Originally posted by Loose Screwhttp://www.justgiving.com/RobMacken
Good luck mate and I hope that there are a few more people here willing to sponsor you.
Thanks very much for this.
Yes, hopefully there are a few left that will copy and paste the link above and kindly make a donation, however big or small.
I am down in London on the Friday evening and staying until the Monday, where im sure I wont be able to walk!!!
I will post an indepth report of my experiences once I have the muscles left to do so.
Again thanks all for your support
Rob 😀
My marathon is now over and as I promised, I would tell you how it all went.
On the Friday, my mate picked me up to get the train from Liverpool to Euston London. On the way there I asked him if he had everything, he said yes, im a manager its my job to be highly organised. After making this comment, for some reason he decided to check the train tickets to which it said depart 1715. He asked me what time it was to which I said 1718!! Good start to the weekend. He phoned ahead to Liverpool to ask his fiancé (who came with us) what time the next train was.
We finally got on the train and arrived at Euston at 2100, had a few beers and an early night.
The Saturday came after a crap sleep, we had to register our run at an exhibition centre. Hopping on the DLR trains (those from London will know!) we made our way there. At our station, it was a question of following everyone like sheep, I have never seen so many people. I needed to goto the help desk because I had forgotten my registration form with my number on. Asking the woman if she could possibly locate it on the computer, she asked me my name. There she was typing my name in to the computer. With a gloomy expression, she looked up and said she couldn’t find me on the system!? She tried all different variables. At this point I was about to start walking through walls, the thoughts that where going through my head was just sheer doubt. I made my way to the Cancer Research desk to inform them of the problem. They looked through their files and ensured me that I did have a place and shouldn’t worry, yeah right! The lady came with me to the help desk again, went to the same woman to which she then asked me for my post code 😠why she didn’t ask me that in the first place I will never know! Anyway, my name appeared but as “Hacken”, the computer had scanned my application wrong. To my relief she gave me my number and sent me on my way to collect my goodie bag.
For the rest of the day, it was a case of drinking water and had a massive pasta meal in Piccadilly.
The Sunday was here. The nerves where showing from as soon as I got up. I must have gone to the toilet about 5 times before 8am. I had my breakfast and energy bar followed by another pint of water. Done a little warm up before we set off for the DLR train. Got to the station for about 8.30, leaving us 1.15 to get to the start, stretch and apply the vasoline!! The train was mobbed, people squeezing into the tiniest of spaces just to get on the train. A voice came over the tannoy system to tell us that the train would be terminating at the next stop due to a fault on the line further ahead! PURE CONFUSION. There where no buses laid on or anything. A bloke working for the DLR stood on the next station to receive the wrath of the runners. He said our options were to either walk or double back on ourselves and use another route. Bedlam set in, people where frantic trying to get themselves to the start line on time. My mate and I ran to the platform that we needed, only just making the train again squeezing on. Once we met our destination we had 5 minutes to get to the start line, still had our kit bags with us too. We had to run about 3 miles to the start line, stripping off along the way, putting vasoline on too.
We got to the start line, stuck behind all the folk in fancy dress because we were late. Didn’t actually cross the start until about 10.15. The first 13 miles went great, there was plenty of slow runners to try to avoid which was a bit of annoyance but just had to put up with it. Done the 13 miles in just over 2 hours so was on time for my 4 hour marathon. I felt a real bad twinge in my right calf, which I can only put down to not being able to stretch at the start. I said to my mate to continue without me because I would have to walk for a minute to try to stretch it off. After a minute or two, I set off again, feeling a shooting pain from my foot to the back of my knee. You wouldn’t believe how much I struggled for the next few miles, having to stop and start because the pain was almost unbearable. There wasn’t going to be anything that was going to stand in my way from not finishing this Marathon. The crowd was amazing, spurring everyone along the way, pouring out the pubs to congratulate people. (could have done with a pint myself at this point.) At roughly the 23 mile mark, I looked over my right shoulder and my mate started running besides me! He said he hit the marathon “wall” and was going dizzy etc etc. So the last three miles we ran together, with the crowd massive in numbers at this point. The final stretch was in sight but felt like an eternity to complete. The emotion of completing the thing was overwhelming, I almost ran past the woman handing out the medals at the end!!
So there you have it, I managed to complete the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon in 5hrs03mins. Wasn’t happy with this time but hey, at least I have a medal to prove completion. It was sad to hear that a young 22 year old lad lost his life shortly after crossing the line. 600 people didn’t complete the course and over 5000 people where treated by St. Johns Ambulance along the way.
I want to personally thank all those who sponsored me on this site and was very impressed in the kindness of you all especially those from the Jalapeno Donkeys. I would also like to thank Russ, who didn’t sponsor me online but did via other means.
My online website will still be open until 20th May, so if there is anyone who would still like to sponsor me to reach my target…. Its not too late!!!
www.justgiving.com/robmacken
I will be doing it again and may even take the Marathon running abroad like New York or possibly Dublin!!
Many thanks to you all
Rob 😀