rich_jacko

After London, I mused about trying for a sub-3h45m in 2023 for marathon #3. That was the goal this weekend, as I headed to Leeds for the inaugural Rob Burrow marathon.

I travelled up the day beforehand, mid-afternoon because of rail strikes. I checked into my hotel and walked the route to the start line, so I'd know where I was going the next day. Then it was dinner, a bit of Eurovision and an early night so I'd be fresh in the morning.

When I arrived, the start was a shambles, no other word for it. Nearly an hour-long queue for the bag drop, plus queuing for the loos. Inevitably, they had to delay the start. My wave was already moving by the time I entered the start zone. In a way, this was quite good; it meant there was none of the interminable wait you often get, standing around waiting for the race to start. Fortunately, out on the course itself, everything was a lot better organised, once we got going.

Normal strategy for a marathon is to find your "I can do this all day" pace, and keep going (until you can't!). That was never going to work with this course, which was far more undulating than most. There was also the blazing sun to consider as well as 12,000+ other runners on what were, at times, quite narrow roads. I was continuously having to adjust to my surroundings, easing on the uphills, making gravity work for me on the downhills, weaving into shade where I could and picking my way through the pack.

The first four miles took us through the city centre. There I passed Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield, and managed to meet up with Hannah and run with her for a bit. Then it was out into country roads and beautiful views (and hills). Here my right calf threatened to play up (as it has occasionally during training), but I eased on it a bit and it behaved itself. Miles 12 and 13 were an out-and-back stretch, with runners on both sides of the road. Here I could see how far the 3h45m pacer was ahead of me (I wasn't too worried; I crossed the start line 9 minutes after the gun!) and I waved hi to Hannah (who had caught the 4h pacer) again as I was heading back.

Mile 17 was the town of Otley, where Lesley was among the crowd cheering runners on. I didn't manage to see her, but it's not surprising as every inch of pavement through the town was full. The support all the way round the marathon was some of the best I've experienced, but Otley was second to none. They were brilliant and I told them so as I passed through. Though I didn't see Lesley, she was with me in spirit, as I used her patented jelly babies and cocktail sausages snacking strategy to keep me fuelled throughout the race!

Miles 18 and 19 were The Hill We'd All Been Warned About and... actually, it wasn't that bad. The gradient was gentle and even, and it would've been nothing if we hadn't already run 18 miles beforehand! I allowed myself to feel smug about training in Sheffield, as runners all around me started walking as I kept running (albeit at a slower pace). Once I reached the top I was tired, but dared to start thinking about that elusive 3h45m goal...

Too soon. There was a sneaky extra hill at mile 22 that I hadn't expected! I allowed myself a 2 1/2 minute walking break, then forced myself to keep going. I needed that, and it gave me just enough to keep running to the end. The last 10k was pretty much all downhill, and I just needed to keep going. I was metaphorically running on fumes by this point, so it was going to be close. Headingley Stadium was a welcome sight; I wasn't quite sure how much there was left as the route circled around it, but then it was into the ground and across the pitch to the finish line.

I was already in tears before I crossed the line, and exhausted but triumphant. I'd done it with 2 minutes to spare! I collected my medal, soaked up the crowd for a moment, then staggered outside to watch the other finishers coming in. I saw Hannah, followed shortly by Kevin and Rob, so went back into the ground to enjoy the roar as they crossed the line. Hannah and I met up again, congratulated each other over cans of Erdinger, struggled to move again, then endured the equally shambolic saga of reclaiming our bags. Honestly, if I'd have known, I wouldn't have bothered bringing one!

All marathons are tough, but this one seemed to be especially so. Most of the way round and at the end, there were runners dropping out and needing medical attention - a reminder that this is serious business. The first finisher was a relatively slow 2h29m, which makes me even more pleased with my new PB. I think I managed my race about as well as I could've done. (You can judge for yourself on that Strava.) And actually, I quite liked the hills...

I stayed in Leeds overnight, chatted to several other runners in my hotel, slept, ate and recovered slightly. Then it was back home today. Thanks to all those who supported me in raising money for The Pain Relief Foundation. I was in pain after the race, but for 1 in 7 people, it's a constant struggle. If you still want to sponsor me, you can!

2022 has been very much a Year of Running. As well as completing 10 big running events (and earning a medal / t-shirt combo from each), I kept up a streak of running at least 100k every month. After failing last year, I managed to complete the "Proclaimers challenge" this year, of running 500 miles and running 500 more! :o)

Here's how my yearly running breaks down:

January:
Sat 1st - 6k (4 laps parkrun)
Sun 2nd - 2k (junior parkrun with T)
Sat 8th - 5k (parkrun)
Sun 9th - 21k (RSR + warm-up jog to the start line!)
Sat 15th - 5k (parkrun)
Mon 17th - 16k (Common & Ooty loops plus parks)
Sat 22nd - 16k (parkrun + extra lap + Ooty loop with Jenny)
Mon 24th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Sat 29th - 11k (Half Ooty loop + parkrun)
Sun 30th - 7k (Ben Lan / Wadsley Common / Middlewood Drive loop)
Mon 31st - 10k (Ooty loop)
Total: 111k

February:
Sat 5th - 7k (parkrun + extra lap)
Sun 6th - 23k (Damflagden + parkrun lap)
Thurs 10th - 18k (Loxley Valley / Wadsley Common / Ooty loop)
Sat 12th - 7k (parkrun + extra lap)
Mon 14th - 15k (Ooty figure-of-8 + notparkrun)
Sat 19th - 7k (parkrun + extra lap)
Mon 21st - 18k (Wisewood / Rivelin / Crosspool / Uni loop)
Thurs 24th - 10k (Ooty loop)
Sat 26th - 26k (Forge Dam via uni and back via Crosspool)
Mon 28th - 9k (lengthy notparkrun)
Total: 140k

