Oh Dear

After a hectic week at work I find myself on the couch, feet up reading my latest edition of Runner’s World Magazine.

I came across an article entitled ‘The Marathon often has the last word’, within this article it stated ‘every marathon is a story, every one tells you about yourself. Its impossible to run through miles 19-24 in the midst of euphoria and exhaustion without being changed as a person’

This struck a cord with me. I have run 5 marathons each one has its story

• Marathon 1 – A year before this I had taken up running and here I was running Flora London Marathon in my 40th year for Cancer Research UK. I loved it, totally amazed by the great crowds and the mass of runners with me the whole way. Wow what an experience
• Marathon 2 – Two years on back at London, this was the hottest recorded year, and that record still stands. 7 Minute PB, not bad in that heat.
• Marathon 3- Milton Keynes in horrendous weather, wind, rain, flooding. Dad said don’t run, he was right, but don’t tell him that! I shouldn’t have run
• Marathon 4- Back to London, 48 hours before the start I was in the dentist chair having a root canal, on the day was dosed up with antibiotics and pain killers. Really struggled with stomach ache. This was on Big Madam’s birthday. Afterwards I drove the three hours home, only to pass blood when I went to the toilet, scary times.
• Marathon 5-Chelmsford Inaugural Marathon-A route that took runners past the finish four times, with the ability to cheat and cut it short (some did I didn’t), this was sole destroying, but I did have fantastic support on the way round from work colleagues. A massive blister and chronic back ache contributed to the agony of those last few miles. Stubbornness got me to the end.

Yes every one of the marathons has a tale to tell.

Monday night the Running Club drew names for their VLM place. My name was pulled.

Seems my Marathon story telling days are not quite over-yet!