The London Marathon

A personal viewpoint and some Facts & Figures

A personal viewpoint and a general look at the marathon and the London marathon.

It would seem strange not to have the annual spectacle of the London marathon on the BBC on a Sunday morning early springtime. It becomes mesmerising watching the build up to the event, a snapshot of the enormity of the set up and organisation, the sheer weight of participation and support. The elite forerunners, the club runners coming together at the big one plus the hoards of first timers, charity runners, fancy dress runners, special circumstances and very personal stories, the nervous anticipation and the individual feats achieved.

I have never run a marathon and am not a runner at all but have been linked in different ways to the London marathon in particular. I have supported friends and colleagues in their marathon runs and have ensured that I will be at the certain point of them passing; running down the Embankment nearing the end making sure that they hear my personal cheers of encouragement. These being in amongst the many other anonymous similar shouts usually towards unconnected participants the crowd seem to constantly make. I have been at the side on many occasions, watching in the pouring rain and brilliant sunshine. This in itself was hard enough let alone running the 26.2 mile distance in the very same conditions which can and seem to go any way. I have also worked at the London marathon as a Sports Massage Therapist on three separate occasions. The massage college (London School of Sports Massage www.lssm.com) sends an army of trainee masseurs annually and I attended once as a student and twice as a supervisor of students; giving aching limbs and cramps a post race immediate helping hand to try and alleviate pain or speed up recovery. This being reminiscent of a field hospital I recall! As a student this was the front line and a great experience. Athletes previously unknown to me buzzing from their participation at a major event, presenting every possible kind of ache, pain and strain. And of course having to deal with these very real situations was confidence and therapist character building personified.

I also subsequently worked with many runners during their training ahead of the London marathon becoming a real part of their marathon effort. Whether this journey was as a first time marathon attemptee or an experienced runner’s training regime targeted towards reaching a milestone time barrier and indeed their personal best. Marathon build up was a busy and perhaps the busiest time of year for me. Runners became my biggest single client audience and I recall one year actually waiting for 20 or so results to be texted through, joining in the celebrations or thinking that things cannot have gone to plan when they text did not arrive! I recall a group of four club runners I was working on aiming to break the 3 hour finishing mark, with two of them making it and the other two just missing out and the ever present veteran runner completing his 25th London marathon in a row at the ripe old age of 70. I also remember the last minute injury panics and even treating one lady who insisted that I fit her in as she boarded the train down to London; literally on her way to the station. Treating the husband and wife team who ran their first marathon together and watching the film they took of their marathon experience and being thanked on it for nursing them through their aches, pains and injury concerns as they trained throughout the winter. Listening to training woes and about niggles that could have thrown plans into disarray and months of training to waste, offering encouragement and as calm a response as I worked on the ankle, calf, hamstring, quadriceps or IT band!

Many of the marathon runners I saw were aware of the importance of regular treatment as part of their training programme. This included the first time marathon runners who upon the advice of the other club members sought treatment as they increased their mileage and efforts intensified. Experienced runners and marathon veterans with well honed training schedules, tweaked to improve on previous times, who knew the importance of speedy recovery, maintenance of muscular condition and that early treatment of any sign of injury would enable them to fulfil their marathon goals. I often watched early morning or late evening runners in the cold and wondered how their preparations were going in comparison to my own band of marathon heading clients. Those weeks and months of mileage, gradually increased in distance and intensity with mental and physical highs and lows. The debate amongst club runners over whose schedule was better, how they were performing and their choice of running shoes or nutrition. This is the story of each and every participant that is not seen on the event day itself and together with the enormous task of staging the event it is truly a wonderful spectacle in every conceivable way.

The fondest memories are however being included as part of the process; being regarded as an integral part of the training plan; the last treatment on marathon week and hearing the final preparations for travel, registration and race day routine; going down to the running club on the first club night after the marathon and being mentioned in the result announcements to the rest of the club and the following celebrations; the post marathon recovery treatment and the elation and very personal story of the event; just being a part of the marathon experience.

