Somewhat predictably I was not successful in the ballot and therefore entered the Manchester Marathon which was a week earlier. In early December the charity based at the hospital trust where I work announced that they had a golden bond place for the London Marathon. I rather stupidly suggested that if they gave me the place I would run both the Manchester and London to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis unit. I found out in the week before Christmas (on my birthday) that they had given me the place. I was initially delighted although as they got closer I started to get more apprehensive. As it had been so long since I had trained for a marathon I downloaded a 16 week training plan with a target time of three and a half hours. I found this plan really useful and apart from a 10 day break due to a pulled calf muscle, I managed to stick pretty closely to it.
By the time Manchester came around I was itching to get going and I knew that I was running well. The race started and finished in the shadow of Old Trafford which meant there were plenty of opportunities for pre-race photographs.
There was a really good atmosphere around the race headquarters and the combination of the flat course and the perfect weather meant that there was lots of talk of PB’s from the other runners. The race started in front of a large crowd and I quickly managed to get into a good rhythm. This was helped by following one of the pacers which ensured I didn’t get carried away early on. The number of runners also helped, there were 12,000 in total which meant that it was busy all the way round but I never felt like I was having to swerve around others. The support was especially good around Timperley and Altrincham where I was delighted to see my own support team.
The build-up to the London Marathon meant that it felt like a more special event. I guess that this was due to it being a longer journey but also the process of having to go to the ExCeL Arena on the Saturday to collect my race number. I was staying with my wife’s family in Tottenham and so I had an early start to get across London to the Red Start at Greenwich. In the week between the marathons I didn’t do much other than rest and eat. Despite this I wasn’t sure what state my body would be in so I hadn’t really made any plans for the race. By the time I got to the start I felt really good and therefore set off at the same 8 minute pace that I had in Manchester.
In contrast to Manchester, the volume of participants meant that it felt like I was constantly weaving around other runners and discarded drinks bottles. This meant it was difficult to get into a good rhythm. The support and noise all the way round the course was truly amazing but couldn’t mask the fact that I was starting to struggle by around 18 miles. The realisation that I still had 8 miles to go was daunting to say the least but spurred on by the crowds and the thought of all the money that I had been sponsored helped me to drag myself home in 3hrs 42min 43sec. After collecting my medal and being repatriated with my bag in record time it was great to meet up with 3 other Striders who had finished and their supporters. The can of Stella given to me by Jo Bulley was possibly the nicest tasting beer I have ever had! And certainly better than the alcohol-free pint presented to me after finishing the Manchester race!
Fran
Note:
Thanks to his recent marathon efforts, Fran has currently raised over £6000 to buy exercise equipment for the children and adults attending the North West Midlands Cystic Fibrosis Centre.
It isn't too late to donate to this worthwhile cause. His Justgiving page can be found at https://www.justgiving.com/Francis-Gilchrist/
For more information about the work Fran and the Cystic Fibrosis undertakes, read this excellent article from the Stoke Sentinel.