March:
Sat 5th - 16k (parkrun + extra lap + Ooty loop)
Mon 7th - 21k (Reverse Damflagden (Nedgalfmad?))
Sat 12th - 17k (parkrun + extra laps + Ooty loop)
Mon 14th - 6k (Wadsley Common loop)
Thurs 17th - 6k (Wisewood wiggle)
Mon 21st - 8k (Wadsley Common/Wisewood loop)
Fri 25th - 12k (Stannington / Rivelin loop)
Sat 26th - 8k (parkrun + warm-up + extra laps)
Sun 27th - 21k (Sheffield Half Marathon)
Tues 29th - 10k (Ooty loop)
Total: 125k

April:
Sat 2nd - 5k (Monsal Trail parkrun)
Mon 4th - 24k (Reverse Damflagden with detours)
Tues 5th - 6k (notparkrun)
Sat 9th - 15k (parkrun + reverse Ooty loop)
Mon 11th - 16k (University - Crosspool - Rivelin loop)
Tues 12th - 5k (notparkrun)
Wed 13th - 8k (notparkrun)
Fri 15th - 17k (revised notparkrun + Rails Road and back)
Sat 16th - 7k (parkrun + extra laps)
Thurs 21st - 5k (notparkrun)
Sat 23rd - 17k (parkrun + extra laps, Ooty loop in the evening)
Sun 24th - 2k (junior parkrun with Toby)
Tues 26th - 10k (reverse Ooty loop)
Thurs 28th - 4k (hill training with Kelly)
Sat 30th - 9k (Millhouses parkrun + extra laps)
Total: 150k

May:
Sun 1st - 21k (Great Birmingham Run)
Thurs 5th - 7k (Rivelin to the bend in the road and back)
Sat 7th - 17k (Reverse Ooty loop, then parkrun + extra laps)
Mon 9th - 16k (Rivelin - Crosspool - University loop, plus a pointless extra Malin Bridge loop because Garmin was being a lying shit)
Wed 11th - 7k (Extended half Ooty loop)
Sat 14th - 7k (Parkrun + extra laps)
Sun 15th - 22k (Damflagden)
Wed 18th - 17k (Damflask with Jen)
Sat 21st - 7k (Parkrun + extra)
Sun 22nd - 21k (Great Manchester Run)
Mon 23rd - 10k (reverse Ooty loop)
Thurs 26th - 5k (notparkrun)
Sat 28th - 5k (Eden Project parkrun)
Total: 162k

June:
Sat 4th - 7k (Parkrun + extra)
Tues 7th - 12k (Over Stannington and back along Rivelin)
Thurs 9th - 11k (Ooty loop via Worrall)
Sat 11th - 7k (Penistone parkrun plus)
Mon 13th - 28k (Forge Dam via Rivelin / Crosspool, back via uni)
Tues 14th - 10k (Wadsley Common / Loxley Valley loop)
Thurs 16th - 10k (Ooty figure-of-8)
Sat 18th - 5k (Worcester Pitchcroft parkrun)
Fri 24th - 10k (Extended Ooty mini-loop via Worrall)
Sat 25th - 7k (Parkrun + extra)
Sun 26th - 26k (RSR + warm-up jog to the start line!)
Tues 28th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Thurs 30th - 7k (notparkrun)
Total: 152k

July:
Sat 2nd - 10k (Reverse Ooty loop)
Sun 3rd - 2k (Junior parkrun with Bethany)
Mon 4th - 22k (Damflagden)
Wed 6th - 5k (notparkrun)
Thurs 7th - 9k (Worrall / Long Lane / Wadsley Common / Wisewood loop)
Sat 9th - 12k (Mini Ooty loop + parkrun + extra lap)
Mon 11th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Tues 12th - 6k (notparkrun)
Fri 15th - 10k (Reverse Ooty loop)
Sat 16th - 6k (Poolsbrook parkrun + extra)
Wed 20th - 10k (Ooty loop)
Sat 23rd - 8k (Millhouses parkrun + extra lap + bus stop & back)
Mon 25th - 10k (Wadsley Common / Loxley Valley loop)
Wed 27th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Fri 29th - 10k (Ooty loop)
Sat 30th - 7k (Parkrun + extra)
Sun 31st - 10k (Wisewood / Loxley / Rivelin loop)
Total: 161k

August:
Tues 2nd - 11k (Loxley valley with Neil & the Kings, notparkrun)
Sat 6th - 10k (Graves parkrun + run back from the Grindstone)
Mon 8th - 23k (Damflagden via Wadsley Common)
Tues 9th - 10k (Ooty loop with Neil)
Sat 13th - 7k (Mini Ooty loop + notparkrun)
Mon 15th - 9k (Extended reverse notparkrun)
Sat 20th - 8k (Parkrun + extra)
Mon 22nd - 17k (Rivelin / Crosspool / University loop + notparkrun)
Wed 24th - 10k (Reverse Ooty loop)
Sat 27th - 6k (Jubilee parkrun + extra lap)
Mon 29th - 14k (Rails Road and back + notparkrun)
Tues 30th - 8k (Mini Ooty loop + notparkrun)
Total: 133k

September:
Sat 3rd - 17k (Parkrun + extra + Ooty loop)
Tues 6th - 16k (Damflask)
Fri 9th - 7k (notparkrun)
Sun 11th - 21k (Great North Run)
Tues 13th - 8k (Reverse mini Ooty loop + notparkrun)
Fri 16th - 6k (notparkrun)
Sat 17th - 7k (Parkrun + extra)
Mon 19th - 5k (Aberavon seafront with Dave)
Wed 21st - 5k (Aberavon beach with Dave and Adam)
Sat 24th - 5k (Gnoll parkrun with Adam and Dave)
Sun 25th - 21k (Great Bristol Run)
Wed 28th - 10k (Ooty loop)
Total: 128k

