It started at 6.30 am so that I could have a bowl of porridge and honey (high in carbohydrates) 3 hours before the start. At 7.50 am I got to Dartford station (free travel for runners!!) and was greeted with a platform full of people carrying London Marathon bags. Why had I never seen these people when I’ve been training? By the time the train had arrived at Blackheath there was standing room only. I followed the queue of runners up onto Blackheath and entered into the Blue Start Zone. There are three starts Red, Blue and Green. Thought it a good time to visit the toilet, as there was quite a queue. Then had a sit down to take in the atmosphere and gave in my bag, which had a change of clothes at the appropriate lorry. Unfortunately, the PA announces that if you needed the toilet to start queuing or you’d miss the start. This obviously played on my mind and had the unwanted effect and I joined the queue!!! Emerged just in time to wander to the start and enter my allocated start zone of number 8. There was only 9 zones so I was right at the back so far back I didn’t hear the start gun/hooter. 11 minutes later I crossed the line and broke into a gentle trot and joined the runners from Green start.  I have never run with this amount of people before and it was daunting and exciting. Tripping on other’s heels or tripping up yourself was a real problem.  Also the amount of people watching and cheering was a new experience. It didn’t stop, both sides of the road until the end. 52 miles of people on the roads, on balconies, in offices, outside pubs, music everywhere, a wonderful atmosphere.  Most were holding out sweets for sugar energy or cut pieces of orange. I must have passed thousands and thousands of people.  

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As you are no doubt aware from other posts on this site, Keith Furlong – ASL Earley Troop has been training exceptionaly hard for the Flora London Marathon and in doing so, foregoing many personal comforts to raise money for the New Hall Fund.  I am pleased to report that Keith not only completed the Marathon, but did so in just 4 hrs and 20 minutes.  I hope you will all join me in not only congratulating Keith on this monumental achievement, but thanking him for picking up the gauntlet and well and truly running with it so that “The 5th” can continue to move forward and offer the quality of scouting that many generations have become accustomed to. 

Thank you Keith.

As soon as Keith has had a chance to relax and soak his undoubtedly sore feet and legs, we can hopefully expect a full account of his effort and what he actually went through to achieve what he has done.

It’s not to late!  If you haven’t yet sponsored Keith – perhaps this is the first you have heard of it – you can still sponsor, donate, contribute or just simply give – as little or as much as you can by clicking here.  Just because Keith has crossed the finish line does not mean we have reached our goal – please give to a local cause, for your children and the children in your community – thankyou.