The Big Day - in Pictures!

Well, the title is a bit of an exaggeration.  It should actually say: "after the finish line - in pictures", because that's what I've got!  But they should at least be adequate to prove I really did complete the marathon, complete with sunburn! 

Proudly with my medal! 

The T shirt in the goody bag

 

With one of the other CCS runners and Rosemary Keenan, CEO of CCS 

 

And with Megan from CCS, who made it all happen! 

 

 

A final note: I've now raised £2,745.  That's not very far off £3,000, is it?  Maybe it could reach that nice round number??  Anyone feel like rewarding my marathon effort by helping me achieve that final dream?  It's just a thought...  

 





04:07:28

Am I happy with how the marathon went?  No!  I'm thoroughly chuffed!  All the training must have been worth it, as I shaved 10 minutes off my personal best, and finished 35 minutes quicker than when I ran London 5 years ago.  So, here's how the day went: 

Sunshine!  Well, Saturday's weather would have been much more congenial for running, but it did make London look beautiful.  Of course, applying some sun tan lotion might have been a good idea, but it wasn't one that occurred to me...  I also allowed rather less time to get to the start than might have been ideal, so it was a bit of a rush getting my baggage onto the appropriate lorry and waiting in the exceedingly long queues for the portaloos.  But I made it to the start with 5 minutes to spare; long enough to re-tie my laces another 3 or 4 times! 

The hooter sounded, and, as expected, we went nowhere.  35,000 runners is an awful lot, even distributed between 3 different starts.  I finally got through at 10:12.  That was fine since, thanks to the clever chip system, your time only starts when you actually cross the start line.  Of course, the crowds of runners don't disappear at that moment.  Indeed, people going my sort of pace find themselves in a pack all the way round.  It certainly doesn't make running easy, as you try to judge the speed each person is going, consider the need to overtake and assess the safety of doing so, attempting to avoid at least major collisions, if not the occasional clashing of elbows. 

Spectators are there in even greater numbers, most cheering, some distributing jelly babies or orange segments, some with inexpertly painted boards declaring "touch here for power"!  And then there are the volunteers, uncountable, offering bottles of water and lucozade, vaseline, or medical attention.  What brilliant people.  But probably my main attention was on the runners.  It was astonishing and heartening to see the number of different charities being supported, and very moving to read the little personal messages on people's vests, usually along the lines of "Running for Mum", or "James: missing you".  There is a great sense of shared endeavour, as if the air has become impregnated with the hours and months of effort each person has put in to get to the big day. 

The sense of achievement just beyond the finish line is similarly palpable.  Yet more volunteers manage to retain sincerity  in their congratulations as they attend to a constant stream of runners, clipping off the timing chip from your trainer, putting a medal around your neck, giving you the famous goody bag, or returning your baggage.  Well-organised doesn't even begin to describe it. 

I had even more personal attention from Catholic Children's Society, waiting a short distance away (where the crowds were at least slightly thinner) to listen to the exploits of the four people running for them this year and to take photos.  I hope to be able to share a picture with you before too long.  Meanwhile, I can report that my total is up to £2,725, and remind you that my fundraising page is still open, if anyone feels like adding to that! 

Focus on... Mental Health Services

With just a week until the marathon I was tempted to write again about that countdown.  But there really is very little to add to last week's post, other than the continued rise of my fundraising total!  It's reached over £2,500 now, which has exceeded all my expectations.  Thank you so much! 

Instead I thought it would be good to share with you some more about where the money is going.  A few weeks ago I chose the family centres as probably my favourite part of the work of CCS.  The early intervention mental health services have to come a close second. 

Modern society doesn't make it easy to grow up.  There are so many challenges, so many pressures.  Children being brought up in situations of deprivation suffer disproportionately from stresses like family breakdown, bereavement and domestic abuse.  If left untreated, the mental health difficulties which can result, such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, risk blighting individuals throughout their adult life.  Difficulty expressing feelings in an acceptable way can lead to challenging behaviour which, if managed inappropriately, can lead to school failure.  Again, this has long-term consequences, as lower educational achievement translates into lower earning potential. 

The good news is that early intervention can transform this situation.  CCS has a team of mental health professionals who work in school settings and in a dedicated centre to help children and families struggling with these kinds of difficulties.  They use special, child-friendly techniques such as play, drama and art therapies to explore problems in a non-threatening way.  Over 90% of those who access these services show a marked improvement in their emotional well-being. 

For me this is a win-win approach.  By tackling difficulties early, the long-term impact is drastically reduced.  The children grow in self-esteem and personal fulfilment, enabling them to become constructive members of society who contribute to the development of their communities.  This helps to break the cycle of poverty for future generations as well as helping individuals and families here and now.  So I'm sure you'll agree with me that this project really is worth supporting!