nothing out over the ordinary for us, living in stoke. What made it changeling was the surface as it was covered in loose pebbles. They made it hard work and I only managed to run half way up before having to change to a power walk to reach the top, I felt disappointed with myself for giving up. But you sometimes have to think about what you’re doing and put your safety first, which is what I did as I almost went over on my ankle a couple of times. I decided it was more important to finish the race rather than running it continually and potentially putting myself out of action for a couple of weeks. At the top I kicked back in with the running. The next half a mile or so is the most undulating part of the course, but the views make it all worthwhile. Then the part I was dreading came, the quick decent back down towards the fishing lakes and my fears came true. Another loose pebbled path, I lost some time on this section as I started to slip and didn't have the confidence to go fast. I made it to the bottom and took a hard right and started my way back around the opposite side of the lake. Before I knew it I had ran over/through a steam and found myself back on the same path way I had come into Cannock Chase on. I was psychologically on the home straight. I found I spurt of energy from somewhere and started to overtake the people that had come past me on the uphill and downhill parts of the race. I felt great for a change, and could believe how quick I had made it back the road crossing that leads the heritage trail. After crossing the road you take a hard left to get back on to the trail, as I did, I almost had a collision with a man and his son on their bikes (this is definitely a place to slow down and pay attention). I was seeing red at this point, as I was hunting down a woman in front that I really wanted to catch up and beat! I got myself back into my stride and started the hunt down again. I managed to catch the woman around a km before the finish, but decided to stay just behind her and catch my breath in case she was saving anything for a sprint finish. I saw the finish line and went for it I, expecting the women to fight back but she had nothing left. I was over the moon even though I got more than a couple of dirty looks from the woman, I had also managed to get a PB. I really enjoyed the race and will definitely do it again next year if I'm free too. The course was missing a water station, but marshals did have emergency bottles of water on the route. We spoke to the organisers after the race and they are planning on adding a station around half way for next year. This was a very cheap run only costing £5 this year, and was definitely a fantastic way to spend a bank holiday morning. What do you do with your race medals? Do they wallow at the back of cupboards or in drawers – hidden from sight – or hang on walls alongside race photos, or get used as Christmas tree decorations. Mine used to linger in the fruit bowl for weeks and then get shoved in my desk drawer. So I decided to do something with them – I bought a mug holder and arranged them (as artistically as I could) into my very own medal tree. It now sits by my desk and provides inspiration when I need it… my Greater Manchester Marathon medal is proudly displayed front and centre and is wonderful reminder of achieving something I never thought possible when I began the Couch to 5k programme in 2011. Alongside it is the medal from my very first running event – the Race for Life at Trentham in 2011 – another sign of just how far I’ve come. Have a look at your medals – remember what you’ve achieved and think about what else you can do in the future! The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon began in 2008 as an annual fundraising initiative to not only raise sustainable funds to support London’s eight Royal Parks, but to also create an opportunity for charities of all sizes to benefit from a major charitable event. Entry is by ballot only so I considered myself very fortunate to win a place along with 15,999 other people to run through four of London’s magnificent Royal Parks and past many of the capital’s world famous landmarks. Myself, Paul and Megan travelled to London on Saturday morning by train. We arrived in Euston and then took a tube to our hotel in Waterloo which was situated a few hundred yards from the London Eye. We spent the afternoon walking along the Embankment and enjoying the entertainment provided by the street artists. In the evening we found a small Turkish restaurant which was very reasonable and the food was delicious. I was a little worried about trying something so different before a race but tried to put this to the back of my mind and enjoy the evening. The race starts in Hyde Park at 9am so it was an early start. We had to leave the hotel before breakfast had started so I had taken an instant porridge pot with me to set me up for the race. We left at 7.15am and went to Waterloo Station to catch the tube to Knightsbridge. Although it was still early the tube was already very busy with runners. We arrived at Knightsbridge then it was a short walk to the start area. I queued for the toilets and before I knew it, it was 8.40 and we were being called to the start line. I was in the green start which was the 2nd wave. There were a few celebrities doing the race, Sophie Raworth, Jenni Falcolner, Katherine Jenkins to name a few, and I heard them being introduced to the crowd. The race was started by 2 of the professional dancers from Strictly Come Dancing, Ian Waite and Natalie Lowe. The hooter went and we were off. The race starts on the road at the side of Hyde Park and heads off towards Green Park. Mile 1 takes you along Constitution Hill and before you know it you are running past Buckingham Palace. You then run alongside St James Park and up Birdcage Walk. I found this a little strange, as having done the London Marathon 3 times you always run down here. Running in the opposite direction felt very strange! Towards the end of Birdcage Walk, the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben came into view. It’s quite surreal running past all these sights. We then turned onto the Embankment and ran past the London Eye until about the 3.5 mile mark. At this point you double back on yourself and run along the Embankment in the opposite direction. This is good as you get to see all the runners behind you. Also as this is a huge charity event there are loads of charity cheering points and the support is fabulous. It felt like running the marathon over again. After leaving the Embankment you head back towards St James’ Park and under Admiralty Arch and down the Mall. It took me a few minutes to work out where I was and I was wondering what the gold statue ahead of me was. It was then I realised I was back at Buckingham Palace. Just as I went past the Palace and back into the park I heard my name being shouted over and over. It was Paul and Meg. I was so surprised to see them and it really gave me a boost. The remaining 8 miles of the run was around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. It was a beautiful, very warm, autumnal morning and the spectators were out in force in the parks. The atmosphere was amazing. The last landmark at the 12.5 mile mark was the Royal Albert Hall. I knew I was nearly home now and thought I was looking good for a PB. A final push along the home straight and I crossed the finish line in 1.55.18. I was over the moon! My previous PB has been 1.56. When the race was over I queued for my goody bag and then went off to find Paul and Meg. We hung around the park for a couple of hours as there is a festival on which runs alongside the race. There is lots to do and with different foods stalls and activities going on and as the weather was so nice it was good to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. I really enjoyed this race. If you fancy a run in a capital city but feel that a marathon is that bit too far this is an ideal alternative. You get to see all the sights, get the fabulous support but can still walk after! |
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