The London marathon was first run in March 1981
The brain child of a group of runners who through general running conversation hatched a plan to formulate a major marathon event based on their experience of the New York marathon.
Main aims of the group were:
- Improve the standard and status of marathon running in the country by providing a fast course and a stage for a strong international competition
- To unite people
- To raise money for worthwhile causes
- To promote London and the UK and help tourism
- To put Britain at the forefront of quality international event organising
- To provide a vehicle for fun, participation, happiness and a sense of achievement
7,700 runners were accepted to participate in the first London marathon run although 20,000 had applied in total.
Year 2 of the London saw 90,000 applicants with just over 18,000 accepted.
750,000 people have now competed in the London marathon (as at the end of the 2009 race event)
35,694 finishers in 2007 is the current London marathon record.
There were 29 runners who had run all 25 marathons on the 25th anniversary of the race.
The London marathon is televised live to over 150 countries.
The London marathon route has remained largely the same throughout the 30 years of its existence with only minor changes to the finishing straight and for small safety issues.
Original finish was on Constitution Hill moving to Westminster Bridge for 9 years and then to Pall Mall where it has remained ever since.
Current starting point is Greenwich Park.
Sheer numbers mean that there is a staggered start for elite Womens, Mens, wheelchair and then general entrants based on predicted finishing times.
The London marathon course is considered flat and fast.
One of the original aims was to be a major fundraiser and the event has grown into the premier event for the purpose with official charities and individual sponsorships
Record London marathon finishing time for men is Khalid Khannouchi (USA) finished in 2.05:38 in 2002 and for women is Paula Radcliffe (GBR) finished in 2.15:25 in 2003
World record marathon finishing times are for men 2:03.59 & Women is as above 2:15.25.
The London marathon in 2009 saw a record for world record attempts in a marathon! 60 people attempted to break 29 different world records with 10 being beaten.
These included fastest time by a runner dressed as Santa Claus and largest group of runners who were linked together for the race; which was 30 in total.
The 2009 London marathon also broke the record for amounts raised for charity from a single event with an incredible £47.2 million in total.
The marathon is 26.2 miles long or 26 miles 385 yards; the extra distance was actually set because the course of the 1908 London Olympics demanded so; to enable the finishing straight to pass by the royal family enclosure... and it stuck!
An Athletic club entry system is in operation where clubs, dependant on size, structure and affiliation receive an allocation of entry places so that regular club runners have a guaranteed pathway to the London marathon.
A good for age automatic entry system also allows a direct guaranteed entry for competitive runners.
A further 10,000 entry places are set aside for charity runners.
The London marathon is actually a longer journey than the longest London Bus route; the X26 from Croydon to Heathrow is a mere 23.75 miles long.
4 hour marathon finish equates to mile pace of approximately 9 minute mile pace.
3 hour marathon finish equates to approximately 7 minute mile pace.
Training should be steady and built up gradually towards the marathon date ideally over a number of months.
Correct choice of running footwear is the most essential item quickly followed by regular checking for wear and tear, ensuring optimum performance and injury prevention.
Other weird & wonderful achievements at the London marathon include:
- 5 days and 8 hours for Lloyd Scot in 2002 who completed the course in a full deep sea diving outfit
- Celebrity runners always feature and Gordon Ramsay, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Graham Taylor, Jeffrey Archer, Lorraine Kelly, Nell McAndrew, Ronan Keating, James Cracknell and Sophie Anderton... not forgetting Sir Jimmy Saville.
- Oldest London marathon competitor was busted as a fake in 2008 when Buster Martin was exposed as only a 94 year old rather than the 101 year old he was claiming to be!
- Oldest recorded marathon runner is the 98 year old Greek gentleman Dimitrion Yordanidis who ran the Athens marathon in 1976.
- Oldest female is Jenny Wood-Allen a mere 90 year old who completed the course in 2002 in 11 hours 34 minutes.
- Six Maasai warriors ran in 2002 also with recycled tyres for shoes.
- Clowns, Wombles, men in mankinis you can expect to see everything and anything at the London marathon.
- Records have been set for, running backwards, holding an egg & spoon, running as Elvis, Holding a bag of coal, and tossing a pancake!
The London marathon in some number perspective:
- 710,000 bottles of water consumed
- 950 Porta-loos in operation
- 500 stretchers on stand by
- 20,900 metres of barriers in place
- 68 ambulances aside and waiting
- 88lbs of Vaseline are used in each marathon
- 120,000 litres of sweat is perspired during the marathon; an Olympic sized swimming pool full!