On Sunday 19th July 2015 I went to Newham with a friend to run the Great Newham London Run 10K.  This run took us around the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and we finished in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Stadium.  Morrisons was the main sponsor.

We left Dover very early for the first high speed train to Stratford and it was raining.  By the time we arrived in Stratford it was a glorious day, getting very hot as the morning went on.  After checking in our bags at baggage we made our way to our respective waves.  I was in white wave.  Paula Radcliffe and Brendan Foster were there.  The waves were running approximately five minutes late, but that didn’t bother us and soon I had crossed the start line, which was at the Arcelor Mittal Orbit.  We crossed over the River Lea to run past the Aquatics Centre.  The route took us round the outside of the stadium and up past the Copper Box. At 5km we went through a very welcoming shower tent which hosed us to cool us down.  Between 5 and 6km was the only water station on the course, where we collected a bottle of water.  Just past the 7km mark we ran round the Velodrome and then it was on our way back to the stadium.  All around the course, there were bands playing to entertain us.

We crossed past the 9km mark and entered the tunnel of the stadium.  For 200m we ran under the seating area to which the Chariots of Fire music was being played and we could hear cheering from above us.  Soon we entered into the stadium at the South End and ran 300m of the Athletic track to cross the finish line.  The crowds were cheering us and I search for my friends in the crowd, but I did not see them as there were so many faces.  But they saw me and got some photographs of me.  Finally I was running down the 100m strait and crossed the finish line in 58:29.  Very pleased with that considering the amount of runners in this sold out event.

I collected my goody bag which included a T shirt, medal and a variety of snacks and drinks.  I then made my way to the North End of the Stadium and met my friends, who came to spectate.  We then waited for my friend to complete the run.

It was a superb morning and we finished with lunch in one of the restaurants at Westfield Shopping Centre, before arriving back in Dover at 5pm.