October:
Sat 1st - 11k (Queen's parkrun + there and back again)
Sun 2nd - 21k (Great Scottish Run)
Wed 5th - 5k (notparkrun)
Fri 7th - 10k (reverse Ooty loop)
Sat 8th - 5k (parkrun)
Sun 9th - 15k (out to Endcliffe Park then Sheffield TenTenTen)
Tues 11th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Sat 15th - 5k (parkrun)
Sun 16th - 17k (Great South Run + run to the start line)
Sat 22nd - 19k (parkrun + extra then Ooty loop via Worrall)
Tues 25th - 5k (parkrun pacing practice)
Wed 26th - 7k (parkrun pacing practice + extra)
Sat 29th - 7k (parkrun + 2 extra half laps)
Sun 30th - 11k (reverse Ooty loop + notparkrun)
Total: 139k

November:
Tues 1st - 6k (parkrun pacing practice + extra)
Fri 4th - 6k (parkrun pacing practice + extra)
Sat 5th - 5k (pacing parkrun)
Mon 7th - 10k (Worrall - Long Lane - Common - Wisewood loop)
Sat 12th - 8k (parkrun + 2 extra laps)
Mon 14th - 17k (Wisewood - Damflask - Loxley Valley)
Fri 18th - 10k (reverse Ooty loop before work)
Sat 19th - 6k (parkrun + extra half lap)
Sun 20th - 12k (Rails Road and back)
Tues 22nd - 5k (notparkrun)
Sat 26th - 7k (parkrun + warm-up + extra half lap)
Mon 28th - 11k (Ooty loop via Worrall)
Total: 103k

December:
Sat 3rd - 7k (parkrun + warm-up + extra half lap)
Sun 4th - 16k (Percy Pud + there and back again)
Tues 6th - 5k (notparkrun after dark)
Sat 10th - 5k (University Parks parkrun)
Mon 12th - 15k (Wisewood - Loxley - Rivelin - Beeley Woods circuit)
Sat 17th - 12k (Ooty loop + notparkrun)
Mon 19th - 12k (Stannington & Rivelin loop)
Tues 20th - 5k (notparkrun)
Thurs 22nd - 8k (Wadsley Common - Loxley Road loop)
Sat 24th - 5k (Tewkesbury parkrun)
Tues 27th - 8k (Pershore double loop)
Thurs 29th - 16k (Castle Square + Don Valley Bowl with Becky and Adam and back again)
Sat 31st - 6k (parkrun + extra half lap
Total: 120k

...and here's how that all totals up (with and without my rounding!):

Jan - 111k (Garmin: 112.30k)
Feb - 140k (Garmin: 140.64k)
Mar - 125k (Garmin: 126.13k)
Apr - 150k (Garmin: 152.43k)
May - 162k (Garmin: 163.72k)
Jun - 152k (Garmin: 153.19k)
Jul - 161k (Garmin: 166.23k)
Aug - 133k (Garmin: 134.28k)
Sep - 128k (Garmin: 130.57k)
Oct - 150k (Garmin: 151.49k)
Nov - 103k (Garmin: 104.04k)
Dec - 120k (Garmin: 122.01k)

2022 total: 1,635k = 1,016 miles (Garmin: 1,657.03k = 1,029.63 miles)

2021 managed to clear the very low bar set by 2020 (Hey, the only new scar I have this year is a physical one...). We may not quite be back to normal yet - cancelled parties this week have sadly proven that - but we've collectively come a long way and this was the year life began to resume.

I've enjoyed regular meet-ups with friends again, trips to the seaside, a birthday picnic and meal out, the return of parkrun, two big family events/celebrations, my sister/nieces' visit to Sheffield, a trio of major running events, my first holiday away in two years, and a much freer Christmas than last year.

All the best to you all, however you're seeing in the New Year, and may you have a fantastic 2022!

It's perhaps tempting fate, with a relatively unknown new covid variant now circulating, but I want to record how good it feels, now that social and entertainment events have been starting to get back to normal.

Friday pub socials are now happening two or more times a month, and we're getting a pretty good turnout. It's great to be able to relax and spend time with each other over drinks once again.

Just over a month ago, I went to see Tim Peake talk about his career at City Hall. Much of it was things I already new, but some of it was fresh (I'd never previously thought about the difficulty of getting to sleep in zero-g!), and there's nothing like the personal touch of having Major Tim talk through it all in person. It was basically the best PowerPoint presentation ever!

November saw two big birthday parties on consecutive weekends, for Cis and Liz's 50ths. I only paid a brief visit to Cis's, at Trippets Lounge Bar, but it was great to see so many people there and catch up with faces I'd not seen in a long while. Liz's do, at Walkley Community Centre, naturally featured an enormous buffet, as well as party games and dancing into the night (well, 11pm). I had a wonderful time.


A week later, I went with Gillian down to Telford for Wales Comic Con. I'd never have spotted this was on if Gillian hadn't mentioned it to me, and I'm glad she did. We went to a Q&A talk with Doctors 5 through 8, and racked up a few autographs and photo shoots between us. There were a lot of cosplayers to admire too (We were ticking off Doctors). It was a good day out and fairly, if not entirely, successful - The organisation of the event left a lot to be desired and we had a long delay on the trains back. You can read Gillian's post here.


On Monday this week, I was back at City Hall for another space-themed show, this time Return of the Jedi in Concert - the film, up on a cinema screen, accompanied by a 70-piece live orchestra. It sounded fantastic, though at times I had to remind myself to pay attention to the live music, not just get lost in the film!


