A Fairy – Tale!

I had submitted a Guinness World Record Attempt to make my marathon attempt a little more of a challenge as well as having a bit of fun. I wanted to run as a 3D Brain Tumour UK (BTUK) logo, but they said that having ‘fastest body part’ would be too difficult to moderate so I became a fairy and went for the ‘fastest fairy’ record instead. For this record I had to run in a tutu, wings and with a wand, and I would need to finish in less than 4 hours 30 minutes. I knew that this was an ambitious time but I had trained hard, running through the winter frost, snow and ice (when I wasn’t on holiday that is!) and my 20 mile time was good. I sent my photo to the Guinness World Records team and they approved my fairy status! The best part of being a fairy was my training runs around Leeds dressed in my costume with my wings flapping behind me. I got lots of hoots from cars and smiles from walkers as I ran past.

The logistics of getting down to London, registering at the Expo, getting my number and getting to the start line on time were very stressful. The nerves kicked in and the week beforehand involved lots of tears, frantic planning and a massive amount of pasta! I had read an article which said that most people who think they are carb loading actually aren’t because you have to cut down your protein intake and basically consume your body weight in carbs about three times a day for it to be effective. I took this advice VERY seriously (probably because I love pasta!) but I swear that by the time race day came around I could have been physically sick at the sight of a slice of bread or bowl of pasta!

Our train down to London was delayed with additional stops due to problems on the line. The train was horribly crowded and then, after sitting at Finsbury Park for 20 minutes, we were told that the train couldn’t get to King’s Cross and we would all have to get off here! A rushed tube journey got me to the Expo just before it closed and I got in line to collect my number. PHEW! But wait…..Oh no! Disaster! They don’t have it, THEY DON’T HAVE MY NUMER!!!! This may have been because people attempting World Records get upgraded to the Green start meaning my number had been changed but they said this wasn’t the case as it was a green number that was missing. AARGH WHAT NOW?!?! I had to wait for 30 minutes while they got me a different number; this was now my third number but at least I had one! However, all this was not helping my nerves!

An early night, followed by restless sleep, and before I knew it race day had arrived! A bus and two trains should have got me to my start, but a point’s failure kicked me off two stops early…‘OH NO, the long walk to the start will make my legs tired!’ (I felt the hysteria rising!!!). Ben managed to calm me down and promised he’d get me to my start pen. He found the way and delivered me as promised-my hero! I checked in with the Guinness World Record people and got my sticker; ‘Guinness World Record Official Runner!’ Now the nerves had gone and I was just pure excited. I saw the queue for the toilets and with 45 minutes until the start I decided to get in the queue (which took 30 minutes-phew!). I got in my start pen and looked around: a gingerbread man; a giant star; a marching band; a panda; a giant bottle of Lucozade; and (OH NO!!!!!) a few fast looking fairies… EEK!! “It’s OK” I tell myself, “I’ll run my own race, and the support I have received will get me round”. I calculated that I had been sponsored over £150 per mile; a massive push to keep me going and I still decided to go for 4 hours 30 minutes; after all I had trained for it.

The first few miles went quickly. It was crammed, hectic running with not many spectators. I chatted to an older man from the Wimbledon Windmillers (who I had met at Wimbledon parkrun the day before….yes OF COURSE I ran parkrun the day before!) who was running his 30^th London Marathon. He had run every year since it began; WOW-more inspiration! Around miles three to four I began to get in to my stride, I felt strong and mentally prepared. The only problem I had was that the Guinness World Record sticker had been stuck on my back in the middle of my wings which made them flap differently from in training – there was a lot a lot more drag but I hoped my shoulders would be OK! That stupid saying kept spinning round my head (DON’T DO ANYTHING DIFFERENT ON RACE DAY, well the bloody sticker was something different and I knew the mental games had began!). Luckily I soon got used to the wings and after a few more miles I had forgotten about them.

It was a very hot day and by mile 5 I was pleased to see the first Lucozade stop. A faster runner for BTUK caught me up and gave me some encouragement and then I started searching the crowds. I knew Ben was spectating between miles 6 and 7; I had my phone on me and Ben texted to say he was near some orange balloons. I spotted the orange balloons a mile off “great I’ll easily spot Ben, what a great place to stand”. I looked and looked but couldn’t see him; I searched the crowds but he wasn’t there. My heart sank and I started to get really sad, convinced that I wasn’t going to see him at all. I pushed back the tears and had a word with myself; “Nicola, you’ll see him later, he’s proud of you no matter what, you don’t NEED to see anyone as they’re all running with you anyway!” I picked myself up and told myself “it’s OK. I WILL see him later”. I had my fingers tightly crossed at this point!

The BTUK cheering point was at seven and a half miles so I started looking for them instead. I spotted them with their big banner and they were cheering my name, clapping and waving manically and………there he was…….THERE WAS BEN!!! I jumped in the air twice, frantically waving my wand with the biggest smile on my face. What a lift! I punched the air with both fists and carried on my way.

