Despite
a 50 minute delayed start, sunshine, wind, rain, severe leg cramps,
never ending hills, being overtaken by Scooby Doo and a magical
mystery tour around two parks I managed to complete my first full
marathon: The Run Liverpool Marathon.
I’ve
done a few race events now and for me the most stressful part of the
day is getting to the start. Running a 10k, half marathon or full
marathon for the first time involves lots of training over many
months and the anxiety of making to the start line kicks in a few
weeks before for me.
“What
if I get injured?”
“What
if I get a cold?”
“What
if I sleep in?”
“What
if I wake up in 28 days time and everyone has turned into zombies?”
Thankfully,
my last few weeks of training past without incident and after setting
and checking my alarm a couple of dozen times the night before, I was
up and ready in plenty of time on the day. My wife Abigail very
kindly agreed to drive me to and from the start/finish and provide
moral support and we set off on time for our journey from Preston to
Liverpool.
An
hour later we had parked up in one of the designated Run Liverpool
Marathon car parks and arrived at Moorfields train station for our
short trip over to the race start at Birkenhead Park. We joined the
massive ticket queue that stretched out of Moorfields station and I
nervously checked the time; it was just before 8 o’clock, plenty of
time till the race start at 9:30. We eventually made it to the head
of the ticket queue and I think we were amongst the last people to
buy tickets before it was announced that they would let people
through and tickets could be bought at the other end at Birkenhead
Park Station. Down on the platform I tucked into by breakfast, two
pieces of wholemeal toast with peanut butter (I still don’t like
peanut butter after eating it for 5 months).
After
a bit of a squeeze getting out of Birkenhead Park train station
(where no one was asked to buy a ticket by the way) we arrived at
Birkenhead Park and met up with my parents in law Janice and Stuart
would had kindly travelled up from Surrey to lend their support. With
my immediate family supporting me from afar down under in Australia,
I was very grateful for Janice and Stuart’s attendance and it meant
a lot to me to see them there. We all made our way towards the start
and I got changed and smothered my feet and inside thighs with
moisturiser.
I
jogged across the field and back and went through my stretches and
then headed towards the blue zone to take my place amongst the
waiting crowd. Half nine came and went and we were all still standing
there waiting to get moving.
It
was a strange feeling standing with all those other runners at the
start of my first ever full marathon. Although I was surrounded by
strangers, we all had at least one thing in common; we were about to
attempt a full 26.2 miles of marathon. I looked around at the faces
that surrounded me, some worried, some nervous, some relaxed. I
thought about all the hours of training that had gone into this
crowd. I thought about the people who wouldn’t make it. I hoped
that I would.
Soon
it was announced that the start had been officially delayed to a
chorus of groans as runners headed back out onto the fields to keep
warm and start their preparation all over again. I wasn’t too
bothered about the delayed start and was able to find Abi and her
parents again for a chat while I stretched again. Forty five minutes
later we were given the 5 minute warning and I headed back over to
the blue zone to squeeze back in.
I
waved goodbye to Abi as the crowd squashed up waiting for the start.
At about fifty minutes late the start was announced and we slowly
shuffled forward. I kept my eyes on the right hand side of the
barriers to try and spot my friends Mark and Charlie. As I approached
the start I spotted them and headed over for a high five as the
shuffling crowd broke into a run. A few seconds later I past under
the start and I was off, I’d started my first ever marathon!
I
said out loud “I’m running a marathon” as the realisation set
in. After five months of training and a few weeks of fund raising I
was on my way. My chosen charity was The Willow Foundation which
provides psychological and emotional support for seriously ill 16 to
40 year olds through the provision of special day experiences. For
more information about the good work The Willow Foundation do
visit www.willowfoundation.org.uk/Home.
Just
26.2 miles to go then I could call myself a marathon runner!
Whilst
I had been waiting for the start of the race (for 50 minutes) I was
under the shade of the trees. Once I got out in the open however I
realised that the sun was actually out and it was quite warm running
through the Birkenhead Park for the first mile or so.
Once
I was heading out of Birkenhead and crossing the first of the bridges
out towards Seacombe, I was hit by a wicked side wind which
threatened to swipe my vest clean off me! I’ve always hated running
in wind so I just got my head down and carried on.
The
next few miles seemed to drag as we all headed towards New Brighton
up a never ending hill. We reached New Brighton and turned left to
run along the coast. On our right the runners that were ahead of us
could be seen running back in the opposite direction. It was at this
point that I spotted Scooby Doo, or rather a runner dressed as Scooby
Doo, and he was about 25 minutes ahead of me!
A
couple of miles further on and I was running along the bank of the
river Mersey. This was a very pleasurable and flat 2 mile stretch
with excellent views across the river towards the Liver Buildings; my
eventual finish.
We
headed back into Birkenhead crossing to same bridges as we had
several miles earlier and towards the Queensway Mersey Tunnel. I was
looking forward to running through the tunnel as I have driven
through it many times and I was expecting a unique running
experience. As I entered the tunnel My Garmin Forerunner 305 beeped
its complaints as it lost its satellite signal leaving me with only
my heart rate and time to monitor. Entered the tunnel everything
seemed to go very dark while my eyes adjusted. As I headed steadily
down hill towards the centre of the tunnel and the centre of the
marathon the atmosphere was quite eerie as individuals and groups
randomly shouted sending echoes bouncing off the walls.
