The day began with a yawn and a stretch.trepidation as to what weather mother nature was going to conjure up . as the curtains were drawn in the hotel bedroom we were greeted by glorious sunshine .
The months of preparation the pain the sacrifice were now a fading memory as a new feeling started to take over adrenaline!
Ok so i've got the number pinned on i've got my new red laces to raise a little more cash for charity ,my timing chip is secured to my shoe I've got my gels sorted.
The sat nav is primed and ready the check list of an organised person seems endless to one who generally goes with the flow.
I start to feel nervous for Trinity as she's had a real mountain to climb to get herself to this point in time. i try not to show it >
My aim was to ensure that everything on the day went as smoothly as it could for her .
not that i had much to do!
We set of up the long uphill drag towards greenwich park i carried her kit bag so that she could conserve as much energy as is humanly possible .
We rounded the corner to look for the start, red and blue were clearly marked, not a glimmer of a signpost for the green start . a quick word with a marshall soon pointed us in the write direction and we headed off across a grassy dew laden park.
Then in to what seemed like an eternity for me we espied the green start area .
A quick hug and the words" well this is it , all that training and were here" was all that needed to be said .
i handed her kitbag over wished her good luck turned and walked away
I glanced back to see her lonely figure disappear into the crowd .There was nothing more i could do The rest as they say was up to her .
I had plenty of time so i went to a cafe for some breakfast ,it was only a short walk to the first viewpoint i had choosen.
There i awaited her arrival with banner in hand and an elevated position theres no way she won't spot me up here or so i thought !
How wrong i was frantically waving and shouting over the throb of loud music and a very vocal spectator presence ensured that it was difficult to grasp her attention.
The same problem befell me at around mile 14 and so it was that i had made my way to the finish, individual runners were hard to make out as my eyes darted back and forth through the railings .
The clock ticked by i glanced at my watch Trin should be finishing in about another ten minutes I tried to refocus on the finishers and then there she was I quickly glanced at my watch unsure of the timing .
This cant be i tapped the face of my watch yes it s working fine but the time!
I made my way from my position towards the repatriation point a slow process with all the crowds thinking to myself trinity will take a while to get through the baggage medal chip photograph area .
As i approached the prearranged meeting point still checking my watch i was shocked to see her standing there looking as fresh as a daisy .
My first question to her was not well done or fantastic effort it was what time did you do ?
when she told me it just wouldn't sink in for a moment or two.
I have to say that i feel incredibly proud of her achievment and her head held high dignity ok i know i'm biased but who cares!
To knock 9 mins of your pb is something terrific to do it in a marathon is quite superhuman .
Well done trin no bloody well done!!!!!
13 th april 2008
