A Dream Fulfilled
March 31 2012 - four weeks after having had major surgery to remove my colon I should have been fulfilling a lifetime dream to run in an Olympic stadium. I had been lucky enough to get a place to run in the National Lottery Olympic Park Run - a 5 mile run finishing in the New London 2012 stadium. I'd been so excited to do this and had been training hard pretty much right up till I went into hospital! When I came out of hospital our focus was on getting me fit and although I an kept trying to think of ways to get me to the park it was realistically a few weeks too soon! we went up to London anyway and I was gutted as the train went past the stadium but it was far more important that I was alive to spend a weekend with my family than I ran in a stadium.
Like everyone in the UK we followed the amazing events of London 2012 from France and experienced the magic of the Paralympics for ourselves, spending a weekend experiencing goal ball, basketball and the athletics, savouring the amazing atmosphere and enjoying the roar of 80000 people in the stadium! Having been part of that amazing summer I had moved on from the Olympic Park Run until I received a Facebook message earlier this year from the Olympic Park Run organisers saying they were hosting an Anniversary Run on July 21. There were 10000 places going on sale the next day on a first come first served basis. I had a second chance, I called Ian and like me he was so excited. All I had to do was get a place.....
After spending most of a day at work I did manage to get a place....it was meant to be...and began training. Back in May July 21 seemed ages away...but gradually the day came closer.
Finally on Saturday July 20 we piled ourselves and my running gear into the car and we drove down to Ilford to the Premier Inn there, opposite Redbridge station, four stops from Stratford station. We got up early on the Sunday morning, by 7.30 we were waiting with other runners for the gates to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to open... And then all of a sudden we were in! Walking the same route we had walked down nearly a year ago for the Paralympics.
We headed towards the stadium so that Ian and Fiona could get good seats ... Front row was pretty good and we sat and soaked up the atmosphere, watching other runners and spectators slowly fill up the seats around us. Then it was time for me to head off to the start ... It was slightly emotional heading off, I had tears in my eyes knowing that the next time I saw the stadium and Ian and Fiona I would be on the track, finally fulfilling that dream.
At around 10.30 on Sunday 21 July 2013 Sir Chris Hoy sounded the horn to set my wave of runners off. I had got myself near the front of the wave so I could get a picture of Sir Chris and so that I could find a reasonable space to run in. I managed to shake Sir Chris's hand as we went past then we were off round the park...I had a massive grin on my face all the way round! I wasn't worried about the time but Runkeepr told me I was running well! I was enjoying this! Round the velodrome, past where the football pitches had been, past the Copper box, under the orbit and finally towards the stadium. The stadium never fails to bring a smile to my face - its so inspiring .. especially since the Olympics and Paralympics! We were taken under the stands and round the service routes glimpsing the track through a gap and hearing a tantalising roar from the crowds. As we were approaching the entrance to the track we could hear the music and the roar of the crowd starting to build up. Just before we came out I could hear Bond playing Chariots of Fire and then the roar of the crowd hit us as we turned onto the track! 300m to go ... I knew where Ian and Fiona were sitting so was looking for them and then I saw them. Fiona was waving and blew me a kiss, Ian was grinning and waving. I waved back and then burst into tears. I had done it! I was running on the track and was about to cross the finish line.
I had done it for myself but also for Ian and Fiona .. To have them watch me fulfill that dream and experience the day with me. I ran a pb 53.36, but more importantly I had finally done what colitis had tried to stop me from doing a year before.
IBD didn't stop me! I followed in the footsteps of legends. I was first #backtothestadium. I ran on the Olympic track ...there is very little that beats that feeling!
Like everyone in the UK we followed the amazing events of London 2012 from France and experienced the magic of the Paralympics for ourselves, spending a weekend experiencing goal ball, basketball and the athletics, savouring the amazing atmosphere and enjoying the roar of 80000 people in the stadium! Having been part of that amazing summer I had moved on from the Olympic Park Run until I received a Facebook message earlier this year from the Olympic Park Run organisers saying they were hosting an Anniversary Run on July 21. There were 10000 places going on sale the next day on a first come first served basis. I had a second chance, I called Ian and like me he was so excited. All I had to do was get a place.....
After spending most of a day at work I did manage to get a place....it was meant to be...and began training. Back in May July 21 seemed ages away...but gradually the day came closer.
Finally on Saturday July 20 we piled ourselves and my running gear into the car and we drove down to Ilford to the Premier Inn there, opposite Redbridge station, four stops from Stratford station. We got up early on the Sunday morning, by 7.30 we were waiting with other runners for the gates to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to open... And then all of a sudden we were in! Walking the same route we had walked down nearly a year ago for the Paralympics.
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| Entering the park! |
We headed towards the stadium so that Ian and Fiona could get good seats ... Front row was pretty good and we sat and soaked up the atmosphere, watching other runners and spectators slowly fill up the seats around us. Then it was time for me to head off to the start ... It was slightly emotional heading off, I had tears in my eyes knowing that the next time I saw the stadium and Ian and Fiona I would be on the track, finally fulfilling that dream.
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| Doing the Mobot! |
At around 10.30 on Sunday 21 July 2013 Sir Chris Hoy sounded the horn to set my wave of runners off. I had got myself near the front of the wave so I could get a picture of Sir Chris and so that I could find a reasonable space to run in. I managed to shake Sir Chris's hand as we went past then we were off round the park...I had a massive grin on my face all the way round! I wasn't worried about the time but Runkeepr told me I was running well! I was enjoying this! Round the velodrome, past where the football pitches had been, past the Copper box, under the orbit and finally towards the stadium. The stadium never fails to bring a smile to my face - its so inspiring .. especially since the Olympics and Paralympics! We were taken under the stands and round the service routes glimpsing the track through a gap and hearing a tantalising roar from the crowds. As we were approaching the entrance to the track we could hear the music and the roar of the crowd starting to build up. Just before we came out I could hear Bond playing Chariots of Fire and then the roar of the crowd hit us as we turned onto the track! 300m to go ... I knew where Ian and Fiona were sitting so was looking for them and then I saw them. Fiona was waving and blew me a kiss, Ian was grinning and waving. I waved back and then burst into tears. I had done it! I was running on the track and was about to cross the finish line.
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| Joy as I entered the stadium! |
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| Overcome with the emotion of it all! |
I had done it for myself but also for Ian and Fiona .. To have them watch me fulfill that dream and experience the day with me. I ran a pb 53.36, but more importantly I had finally done what colitis had tried to stop me from doing a year before.
IBD didn't stop me! I followed in the footsteps of legends. I was first #backtothestadium. I ran on the Olympic track ...there is very little that beats that feeling!
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