London Marathon AMAZEEEE! – 22/04/2012

Author: Harky Kalsi

This point I am truly feeling done my gels are not helping the water is not helping what am I going to do. Oh yes I want to walk but lucky for me as soon as I put one foot in front of the other my legs say nooooooo you are not walking or else I will cramp up and ruin your whole race. Immediately I go back into a run actually more of a jog.

EEEKKK that is what I woke up thinking, OMG it is officially here London the big one. All that running is about to be put to the test in the biggest run of my life. Lucky for me to ease the nerves I bumped into Carolyn and Trevor whilst on my way to meet Caroline. Immediately being around them I felt at ease. Thanks guys or else this rookie would have been a nervous wreck.

Arriving at the start we did the ritual of picture taking, whilst Carolyn gave us a tour of all the starts, the coolest being Trev’s Good For Age area. Near the green start I got excited seeing Mr Fauja Singh the guy is apparently 101 and running marathons AMAZEEE!! With my head being all over the place Carolyn grabs me and points me in the direction of the celebrities coming off the bus and asked me to name them. So there was me and Carolyn with celebs walking yards away from us staring at them naming them hahaha. So who did we see well TOWIE those who are old hahaha and don’t know who they are it is The Only Way Is Essex crew TOTES AMAZE!! Calum Best no comment there!! Carolyn recognised the newsreader!! Oh and Iwan Thomas!! I was gutted I did not see Greg James or Gordon Ramsay boo!! Walking further down we see the elite women the coolest runners in the world warming up and I am like this is a great start to London wohooooooo bring it!! You can tell I was really focused before the race!!

The weather was warm and thanks to Carolyn she told me to wear my vest only. Thanks Carolyn that was really good advice because boy did it get hot. We were soon joined by Mel and Richard B, so nice to be surrounded by familiar faces.

I finally get to my zone and it starts to sink in with the helicopters over head and talking to people around you. I am like in ‘OMG I AM RUNNING LONDON’. The first few miles zoom by and an amazing bit about those miles was when we merged with the greens and reds everyone shouting and waving it was so awesome. The buzz already was truly breathtaking apart from the man with the mankini running past not so breathtaking. Heading towards 6miles I could not wait to see Roz, Jude, Sandra, Bev and Rachel I was so excited when I saw them I nearly jumped on them. I was just glad to see them and Cutty Sark looked super amazing. Around there Bethan pops up out of nowhere her little face made me so happy just what I needed thanks B.

As I start heading to Tower Bridge nearly the half way mark my legs start to feel heavy, I tell myself it is ok this will pass it best pass or else I am doomed. I get to Tower Bridge the feeling has not passed but the crowd are super amazing shouting and screaming and it gives me a little boost. I am so gutted I missed Denise Lewis here, I literally ran past her!! Well half way and not feeling so good and across the way at about 22 I hear ‘HARKYYYYYYYYYYYYY’ and there is Mel jumping up and down. So much for being focused Mel hahaha. I loved seeing her it made me giggle but also sooooooooo envious that she was on her way home NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO give me a piggy back pleaseeeeeeee!! This point I am truly feeling done my gels are not helping the water is not helping what am I going to do. Oh yes I want to walk but lucky for me as soon as I put one foot in front of the other my legs say nooooooo you are not walking or else I will cramp up and ruin your whole race. Immediately I go back into a run actually more of a jog.

The journey to 20 seemed so long but I held onto the crowd and all the people cheering actually they were cheering a sausage behind me who never passed me god knows where he went. I see Roz and then further down Rachel, at this point everyone is a blur and I am so not happy Roz can tell you. Pete makes a surprise appearance too, with my family popping up somewhere between there and before I know it I get to 20!! OMG how good was it to see 20 and right there Caroline’s words which came from Carolyn came to my head ‘How bad do you want this?’ and that got me moving. I had worked so hard for this and did not want to let all the people who supported me down. The last 10k was pure mind games so many times I wanted to cry and stop and hug the floor but I couldn’t I was so close. Slowly I tick off the miles 21, 22, 23, aaahhh the embankment so pretty aaargghhh my legs hurt, then a sign appears saying “Just 2.5 miles and you become part of history”. I want to be part of history come on come on!! 25 and the crowds just get louder and louder an you know you are so close, before you know it the Houses of Parliament appear, 800m, 600, OMG Buckingham Palace, 385 yards and The Mall OMG look Tin Man OMG there is the finish line, OMG I am on the big screen, Harky arms up and smile or try to smile and boom the finish line and relax, don’t hug the floor or else you will end up stuck to the floor, Sandra’s great words came to mind ‘carry on walking, collect medal, carry on walking, collect baggage, carry on walking’!!

Those 26.2 miles were hard but the feeling at the end is so worth it. The journey to get to that finish line was tough, running through crazy weather conditions to colds ruining my weeks, but to know I conquered it makes me feel like I can do so much more in life. Looking back at it now the support, the crowds, the music, the whole atmosphere was magical. I can now say with pride I am a MARATHON runner wohoooooooooo and I will be doing many more marathons in the future…..next up Brighton and maybe one day Marathon des Sables yes that is right Mel hahaha ).
A mahoosive well done to all Striders those who completed and supported, it makes all the difference especially for a first timer like me. One I will remember forever!!!

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