I then managed to get a place at London through work but the running of 2 marathons a week apart is another story.
I have since ran Brighton every year that it has been run, with the most recent yesterday 9th April, I am already signed up for next year to maintain my 100% record at the event.
On Friday I made the short drive to Brighton to collect my race pack and sign up for next year at the race Village on the beach just after the finish line. The weather was bright and sunny an ideal day to be off and spend some time at the beach. There were a number of us who headed straight to the entry for 2018 stand only to find that the systems weren't working correctly but would be up in 10 - 15 minutes if we wanted to come back. All being very keen we stayed where we were to wait! after about 20 minutes they were still saying the systems would be up in 10 -15 minutes, oops!
A wonderful young Lady from Texas who was in charge of the entry process made several phone calls but it was clear that there was something wrong and we would be waiting a while longer. Eventually she decided that as long as we were paying the deposit in cash she could take details to be entered into the system later, I was duly entered and then headed off to the number collection point.
Whilst we had been waiting people had been commenting about how long the queues were and the collection didn't open for an hour after the village had opened, so I was dreading what would confront me when I got there. On arriving I was pleasantly surprised at the lack of queue due to the fact that the organisers had made the decision to open early so by 10:45 I was entered into 2018 and collected my 2017 number.
Sunday morning came and I drove to Burgess Hill to get the train to Brighton for the short walk from the Station to the start in Preston Park, once again the weather was great, no shivering trying to keep warm whilst waiting for the off. Bag sealed and dropped off at the lorry all I had to do was wait until it was time to make my way to the start coral. Trying to time my last visit to the loo right, I didn't quite get it right but the fact that they had loos in the start lane meant that I was OK!
Fortunately due to the weather there was grass in the start coral this year as opposed to the heavy mud last year and moving from the coral to the start line was very smooth. Once in the start lane we were off and running, doing the lap of Preston Park.
Once back past the start line and off into Brighton it was clear that it was going to be a warm race!
About 3 miles in and getting into Brighton proper I heard some familiar voices cheering me on and managed to catch a glimpse of Dave and Jenni, a quick wave from the opposite side of the road and a shout from Dave that I was on 4:05 pace and I was gone. I knew that pace wouldn't last in the heat.
About mile 10 I was passed by a Unicorn and at the following water station I had to queue to get a cup of water, this was something that I had never experienced before at a marathon. The volunteers manning the station were amazing they were just swamped with runners and could not keep up with demand due to having to fill cups!
I never really recovered from this and my running began to slow. I have never liked the water being given out in cups but this year's heat just proved what a bad decision it was to use them. With the bottles and pouches that have been used in previous years and in London you can take the water with you for longer. I was really struggling between drinks stations and could have done with being able to take a bottle with me.
Just before half way I was beginning to think that my record of finishing every Brighton Marathon was under threat, and I had only just found "The Ever Presence" group on Facebook!
One of the amazing things about the Brighton Marathon is the Spectators who are all out on the side of the road cheering on complete strangers (and lying to us, telling me I look good and strong when I really don't!) one such spectator around have way saw that I was having a tough time and thrust an ice pop in my had and said here have one of these. Nothing could have been better for me at that point, it really gave me a boost and set me up for the 2nd Half.
Going out to the Power Station leg was hard but forcing one foot in front of the other I managed to get around it and back to the seafront and into the last 3 miles, I'm sure Fatboy Slim was on that corner cheering us on with the comment It's the final straight.
I had joked with Tim Hutchings on Twitter earlier in the week about course measurement and could they make it a couple of miles shorter. His response was "You wanna miss the last 2 miles? Where the crowds are thickest & roar you home? he was quite right the crowds all round the course are amazing but the masses in the last few miles are truly outstanding.
Everything was hurting in the last 3 miles, my knees, my legs, my feet but I kept on going I had to get that 8th medal. As I got close to the finish those familiar voices were cheering me on, Dave and Jenni had hung around and were there to cheer me to the finish, I managed to turn and wave before heading off down the final stretch to the finish line.
Just after the finish line I saw Tim again and told him that I had got it wrong on twitter earlier in the week and that on this occasion the run was about 10 miles too long!!
As I reached the end of the finish area and collected my bag Dave text to say that they were just near the finish and did I want a lift home, that sounded great to me and I went to meet them at the exit to the village. Getting out of the village was horrible there was gridlock of people and no-one could get in our out, eventually we managed to climb over a fence and walk along the beach.
The volunteers, spectators and medical teams around the course were fantastic, I'm sure with the heat the medical teams were busier than in previous years, my thanks go to all of them for their support of the event, without them the event couldn't run.
I have managed to make it 8 from 8 and will be back next year to try and make it 9 from 9. I am also hoping to be able to make it 10 from 10 in 2019 when I will be 50 at the time of running, but I do think that there are 2 major things that the organisers need to look at:
- Hydration - Cups really do not work for such a large scale event
- Entry and Exit from the Beach Village.
