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London Marathon
Apr. 20th, 2004 02:51 pmWatching the marathon (even in the pouring rain) was very interesting.
I watched at about Mile 24, on the Embankment. Most runners who get this far are going to make it, even if they’re hobbling along.
I got there just in time to see the first woman come through, then shortly after the two lead men. The time van just before them said that they’d run Mile 24 in 4.5 minutes. They ran the 24th mile in 4 and a half minutes. That is both awe-inspiring and frightening. Takes me more than twice that time to run one mile!
Watching the rest of the runners come through really gave me something to think about. Even among the fast runners (the ones doing it in 3.5 hours or less) there was a great variety of body shapes and running styles. I came to the conclusion that, except at the very elite end of the spectrum, body shape doesn’t make as much difference as you’d think it would. With determination and training we could pretty much all of us do amazing things.
One man ran as Tarzan, almost naked except for a green thong (I hate to think about where that must have been rubbing after 24 miles or so...). I’ll run behind him next year, please. To keep myself entertained. Just saying. Other people ran as a pantomime camel, a telephone box, the Calendar Girls ladies (in flesh-coloured body stockings and big hats) and Wombles, among other things. Two men ran with ironing boards strapped to their backs. One man ran in a diver’s drysuit and a pair of wellies. A man of 93 ran it, and at least one 70-year-old who still runs it under 5 hours. Amazing people, all of them. Ordinary people who decided to become extraordinary for a day in their lives.
Really looking forward to running my half in September, now!
I watched at about Mile 24, on the Embankment. Most runners who get this far are going to make it, even if they’re hobbling along.
I got there just in time to see the first woman come through, then shortly after the two lead men. The time van just before them said that they’d run Mile 24 in 4.5 minutes. They ran the 24th mile in 4 and a half minutes. That is both awe-inspiring and frightening. Takes me more than twice that time to run one mile!
Watching the rest of the runners come through really gave me something to think about. Even among the fast runners (the ones doing it in 3.5 hours or less) there was a great variety of body shapes and running styles. I came to the conclusion that, except at the very elite end of the spectrum, body shape doesn’t make as much difference as you’d think it would. With determination and training we could pretty much all of us do amazing things.
One man ran as Tarzan, almost naked except for a green thong (I hate to think about where that must have been rubbing after 24 miles or so...). I’ll run behind him next year, please. To keep myself entertained. Just saying. Other people ran as a pantomime camel, a telephone box, the Calendar Girls ladies (in flesh-coloured body stockings and big hats) and Wombles, among other things. Two men ran with ironing boards strapped to their backs. One man ran in a diver’s drysuit and a pair of wellies. A man of 93 ran it, and at least one 70-year-old who still runs it under 5 hours. Amazing people, all of them. Ordinary people who decided to become extraordinary for a day in their lives.
Really looking forward to running my half in September, now!
