Mrs Alahi completed the TCS virtual London Marathon on Sunday 2 October. She shares her London Marathon journey:
“I’m not a runner! I never liked running at primary or secondary school.
My journey started in January 2019 when I joined Eton Manor running club for their ‘5k Love to Run’ 3-month programme. I surprised myself as initially I could barely run for two minutes without getting out of breath and then when I completed the 5k run in 35 minutes…. running all the way, it was my first proud moment as a runner.
I caught Covid in December 2020 and had long Covid which seemed to last for months. I was determined to get fit again and prove to myself that my lungs were up and running! So, I signed up to run the spectacular Vitality Big Half, running through the heart of London with thousands of runners in August 2021 in 3.5 hours. I could not believe I had managed to complete the Half Marathon 13.1 miles.
So this year, when I received an email asking me to sign up to run the virtual TCS London Marathon, I did. I doubted whether I would be able to complete it, but even if I completed half the distance, I would have been happy.
I trained, ran, jogged, walked and put my body through its paces. On Sunday 2 October, race day, I was nervous but ready! I put my London Marathon bib showing my runner number, started the race on the official London Marathon app and we set off at 8.30am.
We ran through Fairlop Waters and local roads, completed 13.1 miles and uploaded the half-way selfie on the app. We went to my friend’s for a toilet break and some Lucozade. We didn’t want to rest for too long and so set off for the second half, running to Hainault Forest this time.
What was so lovely was the support from joggers in the park and forest, pedestrians and drivers who honked at us (in a good way) showing their support. Lots of ‘good luck’, ‘well done!’ ‘keep going!’ ‘you can do it!’
We did it. We made it to 26.2 miles as recognised by the marathon app. The last few miles with a little help from a few energy gels, it was mind over matter. Legs and feet were all so tired! It really is amazing what the human body is capable of….. on adrenalin!
I could only dream of doing something like this before… honestly, I still cannot believe I did it! An experience I will never ever forget. I can’t wait to receive my t-shirt and finishers medal in a few days time.
I watched the London Marathon highlights and was inspired by Yalemzerf Yehualaw, the 23 year old Ethiopian who became the youngest woman to win the London Marathon in 2 hours and 17 minutes. amazing time!
Would I do it again? I don’t think so, happily ticked it off my bucket list now!
The 26-mile London Marathon is a challenge for any runner – even those who have trained for years. But for me, running the marathon was more than just a personal achievement – it was a way to raise money for my dearly-held cause, Cancer research. I have lost close family to cancer and have family who are currently being treated for cancer.
Please support me in my fundraising for Cancer Research using the link below.”
https://tcslondonmarathon.enthuse.com/pf/naseem-alahi
A huge achievement for Mrs Alahi, Head of Maths at Braeside School. Well done!
