Like many people the London Marathon rejection email is something of an annual ritual for me, so the evening in May 2021 when I was successful in my running club’s ballot for a place is firmly etched on my mind. I was elated.
We were just coming out of the remaining lockdown restrictions and I was struggling to get back to long distance running after a year plagued with covid, then long covid and repeated minor injury. Conveniently I had sixteen weeks to go so I drew up a training plan and got stuck in.
Marathoning is like cutting yourself unexpectedly. You dip into the pain so gradually that the damage is done before you are aware of it. Unfortunately, when the awareness comes, it is excruciating.
John Farrington
It was all going well but as the long runs grew longer I was developing an increasing amount of pain when sitting or standing. Getting out of bed in the morning was the worst. Shortly after one of the longest runs on the plan, with the pain when I was not running being absolutely unbearable, I was diagnosed with a slipped disc. That saw me out of running, and indeed any form of exercise, for approximately six months. Luckily I could defer my place.
At the end of January 2022 I was cleared to gently return to running and the timing of my club’s return to running course couldn’t have been more perfect. It was a slow, painful and frustrating process but at least I could run again, even if my pace had gone.
This training block was therefore as much about regaining my running fitness as it was about preparing for the marathon distance. Slowly it came back and I felt stronger, and aside from a fortnight off with covid it went well.
I reached the end of the taper feeling ready for the marathon but still lacking pace. I had no expectation of time, and anticipated doing between 4:10 and 4:20, so happily resigned myself to just enjoying the experience rather than chasing a sub-4.
I went to London to collect my race number from the expo the day before the race. The train strike made it slightly more challenging but the event itself was well organised and really got me excited (and for the first time a bit nervous) for the following day. A schoolboy error in not booking a restaurant for dinner meant that I had to rely on a nearby M&S for my ritual pre-race pasta but it was fine.
Marathon day started early. I thought the trip across London would be busy but in the event it was a doddle and I was at the green start about 2 hours before my wave. Plenty to time to chat with others, fuel, and just soak up the atmosphere.
In my starting pen I met someone from my club and a runner called Charlotte who I know from social media. Charlotte runs at a similar pace to me and we agreed to start the race together.
Despite the start being fairly congested Charlotte and I quickly picked up the pace and we encouraged and pushed each other through the first half of the race. I hit 5K in 26:05, 10K in 51:37 and the half in 1:49.
For the first time since pre-pandemic racing I felt strong and fast. I decided to roll the dice and attempt to continue the pace for as much as I could of the second half, knowing that it could potentially be tough and that the wheels might come off.
As the morning wore on it was starting to get hot and, despite the numerous water stations on the course, I started to get a bit worried about dehydration. My legs were occasionally cramping as a result but I decided to gamble and run through it, rather than stretch out, knowing that if I stopped running at any point it would be very hard to restart.
My wife and kids had come to London for the day and it was lovely to see them at a number of places along the route. Although I ran with my AfterShokz on, for most of the time I didn’t listen to my music but instead just soaked up the atmosphere of the crowd, bands and sound systems.
My pace started to gradually fade from 33KM onwards but my hard work in the first half paid off as I came onto The Mall and crossed the finish line in 3:52:02, making it my second fastest marathon and only 13 minutes off my PB. My text message to my wife with a screenshot of my finish time and the words “Fuck me” tells you everything you need to know.
The London Marathon experience is all the hype that people say it is and more. It is so hard to put into words the overwhelming auditory and visual experience, the electric buzz, and the power of the crowd to pull you round even in the dark of the final few KM where you are questioning your sanity for doing it. Despite having done big city marathons before, I have never come across anything quite like it.
Thank you to everyone who has helped, supported and inspired me through injury, recovery and beyond. And most of all, thank you to my club for the opportunity. I hope I did you proud x
