Marathon 6 of 15: Done Deal - the one where I ran on Marathon Day 26.2

Deal Castle

Five weeks had passed quickly since the Gloucester Marathon and I was feeling good. A few sub-25 minute parkruns and a couple of well-paced long training runs had me confident of a good time as the race approached.

The donations to the Sands fundraising page had continued to come in and although the music concert had to be postponed due to a nasty bike accident for the pianist (rescheduled to 11 July), I had set up a curry night for May to help the fundraising efforts and it had been met with an excellent response, so things were looking good.

However, the best laid plans and all that… the poor weather in the week before the race had me checking the BBC weather app with unnecessary frequency, and an increasingly sore heel had me worrying about my ability not only to secure a good time but to even start or finish the marathon.

The Marathon Day Marathon is held every year on 26.2 (you see what they did there?) and this year was a Wednesday. So as usual I had tapered down from a 3 hour run 3 weeks before the event to 2 hours a fortnight before and an hour the week before. It was after this run, to collect the car from the pub the night before, that the heel began to plague me. Even walking became a chore and I convinced myself I had plantar fasciitis – a running friend had been diagnosed with the same condition so I assumed I had just over-trained or under-stretched and despite advice on ice, rest and new socks I felt glum with five days to go that I was going to have to postpone or just hobble through the race.

Thankfully, Rachel, a very close friend of ours and former practicing podiatrist came to the rescue, not for the first time in our lives I hasten to add. Over the phone she gave some really helpful advice and between us diagnosed that it wasn’t plantar fasciitis but more likely a callous or suchlike caused by constant running on a dead patch of skin on my heel. So we agreed ibugel, rest and paracetamol was the best treatment to try to get me through to the marathon on the Wednesday. On the Monday I took a short test run whilst in London and it seemed to hold up well. So with a new spring in my step and with the encouragement of my fab Sands colleagues in my ears I headed home in better spirits.

Early morning course reccie

On the Tuesday one of my closest friends Kev drove us to Dover for an overnight stop ahead of the early start in Deal. It was the first marathon I was heading to without Jayne as she had to work on the Wednesday and take care of the children before and after school, so it was a strange feeling to not have her alongside me.

We set off down to the start line just outside of Deal, which really is as far South-East as you can get. The sun was bright and you could see northern France on the horizon. But with the sunshine came a bitter wind, so as we walked along the front to assess the conditions we knew that the ‘out’ leg of 2.62 miles would be tough into the wind, but that the ‘in’ leg of 2.62 would be more manageable. 5 laps of 5.24 miles would take me to the 26.2 miles.

 

Blustery but bright morning

We found the organisers sheltering between some trees with their papers well secured from the wind, and found out that there were 85 runners, so it would be pretty low key. The event reminded me of the friendliness and convenience of the Saturn X-Run Marathon I had run in October, though I was hoping for a much better time despite the wind. This event was organised by Saxons, Vikings and Normans, which conjures up images of middle aged men dressed in chainmail brandishing heavy swords rushing at each other as part of a summer re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings. I’m told it was named by a group of runners after the Saxon Shore Way which runs from Gravesend to Hastings itself, some of which I was about to run. So if you swap the chainmail for lycra and the swords for Garmins maybe it’s not that different after all. They’re an amazing team and I would definitely recommend doing one of their runs throughout the course of the year. 

 

With Cat prior to the race 

We meet up with Cat, a running friend who works at NHS England and who generously paid for the entry fee. Cat is a Kent local and has run many events with SVN and recommended this to me last summer. She had completed her own 12 marathons in 12 months challenge last year and was part of the inspiration behind my own challenge. So it’s extra special to see her, and her lovely mum gave her a donation to give me for the fund too :-) 

We meet Sylvie from East Kent Sands who is also an amazing supporter, representing the local Sands group who do so much to support bereaved women and families whose baby has died. Seeing her in her Sands top is an unexpected emotional moment, as it brings back to the front of mind why I’m doing the challenge in the first place. And deep breath.

 

lovely Sylvie

After a short briefing we’re on our way and into the wind. It felt good early on and I’m soon in the rhythm, with the first leg going as planned. On the return leg I see Kev and Cat cheering me on, and then towards the first turn point at the aid desk I see Sam, another Sands volunteer, who had been in touch the previous day. It’s fantastic to see her smiley face at least half a dozen times between now and the end, and really grateful to her for some of the photos too.

Thanks Sam for the pics

I’m in the rhythm for the first 3 laps, broadly keeping to the planned 9 minute miles accompanied by the Fighting Talk podcast and then Popmaster, which help me buffer against the 4 degrees maximum temperature. Kev and Cat join me at this point – mile 16 - and before I know it I’ve completed 20 miles in 3 hours and 3 minutes, well ahead of the 4h14m pace at Gloucester.

We keep the pace going – naturally it has slipped a bit but it’s only the last three miles that go over ten minute miles as fatigue hits in. This is much later on in the process than usual – I think the body is getting used to the exertions I’m putting on it. And I’ve pretty much forgotten about the heel injury, being more worried about a slight blister I can feel on the toe of my other foot, but it's minor compared to the extra toe which appeared after the New Forest Marathon. Sylvie and Sam are on hand with lots of water and cheering to keep us going.

Three amigos with about 4 miles to go

Sylvie and Sam create a mock finish tape at the end of the 26.2 miles. I’m amazed and delighted to complete the marathon in 4h08m, another 6 minutes off Gloucester and a full 50 minutes quicker than the one in Reading back in the autumn. 

The finish line!

The improvements have come about through determination and commitment, long runs and stretching of course, but also due to the nutritional coaching from Peter Cheeseman who runs a local fitness company and who has supported me to not only lose weight (through the 60 days fat loss club) but to improve my running performance significantly over the last 3 months. I’ve lost the best part of a stone and a half and feel so much better for it.

greater discipline has brought greater consistency...

It has also been possible due to amazing friends and family, Jayne in particular for supporting the challenge in so many different ways, all the sponsors for their encouragement, Kev for driving and for him and Cat running with me. Kev’s ten miles was his longest ever run, and was a hugely impressive effort!

So after a few photos with the obligatory medal and the fab support team, it’s all over for another few weeks.

Amazing support team!

Every marathon has been an adventure, with many highs and lows along the way, and an opportunity to cross paths with some extraordinary, ordinary, people: this time in particular Sylvie and Sam who represent so many of Sands’ amazing volunteers across the country. They give their own time to help newly bereaved families overcome the loss of a baby, raise money for training and resources, raise awareness and are generally superstars. Thank you both - and all those at East Kent Sands - so, so much.

 

Kev and I retreat into Deal to replenish after our efforts, fish and chips seems too lardy so a la Gwen from Gavin & Stacey I venture ‘do you know what I fancy Kev, I fancy an omelette, I does’. 

I won't lie to you, it was crackin' 

Within a few hours we are back home eating another great meal and a beer with Jayne, Suzie, the children and other good friends of ours. We check the fundraising total and it’s well over £1700 now, for which we are hugely grateful.  

Onwards then to Manchester on April 5^th and what will likely be a very different occasion with tens of thousands rather than tens of others. But for now, with injury scares and severe weather warnings long forgotten, we are left with nothing but positive memories of a fantastic Marathon Day Marathon.

Done Deal.