Former AW author Steve Smythe will sort out 26.2 miles for the fiftieth consecutive yr this weekend and right here he outlines the teachings he’s realized over the previous half century
Whereas a couple of massive names initially introduced have dropped out, this yr’s TCS London Marathon has one of many best fields ever assembled in each the lads’s and ladies’s race. As lately, although, I gained’t see a lot of it as I will likely be struggling across the course hours after the elite races have been determined.
The instances after I completed shut sufficient to the leaders to have the ability to get again for the press conferences have lengthy handed! This will likely be my forty fourth London and the fiftieth yr in a row that I’ve performed a marathon and I imagine I may be the primary Briton to attain this.
My first was in Harlow in 1976 – a couple of months after leaving faculty – and consists of each London Marathon bar 1983 the place I inexplicably ran a distinct low-key race that day (and gained) however I did different marathons later that yr.
Between 1976 and 2017 I used to be able to breaking three hours and again then I used to be the primary runner on the earth to have a 41-year span of sub-three-hour performances.
Sadly this yr a knee damage has prevented nearly any coaching and it is going to be a much bigger and longer wrestle than any of my earlier 79 marathons. I’ve run 60 sub-3s and for a few years was a sub-three-hour pacer at London.
Steve Smythe pacing a sub-3 within the 1999 London Marathon
Even when my knee improves, this might be my final. For a few years I used to be fast sufficient to get a championships place then extra lately a very good for age place, however this yr it was a media place.
Going again to my first – issues have modified so much since I debuted on the streets of Harlow three years after Ian Thompson set a world’s quickest debut on the identical course within the Commonwealth trials with 2:12:40. I comfortably broke three hours that day regardless of plentiful walks within the final 10km because of inadequate background of coaching. But regardless of my time, I used to be not within the prime half of the sphere of simply over 200 runners.
Again in 1976 everybody who did a marathon was a membership runner. Few folks ran to maintain match and there have been only a few grasp runners and even fewer feminine runners. Keep in mind, again in 1976 the longest ladies’s Olympic operating occasion was the 1500 metres!
Most marathoners again then wore sneakers much like the Tiger Marathon and have been principally very mild plimsolls moderately than the ridiculously stacked bouncy carbon sneakers that almost all will put on this yr.
There have been no gels, Garmins or coronary heart fee displays both.
Ian Thompson and Steve Smythe
It wasn’t till 1981 when London began up when there was a mass British race to coach for and marathons change into extra trendy and achievable and finally it turned one thing {that a} match sportsman may obtain and a marathon turned extra of a purpose goal for atypical runners.
A complete of 840,000 utilized for a marathon place for this yr’s race. Compared, there have been 20,000 candidates in 1981 of which 7000 began.
It’s as a result of there was an “elitist membership runner” really feel to marathons after I began with few incentives for masters to proceed that I imagine I could also be distinctive in British phrases to having almost 50 years of marathoning. Runners retired earlier and there have been undoubtedly no 67-year-olds operating marathons again in 1976.
I’ve additionally been fortunate with accidents in my marathon construct ups through the years, sticking principally to grass and parkland that stored the joints in good situation till too many highway runs in Lanzarote in December took their toll.
I’m for now the seventh most skilled runner in London phrases as there are simply six “ever-presents” remaining. Chris Finill, Mike Peace, Invoice O’Connor, Jeff Aston, Malcolm Speake and David Walker have run each London since 1981 though 2020 was a digital race because of Covid.
Not one of the ever-presents began marathons as early as myself however none have been silly sufficient to overlook the 1983 occasion like I did.
Finill, who is well the youngest, stands out because the quickest. The 66-year-old, who’s a former English 100km champion, has a 2:28:27 marathon PB.
I did really end forward of Finill within the first three marathons we met between 1979 and 1982 after which he completed forward within the subsequent 22! I then had a very good spell ending in entrance within the subsequent six between 2005 and 2010 however Finill has completed nicely forward in all marathons since aside from 2018 when he broke his arm when falling!
He’s nonetheless operating nicely and final yr gained the British masters steeplechase title.
