Day 24 - Marathon 24 - 15th April 2013

Day 24 15th April 2013 Bourne College, Southbourne to Southampton FC

A bit late up watching the conclusion of the Masters, good but short nights sleep, coughed a bit though and up at 6:30 feeling tired but good apart from right thigh! Hobble to the bathroom, shower and now feeling more human. No time or inclination which I know is wrong, to do my Joel warm up so down to breakfast. Still felt full from last nights Spag Boll and club sandwich followed by the best Apple Crumble I have ever had, turning into Dad! Anyway, toast and half a bowl of porridge consumed with a cup of tea and back to the room. Looks a good route today staying as coastal as possible from the Bourne College Southbourne to Southampton FC where we were due to meet Tom from SFC and take our finish photos and video an the pitch. A bit flat as expected and my mind struggling to focus on running alone today with no support. Quick talk to myself, kitted up, packed up, checked out of the Marriott Portsmouth, thanks for our accommodation and again thanks to Nick and Essential. Start point in sat nav and off we went to the start point 9 miles away. Our intention was to set off a little early and giving 3hrs 30 to do the marathon should be at the stadium by 1:45 at the latest so we can get our reception and photos done before 2pm as Tom is unavailable between 2pm and 3pm. Plenty of time, got to Southbourne and sat at a level crossing for 15 minutes!! Still just enough time but now no margin. Got to the College, put destination in sat nav, tried to avoid the main roads and follow the map my run route with absolutely no success! Now dad and me not quite seeing eye to eye on solutions and back to bickering. 20 minutes later and the TomTom nearly being thrown out of the window and our window of time to get to the stadium now out of the window and my mind playing games telling me every reason under the sun not to run today! Calm required, deep breath, focus in brain switched on new plan to arrive just before 3pm now in place, original route abandoned, new route now worked out avoiding all the major roads but inland, hopefully not too hilly as my thigh is a big concern! It is tight and sore but I am putting that down to yesterdays efforts therefore fatigue not injury! Dad now back on the team, quick drive to the new start point a mile or so down the road and I eventually set off soon after 11:20 hoping my fuelling times are now not too out! Wind in the face as I set off, legs rebelling and very hard work for the first 6k with my left thigh tingling now and then with the odd little sharp stab pain! Not too bad, route a bit hillier than expected but legs bedded in and working ok by 10k, reached in 47ish minutes. The hills then got a lot hillier and left thigh started to tell me about it! Up Portsdown Hill to the Naval Base and up and down through to Wickham on the B2177 now back on the edge of the South Downs. Great views though! It was now getting tough mentally and physically, I went through my mind routine shortening my focus, concentrating only on the next kilometre, one step at a time and celebrating the distance I had covered so far and not thinking about how far to go, along with managing the impact on my thigh on the descents by shortening my stride and slowing rather than letting myself go and taking advantage of the down hill sections. All good, dad doing a great job only once taking a left as the sat nav said "take a left" but not waiting for the full instruction of "in .9 of a mile" all ok, quick correction and no problem. The end came not before time but due to my thought process not excruciatingly never ending either! All good, marathon 24 completed at the entrance to St Mary's Stadium Southampton FC, 42.23k in 3'25'44 Very pleasing considering yesterday, actually very pleasing regardless of yesterday. Karen had driven down, picked up her cousin Rachel and met us at the finish. Thanks, a welcome party always makes a difference regardless of how big or how small. Met Tom, into the very nice stadium, photos take with the Teenage Cancer Trust banner and also the finish video. Now feeling absolutely shattered! I think the buzz of yesterday carried me through today and now worn off my body wanted to shut down and sleep! However it also wanted feeding and that requirement won out. No sign of a Costa but Rachel knew a pub in Ocean that she said served good food so off we went. Rachel was correct, great sausage and mash with peas and gravy consumed in a matter of minutes and now the shut down started. I nodded off at the table so decided to get going. Thanks Rachel for your great support over the last few weeks, great to see you, hope mum is not too long in hospital and see you soon and thanks Karen, not too long now. Quick goodbye and off to our next bed for the night at the Mercure Dolphin Hotel, via a Costa! I keep saying it but thanks again Nick and Essential Hotels, your contribution is priceless. Checked in, dad had a fight with the revolving door on the way in which amused the couple waiting to leave and up to our room. I crashed out and dad went out shopping for clothes washing liquid, we left ours at Ashdown Park a couple of nights ago! I went straight off and slept solid for nearly 2 hours, obviously needed. Quick shower and down to eat, now hungry again. Do not want to get to bed late tonight, early start in the morning. I have a cab booked for 7am to take me to BBC Radio Solent for a quick interview at 7:25 with Julian Clegg. I don't know if anyone is donating on the back of these interviews but I believe it helps with the awareness of the Teenage Cancer Trust. I won't give up trying anyway! Thanks to today's shirt sponsor Gilray Plant. Ralph and Sarah are old friends and supported me fantastically through the Run100 and now the Run30. Thank you very much, I look forward to sharing a nice bottle of red in the near future with you Ralph, not as many as we did last time though! I forgot to mention Dave Wise yesterday, well done Dave on your PB you along with Teresa were the only people I saw en route. Well done to you and thanks for both your support. Well another marathon done, 24 down 6 to go.

I heard late last night that someone had died during the race yesterday. Dreadful news, I do not know any details but I am sure my thoughts are the same as everyone's and would say on behalf of everyone that our thoughts go out to the family at this tragic time.