A Marathoner
It feels pretty good to call myself that now.
Often, when I strike up a conversation with a stranger and they ask what I do, I reply, “I run.” The inevitable follow-up is, “Have you ever run a marathon?” Until recently, I had to say no - and I could always see the slight disappointment on their faces. But now, I can answer proudly: “Yes. I’ve done London.”
And not just any marathon - the biggest one in history. Over 56,000 finishers. Incredible.
I knew London was going to be tough for me. I was a bit underprepared, but that was intentional. After a disastrous 2023, where I had great preparation with a full training block and was ready to run fast only to end up injured and never make it to the start line, we approached this year with caution. The goal was simple: get to the start line healthy. So training was a little conservative.
Despite that, I’ve never been so nervous ahead of a race. Maybe it was because I’d waited two years for this moment. Maybe it was being in London for five days before the race even started, surrounded by constant reminders of the 26.2 miles ahead. Pre-race there were four hours of media interviews and photo ops, people stopping me in the street, and even a run around Hyde Park becoming stop-start with well-wishers. It was overwhelming - in the best way - but it definitely amped-up the nerves.
When the gun went off, the nerves disappeared - only to be replaced with fatigue. My legs felt flat right from the start, which was concerning. My mind spiralled a bit: Why do I feel like this so early? Yikes, I’ve got a long way to go.
To be honest, things only got worse. In hindsight, I think I misjudged my altitude days and didn’t stick to my usual routine. But that’s what I’m most proud of actually: grinding through to the finish, despite feeling rough for most of the race. The one thing that did go well was my fuelling - I picked up nearly every bottle and gel along the course and had zero stomach issues, which was a huge win.
Just after halfway, my right quad seized up. Then my left. But the crowds were phenomenal. Their energy pushed me forward, one foot in front of the other. At times, the cheers were so loud my ears were ringing. It reminded me of my Commonwealth Games victory - except this time, the roar was strung out across 26.2 miles. Such a surreal, indescribable experience unless you've run London yourself.
The final 400 meters in front of Buckingham Palace? Magical. An iconic finish line which I first crossed aged 13 during the Mini Marathon - now here I was finishing the big one. A true bucket-list moment. A memory I’ll hold onto forever.
Even though I had a rough race, I managed to muscle out a Scottish record and beat my mum’s final PB. I also held on to ‘top Brit’, which was another goal ticked. So, while the time wasn’t quite what I believed I was capable of, there were so many smaller wins that made it a huge success.
The biggest one was in my mind. This race gave me confidence.
After the injury setbacks of the past two years, I’ve proven to myself that I can do it. I’m stronger than I think. More resilient than ever. And I’m only just getting started on this new chapter.
Published 6 May 2025
