As mentioned in my column last week, my other half Steph has taken up the challenge of running in this year’s London marathon.

She has never run any further than a half marathon before and that was several years ago.

However, there is nothing like that very first experience of preparing for what will be your first 26.2 miler.

Whilst the thought of the race undoubtedly excites you, even the training during the build-up to your marathon debut will have its own special moments.


The likelihood is that each time you complete your weekly or fortnightly long run, it is also the furthest you will have run to date as well. In other words, the excitement of the unknown in many ways.

I remember my first experience so very well despite it being 40 years ago as I prepared for the Wolverhampton Marathon in 1982. I had read all the books about how to train and what to expect, but the one thing which grabbed my attention the most was this so-called expectation of ‘hitting the wall’.

I certainly never got anywhere near to it during the training, so it was with lots of excitement combined with a little trepidation when standing on the start line.

However, and once the gun went, the miles just ticked off one by one and to be honest apart from some stomach cramps it all felt a bit too easy.

Nevertheless, I just kept cruising along as I got ever closer to the 20-mile mark which back then was when this so called hitting the wall was meant to happen. In many ways I was quite looking forward to it as crazy that may seem.

Somewhat disappointingly though (or so I thought at the time), 20 miles came and went and, in a nutshell, nothing happened.

Pace was still maintained at just under six-minute mile pace. Even at 21 miles all felt good and still nothing.

‘What a load of rubbish and all grossly exaggerated’ I was thinking and then all of a sudden around 22 miles I had a bit of a wobble and in the blink of an eye it was like someone had drained the life out of me.

Those last four and a bit miles really were so much harder than the first 22. I thought the finish would never come.

Everything from the waist downwards felt numb. At that point I just did not care about what I looked like or who came past me, yet somehow my legs kept moving forward until I crossed the line in 2 hours 37 mins and 33 secs.

My initial reaction was ‘never ever again.’ Needless to say, that feeling didn’t last too long as just four weeks later I ran another one followed by two more and the London to Brighton all before the end of that year.

For me the marathon really was my preferred distance. I was never that fast over the shorter stuff, but I could always hold pace for 26.2 miles. Well certainly after that first experience I could.

Five years later, I went back to Wolverhampton and won the race (2:22:02) which I will always look back on with lots of pride.

In total I ran 28 marathons with two under 2 hours 20 mins and 18 under 2 hours 30 mins for which I can remember every single one of them vividly and whilst I do have some absolutely brilliant memories of all of them, it will always be that first one where everything from all those weeks and months of training through to the race itself which stands out most.

With this in mind that is what I will now be telling Steph as I no doubt have to force her out the door on occasions between now and her own big day come October 2.

When she stands on that start line, there will be no better feeling than knowing she has ticked all the boxes and of course the memories which will also remain with her afterwards.

Before I finish this week’s column, I must just say, well done to Norfolk athlete Callum Bowen Jones who this week smashed his 800 metres PB by over four seconds when winning at the Eltham midweek meet in 1 min 53.9 secs.

Whilst we know he still has a very long way to go with his athletics journey, during the last couple of years he really has proved just what you can achieve through consistent hard work and being dedicated towards all aspects of his training and preparation.

Whilst talent will take you so far, without the dogged determination and want to succeed, the likelihood is that you will never ever fulfil your full capabilities.