…and what a journey to get there! 

Getting into Boston isn’t just signing up to another marathon. You have to qualify. There’s essentially two rounds. Firstly, for our age, you have to run either a sub 3 hour marathon for a guy or a sub 3 hour 30 for a woman. (Although they’ve changed it for next year to be sub 2:55 & 3:25!)

And THEN, depending on how many applicants they have months later, they decide how many minutes under the qualifying time you need to be to get in!

Two years, when I ran 3:26, I didn’t get in. The cut off what 5:29 minutes. 

When I started running, the idea of a Boston Qualifier (BQ) was just not even in the question. I remember going to Boston with Sam and feeling like everyone there was just so fast. I was totally inspired by all the 'fast' people around me. In my head, there was a tiny part of my that thought 'could I?'.

It was after Paris marathon where I had been injured for most of the training so just ran to enjoy it. I finished in 3:36 and thought to myself 6 minutes…I can do this. I have to work really hard but I will be able to one day.

Setting myself the BQ target has made me more resilient and much more reflective with my training. You have to work really hard at marathon training if you want a BQ and not every race will be quicker than the last one. Not every one will go well! It takes a lot to pick yourself up and go through the process again.

2019 - Solo Lockdown marathon 4:16

2021 - Brighton 4:09

2022 - Paris 3:36

2022 - Amsterdam 3:26

2023 - London 3:35

2023 - Berlin 3:28

2024 - London 3:20

2024 - Valencia ???

2025 - BOSTON  

There is so much work that goes into training for one marathon so when you have your heart set on a goal which you don't get, it's a big deal having to say to yourself 'it's okay, let's go again.'

There were a few things that helped me change my attitude towards both achieving my goal and the way I wanted to get there. I stopped putting so much pressure on myself and started enjoying the process as well as trusting it.

Humans are quite incredible and can do anything you really really try to do.

Keep:

genuinely believing you can

trying & going at it 

consistently training but adapting it

Because when you do get in, it’s ALL WORTH IT!