London Marathon 2014 - Race Report

My debut at the London Marathon over a year ago was a very humbling experience. I remember my legs completely dying on me at mile 16 (a feeling I've never experienced so quickly before), the dreadful thought that there were still 10 more miles to go, and that no matter how hard I tried I just couldn't shake the funk that fell upon me. I dreamed about running sub-3 hours and didn't get it, but that's the reason why dreams are big and they're hard to get.

At last year's London Marathon, passing the Roadrunners marshal point at mile 23. Not feeling great at all!

12 months on from London, I went into this year's London wanting total redemption! Anything over a 3:05 finishing time would mean that I wouldn't have another chance to qualify for London next year, so basically London 2014 was my very last chance to ensure that I could have another shot to run in the world's greatest city. But, deep down, I really wanted that sub-3 hour time.

Tower Bridge at just under halfway.

Since last year's injury, which had completely scuppered my running I had a big task ahead of me to work my way back to full strength. Over the winter, I resolved to train harder than ever before whilst also taking better care of myself. It was a delicate balance of more mileage, more speed work, more hills, more core work, more strength work, more early mornings, more early nights and more recovery. There were times when I was teetering precariously over the edge, but, considering that I made it to the start line in the best possible shape I knew that I did everything correct in training and that I was prepared to give it my all!

Gavin Rennie, Pete Jewell, David McCoy, myself and Chris Kelly at the GFA starting area.

The early hours of Sunday morning were low-key as myself and the other Reading Roadrunners took the coach from Palmer Park, Reading, to Charing Cross, London. I spent the hour-long bus ride speaking to fellow Good for Age qualifier and sub-3 hour finisher, Chris Kelly, about my approach to the race and what I was going to do. I mentioned that the best chance I had to run sub-3 hours was to run in a group with others wanting the same time and there were two other Roadrunners who wanted that time also. Dean Allaway and Pete Jewell would be my racing partners and, a few days before race day, we agreed that we would run steadily in the early stages, help each other through the middle stages and push each other to the very brink at the end. 

The start of the 2014 London Marathon.

In the first 10 km from Blackheath to Greenwich centre, we took things very steadily, trying to stick together, share the leading responsibilities and the drinks between each other. It was a very warm day and staying hydrated was crucial. We were always behind target pace but we didn't panic; we agreed beforehand that we would speed up gradually in the middle stages until the very end. Easier said than done though because just as we reached mile 10 Pete told me that he needed to back off the current pace because his calves were causing him some problems. On paper, Pete is our strongest runner and I thought that he would easily make up the deficit and rejoin myself and Dean later on. As it turned out, we never saw Pete again until after the finish.  

On Tower Bridge, just before halfway, with Dean close by on my tail.

Dean and I continued to make inroads into the deficit like how we had planned. I stayed in the front most of the time while Dean kept me informed of each mile split. We were slowly gaining back lost time and could even see the sub-3 hour pacer in the distance. We reached halfway at 1:30:38, my fastest half time in the marathon, and I was very happy with that. If we slowly reduced the gap between us and the sub-3 hour pacer, and stuck to the sub-3 hour pacer as best we could, we were in with a shot to break the magical sub-3 barrier. 

Mile 16, the point where I crashed and burned last year.

We managed to reach the sub-3 hour pacer when we ran through Canary Wharf at mile 15, but at mile 16, I noticed that Dean was no longer with me. The pace was still quite furious and I was in two minds whether to slow down and see how far he had dropped off the pace, but in the end I decided to keep on running with the sub-3 hour pacer. It was also the point where my legs started to tire and the heat really affected me, but I still held on tightly to the sub-3 hour pacer.

Sticking with the sub-3 hour pacer, 52875, through the Docklands area.

Eventually the sub-3 hour pacer put in a big surge, possibly because he was also behind target, and I realised that I had trouble keeping with him. I threw in a few mini surges and managed to gain some metres, but by mile 22 I was well and truly spent and I couldn't prevent him slowly disappearing into the distance. From 30 km to 35 km my 46 second deficit turned into a 65 second deficit and it was only going to get worse from then on in. The sub-3 hour dream was quickly slipping through my fingers, but I kept telling myself that I was still in with a chance and that my one final trump card that I was really counting on wasn't being played just yet....

