I took on board my second energy gel at 16 miles, and I don't know if it didn't agree with my stomach or something, but I suffered stomach cramps and was sick in my mouth about ten minutes after taking it!
During that difficult section of the run, it struck me just how isolated you can feel when running on your own, even in a field of some 38,000 runners, in the best supported race on the planet. I am not afraid to say that I really, genuinely felt like jacking it in at points through that period. I felt rubbish, and the thought of having to run another 8-9 miles when I felt sapped of energy already was incredibly daunting.
It seems crazy now looking back, but that is how I felt, and I'm sure there are many, many others that know that feeling from during their own runs at times too. That is part of the challenge of the marathon, answering your own mental demons and questions of how strong you are. But I dug deep and remembered Mr Affleck's words of advise - that when the going gets tough to remind yourself what your running for and all the hard work you had put in to preparing for this run.
I got things together again for mile 19 and 20, deciding to go for it and putting in my quickest miles of the race, clocking 5:41 and 5:44 respectively.
Just before mile 20 I heard on a tannoy that Paula Radcliffe had just passed through that mile marker - Paula Radcliffe!! - I knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to say that you have run within touching distance of one of the sports all time greats, so I worked hard and faught my way up to latch on to the pack.
Once I was there I felt comfortable in and amongst the pack. The noise that surrounded us was immense - certainly louder than anything I have ever experienced before, and you could just sense the amount of will power and support the crowd were offering to Paula to urge her on to the finish. It was impossible not to get caught up in it and pushed on yourself. The crowd was shouting "come on Paula!", but I'm sure it helped every single one of us that was in that group to find that little bit extra.
Mile 21 was a solid 5:53, but then the pace dropped off and this was the point where I really had to dig deep. Just as the motorbike with a big tv camera strapped on the back of it decided to plonk itself right in front of me...
I have to admit, I am not camera shy haha, my first thought was 'yay, hopefully this bit makes it on the tele!' The only problem being I expected it to follow us for a few seconds or minutes. Instead after a couple of miles, it dawned on me that this camera was going to be fixed on Paula and of course the rest of the group in and around her through to the finish. My legs were tightening up but I just knew I couldn't give up and let this opportunity to keep running with a legend pass up. I tired and tired, but more than anything I think in the last few miles it was sheer will power and determination not to give up that saw me through.
After recording 6:01 and 6:06 in miles 22 and 23, mile 24 was ultra tough and much slower, down to 6:42 for the mile.
From there on in though, we were into the final stretch and mile 25 saw the pace pick up again with a 5:42 mile.
It was at this point that it came in to my mind that the London marathon team, on its website, twitter and Facebook page, had been pleading and appealing all week for runners to mark the 35th anniversary of the 1st London Marathon by finishing hand in hand with another runner, just as Beardsley and Simonsen had done to win jointly in 1981. Surely not...?!
I made up my mind that if I managed to stay in and amongst it in this final mile then I would ask Paula if she wanted to finish with me.
A 6:12 mile later and there we were entering The Mall, a matter of a few hundred metres from the line, Paula had pushed on ahead by now and I had to find a bit of a sprint to catch up. At the same time I think she may have been easing off. Taking in the moment, soaking up that last bit of support before she retires?
Maybe, but whatever it was, it saw me alongside her with just 100m to go.
I shouted "Paula! Do you want to finish hand in hand?" And half expected that she wouldn't hear me.
And then she replied "Yes please".
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