Day 7 - Marathon 7 - 29th March 2013

Day 7 29th March 2013 York Cathedral to The St James's Hospital Leeds

Up at 6am not a good night, the room was too hot! Right leg tight and aching just a little bit more than everything else. Great meal last night, soup, steak and chips followed by a feranginpan? Karen and Jason joined us last night and will be with us today giving much needed support. Dad and Jason are staying in the same room, proper snore off! Good workout routine complete, shower and down to breakfast by 7:30. Body feeling ok but right knee a concern. Fought through as much as I could, 2 toast, 1/2 small bowl porridge, 2 mini pastry and half a bowl of grapefruit, 2 teas and a glass of juice. Nausea a bit of a problem, hopefully it will go soon. Back to the room, Jason finalising the route dad enjoying the stress free start to the day. By the way, what a day! Bright blue sky and I would say a touch warmer. York is a beautiful place, I hope to do a grand old loop of York before heading to Leeds. Thanks for another fine place, Essential Hotels and The Royal York. Now time to apply lotions and potions and kit up. All done, checked out and out the front of the hotel and train station for the quick start video. Great setting, great weather shame I don't feel too good. We set off towards Leeds. The route out of York was very nice, a bit of traffic to contend with but no road rage! I had no energy from the start but had no real pain either which made a nice change. York was nice and the countryside through Knapton and Wandasley was nicer. 10k in 47mins, still no energy but a nice pace found, 4"35/K. At Wetherby I reached 21k still sort of ok but now seriously no energy. The weather remained great and quite hot. Dad was enjoying the day getting out to take pictures and casually asking how I am, good to see him enjoy himself. Another runner came from a side road in front of me at 25k, I tried to keep just behind him but failed and he pulled away. The van went past him, he then stopped, waited for me and ran with me for nearly 5k. Very appreciated Tim, hope to see you in London and sorry for ruining your run. I hope you got back in time for your lunch with the in laws! Turns out, if I heard correctly, that his wife ran 10 consecutive marathons last year from York to Kent to raise money for a sick child in Huddersfield I think he said. Nice to know I am not the only mad person around! Anyway on with the run. It got much worse, the terrain turned very hilly! A Rise of nearly 200m finished me off and I completed the 42.21k at a very painful jog! Still managed to get a fairly decent time for me of 3'28"17. By far the worst I have felt. A few minutes of pacing about before the post run photo and getting in the van to find the Hospital. No reception planned so we found the ward took our photo's at the entrance and left. Now feel terrible, just found out they organised at the last minute a reception! I have seen the photos, thank you so much, I am so sorry we did not know! Back in the van and off to find the Leeds Marriott. After a bit of fight with the sat nav we eventually found the Hotel. At the lovely court yard entrance, we pulled up by the steps and the staff came and welcomed us! Very nice of them, we went inside and there was a computer welcoming screen with my photo on it from the first marathon in Edinburgh with a welcome and congratulations message with a collection underneath. Thank you Marriott for welcoming us so well and supplying the most ice so far, you must have known I had a bad day today! Well, a great Chicken and Linguine consumed and now in the room icing and getting to bed early! Thanks to Amber Signs from Berkhamsted for today's shirt sponsorship and also for doing all of the van signs. I look forward to running with Alan and Sam on the Berko to the Arsenal marathon on the 11th April, and the whole family joining me on the 6th May in the Framework Foundation team in the Watford 10k!
A memorable day 7 complete.