On the 23rd of April 2023, I ran the London Marathon. I still can’t quite believe it.
I’m not a natural runner. I was never athletic as a child and, frankly, I never wanted to run a marathon. Nevertheless, on a rainy Sunday morning, I joined 48,000 other people putting themselves through this enormous mental and physical struggle, all in the name of charity and personal achievement.
If you know anything about the London Marathon, you’ll know how hard it is to get a place. I went to see a close friend run it in October 2022 and I wasn’t sure what I was expecting, but the atmosphere was like nothing I had ever experienced. I popped my name into the ballot fully expecting, and almost relying on the fact, that I wouldn’t get a place.
When I opened the email to say I was in, my stomach did a 360 flip. I knew how lucky I was, and how many other people wouldn’t have a place, but my first thought was ‘what was I thinking?’ I couldn’t run a marathon. No way. I knew it was going to be tough, but I thought it’s now or never. What did I have to lose?
Let the training begin!
I knew how much time, dedication and energy needed to go into the training and I really wasn’t sure I had that time or drive within me. I printed off the 16-week training plan and stuck it on my wardrobe door. Just looking at it scared me.
Although I knew how much physical energy the training would take out of me, I didn’t anticipate the mental strength I also needed. Reflecting now, that was the most challenging bit. I undertook four months of running in the dark, cold and rain, dragging myself out when I really didn’t want to, and sacrificing weekend plans because I had to go and casually run a half marathon the next day. But wow, what a payoff!
I suffered illness and injury. I mean it literally when I say blood, sweat and tears went into my training. I have never put my mind and body through anything like it. There were times when I thought I wouldn’t even make it to the start line, let alone have that medal around my neck. Crossing the line made every second worth it.
The big day arrived
Marathon day was the biggest emotional rollercoaster; a series of the happiest and toughest miles I have ever run.
At mile 18 the wall hit, and my body hurt everywhere. I knew I still had far to go, but I had already come far too. I had to tap into my mental resilience. Repeating mantras like a crazy person, telling myself I could do it, knowing I would cross that line and it would all be worth it. The mental battle was 100% harder than the physical. Your body will always carry you through; it can do it. It’s your mind that plants the seed of doubt; at that moment, it’s hard not to feed it.
I kept thinking of how lucky I was to be there, healthy and able to run when many other people were running for those who were no longer here or were going through greater battles. I thought about how much work I had put in to get to this day. I thought about my family and friends, waiting for me to run past them at the miles ahead. And I thought about how when I signed up to this marathon, I doubted myself every day. But here I was doing it and I wasn’t going to give up.
I crossed the line in five hours, broke down into tears and tried to comprehend the blur that was the last six miles of the run. I have never felt emotion like it – immense pride, disbelief, elation and exhaustion. Training for this marathon took over my life, and all I kept saying was how excited I was for it to be over. Now it is, I weirdly feel a huge loss.
Now, don’t get me wrong this isn’t me trying to persuade you to run a marathon (although you wouldn’t regret it!), but more to share what I have learnt as a non-runner who wouldn’t have believed you if you had said a year ago I would have done something as crazy as this.
My message is you are stronger than you think, and your body is capable of truly amazing things. You really can do anything you set your mind to; with hard work and dedication you will see results.
So set yourself that crazy challenge and tell yourself you can and will do it, without comparing yourself to others. Every second of training, working, and learning will be worth it.
It was hard to see it in the run-up but, trust me, there is no better feeling when you reach the end goal – no matter how long it takes.
Carys ran the London Marathon for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust in memory of a friend. She has raised over £700 at the time of writing her article. The SOCIALight team is so proud of you, Carys!