Running Apes

Chris’ Race

I actually got a good nights sleep and woke about 6.30am just in time to eat my porridge.  I really don’t do breakfast and usually a nice cup of tea does the trick but I thought maybe a little more maybe required on this particular morning.

After picking Jess up and my Dad missing the drop off on the A2 we arrived on Blackheath.  After a couple of photos we went inside the athlete area, quick toilet break and we met up with Louise and Adam.  Just enough time to send our bags on their way, quick toilet break for the girls and we made our way to the start.  Actually it wasn’t the start, it was at the back of Greenwich Park, it would take us 20 minutes after the race had begun for us to reach the start.

As we jogged through the congested start I realised this was it, 7 months of hard work, disciplined eating, early starts, that’s what most people would have gone through to get here.  Jess and I were going along at around 10 minutes/mile and were enjoying the music, the enthusiasm of the crowd and the ridiculous costumes everyone else seemed to be wearing.  We also noticed a lot of other MACS runners which can only be a good thing in increasing the awareness of this charity.

I had loaded my pockets with three things, a bag of jelly babies, a bag of Vaseline and painkillers (all would be required at some point).  It was just after 2 miles that i first felt discomfort in my knee and decided to take 2 tablets.  Life was good the weather was glorious and we had found a steady pace.  After 6 miles I was looking out for Anna, my wife and the rest of my ’supporters’ - my Dad Steve, Sister Gemma, Brother in-law to be Malcolm and Brother in law Liam.  I was so relieved to see them all, not because I was struggling but I hadn’t seen them at Reading and I was really disappointed, I could relax now they had seen me at least once.

Whilst all this was going on Jess was in desperate need of the toilet (again) but the constant flow of sights such as 30 or so people chained together trying to go to the toilet, 4 men dressed as the Beatles carrying a yellow submarine, people singing from balconies overlooking the route (and massive queues at the toilets) meant we didn’t stop.  

We saw some friends from work around 9 miles which added to my already euphoric mood.  I couldn’t believe I was running the marathon, I had watched it so many times on the television and now I was in the middle of it.  This is when Jess and I went our separate ways, although the same way obviously.  The call of nature had become deafening and a secluded area on top of a hill swallowed Jess up and that was the last I saw of her until the finish.

I was now heading for Tower Bridge.  I had been warned about the noise but as you turn from Jamaica Road to go over the bridge it hits you like a football in the face.  It was such a thrill as I crossed the Thames and the noise just got louder and louder.  It didn’t subside until after half way.  I was feeling really good, staying to 10 minute/mile pace and now over half way.  I saw all my family again just after half way and started to prepare myself for the graveyard - the Isle of Dogs.  My knee suddenly buckled from under me at 14.5 miles - so I decided to take another 2 tablets, not a lot else I could do.  The sun was getting hotter and hotter and I was trying to keep my hair wet and body hydrated.  I wasn’t helping myself as I started to miss mile markers, which made me loose track of my pace and drink stations which meant I couldn’t keep hydrated.  In my defence it is easy to miss these things at the London Marathon.  The mile markers are only evident by a gigantic arch of balloons across the road and drink stations are only 200 meters long in areas with soaked roads and hundreds of discarded bottles.

As I got to mile 17 I passed Steve Cotter a good friend of mine who was struggling with a bad ankle.  I couldn’t have been in good shape even then as I kept asking him the same questions over and over again.  I was still keeping a fairly even pace and moved away from Steve.  I worked hard through this part of my race, I wanted to head for home and as I left the graveyard I treated myself to another 2 painkillers.  As I approached 21 miles I needed the toilet but feared stopping and I was suddenly very hungry.

Just before 22 miles I saw my family for the final time and nearly ran Anna in to the pavement.  I couldn’t speak but the words of encouragement fro them all pushed me onwards.  It is words of encouragement that people who run the marathon always mention from the thousands of people who won’t give you the time of day the following week but their words do spur you on.

I needed to go and right now.  I ran off the course and went and oh my word it felt good.  Then it went very very bad.  My legs decided this was the end of the race, but it wasn’t said my head, oh yes it is said everything else.  This was my wall.  Instead of fighting it I thought I would go with it (not a tough decision).  I took on loads of water, washed my face, reapplied Vaseline and ate everything the spectators were handing out and the entire packet of jelly babies.  At 23.5 miles I was running again.

I had just gone through 24 miles and was feeling pretty good, I knew I was going to finish.  I was starting to think about the others and how were they getting on in the heat and hoping they were enjoying it.  Then I saw a familiar figure ahead - Steve.  How had he got in front.  It didn’t matter how but he was struggling again.  We decided that no matter how each of us felt we would finish together now.  We had periods when we needed to stop for cramp but we kept going and I tried to take in what was going on around me but all I could see and hear was people and every other one would be calling out “go Chris” or “you’re nearly there Steve” or “nice one Barbara” but I don’t think that was to us.

From 25 miles I really started to enjoy myself and even then felt a sense of achievement and couldn’t wait to see my family and show Ben my medal.  As we came down the Mall we did finish together and as it turned out only just ahead of Jess. 

Did it hurt? - Yes, but not as much as I thought.

Would I do it again? - Yes, in a flash.

Did we manage to help raise some extra money for charity? - Oh Yes

It was cold and the local fashion was a figure hugging black bin liner.  This may have been a typical Sunday morning in Reading but it wasn’t for the three running apes.  We converged on the football stadium in nervous anticipation.  Although Jess and I had covered the distance before we had never participated in a race before and for Louise, due to injury problems, had not yet reached 13 miles in her training.

The Reading Half Marathon is second only to the Great North Run for 13 mile events.  We had looked at our numbers and realised that Louise and I were in the green section and Jess was in white.  The difference being the green runners should be faster.  This did not help Louise’s nerves but as it turned out didn’t matter in the slightest.

As the race time drew nearer (we were there 2hrs before the start) the need for the girls to go to the toilet grew, so they went, again and again and again.  I hope London has enough loo roll when the apes turn up on the big day!  

With numbers fixed on, chips attached to legs and in my case Vaseline applied we were ready to go.  15 minutes after the starting gun and listening to some idiot on a PA system saying things like “oh look at him over there” and “there’s another superhero” we reached the start and our race had begun!

What instantly struck me was how difficult it was to get into any kind of rhythm due to the number of people around you in such a small pace.  I was trying hard to keep an eye on the clock and not to go too fast.  I started at 8mins 30 seconds a mile and tried to stick to this.  All went well for the first 3/4 of a mile and then the pain started in my knee that I had first felt after the Dulwich run.  I carried on, being the stubborn so and so that I am, and I hadn’t come all this way to stop before the first mile.  Desite missing the first Lucazade stop somehow I was exactly on my pace and it was now a glorious day.  As I approached Reading town centre I couldn’t wait to Anna and the boys who I knew would be at 6.5 miles.  Unfortunately I missed them and this was the biggest disappointment and I wanted to stop.  After 8 miles the pain in my knee was getting worse but I kept going, one mile at a time.  It was amazing how the crowd kept you going and I can only imagine how good this will feel in London.  After a final push I was at the finish in 1hr 51 mins and 26 secs.  After collecting my medal and clothes I made my way back into the stadium to watch the other runners finish.  I saw Jess run in plugged into her ipod and then about 10 minutes later Louise followed her home.  One race, but three very proud apes!