This coming weekend will also see my final running event of the year, the Percy Pud 10k. This one is a bit of a Sheffield institution. I've never entered it before. The course is through familiar territory, but it'll be a different experience running it as part of a big event, with celebrations (and Christmas puds!) at the finish.

Looking further ahead, I remain hopeful for a much more fun festive season than last year.

I went onwards to London last Saturday for charity run number 3, the world's biggest marathon.

I expected registration on Saturday to be stressful, and it was. Unlike other events, where your bib number is posted to you beforehand, for this one they posted out kitbags. You then had to drop these off at the ExCeL Centre, choose your finishing t-shirt, register and collect your number. Supposedly this was for covid reasons, to reduce the crowding of thousands of people together on race day. If so, it was a miserable failure. All it did was move the crowd indoors and a day earlier. Social distancing was impossible; you just had to trust a combination of luck, vaccinations and the requirement for everyone to have a negative lateral flow test in the two days beforehand. I suspect the real reason for this bizarre set-up was to influence people to buy stuff at the ExCeL's marathon show. I didn't go to the show. I was sufficiently freaked out, by the crowds on the Tube and while waiting in various queues for an hour, that I just wanted to get out as soon as possible.

After that, it was back to my hotel in Canary Wharf, where I'd literally only had time to check in, drop my bags and go, for a more chilled evening and an early night before the big race. The 18-mile marker was just outside the entrance, giving a taste of things to come. The weather was absolutely chucking it down, thankfully not giving a taste of things to come.

I woke as dawn was breaking on a crisp, dry and chilly morning - near perfect running conditions again (I've been so lucky with the weather across all three events!). After a sensible, carb-oriented breakfast (must resist having lots of bacon and sausages...), I hopped onto the DLR to Greenwich and made my way through the park to the start line. I was in the green starting zone, which was the smallest of the three, and had less of the excitement than the red zone, where all the TV cameras were. It was cold, waiting to begin, and I was glad I'd brought a foil blanket with me. It was nice to chat with other runners during the long, last-minute queue for the loos and while waiting in our holding area. I spoke with those hoping to go sub-3h30m, those doing their first or fifth marathon, and found myself stood behind the start line next to six people about to break a world record, dressed as Colin the Caterpillar. I love the dichotomy between all the different stories and challenges people have set themselves, and the way running events are such a communal, shared experience. Mind you, everyone in our holding area exclaimed, "What!?" at the guy being interviewed on the big screen for running 48 marathons in 30 days. That's just ridiculous!


As with the Great North Run, the wave starts and absence of spectators at the start line meant it didn't feel like a huge moment. I was mostly just eager to get going (and get warmed up!). It was fairly big though, being called forward with 1,000 other participants, hearing the airhorn, then all crossing the line in our three-minute window. The mass start times were spread over two hours, rather than six, as they had been in Newcastle, making for a much busier start. For all the chaos of Saturday, the organisation on the day itself was faultless, so full credit and thanks to all the organisers and volunteers (who, of course, I thanked along the way). Marshalling the runners, helping people cross the roads around us, manning the drinks and energy stations - all of these were vital jobs. Even if the road around the Lucozade hand-outs did feel rather too much like trying to run on the floor of the Roxy disco.

The early part of the run was all about not charging off too quickly and finding a comfortable pace. Easy enough, though it was tempting to go speeding ahead during the downhill mile 3. Greenwich, for the most part, looks like a residential part of any major city - normal roads, lined with houses, shops and the occasional park. It was easy to forget this was the London Marathon. Also, the 12-year-old me enjoyed sniggering at the marshalls stood either side of every speed bump, shouting "Hump!" enthusiastically and repeatedly as a warning.

As we merged with the red zone starters at the end of mile 3, the numbers grew and it began to feel more like a major event (I couldn't resist shouting, "Come on, you reds!" when they first emerged on the other side of the carriageway, divided from us "greens" and "blues" for a short stretch by the barrier). Then, just past the 10k mark, came the first iconic London Marathon moment - the tight loop around three sides of the Cutty Sark. The crowds here were enormous and gave everyone great support. If you want to know why mass running events are addictive, think about having thousands of people lining the streets, cheering you on. It was like that all the way around (easily the equal of the Great North Run), but nowhere moreso than there at the Cutty.


Almost as if it's the world's biggest parkrun, a marathon is mostly "a run, not a race". The camaraderie and support all the runners give to each other is fantastic. It may be different for the very elite, but us mass runners are mainly focussed on our own run, rather than jostling for position. Every one of us know how much training needs to go into running this distance and have enormous respect for one another. Especially so for those taking on the extra challenge of running in fancy dress. Those runners attract more attention from the crowds, but you can't begrudge them any of it - it's hard enough running 26.2 miles in clothes designed for running in; doing it in a bulky, hot and heavy costume isn't something I'd want to do. As well as the aforementioned Colin, along the way I saw a rhino, an elephant, a stormtrooper with a feather boa, a tractor, a bride and groom pairing, a three-legged pairing, Spider-Man, Batgirl and a giant brain. You cheer them all on, just as much as the crowds do. As I and a couple of other runners passed a guy clomping along in full ski boots. As one, we did a double-take and complimented him, "Well done, mate!" As the event's tagline says, #WeRunTogether.

Beyond the Cutty, the next few miles were uneventful and I got properly set into my rhythm. This wasn't a run I needed to think particularly hard about. There weren't the constant undulations of the Great North Run, or the massive uphill slog of the Sheffield Half. This was mostly flat all the way. It was just a case of finding a comfortable pace I felt I could keep up forever (the distance is too far to be thinking "Well, I can push for this long before I start to tire) and making sure I broadly stuck to it. This was quite easy given the number of other runners to pace against, and I found myself slipping into something of a zen-like state. Beyond that, the sum total of my strategy involved regular sips of water and energy bars after 15k and 30k. A shorter run, such as a 5k or 10k is all about speed and managing your heart rate/breathing; a marathon is all about going the distance and managing your energy/hydration levels and your legs. Every mile and every kilometre of the course was marked out (most events mark out either one or the other), which provided plenty of markers to reassure us all we were making continuous progress. I kept reminding myself, £17 per km - that's how much money I was raising for charity, and it seemed like a pretty good deal. I was definitely achieving something here. Thank you once again to everyone who has sponsored me over these events.

