Want to have a little weep (of joy?) Watch Darin's video diary of his amazing day of achievement at the Great South Run with myself and Trevor. What's the greatest thing you've ever done?
Length: 2:49
This is the link to the video diary that Chris and Sandra took of the day and this is the first time I have seen it since I have been back and I'm not ashamed to say that I am now writing this blog in floods of tears again. I hope you can open the link above if not check out my facebook page or twitter account to access it.
Now to try and put into words what the 30th October 2011 meant to me and will mean to me until my dying day, at least the video helps out on that one a little.
My day started at 04:15 in the morning I cannot remember being so excited since my childhood and Christmas mornings, not even the 2008 FA cup final day had me this excited, like all good days the day went way to quickly but will stay with me forever. We (that's hazel and me) arrived at Southsea common car park nice and early having parked the car a calmness overcame me this was the only anxiety of the whole day.
We made our way over to castle field to the Diabetes UK charity tent and was made welcome there, this was also the meeting place, this was the reason I was so early I wanted to meet everyone who was going to be running with or because of me and everyone who was turning up to support team Thinking Slimmer. As the morning moves on I get to meet people who I have only met on facebook or twitter so to meet them face to face is amazing plus meeting up with friends and family this was a truly humbling experience. to have Hazel my Mum, Sandra, Lorraine and Trevor all together in the same place at the same time was very important to me, my daughter Alison and my grandson's were on holiday so could not be there and also my Dad,the most important people in my life and the reason why this is all happening. Also Becca, Caroline and Vik who were running because of me thank you all so much it is a pleasure and a honour to know you all. Also to Dawn in Dundee who could not make it down you were there in spirit and we were thinking of you, we will meet up soon I'm sure.
Its now time to get to our waiting area for the start of the run the anticipation is now building up and I am looking forward to the start of the run, we move down Avenue Du Caen and round the corner to the start line, and then the start line approaches and we start running, Becca, Lorraine, Trevor and myself we lost Caroline and Vik at the start but catch up at the end. Lorraine is keeping the time we run we go for 15 minutes then a minute walk as we approach 15 minutes everything is good and we stretch another 5 minutes before we walk, as we approach the Hard Interchange Trevor needed the loo he says keep going he will catch me up, we carry on into the dockyard as we are running around HMS Victory a voice in my ear says I'm back I swear I thought I had my mp3 recording in my ear. Trevor is the voice of the slimpod we run out of the the dockyard falling a little behind Becca and Lorraine, I tell Lorraine that I'm good so she runs with Becca and Trevor stays with me taking over the timing for the 1 minute recovery walk, we run up Queen's Street and I am still feeling good and confidant that my training has stood me in good stead to complete the run with dignity and pride in myself with no regrets at the end of the run. We go into Winston Churchill Avenue they have portaloos I need to go as theirs still 6 miles to go I reckon that cost me 4 minutes as there was a queue that would make my finish time even more impressive if I did not need to stop. Off we go again up to the roundabout then back on the other side we see Becca and Lorraine on the other side Becca is looking good Lorraine has run marathon's before although she has been ill and had little training she to was going well, we head off down the terraces passing the 5 mile mark half way and feeling good and loving the experience. My time for this is none to shabby so I get another boost by this.
The next couple of miles fly by this is going really well and my biggest fear of not completing the run is fading WHY I thought this I have no idea I have done the training and done the distance so its not hard maybe its the pressure of doing the run with everybody travelling to run or support me. we reach the 8 mile marker my whole body takes a big sigh the hardest part of the run the last 2 miles the hardest part of the course as we round Eastney onto the seafront, and a smile on my face the last 2 miles I could do blindfolded, this is the start of my training runs I have run backwards and forwards along the seafront in my training I know every lamppost every parking meter every step of the way to the finish line, we hit the 9 mile mark and the jelly baby station both Trevor and myself get given some jelly babies we eat the jelly babies then concentrate on the homeward stretch Trevor talks to me word weaving its like the mp3 is plugged in to my ear but in surround sound and 3D. we take the last turn and have about 800 meters (I think) to the finish line. I see my Mum I blow her a kiss and I start to well up a little further I see Hazel I blow her a kiss as well and then the finish line approach's Trevor runs across grabs me hand and we cross the line arms in the air together.
I am now in tears I give Trevor a big hug and I thank him for making this possible without Trevor this would not have happened, we walk through and collect our bag and medal I know my time unofficially and know it is at the top end of what I knew I had done in training so I was so happy to have done myself proud and know I have cheated no one who had sponsored me to complete the run. We walk across to castle field to the where we were going to meet up, the first person to greet me is my Mum and the tears flowed I knew how proud she was of me and I was proud to have done something so special for her.
Next up was Lorraine (see the video) "are you crying" "yes" "well stop it" got to love doctors its so funny, I give her a big hug and again thanked her, It was Lorraine that said at the start of the year when I started my journey that I could do the Great South Run and again a couple of months later when I entered the run straight after I received her email, Lorraine saw something in me that I did not know I had and I am eternally grateful for that. Next was Sandra what can I say Sandra most probably started crying as we started and kept going all day (sorry Sandra) Another big hug another thank you, these people saw in me what I could not and had faith in me when I thought i would let them all down.
The race details as etched in my head and my heart I swear I will never forget this time 2 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds 15251 position and in my heart the knowledge that I did the best I could have done this was a good run it was a shame I needed the loo but that's life and I have no regrets what so ever about the day. I still cannot believe that I am typing this 12 days after the race and I am wailing like a baby. Remember if I can do this You too can do this and turn you life around.
At the time of writing this my Fundraising total for Diabetes UK is a massive £761.00 Thank you to everyone who has donated money and had the faith in me to complete the run, to those who have not or would like to sponsor me its not to late Information details for anybody interested are Facebook: Darin McCloud Twitter: unitedarinm Blog: http://www.blogger.com/home Just Giving webpage: http://www.justgiving.com/Darin-McCloud Just Giving text: Text SLIM65 £5 to 70070 (any amount where £5 goes) Slimpod: http://www.ThinkingSlimmer.com
My next goal is the Brighton Half Marathon on the 19th February 2012 so anyone can use the just giving page at any time.
Thank you all for reading this far down I appreciate it I really do.
THINKING SLIMMER LOVING LIFE.
What an amazing story to read and I am so happy I 'met' you (missed you while you were on hols btw!)
ReplyDeleteSounds to me like the achievements are going to just keep on going now. What an amazing man you are