Je suis une marathon-runner

Along with about 37,000 other complete nutters yesterday, I did the London marathon. My day started at 6 am when I was woken up by the sun streaming through the bedroom window. By 8.30, when I began my walk to Blackheath, the sun was already really strong and there was not a cloud in the sky. You know me and heat. Not good news.

So I decided to forget any plans of getting a personal best, to enjoy the day for what it was and to walk if necessary. I started off slowly and amazingly was able to run the whole thing. I was wonderfully supported by my husband and friends, who were easily identified by a large penguin on a stick and a Mrs Doyle banner saying "Ah, Go On, BECKY - go on, go on, go on, go on go ooon!". I ran across Tower Bridge with a bunch of convicts, I overtook a giant cupcake and Fred Flintstone, but was most annoyed to finish 10 seconds behind a giant Scooby Doo.

I didn't break any records, but I crossed the line in 4 hours 46 minutes and, amazingly, wasn't one of the 5,000 people who were laid out on stretchers at the end of the course (something of a personal achievement there!).

And, 5 minutes after the end, I turned to Nic and said "Right! Never again! Ok? Just don't let me do that again!'. I decided there and then that the marathon distance is just a bit toooo much on my poor body and that I will now dedicate my running to completing half marathons across the country with my lovely husband, thereby getting to travel around and improve on our times, while not having to give up a large percentage of my spare time to silly amounts of training.

In other news, I have decided to do the Dublin marathon in October. Anyone fancy joining me?