8-05-06

LONDON MARATHON 23^RD April 06  -   ‘NO WHEELS ON  MY  ZIMMER’    BUT I KEPT ROLLIN ALONG! 

My 31st London Marathon (other Everpresents #26) was completed in the relatively slow time of 4.45.04 on a rainy but mild day.   However I was carrying (yes carrying) a standard Zimmer frame as my wheeled version was judged ineligible by London Marathon Ltd.    I did attempt to get special dispensation for the Zimmer and Aged Concern but to no avail ‘ you’ll be disqualified and banned for life’ was the kindly reminder of the rules!

So it was a case of 'No wheels on my wagon' for 26.2.   As a result I rigged up a harness from found bits the night before and up kept a steady 10+ minute miling all the way - due to my rigorous training, general superb fitness and a    handy store of jelly babies!    After 20 miles they perform miracles – honest!

Before the start the Everpresent’s met at the Greenwich Park Grandstand for a group photo – but unfortunately only 10 showed.

            During the run the spectators and runners gave me fantastic support and many couldn’t believe I was carrying a zimmer.  ‘Vos ist das?’  A  German runner  asked – ‘ja woll’ I responded.   ‘Les Anglais sont fou!’  two French runners commented.   ‘Qui,  mais je n’est pas le trop fou’  I replied, thinking of St. George pulling the Dragon who is going to take a week to finish!   They’re not all locked up yet are they?   

Not having had time to practise on the wheel-less zimmer I’d little idea of the possible problems en route so kept to a relatively sedate pace early on.   The neck strap I’d attached slipped around a bit until the rain fixed it and at fourteen miles I stopped and raised the height to stop it grounding.   After that it was mind over matter.  

            Again, the route had been changed again this year just to confuse the masses so at 12.5 miles the route took the right hand of Commercial Road into the East End and into the Isle of Dogs loop the opposite way, exiting past Canary Wharf which as usual was jammed to the rafters.  The noise was deafening!    

            Then under the Blackwall tunnel underpass and later the Blackfriars underpass I managed to kickstart a Ogi! Ogi! Ogi! the runners marathon chant.    In fact it’s become so popular a DJ en route near the 11 mile mark exorted passing runners to Ogi! naturally they responded.   

The London has now become as much a street party as a marathon run.   Along the route spectators had dressed up and waved flags, placards, names ‘Hello Dad’ and the burgeoning charity worker groups with masses of message balloons screaming their heads off when their runners passed.   Big bands, brass bands, steel bands, disco music, bagpiper groups, rock groups, R & B bands – you name it they were there with the spectators urging the runners to go faster than their fading legs would carry them.

Helpful runners offered and passed me drinks – taking pity on me with some  running and  chatting with me for a while.   Distractions like that helped to pass the time and displace the pain!

Surprisingly, despite my partner Janet and friends Dick and Ellen being at the Cutty Sark (7 miles), Island Gardens on the Isle of Dogs (16 miles) and near Cleopatras Needle (25 miles)  I never saw them even though they saw me.    Unless spectators have some clearly noticeable marker – big notice/ large balloons/ giant umbrella etc. runners just see a sea of faces flashing past.   Despite the rain the course seemed more crowded this year with hardly a gap on the 26 miles.   

For 1^st time runners or those whose training hasn’t been enough there’s plenty of carbo nourishment on the route – apart from the official lucozade stands – such as orange segs., bananas, chewits, lollypops, mars bars and best of all jelly babies which give you a real sugar surge – especially for those who really hit the wall!

I'm now known as the Zimmerman - what a Burden - and was very briefly   interviewed   on BBC TV.,  by Colin Jackson (ex world record holder) on Tower Bridge at the 12 mile mark.   He was rightly gobsmacked by my attire and almost lost for words.

I was still running around 10 minute miling from 20 so had the really delightful feeling of passing hundreds of static, walking, shuffling runners – not so nice when your one of them!   The miles at this ‘speed’ seem to flash by.     I stopped briefly at the Aged Concern groupies at 25 mile mark who collectively gave me a rousing cheer and thumbs up – I speeded up – briefly!

At the finish the crowds raised a cheer as the route DJ called out ‘here’s the Zimmerman’ and crossing the line Sally Gunnell shouted ‘well done Zimmerman’.    Off came the computer chip (no chip no time) which gives your personal times from the start and at 10 km, 25 km, 35km., and the finish – this removes the previous anomaly whereby delays for the back markers were added to your overall time.  

Finally the London Evening Standard met me for a follow up to their Friday article on the Everpresents.   Got the medal over the Galloping Gourmet hat and felt really good!  The Zimmer felt better!