The biggest progress marker of all was Tower Bridge. I knew it was coming up, from passing the 12-mile marker, but it was still quite something to turn the corner and see the road stretching up to it. It was the only really noticeable uphill on the entire course, but the sight of the bridge gives you such a boost, you don't care. The crowds were in full force here too, and running across such a landmark was just as iconic a sporting moment as crossing the Tyne Bridge had been in Newcastle. In London, the bridge has the added significance of meaning you're nearly at the halfway point. This was one of the most exciting bits of the course - in quick succession, you run over the bridge, past the Tower of London, join a mile-and-a-half stretch of watching elite runners passing in the other direction (the fast club athletes, by the time I got there; the Olympians were long gone!), and hit the halfway point.


After that, it was into the winding slog around Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs. Not that it was terrible, but this was definitely the least fun part of the course. You lose track of where you are, it goes on for seven miles before you rejoin the carriageway in the other direction, and this is the point in the run when you're starting to seriously tire. And I had to run past my hotel, knowing I still had eight miles to go until the finish line. This whole section was not helped by (a) the sun starting to beat down hard - thank heaven for the shade from tall buildings; or (b) my Garmin watch losing GPS position - curse you, shade from tall buildings! The resulting garbage pace information (16min/km one minute; 3min/km the next - Go home, Garmin; you're drunk!) made it harder to concentrate and stick to my pace. But I got through that long section, and the 32k marker was another significant psychological boost - just over 10k to go and, unlike my previous marathon two years earlier, I was still going strong at this point. Don't get me wrong. It was hard work, I was tired and ready for it to be over soon, but I was still running well. I hadn't had to stop or walk so far and it was around this point I set myself the target of keeping that going until the finish line.

At 37k, I passed that all-important "only a parkrun to go" moment and entered very familiar London territory. There wasn't just an arbitrary distance to the finish line any more; it was a route I knew well. (Well, perhaps not running through Blackfriars Tunnel, but generally.) This was the first and last moment during the run that I had a serious think about my finishing time. Having established I wasn't going to break sub-3h45m (a possible goal I had going in), but nor was I going to be slower than 4h, unless anything went badly wrong in the last stretch, I dismissed such thoughts again and just concentrated on making it to the end without breaking stride. Others were slowing around me at this point. I tried to encourage them along where I could, but I was too tired to shout very much.


Along the Embankment, past the 25-mile marker - I could feel the end was near as I passed the corner of Westminster Bridge and Big Ben, 1,200m to go... Up past Whitehall, along Birdcage Walk and alongside St James's Park - it's just name-dropping landmarks at this point. This was it, the third and final big iconic section (after Cutty Sark and Tower Bridge) leading up to the finish. The signs marked 600m to go... 400m to go... I rounded the corner past Buckingham Palace (noting the Union Jack flying; Her Maj wasn't in!) and saw the finish up ahead. I got a boost from hearing the announcer talking about everyone coming in now achieving a finish in under 4 hours. It was in the bag at this point and I didn't have the energy for a sprint finish. Along with a couple of others, I spread my arms wide, soaked up the atmosphere and let myself relax a little, just enjoying cruising the final straight up The Mall and across the line. A finish time of 3h52m26s. I'll happily take that.


I paused for a selfie (getting out of the way of a runner dressed as a tree, who was doing the same), collected my kit bag, then went to join the park full of runners collapsed on the ground, to rest my weary legs, have a snack and a drink, and catch up on messages - lots of good luck messages from friends and family, as well as congratulations from those who'd been following my progress online. In my goody bag, as well as the extra layer and food items I'd added, there were much-needed bottles of Lucozade and water, a hefty finisher's medal and the brightest finisher's t-shirt I've ever earned. It'll certainly be handy if I go jogging at night and need to be seen... from orbiting satellites.

Eventually I struggled back to my feet. This was hard. I gave the corporate stalls a miss, but cheered on the people who were still running as I made my way back to the Tube. Having been lucky with the weather so far, the heavens now opened for a brief deluge. I got wet, but mainly felt sorry for those still out on the course. It felt nice to be treated like royalty by the Underground staff - a finisher's medal got you a "Well done!" and free passage through the barriers. Random passers-by also paused to congratulate anyone wearing a medal. There were still runners passing by my hotel when I got back, and the sun was out again, so I stopped to cheer them on before retiring to my room. The remainder of the day saw me attending to my aching body, phoning Mum and Dad, taking advantage of the hotel pool and sauna (Bliss!) and staggering out as far as Nando's for food replenishment. After which I went to bed at quarter to nine and slept for ten hours.

I felt stiff and sore on Monday morning, but triumphant. I made further use of the pool and sauna, and was able to make full use of the breakfast offer, without having to worry about running. There were several other runners staying in the hotel, so lots of mutual congratulations and swapping notes on how we'd done (a near clone of Dave R had run it in under 3h30m). I checked out, popped briefly into our London office to pick up my new security pass for work (None of my colleagues was in) then joined the queue for medal engraving outside the New Balance shop on Oxford Street.

