News & Events
Thankyou to everyone who supported my London Marathon Attempt!
The good news is-I DID IT! I have the medal around my neck as i write, and it will remain there for several days..
It must have been the collective wave of good wishes that got me through. It was an unbeleivable experience, nothing prepares you for the noise, the proximity of the crowds, the street parties, Jazz bands,Rock bands, even a Gospel Choir! Preists blessing the runners from the side of the road- the theme from Chariots of fire ringing out from church bells somewhere around Blackheath.Crowds lining the route all the way around in their tens of thousands. Some one said it's like the Notting Hill Carnival meets the Olympic games. A good analogy.
The whole day is quite extraordinary. Travelling down to Blackheath with thousands of runners, seeing the amazing organisation of this huge event. It is truly astonishing. Waiting nervously in our "pens" for the start, all human life is there to behold. Why would you want to run a marathon with a 20 foot giraffe neck strapped on? The answer is printed on the back of thousands of running vests, Batman outfits and Scooby Doos. Pictures of loved ones who have thier lives taken by dreadful diseases. Dates of Birth, and Dates of the Death of children. That's why they do it. It's to give something back to organisations who helped them, or to raise funds for research and prevention of the disease that affected them so deeply. I knew from freinds who have done the marathon, that finishing was going to be really emotional, and that grown men burst into tears at the end. I wasn't quite prepared to be standing in a park on a Sunday morning in the April drizzle feeling moved. Now i know, why this event is so special.
The crowd are so very close to you, some roads are really narrow, people read your name on your vest and shout encouragement as you stagger past. I now find out from several experienced marathon runners, some information strategically held back. That is,that at mile 18 or 19 you just want to stop, give up and go home. Your body has had enough, and it's true. At this point the crowd and the other runners are willing you on, every weary step of the way. People are dropping out, the St John's ambulance volunteers are working in overdrive, some runners look like they are in a very bad way at the side of the road. It all gets quite gritty form here on in, and i will spare you the details. I slipped and fell on a water bottle at about mile 17 and twisted my ankle, so i had to nurse it by walking and then running over the next 2 or 3 miles, this meant my optimistic target time of 4.30 was gone but the main objective was to finish and to finish well. Even though it did hurt, somehow I just started running again, slowly, and tried to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Embankment, with Big Ben coming into view and then on to Birdcage walk. The realisation that I would finish, set in with about 2 miles to go. I became serenely indifferent to the pain and weariness as Buckingham Palace got closer. Turning into Mall to the finishing line, was, more than anything, a huge relief. The real victory is won at those crucial stages earlier on, when you are still miles away and hurting. The finish is your reward for overcoming the instinct to give up.
In the last few miles i remebered the words of Lance Armstrong the cyclist who battled cancer and has won the yellow jersey in the tour de france 7 times since recovering for the disease.
"Pain is temporary, quitting is forever"
Perhaps just as important is the fact that i seem to have raised nearly all of the £1,700 as my target for The Outward Bound Trust through the generosity of my freinds. I have been simply overwhelmed by your support. Thankyou all so much!
Best wishes
Jonathan
Our new website is launched!
3rd March 2010We are pleased to announce our new website is now live...as you can see! The new site has a new large gallery of my work and will give you alot more information about my photography services. We will be updating the website on a regular basis and adding additional features later in the year. Read More
