Marathon Eve - Jane Tomlinson, Expo and a walk around London

It was a luxury  I rarely get, being driven on a coach, I’m normally always the one driving somewhere, so I took the opportunity to start re-reading Jane & Mike Tomlinson’s autobiography “The Luxury of Time”.  Jane was the most amazing woman who did so much to help others, raising nearly £2 million for cancer research despite herself suffering incurable breast cancer.  She made me re-evaluate my health and  life and I thought if someone going through all that can keep themself fit, there's no excuse for me not to.  She had died the previous September and it had been my intention back in April 2008 to test myself by running the first Jane Tomlinson 10k Run for all that June, but it was already fully booked, so I ended up organising a few local events building up to the Robin Hood Half Marathon that September.  At the time, the Half was the limit of my aspirations, there was no way at the time that I could have conceived running a full marathon.  This year is the 10th anniversary of Jane's death and in tribute and to raise further funds, her husband and daughter are running both the Paris and London marathon's with a 6 day cycle ride in between.  What an amazing family!

On arrival we (myself and my teenage children Harry and Sarah) headed for the Marathon Expo to pick up my race number pack and have a look around the stalls.  My number was 39304 one of a series being ran by the approx 40 runners for the Epilepsy Society.  I was then able to meet up with fellow skydiving mates Shell and Jules Bergel who had arrived earlier at the show.  It was both of their first marathons.

Shell & I, all numbered up and ready to go!

I then met up with Becs Noble on the Epilepsy Society's stand  to introduce ourseleves and say thank you for allowing me to run for them.  Topped up with sweeties, we came away from there with a couple of ES T-Shirts for Sarah & Harry and banging sticks (which proved invaluable later for spotting them in the crowds) .

Hispaniola - Embankment  -  Mile 25

After the Expo, it was back across town to meet up with Mum & Dad. We took a walk down the river from where the hotel was and took a few photos (I don't know how many times I've taken the same photos before from when I lived in London or visited it, but somehow this felt a bit different ).  A couple of photos were along the route but thye're going to be a lot more crowded the next day.

I hope there are lots of these

I'll be running along here down the Mall !

We then met up with my cousin Louise and her family (who's also running tomorrow) for a final carb meal of pizza and pasta.  Just need to get some good kip before the big day