It’s the one, THE ONE, the big one. It’s the one on the telly, the one with the funny music, the one that Paula Radcliffe set her world best time in. The one with the rhinos, the cartoon characters, the running telephone boxes, the wacky, the wonderful and the just plain old weird fancy dress. There is only one marathon I can be talking about. The iconic, the emotional, the world famous London Marathon.
Started in 1981 by Olympic champion Chris Brasher and John Disley when 6255 runners crossed the startline, the event has grown year on year. Up to 2016 an astonishing 1,003,473 people have crossed the finish line raising £450 million for charity along the way.
The distance is the same as all the others but there is something different about the London marathon. It’s something unquantifiable, a feeling, a sense of emotion that sets this race apart. It has a magical quality about it, that every person covering more than the million collective steps around the course takes with them a story, a #reasontorun in their heart. It’s ordinary people coming together to do an extraordinary thing, being brave, being bold, dreaming an impossible dream and turning it into a reality. It really is a procession of the human spirit to endure and overcome.
Hence why getting a place has become so hard. Over a quarter of a million people entered the public ballot this year. Factor in Good for Age places, club places and Charity runners and that leaves a very small number of places that they are all competing for within the 40000 available. It’s become like trying find Willy Wonka’s golden tickets in many ways. Only 2 of our runners gained their places this way, Zoe Elliott and Tarnia Eldridge. Sally Trotman and Coral Leach won their places in the Roadrunners club ballot (which involved a game of musical chairs at the Christmas Party!) 5 of our runners earned their places by running a fast qualifying time in races elsewhere. The remaining 7 took charity places, pledging to raise a minimum amount in return for their place, being a part of the £60 million this event raises every year.
The runners were visibly nervous but excited as they made their way to Blackheath for the start. A few tears were shed as they kissed goodbye to their loved ones and entered the runners only enclosure.
10 am on the dot came and they were off. Started by none other than the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
In true Roadrunners style there was also a support crew sent up to cheer, scream and make as much noise as possible, and not just at our Roadrunners either
“You know exactly what runners need to hear from the crowd, because you’ve run a marathon” said Ladies Captain Julie Ray. “It can really spur on tired legs in the final stages”
First across the line was Steve Rumsey in a super speedy 3.00.33. Made all the more prodigious when you consider that he only ran Brighton Marathon 2 weeks ago in a similar time.
Next in was Pete Sexton, running for local charity Kissy Puppy in an awesome PB of 3.17.49
“I loved the anticipation of the start area” said Pete “It was great to be part of this marathon”
Two of the girls were next over the line. Judy McCabe in a phenomenal 3.32.15 and Julie Dixon in 3.41.24 both gaining good for age qualifying times and PBs. The last 4 miles were hard going for both of them, but they kept their focus and finished the job with determination.
“Everything hurt at that point, but I promised myself that I would keep going no matter what” said Julie “I tried my best to keep moving as fast as I could”
It was PBs a plenty as the next flurry of Roadrunners crossed the line. Tarnia Eldridge, Claire Harvey (running for Children with Cancer) Sally Trotman (Grief Encounter) Sharon Cass (Refuge) and Coral Leach. Every one of them giving it their all to come in under their previous times. Sharon particularly, as she took an hour off her previous race time.
Also crossing the line were Dave Cass, James Shoulder and Elaine Harris.
“Once I’d stopped worrying about my time. I really enjoyed it. I was high fiving all the kids, the crowd was amazing” said Elaine “coming out of one of the tunnels along the embankment into a wall of noise was just mega!”
It was Zoe Elliott that was the lucky one as she crossed the line. She unwittingly joined a medal collection queue which had a rather famous volunteer giving out the medals.
“It was surreal getting my medal from Prince Harry” she giggled “In fact I wasn’t entirely sure that I hadn’t dreamt it until I found the picture!” Zoe raised money for the local Pop Up Soup Kitchen.
As with any marathon, but particularly London, it’s the first timers that capture everyone’s hearts and imaginations. This year our debutants were Jess Hill, Tanya Clifford and Bianca Johnston. All 3 took up charity places in return for this golden opportunity. Jess and Tanya were running for Sense and Bianca for Children with Cancer.
“It’s a year ago exactly since me and Tanya ran our first ever race and that wasn’t even 5k!” said Jess “It was so hard, but I didn’t stop once” “I nearly gave up at mile 24, but then I saw my mum. We had a quick hug and a cry but it really motivated me to carry on”
“I loved every single second, I’d do it again in a heartbeat” said Tanya “I cried when my mum answered my call when I’d finished. It is definitely in the top 3 most life changing things I’ve done”
“What an amazing feeling, I’m still buzzing” said Bianca
Bianca and Tanya ran the whole thing together which seemed fitting as they had shared similar injuries during their training. What a special, beautiful journey to share!
Brilliant performances from all of them, they have showed that you really can go from couch to 5k to a marathon in a year. Great grit, determination and the will to succeed. Proud of you girls.
S.Rumsey – 3.00.33
P.Sexton – 3.17.49
J.McCabe – 3.32.15
J.Dixon – 3.41.24
D.Cass – 3.43.49
J.Shoulder – 4.08.30
E.Harris – 4.13.35
T.Eldridge – 4.15.11
Z.Elliott – 4.20.11
C.Harvey – 4.26.21
J.Hill – 4.33.14
S.Trotman – 5.02.36
S.Cass – 5.17.45
C.Leach – 5.27.29
B.Johnston – 5.39.38
T.Clifford – 5.39.39
So that’s it for another year. The roads are back open, the mile markers packed away, and our capital city is back to normal. Heroes made, stories to tell, memories sealed in their hearts forever.
Same time, same place next year?
BALLOT OPENS MONDAY!!!!
