I FINALLY DID IT!! I RAN A FULL MARATHON AND HAVE A MEDAL AND T-SHIRT TO SHOW FOR IT!! I CAN TICK IT OFF MY BUCKET LIST!
It is the hardest thing I have ever done. I can't believe I managed to get through it after everything. It's been over a year in the making for this 1 day - plenty of blood, sweat and tears. Officially since the first run last year on the 9th June 2018 - I've done 75 runs covering 465 miles. Injury, rain, snow, hail, sleet, wind, everything that could have went wrong for me the week before did, I said so many times I didn't want and couldn't do it and my worst nightmare of it raining on the day happened but I did it!!
I know I love a good moan but I live by the motto - Once you've started you've got to finish So I knew no matter what if I was crossing the start line I'd have to make it back to cross the finish line. Unless I physically couldn't run no more I was doing it.
I hit my wall at mile 15 - I just felt like I couldn't breathe and did shed a tear. I was running but didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. People were walking and I felt like I was going at a snail pace. The 4 hour pacer went past me at like mile 8 but I did try my hardest to stay in front of it but I couldn't. 4:15 pacer went past me later on and I physically couldn't go any faster to keep in front of it. The 4:30 one was creeping behind me near the end and I was like I can't let it beat me. At mile 22 I don't know what happened but I sped up to keep in front of it. I basically sprinted the last mile like I did after my first half marathon. I don't know where it came from but it happened. The last 4 miles was the longest part of the rest. Both mentally and physically draining.
I didn't finish before 4:30 though as my chip time was before the 4:30 pacer which was annoying but I'm glad I did speed up to get finish with a faster time.
6:45am - Breakfast 1 - Porridge with banana, frozen berries and walnuts.
8am - Breakfast 2 - leftovers from the night before Rice, chicken, char siu and veg. Only managed a couple of mouth fulls.
Pre race before Angie did the half at 9am.
Coming up to the first mile
Just after I hit my wall at mile 15
This was the end tears of actual relief and joy - Never ever have to do that again and I can retire from long distance running!
This amazing woman finished 3:44 nearly an hour before me. I knew she was going to beat her time. She's mad for running the marathon again and to be able to beat her time by 13 minutes is such an achievement!
Thank you so so much for training with me - I know you only signed up because I said I needed to it after not being able to do it last year. All them hours and weather conditions training and running basically everywhere. Thank you for listening to me moan and go on about how hard it is and that I wouldn't be able to do it!!
Well done to Michael - Jo from work's cousin for finishing his first full marathon too! He only ran his first half at last year's Rock N Roll and just thought I'm gonna try and go for the full. You did amazing!
Angie got her pb in the half and did it in 2:02! Her 5th half marathon - you've done 2.5 full marathons... Well done Angie you're knocking minutes every race you'll be able to knock that 2 hour barrier for sure!
Everyone did amazing but no one is more amazing than Sarah. Through everything she has managed to finish it and got through it when no-one thought she was going to. She was losing hope in herself in the morning but still managed to get through it in one piece. We all knew she was stubborn and determined but she's also injured, only ran up to 15 miles, worked the night before, been constantly drinking, constantly tired but still did it. Like you definitely can't wing a marathon but she finished it. I'm so so proud of you like we all got through it but after everything you did it and proved everyone wrong!
We got a quick shower then went to Amalia for food as it was 2 for 1 on Meerkat movies. Sarah didn't come with us though she had to go to a family party - Couldn't think of anything worse. I wasn't even hungry I just wanted to go home and go to bed I was exhausted but knew I needed to eat something. My head was killing cos I think I was dehydrated.
All 76 runs... I've been waiting a whole year to be able to write this post and to make these collages! Even had green hair when I started training.
Thank you so so much to this amazing little group of people for getting me through it. Without yous I wouldn't have been able to do it.
Thank you to everyone else for listening to me moan and go on about it for the past year and knew I could do it when I didn't think myself I was going to be able to.
Thank you to Jo Shaw for all the advice and tips and yesterday for being there for us - being our photographer, number 1 supporter, the water and sweets!
Everything from the waist down hurts, I just want to be lying down forever right now. I can't walk, my head and throat hurts as I think I'm still dehydrated. I don't think it's fully sinked in that I've ran a full marathon and not full convinced it's worth all this. But I will definitely look back and be glad I did it and don't have to do it again!! My legs are definitely going to be thankful that I'm retiring from running for a while.
This medal will be treasured forever and no one can take it away from me. I am still sad I never did it within 4 hours like I really wanted but with my injury and after everything that has happened I'm just glad I did it and finished it in one piece - I don't feel like I'm in one piece right now but I can just about walk which is enough.
Well done to everyone that did the full and half marathon yesterday and good luck to you if you plan on doing the full marathon next year because I definitely won't be joining you at the start line running it!
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