London Marathon 2026: 2:43
Cleethorpes AC member, Spencer, used lactate testing prior to his marathon block to train at the correct heart rate zones and pace and then a further lactate test in the last couple of weeks before his race to confirm his race day time and plan and it worked perfectly.
Boston uk 2022 I ran 2:50:04 first marathon aiming for sub end up getting GFA 2023 so can’t say no to London can you ! Fast forward to race day 2023 in great shape flying along till mile 18 feeling groggy but on for 2:43 see my family at 23 mile then bang race over collapsed blue lighted to hospital the dream gone feeling stupid,embarrassed, dejected and so on.
Skipping along to 2025 and running the Scunny half in 1:15 early March gave me the encouragement to get back to Boston uk marathon and try for GFA again running 2:46:34 I had earned my place back at the big stage London 2026 here we come ! I kept up the long runs all the way from April, gave up drinking from September and I love a pint !
Cranked the mileage up from January then February I get the added bonus of becoming a Puma project3 athlete free trainers,clothing,coaching,gels oh and the cherry on top run a 3 minute PB take home 3000$ ! Training going like a dream with a perfect week’s training in Portugal thrown in I knew I was in good shape just need to get one last Lactate test week before race to confirm it the results were confirmation.
Hope not lost you but at race day now 26th April time to sort London out one more long run. Good nerves until I’m in the pen. Then I feel nice and relaxed.Gun goes off finally and I am running through 8 miles in a blink then meet another project3 runner who wants the same time perfect someone to run with through half way in 1:20:45. The support is incredible then family at 15 miles tad emotional but still going strong mum at mile 23 but I was ready and sailed past it this got myself in a hole at mile 25 but with everything I trained for dragged myself to the line in 2:43:14 I had done it pure relief,pride and some extra money made it the most perfect running day I’ve had ! The knockdowns only make us stronger
Quick Thanks to everyone I’ve ran with and helped along the way Dave for being no nonsense and the man who started it all Gary Coulam cheers
