This was to be my third marathon, the second of my four marathon challenge for this year. My runs are for Cancer Research UK and The Bobby Moore Fund both charities which have given me a lot of support and encouragement as I try to raise some much needed funds. My main reason for running is because I lost my Mum in 2008 after a long and brave battle with both bowel and breast cancer. Along the way I have met and received messages from many other sufferers and their families which really gives me that extra focus to run. I am not a strong runner in fact I am pretty poor. What I lack in athletic ability I make up for in stubbornness and determination and it is this that pulls me through. My mum and lots of fellow sufferers experience so much pain and suffering that putting my body through some hardship seems a small price and somehow appropriate when trying to raise funds and awareness. I am never going to break any records but believe me I give every bit as much as the guy who comes home in first place. My Uncle told me after one of my local runs he checked in the newspaper to see if he could find my name in the results section. He said he went through about two pages of names before giving up. I told him next time start at the back as you will find my name much quicker! I am under no illusions about my ability but I believe that doing something so much out of my comfort zone is what makes my challenge worth supporting.
So with two road marathons to my name and a big sense of trepidation I prepared to run what was likely to be my toughest race so far: The South Downs Marathon. The race is an off road or trail race meaning that you don’t run on nice tarmac surfaces but run on the rough trails and stony pathways that follow the route of the South Downs. It is also what is known as a point to point marathon where instead of running a circuit and running a loop back to where you started you run from one fixed point to another. The race started in the grounds of Slindon College near Chichester and followed the route of the South Downs Way finishing in Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield.
I arrived at Queen Elizabeth Country Park at 7 in the morning and boarded one of the specially provided coaches which took us on the 40 minute drive to Slindon College. The drive was good and as always I was looking at all the other runners hoping to find someone that didn’t look too fit in the hope I wouldn’t be left behind once the race got underway. Unfortunately everyone as usual looked a lot fitter than me! We arrived at Slindon and the atmosphere was great very friendly with people offering all sorts of advice. I managed to meet up with a few friends and people who were following me on Twitter which was nice and gave me a much needed boost. Everyone regardless of ability seemed in agreement that this was going to be a hard race and in hindsight that was the understatement of the day.
The early stages of the race were good with a few gradual climbs and generally good running surface. I was keeping pace with the runners around me and felt in good shape for the remainder of the race. I managed to run with a guy called Rob who was running for his Autistic son’s school and it was inspiring to meet him and hear his story. I knew him from Twitter but hearing some of his story and the stories of others around you really did make me stronger and gave me the determination to succeed. I lost Rob early on but still felt good and on target to complete my third marathon. As the miles progressed the terrain became a lot more unstable; rutted muddy paths gave way to stony tracks with tree roots and other obstacles seemingly reaching out to unbalance you when you least expected it. Running on an uneven surface is hard even in the trail shoes I had brought specifically for the purpose and soon I was feeling every step. At about mile 9 I slipped on a rock and twisted my ankle. It seemed to instantly balloon up and pulse with pain every time I put weight on it. I tried to slow down which helped but soon I found that I was developing a thigh strain because I was not running correctly. In the end my adrenalin seemed to mask the pain and ran on towards the hills.
The hills were horrendous. The course has a total elevation gain of 5728 feet and a loss of 5523 feet with four hills climbing way past the 600 feet mark. You cannot really prepare for these hills and running them one after another hits hard. Even the elite runners were suffering so that gave me some heart. I managed to conquer the first two but could feel every ounce of energy sapping from my body as I ran on. By the third one my body was suffering and for the first time in a marathon I walked all the way up the hill and then ran down the other side. I was not alone as a lot of other runners were doing the same. You would assume walking was easier. I can assure you its not! My legs, back and shoulders were on fire but I knew if I stopped I really would struggle to get going again.
After about 13 miles a lot of people seemed to be dropping out and occasionally when we passed a point accessible by road an ambulance would drive past with its lights flashing. It was all pretty daunting especially as I felt exhausted and still had over 13 miles left to run. As always the miles creep and the pain dulls until I looked up and saw we were at mile 18. In my head it was so hard that I really thought I may have to quit and if I am truthful I probably would if I had been running just for myself. Thinking of the cause, my sponsors, my family, my mum and everyone connected with the run really does not make this an option. It is at times like these that I hate running and hate my inability to keep pace with those around me but I am determined and very, very stubborn. I don’t like running alone and miss the company of my best friend Mike who helped me run last year. Unfortunately he has been very ill so this year’s effort has become a very solitary one. In some ways it is good as I can reflect on my mum and all the friends I have lost to Cancer but sometimes I wish he was here to give me a kick up the bum and keep running.
Despite the pain the scenery is quite breathtaking. I have lived in the area all my life and I am sorry to say that you tend to take it all for granted. Being alone on top of the South Downs you sense the true beauty of the area and also your insignificance compared to all around you. I guess getting deep you start to appreciate the fragility of life and how lucky you are to be healthy and have such a wonderful and loving family.
As I passed through the last few miles as always it is my family that come to mind. I miss my mum so much as I also miss my good friend Val both victims of Cancer’s unforgiving grip. They both had so much courage and it is this courage that carries me to the finish line. My body this time was quite badly aching but somehow I made it round the last bend and saw the finish line in sight. Normally when I see the sign for mile 24 I think that with only two miles to go I am going to make it but this time it wasn’t until that final corner that I could honestly say I was confident of completing the race. Crossing the line was fantastic and I still can’t quite believe I have completed such a tough race but I am proud and hope my mum is too.
Post race was and is tough. I have three black toenails which no doubt I will lose, one toe which is bloody and bruised from the constant impact of running and numerous blisters that seemed to emerge on every place I missed with plasters. My ankle was swollen for a few hours and my thigh had a niggling jolt of pain every time I put pressure on it but you know what it was all worth it. Even now as I write this nearly a week after the event with my pain subsiding I am proud and glad I stuck with it. Life like a marathon is never flat and smooth. We all have ups and downs to contend with and on the whole we take them in our stride. Cancer for the sufferers and their families puts bigger hills in the way with steeper climbs. It takes a lot of courage and determination but those hills can be defeated. On your own it is tough but together we can beat it, the only limitations are our own.