I was wearing a Pace Band and every mile I checked that I was on track. In fact I was running so well that by mile 10, I was 7 minutes inside my target time… but it was SO hot! At mile 11 I saw Mum, Carla, James and Jan (I knew I wouldn’t miss these guys as mum had attached a weird inflatable bird to a curtain pole and was dangling it out over the runners for me to spot! This was following advice from runners who said “don’t have a helium balloon, EVERYONE will have helium balloons”). Well the weird stork (or whatever it was) worked and I spotted them easily; more smiles, frantic waving etc. I was doing well. There were showers on course to cool runners down but until now I had avoided them as I was worried about chafing. By mile 13, I was getting so hot and tired that I ran through showers and water whenever they were available. There were firemen spraying hoses in the air any water would do; just cool me down please!

Then it happened… at mile 15 … I HIT THE WALL! Every cell in my body told me to stop. It was hopeless, too hot, and over 10 miles to go; “I don’t even like running, why am I even running a bloody marathon, what an idiot, it’s all been a massive mistake-JUST WALK!” Luckily I managed to talk myself round. Firstly I’d run WAY further in training so I knew I should be able to push through and secondly I remembered how much everyone was behind me. I wasn’t being sponsored to cuddle kittens, this was marathon running, and it’s MEANT to be hard. Miles 15 to 17 were SLOW, hellish miles! THANK GOODNESS for the small boy who handed me an ice pop, I truly believe he saved me! What also kept me going was all the small children with wide eyes and massive smiles shouting “Mummy, LOOK it‘s a fairy!!” and all the strangers shouting “looking great, Nicola” “keep going Nicola” I was very pleased I had put my name on my top! By mile 17 I was desperate to see Ben again. I knew he would be around mile 17/18. Then, all of a sudden THERE HE WAS! Standing there with his parents. I ran over and gestured that I wanted a kiss. Ben took this gesture to mean I was hungry and started routing in his bag for food. “A kiss” I shouted, and the crowd around him started saying “kiss her”, “she wants a kiss”! The crowd pushed Ben to the front so I could reach him and after I gave Ben a big sweaty kiss I went on my way.

Directed by the weird floating stork I saw Mum and the rest of the gang at mile 19 and collected more supplies (I had texted mum saying ‘ice’ as I NEEDED to cool down and as I hadn’t been offered anymore ice pops then I just wanted to crunch on some ice. Unfortunately, mum took this to mean that I was injured and needed an ice pack so was holding out a chemical cooling pack! “I can’t eat this” I shrieked as I gave it back and went on my way with my pre-prepared bottle of triple strength Lucozade). By now I was fine with the running. Less than 10 miles to go and I had run through the wall. I knew I could do it although I was pretty slow and so, so hot. More water, more showers but alas, no more ice pops. I had lost my 7 minute lead and was now on pace but I decided 4 hours 30 minutes was out of my grasp. So my new goal was to keep running every single step and to finish with a smile.

At mile 20 I started counting down, 6 miles left… 5… 4… nearly there. Mile 23 was great, ONLY PARKRUN TO GO! The crowds were getting big and there was a big long tunnel to run through with no spectators at all. A runner shouted Oggi, Oggi, Oggi and about 500 runners all replied Oi Oi Oi. I am sure the ground shook, it was magical and I was grinning from ear to ear. I’d taken every gel and energy drink on the course and the last three miles felt relatively easy, my legs were fine. I’d eased off the speed and I was waving to the crowds.

I made a quick stop for Vaseline at mile 24 as my top was rubbing on my arms; I’d poured so much water over me that my clothes were soaked. Well, this stop was not quite as quick as I’d have liked, I had to visit 3 St John’s Ambulance people. The first two looked in their bags as I jogged on the spot and then said “go to the next person, they’ll have some”. When I was told this for the second time I said “where is the next person? YOU’RE already the next person, I’ve already stopped once” and when they told me just to go to the next stop I screamed “BUT WHERE IS IT?! I’VE ALREADY STOPPED TWICE!” oops! It seems I’m not too polite when marathon running! Luckily (more for their safely than for me!) the third one did have Vaseline and they held out the worlds biggest pot. I stuck both hands straight in and smothered it on my arms…..OH NO, I hadn’t thought it through, my hands were now COVERED in Vaseline so I held them out to the St John’s Ambulance man (like a child expecting to be cleaned after eating an ice cream) but he just laughed at me! Oh well, I wiped my hands on my shorts and from there on in it was smooth sailing.

The last two miles were easy and I really enjoyed the last corner by Buckingham Palace with the finish in sight. I waved like mad and got all the crowds cheering “Go Nicola”, “Go Fairy” and then I crossed the line……….I had done it, my first ever marathon……..I HAD RUN THE LONDON MARATHON! Would I do it again? On the day I said “NO WAY, NEVER AGAIN!”