Half
way through both the tunnel and my first ever marathon, suddenly I
was running up hill and towards the tunnel exit. This was by far
seemed like the longest and toughest hill I had ever run up but I was
determined to keep going while people around me were slowing and
dropping into a walk. I took a left and as I headed towards the exit
I could literally see the light at the end of the tunnel and I could
certainly hear the drums.
Leaving
the tunnel, the huge Royal Liver Building which I had admired from
the other side of the river miles earlier loomed over head. The
cheering crowds contrasted nicely against the quiet loneliness of the
long tunnel. My legs felt heavy after the long ascent out of the
Queensway tunnel but I now knew I was over half way through which
felt great.
Just
a few minutes out of the tunnel I heard my name called and I looked
to my right to see my wife and my parents in law shouting and waving
frantically. I ran over with the intension of stopping for a chat and
a stretch. As I approached Janice shouted “well done, keep going”
and I found myself taking her advice and running on past them. I was
glad to have left the tunnel behind and the climb out had left my
legs feeling heavy but it wasn’t long before I would be facing
another hill challenge.
Turning
left onto Parliament Street I could see a huge hill stretch out in
front of me. I kept a steady pace and got my head down and plodded
on. The Hill seemed to go on and on and I could feel the heaviness
returning to my legs. I was determined to make it up the hill
without stopping and about ten minutes later I finally reached the
top and levelled out allowing my legs to recover slightly as I headed
towards the first of the two parks.
Entering
Princes Park my legs were tired but apart from that I felt fine. I
made the decision to stop and stretch at some point in one of the
parks. I passed the 19 mile mark and closed in on the big two zero.
My
left leg was aching quite a bit so I decided it was time to stretch.
I pulled over on the right hand side and stretched against a tree. It
felt strange to be stood still after more than 3 hours of continuous
motion. After quite a painful stretching session I continued on my
quest. After another ten minutes or so of winding around the park the
ache in my left leg had grown into quite a pain so I decided to stop
and stretch it out again. I moved over to the side of the path and
found a tree. As soon as I stopped my whole left leg cramped up! The
pain was immense and shot up and down the front and back of my leg as
I slumped against the tree unable to even walk!
A
concerned lady on her daily dog walk through the park approached me
with some advice “keep moving son, not long to go now”. Without
looking up I thought to myself what
is she talking about, there’s still loads to go!
I took her advice however and started to stumble forward as best I
could. I turned around to thank the woman but she was gone. Each step
was painful and my leg felt on the verge of another full cramping.
When I tried to run the pain was too much and I thought my race might
be over. I thought my marathon could be over and I felt terribly sad
that I might not be able to finish.
I
walked slowly for about another five minutes then eventually broke
into a steady run. I ran for about five minutes then the pain in my
left leg became too much and I had to slow to a walk for a few
minutes while the pain faded away.
This
was to be my routine for the last five miles of the Run Liverpool
Marathon. I would run for a while as the pain (now in both legs)
increased, slow to a walk to let the pain fade, then run again.
Once
the winding pathways of the parks were behind me I knew that I was
only a few miles from the end. I headed down a very welcome downhill
section back down the Parliament street hill which gave my legs a bit
a recovery as the crowds spared me on. At the bottom of the hill I
turned right and I knew it was in the home straight.
The
crowds all along the course had been brilliant and their kind words
of encouragement really helped in the tougher sections and they were
needed and well received in these last few miles.
I
knew from studying the course layout that there would be a final left
turn a couple of hundred yards from the finish line and I strained my
eyes trying to spot it.
I
struggled on through the drizzle and when I finally did spot the last
bend I felt a huge relief and great sense of achievement. Almost an
hour earlier I had been slumped against a tree unable to walk and I
thought the marathon had beaten me, but now I could see the end, the
end of five months of training, dozens of early mornings and hundreds
of lonely miles.
As
I rounded the last corner I heard the familiar voices of my personal
fan club, I looked over to see Abigail, Janice and Stuart smiling and
waving fanatically. I managed to raise an arm and wave as I turned to
face the finish line.
Crossing
the finish line I slowed to a walk and then stood still as the fenced
off crowds around me clapped and cheered.
I’d
finished, and on the same day that I’d started!
I
struggled through the finishing area with the rest of the other
satisfied finishers. Someone put a medal around my neck, someone else
gave me a banana, another person gave me a bottle of water and yet
another person wrapped a futuristic foil blanket around me and then I
was released out into the crowd.
I
met up with my supporters and posed for some photos. My legs were
killing me as I stretched them out and I needed a sit down so we
headed to a nearby coffee shop.
After
a rest and meeting up with my best mate Gaffa and his daughter Ava I
said my goodbyes (and thanks) and Abigail and I set off home.
The
next day had been booked off work to allow me to recover. I spent the
day sitting on the couch watching DVDs apart from a two hour trip
into town to prevent my legs from stiffening up. It was painful to
bend my legs and I felt generally very tired.
It
was a few days until the aches disappeared and I started to feel
normal again and a week after I was missing running and looking
forward to getting back to the gym and back
out on the road.
Below
is a screen shot from my RunKeeper activity from the Liverpool
Marathon…
The
obvious question which I’ve been asked quite a lot is “are you
going to run another one”? My answer for the couple of days
immediately after was “no, definitely not”, then after a few days
it was “well, maybe”, then a full week after I found myself
looking at a calendar and list of upcoming marathons in the north of
England. As I write this I am currently not booked in for any other
events but I think it’s only a matter of time until I get the urge
again.
Thank
you to everyone who sponsored me.
