…no, not this year, but 36,500 others did today here in the great city. Its an amazing event passing many of Londons famous landmarks – I guess its the greatest marathon in the world!  I did run it twice a few years ago, and nearly died both times…though I do look a lot younger in the photo for it!          I didn’t struggle in the marathon because I’m a lazy-couch-potato-unfit-slob, but more because my preparation was all wrong, more suited to what used to be my own personal running specialities: The mile, 1500m, and the 800m. Obviously that didn’t work too well, and both times I ran out of steam and suffered badly through the latter part of the marathon.  I can learn some valuable life lessons from my marathon experiences:

1. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.  I want to life to make it through to the end victoriously…
2. Some new challenges in life require change. I can’t just keep “doing what I’ve always done the way I did it.” If I don’t change anything, nothing will change, and I wont succeed at the new challenge… 
3. A coach who specialises in marathon running would have helped greatly. I need to find the right people to help me succeed in life…
4. I am actually more a middle distance track runner than a long distance slogger. I am better at some things than others. Accept it. Stay in your lane. Be good at what you’re good at, and applaud those who are good at the other stuff.

I’m not sure if I’ll attempt the marthon again, but I am certainly committed to “running life to win.” Like the apostle Paul, I want to say at the end: “I have run the race. I have kept the faith.” Anyone for a run?

By the way, my two marathon times were 3:40 & 3:58, and my PB’s (Personal bests) for  800m were – 1:49.9; 1500m – 3:45; the Mile: 3:58 – yes, thats sub-four…but it was half a life-time ago!  Has anyone reading beat those times, or other PB’s from days gone by?  Keep running to win…