On Sunday I took part in the London Marathon. It was the 45th edition of this iconic race that is one of the Abbott World Marathon Majors. The London Marathon is one of those races you watch on television every year and see the iconic scenes of runners down the Mall so actually being a part of it this year was very special.

I had a good build up in the lead up to the event including a strong half marathon result so was confident. However, on the Thursday before the race I hurt my ankle which is not ideal just days out from such a big event.

Luckily Blue Sky Physiotherapy (who Kinisi Run Hub work closely with) squeezed me in for an appointment on Friday morning. I had inflamed a tendon in my ankle, not badly but running a marathon isn’t the most advisable thing. I had come this close I wasn’t going to drop out so it was all about maximising the next two days in terms of reducing the inflammation as much as I could. I took two rest days and stayed off my feet as much as I could (but that’s not easy when you work in a running shop!). I also did lots of self-recovery to try and speed up the healing process. Blue Sky saw me again on Saturday morning and taped up my ankle to provide some extra support. All I could do was hope it would be ok on Sunday!

I attended the London Marathon Expo on the Thursday which is very impressive and I would highly recommend anyone who gets a place in the race to attend. It is held at ExCel London and has stalls from many of the world’s leading running brands showcasing shoes, apparel, accessories and more as well as other race events and charities. Be prepared to spend some money!

I travelled down to London just after lunch on Saturday afternoon and took things easy that afternoon and evening. I had my classic pre-race meal of chicken and pasta and got an early night because it was going to be an early start on Sunday.

I was part of the Championship field starting just behind the elites so my start time was 9:35am. We were advised to get to the assembly area at the start at about 8am. I was staying in North London so had to be up at about 5am to get the tube and then the train to Blackheath station.

There was plenty of space and toilets in the Assembly Area and the weather conditions were looking good. I did a bit of warming up including jogging a few laps and then some stretching. My foot seemed to be feeling ok. After that I put my bag in the bag drop lorry and we started queuing up to go to the start line. The sun had come out and the temperature was starting to really warm up.

It was very exciting on the start line because we were just behind the elite men’s field so there was lots of music and build-up before the leading men were introduced. Then things settled for a minute so everyone could calm down and after that we got going. 26.2 miles incoming.

It is very easy to get carried away early in a race and even though I was conscious of this I did get caught up in the excitement. The first 10 miles of the course also have some of the best cheer zones which adds to the excitement and makes it even easier to get carried away. Especially around Cutty Sark the noise and the crowds were something else. It was almost too much at times but kept the motivation high and also made the race go by more quickly because of all the mental stimulation.

I tend to not look at my watch when I race and try to run to feel. I felt good so kept a quicker pace going. I felt strong through 10 miles but then began to feel the effects of the quicker than planned pace. I went through half way inside 70 minutes (which was a good few minutes quicker than planned) and managed to hold a solid pace until about 20 miles.

I struggled the last 10km and my splits slowed as my original aim of a sub 2:30 marathon slowly faded. I rallied ever so slightly in the last couple of miles but the damage was done. It was all about survival. The temperature had really increased and there was very little shade on the course. It was very much one foot in front of the other and taking it one step at a time. It would have been very easy to drop out and lots of people were but I was determined to finish.

I wasn’t able to savour the moment and take in what I was doing during those last miles (I didn’t even realise running by Big Ben or the London Eye!) but I made sure I didn’t stop.

I held on and finished in 2:33:45. Not the time I wanted but it was still a PB by about 2 minutes. I was disappointed by the way I raced but incredibly proud that I finished.

Everyone always told me the London Marathon is a race unlike any other and they are absolutely right. You have to experience it to truly appreciate and understand why. I have never run a road race where there are crowds the whole way round. The noise is something else and it really is motivating.

Despite the hot conditions, this year’s event set a new World record for the number of finishers as 56,640 runners crossed the finish line on Sunday. This iconic occasion was topped off with the strongest elite men’s field ever assembled and a women’s-only race World record.

Well done to everyone who raced and thank you to the London Marathon for organising (another) great event! Thousands finished and millions of pounds were raised for good causes. I am definitely not a marathon runner (too far for me!) but I would gladly take part in this iconic race again!