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Flora London Marathon 2006 (last updated 13 November 2011) |
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The 2011 Virgin London Marathon - Jon Lambert |
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Straight after completing the 2010 London Marathon I entered the online ballot for 2011. I arrived home one October evening to see a familiar looking plastic wrapped magazine, lying face down on the kitchen unit. With anticipation, I turned it over only to see in large letters the word ‘unsuccessful’. Drat … or words to that effect softly filled the air! |
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But no … a lifeline was offered! In November Peter Taylor sends an email requesting names for entry into the TEH Marathon ballot – but to qualify you had to have officially applied (yes), been unsuccessful (yes) and want to do it (yes)! |
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Time passed by and then an email arrived … ‘Congratulations! Your name has just been pulled out of the hat – you’re in the marathon! Cheers Peter’. Yippee! See Rob, sign some forms and I become a number -26859 |
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And so the training began. I knew about lots of different training programmes – the Liz Yelling one, the VLM one and so on but no … this year it was to be the ‘PT Plan’. This is a little known plan from twelve months earlier and it is basically the ‘Peter Taylor run every day plan’ – it’s one you think you’ll never do but believe me, if you can get near to the end of January without a day missed, then you just keep going. It becomes a hard habit to break! |
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Time to get some real runs booked too. This year I decided upon the Stamford 30k in February, the Silverstone ½ in March followed by the Banbury 15m. I was looking forward to all three because two were new to me and I also wanted to return to Silverstone to get a close up look at the changes made to the pit compound. It’s impressive! |
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I ran last year as a Roman Soldier and thought it would be fun to do the fancy dress again! Upon seeing Toy Story 3 my mind was made up – it had to be Woody. |
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Training generally went well. The local runs were good – the weather was kind and I was feeling fit (well fitter than in 2010). But I hadn’t run in the outfit – the big day would be the christening – and it was quite warm on Sunday 17th April. I was quite the celebrity at the blue start – numerous runners or official photographers wanting a picture with Woody! |
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9.45 am - the start. The 10 min milers were soon gone. By mile 8 it really was getting very hot under 3 top layers, long trousers and a corduroy cowboy hat and I knew that my time this year would not be a PB. Mile 12 was my first ambition – to see the family at the usual place on Jamaica Road with the annual ‘Hi Daddy, Go Jonny Boy Go’ banner held up. I always get a tear in my eye upon seeing them – every couple of years or so we add another child to the entourage! Next year will be no different … as No.4 will have arrived! I told them I was struggling but I refused to take off the outfit. I was running for 6 charities (one for each form in my Year group at school) – so I could not give in. The crowds really do get you round and the relentless calls of ‘It’s Woody’ or ‘Come on Woody!’ meant I was getting tired just acknowledging them with a raise of the hand (shaped like a gun) or a tap of the hat! |
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Over Tower Bridge, round docklands, past Canary Wharf (at last some shade) and then back along the embankment to the next family meet – near Westminster. They had waited and waited and waited! I think they had seen every runner by the time I arrived! I said ‘never again … I’m too old for this’ – but … soon I was down Birdcage Walk, in front of the Palace and turning up the Mall for the 9th time. The line. The medal. The Goody bag. Admiralty Arch. The family and a watery eye. I also know why you don’t see anyone dressed as Woody. And the time … 5.25.01 |
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2012? Well, it is Olympic Year and it would be my 10th and … |
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