            At the Aged Concern HQ they were over the moon with the TV publicity and provided lots of TLC with lovely cups of tea and buffet snacks and massage & photos and seats!

Anyway, most importantly I've raised around £600 so far for Aged Concern - I might need them sooner than later - so I’d like to thank all my sponsors unreservedly for their generosity, good wishes and support before, during and after the marathon.   Well done!

Many thanks and best wishes.

Dale (Galloping Gourmet)  aka Zimmerman

p.s. Overall this was my 71st marathon and it seems the Everpresents  are now down to 24 as four either didn’t start or finish.   So bring on 2007!

26/4/06

Dale’s run statistics.   10 miles 1 hr. 45 mins./  13.1 miles 2 hr. 13 mins./   20 miles 3 hr.31mins./

                        Last 6 miles. 1 hr.14 mins.   Overall mile pace  10.87 mins.

A QUARTER CENTURY OF LONDON MARATHONS ‘ THE GREAT BUSTARD. FLIES AGAIN ‘

Fortunately the weather pundits got it wrong again. The 17th April 2005 dawned clear, sunny and windless on Blackheath – perfick for the record 42,000 entrants assembled around the Churchill hot air dog.

The previous evening 14 of the 29 Everpresents were feted by Dave Bedford the Marathon supremo for supporting all 25 Londons with a lavish East End feast – plus a ‘lecture’ on how lucky we were to get automatic entry every year – thanks Dave! This year I spurned the Galloping Gourmet chefs gear and pancake in favour of the more flamboyant Great Bustard costume – my sponsored charity. In view of my 5hr 12 min. PW (personal worst) time, was this the right decision? Eggs from Russia are being hatched into Little Bustards (extinct in the UK for 200 years) and reintroduced to Salisbury Plains. So far so good eight years on for the Bustards. Had I done the right training since my knee injections of hydroluric acid? A testing 20 mile Ashby race in 3 hours and long 17 & 22 mile cross country runs were about right. So what went wrong – I was confident of a 4 hour time + or – 10mins.? My Bustard gear weighed a mere 1.5 lbs with little wind resistance so was the problem a low carbo load?

The EP’s (Everpresents) were given a Green start so I snuck into the Celebs. Area with 10 mins. to go and chatted to Master Chef Gordon Ramsey who remembered me tossing (pancakes) in the Great North last year (after a little memory jog). The Cheeky Girls were just ahead – great motivation, and with a hard man from The Bill to one side I was obviously in select company. The marathon attracts the great & the recognised with Sue Barker interviewing Steve Redgrave and the EP’s granted an official photo-shoot under the Green startline – thanks again Dave.

The Mayor of Greenwich officiated the start in some heraldic finery which I had admired at close quarters earlier and I was off flapping. Cruising through Charlton for a 8.40 min. first mile I gradually subsided to 10 min. miles by the 6th at Greenwich and I already knew things weren’t going according to the 9 min. mile plan. As I slowed, passing runners pushed & shoved past – inconsiderate b******s. Others, plus a few EP’s gave a merry salute. Spectators pointed and laughed with ‘Go you Bustard’ – and other words! Children shouted - ‘look a duck!’ I flapped onwards, increasingly disjointed. At 10 miles I passed a fallen runner . I learned later that a doctor acquaintance who was also a ‘virgin’ marathoner had given him the kiss of life. The 59 year old was later pronounced dead.

Considering the numbers involved i.e. 572,000 finishers in 25 years, there have been few fatalities or serious injuries.

On to Tower Bridge at 12 miles and the legs feel they’ve done 26. Then, Sally (Gunnell) for BBC TV stops me and asks ‘What’s a Bustard’ I tell her, flap my wings and stumble on. This year the course has been ‘improved’ so no Tower; no cobbles; no Katherine Dock chicane; no Beefeaters PLUS the whole of the City/ Docklands loop has been reversed – very confusing. Paula didn’t like it either so take heed London!

I’d arranged to meet my Daughters Kyla & Iona & Grandchildren Joe, Marisa & Anna at Canary Wharf the 16 mile mark but as this was now the 18.5 mile mark they’ll have given up waiting I thought. Rounding the last bend before the Tower there they were shouting and screaming, waving a decorative homemade Bustard banner and grinning a welcome – more I think from relief. A cooling draught of water and a chewy fig bar later I trotted off feeling fresher and grateful for the boost! Eight miles to go seems forever especially as the miles had lengthened to 14 mins. – my legs were leaden but why I asked? I’d done the training. Answer came there none! Briefly I was tempted by a notice ‘free massage for those worn legs here’.

