“Do you want to feature on Channel Four as part of the coverage of the Brighton Marathon” the producer said?
Wow, “Yes, what a great opportunity” I said.
“Make sure you know what message you want to get across and stick to it” a media guru friend of mine said.
“No problem, I know exactly what I will say” I said.
And then when my big moment came all I could manage was tears, tears oh and a nugget of pure verbal genius “it was so hard, so hard”
I don’t know why I was crying…well I do, I was completely overwhelmed and not at what I had achieved, but the fact that other people were finding it so inspiring.
When I ran the London Marathon I held it together, I had a few wobbles upon seeing messages on peoples vests, “running for…” or “in the memory of…” and I guess in the last mile when I finally realised I was in the home straight so to speak I got a bit emotional, but nothing like Sundays dramatic performance.
During the race I had a few moments where I could quite easily have broken down and sat on the side of the road a la Paula, moments where it hurt physically, and I questioned why I was so intent on putting myself through such big challenges.
And again it was the final mile that I truly lost it.
Running with my pals from Running Club who kept telling me how well I had done, despite the fact I was dissapointed with my time. The more they bigged me up, the more upset I got. “You are going to regret that” one of my pals said later that evening. And I knew she was right, but the more the crowds cheered me the bigger the lump in my throat, and when Dean Macey shoved his microphone under my nose with the words “Dean Macey Channel 4, can I ask you some questions” well by then it was truly all over.
Other than my “It was just so hard” I have no idea what I said, I guess I will just have to wait and see what they keep in the edit in Saturdays highlights show…I guess watching a grown lady crying and wailing is not the most attractive thing to broadcast, or perhaps thats what makes for good TV these days.
Lets hope so, because my post race interview with Jenni Falconer wasn’t much of an improvement, although I did manage to talk a little bit about my blog and my beliefs that anyone can run a marathon if they really want to, regardless of their size. But there was crying in that one too…and snot if I remember right, mine not Jenni’s (although she was fearful that a cold was on its way in advance of her Virgin London Marathon this weekend)
Anyway.
Today on YouTube a small clip was put up of my interview, as a teaser for the weekends show I guess and it is sooooo embarressing. I just hope they have kept in some of the more useable footage from the previous weeks filming, where I spoke coherently for a change in the glorious Brighton sunshine and bounded through the crowds on Brighton Pier in my new trainers while the camera guy got the visuals he needed.
My alarm is already set for Saturday morning, 7am GMT on Channel 4, for a 45 minute highlights show, and for my sins its on again at 8am repeated on Channel 4 +1
Here is the youtube clip as a taster for the whole show!!
Happy Viewing!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDoqMMoD2Bg