My first marathon completed!!!!!

Just wanted to share with you all the elation I still feel after completing my first marathon last Sunday in London.

Fantastic experience & the crowds were great even though it was the hardest fitness thing I have EVER done!!! Best parts were running over tower bridge (& seeing Denise Lewis plus camera crew!), hearing Big Ben chime as I ran past & seeing Buckingham Palace then turning the corner onto the mall & seeing the "385 yards to go" sign & the finish line!!! They were playing Abba's "Dancing Queen" & that gave me a 2nd wind to sprint the last bit!!!

I would like to say to other people who haven't run before or are just starting to give it a go and stick with it!! I have tried to run on & off since 2003 but have stuck to it regularly since 2009, completing various 5k, 10k & 2 x half marathons then now a marathon!! If someone had said to me in September 2009 (or before) that I would run a marathon I would have seriously laughed out loud!! At that time all I could run was the length of 2 lamp posts!!!

I am not a fast runner by any stretch & it took me 6:06 hrs to run the marathon. I was aiming for 5:15-5:30 based on my last HM in Nov last year & for my pace so I have had a moment of disappointment with my time as I had to run/walk the 2nd half BUT I developed knee pain from 16mi in training which never went away (though only occured whilst running & only 11mi +) which I know was the cause of my slower time. I made the decision when it started hurting during the race that crossing the finish line was paramount & my time less important. I really didn't want to push on regardless & risk not being able to finish. Obviously I would not agree with the "you haven't run a marathon if you had to walk" brigade as I still had to do 16 weeks of hard training & marathons require determination, mental strength & endurance, walk or run, in my opinion.

Don't let anyone else's negativity stop you from achieving whatever you want!!

I am now very proud of myself with what I have achieved & consider myself very lucky to have had this opportunity & to have crossed the finish line. I do intend to run another marathon in the future & will continue running once I have (somehow) sorted my knee out & purchased new trainers!!

All that said, I almost didn't post this as I didn't want to sound insensitive & I wouldn't want to offend anyone - it was very sad that a lady (Claire) died during the race and I have deepest sympathies for her family. Although I didn't know Claire I will remember her just because of being in the same race & for all the money she has raised for charity. I am sure lots of others will too. It just goes to show that we really do have to live our lives to the full and make the most of each opportunity that comes our way.

Thanks for reading & running.
Dragonfly :flowerforyou:

PS probably should have been a blog but I can't remember how to do it!!