Thanks a lot chaps! Pain is temporary, pride lasts forever...or something like that. I'll try and remember that on mile 21 when there is a cheeky and unwanted incline! The race isn't until tomorrow. There's a 5k, 10k and junior run today. A half marathon and the biggie tomorrow. Race starts at 10! So I'm making the massive sacrifice of missing the saints match!! Knee is feeling okay. I've been too scared to attempt any sort of decent distance, saving myself for race day. But the shorter distances that I've attempted over the last 2 weeks have gone alright. My knee has felt a bit funny at times, but no pain. So fingers crossed. I'll be astounded and delighted if I can get through without the knee playing up. But either way, I'm going to cross that finish line!! please log in to view this image please log in to view this image
I should also add, that thanks to all you lovely people, my friends, family and workmates...we've managed to raise £446.00!!!! My target was £250
Good evening Chaps! I'll fill you in with a full run report tomorrow. I DID IT!!! Delighted, but I took a beating today and am thoroughly exhausted. please log in to view this image
Wow it's difficult to move today I made it round in a time of 5 hours 11 minutes and 04 seconds. Which placed me 1742nd out of 3001 people. But that kind of thing was never part of the challenge for me. I'd have liked to have done it quicker, and indeed I was on for a time about an hour quicker then that after 14 miles but a combination of the heat (lack of shade and breeze) and not taking in enough fluids considering the unexpected weather conditions caused muscle cramping which started around the 14 mile point. First my calfs went, then the quads. It was a constant battle from then on, kept stopping to try and stretch them out only to run another 800 metres or so for them to seize up again. Was tough going, and I ran through a lot more than I would normally be able to take. The knee held out pretty well, but still had periods where it was causing me grief. I've never experienced exhaustion quite like that before. Probably from around the 20 mile point I was fighting back the tears. Completely unexpected, and it wasn't anything to do with the pain, or even thinking of all the people affected by my chosen charity, nor the fact that I was in the middle of completing one of my life goals. It was purely exhaustion. Ended up with a sun burnt face and suffered from a bit of heat stroke, feeling sick all yesterday evening. But I got off lightly. Like I said, the weather was cruelly hot and there were a lot of seriously ill people collapsed at various points across the course receiving medical help. Fingers crossed they are all okay because some of them looked in really bad condition. On the flip side, the weather was fantastic for the supporters and they came out in their numbers. It was so genuinely motivating having hundreds of people over the distance of the course shouting out your name and willing you on. The course itself was fantastic, running along both the Boscombe and Bournemouth piers, up near Hengistbury head near the start and down to Poole near the end. Some amazing views, but also a real mental challenge being able to see the course so far ahead in the distance and realising that you've still got a bloomin long way to go! I'm sure the mile markers were spaced further then every mile too!!! The main thing of course is the amazing generosity of all those that have sponsored me and supported me along the way resulting in what currently stands at £480 to Macmillan Cancer support!! Thanks you so much everyone, and to all those that have kept this thread floating around even in my absence from the site. Here is photographic evidence of an exhausted and seriously sweaty version of me with the medal around my neck. please log in to view this image Thanks again for all your support chaps and chapettes
