TEAM REPORT (RACE DAY)

After all the effort and sacrifice in the months leading up to the big day, here we were at Hyde Park Corner shuffling our way to the start line in amongst 25,000 fellow runners. It took some 25 minutes to reach the start line but I personally was savouring the oxygen whilst it was still easily available. Slightly nervous faces surrounded me as we neared the military band which was playing at the start of the course, but the nerves soon turned to focus of the task ahead as we crossed the start line.

The weather was perfect for running, slightly cool with the odd light shower to help keep you cool. With all the excitement and anticipation of the race, I set off a lot faster than planned but soon settled in to a more conservative pace after about 15 minutes. The atmosphere was brilliant with runners of all ages and abilities facing their own personal challenges and being helped along by the enthusiastic supporters who lined the streets of London.

Special thanks to MIDIRS Business Manager Andy Fisher, who had the idea of entering in the first place and to the MIDIRS supporters who travelled to London to support us on the day – the cheers they gave on Westminster Bridge certainly came as a welcome source of inspiration to me when things were starting to hurt near the end of the race. Lastly, congratulations to all MIDIRS runners for their dedication, everyone smashed their expected finish time and I think the photos tell the story of the day very well.

Steve Clayton
Graphic Designer
MIDIRS

a.k.a COACH CLAYTON.

It's been a long hard road

Words escape me when I think of how far the MIDIRS running team have come the past six months (personally I reckon over 200 miles in training…………WOW!). As I wait to start my last training session and with only four days to go until the 10k run, I feel moved to quote the immortal words of the great man himself ........... ............”Didn’t they do well”

Well I suppose Brucie’s words are a little understated, I’d put it a little stronger, we all did BLOODY WELL!!

Everyone has put 100% into the training and met their respective challenges with determination and resolve. It makes me very proud to be part of this team and you should all be congratulated on reaching the finish line (even before the actual race). Some people attain their goals in different ways but Julie falling pregnant is probably the most obscure one (well they do say that fertility is improved with fitness!).
So without further ado………

Congratulations - Adam McGahern

Very well done - Ann-marie Kelly

Gold star - Cara Gordon

Order of merit - Charlotte Robinson

Passed with distinction - Judith Sirr

Nice one – Julie Rogers

Good on ya - Michelle Brumby

Pat on the back - Steve Clayton (Coach)

Bravo - Vanessa Avery

Is that everyone?.................Oh yeah, I forgot…..…..Cheers - Andy Fisher (next year the marathon – now that’s a really good idea!)

Out of the running..?

Typical. Two weeks to go to the big day and I pulled my Achilles tendon showing off by running up a slope during a training session. Am gutted to get an injury at such a late stage as I really felt like I have been improving a bit over the past couple of months. The NHS has prescribed ice, ibuprofen and inactivity but hasn’t ordered me not to run (although a consultant at the trauma and orthopaedics clinic at the BRI where my Mum works has warned of the dangers of rupture-causing intensive exercise in cases of tendonitis!), so at present I’m still intending to give it my best shot on Sunday (although my husband has threatened me with divorce if I damage myself to the extent that I can’t help him put up the 10-person hyperdome on our two-week camping holiday that follows the race…)

My original goal was to get round the course without having to break into a walk, but at present my aim is just to start. And if I hobble anywhere near the finishing line among the pantomime horses, giant bananas and 90-year olds, then I shall consider that a major success!

Good luck everyone!