Organisation: Good
Volunteers: Were excellent and very supportive
Finisher's Goodies Bag: Mug + technical t-shirt + medal - excellent value
Water/ Food: 2 main water points. Gels given after each lap.
Facilities: Many public toilets sited around the park
Runners: Became supporters and were always encouraging....although not sure about the marriage proposal! (Runner to TG: I'd propose to marry you if I weren't already married!)

This is the first running of the Richmond Park Marathon by a group of guys using it as a platform to raise funds for the Tadworth's Children's charity. It is also Landy's first marathon (see Landy's profile in About Tyres)and TG's twentieth marathon with tyre; one fifth of the way to 100.

Due to the thought of hills TG decided to take a friend Chamey - who made his first appearance riding on TG's harness in the London marathon. TG reckoned 4 legs more would help her up the hills or help her carry the hefty Landy.

Going up hills are always hard, however these ones were surprisingly bearable compared to Where Raven's Dare. Where Raven's Dare was a marathon that saw most runners walking up steep mountains of hills and some runners walking down the mountains for fear of falling. When one mountain/hill was finished it was pretty much immediately followed with another. The hills in this marathon were quite literally "a walk in the park" - Yes TG walked up every hill! - and were followed by flatish terrain.

After the first lap, TG began to feel hungry and wolfed down 2 mars bars and a gel. Before the race, TG had walked out the door without eating breakfast. Mornings aren't really her thing! Note to TG - prepare a breakfast bag the night before.

On the second lap, TG met up with some friendly faces. Their encouraging cheers would only temporarily distract TG from her hunger. However TG seemed to draw on the happy energy to help her complete her second lap.

On the third lap, TG began to regret bringing Landy along. Landy being bigger, meant he had more rubber. More rubber meant more friction and more weight up the hills. Really TG's anguish was due to her needing fuel and thus the thought of Sharon's (TG2) promise, days earlier, to save TG a flapjack kept TG moving round the third lap.

Finally up Petersham Hill a mini-fetchpoint was waiting. Once through the metal kissing gate, a mini "Fetchie" handed TG jelly babies. But it was Sharon's flapjack that brought the biggest smile to TG and kept her going for the next 3 miles.

Soon TG would be doing her final lap, but not before passing the finishing flag. She watched runners veer off into a tunnel of supporters and head towards the Finish but she still had to complete her fourth and final lap!

Hungry again, TG could only dream of another of Sharon's flapjack on her final lap. Knowing there was a high probability that mini-Fetchpoint would have headed home,  TG sucked on 2 more gels to keep her going until the end. TG, Chamey and Landy completed the event at 15:55 that equates to a total time of 7hrs 48 mins; 10 minutes better than London which is a flatter course!

At the end, everyone wanted to play with Landy. He flirted with all - daring them to take him for a run.

....And he found himself 3 more young apprentices, who will one day become Tyre Girls themselves!

The next marathon will see TG arriving at 2am for a 5am registration and then 7am start. We (the tyres) are pulling straws to see who will go with her on her next adventure to check out the feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys.