Neil Featherby: Amazing stuff at a double London Marathon 'debut'

Apart from the two occasions, 1985 and 1986, when I ran in it, other than watching the race on TV, I had previously never lined up with the crowds watching from the kerbside.

I even worked for various companies during marathon exhibition week for a number of years, but always came home either the day before or on the day of the race.

In truth, I have never been a great watcher if I wasn’t competing, but this really was something else.

I did, of course, have a good reason to be there this year what with my partner Steph taking part in her first ever marathon along with one of my staff at Sportlink Mark Thorpe and business partner Danny Mills, which all made it that bit more special, but have to say what a fantastic day it was.

Mark Thorpe stopping to say hello to his supporters at 16 miles (Image: Neil Featherby)

In fact I ran, jogged and walked 17 miles in total with our good friends Craig and Tracey Bowen Jones who travelled down with us as we went from point to point to lend our support, along with the thousands of others who lined the full length of the 26.2-mile course.

The atmosphere really did go well beyond what I expected and as I said to Steph as she headed to the start line, it was one of those special occasions where you have to take in and soak up every moment.

As for her efforts, all I can say is that I was so proud of her. I did say in my column last week that having had just a few weeks to prepare, anything under five hours would be a bonus. Well bonus it most certainly was as she crossed the line in four hours, 58 mins and 38 seconds.

I was absolutely made up.

I knew it would be tough after 18 miles - which was the longest she had ever run before. But once she got to 23 miles, she switched on to the mind games we had gone through prior to the race, which was to just visualise a run from our home down to Horsford woods and back, which is just over three miles.

It worked perfectly as she rallied and pushed on to break that five-hour barrier.

She also raised £1,800 for three fantastic causes in the name of our dog Loki, who we lost in June.

She is of course now already thinking about doing another one - just as I said she would.

Like so many others who, after completing their first marathon, say ‘never again,’ once the dust settles and the buzz and the highs start to fade, this is usually followed up with a bit of a low period. Especially when realising that after weeks of training for such a goal, there is now a gap in their daily lives.

It's why running and taking part in marathons can become so addictive.

Anyway, all I'm going to say to anyone who may be experiencing these feelings – well done and here’s looking forward to your next one.

While watching the marathon, I was asked what time I could have ran with all of today’s technology, be it footwear, other equipment and, of course, nutrition.

Truth be told I would rather not think too deeply about it because it is what it is.

However, it was interesting to see how many of the front runners - those who were in the top 10pc of the field - were wearing carbon-plated shoes which does make me wonder just how fast the top guys of the late 1960s, 70s and mid-80s, who were running times of around 2:09 down to 2:07 would be if all the technology of today was around back then.

I believe they would have been three to four minutes faster and whilst Eliud Kipchoge is without a doubt the best of the best, I do also think that if he and all the other top guys and ladies had to train and race in the footwear worn 40 years ago, without any nutritional aids other than water and electrolyte drinks, then they would run about three minutes slower.

Needless to say all such talk is just hypothetical and are my personal views.

My old mate Tommy Hughes, who is in 60s and still running some amazing times, swears by the carbon-plated shoes.

Tommy, currently injured, is an exception to the rule as I doubt there are too many runners out there who were running very fast times 30 and 40 years ago who would be able to still produce such times even with the equipment.

Just like the experiment with the sub two-hour challenge back in 2019, whilst this will never happen (I doubt), I would love to see the top guys from around the world take part in a test where they have to train and race for several weeks in similar types of basic footwear as used by the previous stars, along with no special dietary supplements, and then race over the marathon distance. And in racing flats as well.

If nothing else it would prove one thing when it comes to whether or not today's footwear really does make that much difference.

There will always be further advancements and progression, but just watching all those thousands of people back down the field on Sunday proved that running is still one of the purest sports out there when it comes to men and women challenging themselves.

Finally, I must just say well done to Ian Thomas and Ash Gilbert who both completed the Spartathlon in Greece last weekend whilst also sending my best wishes to Mark and Alison Armstrong, who will be competing in Sunday’s Chicago Marathon.