Twenty of so male & female runners legs were being caressed & soothed by oiled hands. A marathon official raised the tape when he saw me but I stupidly resisted and stubbled on and into the last 7 miles turning towards the City. Commercial Road stretches for ever through the East End’s monotony, grime and lack lustre parade of tatty shops and housing. However, we were briefly encouraged to see ‘runners’ passing on the other carriageway 8 miles BEHIND us being chased by the marathon Clean-up trucks – how embarrassing! By now the Bustard wings are chaffing my elbows and I’m getting a sunburned neck after almost 4 hours – Jeez I should be finished and onto the beers already! Instead I work out I’ve another 60 mins. of suffering at least. I’m stopped again at 22.5 miles for another BBC interview and am glad of the brief respite. The next 2 miles are a blur enlivened by a roistorous ‘Ogi. ogi, ogi under Blackfriars tunnel. Along the Embankment the crowds are 4 deep and enjoying the shambling, walking and stumbling (few are running) at 24 miles. Then there’s my partner Janet, her sons Daniel & Pat with Susannah & Jo, my friend Dick, Ellen and assorted supporters. As I cry out ‘I’m b****cks’ camera’s flash, water is offered, well dones are shouted and I’m off for another 1.5 miles of agony. The legs have died so what’s keeping them moving. Mind over matter that’s what! As Cleopatra’s needle hoves into view I suffer the final indignity – I’m passed by a taxi cab lookalike and worst of all the Rhino – it’s a very long time since the Camel went by. The Bustard dies of shame!

At the finish the tannoy announces my arrival shortly followed by two Wombles. My time of 5 hours 12 minutes 46 secs. Is 2 hours 15 min. 31 secs slower than my fastest marathon 21 years ago and my slowest single marathon of the 69 I’ve run to date. My 70th will be a lot faster – you have my word!

I collect my bag off the last truck – of course, and am accosted by an Italian runner who wants to know how many marathons I’ve done – despite speaking virtually no English. We converse in sign language writing numbers in the dirt. He has done 65. Ha! I’ve done 69 – molto bene! Feeling better I stagger off to find my family thinking - will I be back again next year!?*?? Of course you will stupid!

SOME RACE STATS. Women’s winner Paula Radcliffe 2.17.46 World record. Men’s winner Not English. Fastest UK man John Brown 2.10. p.b. DALES SPLIT TIMES. 5 Mile 45 mins. 10 miles 1.37. Half 2.12. 15 mile 2.35 20 mile 3.41. Last 1.2 mile 17 mins.! 1st half 2.12 2nd half 3.00 hrs. Average mile speed 11 mins. 54 secs. ‘Everpresents’ remaining, 28!

Dale (Galloping Gourmet) Lyons aka Great Bustard. As a result of some inspired sponsorship the Great Bustard Group charity will be over £600 better off – well done all my sponsors!!!

For the 1st 20 miles Dale was cruising to a sub 4 hour finish with pancake flipping energetically - then a combination of mobile phone interference, the onset of drenching rain, pancake fatigue and general debilitation slowed him down through the Isle of Dogs and the City.

He was further disoriented by being passed by an assortment of 2nd rate fun runners in the shape of Wombles; Telephone Kiosks; Geriatric ladies; Calendar Girls; Superman and worst of all Batman & Robin! However he did not suffer the grosser indignity by being well ahead of IDS and Lord Archer - thank God!

Dale's time put him respectably in the 1st 50% of finishers (15,883rd) with over 15,000 behind him! This was the 24 London Marathon and Dale's 29th having run 4 doubles & 1 triple London on the same day - they're not all locked up yet! So it's now 67 marathons and counting.

At the finish Dale was met by his partner Janet (speedy) Tomlinson and his daughter Kyla, Simon and grand children Joe and Anna who were mightily impressed with the medal and soggy pancake - still edible. Afterwards he had a fabulous welcome at the UK Cancer post marathon reception and was treated to an elite massage and weak tea - fortunately just missing the torrential downpour which 'drowned' many late finishers (they should have run faster!).

The important thing is, over £420.00 has been raised for the Bobby Moore Cancer Fund so Dale thanks all his generous sponsors - family, friends, neighbours and fellow Rotarians. (cheques should be made out to the 'Bobby Moore Fund - UK Cancer ').

Dales next marathon will be in New York City in November - for the 7th time - but not tossing this time!

May 5th 2004 Dale (Galloping Gourmet) Lyons