Kerri French and Emma Caswell, the first, and the only two, of the fantastic Reading Roadrunners marshals that I saw at mile 23.

Then it was time and that's when the magic truly happened! As soon as Kerri and Emma saw me running towards them in the distance, they screamed at me so loudly that I somehow managed to activate "beast mode" within. A surge of adrenaline coursed heavily through my system as I picked up the pace and ran through the Reading Roadrunners marshal point by the Tower of London like a man possessed. The support from the Roadrunners marshals at mile 23 was second to none, though I was so focused that I didn't notice any of the other Roadrunners marshals out there urging me to continue. Looking back on the photos, I pretty much knew all of them and I only wished that I could've acknowledged them in some way!

My training colleagues, Simon Denton, Tony Page and Alan Freer, at the mile 23 marker.

Reading parkrunners Liz and Andy Atkinson acting as marshals at mile 23.

Unfortunately, "beast mode" wore off and that's when I conceded that I wasn't going to break 3 hours. The feeling of urgency was quickly replaced with a feeling of calm and acceptance. Running through Embankment was the most surreal experience I went through - I know I was there but I can't remember anything about it. I heard my name being called out by supporters that knew me but I never managed to see or acknowledge them. All that was on my mind was continuing to run through the pain; even though I was not in the reckoning for a sub-3 hour time, I was within striking distance for a PB. Unfortunately, time was not on my side and neither were my legs or my mind.

Already out of it by mile 25 on the Embankment!

Instead of going all in like I wanted to, I decided to fold when I reached Houses of Parliament and Birdcage Walk. I looked at my watch and concluded that it was going to be very tight to run a new PB. So, I decided to make the last mile as comfortable as possible and ensure I get sub-3:05, which would at least guarantee me a GFA place in next year's London and a new Boston Qualifying time. Looking back, I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't manage to "close the deal" until the very end, and I would attribute this to not being in this very position since my ran my PB two years ago, in order to know how to respond appropriately.

Passing Big Ben and already resigning my mind to reaching a sub-3:05 time.

Although I managed to finish safely within sub-3:05, I still flirted with danger as I really slowed down on Birdcage Walk to make it as comfortable as possible. My brother managed to see me this year and managed to take this picture on Birdcage Walk. 

On Birdcage Walk with 600m to go.

I also checked on another runner, who appeared to be seriously dehydrated. He wasn't able to stand up straight as he was really losing his legs as he staggered forward. But with just over minute to go, I reached The Mall outside of Buckingham Palace and made one final push towards the line. I finished in 3:04:28, battered, bruised and broken.

On The Mall pushing for the finish.

I managed to meet up with Dean, Pete and the other Roadrunners from the GFA start and we managed this nice group photo. We traded war stories and I found out that Dean had stomach cramp which forced him to slow down. Pete fared worse; after he dropped off the pace he got slower and slower and couldn't recover. On any other day, I'm sure they would've run great times and if we kept together for longer I think we could've done extremely well.

Some of the Roadrunners on The Mall after the London Marathon.

It wasn't sub-3 hours and it wasn't a PB. But I also wanted redemption and I got it! 3:04:28 gives me another shot at London next year and is good enough to qualify for Boston as well. Most importantly, I've managed to work my way back to full strength after a terrible 2013 where I got injured and ran marathon times that were over 30 minutes slower than my PB. Hopefully I can build on from there, stay injury free and, one day, break that magical 3-hour barrier. 

This year's medal.

It was very difficult with the very warm weather, but as Shalane Flanagan said after her Boston performance, "I don't wish it were easier, I just wish I were better". Thanks to my running friends, too numerous to name, for their encouragement over the winter, and believing in me that I could recapture my form of old. It has been a very hard training period, with many sacrifices, but I would do it all over again in an instant and I can't wait to see what my next marathon time will be!

I will return to London in 2015!