Some of you will remember that I had to pull out of last years Cambridge HM when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The organisers were kind enough to let me carry my entry over to this year, they don't normally do that. Well now of course I had to have a go!
I nearly pulled out in December, I was still suffering so badly with post-treatment fatigue, I just didn't think I could do it. The again in January when I found out there was a three and a half hour cut off (in fact that's not true, more of that later). I worked out I needed to do at least 10 minutes per KM, and I just wasn't capable of that at that stage....
However, I continued to improve, and managed to get some long training runs in, and my pace began to improve too. I was going to do it on run/walk, two minutes running one minute walking. I still had bad days when the fatigue was just awful, but I trained on the days I felt well enough, and I also discovered energy gels! What a magic thing they are!
I had a bit of a scary couple of days when on Friday and Saturday Mr Fatigue invited himself to the party, and I had some worrying moments...however Sunday dawned and I felt ok, albeit so nervous I thought I might throw my breakfast up!
I met in a local church with some lovely new running friends I have made recently at a new parkrun, the last Saturday in each month is designated as 5K your way/Move against cancer, most of us have had breast cancer or prostate cancer, or have a family member or friend who has been affected by cancer. They really are a great bunch of pals, I have had so much support, and if they were doing it I really had to give it my best shot. One lady even got a late entry supporting Maggie's Cancer centre, because she said I had inspired her! I couldn't let her down now could I?
Just as my wave were ready to go, I really really needed to wee! The queues for the loos had gone now, so I decided to take the opportunity, there were still hundreds of runners to go off....when I came out a marshall was waiting for me and made me sprint to the start, oh my god, there was no one else in sight! I was truly the last to go!!
Off I trotted, of course everyone can see your name on your bib, and they were all shouting at me to come on, you can do it!! I ran on my own for the first couple of KM, well I'm used to that for training runs, I just had to resist the urge to go too fast to catch up with the pack. I finally caught up, and actually started passing people! That was such a boost for me, I had expected to start at the back and finish there too.
As Madge50 has already said, the weather was a bit chilly, drizzly and windy but I was ok with that. The support from the crowds was just amazing, everyone calling my name, little tiny kids holding their hands out calling "high 5!" or offering bowls of jelly babies, live music all around the route. Around the half way mark we were out in the middle of nowhere, it's hard to imagine such wild country so near to such a busy city, and it started to get a bit lonely - then an amazing surprise for me - my friend Mary who set up the Move against cancer initiative suddenly popped up on her bike and rode alongside me for a couple of KM, telling me how well I was doing and keeping my spirits up.
A third gel at KM 15, and whereas most people were flagging I was getting into my stride. Back through the centre of town and lots of support from the marshalls and public. I will be eternally grateful to the lovely people who stood out in the wind and rain for so long to support runners who they had never met. One ancient old lady was sitting in a deck chair bless her!
Past my house now with 3 KM to go, that was hard....Mary popped up again just before the finish, and rode beside me... She went ahead and filmed me crossing the line, which was good, my dear husband had promised to do that for me, but confused the start gate for the finish, so he was nowhere to be seen!
I met up with him though a bit later, he was on the Common with @Madge50 and her husband, lots of hugs all round, and I was a bit hysterical, not sure if I was laughing or crying, a bit of both I think.
After I collected my medal and was walking towards the pub for some well earned rehydration, I saw the last runner, a lady I had chatted to for a bit at the beginning. She was still trotting along, and finally finished just under 4 hours. I am so pleased the organisers kept the race open for her.
I was very happy with my finish time three hours and 15 seconds, far and away better than I dared hope for. For this I thank all my chums at parkrun, and of course the lovely Madge, who has stayed in contact with me by email over the last months, sharing my journey, listening to me when I had dark moments when I felt I couldn't do it, never judging or offering advice, just steady friendship.
xx
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