Just Around The Corner..

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. “

Arthur Ashe, American Tennis Legend

7 Days Since The 2024 Manchester Marathon

A week is a long time in running, hell, a week is a long time in life to be honest. Last week for example, I said publicly and in my race report, that unless I got in to London via either my Good For Age time of 2min 11seconds under or via the lottery of the ballot or that I managed to get to do Valencia that Manchester would be my last marathon. I genuinely thought that as well.

But, after talking to fellow runners and a little soul searching that not only should I go again next spring anyway but maybe, with me currently being so close to Sub 3hr shape that I could look at doing another marathon sooner or later in the year.

It’s right, I’ve got to this fitness and conditioning, I’m running well, I’m free of any injury issues, health problems and my mental health is good. With a week or two of easier training I could technically run a marathon in a month or tick over and build to a marathon in September, October time. As I’ve been told, Sub 3hrs is just around the corner. I was in the shape to do it last year before the hip went, I was close in 2022 at Blackpool with the 3:01.11 and it felt even closer this year at Manchester despite being 3:02.49. Soooo close.

This week I’ve not trained much with recovery being the goal but I have raced and parkrun with both being on tired legs I’ve ran well at both Lodge Moor in the SYCAA 5mile league fixture 2 and at the Hillsborough parkrun 500th event.

Obviously, spring marathon season is coming to a close with warmer temperatures supposedly coming so picking the right one is paramount should it be May or June time.

There is a marathon in September which falls the day before 2025 London GFA deadline of 30th September. Then after that there is the big two of Chester & Yorkshire Marathons. They come too late after the deadline for London GFA.

Or do I wait to see what happens with the ballot & GFA results then if it’s a no go to Manchester again? I considered Brighton but it’s too far to go for a couple of days really.

The race at the end of September is the Lancaster Marathon in Morecambe. Another coastal race on the North west coast which, like Blackpool which is a few miles south can be windy, cold and wet. Not too far to travel and looking at accommodation it’s not overly expensive to stay there. The fact it falls just in time for the GFA is a bonus. Need to look at spousal permission and if I can get time off but I’m not in a rush to enter,……. Yet.

Why am I so obsessed with running London again though you may ask when I enjoyed Running Manchester last Sunday? Manchester put this out on their Facebook..,

And they’re right up to a point. It was amazing but it’s not London Marathon weekend and it’s no where near it as well. What Manchester lacks that London has is the buzz around the city for days before. It’s the one weekend when London feels totally friendly, where everyone has a good luck before or a congratulations after. The entire capital feels buzzing. Having to go get your number from the expo is a pain but also it’s that magic feeling as you enter the Expo centre and you can feel the electric wave of nervous energy and excitement. You might grab your number and leave or you may walk around the various stalls collecting freebies, discounts and entering competitions. Watching talks from experts. Then it’s the way your ushered through turnstiles at underground and train stations. During the race it’s The crowd and noise of over a million people cheering on friends, family and complete strangers. There is a reason most runners clamber to run London. The organisation is clockwork mostly.

Watching this Morning’s London Marathon 2024 as several of my running pals took it on and the elites ran fast times in perfect conditions only drove this home. The noise and buzz was as always amazing to hear even on the TV and my phone.

It’s just lacking slightly at Manchester. Don’t get me wrong. I loved Manchester this year, the crowd was amazing and the course is great. The organisation , while improving yesterday after year still feels like it’s getting a lot wrong and with tweeks could be immense. But still, it doesn’t have the magic feel of the marathon in the capital city of England. I didn’t particularly enjoy running London last year but there was a few issues and a couple of schoolboy errors I made before and during that caused that.

Again , I wait with bated breath and nervousness and possible disappointment for the results of the ballot then the GFA results. I may even try for a Teenage Cancer Trust charity place knowing full well how much I would need to raise.

Then again, maybe, as I mentioned I may get another chance to earn my way back in. the video below shows the sheer magic of the streets of London on Marathon day.

no decisions have been made yet so…

Anyway Bye For Now

“There’s nothing as exciting as a comeback – seeing someone with dreams, watching them fail, and then getting a second chance.”

Rachel Griffiths