I was expecting to have to wait, but I spent almost as long waiting as it took to run the marathon. I'm not even exaggerating; I was stood in line for about 3h45m. Not what your legs need the day after running 26.2 miles. Luckily it was a fine day and I had a book to read (thank you, Stephen Fry!) but still, had I known it would take that long, I probably wouldn't have bothered. The people doing the engraving were lovely and friendly, but there really needed to have been more than two of them. Negative marks for post-event organisation, just as with the pre-event arrangements. As a result, I missed the last super off peak train back by about 20 minutes, and spent 3 hours waiting around Kings Cross - St Pancras. I bought books, beer and pasta to pass the time, and eventually made it home around a quarter to ten. I was very glad I'd booked the following day off work as well.

Despite such occasional setbacks, it had been a triumphant trip. And let's not forget I wasn't just doing this for the challenge, but to raise funds for the National Autistic Society. My sponsorship page remains open for anyone who still wants to donate - I know some people have qualms about donating until after the event ;o)


What next? London has given me greater confidence in running marathons, so I doubt it will be my last. At York, I started too fast, hit "the wall" around 30k and half-limped to the end. I made none of those mistakes this time around and kept running throughout, at a satisfyingly consistent pace. Yet my finish time was around 2 minutes slower than York. Did I err the other way, and pace myself too cautiously? I feel I've got a sub-3h45m in me; I only need to shave off 11s/km. Not next year though, as I want a break from marathon training over the summer. Maybe in 2023...

On Sunday, I took part in the 40th Great North Run. I joined 57,000 runners, including the best in the world. The run was broadcast live in 127 countries and was the first major event of its kind anywhere since the pandemic began. It was a brilliant experience and the most fun I've ever had running a half marathon.

I'm really glad about that, because I turned down a holiday in Wales with friends to run in this event. I'm not going to speculate which I'd have enjoyed more, because that's a really counterproductive way of thinking. But it was a major running achievement which will stay with me. Plus I have (at the time of writing this) raised £1,286 for the National Autistic Society, which counts for a lot.

The event took up pretty much my whole weekend. After parkrun (of course!), I only had a little while to pack before catching the train up to Newcastle. I checked into my hotel, took a walk out to the Town Moor (to be aware of my route to the start line the next morning) and along the Tyne (to admire the bridges), and then there was only time for dinner, watching Emma Raducanu win the US Open (along with half the people in the hotel, it seemed, and trying to get a bit of sleep before the big day.

I didn't sleep much. But I had a good hotel breakfast and made my way to the start in plenty of time. The weather was pretty much perfect - cool and cloudy. I was glad the heatwave had passed! My worries about finding my way past the road closures were unnecessary - I just followed the growing crowd! Social distancing (of sorts) meant there was a rolling start. The race officials called all the orange waves forward together (I was meant to be in orange wave 6 of 8), which meant I ended up starting 20 minutes earlier than I expected to.

The start line itself was a strange non-event. No waiting, no countdown, no crowds, no announcement or airhorns. There was plenty of all that on the way across to the start line, but the start itself saw us all weaving through metal barriers, which seemed like they were put there to trip us up, but were actually a clever way of spacing everyone out. I emerged from that obstacle course and, oh look, I guess we're starting running now!

Once around the first bend, the crowds started lining the roads to cheer everyone on. They didn't stop all the way round. The atmosphere you get from road races like this is something special, and the buzz you get from doing it with thousands of other runners just adds to that feeling. I hadn't realised how much I'd missed it until just then. I've cried at the end of a long run before now, but this was the first time I'd felt myself begin to get teary right at the start. I think I went around the entire route with a big grin on my face.

On runs which aren't the world's biggest half marathon, you get crowds like that at the start and finish, with long stretches in the middle where there aren't many spectators and the runners themselves thin out a little. Not here. The biggest gap in the crowd was maybe 100m or so. There were ordinary people lining the roads, charity stalls (I made sure to look out for and wave to the NAS one at miles 3 and 9), live music and more. The only thing I missed out on was seeing the Red Arrows flying overhead (Going by the TV coverage, I think they must've flown over about when I was at the furthest point of the route.) While it was nowhere near as heaving as the aerial shots I've seen of hordes of runners from previous years (we were generally all running at a socially distanced 2m from each other throughout), there were always lots of other runners surrounding me as well.

One advantage of the altered route this year was getting to see the elite runners on their return leg, as my wave was heading outwards. During my first couple of miles, I saw the elite women coming up to the finish, then shortly after the elite men, and then the other side of the carriageway began to fill up with the mass of other runners like me.

As well as the crowds, runners themselves were cheering each other on, whether it was those passing in the other direction, those in crazy-but-amazing costumes (I spotted Marge Simpson, the Queen of Hearts, Three Little Pigs - who'd been interviewed on the news that morning, Mario & Luigi, a lion, and many more), those running for the same charity, or those who just looked like they needed the encouragement. I joined in of course. We also got to high-five the crowds, do the iconic run across the Tyne Bridge not once but twice, waive at the big screen at the halfway turnaround, and take full advantage of the acoustics as we ran under the motorway overpass ("Oggy! Oggy! Oggy!" "Oi! Oi! Oi!").

I'd resolved not to set myself a target time, and to just enjoy the race at whatever pace felt good. And I pretty much did. I didn't look at my watch at all for the first couple of km. When I did, I found I was averaging about 4:45 per km, which surprised me. I'd typically been doing about 5:10 per km during training runs, but the energy you get from the atmosphere at an event always make you go a bit faster, as does the push you get from having other runners around you. I was going fast - too fast for a very long run, but manageable over a half marathon. I kept an eye on my pace after that, preparing to back off a little if I found myself pushing too hard.

