‘The Miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.’

I did it. I actually did it. I walked the 26.2miles, faster and stronger than anyone, including myself, believed I could.

The weekend started of in a promising way on Friday when picking up my number. Now, to give you a brief back story, I am very drawn to the number 8, it is very significant in my life and always comes up, and when it does I know everything is going to be OK. I even have it tattooed on my arm. I was hoping that my marathon number was going to involve some 8’s but my original one was 51420, but I thought it was still a nice number and would all be ok…

We arrived at the press office Friday afternoon to get the crew their press passes and enable us to start in the celebrity area and let the crew walk with me. The Virgin Marathon team were incredible, they were so helpful and told every medical station along the route about me and EDS & what could happen, and even more amazingly the medical director knew exactly what EDS and what my risks were.

We left their equipt with goody bags, lists of doctors, celebrities attending and VIP passes. We then arrived at the expo in excel and we picked up our numbers. I was handed a number and they said, we have had to give you new numbers as you are now in the green start, I turned the envelope over praying for some 8’s and couldn’t have been happier, my new number was 28581. Two 8’s and what does 2, 5 and 1 come to?? Thats right, 8. It was going to be an excellent race.

The amazing number!! 28581

Whilst walking through the expo my Dad rang to say that LBC were talking to people who were doing the marathon with a story to tell and before I knew it I was crouched round the back of a lucozade stall talking to James Whale live in the radio!! It was all so exciting and I couldn’t wait until Sunday morning.

So, the morning arrived, the weather conditions were perfect, I took my immodium, some painkillers and stared at the clock saying 04.45am not quite comprehending how I was going to make it through 26.2miles on just 3 hours sleep… The crew arrived to me dancing like a crazy person, waking up all the other hotel guests and wondering where all my energy was coming from!

We met my family downstairs for breakfast and was joined by Emma Sulley my physio who has been supporting and training me since the very start. I looked around confident I had the most amazing people around me for support and encouragement.
It was all very emotional, my parents were crying, which set of Mooch & Irene (the film crew) and I think even Emma had a tear! My Dad said a speech and presented me with a medal saying that no matter what happened I deserved a medal. It was engraved saying ‘winner for raising awareness for EDS’. Mooch tied the medal to her bag and I stared at it the whole way round the route to keep me going.

my medal from my parents

The Team, Mooch, Irene & Emma

I was interviewed by the starting line by LBC again and saw lots of celebrities, it was so so exciting, there was such a buzz in the air and as the time got closer to 9.45 we made our way to our starting area, and guess what number it was???? You guessed it, 8.

Being interviewed by LBC

Starting in area 8!!!

I had the perfect race, it was sunny and hot which didn’t help but I don’t know what happened but I got into a zone and I didn’t leave it till the finishing line. In all the training walks I never walked with such a fast consistent pace which such a good posture and style. It was as if if I stopped I would have felt my body and wouldn’t have been able to carry on. What really helped were the braces I got given my Don Joy, they made such a difference to how I walked and the pain I felt, I would never have got to the end without them.

On mile 13 I went quite pale and weak and realised I needed to take my pills for my POTS and get some more food and fluids inside me, I didn’t want to stop but Emma forced me to the side when I said how dizzy I was and I’m glad she did. It was when I stopped that I also realised that my right foot was killing me, the bone that attached my big toe to the foot was incredibly painful to touch and bend so Emma taped me up and I took some more painkillers and soldiered on.

It was strange when mile by mile the streets were more deserted and the crowds dispersing but wherever we went the support was still there, even if it was someone leaning out their window clapping and shouting my name. The best was when I saw friends and family along the way, they gave me such a drive and push to continue, and they couldn’t keep up with me I had such pace!!
Danielle & Gemma who had done all my training walks with me managed to walk nearly 12 miles with me, I couldn’t talk to them as I had to save my breath but just knowing they were there was amazing.

My foot was agony but very much in the background, the adrenalin and energy from the day was keeping me going and I knew I couldn’t stop again, I just had to get to the finishing line.
I walked towards the mall and everyone I wanted was there screaming my name, all my family and all my friends all there together, it was such an incredible incredible feeling.

I approached the finishing line and couldn’t believe the time I was going to pass underneath, yup you guessed it, 08.18!!!! I was so much quicker than everyone thought and what an amazing time for me to end on.

Finishing Time 08.18!!!

As soon as I crossed the line my EDS reared its ugly head and the pain was rediculous. My foot was killing me and I could not even take the air touching it, I had no idea how I had managed to walk all that way on it, it just shows the power of the mind.

The next day I ended up in Watford General and they think I have a stress fracture in my foot but the main problem is my tendon, Im in a cast and crutches, but its ok cos I have a medal!!!

A bad leg, but a medal!!!

It was the best day of my life and I am so so glad I did it, I raised £9,200 so far and I really hope to reach the target of £10,000.

Thank you so so much to everyone who supported me, sponsored me, walked with me and put up with everything on this journey. I really hope that I have helped to make our invisible a little more visible.
I couldn’t have done it without a single one of you xxx

http://www.justgiving.com/LaraBmarathon