Meeting Debs, a fellow Run Mummy Run member, at Holborn station was just what I needed to lift my spirits as together we headed towards the race festival area to meet the others. We quickly located my run buddy Amy alongside one of my favourite running pals Jo & her fabulously supportive wife Keeley, hugs & excited shouts all round! I was quickly introduced to the 'Selfie' crew & some other Run Mummy Runners before Debs & I headed to the HUGE loo queue.... 16,000 people, I guess there were never going to be enough! I was finally feeling excited, I was here among friends & I was going to enjoy it!
Eventually Amy & I found ourselves in the yellow wave at the start line, reminiscing about last year's race together along with Michelle (photos with horse guards, filming Big Ben ding dinging whilst running & my photo of Amy on Westminster Bridge being used on the front of the Southern Running guide to name but a few memories!) & suddenly feeling very nervous. Nerves or not we had to do it & before we could think too much about it we were off!
The first few miles went so quickly, we chatted, we laughed, we took in the sights, we waved to the Queen as we ran passed Buckingham Palace, Amy ran back to grab a small child who was walking through the runners near Downing Street & returned her to her mum, you know, the usual kind of race things! It was fantastic to see fellow Run Mummy Run members Tracey (who I missed meeting last year because she was stuck in the toilet queue!) & Alison, lots of laughs as we fell into step with them. We were ticking off the miles feeling great until Amy's calf started hurting. I kept telling her to stop & stretch it out & after a while she took my advice but soon enough we were back to a comfortable pace & heading back towards the parks.
Amy's husband & two of her children were there to greet us just after the half way mark which was a boost to her & the whole atmosphere in the parks with the supporters & charity groups is amazing if not a little overwhelming. A couple more RMR's popped up in the form of mum & daughter Gill & Katie & we cheered on Joanne a little later on too but by now things were getting tough & we were taking it in turns to motivate each other, our lack of training was evident but our determination was as strong as ever. Somewhere around mile 9 a female runner cut across us to get to the side & stretch out, unfortunately she decided to stretch a foot back right in front of me & I tripped. Thankfully Amy grabbed me to stop me face planting the floor but I was quite shaken by it & it was even more of a struggle to carry on.
We plodded on keeping each other's spirits up by talking about the roast dinners (Amy) & cider (me) that were to be consumed after the race! We came to the final water station as the Albert Hall came into view & I remembered to point it out this year as Amy had missed it last year (true story)! It was here we spotted the lovely Sue. I love the photo of Amy & I that Sue took here, it captures how happy we were still despite being almost 12 miles in & finding it tough! It was just after this photo was taken though & after that much need hug & words of encouragement from Sue that I broke down in tears.
Once we left Sue I spotted the fabulous Mind cheering team who shouted out things like "thank you Shelley", "well done, you're amazing" "keep going you've almost done it" & it reminded me why I was running, for Paula. I cried because she isn't here anymore, I cried because of who she left behind, I cried because she suffered for so long & I cried because I didn't get to run with her as planned. It was those thoughts that spurred me on, I didn't want to leave Amy but I suddenly got an energy to go for it so she told me to go, reluctantly I did, I needed to carry on, to get to the end.
That last tearful mile felt long but soon enough I had the finish line in my sight, all around me I could hear supporters cheering us runners on, some even shouting my name, perfect strangers but there to support & motivate even if they just read a name off of a vest. I was so tired by that point I couldn't acknowledge them but they helped, every single shout helped me take those last steps. I was aware of photographers, knowing how miserable I must have looked but I just didn't care.... until I finally got to the very last one who sat right on the finish line, he got a big smile from me as the realisation
set in that I'd actually bloody done it! Of course I cried again as I waited for Amy who sprinted through just a minute behind me & the hugs we shared just completed our journey together, one of laughter, tears, pain & silliness! I couldn't have done it without her!
After our post race photo we went our separate ways, Amy home & me to enjoy a couple of well earned pints of cider in a local pub with Sue & other RMR members Kirsty, Laura, Susan, Zoe, Gill & Katie plus of course Jo, Keeley & the rest of the Selfie crew!
Overall it was a fantastic day again, but now it's time for the real training to begin. 6 months & counting, Brighton marathon here I come....