Lots of people (including elite runners) said what a hilly course it was. Pah! These people have clearly never been running in Sheffield! What it was, was undulating pretty much throughout. This brought its own challenges. Your mind is working hard, as well as your body, in an event like this. While I was enjoying the crowd, I was also constantly having to pick my path around other runners; be aware of my pace, energy and any aches or niggles; as well as keep track of taking in sensible amounts of water and sugar. In that state of mind, it was easy not to notice when a downhill slope gently turned into an uphill slope. (Yes, it was so not hilly, I almost didn't notice some of the hills, ha!) When you find yourself still doing a downhill pace on an uphill, you need to ease off!

That's not to say it wasn't hard work. It was. I was putting a lot of effort in, and I've got the stats to prove it! My point is I got caught up in the moment and was enjoying it all the way round (even when it started raining towards the end). Having been training for a full marathon gave me a fitness level and a confidence to stretch myself over a half. It was only towards the finish, once the inclines got steeper and the route wound its way uphill back into the city centre and towards the Town Moor, that I found myself struggling and wanting to slow down.

By this point, though, I'd realised I was on target for achieving a long-term running goal - a sub-100-minute half marathon. So I pushed on. Those last couple of miles were incredibly hard work. My heart rate stats show I was averaging 184 beats per minute at that stage (which is pretty much maximum effort and not sustainable), versus a more sensible 164 beats per minute for the rest of the route, up until that point. I cheered along with everyone around me as I came up to the finish line, crossing it with over 80 seconds to spare! I leapt over the line and punched the air in triumph!

(Then immediately had to dart sharply to the right to avoid the runners in front, who'd come to a dead stop, while I still had forward momentum... Never mind, it didn't ruin the moment too much!)

My time was 1:38:36, over 3 minutes faster than my previous PB. On reflection, I shouldn't have been that surprised. I'd been training for a marathon, had the boost from a mass event and it was the least hilly such mass event I'd done. But I'm still very, very pleased with that result.

It all seemed to be over way too soon (Maybe I should've run slower!). I collected my goody bag, posed for my finishing photo, and made my way over to the NAS charity tent, where snacks and drinks awaited. I spent a while nattering there with the volunteers and other runners (It felt very strange that some had finished, like me, while others were still waiting to be called to the start line). Then I watched a bit of the race from the sidelines on my way back to my hotel, had a quick shower and change, then caught the train back to Sheffield.

One down... two to go. I don't expect to set the same kind of pace for the remaining runs. The Sheffield Half Marathon (as mentioned) is hillier, and I'll be wanting to make sure I don't knacker myself a week before the London Marathon. For that one, I don't feel quite as well prepared for the distance as I did for the Yorkshire Marathon in 2019. My aims are simple - get to the end; don't die!

My legs were sore on Monday, but by Tuesday I was back out there running 6k in preparation for the next event. Wish me luck, and keep the sponsor money coming! :o)

With limited other options for things to do, I've been doing a lot of running lately. I hit targets of running 50K in June, 100K in July, 60K in August and 100K again in September. But this month has been The Big One.

In October, I have run 250K! (That's 155 miles in old money.)

That's by far the most I've ever run in a month outside of marathon training. It started out as a 100-mile (161K) challenge, then I upped it to 200K, then I upped it again when we went into Tier 3. I'm not likely to be doing that distance in a month again any time soon though. I was feeling achy and it was getting to be a chore for the last few days, but I'm glad I did it and proud of the achievement! :o)

I've had the benefit of (mostly) okay running weather, five Saturdays this month and the last week off work. I've mainly managed it by running to Oughtibridge and back before (not)parkruns, doing long runs on a Sunday and shorter runs two or three times during the week. The full breakdown, for the record, is:

• Fri 2nd Oct - extended parkrun, 7K
• Sat 3rd Oct - Ooty loop + (not)parkrun, 15K (running total 22K)
• Sun 4th Oct - a random exploration around Wadsley Common and Loxley Valley, 16K (running total 38K)
• Mon 5th Oct - parkrun route, 5K (running total 43K)
• Wed 7th Oct - parkrun route, 5K (running total 48K)
• Fri 9th Oct - reverse parkrun route, 5K (running total 53K)
• Sat 10th Oct - Ooty loop + extended (not)parkrun, 16K (running total 69K)
• Sun 11th Oct - Damflagden via Wadsley Common and back along Loxley Valley, 23K (running total 92K)
• Tues 13th Oct - extended parkrun route, 8K (running total 100K)
• Thurs 15th Oct - extended parkrun route, 6K (running total 106K)
• Sat 17th Oct - Ooty loop + a double (not)parkrun, 20K (running total 126K)
• Sun 18th Oct - Broomhill via the University, up over Manchester Rd and back along Rivelin Valley, 16K (running total 142K)
• Tues 20th Oct - parkrun route, 5k (running total 147K)
• Wed 21st Oct - extended reverse parkrun route, 6K (running total 153K)
• Sat 24th Oct - Ooty via Worrall + extended (not)parkrun, 17K (running total 170K)
• Sun 25th Oct - 4 parks run: Hillsborough, Longley, Concord and Firth, 17K (running total 187K)
• Mon 26th Oct - extended parkrun route, 8K (running total 195K)
• Tues 27th Oct - a reverse Ooty loop + a lap of Hillsborough Park, 11K (running total 206K)
• Wed 28th Oct - around the top of Long Lane, through the Common, then back via Ooty and Beeley Wood, 16K (running total 222K)
• Thurs 29th Oct - 4 laps reverse parkrun route, 7K (running total 229K)
• Fri 30th Oct - 4 laps parkrun route, 7K (running total 236K)
• Sat 31st Oct - shortened Ooty loop + (not)parkrun, 14K (final total 250K)

It's goodbye to ridiculous amounts of training runs, and back to the normal Parkrunning schedule, post-marathon. Italics indicate an unusual course:

