And just as well that I enjoyed a bit of play time in London beforehand,  there was plenty of work and study to do in Oxford. This module was particularly intense as we had nine hours of lecture each day, from 09.00 to 7.30 in the evening, for five consecutive days. Thankfully the core courses are staggered so that we have three three-hour lectures on different subjects each day, whereas our elective courses next year will be concentrated for the entire week.

For Module 4, we had lectures in strategy, marketing, developing effective managers and financial reporting. Indeed, the lecturers are truly amazing and we all have our own favourites. The bar is set very high indeed and our EMBA V class is a tough audience - this is, after all, Oxford, and the lecturers themselves are aware of the capabilities of the 48 individuals who sit before them.

No, we’re not pristine, young undergraduates ripe for moulding by our university professors. Rather, we’re experienced, cosmopolitan and challenging adults, always poised to be infused with business wisdom whilst carefully considering and questioning the messages of our teachers and colleagues.

As for these 48 individuals, I can say with confidence that initial anxieties we privately held within have progressed to what have no doubt become enduring friendships. The Oxford Executive MBA is as intense in its social dimensions as it is in the academic and business realms; we spend a lot of time together - at lectures, meals, online, in our study groups and beyond the pillars of the Business School.

…Indeed, I now see Oxford as a stage, where we write our scripts and paint our destinies, together and privately, in Oxford and all over the world when we go home to our vastly divergent lives in Britain, the Continent, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

As for the roof terrace party, the idea was conceived at 9.45 Thursday morning during a Financial Reporting lecture; partially supplied at the lunch break when Claire, Clifford and I bought as much wine and beer as we could carry; announced late afternoon during a Strategy lecture; confirmed as port was being served at St Hugh’s College during our formal dinner; further supplied by a very speedy trip indeed to the Wine Rack on George Street (thanks to Edwin and his TVR we arrived at 9.55 in time to buy half a case of wine before they closed!)… and the guests started pouring in at 10! And for good measure, there was the token EMBA VI prospect who was no doubt left with the impression that the Oxford EMBA is a most extraordinary academic and extracurricular experience, which of course it is.

After sending out the invite via e-mail, Gottfried wisely remarked, “Kristina, you are very brave sending the invitation out to the whole class. What happens if they all come?” 

As it happened - and not unlike one of many HBS case studies we painstakingly analysed, it was the biggest and best party I never planned…

The anticipation before Module 1 this past January was not unlike what I experienced as I made my way towards the Start at Greenwich Park. Then, as our ‘Champion Chips’ crossed the Start line in their masses, there was a cheerful if even jubilant energy as we warmed up and familiarised ourselves with the runners in our pen… in much the same way that we celebrated matriculation with a pub crawl through Oxford. And for the record, it was no small logistical achievement with our entire class of 50 students staying together over throughout!

Now having finished Modules 2 and 3, it feels similar to the 4th or 5th mile, by which time the runners were warmed up and working on establishing a sustainable pace for the long haul.

Similarly, our EMBA V class has made crucial progress; we’ve submitted one individual assessment and two group assessments; we’ve had all of our Decision Science and Developing Effective Managers lectures, and are about half way through our Marketing and Strategy lectures; our lectures are becoming ever more interactive as we get to know the class; we’re learning to adjust our professional and personal responsibilities… it should also be noted that, together with Oxford Business Alumni, a number of us watched the dark blues beat Cambridge by six boat lengths at The Boat Race in London!

So as inspiring and challenging as the first three modules have already proven to be, we nevertheless have a long road ahead of us. And just as I thought those endless miles through The Isle of Dogs would get the best of me, I can imagine that Managerial Economics and Finance will keep me well on my toes.

Having crossed the Finish line exactly two years ago on St. George’s Day, I realised that the Marathon taught me as much about myself as it did about running. When I agreed to exchange post-office drinks in a warm cozy pub for long, cold training runs around Hyde Park, I was focused on the prize - a sense of achievement and an enduring memory; indeed I never imagined my prayers would be answered so generously.

Looking ahead to September 2009, I imagine that finishing the London Marathon will pale in comparison to being awarded the MBA from Oxford. The prize will be as much about the business wisdom we nurture and develop, as it will be about ourselves, the life-long bonds and unfolding possibilities that will inevitably result.