So we're off. I'm at the front and have virtually a clear road. I'm on race pace within seconds. Wow.
The plan was easy first 5 miles, ease in, then find the zone and hope to stave off the wall until around mile 21/22. First 5 miles should be at 7:45/8:00 pace, anything faster and I'll regret it.
I'm tearing along and mile 1 is over, oh no, 7:24. Ok, calm down. I see a few guys jump into some toilets and I think what a good idea, I need to slow down. Next set of toilets and I jump in. Ok, I tell myself to slow down, calm down. Take it easy.
I join the race and finish mile 2, 7:19 and that included 30secs in the toilet. Oh Lord, what am I doing!
Mile 3 and I'm thinking right, slow down. It's downhill and I'm chatting away trying to get myself under control. It's over, 7:08. Oh no.
Mile 4, ok don't blow it. I'm chatting freely and feeling fine, not breathless not hurting. It's over, 6:58. Oh well. I've not done the slow start! I'm 3 minutes inside my plan and I've stopped for the toilet.
I know then I've blown it. This is going to hurt sooner than planned. Oh well in for a penny. I decide to just settle close to 7:30 and enjoy it while I can.
So being the quiet retiring type, I begin to engage with the crowd. High fiving anyone with a hand out, shouting back at any bloke that gives a cry of "Go Kenny" and blowing kisses to the ladies. I am in my element and lapping it up. So it goes on and on and on. It's amazing and I am smiling, enjoying the banter and chatting to fellow runners.
I look around and read a few of the messages on the back of people's shirts. Big mistake, I nearly start sobbing when I read of 5 year old children, 24 year old brothers, 46 year old dads, all gone too early and here are those left running their hearts out.
At mile 11 I start looking out for my good mate Andy. He's going to be around 11 or 12. Eventually I hear the cry of "Kenny" and make contact with Andy. I tell him I'm bang on and feeling good. It was awesome making contact with a friend rather than just the masses. The adrenalin rush is very real and I'm buzzing as we turn onto Tower Bridge.
The sight of the bridge is incredible, both sides are lined with people. Everyone's running on the right and then one guy skips through the barriers and piles down the left. I join him with one other guy. The crowd on that side go wild, we are in our element! 3 amigos!
I come off Tower Bridge and hit half way with the pace of the last 9 miles tight between 7:30 and 7:47. I'm happy with that. My garmin says 1:37 which is bang on my race plan. Is the dream alive?
We turn towards Docklands and as we are heading out we see the leading men heading our way, 7 or 8 miles ahead of us, running like the wind. We all just start applauding. It is phenomenal.
This is a messy part of the course, it gets hot, the sun comes out and its like being under a grill. The legs start to feel a bit heavy, nothing to worry about yet but ok I can feel them now. Miles 14 & 15 are 7:41 & 7:39.
Mile 16 and we're in a melly of tight roads and corners. The race becomes congested and we've slowed. I'm ok but we're at 8:00 and 8:04 for 16 & 17. Mile 18 and I know I'm heading for trouble, I've stopped engaging with the crowd and I am just thinking about my legs and what can I do to stave off the inevitable. Mile 18 is 8:10.
Mile 19 and I have hit the wall. The lactic acid has built up in my leg muscles. My heart rate has been too high and therefore less efficient at clearing the toxins. As the toxins build up it brings on the pain and fatigue as the muscles get less and less oxygen to keep them working effectively. I know all this is happening and just need to dig in. The gritting of teeth phase is going to be 7 miles long.
I hear a cry of "Kenny!" Sounds familiar, I look up, raise a hand but don't recognise the guy and I'm struggling too much to look at his mates. That was a mistake, Andy had made the journey from 12 to 19 to cheer me on and he was in the group. He sent a text to Susan, "Just seen Kenny at 19, he's puffing hard!" That was kind, I was on the way down. Where was the guy who'd been high fiving, blowing kisses, shouting back at the crowd. Mile 19 was 8:40. The slide was on.
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