This is my last post about the marathon I promise! Even I’m getting tired of hearing and talking about it. 

In the grand tradition of running blogs this entry is supposed to be a post-event overview but to be honest there isn’t much to say. The first half was tough the second half was worse and involve me getting almost run over by a giant Bagpuss (he was on the telly!). Although my legs muscles are a little sore it’s my joints that truly hate me now. But I did have some fun along the way. Not least because my iPod decided to play Hammertime 3 times in the course of 2 hours (can’t touch this) 😄

Besides any pain I’m in now is entirely my own fault. I didn’t train properly and somewhere along the way I lost enthusiasm in the whole thing which I think was worse. I am however very glad I did it. Not least cause I managed a course PB, and the whole process has taught me a lot. Such as 

1) if a training programme recommends lots of running you should probably do that (or at least some of it)

2) I really don’t like running and am not a natural distance runner

3) my dislike of Blackpool marathon was not just because it was horrible but also because I don’t like running. Had I not run London again I would always have wondered. 

4) while physical fitness is important mental strength is perhaps even more so. I clearly didn’t do the training required to run a marathon but positive thinking, self-belief and sheer stubbornness got me round in a fairly decent time (albeit slow) and without permanent injury 😄

5) London 2012, while being both my first and slowest marathon, will always be the one I enjoyed most

While it was my little legs and crazy mind that got me round the course on Sunday I couldn’t have done it without the support of my dear family and friends. Massive thank you to you all for putting up with all the running talk, for encouraging me and for cheering me on!

Extra special thanks go to:

– Tom who managed to convince me that I could run further than a 10K in the first place, for braving the hideous Blackpool marathon with me, and for all the support and advice along the way.

– Ying for braving that first half marathon with me on an unseasonable warm April day in Edinburgh.

– Anne Caroline for getting me fit enough to try my second marathon and PB the half marathon shortly beforehand. It was the first (and only) time I ran all the way round! 

– Rash and Nish at Lift365 for trying to encourage me to run and getting my fitness back up to a level where I could survive the marathon. 

– and last but by no means least, Agata from Bromley Massage Therapy who tried her best to fix my very tight muscles ahead of the marathon so I wouldn’t injury something. Plus she going to (hopefully) fix all the marathon damage later this week. 

That’s the last big run I do and the last one I will blog about (probably). In the future I will be focusing on getting my weight down, fitness up and trying to lift heavier weights 😄🏋🏻