The London marathon is where it all started for me. Watching my Dad run it back in 2006 was the sole reason I decided to start running marathons, and 2008 I was lucky enough to get in. 5 years later and I was back again, ready to give it another go.
It didn't go quite to plan - 14 miles in and my legs were starting to ache. Fortunately I recognised the symptoms early (the blame of which, by the way falls on starting far too quickly - I've never been great at pacing) and slowing down and knocking back a few gels meant I never quite hit bottom. My time was 3 hours 35 - not a PB, but a satisfying 27 minutes quicker than in 2008.
My friends are family were excellent - the boost you get when you see people you know in the crowd can't be underestimated. Particularly the enthusiasm of my parents, and the inspiring home made "Run Ben Run" banner from Kate, got me through the tough 23-25 miles.
I started this post with a nod to my Dad, and it makes sense to use this opportunity to say thanks to him for getting me into running at all. I thought for a long time that it was me that got myself into running, but really it was him.
I remember being 14 or 15 and going out jogging across the fields behind our house together. To start off with it was to the end of the first field and back; then the second; then all the way to the sewage plant, then round the sewage plant and back up the hill. It went from there.
I wasn't great at sports at school, but running was something I could do. You don't really need any skills to run - just a little determination. My first 10k must have been when I was 15, and again was run in the company of my Dad and his friends. The rest, I suppose, came with time. Now I'm here, 4 marathons into 2013, and 7 marathons completed. By the end of January 2014 I'll have doubled this. And thanks for this, goes to my father.
(that's me on the left, my bro in the middle, and my dad on the right)
It didn't go quite to plan - 14 miles in and my legs were starting to ache. Fortunately I recognised the symptoms early (the blame of which, by the way falls on starting far too quickly - I've never been great at pacing) and slowing down and knocking back a few gels meant I never quite hit bottom. My time was 3 hours 35 - not a PB, but a satisfying 27 minutes quicker than in 2008.
My friends are family were excellent - the boost you get when you see people you know in the crowd can't be underestimated. Particularly the enthusiasm of my parents, and the inspiring home made "Run Ben Run" banner from Kate, got me through the tough 23-25 miles.
I started this post with a nod to my Dad, and it makes sense to use this opportunity to say thanks to him for getting me into running at all. I thought for a long time that it was me that got myself into running, but really it was him.
I remember being 14 or 15 and going out jogging across the fields behind our house together. To start off with it was to the end of the first field and back; then the second; then all the way to the sewage plant, then round the sewage plant and back up the hill. It went from there.
I wasn't great at sports at school, but running was something I could do. You don't really need any skills to run - just a little determination. My first 10k must have been when I was 15, and again was run in the company of my Dad and his friends. The rest, I suppose, came with time. Now I'm here, 4 marathons into 2013, and 7 marathons completed. By the end of January 2014 I'll have doubled this. And thanks for this, goes to my father.
