Onto the final lap and I resolved to try to at least achieve something. My original time was out of the window but maybe I could dip inside 15 hours. That at least would give me a target to aim for and a challenge I could complete. I resolved to spend a little longer in the loo trying to “sort myself out” and on the way up the hill I sat in the dark for almost 15 minutes, wishing things could have been otherwise. When I emerged I felt much better and far more like myself. I was able to use my legs as they could be, running my own pace and with a good style, drawing compliments from spectators and wishing I could start the marathon again! Unperturbed by a torrential downpour, my final 7Km were the fastest of my entire run, at around 5m30s/Km, just as I had originally planned.