I did it and I’m NACC’ered

May 6, 2010

Our very own Sophie Hemsworth writes of her experience running the London Marathon.

On Sunday 25th April I was actually happy to wake up before 6am and see that it was cool, dreary weather – perfect weather for running a marathon compared to the hot weather that had been forecast. My boyfriend Andy and my Mum were also running and we made our way through London at 7am to join 36,000 fellow runners at Greenwich Park who were ready to get the run over with after four months of training.

My aim was to finish the marathon in under four hours – my PB from my only other marathon in 2008 was 4h09 and I knew I was faster, but anything can happen en route. As the gun went I raced with the crowds and spotted literally hundreds of men including one 12ft giraffe (and one woman squatting) urinating by the side of the road…nice. The first 13 miles went relatively well though too fast – I passed the Virgin caterpillar with Princess Beatrice at mile two and quickly realised I should have had my name on my top from the amount of people cheering everyone on. The sun started to shine, but there were showers and plenty of refreshments every mile to keep everyone hydrated. The only obstacle was not bumping into people and avoiding the discarded plastic bottles.

After the halfway point it was amazing to go over Tower Bridge as the crowds intensified. I didn’t manage to spot any fellow Ruder Finners I knew were watching for me there but it still felt good to know they were watching. I started to relax but also gradually slowed down mile by mile but, as I’d gone off so quickly, I knew I could keep it under four hours if I didn’t stop. After consuming four energy gels by mile 20 I knew there wasn’t far to go and that I could sustain my speed. Running along the Embankment and hearing all the spectators scream and encourage me was a fantastic experience, except feeling sorry for those that were struggling. With the Houses of Parliament in sight I had less than a mile to go and managed to pick up my speed for the final straight. I crossed the line in 3h56.48 and immediately felt thirsty and sick as I was shepherded in line to collect my medal… and finally drink some Lucozade - my saviour. I soon bumped into my Mum (a seasoned marathon runner who has completed the London Marathon nine times) who was only a minute ahead of me and Andy who had finished in 2h53.

I recovered and was able to walk easily within a few days, however apart from a nice glass of wine and a fat burger, I was most happy about raising almost £2,000 for NACC (National Association for Colitis and Crohns). Since my brother Simon was diagnosed with Crohns (a digestive disease) seven years ago, my Mum and I have raised over £6,000 for this very small but important charity to help people managing this horrible disease.

Thanks again to everyone from Ruder Finn who donated more than £350 to the cause.

My next marathon is in Chicago in October when I aim to run under 3h50…can I do it?

 

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