After 16 weeks of training, 3 days of carb loading and a good night sleep, I finally ran the Virgin London Marathon, last Sunday, the 23rd of April. My first ever Marathon. My life challenge, and my post-baby fitness challenge!

To cut a long post short, I had a great race except for a couple of times where I felt a bit sick for a few minutes, probably because of the gels and electrolytes drinks… so much sugar! But the weather was great for it: a perfect 13 degrees and overcast. The crowd was really supportive and the animation was uplifting especially that truck with the dance party: crap commercial music that literally gave me a boost of Adrenalin like seeing my Ealing Eagles club friends at mile 23! I missed my husband at mile 25 unfortunately and baby Oliver couldn’t make it as he was stuck home with Chicken Pox. Oh and I missed the Royals as I ran past them at the start. I didn’t see them but they saw me, that’s all that counts. So all in all, a really great race all the more as I did it in 3h36 !! So very happy! Why?

• I can run it all over again next year if I want as I automatically qualified with a “Good for Age” entry for managing under 3h45, whereas thousands of people will pray to get one of the 7% places allocated in the ballot, or try and raise thousands of ££ for a charity place
• It’s under my target time of 3h40
• It got me a congratulatory Instagram Message from Dame Kelly Holmes, double gold medalist at the Olympics in middle distance! Yep!

I’ve enjoyed my recovery week and not having to run a crazy distance for once this weekend. But I’m starting to get itchy feet, or post marathon blues as some call it. What now? Which race next? I’m at the peak of my fitness and my speed, how not to waste it all? I’m going to enjoy a bit more and put my feet up or in the pool for the next week at my in-laws’ in Dubai. And will think about my next challenge. 🙂

I’ll be back in the coming week with my tips to cope physically and mentally on race day.