Harriet completed the London Marathon

In April this year I ticked off one of my ‘want to do in my life’ events, and after many, many years of watching the London marathon I finally ran it myself.

I was lucky that after a number of years of trying I got a place in the general ballot for 2010 but even as the training started and went well I still doubted if I would be able to run 26.2 miles – it’s a long way after all!  Having run it now I realise that in fact the training was the hardest bit – running on your own in the winter is not fun or pleasant and it’s sometimes hard to remember why you are doing it.  But from the moment I turned up at Blackheath on 25 April 2010 that all disappeared.

Sheltering in the pouring rain before the start with other people hiding under a bin lid to keep dry was fun; the atmosphere of anticipation as we edged forward was electric and the motivation and encouragement from the crowds as all the runners ran through London was overwhelming.  As someone with OI myself I still doubted up to the start if I would be able to complete the length of the run – it’s hard on anyone’s body let alone someone with OI or any other underlying medical or genetic condition but despite the aches and pains that started setting in just over half way through I felt like I had won the marathon when I crossed that line 4 hours and 48 minutes later.

I am still on a high after the marathon and it is now over a week later but what has made it extra special is that despite having my own place to run family and friends have supported me and the BBS by sponsoring me over £500 – that added to the incredible memories of that day. 

One thing it has done is to make me think ‘what’s next?’  At times I wondered if having OI would mean I couldn’t push some of my boundaries, especially when missing out on school skiing trips or the like, but I realise now it really doesn’t have to mean that at all.

Harriet Dring