Date	My Parkruns	Time	Position overall	Position males	Position VM 40-44	Age-graded score
19th Oct	105th	20:59	27th/385	25th	5th	65.53%
26th Oct	106th	24:09	76th/274	68th	9th	56.94%
9th Nov	107th	20:38	22nd/415	22nd	3rd	66.64%
16th Nov	108th	20:56	20th/333	19th	1st!	65.68%
23rd Nov	109th	20:26	12th/295	12th	3rd	67.29%
30th Nov	110th	20:48	19th/301	18th	2nd	66.11%
7th Dec	111th	20:36	13th/375	13th	3rd	66.75%
14th Dec	112th	21:11	12th/266	12th	2nd	64.91%
21st Dec	113rd	21:22	21st/328	19th	3rd	64.35%
28th Dec	114th	20:38	16th/188	16th	2nd	66.64%
4th Jan	115th	21:05	25th/521	25th	4th	65.22%
11th Jan	116h	21:05	22nd/548	22nd	2nd	65.22%
18th Jan	117th	20:45	12th/513	12th	3rd	66.27%
25th Jan	118th	20:19	12th/473	12th	1st!	67.68%
1st Feb	119th	21:18	38th/713	37th	6th	64.55%
15th Feb	120th	21:06	22nd/444	19th	1st!	65.17%
22nd Feb	121st	20:57	20th/399	17th	3rd	65.63%
29th Feb	122nd	20:42	20th/424	17th	2nd	66.43%

26th October was a slow run, which I expected it to be, coming just six days after my marathon. Mostly I ran it just to prove to myself that I could. It was too soon though (as well as being wet and miserable), and I hurt afterwards. I volunteered the next week (time-keeping), to recover and get back on form for the week after.

28th December was a spot of Christmas tourism, doing the Evesham Parkrun near my parents' home. Despite the course being back-and-forth along the riverbank, it was one of only two local Parkruns that wasn't cancelled because of flooding. The course isn't the best, with a bottleneck turning point right at the start, but it was just about manageable with 188 runners.

I volunteered again for New Year's Day, where there was a record-breaking turnout of 750 runners! Seeing that many people running around Hillsborough Park together was fantastic. From my vantage point by the car park, it looked like a continuous stream of people for an hour. The high attendance has continued throughout 2020 so far, with only one week having fewer than 400 people (and then it was only one fewer!).

On 25th January, I marked my second-fastest ever time at Hillsborough and, on 1st February, I smashed 18 seconds off my previous reverse-direction PB at the 7th anniversary run. It's harder in reverse, you see. No matter what Becky says. Or Neil. 1st February was also the morning I tried to get back into longer running in preparation for this year's Sheffield Half Marathon. I ran a 10k Ooty Loop beforehand, then did my customary extra lap at the end (helping Dan & Tan to a sub-40 finish), to make it 10 miles in total.

This year, I want to tick off some of the volunteering jobs I've not yet done. On 8th February I stood in as Funnel Manager for the first time, and discoverd in involves almost as much running around as doing the Parkrun normally!

The last three weeks have included a slight diversion to the normal course, due to the amound of mud around the tennis courts. After a very slippery finish for the first go, we're now finishing on the path and the alternative course seems to work well. 3 1/2 abbreviated laps means more downhill than up, so it should be good for fast times. I've yet to work out a good rhythm for pacing it though; no doubt I'll figure it out just before we go back to normal. (We had an even more slight diversion earlier in the year, owning to drainage work by the climbing ropes. Naturally, the library downhill was restored to normal just in time for it to become the library uphill for the anniversary run.)

Today, with my first Monday off work, one of the things I did was a proper training run for the half marathon. 10 miles in 80 minutes, out around Strines Reservoir and back. It was a lovely day for it, with the storms of the past few weeks nowhere around. I was reasonably pleased with my time, but I'll need to find 5 minutes from somewhere if I'm to break through the 1h40m barrier on 29th March.

Proper update to follow, when I've had time to write one (I want to document this properly - you have been warned!). But for now:

I DID IT!

3 hours, 51 minutes, 35 seconds on the clock as I crossed that finish line.

Many thanks to all those who, collectively, supported me by donating a stonking £673.60 to Cancer Research. More photos and links from the day are up on my update to my sponsorship page.

Thanks also to everyone who sent me encouraging messages on the day, and especially to Neil, Krissy, E & T for coming all the way to York to cheer me on at the finish. :o)

8 weeks until race day, and my free time is now pretty much dictated by marathon training. My plan involves a 10-15k during each week, Parkruns on Saturdays and a longer run on Sundays. This is hard work.

This week's training update, which I've just posted on That Facebook:

Some people would say setting my alarm for 6am to go out and run 20 miles on a Sunday morning is insane. Those people would be right. Though it's marginally less insane than going out running later in 29-degree heat would have been.

Today's route took me along Rivelin Valley, up Manchester Road(!), down through Broomhill and Brocco Bank, through Endcliffe Park and Whiteley Woods, out just past Forge Dam, back along Ecclesall Road, up Hanover Way and roughly following the tramline home. Lots of trees, babbling rivers and a great view from near the top; Sheffield really is stunningly beautiful in places.

Anyway, ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED! I managed to (mostly) run 20 miles, or 32.2k in 3h2m52s. That's 76.3% of a marathon in 76.2% of my target time, so absolutely bang on pace. I had to do 2½ laps of the park at the end to make up the distance, which were utterly soul-crushing that close to home, but I'd be damned if I wasn't going to finish the distance, having come so close.

I am, however, completely knackered now. I ache A LOT, have various blisters and chafing that I won't go into, and am mostly hobbling when I try to walk. (And my teeth! No one warns you about this - energy gels are essential for long runs, but boy are they grim. I've scrubbed my teeth twice since I got back!) I might just sleep now for the rest of the day...

Please help me make all this ridiculous training effort worthwhile by sponsoring me!