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David Simcock has raised £17,422 for Racing Welfare as a result of his superb effort in last month’s London Marathon.
David completed the gruelling 26-miler in a fine time of four hours and 10 minutes – in his words, “frustratingly close to the four-hour barrier, which could be my next challenge!”
The Trillium Place trainer was running as part of the eight-strong Qatar Racing Team, headed by Sheikh Fahad. David was the first of the six trainers to make it past the finish line.
He said: “From the outset it wasn't really a challenge I was relishing but I could not believe what an experience running with 36,000 people was like. The atmosphere, camaraderie and encouragement from the crowd was something I had underestimated.
“Just as everyone told me not to, I typically went off too fast, being carried along by some far superior runners for the first ten miles or so - with my estimated finish time being 3hrs 15mins!
“Needless to say my legs started having a say over matters at about the 12 to 13 mile mark crossing London Bridge. Seeing the Elite runners coming back from the Canary Wharf 'loop' that we were setting out on didn't make matters any better!
“Some of the official photos that have been sent through www.marathonfoto.com (Simcock / 26761 / London Marathon 2014) show me in my lesser light at around the 18 mile mark.
“There were signs flashing up en route saying ‘you have now hit the wall’ and that is a bizarre feeling of really not being able to make your legs go any faster, not what I had imagined.
“The last six miles was a long six miles and the Embankment felt like an eternity but the Mall was a welcome sight with the finish line in reach.”