Why go to London?

After crossing the finish line and having my timing chip removed, the first three people I saw were three of my own club mates. Fellow Manx Harriers, Jim Macgregor, Gianni Epifani and Nigel Armstrong were all standing talking to each other. I shook hands with each one but, after then nearly falling over with exhaustion, I continued my walk along The Mall, congratulated Adam Russell and then proceeded to the Underground and back to the hotel. I wasn't in the mood to chat much and there would be plenty of other opportunities to talk to most of the runners that I had seen in the last mile.

I think I was overtaken by five Manx runners in that distance. Gianni passed me on the embankment, Nigel sped past in Parliament Square and, to rub salt in the wounds, Adam passed me coming onto the Mall. Looking at the times I think Tim Knott and Jim must also have gone past. I changed positions with Jim three times. He went past me near Cutty Sark and seemed too fast for me, but when I thought my plan was coming to fruition I retook him at about 18 miles only to slow badly towards the end.

Slightly behind me in the early stages (I was on the second row on the red start and didn't lose any time at all) Paul Curphey burst past thousands of runners from the third pen on the blue start to catch Nigel and they ran together for a while with Gianni nearby. There must have been lots of other cases of the Manx runners sharing the same piece of road. It was almost as if we were holding the Manx championships in London as Mark Clague and Paul Cubbon (I met both at the start) followed me through and Andy Watson was another (from the Blue start) who reached half way in an hour and half. And James Toseland was there too after a great 1 hour 27 minute first half.

I didn't go to London to run 2.57. I know that I can run faster as I have done in training. But sport is all about taking calculated risks and I lost some time by taking a chance and going all out for 2.50. Not that I thought I made too many mistakes on the day as I allowed hundreds of runners to go past me in the first few miles, had an easier first half than any of my 14 Londons and didn't even note my half way time - I was so busy watching the elite runners on the other side of the road. I shouted for Jess Petersson but she didn't hear me above the noise of the crowd. The story of her incredible run is still to come - we exchanged a number of emails after the race.

But seriously, despite the feeling that I had gone to London to race my own team mates (Mike Garrett was another whose plan didn't come off and was surprised that none of us overtook him as we queued up behind) there are so many reasons why I was glad I made the trip. And I spoke about many of them as I consumed my first alcohol for 53 weeks last night when Nigel led Mike, Paul and I back to one Jamie Oliver's restaurants.

Not least was an incredible experience as Nigel trudged along the tunnels between Monument and Bank stations behind me on our return to the hotel. We were probably some of the first to reach that point as the runners who had completed the course dispersed around London or simply stayed near the finish to enjoy the satisfaction of finishing the race. Some of the crowd walking the other way started saying "well done" and then the whole lot burst into applause. I was quite emotional.

Paul may have gone a little too fast trying to get onto some clear road but he drove himself to sickness in the final stages as he pushed to try and get his first sub 3 hour run since 2005 - he missed by just 12 seconds but  he needed assistance from Mike to get back to our hotel.

I intended to get showered and changed before starting work on my compilation of times for the website and media. But I couldn't resist starting work first and in the meantime Nigel (who didn't have a bath in his room) used my bathroom to take a cold bath. Finally I went for my bath three hours after the race after leaving the water running as I published the draft list - Nigel was called a few names when I climbed into a cold bath!

A big breakfast awaits at 8.15 but I am going to try a jog now. I wonder if I will meet half of the Isle of Man around East London.

PS thanks to the people who contacted me about the runners that were missing from my list. It seems that all 47 made it to the finish. Well done to everyone, particularly those running for the first time. I republished the list just after midnight, 20 hours after my day of hope, despair and emotion finally came to an end.