GSK LOCAL Health Awards 2007

RUNNING FOR FUNDS.

What an experience -  the whole day felt very surreal.  I beat my own target time of 5 and a half hours and crossed the finish line in 5 hours and 8 minutes – much faster than I had expected. The reality of my achievement has still not fully hit me.

I entered my allocated starting pen and scanned for the Runners World 12 minute mile pacer, found him, and stuck to him like a leech for the whole course. We averaged 11 and a half minute miles.

We passed : 6 men making up a long dog, a 20 foot high pink nurse, about 3 rhinos (one with a skirt!), batmen, wonderwoman, panto camels and horses, drunken spectators (mostly at 10.30 a.m. en route in Deptford!) a house that had been completely swathed in a prairie backdrop with the residents singing on the pavement in cowboy, cowgirl, saloon girl and American Indian fancy dress, runners who had blood running down from their knees, chests and just about everywhere else you can think of, and endless amounts of wonderful spectators who called to you and encouraged you as though they had known you for years.

We endured: one hailstorm that was very painful, two huge rainstorms, the cold that followed, squelchy wet feet and an extremely noisy crossing of Tower Bridge (awesome!).

We shared: training tales, jelly beans, jelly babies, water, Pringles and Ibuprofen!

All that remained the next day was one small blister at the tip of my middle toe and it was a little more difficult to get up from a sitting position.

My family, a couple of friends and Claire, the Mulberry Centre’s Director and her husband were there to greet me at the finish.

Would I do it again???  I just might………

The total donation amount exceeded £3000. Thanks to all of you.