Last week the London Landmarks Half Marathon, which was only launched this year, announced that they would be introducing a balloted entry system for 2019's race. The outpouring of frustration on social media ever since has got me thinking about the rise of balloted races. I should start this post by admitting that the first … Continue reading Battle of the Ballots
I remember the fear I had going in to a running shop for the first time. Suffering from imposters syndrome I asked sheepishly what shoes they’d recommend for a marathon runner. It was October 2015, six months before I would line up for my first ever marathon and I needed some shoes to match the … Continue reading Brooks Glycerin Review
I’m not that runner. I’m not that guy in the adverts you see gliding effortlessly down a Manhattan street, perfect complexion and not a sweat stain in sight. I’m the regular runner. I’m the guy you see running like a sloth through peanut butter down a country lane or hobbling near the end of a … Continue reading I’m not that Runner
This month I am suppose to be running a marathon, I’ve had it pencilled in since November but come raceday I won’t be lining up with everyone else. The thought of not racing hadn't crossed my mind until a few of my friends suggested dropping it, followed by my running coach a week later (yes … Continue reading Not Running
After the London Marathon has been packed away for another year and people begin to drift back to their daily lives, slightly chaffed, a strange thing starts to happen: medals from the iconic race start to appear on eBay. I’ve always found this very bizarre, why sell and crucially why buy something earned through sweat, pain and … Continue reading Selling My London Marathon Medal
I had planned to make this post a debrief of my experiences running the London Marathon but following the death of Matt Campbell during this year's race I can’t. The harsh reminder that what we do for fun can have tragic consequences has jarred my gleaming memories of that day. My inconsequential marathon is not worthy … Continue reading Our London Marathon
I’ve never been good at taking compliments, I blame my British sense of decorum. Winning Best Personal Blog at The Running Awards on Thursday was the ultimate compliment and it rendered me completely speechless. If you listen carefully to the video below by Baze187 you will hear a weird gulping noise I make after my … Continue reading My Running Award
With the spring marathon season in full swing there are a lot of people about to complete their first ever marathon. To commemorate this incredible achievement you are about to undertake I wrote this little piece of prose: From the outside we look mad. We get up early on a weekend and run for miles … Continue reading I am a Marathoner
The Boston Marathon has always been considered the pinnacle of marathon running. The hardest the six Major marathon courses and this year the weather made it even more arduous. With monsoon like rain and battering freezing winds it was some of the worst running conditions I have ever seen and as I watched lead runners … Continue reading Yuki Kawauchi – An Ordinary Runner
The Paris Marathon marked one year from the start of my attempt to complete the Marathon des Sables so I’m glad it didn’t go to plan. I’m glad the heat buckled me at the knees and my emotions got the better of me because it showed that when things don’t go my way, I still struggle … Continue reading Je Ne Regrette Rien – My Paris Marathon