As one in every of Britain’s most skilled marathoners myself, I’ve been requested for any classes I’ve learnt about operating 26.2 miles over the previous close to half century. So right here goes…
1 Save power within the closing week. You’ll not achieve health, simply tiredness. So do a small quantity of operating to remind your self about marathon tempo however keep off your ft every time it’s sensible.
2 It’s irrelevant how good you are feeling at 13 miles. What normally decides how good a marathon you should have is how you are feeling at 22 miles, so save power early on so you are feeling robust within the latter phases.
3 Pacing is vital. Try to follow your race plan so long as you are feeling you’ll be able to keep it. In the event you all of the sudden really feel you’re going to run a lot quicker than your coaching suggests, have a rethink!
4 Don’t let the event get to you. There’s a massive distinction between operating slowly by your self round native streets or parks and participating on the earth’s finest marathon surrounded by fellow rivals and watched by hundreds of spectators. Don’t all of the sudden assume you may be remodeled into a greater runner than the coaching steered. Play protected as there’ll nearly actually be one other marathon to check your self. Enhance regularly.
5 Drink often however small quantities to prime up the thirst and hydration ranges and modify relying on the temperature however bear in mind ingesting an excessive amount of is extra harmful than ingesting too little.
6 Apply ingesting the power drink in coaching however notice your tastebuds do change in a marathon as a result of dehydrating impact and drinks can style in a different way or extra sweeter or sugary.
7 Use gels when you have tried them in coaching. Once I first began utilizing them on the flip of the century I famous a particular enchancment within the final 10km of marathons if I had combined it with good coaching and good pacing.
8 Don’t absolutely depend on your good watch. Due to the excessive buildings and tunnels you’ll not get absolutely correct mile or kilometre readings. Many runners get readings extra in the direction of 26.5 miles moderately than 26.2 and so it’s a good suggestion to have an inventory of required splits and examine them whenever you undergo the markers on the course.
9 Set a practical goal. Your time must be based mostly on both your earlier marathons or your latest longer coaching runs or latest half-marathons. On the latter, enable for loads of slowing. For instance, a 1:30 half-marathon suggests a 3:15 to three:30 marathon and never a 3:00! Setting your goal too excessive will probably result in disappointment and going too quick on the primary half and struggling on the second.
10 Put up-race drink plentifully (not simply alcohol!) and attempt to refuel as quickly as attainable with meals. An extended soak in a shower ought to assist restoration and attempt to get loads of sleep submit race as you may be vulnerable to viruses after such a tough effort. A brief stroll will in all probability be a greater support to restoration than operating within the days after and a swim or bike journey additionally may be simpler.
Steve Smythe
1976-2025?
I absolutely count on this marathon to be my worst ever given the truth that I’ve averaged lower than 10km per week in 2025. Many of the runs have been a weekly cross-country race or parkrun moderately than coaching runs as highway operating has not been attainable.
The longest race was the English Nationwide Cross Nation Champs at Parliament Hill in February the place my soles fell off initially which concerned going off target altering my sneakers and restarting with not a single runner in sight and initially being a distant final, though I did catch a couple of finally I used to be the one runner to get lapped twice by the leaders!
I don’t anticipate getting lapped or having a sole downside in London, however one factor sure with an ongoing knee downside is it is going to be one in every of my slowest ever marathons.
Breaking down my finest time into five-year age teams exhibits an early peak then holding type pretty nicely into my 50s earlier than a fast decline as well being, accidents, an absence of coaching and age and weight took their toll!
U20 (1976-77) 2:41:35 (Barnsley 1977)
U25 (1978-82) 2:29:42 (London 1981)
U30 (1983-87) 2:35:02 (London 1985)
U35 (1988-92) 2:38:15 (London 1988)
M35 (1993-98) 2:44:21 (London 1994)
M40 (1998-2003) 2:42:10 (Austin 2003)
M45 (2003-08) 2:43:53 (London 2006)
M50 (2008-13) 2:43:40 (London 2008)
M55 (2013-18) 2:56:16 (Seville 2017)
M60 (2018-23) 3:09:25 (Brighton 2019)
M65 (2023-24) 3:37:11 (London 2023)
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