London Edition - Marathon

Total Step Count for London: 64,372

Total Mileage: 29.3

For the first time ever, upon arriving in London, I had no one to direct me where to go and what to do. Remembering I wore my very cute and vintage new balances, I clicked my heels and knew it was time to get wigglin'. Making way through customs, I headed to the trains and bought my first OFFICIAL oyster card like I knew what to do...only to find out now you just need your credit card to "tippy tappy" everywhere! Either way I got on the newest town jewel "The Lizzie Line" and was at Tottenham Court Road within 30 minutes.

I often say, there is something very empowering to feeling like you know how to navigate your way through a massive city. However, let me remind you - my life is never more on the line than my first 30 minutes walking through this part of the world! If it wasn't for the lady yelling at me to "mind the gap" or the streets screaming "look left" ...there'd be a whole new meaning to a flat Shenan!

When my best mate, Ruth finally tracked me down; we had a wander through the city visiting the areas of Carnaby street, SoHo, Regent Street and Marlborough Street - which is where you will find Liberty of London. This is an awesome spot just to walk through. The Tudor building itself, looking like it was from the Shakespearean Era, was in fact built in the 1920's to house one of the largest fabric design shops in the world. Inside you are met with an open foyer looking up 5 stories to a beautiful skylight. Having shifted from just fabrics, Liberty of London is now a full on department store containing clothing for all genders, housewares, a haberdasherie (probably one of my favorite words of all time!) and a restaurant perfect for afternoon tea! We then made our way over to Trafalgar Square, a location I have become very familiar with. It's a long story but just know when they tell you to "meet under the clock" it usually means down in the train station and never any of the 27 clocks you'll find walking around up top. Ok, moving on...

We were up bright and early the next morning for a ParkRun at Foots Cray Meadows. This is a volunteer-ran offering in both the UK and Europe held on Saturdays at various local parks. If you are traveling any time in the near future, check them out at parkrun | home it’s just a fun way to stay active, meet locals and explore the surrounding areas.

It has become tradition to visit my pal, Cathy when I am in town. We had to track her down this time as she was co-leading a Guide Camp for this year's New Eltham Girl Guide troupe. This is a stepping-stone weekend where the girls learn the basics of building up and taking down camp, preparing meals and learning other basic survival skills. Ruth has known Cathy since she was 12 years old and it showed as she stepped right in, Cathy directing her around the lot with chores and tasks. Like she never left!

London Marathon

This is the second time I have had the privilege to spectate at the London Marathon. First time in 2017 when Ruth ran the 26.2 miles for a charity known as Whizz Kids - a non profit organization providing speciliazed wheelchairs for children with movement disabilities.

This time? This time?! Shit, I don't even know where to begin.

Last year, Ruth gained entry to this coveted race via lottery, a pretty challenging thing to obtain in and of itself! Unable to do Allllllll the Thingsssss, she deferred to this year so she could redirect her focus and train for it the way she prefers to train; consistently, diligently and like a wound up duracell bunny - not stopping until she hit the finish line!  However, something happened along the way that massively de-railed her efforts. In July of 2023, she was in a pretty massive and life altering bicycle accident where a car pulled out in front of her and sent her up and over the bonnet. This accident resulted in 6 weeks of Hospital stay, 4 surgeries and many months away from her home, work and life as she knew it.

But Ruth understood one thing as she sat there pondering her future (literally having hours on end to do so!). She paid for this damn race, she got in to this damn race and no matter how she was going to get round albeit wheelchair, crutches, crawling or walking - she was going to finish this damn race!

Fast forward to end of November, Ruth is up and walking around, still using crutches as needed, and free to move back in to her home - one of the many things she thought she might have to give up as her townhouse is a 3 story walk up in the sky! She begins her training focusing on increasing her distances overtime and using walking over public transport to get to her many physio appointments and daily errands. Y'all! My friend was even diligent in doing her home exercises! As her personal trainer from the past, I think I was more impressed with that than this whole entire situation! Haha! (I'm joking...mostly).

It's a funny thing that happens when you're observing someone come back from an injury that could have changed everything. When you're watching someone who is your best mate from your formative years, one of the most capable people you've ever met who now literally and figuratively has to learn how to put one foot in front on the other again. You get inspired right along side them. Enter Kirsty - 1/3rd of the trio that makes Ruth, Kirsty and Deb, best mates since secondary school. These girls have formed a bond that transcends time and space. It's because of this bond that Kirsty was with Ruth nearly every day while she was in Hospital. She sat by her side providing support, laughs, cries, ummmm necessary hygiene needs like hair washing and leg shaving! ...and maybe even on occasion, behind closed curtains, they had a little "gin in a tin" party. Shhhhhhh - don't tell the adults!

Unbeknownst to Ruth at the time, Kirsty had decided on her own to throw her hat in the ring for a charity spot in the marathon. Maybe she knew what was to lie ahead...maybe she didn't. Regardless, she was going to continue to support her mate on this journey. I don't know Kirsty entirely but I can gather, if I were in her shoes the moment the email came through with "Congratulations, you're in", I would have first been elated and then immediately thought "What the actual F*CK did I just get myself into?!"

Race Day - April 22nd 2024

A return to sporting events with a mindset of "no one gets to decide my fate or my future but me" and a best mate/sister who'd been by her side from day one - Ruth and Kirsty toe the start line.

Now, If you know me, you know I take my spectathlete role very VERY seriously. For me, this was one of the more fun ones to cheer on!  Not simply because I got to see my favorite beer drinking, stair climbing buddy obtain a feat not many medical professionals expected her to but also because of the additional support she had surrounding her. Her parents, her tri-club mates, her crew from Fun Friends, Kirsty's partner and son, Deb and her husband. We were all there in support of these two women who completed something pretty epic in their own individual way.

I managed to cover about 13 miles that day, catching our girls at different points through out the race. As I mentioned earlier, I am getting quite confident in my navigating of this large city and it was put to the test on race day. Running to get to the different trains and tubes (I never got on the wrong one, go me!) I navigated back roads and alleys to avoid the massive crowds and I was always right on time to see them pass by in all their glory!

Even at mile 25, where I met them with a pink "gin in a tin" to cheers them on their final mile. After all, this was a cause worth celebrating at every mile.

Cheers!