Kilsyth man David Allsop is running this year’s London and Edinburgh Marathons. He aims to raise as much as possible for Cancer Support Scotland and his efforts are dedicated to his late fiancée Deborah Hanlon.
Just two words… ‘quite incredible’! That was the feeling I got as I approached the 12.5 mile mark and turned towards and ran over Tower Bridge with thousands of people cheering you on.
It was one of many moments I will never forget.
It’s been over a week now since I completed the 26.2 miles of the London Marathon in memory of my beloved fiancée Deborah and I can still feel the energy and atmosphere that was created on that one day from this truly iconic running event.
From the early morning build up with thousands of runners making their way to the start at Greenwich Park and right up to that feeling of complete jubilation when passing Buckingham Palace and over the finishing line on the Mall, with sheer exhaustion and near cramp in my legs, it was an amazing feeling to have completed the London Marathon.
After finishing the race and collecting my medal I made my way to the gathering spectators on the finishing stretch. I felt now that I have completed the run, I wanted to soak up the atmosphere and experience it form the other side and join the spectators cheering on the runners as they made their way up the home stretch.
I just remember shouting out individual names, people that I didn’t know, and cheering them on, giving them ‘that lift’ they needed to get them over the finishing line.
What dawned on me was there were so many big hearted people of different ages and fitness levels, running for so many personal reasons, for a loved one or for a charity with that one goal in mind and that was to complete the 26.2 miles.
So hats off to the people of London for making ‘their marathon’ such an amazing event. It was one run I will never forget. I will definitely enter it again and recommend it to anyone who is considering training for their first marathon. But for now my focus has to leave one capital and move on to another, the Edinburgh Marathon.
It’s less than four weeks now till I complete my double header whilst raising money for Cancer Support Scotland. For those of you that followed my page and have yet to sponsor me, please dig deep and help me raise much needed money for a valuable cause.
It was clear from just witnessing London and seeing all those runners in their ‘team colours’ of their chosen charity, that this is important, this is their moment and lets make a difference and do our bit and help others who are less fortunate to have to live with cancer or learn to cope after losing a loved one to cancer.
So please guys support my cause and let Cancer Support Scotland continue to help others who at times so desperately need it.
You can donate at www.justgiving.com/David-Allsop-for-Debs