100 Happy Days: #63

Mo had to pull out at the last minute. But between you and me, I know the real reason that once again, he was too scared to face me head to head in a race!

The day started well, arriving in Green Park in plenty of time for the start of the race, but I'd been abnormally nervous for the whole morning, waking up early with a dogey stomach.

Full of nervous energy I was ushered through to the baggage area and the start line. Being in the 1st set of zones, I was one of the first on the Mall ready to start.

30 minutes later, my start pen was getting busier, the sun had come out, and I was fired up and ready to go!

Mo Farah and Jenny Bond (the first time those two people have been booked together?!) got on the podium to hoot their hooters, and I felt all the life and energy drain out of my legs.

Suddenly they weren't toned power houses, they were heavy lumps of meat that I'd have to lug round with me.

"Hoooooooot" Mo hooted.

I was off. But I was off too fast.

The first mile flashed past in 7 minutes and I was hot, breathing heavily and already struggling. This all just didn't feel right, and people were streaming past.

I tried to settle in to my usual high tempo rhythm, but with so many people around me running at different cadences, I couldn't settle.

The km markers slid past, but as they seemed to get further apart, I waited and hoped for my second wind to kick in and propel me forwards.

By half way, there was no sign of it, and the people coming past we're now getting older, and softer. One guy had a rucksack on, and one had a care bear strapped to his back. I focused on a girl in front with massive hair and followed her for the next few miles.

As we approached Westminster, I went for broke and increased the pace, but then so did every one else.

Passing the 1km to go mark, I actually started to gain on the big hair. With 800m to go, I overtook her and locked on to the care bear. 100m to go and in a sprint finish in front of the palace, the bear was mine!

Never have I worked so hard for such a pedestrian time of 00:52:19!