Flora London Marathon 2009

Today my house was pretty much fenced in. We were cut off from two sides by 35000 people.

Marathons are amazing events. The atmosphere is just incredible. If spirit could have been something tangible, it would be walking around here. Every spectator, lined along the roadside, clapping and cheering for every runner.

The 12-mile mark.

On Tower Bridge.

The most inspiring were the athletes in the wheelchairs. Didn't manage to catch the elite group whiz by, but saw a couple of 'normal' racers. It was incredible. Seeing it on TV is just so different from seeing it live. It's like what Baudrillard said about the 'aura' we have lost in mass communication.

It was great watching the large groups go by. They weren't the elite, the athletes who ran marathons professionally. Just ordinary people who sweated and trained for this day. They weren't sailing through it like it was easy, it was difficult all right, but they were doing it anyway. Story of the human struggle. From all ages and races, but all in great shape.

The best part is that some people wear their names on their clothes, and we would all just shout "Go Dave! Go Paul! Go Sarah!" or whoever and when they smiled or nodded acknowledgement, or they held their heads a little bit higher, you felt like you contributed in some small way.

Just one of the costumes, but there was also Spiderman, Supermans (Supermen?), Wonder Woman, a bag of McCoy crisps, a carrot, Santa Claus, Elvis, to name a few. Gordon Ramsay ran too. I don't know if I saw him but I doubt I would have recognised him anyway. I guess I didn't.

I suppose this is part of the magic of sport. Transcending borders, biases, customs, mindsets. There is only the common goal.

I wonder if I will ever be able to run 26 miles! That's 42 km okay.