When the going gets tough........

Difficult to know where to start but I think I will do two versions - the "non runners" version and the "runners" version, so take your pick.

Non runners version - well it was a great atmosphere, lots of runners and terrible weather. Anyone out there reading this, who has thought about doing the Flora London Marathon or has thought about doing any marathon, then please read this. So many people are increasingly thinking " hmm, I could do that. Lots of celebs, lots of large type people and well, I can walk all the way if I need to. I think I'l give it a go". When I started this blog I said " If just one person reads this and take up running then I think I will have succeeded". But please, seeing so many people on Sunday falling (literally) by the wayside makes me think that with marathons generally having such a high profile, many, unfit, unprepared people think they will just give it a go. That is fantastic but please, please train for it. If you do train and run a marathon, you will never experience anything like it in your life. You will learn a great deal about yourself and feel that nothing can top the feeling of crossing the finish line.

Runners version - anyone who has run a marathon knows that feeling in the pit of the stomach when you are standing on the starting line and waiting to go. You cannot describe it. It's even worse of course when it is raining. As it was on Sunday. Do I wear a cap? Do I wear a rain jacket? But the weather at FLM was in hindsight perfect for running. Wet, drizzly and overcast with no wind and very little sun.

Once the gun went it was a real relief. I had worked out that for every km of marathon I had to run I had trained 21 km. That gives you a tremendous sense of confidence. My splits were bang on until 30km when I started to get tired.

I am not going to bore everyone with the fine details - suffice to say the crowds were brilliant (no chance of walking with a "come on Bedders! being shouted at you"). Two incidents worth noting.

Mrs. B and I started at different points - me on Blue and the Mrs. on Red. So it was highly unlikely that we were ever going to meet. However, running over Tower Bridge I saw Mrs. B, ran over, gave her a kiss (to the amusement of the crowd) and asked how she was getting on. "My right leg is really painful" was the reply. So, now I had the big question. Do I run on and try and hit my sub-4 hour time or do I stay with Mrs. B? Well, after about 50 metres Mrs. B said "and when I get back to hotel make sure you are finished in the bath" which, coded, mean't "off you go".

Then a few km's down the course in Docklands I saw a guy wearing the Bedders logo - mis spelt as "Beders" but nevertheles a blatant logo coyright infringment! I made the point, as I past him, that he had mis splet the Bedders name and as such was infringing copyright........cheek!

So I ended up at 40km on 3:46:46 knowing that sub 4 was possible. The last 5 km were spent focussing on the blue line in the road and (sorry Mrs. B) but a lady's lycra behind as I tried to think about anything but the pain I was in. I am sure she thought I was stalking her! (I wonder if anyone was following my lycra behind at any point?)

So, Bedders finishes in a PB 3:58:39, Mrs. B hits 4:11:39 and my training partner NE who deserves a massive thanks for helping me get through the LSR's on a Sunday ran an superb PB of 3:54. Well done mate. I am really going to miss you when you move.

And what did I learn about myself? I learnt that whatever your body is telling you at 35km you can, with positive thought and sheer determination, over ride that with sheer mental power (otherwise known as sheer-bloody-mindedness)

And does the blog continue? Of course it does!. I have applied to run the New York Marathon in November and will be back on the pavements in a weeks time. This last week has been difficult for me for a number of reasons and the one thing that I have tried to show is that with a positive mind you can achieve more than you perhaps think you can. We can only do our best and with the support of everyone around us in times of adversity stick with it and see every challenge as just another one of life's hurdles to jump over (easy to say and more difficult to do. I know that). But, with that thought, then this blog will continue. Never stop believing.