‘I was exhausted after 20 miles, but I kept going’ says our inspiring runner as she describes the thrilling experience of completing the London Marathon.
Melanie Powel, General Manager at Parkview Care Centre, hit the streets of London in her running gear alongside thousands of people from across the globe to complete the 26.2-mile run from Greenwich to The Mall, each with their special reason for participating.
Friends, families and passers-by cheered on the courageous runners as they jogged through the popular streets of London with purpose. The sensational scene of brightly coloured runners pacing down the streets, the thousands of waves and endless echoes of applause was surreal. For Mel, who had long awaited this moment, the experience was nothing short of magical.
Mel’s triumph stems from a deeply rooted passion for Marathons, but this invigorating run did not come easily. As a dedicated member of her local running club South Kent Harriers, she participated in numerous Marathons across Cyprus, Lanzarote, Malta and England, however, her ultimate dream of running in the London Marathon seemed far from reality until now.
After twelve years and several failed attempts to apply for the London Marathon, she finally secured a place running for Children with Cancer UK. The confirmation was incredible news for her, her family and everyone at Parkview Care Centre. Her team members and residents wasted no time sharing the testimony with their local community and loved ones. Preparations at the home soon began to follow her remarkable journey. Yet amidst the jubilation, a more demanding journey would begin for Mel, marked by unwavering training regimens and early morning starts. Throughout it all, Mel continued to navigate her workplace and lead multiple developments at the Nursing and Residential Dementia home as General Manager, showing true determination and great multitasking skills.
Melanie Powell reflected, “The training was hard work, especially with the winter nights and dark mornings, but I managed to push through it. On the morning of the Marathon, everyone got up at 6 a.m., had breakfast, did a warm-up and made their way to the start line. The crowd was amazing and everything was well organised. The crowd gave out water, ice pop and sweeties throughout the 26 miles that we ran for. We had our names on our clothing so people were shouting come on Mel. It was very encouraging and at times when you get tired you would pick yourself back up. I was exhausted after 20 miles, but I kept going and still finished. The best part of the marathon was London Bridge, I’ve never seen so many people on the bridge; you have a lovely view of everywhere, and the atmosphere was great.”
On the actual day of the Marathon Mel explained she had an experience like no other and adding to the significance of the experience was her family’s participation. Her son, daughter, nephew, and sister-in-law, who also ran in the marathon, made the day more memorable, as Mel eloquently expressed.
‘It’s a very emotional feeling, I felt like wow I have achieved it. I’ve had a really nice response from the residents and the families too, and it was very welcoming to come back to”
Mel’s journey shows the great outcome of perseverance, resilience and dedication, proving that you can achieve your life-long goals as long as you continue to push. It’s wonderful to have a Manager like Mel at Parkview who leads by example and continues to encourage and motivate her team members.
If you’d like further information about the home’s nursing and dementia services call us today on 01233 326966
