In my head the runners started in the big city park headed toward the beach turned right ran past us back along a bit and then finished.
Not so much like that at all!
This is a really good morning out.
We have a friend that lives en route and we thought we would get him out on the pavement and we could all watch it together. Unfortunately with the good weather he took some available work but left us the key under the mat to make tea and use the loo.
We parked away from the route, freeing up the car and walked to our spot, having arrived a little later than planned we just got there as the fanfare passed and in the excitement I only got this terrible photo on their return.
Bikers, Minis and sponsor cars.
Shortly after in the distance is a lone police biker and what looks like a private ambulance and following these are the professional marathon runners who run not jog.
So they run past us on this side of the tape before turning round a mile or so down the road and then coming back on the other side.
There are some other lead runners and then comes the peloton.
Probably a proper word for it like pack.
There are thousands of them.
Two of them we know and it becomes apparent as time ticks by that they are not going to be easy to spot.
Do you know that they chip the runners like dogs and you can then download an app that shows you on the telephone map where your runner is and you can track their approach to where you are standing. You still have to look out for them in a crowd that are moving pretty fast.
We waited for our first runner. He bounced past us. Our cheering was over in seconds and no pictures.
Runner two was more of a worry.
His chip had gone off radar and neither his family, further along the course, or us could pick up his signal.
The men in the group were positive it was a faulty device, his wife the nurse and I spoke on the phone and with our raised medical anxiety had other ideas.
But a few minutes later with signal operational runner two floated coolly past in excellent pallor.
Now I got a bit teary especially as the eyes were getting a work out.
Lots of people are running for charity.
I am familiar seeing Greenpeace, NSPCC, British Heart Foundation, Save the Rhino etc on the television and they are famous charities from my youth and lots of people here were running for them today.
The runners have a charity vests and their name's ironed on the front and you can shout their name and give encouragement or cheer their charity.
They smile and say thank you its a really nice feeling.
P kept yelling for SCOPE who were in purple vests, G went for the Life Boats and my memory was jogged with all those organisations you see when you work in the Children's Hospital for five years.
One lady in the crowd had a black T Shirt on that said SOBER SARAH and on the back it said
ONE DAY AT A TIME.
I fought back the tears called out her name and she waved her hand in the air.
The girls by this point had other ideas for entertainment.
Too many water bottles to squish with your feet.
I didn't care what state P got into she was safe enough.
As it starts to slow down the runners appear to be in more pain than necessary and they are kinda jogging. Soon it is one person passing every 10 seconds or so but you want to stay and give them encouragement.
At this time they have run out of Brighton, east to Rottingdean and then back toward Shoreham, around the power station before head back to the finish.
I never do any of this except in the car.
If you want to know where people are who are effected or have benefited by Cancer Care, Mental Health Issues, Prem Birth, Respite Care, Research Projects they are here running the Brighton Marathon.
It's really moving.
G and I had discussions about weather a marathon would ever be something we would want to achieve. I walked 13 miles for St. Baranabas with mum and it nearly finished me, so my answer to G was only if I could run it. I don't want to be walking miles.
It was decided that next year we will try to volunteer. Those water bottles won't pick themselves up and there are plenty of pensioners out there running so we've got time to think about it again another time.
Great morning
CM
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