20th November 2024 Miami North America

 North America 7^th 04:01:00

 

We collected our luggage and caught a taxi to our hotel hoping to check in and get a rest before the final marathon. By the time we were in our hotel room it was 0500 and I thought I may as well stay up, sort out and get to the start line for 0700. No where for breakfast was open soi we ended up at Starbucks at 0600 for coffee and some ropey oatmeal. We headed off to the start but there was a last-minute change so it had moved from 39^th to 53^rd street, after a bit of Uber confusion we arrived at just after 0700 but everyone else was late as well so the start was put back to 0800. There was a pretty big crowd and a real buzz at the start line as 65% of the runners were from the USA, lots of family and friends had come down for the grand finale, marathon number 7. 

The course was a cycle path and 10 laps of 4.2km. The temperature to start with was 28oC but quickly climbed to 36oC as the sun came up but the humidity was low so overheating dangers were much less significant. Aid stations were at the turnaround point and back at the start but in the heat it was still going to be a challenge to keep cool and running. We all raced off as the starter's horn sounded, pumped up by all the supporters there cheering us on. I felt pretty good despite the lack of sleep, in fact after feeling so terrible in Istanbul, I had felt good ever since. I seemed to be running with some of the runners that had established themselves in the speedy bracket and to date, my best placing was 9th and I was certainly ahead of that. It felt like I could now just run on feel and not hold back quite as much, the worst that could happen now was I blew up and had to walk it in.This was the lap of honour to pick up 777 and the final piece of bling to complete the collection.

I stuck to the usual plan, get 3 laps under my belt of continuous running to get some time in my back pocket then start the run/walk to get the sub 4 in the bag. All started out well but there wasn't much shade on the course so as the sun got up I started to feel hot.

I quickly slowed up at the aid stations to take on fluids and make sure I used the ice to help cool down as best I could. The zip started to ebb away as the heat took its toll and I wasn't gaining time on my target. All the 777 runners were in great form, offering out words of encouragement as we passed each other on the out and back but we were all suffering. 

Mutual misery seems to be a bonding experience, we could empathise with each other and what we were having to endure to get this final marathon done. 

Most people had feet that were swollen and blistered with various amount of tape on the legs to hold things together but this was the home run albeit a combination of running, jogging, staggering, walking or even limping. We were all going to finish this one no matter what it took.

By lap 7 it became apparent to me that I would have to push hard to get under 4 and at that point it just didn't seem that important, maybe because I had missed that goal on two of the previous marathons. I eased back and just enjoyed the crowds as in a weird sort of way, the sooner I finished the sooner the experience was going to end, it was a confusing emotion. Get on and finish so you can get out the heat and rest but don't rush and bring it all to an end.

By the time the last lap came around I was starting to properly over heat but with just 4km left, I pushed on to get the job done. 

Crossing the line for a final time was of course emotional and meeting my comrades who had also finished was fantastic, brothers in arms. We had shared so much over the last 7 days, we knew what it had taken to get to that final finish line. Complete strangers had become great friends, whilst we ostensibly had little in common, coming from different communities in different countries, the sort of person that embarks on an adventure such as this are a very small group. We were alike in many ways and post 777 the WhatsApp group was on fire with 'what next' to out tough what we had just completed. Plans were already in motion to meet at this or that event, there was almost a contest as to who could run a marathon soonest after completing this challenge.

So that's a wrap, am I back 100% physically, well not really but am I back 100% mentally, yes. I can sort to plan more adventures for 2025, not cycling as my balance is not good enough but if I a stay injury free then there's lots of running to be done! Some of my new friends below, Ger, Dan and Anne!