Marathon 15 - Portsmouth to Southampton: the one I didn't run

The previous marathon had ended up with me in hospital post-heart attack and recovering from a number of stents being put in my artery. I spent the next few days in what felt like a parallel universe detached from reality, a further four days in Southampton General hospital recovering, reliving the last ten days in my mind and going through all the emotions, wondering if I had been sensible or stupid, lucky or unlucky, complacent or pragmatic. 

Either way I was overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and care to the family who of course couldn’t come to visit given the strict Covid restrictions. People were providing meals and other support for Jayne and the kids, and I was getting lots of messages, positive thoughts and prayers. The chaplaincy team in the hospital were a great source of comfort and advice too. 

Banksy art at Southampton General. The NHS really are heroes and I was lucky that SGH is a cardiology specialist unit with such a great reputation

I had an MRI scan and was waiting to hear whether I needed to go for another stent procedure, which I must admit I wasn’t looking forward to. I was prepared by the nursing team for the operation but at the last minute the consultant cardiologist told me it wasn’t necessary at this stage as the heart and its ecosystem were so strong “you have many good collaterals” - a phrase I never thought I’d hear said.

So I was able to return home on the Thursday, a week ahead of Christmas, with a bag full of new drugs which will be my daily companion for life. It was an emotional return of course and I was so thrilled to be back. 

Home sweet home. a sight I was worried I might not see again

Meantime plans were afoot thanks to my brother in law Pete to run the 15th and final Marathon that coming Saturday. I was originally planning to run the Portsmouth Coastal marathon with him, his second marathon after the New Forest in September. He was trained, primed and ready to go. However the Coastal marathon had already been cancelled because of the Covid restrictions, so we planned to run a celebration marathon to mark the end of the challenge, with friends joining us at various points along the way from Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth to end at Southampton General (ironically enough) to highlight the importance of good care for those whose babies have died. The intention was to have representatives from Sands Pompey & Chichester and Sands Southampton & Winchester as well as Sands United Solent FC. In the intervening week in hospital though I lost contact with some of the groups and then Portsmouth was put into Tier 4 so plan A quickly turned to plans B, C, D and E, so I think we ended up with plan F! 

I was desperate to join them, I wanted to be there at the start and to see them and different points along the way, but the whole ordeal had wiped me out so I wasn’t out of bed until nearly 11am by which time he had run halfway! I was keen to get to the finish line though. 

I simply cannot thank Pete enough for continuing the challenge without me, for his organisation skills and for the enthusiasm he and my sister Kaye showed in making it happen, and to all the friends who joined along the way to make it so special. 

Starting point - Portchester Castle

Pete takes up the story: 

Standing in the shadows of Portchester Castle about to start the final ‘Marcathon’ WITHOUT MARC post-dramatic health issue.

Previously I was feeling slightly daunted in picking up the reins for Marc’s 15th Marathon in 15 months. Marc had done all the hard work up to planning route from Q.A Hospital to Princess Anne Maternity unit at Southampton Hospital, and enthusing others to join the run and support. The run had to go on for Marc and for SANDS. The Marcathon Whatsapp group was formed and I took the reins from there.

2020 was not over yet so from 00.01, on run day, Portsmouth went into tier 4! Change of start place and a few from SANDS sadly couldn’t wave us off. On Saturday morning, Kaye (my wife) drove the Funbus to Porchester Castle where we met Tony, a former colleague and good friend of Marc’s, for the first time. We started running at 9.30am round the extra loop to make up mileage lost from Q.A . 

Pete (white cap), Tony (yellow gloves), Keith (selfie), and half of Kev

We made excellent progress and, before we knew it, Kev & Keith came into view after Fareham viaduct to start their 5 miles.

We all ran past the bakery, avoiding temptation. Tony peeled off at Fareham railway station leaving us to run through Kev’s old turf at which point the hills beckoned. Kev & Tony set a good pace into the Meon valley, the incline more of a struggle but we made it up in good time. As we entered Keith’s old turf, I started recognising some familiar faces.

Just before our next rendezvous point, Kev suffered pain in his foot and dropped back leaving Keith and Myself to meet Vicki, a friend of Marc and Jayne’s from Netley Abbey parkrun at the ‘Sir Jo’ - our local pub. 

Vicki 'warming up'

We could see Vicki, as we passed Waypoint Church, donned in running kit and laminated SANDS tabard. 

Keith went back to meet Kev leaving us to run on to my house to don trail trainers as off road was looming in the distance. It was a thrill to see my family and many neighbours cheering us on. Kaye joined us for 2 miles but as we rounded the corner, screams were heard behind, as I turned a black bear like creature bounded quickly towards us. I wrestled with the hairy mass and handed Minnie our Tibetan Terrier back to my daughters to return her home.

