Sun, rain, hail and the small matter of a marathon
The London Marathon 2008

Well it started with sun, threw in a bit of rain, some hail and then some sun again. The London Marathon certainly proved a challenge with two heavy downpours and driving winds but in the end it proved to be a great end to a fantastic weekend.

This was the first time I had been able to prepare properly for an event and as I travelled down to London on Saturday morning I was quietly confident that I could achieve my target of a sub four hour marathon.

The first challenge of any marathon weekend is to register, no mean feat at the best of times. For those who do not know, you do not receive your race number through the post but only a letter which you then have to sign in front of an adjudicator at the Expo at the Excel centre on London's Docklands. Fortunately, the earlier you go the shorter the queues. I then spent the rest of Saturday chilling out with a bit of shopping and a meal at a little Italian restaurant in the Theatre District which we know. Spaghetti Bolognese is a great pre-race meal the night before and it is always best to stick to what you're used to.

So it came to race day and an early start at 6am. After breakfast it was off to Greenwich Park where the marathon starts for the majority of the runners (there are three starts but the red start seems to have most of the people). The one problem with getting to the start is the 10 minute walk and the small matter of the hill that you have to climb to get there.

At 9.45am over 35,000 people set out to complete one of the greatest challenges a person can undertake. I had set myself the target of running under 4 hours, which meant keeping a 9 minute mile pace through the first 20 miles which would allow me to slow down in the last 6 miles should I need to. It's always a bit congested in the first couple of miles as everyone adjusts to their rhythm and tries to find space to run. The amount of people in costume is amazing and it really makes you realise that for many the whole point is to raise money for charity.

I started with Roy, another of the 53 people running, like me, for the Brain and Spine Foundation. Having split at 3 miles I settled into a steady rhythm and it was great to see the supporters from the BSF at the 5 mile mark cheering us all on.

Just as I started to think that I could do with the expected rain at about mile 10 (it was getting a little warm) the heavens opened and we all got very wet. I though 'a bit of drizzle would have been nice' but we got soaked for 4 miles!

After crossing London Bridge (mile 12) we headed for Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs and the rain subsided. I felt great and ran through the halfway point in 1 hour 54 minutes.

The route then headed back towards the city and it was only at about mile 16 that my legs started to get a little heavy, but it did not stop me from pushing on. I was so glad that all the stability training I had done with Darren Checkley at Esporta and all the time Gisella had spent making sure my legs were right was paying off. Running down the Embankment I saw my parents and the second set of supporters from the charity which gave me a great boost and the emotion that the crowd generated in the last 3 miles was fantastic. It really makes a difference to have that support.

I ran constant 8 minute 40 second miles throughout the whole marathon and did not slow down in the last 6 miles, which just proves that with the proper preperation you can run the marathon without hitting the dreaded 'wall'.

I finished in 3 hours 48 minutes, well inside my target time of 4 hours, with no injuries and although my legs felt heavy at the end I was so happy I really didn't care.

I'd like to thank everyone at Esporta for their help and support. Jane Tress (General Manager) has again been fantastic and i'd also like to thank Jo Fossick, Michelle Powney and Emma King as well as everyone on reception. All the Gym staff have given so much help and support so thanks to Michelle, Sam, Ian, Matt, Tony, Karen, Jeff, Ben and Dal.

I'd also like to thank Darren, Laura and Sean for all their help with my training and all the support they have given to me. Thanks also to Naemi for all the miles she has ran with me over the last few months.

Thanks also to everyone at Rapport and to my family and friends for their support. I could not have done it without the support of you all.