Wife on the run

The BUPA 10km Run took place on the second Bank Holiday Monday in May – 12,500 participants, including me, with Gordon Ramsay holding the starting flag! Luckily the weather was not as hot as it had been over the previous two days.

We started off in blocks, according to our predicted running time. I was in the second to last batch of runners.

We started in Birdcage Walk. After we reached Big Ben we ran along the Embankment towards the City, only to find, somewhat disconcertingly, the elite runners coming back along the other side of the road! We then went up White Lion Hill towards Cannon Street and the Monument, down narrow streets behind Fenchurch Street Station towards the 5km mark, passing Lloyd’s and the cobbles of Leadenhall Market. (I still feel those cobbles now). We pushed on towards the Bank of England and the Mansion House, when happy memories of the splendid Annual Banquet last February kept me going! The next landmark was St Paul’s (when I was reminded to say a few prayers to myself) before I turned down Puddle Dock to see John with his camera. I spotted him before he saw me. I was therefore able to wave my arms in the air and smile as I ran down the hill towards him. My insides, however, were telling a rather different story.

Back on the Embankment my legs began to feel VERY heavy, especially at the 7km mark, and I had to dig deep. Heading towards the House of Commons, we turned right into Horse Guards Parade, into Whitehall, past Trafalgar Square, into the Mall and then the FINISH LINE – and what a lovely feeling it was when I crossed it! I beat my predicted time by a few minutes which was all the more pleasing.

I would like to thank those members of the Company – and there were many of you – who supported me in this venture. I managed to raise £3,000 plus for the Charitable Trust.

Jenny Rushton