Travel Day April 25^th  

Got through my goodbyes again as I hate that part and boarded a flight from Galway to London late that evening. Met up with some of the Croi team from Galway that were also running and we set of together. When we landed in the Hotel we all checked in and headed out to dinner.  I don’t think I laughed as much as I did on this journey, we had great fun travelling, eating, having conversations based on whether it was better to be tall or small, obviously I’m the latter!! This of course was sparked off by a young woman in the London tube not wearing much on her midlands region if at all and next thing you know we are all behind her as we head up an escalator, this of course was a better view for those of us vertically challenged, childish I know but boys will be boys, actually girls too as we had some female’s with us who were laughing just as much as we were. Anyway onward and upward…..after dinner back to the hotel and Bang……I went for 1 drink with another fine runner and friend Ray O Connor who was just back from running the Marathon De Sables as I was mad to find out how he got on. A few minutes passed and this big man approached us who Ray knew and he started chatting…I must admit I was afraid of him and he then looked at me in the eyes and said, are you Johnny Donnelly? JESUS HERE WE GO I THOUGHT, he started talking and telling me basically to stop running loads of marathons and do I good one, time wise, he was however joking as I realised after a while but my god I was growing old very quickly. He had run a marathon in 2hr 23mins, another guy also from the Dublin Marathon team had also run in 2hr 15mins,Another then another all of which had run amazing times were all chatting to me. The big man to me otherwise know as Mick Mc Carty was still at me to run a fast one, he started placing bets that one day we would both run together and do a, as he would call it, good time!! He was infectious to talk too, very interesting, wise and my good you could feel the focus he had on life as he spoke, a powerful man no less. Next thing you know its 4am, way past my bedtime to off to bed Mr. JD. April 26^th Got up at 8am and met up with Jim Aughney the director of the Lifestyle Sports Adidas Dublin City Marathon and some of the rest of the organisers of the Dublin Marathon and we headed off for a Jog in Regents Park next to the hotel. It was beautiful running through the park and chatting about life, running and Mr Big Mick Mc Carty. I got the sense he was or shall I say is a very well know and loved man...After that I headed out to the Marathon expo and collected my number and bed early as I was wrecked form the night before. April 27^th Race Day London Marathon Up 5am and got ready, wash, shave, food, etc… We all boarded a bus to the start of the race and got ready.Then 9.45am bang off we go.  We all Headed off from the different start points, each route initially follows a separate course, before all three merge to form one main route just before the three-mile mark on John Wilson Street. I was feeling very relaxed at this stage as normally I don’t  settle until about mile 6 or 7 however I think the ghost of Mick Mc Carty saying ‘DO A Proper One’  was etched in my head…  Heading along Woolwich Road the spectators   were in flying form and that really gave all the runners a good boast. All was going well And before long nearly nine miles had passed. At the ten-and-a-half-mile point, all’s well and then a few miles up the road we  approached  Tower Bridge and then passed  by Butlers Wharf and the Design Museum.  Once over Tower Bridge, we  see the Tower of London to our left, a lovely sight. I was feeling great at this stage very relaxed and enjoying the sun, god it’s great to dry out the joints before I get home to the rain….During mile 18, we run around canary wharf and again the crowds are just great, we pass by the tallest building – the 800ft tower known as One Canada Square then onward to mile 20.  At this stage a lot of the runners are chatting to each other to divert the attention in the minds to the pain that they may or may not be going through as were at the Wall!!!!!!!I spoke to so many runners which was great as the time and the miles were passing by quickly. Mile 24 Jesus  how did that happen I thought, great nearly there. The crowds now were now big and bold. The sight of Parliament Square and Big Ben were a good indication that the finish line is not too far away, with around a mile to go. As I was nearly finished I heard a good friend of mine and his family call my name so I stopped for a quick chat, it was lovely to seeSomeone I knew who was not running. Quick how are you? And show must go on.  Next up the Mall in front of the royal residence Buckingham palace and then finish line, Done!!Great marathon, very well organised, great crowds, weather,And time my fastest yet 3hr 6mins, Mick Mc Carty did it to me,Thanks My man you scared the daylights out of me but also inspired me….. See you next year for sure………