The slowest marathon ever?
David Hurst looks back on one of the most
exhausting - but satisfying - days of his life
It took me precisely 365 days, 6 hours and 15 minutes to complete my first London Marathon, at an age approaching 50, but from the wrong direction.
Why so long? Well, I entered and trained for the 2006 event but sprained my left ankle two days before the start and had to pull out. Wags said I had injured myself on purpose to avoid running but I can tell you I was gutted after doing all the training and then watching it on television.
Why did I do it? A long standing chip on my shoulder at listening to many others recount their personal experiences and believing that, Yosser Hughes like, 'I can do that'.
Photo: Stonyhurst Runners (left to right) -
Deputy Head, Laurence McKell, former
pupil David Hurst, who went to
Zimbabwe as a volunteer in the 1970s,
and present pupil, Sam Williams.
What was it like? It was a very hot day, the hottest on record for the marathon. But our team spirit was great as I was running with the Wombles of Wimbledon and 15 others in aid of Jesuit schools in Zimbabwe and Guyana - we raised over £40,000 in 2006.
I have never experienced encouragement from crowds quite like this. The music from street bands and outdoor discos at every pub en route in south London made the whole event like one enormous street festival. High Fives from every kid you run past make a lot of hands to slap. Even the St John Ambulance offered High Fives with blue plastic gloves on, but I soon discovered they were actually handing out vaseline for where the sun doesn't shine!
With my name on my shirt I (and the many other Davids taking part) got constant shouts to keep going from kids, adults and grannies alike. It really helps when your legs feel like dropping off past the 14 mile mark and I had already decided that, due to cramp and pain, I would walk the rest of the way. Huge camaraderie came from other runners who talk to you and offer help and you give it back, whether they are dressed as a chicken, a pizza, Princess Leia or Spiderman. But I thought that Darth Vader could look after himself and the Wookiee had only himself to blame for wearing that suit!
What was my strategy? Start slow - and slow down. That was my plan and it almost worked until I took a phone call just past Tower Bridge from my 13 year old daughter Izzy (who had baked me a Good Luck cake the night before) and afterwards I couldn't get my legs going again without absolute agony. So, along with many others, I walked round the Isle of Dogs - not pretty I can tell you. But then I met up with a fellow team member and we helped each other to jog and walk the last six miles.
I had aimed to finish before dark, or at least before the litter lorries came round, and at my pace it looked like working out that way! But eventually I trotted over the finishing line at around 4.10pm. And in the end the achievement - and the pain - are all your own.
And will I do it again net
year? Try stopping me!.
What did I get out of it? Great personal satisfaction, a huge mixture of pain and pleasure in equal doses, and a massive re-affirmation of the goodness of the human spirit - the crowds supporting the runners and the runners (mostly) supporting their charity causes. It's a truly mad day but one never to be forgotten.
It took me precisely 365 days, 6 hours and 15 minutes to complete my first London Marathon, at an age approaching 50, but from the wrong direction.
Why so long? Well, I entered and trained for the 2006 event but sprained my left ankle two days before the start and had to pull out. Wags said I had injured myself on purpose to avoid running but I can tell you I was gutted after doing all the training and then watching it on television.
Why did I do it? A long standing chip on my shoulder at listening to many others recount their personal experiences and believing that, Yosser Hughes like, 'I can do that'.
What was it like? It was a very hot day, the hottest on record for the marathon. But our team spirit was great as I was running with the Wombles of Wimbledon and 15 others in aid of Jesuit schools in Zimbabwe and Guyana - we raised over £40,000 in 2006.
I have never experienced encouragement from crowds quite like this. The music from street bands and outdoor discos at every pub en route in south London made the whole event like one enormous street festival. High Fives from every kid you run past make a lot of hands to slap. Even the St John Ambulance offered High Fives with blue plastic gloves on, but I soon discovered they were actually handing out vaseline for where the sun doesn't shine!
With my name on my shirt I (and the many other Davids taking part) got constant shouts to keep going from kids, adults and grannies alike. It really helps when your legs feel like dropping off past the 14 mile mark and I had already decided that, due to cramp and pain, I would walk the rest of the way. Huge camaraderie came from other runners who talk to you and offer help and you give it back, whether they are dressed as a chicken, a pizza, Princess Leia or Spiderman. But I thought that Darth Vader could look after himself and the Wookiee had only himself to blame for wearing that suit!
What was my strategy? Start slow - and slow down. That was my plan and it almost worked until I took a phone call just past Tower Bridge from my 13 year old daughter Izzy (who had baked me a Good Luck cake the night before) and afterwards I couldn't get my legs going again without absolute agony. So, along with many others, I walked round the Isle of Dogs - not pretty I can tell you. But then I met up with a fellow team member and we helped each other to jog and walk the last six miles.
I had aimed to finish before dark, or at least before the litter lorries came round, and at my pace it looked like working out that way! But eventually I trotted over the finishing line at around 4.10pm. And in the end the achievement - and the pain - are all your own.
What did I get out of it? Great personal satisfaction, a huge mixture of pain and pleasure in equal doses, and a massive re-affirmation of the goodness of the human spirit - the crowds supporting the runners and the runners (mostly) supporting their charity causes. It's a truly mad day but one never to be forgotten.