27th April 2025

I have no idea where to start with this…it feels like my London Marathon journey started in 2023 when I was lucky enough to be drawn in the club ballot (slightly embarrassing and quite funny really being the chair) I was all set to “smash” my training and set out with a plan to match my 2022 Edinburgh Marathon time of 4:40. Fate had other ideas however as shortly before Christmas 2024 I suffered a herniated disc and despite various doctors, physios, chiropractors appointments I had to admit defeat and defer my place. And so following 3 months of no running and a tentative summer of trying to get back to fitness I set out in October 2024 to get myself fit again.

My 18 week plan started at Christmas. I’d opted to follow the Hal Higdon Novice 2 plan and commit to 3 runs a week and 4 if I could fit it in around the pressures of work and life. I stuck to the plan and despite the snow in the early weeks I seemed to manage the increase in mileage whilst managing my back and dealing with the nerve damage to my left leg that the disc issue has left me with. (I feel like the excuses for what comes later are already mounting up!)

Despite a strong final 20 mile long run I have to say I never really regained the confidence I had when I ran my previous marathon so I approached marathon day nervous and with a degree of doubt (maybe I need to work on my confidence and how I talk to myself about what I’m capable of)

I arrived in London on the Saturday with my support crew A (Sarah and Cat) ready to meet support crew B (Nancy and Peggy) at Expo.

I’d heard Expo was busy but nothing prepared me for how busy and I think it’s then that it sunk in just how big this event was. I felt pretty overwhelmed by the queues and crowds and it did nothing to settle the nerves. After failing to find my name on “the wall” we picked up my “finishers” t-shirt and went to sit in the sun and chill out.

Saturday evening didn’t exactly go to plan either… Pizza Express had messed up the booking system and our 7pm booking turned into us standing in another queue and eating much later than I’d hoped. (Another excuse?)

Race day dawned and the predicted warm weather with it…after the usual hotel breakfast Sarah and Cat walked me to the tube and I set off on my way to meet Simon Gleadhall who I’d arranged to meet to travel to the start, Simon was in a wave ahead of me but it was lovely to have some company and try to distract myself.

Arriving at Greenwich, it was a party atmosphere and I forgot my nerves for a while and soaked it all up… a trip to the female urinal (I could write an entire report on that adventure) Simon and I parted company and off we went to our respective waves. My fear of not being in the right place at the right time was not realised…it’s unbelievably well organised from bag drop to shepherding so many runners to the start.

At just after 11 we set off…it was already warm so I kept my pace conservative… I knew I’d see Nancy and Peggy at mile 3 so set my sights on splitting the run into 5k segments… I think they’d agree at 5k I was loving the atmosphere and enjoying every second.

Next stop Cutty Sark.. I loved it..the crowds, the music, my pace was a little keen but I felt great and was lapping up the cheers and shouts of my name.

On to mile 11 where I saw Cat and Sarah…at this point I was starting to feel how warm it was but knew I was ok…I’d taken advice from Laura Rangely to drink half my water bottle and soak a buff with the other half and hold it on my neck and pulse points…great advice.

Tower Bridge is just on another level but I was disappointed by how many people stopped in the middle of the road to turn round and take selfies…I’m no professional runner but to constantly have my stride broken by the “ insta influencers” meant I struggled to get into a rhythm (this selfie taking was a constant throughout the race and became a real annoyance)

The next few miles went without much to report, I missed Nancy and Peggy at mile 14, the crowds were huge and at this stage I began to find them overwhelming and along with the increasing temperatures I started to feel a bit anxious as well as hot and I felt that uncontrollable need to walk…and walk I did

I sent out a message to my Sunday morning run gang… a cry for help…the heat was really getting to me…Nancy reassured me she was at mile 21 and all I had to do was fight to get to her and a cold can of coke… I went to some pretty dark places in my mind between mile 17 and 21. I don’t think I’ve ever had to dig so deep to keep myself moving. The heat was unbearable, my watch was telling  me I’d done more miles than I had and I was finding the crowds more overwhelming than motivational. I knew I’d missed my target time by this point and I just had to fight through and fight on I did and my relief to see Nancy and Peggy almost had me in tears.

A massive slurp of coke… a hug from Nance and a strong word with myself and I set off again… I had to get to Blackfriars bridge…Sarah and Cat were there… and I did, this final stage didn’t feel as bad… I ran more than I walked, I passed some minor celebrities, I distracted myself with counting 100 steps.

A hug from Sarah and Cat and 2 miles to go… I was going to finish this… the sight of Big Ben was not only a relief but it was at this point I eventually realised I was going to finish.. I tried to enjoy that last mile, soak up the atmosphere and have my moment on the Mall (along with 1000s of selfie taking others)

Crossing that finish line was epic…I’ve never been so tired or emotional. I thought about the reasons I was running, not just to prove to me I could do it but, as a childhood dream, I was running for those people who don’t get the time to live out their dreams. For my sister in law who had so much to give and got taken away from us too soon.

I missed my target time by 16 minutes which of course is a disappointment, the weather and the sheer number of runners meant it was impossible. I don’t really think as a slow runner London is a race to try to get a time on.. there’s too many selfie takers and too many people on the course, but it’s a life experience and the highs definitely outweigh the lows.

London Marathon picked me up and spat me out. It was the best and the worst, it was the hardest thing I’ve done yet there were moments I felt euphoric.

So this one was for Amy, my beautiful and much loved sister in law… you always did love the sun 😘

Striders results