Scare over, though nothing to compare with previous weekend’s heart attack and also those 15 families today facing a catastrophe. I wear my SANDS vest to highlight the charity.

pitstop with Vicki and Kaye now the support team 

The heavens opened for 5 minutes but we soon arrived in Warsash , Kaye alighting the Funbus again. Vicki & I ran on past the cheering supporters from Waypoint Church and on to Sarisbury Green where Vicki left to run home.

The next 3 miles I ran solo, which is what I’m used to, eagerly running through the Old Bursledon trails/streams. I looked forward to meeting my youngest daughters, Ruby and Eloise, who ran with me through Royal Victoria Country Park, (where Marc and Jayne run and volunteer for Netley Abbey parkrun most Saturdays outside COVID times) with more supporters clapping us along including Lucy, another of the Netley parkrun team.  

Marc's nieces joining Pete in RVCP- part of Netley Abbey parkrun course

Solo again crossing the flood at Western Shore, with a drive-by from our friend Jo which spurred me on to pick up the pace up to and over the Itchen Bridge to meet Suzie.

Along the river at Weston Shore

View from the Itchen Bridge of St Mary's stadium. The final leg in sight!

 I made the mistake of not checking which side of bridge to meet so ahead of estimated time Suzie ran her socks off to catch up!  We are over 20 miles now and next meet Peter from SANDS United at St Mary’s stadium. 

Peter - the Sands United Solent FC founder with his son Arthur's name
embroidered on his shirt, outside St Mary's

Super speedy Suzie caught us up

The legs were now hurting so Suzie and Peter kept me going for final miles. Up through Southampton Common and into Shirley. We missed a turn but picked our way through towards the Hospital.

Near Southampton Common, not long to go now

As we approached 26 miles, a little short of the finish, I managed to pick up the pace to cross the virtual 26.2 line. Suzie donned her SANDS top and the 3 of us ran up the hill to the Princess Anne Hospital. 

Sprint finish - the final 25 yards

I was overjoyed to see my family again and Marc’s daughters Liv and Sannah and … Jayne...  but I didn’t realize until I saw the mummified figure on the bench… IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE MARC! Arms flayed ahead for our ManHug that would have to wait for another year…

Marc sat at the finish line outside Princess Anne Hospital (maternity wing of SGH) in his blanket - the man hug will just have to wait :-(  

Marc leading post-run stretching session whilst covered in blankets and winter clothes! 

Pete, thanks sooooo much for running, supporting and writing the blog! You’re spot on. It was emotional! We had followed progress throughout the morning through the social media entries and had decided I was well enough to be driven back to the hospital and stand outside for just ten minutes to see you, Suzie and Peter over the line. I was desperate to hug you, Peter and Suzie as well as Kaye and the family but Covid put paid to that. It will make our group hug all the sweeter, whenever that moment comes. It was an emotional moment, the end of not just this marathon I hadn’t been able run but the end of the fifteen in fifteen challenge. It was fantastic to have the children and Jayne with me, the greatest supporter of all. 

Pete's well deserved beer that afternoon

The special medal Kaye later had inscribed for Pete

Pete had finished his second marathon in a fantastic time of just under 4 hours, and had found it a better run than his first one with me in September at the New Forest marathon. 

We do a short piece to the camera to thank everyone, and head back to the warmth of the car and back home, where I sleep for an hour and a half! Meantime the donations have continued to flood in, up to and beyond £6,000 over the coming days and into the New Year. 

As Pete said, when I started the adventure, 15 families a day in the UK were suffering the tragedy of their baby dying through stillbirth or neonatal death. During the course of the year it has reduced to 14, and at one point I had even considered dropping a marathon to indicate that encouraging statistic. As it turns out that decision was made for me! 

We are hopeful of course that over the coming years the figure will drop to 13, 12, 11, below 10 and beyond the government’s target of 7-8 by 2025. It will take a huge effort and of course we wait to see what impact COVID-19 has had on the figures. But one thing is for sure, it won’t reduce without a concerted, collaborative effort by researchers, NHS staff, government intervention, the generosity of sponsors and supporters, the hard work of SANDS and its partners, and above all the courage of those bereaved parents who have shared their stories and raised awareness of the terrible impact of baby death and the need for improvements in care and support. for more details see Sands' webpage

It has been an amazing, collaborative effort by everyone over the last 15 months. thank you so much! the fundraising page will remain open for a few more weeks 

When I’ve caught my breath properly I’ll do a final blog reflecting on the 15 in 15 challenge as a whole, in the meantime thank you once again for your incredible support and for reading the 15 in 15 blogs. 

Take care and stay safe everyone! Marc