This was possibly the toughest experience of my life. Although I had trained fairly hard for this race, I had not run more than 16 miles and that did affect me. I hit the “wall” at mile 18, as you head over to the Bronx, and the rest of the race was brutal. I did finish in 3:56, but felt I was going backwards for the last 8 miles. I’ve heard that New York is one of the toughest three marathons and firmly believe that you add around 20 minutes to your time when compared to the likes of the London marathon (which I did in 2001).

Although happy to beat the infamous 4 hour barrier, I lost a wager with my colleague Declan Thompson, who finished 4 minutes ahead of me. No financial terms, but the bragging rights are eternal.

Fans were inspirational especially in Brooklyn were I high fived half the neighborhood. I missed my family on First Avenue but they did spot me. Later at mile 24, when I was walking, I saw them. Afterwards my four-year-old son Jack asked why I was the only one not running!

Big thanks for the generosity of family, friends and colleges who contributed to the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust. During my preparation for the race, the more I learned about the MWCT, the more I realized its worthiness. I look forward to seeing RMJM's hospital design come to fruition. Who knows, maybe the cartilage repair in my right knee can be performed there!