The Hallifordian - 2016-2017

48 run the London Marathon. Hundreds and thousands of fellow runners and supporters willing you to do well and do the best you can. The atmosphere is im- mense. It doesn’t get any better than that. ‘…awful, exhilarating and down-right painful! I loved it.’ I hit the wall, as most first time runners of- ten do. Going into Mile 23 was unchartered territory for me. I had never previously suffered cramp or felt my calf muscles suffer, but it hit me from nowhere; shooting pains up and down my calves, feet and toes clenching, bending in backwards. I had to stop and giggle at the pain. Roadside supporters willed me on, Come on Duffers! Shouting my nickname print- ed on my shirt, showering me with jelly babies and bananas. One misty-eyed chap offered me his pint of London Pride. You do all you can to keep moving forward. Stop. Start. Chew jelly babies, Glug energy drinks. Self-massage. Stop. Start. Clench teeth. Con- tort face. Stop. Start. And then the pain goes and you start running again. Somehow you get through it. The sight of my family on the embankment at Mile 25 was everything I needed. A few hugs and kisses was the shot required. I crossed the finish line, smil- ing, at 4h30m. 30 minutes over my predicted time, but I’ll take it. It’s hard to explain the feeling, but it is mostly one of relief, peace, calm and contentment. It was wonderful. Running is a solitary endeavour, but training for, and running a marathon, is anything but solitary. As I’ve said to Halliford students many times, you cannot achieve things on your own. You need help, support and encouragement all the way. Above all, you must be willing to accept it. Say yes to the of- fers that come your way and take a risk; do what you haven’t done before. You will only be grateful for the opportunity. It makes you feel good. Thank you to all those who gave me the opportunity, willed me on, pledged money, asked how I was getting on, who ran with me. I could not have done it on my own. Only now can I, with some confidence, con- sider myself a runner. Mr Duffield, Deputy Headteacher