A day at the London Marathon
At 10am on Sunday 21st April, an emotional hush fell on Greenwich Park, as over 36,000 competitors of the London Marathon paid their respects to those affected by the explosions at the Boston Marathon just six days previously.
The tragic event, which claimed the lives of three people and injured over 180 others, turned a day of joy and success into one of terror and hurt, as the city of Boston was torn apart by two separate detonations close to the finish-line of the 26.2 mile race.
The aftershock of the blasts not only affected the people of Boston, but also called into question the likelihood of this year’s marathon in London taking place, with many arguing that the risks were not worth taking.
Less than a week later, the multi-coloured sea of runners, many sporting black ribbons, perfectly respected the 30-second silence which marked the unique start to the 2013 London Marathon. Once more, sport was going to provide a symbol of human strength and resilience.
I was fortunate enough to be one of the 700,000 spectators who lined the streets of the capital to support those running for a wealth of charities and causes, and the atmosphere I experienced is one that I will never forget.
Having been to several London Marathons in the past, I knew to expect a lot of noise and excitement, but there was an added layer this year: there was a poignancy to it all after the shocking events in Boston.
The variety of fancy-dress was as hilarious as ever. At one point near the 9 mile marker, Jack Sparrow and a man dressed as a fire-extinguisher almost tripped each other up, whilst several 9-foot beer bottles reminded the runners what was waiting for them upon the finish on the Mall.
Throughout the day, the smiling faces of runners and spectators alike told the simple story: nothing was going to prevent people from enjoying this brilliant day.
Even the extra police presence did not detract from the race-day. Despite a 40% increase on security from last year’s event, their reserved role allowed us all the reassurance that our safety was not being put at risk.
At the front of the pack, Ethiopia’s Tsegaye Kebede won the men’s race in 2:06:03, whilst a time of 2:20:14 was enough for Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya to succeed in the women’s event.
However, the day truly belonged to the 36,000 runners who crossed the line in the hours following Kebede and Jeptoo.
As Steve Cram said on the BBC’s coverage of the race, “if you’re trying to break the human spirit, marathon runners are the wrong group to pick on”. On Sunday, his words could not have been truer.
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