Home   

London Marathon         Sunday April 23rd  2006

Report  by Nick Cook

Set the alarm for 6 o’clock Sunday morning for an 8 o’clock parking space at Waterloo station. Against all expectations, I had slept quite well, so didn’t feel too tired. Had a good breakfast, and set off at about 7 o’clock with the family in tow. Left them at Waterloo and headed off to Waterloo East for the train to Blackheath. I haven’t seen a platform so crowded!!!!! And more people crowded onto the train at London Bridge – there would have been more space in a tin of sardines!!! And then the train stopped just outside Blackheath for what seemed like an age – it was starting to get very hot in there, and we were wondering if we’d get to the start on time.

We eventually managed to get off the train and joined the throng heading off to the blue start. Found the runners enclosure, got my tracksuit off, dustbin bag on and deposited my kit bag on to the truck. Got in a loo queue and then headed off to the start – I was in pen 7 having given a ridiculously slow finish time on my application. I thought about trying to sneak into pen 5, but they were checking the numbers, so I went to the correct pen and worked my way to the front.  

We started moving a bit early according to my watch, but it may have been wrong, and surprisingly enough we were running quite soon and even ran over the start line. Stopped about 500 yards along though, and again after another few hundred yards. Completed the first mile in 11:34, but mustn’t panic – don’t want to go too fast too early!!!! Had to use one of the loos at about 3 miles, but still didn’t want to try and make up time. 

At about the 10 mile mark I saw a runner lying on the pavement being given mouth-to-mouth – he didn’t look good – but there were apparently no fatalities, so I assume he was ok. I passed Zoe from Blue Peter and also the couple getting married on Tower Bridge, but I didn’t see any other celebrities. I had taken my phone with the headset and got quite a few calls, mainly from my daughter waiting at the finish telling me to hurry up!!!! It was nice to get encouragement from family and friends as I went round, although I got some strange looks from other runners as I was shouting into mid-air when I couldn’t be heard through the head set!! 

I’d never seen the Cutty Sark, and was looking forward to running round that – but I missed it!!! I think I was so absorbed in the spectators that I wasn’t really aware of where I actually was for most of the route. And the spectators were fantastic!!! I was glad I had my name on my vest and was wearing the Mohican wig – I got loads of comments and encouragement from the crowd, “Great hair Nick”, “Keep going Mohican”, “Dad, dad, look at that man’s funny hair”. I mainly kept to the sides of the roads to be nearer the spectators, doing high fives with the kids as I went past, taking sweets and jelly babies from them. They certainly kept me going towards the end. 

At one stage I met up with Colin Woods and we ran together for a bit, until we split up to go round a couple of runners and didn’t seem to get back together again. I also saw Pam at one of the mat stations and gave her a wave. 

At the halfway mark my time was 2 hours, a bit slower than I had hoped, but I was still feeling good, and after the slow start I thought that if I could keep the current pace up for the next 10 miles, a sub 4 hour time might still be on. My thighs started to ache at about mile 15 though, and they were hurting at 19 miles. It was then that I realised the sub 4 hours wasn’t on, but I never thought I wouldn’t finish and in the end I was pleased with 4 hours 17 minutes. 

The weather was good for running, enough rain for a cooling effect, but not so much that I couldn’t see through my glasses. It wasn’t so good for spectators though, and my wife and kids went straight to the finish to get a good spot and waited there for 5 hours in the rain for me to come in. Hence the ‘where are you?’ phone calls every half hour!! They were cold and wet when I finally caught up with them – and they didn’t even get a photo as I went past!!!! (Official photos are starting to appear on the internet though – so I expect I’ll buy some of those). 

At the finish I was really going slowly – but the crowds were still marvellous and kept me going – it really hurt just to get over the speed bumps in the road!!!! I have to admit I had a bit of a cry after I got my medal and goody bag – but it didn’t look as if I was the only one – so no shame in that. We went over to the BHF runners’ party where I had a well needed massage and a bit of food and then hobbled back to Waterloo for the drive home. 

I had a really great day and wouldn’t have missed it for the world – but I won’t be doing it again!!! It really hurt and the long Sunday morning runs on my own were really boring. My wife asked me if I would do it again, and when I said no, she said “Good – you can spend your Sundays doing jobs again now!!” Perhaps I should reconsider that decision!!! 

I don’t feel up to this month’s club 10k, but hope to make the May one – see you there!!!