26.2 miles and home...

And so... the end is near... in fact it is here. Today was the day and it rocked!

This week has been really weird. I was very very scared and yet at the same time as the week wore on I got more and more excited. On Wednesday I went to the Marathon Expo to pick up my number and do a shift on our stand for work. It was wonderful, I had forgotten all about picking up my number and then there I was, clutching my registration form, signing my name and getting 12434. I spent four hours talking to runners and the excitement started to grow. Everyone was the same as me, scared but excited and it was great to talk to other runners.

I met people with amazing stories, a guy who has run before but this will be the first time he has run with just one kidney since donating the other to his daughter last year. A woman who has run 8 marathons in memory of loved ones. A guy who was running today on his girlfriends b'day and felt he might need to make that up to her at some point later this week! I have to say I thought about all these inspiring stories and more when it got tough today.

And so, before I knew it, it was Sunday morning. I got up and had my scrambled eggs on toast, packed my bag, taped up my toes and put on kit. I met my parents at Charing Cross and got on the train to Blackheath. At the Blue Start I had muesli and bananas and sat on my Mum's portable seat before giving my stuff to my parents and heading to the start.

My stroke of marathon luck came early on. I met Susan, a Scot who had done the Dublin marathon in October and was surprised to find that she got a ballot place in London her first time round. Great for me that she did. As we moved towards the start and crossed the line we both started to cheer and I knew I'd met someone who would be happy to cheer her way around the course just like me. Oh and also matching my pace perfectly. With my 4 hours 40 mins armband to refer to we headed off on the course. It was great, really good and a lot of fun. It seemed to go quickly and before I knew it we were at half way, passing the cheering post full of work people who were screaming me along. At 14 miles I started to struggle at bit, but Susan was adamant that I was going to get through it and she dragged me through to 18 miles before I had to stop and walk and watch her go ahead of me. At 15 miles I saw Mum and Dad, waving from the side of the road in their not-quite-matching anoraks, which was great, but still no sign of Chris, Ronnie and H who were also out there somewhere trying to see me.

It was a shame that I had to part company, with Susan but I took her surname and said I'd check her time online tomorrow, so I will know how she did. As she pulled away and I slowed to a walk I was really starting to feel like this was running away from me (no pun intended!) and I had a gel and checked my phone to see if anyone was trying to find me. I walked for five minutes before I started again and decided that I was aiming to keep going this time to 20 miles. I kept it up as long as I could but it was dragging and I felt like I was never going to get anywhere. But then I remembered that the next work cheering post was at 22 miles and if I could just keep going to there then it was just 4 miles more to go. I checked the time, I was doing well, not quite the 4.40 pace stuck round my wrist, but not that far off, so I pushed forward.

Next I saw the work post, and there was half my office screaming and shouting me along! I waved and it gave me a real boast. Next I was determined to see someone else I knew and was scanning the crowds. Suddenly there was a small break in the crowd, a few kids stood at the front and no one else behind them and suddenly I saw H! I ran over and started screaming her name at the top of my voice, then Chris and Ronnie's. They all came piling over and we had a group hug.

I left them elated, but I was really tired by now. Not sure if I was pushing myself too far or was thirsty, in need of a drink, or a gel, or another walk, I really couldn't quite decide. I kept on. Just before 24 miles I walked through the underpass. I checked my watch. Something strange had happened, I had every chance of making it in under 5 hours still and this also spurred me on. I walked to the 24 mile marker and then started to run again. At 25 I walked again, this time towards Big Ben wanting to save my energy for the last corner and the final stretch. Turning the corner and heading towards Buckingham Palace I was elated again. The final stretch was upon me and the end was in my sight. And then it really was in my sight, 600m to go, 400m to go and finally around the corner and there was the end, the finish line, I kept going with it in sight and crossed the line! I had done it!

The rest has been a bit of a blur. I'm back on the sofa now, I hurt, one of my toenails is a little loose, I have a large blood blister on my big toe and some chaffing, but other than that I'm pretty much OK. Tired, but OK.

The best thing is that I feel so good about my time. I think I did it in 4 hours and 51 mins but will have to wait until tomorrow to get the final chip time. But sub 5 hours, that is great. This is what my first marathon should have been like. Tough, but fun, a real challenge but a great sense of achievement and something I can safely say I will never, ever do again.

I have my eye on a half marathon though... :)