Aching Smiling Muscles from The London Marathon

April 23, 2013 - Mike Dilke

Aching Smiling Muscles etc

So many shouted my name urging me to carry on and I had to smile back and keep going. My smiling muscles hurt as much as anything else today. I haven’t felt that since my wedding and maybe the birth of my children. It was a big day.

I made it round in 5 hours and 37 minutes. I did 180 miles in training over 40 runs starting on January 12th with a 13 day gap in March and a 22 day gap prior to the race, both due to knee problems. It was just enough to get me through along with some expert help from a chiropractor who I definitely recommend. (Alberto Gonzalez of Gonstead Clinics in London)

There were jazz bands, brass bands, tyko drummers, bagpipes and loads of sound systems and of course the enthusiastic crowd dishing out encouragement, sweets, orange pieces etc. It all helped to keep weary legs moving but I had to walk most of miles 18 to 25. Then at mile 25 I learnt to get the crowd really behind me by asking them to shout and I ended up going faster than I had the whole race. I was smiling, practically crying from emotion and pain, and relieved that I was going to make it all at once.    

The whole event was brilliantly organised from bag drop off to water etc en route and followed a silence for the Boston tragedy.

I have a black toe nail, various aches and a medal to remind me of the day. Will I do it again? I don’t know but I do hope to do more running.