Marathon Update II

 

Two weeks to go...

Preparing for the challenge to come, my mind drifts back to the first London Marathon ...

Whilst studying Geography at King's College London and living in Woburn Square, I was fortunate enough to be allocated a place in the inaugural (1981) London Marathon. This was the brainchild of ex Olympic athlete, Chris Brasher, who co-founded the event with his friend John Disley.

My brother was a trainee doctor with accommodation in Greenwich Hospital; an ideal location for an overnight stay prior to the big race. It was, however, less helpful of him to invite several friends around for 'loud' drinks, thereby negating any possibility of an early and peaceful night.

My running pedigree was based upon club athletics middle distance running and so the marathon arena was somewhat of an anathema to me. Nonetheless, my training schedule was as thorough as possible, given the fact that the UK running epidemic was largely in its infancy. Hyde Park became my training circuit with speed track work and hill running focused on Parliament Hill Fields.

The technological running revolution had only just begun. Running shoes were limited in choice and expert advice on diet, supplements and clothing was scant and often contradictory. No wonder I felt nervous and poorly informed in the run up to the most challenging physical feat in my life to that date.

A New Balance trainer from 1981

Consequently, I made mistakes as did the vast majority of the other competitors. A case in point was the recommendation by the race administration of a particular wide wedged sole trainer made by New Balance. Virtually all non-elite runners bought them; virtually all non-elite runners could barely walk the day after the race! Other deficiencies in running equipment and services included no drinks stations or energy gels; no human pace-makers nor timing vehicles; no run through showers and no carpet covering the cobbles at the Tower of London! It was good, old-fashioned, elemental hard work.

Nobby: So did David actually make it to the finishing line? Come back to find out, but I think it's safe to say David was ...

Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen

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Posted by David & Nobby