I want to do it all again now (well, not exactly today!) but in a much better time. It is all a bit addictive, and after saying I just wanted to get it done and raise as much money as possible for a great cause, now I'm full of 'what ifs'! So, how did yesterday go?
Being so organised I only made a final outfit decision when I got up. I did make the tram for 10am, and Debbie did manage to get on the same tram. I was sat at the front and couldn't see anyone else, but she did point out that everyone else on the tram was dressed sensibly (I peeped and she was right!). We got into Manchester and made our way to the Charity Village at GMex. There were loads of charity stands giving out emergency bananas, drinks and chocolate, as well as supporters banners and inflatable sticks, flags etc. The people manning the Christies stand were busy painting their runners with blue paint to make them into smurfs! It was quite touching seeing all the different people running for their causes.
After keeping warm in the GMex for a while we made our way to Portland Street where thousands of runners and thousands of spectators were already. The fast runners had already finished their race, after starting at 10.30am. My pink wave, for people expecting to complete in over 90 minutes, didn't set off until 12:20pm. I lost Debbie as I joined the others for the warm up, but I'm very jealous that she was standing next to Rick Astley for the start. We had a song from a famous opera singer called Shaun something or other, then the starting guns went. It took ages to get to the start as there were so many people in the wave. Bez was also at the start waving us off.
The MS cheering stand was at almost 2k and they kept me going for a bit with their support. Some pink wave people were clearly going to be back in under 90 minutes, but others were doing it just to raise money and were struggling quite early. There were spectators all along the way, but it was great when you ran past a group as they would cheer you on (I had my name on my vest which helped). As we ran past Man Utd I noticed a block of portaloos so decided to have a 'natural break', which probably took 10 minutes with the queue! That was at about the 4k mark. Going past the Imperial War Museum I ran with a huge caterpillar for a while. There were loads of people running in it (there must have been at least 20), running for the 'When You Wish Upon a Star' charity. I'm ashamed to say the caterpillar was faster than me and I had to drop back! I'd run the first about 3k then did a mixture after that, but I could walk as fast as my very slow run.
At 7k I realised at I may be at 9k before 2pm, and that was where my supporters were going to congregate. I phoned Debbie and found that they were all in Costa Coffee having a cuppa. It caused a bit of a stir as they all had to rush their brews and leave to find somewhere to watch. She phoned me at 8k to say they were at the finish line. The last 2k was great, as there were loads of people cheering. At 9k the Bupa team had a PA system and I got a chorus of Hey Jude to help me along. When I got to 800m from the end I phoned to see where my 'team' was. I wouldn't have missed them! They were just past The Hilton waving all their MS flags and inflatables.
The technology was great. We all had a chip attached to our shoe that was activated when we went past the start line and again at the end. As I passed the finish line I heard the PA say "Judith Kelly from Bury has finished" - all very clever. I then got interviewed just past the finish line so my team got to hear that. Yes, I could still talk! I got my medal and goodie bag and managed to find my great team. And my time? I was right to be in the over 90 minutes wave, and I'd put myself in the 90-110minute section. I did it in 90 MINUTES AND 9 SECONDS! The first 5k was done in 45 minutes 33 seconds, which surprised me until I remembered the loo stop!
We made our way to Spinningfields and had a well deserved beer sat in a deckchair (mum had Pimms!). We then went to China Town and had a great meal. Next one of my 'things to do before you die' ambitions was fulfilled - a trip to The Temple. The pub was a public toilet under Oxford Road and I have been curious for a while. It was pretty much as you'd expect, small, and full of people who had run (a bit smelly too)! By the time we left there only myself, Debbie and Glenn were remaining. We decided on a spot of culture and went to the northern quarter (by now I was a bit achy) to see if we could find the bit of art discovered this week that could be a Banksy. We got a few photos then went to find a pub to settle down in. It was really busy and we were struggling so instead we got the tram to Prestwich and had a couple of bottles of house red in a pub there. I was home for 9:30pm ish in time to upload my photos and have a hot bath.
I thoroughly enjoyed my day. I was a bit miffed about the 9 seconds over 90 minutes - I spent that long waving to my team just before the finish line! I could easily have shaved 10 minutes off the time by not going to the loo, and I could also have pushed my self more. If I hadn't had so many disasters in the past month that meant I couldn't train who knows what a whizz time I could have done? I'd love to do it again next year, but I don't think I will do. I have had tremendous support from everyone. To run for the charity I had to raise £150. I thought that might be difficult, but I have currently raised...wait for it...£600 exactly! People have been very generous, but I'm not sure I'd like to ask every year (feel free to disagree!).
I woke up this morning and even lying perfectly still I hurt. Getting out of bed was a struggle. This week Harrison's school is having a 'walk to school' week. A lot of schools are participating and there are prizes at stake. I would have felt awful driving him, so off I set. I felt much better by the time I got home (I was even tutting at the slow walkers in front of me).
So, is this now the end of blogging as we know it? I've had a suggestion that I could do an anonymous blog, and that way I could actually write in everything else that is going on (honestly, you couldn't make it up!). For now though, that might be it. I'll miss my weekly updates and am quite sad it has come to an end. Thanks for reading, doing this has kept me going. Petitions for me continue gladly accepted.
Signing off now xxx
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