As I passed through the energy station on Ravensheugh Road for the second time – this time, thankfully, going down hill – I was encouraged again by the prospect of only two more miles to go. Running past mile 25 was a psychological milestone, because it meant I had only one mile left to go, then 385 yards to the finish line. I knew the finish line was close, even if my legs were complaining that it was still too far away!

Turning onto Linkfield Road, I could see the racecourse in the distance. Finally the race was coming to an end. I passed the 26 mile marker just before running into the raceground. There were still plenty of spectators lining the final 385 yards to cheer me on, including my parents, who recorded the moment for posterity. A slight kink in the course brought me alongside the grandstand, then across the finish line. I had completed the marathon in 6h 27m 48s. I felt glad to have finished, but I was too exhausted to feel much else.

I was then ushered through the finishers processing area, where my timing chip was removed, I was garlanded with a medal and given an energy drink, a bottle of water and a banana for my efforts. Then I walked round to the winners enclosure where I had my photo taken and met up with my parents again.

Even though I was exhausted, I didn’t feel like collapsing in a heap or that I hadn’t enough strength to stand up. I had read that the best advice after finishing a marathon was to stay standing and keep moving, otherwise there was a serious possibility that my muscles would just lock up. I only really started to feel the worst of it about an hour after I’d finished. My muscles were creaking like an old iron gate in need of some WD40. We went out for lunch later, but I was too tired even to finish my food. I was fading fast and didn’t even stick around for dessert. the worst thing was dreading how I would feel the next morning. Would I be able to get out of bed or would my legs seize up overnight? Fortunately, my stretches prevented this from happening. It took me another three days for the aching to reside.

Now I’m fine and on top form again. I really enjoyed the whole experience of running a marathon and I think it made all those five and six o’clock starts in training worth it. Now that I have a personal best of 6h 27m 48s, there’s just one thing left to do…beat it by running another marathon!

The route of the course through Gosford House was a huge loop, intially through fields and past farm buildings, then behind the rather beautiful country house itself. I walked most of this section because I was totally drained. At mile eighteen took us through some woods, where I decided to try start running again, mainly because running felt less painful on my feet than walking. As the course left the woods, we left the estate through a rather grand gatehouse. This was a great moment, for this was where the course really did turn round – finally!

The joy of turning round was still tempered by the fact that I had more than six miles to go. I still felt totally exhausted, but after the next water station, I decided to keep running for as long as possible. So I kept my head down and just concentrated on the road. Whenever I looked up, I just thought of how far I still had to go.

Approaching mile 21, my spirits began to be lifted as we passed the holiday park I had passed going out. This told me that I was getting closer to civilisation and thus the finish line. Just before I approached the park where the relay changeover was taking place, I passed a group of well-wishers who cheered me and told me there were only five miles to go. it sounded like a short distance, but I knew it the finish was still a fairly long way off. I had kept my hands clenched in my usual running position that I now had pins and needles so bad I had hardly close them.

At Cockenzie and Port Seton, I passed through two more energy stations. At this point, I was grateful for every drop of water or energy drink I could get. I had already taken my two carbo gels (which was all I could fit in the pocket of my running shorts). They didn’t make me feel like I had an energy boost, but that was probably more the pain or tiredness talking. Running through Prestonpans, between miles 23 and 24 was a bit eerie as there was virtually no-one around, except the race marshals who stood guard every few hundred yards.