“F### this Simon, get your arse in gear!"
Mile 20 appeared and my body ached all over, my shoulders, my hips, lower back and legs I came to a stop and simply stood there with hands on hips trying to stretch my back out to relieve the discomfort and stretch out my legs my body now feeling the chill. “Bloody hell!” I shouted in my head this was not how I wanted it to be.
People came over to pat me on the back and tell me I could do it and to motivate me to get going again. I had to dig deep. “F### this Simon, get your arse in gear!" I instructed myself. There was never a question of me not finishing, the only question was if I would be able to run, walk or crawl over the finish line because I was now feeling like a wrung-out rag.
All my plans had fallen apart, even with the crowds cheering me on it was a hard task. So, after another few miles and now at mile 23 I had to stop again. I stood for a moment to compose myself, get my head together and also stretch my now very aching legs out. I took a deep breath and told myself that this Marathon wasn’t going to break me. I had this, albeit in pain, feeling sick and now with a bloody headache but I had this.
Only 3.2 miles to go, the same distance as a park run. Easy peasy.
But oh boy 3.2 miles felt like another marathon. My speed really slow now, almost a shuffle, I might as well have been wearing slippers. The crowds cheering louder as we approached the next mile marker. 2.2 miles to go.
I’ve got this, I can do this I kept telling myself. Mind over matter.
Another mile but it now felt even more of a struggle but I kept my focus
.
Only 1.2 miles to go. “Come on Simon!” another supporter shouted at me.
Then Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament came into view. The sense of relief was overwhelming knowing that it was almost over.