MK Marathon Blog by Gerry (U&R Milton Keynes)

The big day arrives. Alarm set for 5:30am. Only to be woken at 4:00am by the sound of large raindrops striking my bedroom window with the force of a shotgun.................. from then on, I knew it would be wet.

6:45am Team meeting at McDonalds. Horizontal rain outside and Gerry proclaims that the weather can only get better....... It doesn't! The team attempts to erect the marquee in gale force conditions. Soon abandoned. The stadium concourse starts to flood. Can it get any worse?

8:00am Mizuno truck all set and ready to go. The first runners start to arrive. It looks and feels like a raw winter February. Everyone tries to find some cover, including Santa who has already managed to split his trousers even before the race. The Gingerbread Man looks a bit soggy. Excess water cleared, the stadium concourse is opened and provides some respite for the runners.

09:50am The rain is relentless and the runners are called to the start. Miraculously, everyone gets away without incident. A testament to the organisers. Then it really starts to rain down stair rods! 2hrs 41mins 54secs later the first runner, Dave Mitchinson, running for Mizuno Race Team finishes the first Milton Keynes Marathon. The course has had to be altered due to flooding but the marshals have done a sterling job, making sure the runners stayed as safe as possible. The first lady home is Yvette Grice in a time of 3hrs 00mins 35secs. The Corporate Relay is won by Team Motor Insurance Bureau 5 in a time of 3hrs 26mins 13secs. An excellent finish by Raymond Hill, to win the V60 category in a time of 3:35:45!

Soon the stadium starts to fill with wet, cold and exhausted runners but most have a smile on their faces as they reach the finish line. The rain continues to beat down on the runners as more and more pour through the finish. 7hrs 25mins after the start, the last of the 2,936 runners finish the course. Well done to every single one of you, whether you finished or not. You should be proud of yourself.

An excellent effort by the organisers, marshals, volunteers and sponsors. Here's to next year.