...Did it in 5 hrs and 18 minutes...
...30 minutes later than planned...but WOW!! What a feeling…I got dropped off at Waterloo station and made my way to the Red Start at Greenwich. From Greenwich station to the start it is about a 20 minute walk (!!!) up hill. It really started to dawn on me I had to run 26.2 miles. The start went very smooth though, despite me needing a toilet 1 mile in… I paced myself really well, knowing that if I would go too fast I would pay for that later. Not many others did that, and soon I was overtaken by millions of people who raced past me. At times it felt really bad and I felt no one else was running behind me anymore. So I had to look over my shoulder to still see thousands of runners behind me, which reassured me I was doing the right thing. And I was right as the pacing paid off from mile 5 where the first people started to walk around me. By mile 13 most people had adopted my pace (hehehe…) and soon after I started overtaking, which felt really good as I all I did was run in the same pace.
I was really feeling great until approx. mile 18, which is where my left knee started to protest and told me to call it a day (injury from Feb). At mile 19 my left hip started to agree with that idea and at mile 22 my right knee told me to bugger off as well. I kept running though just a bit slower than before and at times I had nearly tears in my eyes from the pain and emotions. The adrenaline of the pain, emotion and the enthusiastic crowd kept me going though. Total strangers called out my name and shouted I should hang in and keep running and that I was nearly there… whilst holding a pint in their hand.
When I finally passed the finish line I had the biggest cheesiest grin ever. Well I think I did, it did feel like a smile to me. I will know for sure once I receive the official finish photos. And despite being overtaken by a Pizza slice, several Superman's, the Incredibles, a pirate ship, and Paddington Bear I finished feeling fantastic. Even today I feel fabulous and still have a big grin on my face, except for my left knee, which is still on strike and no running for a while.
Special Thanks to my Mum, Rein, Bart, Zhen Shan, Rob, Craig, Justin, Nick & Petra for coming out and supporting me along the way, keeping me a seat in the pub and for buying me those really tasteful pint(s) afterwards! And also thanks to all the others who watched it on TV, sent me encouraging messages and thought of me along the way - It did help!
Also thanks to everyone who donated to Merlin, the charity I raised money for. And for those who still want to, it is not too late to donate a small amount – just go to www.justgiving.com/anneloes. There were small problems with their server on Friday and Saturday due to the sheer amount of people trying to access it, but all should be working now and I, and Merlin, would really appreciate any donation.
Thanks for all your good wishes,
AZ
PS: Below a video of me at Mile 19 - click link – especially the beeline I make to greet my family is funny as I, apparently, have no regard for the other runners…(watch the sound level – my family is really loud…)
I was really feeling great until approx. mile 18, which is where my left knee started to protest and told me to call it a day (injury from Feb). At mile 19 my left hip started to agree with that idea and at mile 22 my right knee told me to bugger off as well. I kept running though just a bit slower than before and at times I had nearly tears in my eyes from the pain and emotions. The adrenaline of the pain, emotion and the enthusiastic crowd kept me going though. Total strangers called out my name and shouted I should hang in and keep running and that I was nearly there… whilst holding a pint in their hand.
When I finally passed the finish line I had the biggest cheesiest grin ever. Well I think I did, it did feel like a smile to me. I will know for sure once I receive the official finish photos. And despite being overtaken by a Pizza slice, several Superman's, the Incredibles, a pirate ship, and Paddington Bear I finished feeling fantastic. Even today I feel fabulous and still have a big grin on my face, except for my left knee, which is still on strike and no running for a while.
Special Thanks to my Mum, Rein, Bart, Zhen Shan, Rob, Craig, Justin, Nick & Petra for coming out and supporting me along the way, keeping me a seat in the pub and for buying me those really tasteful pint(s) afterwards! And also thanks to all the others who watched it on TV, sent me encouraging messages and thought of me along the way - It did help!
Also thanks to everyone who donated to Merlin, the charity I raised money for. And for those who still want to, it is not too late to donate a small amount – just go to www.justgiving.com/anneloes. There were small problems with their server on Friday and Saturday due to the sheer amount of people trying to access it, but all should be working now and I, and Merlin, would really appreciate any donation.
Thanks for all your good wishes,
AZ
PS: Below a video of me at Mile 19 - click link – especially the beeline I make to greet my family is funny as I, apparently, have no regard for the other runners…(watch the sound level – my family is really loud…)
posted by Anneloes Zuiderveen at 11:35 am
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