Inspired by the first London Marathon, Leo Spall ran alongside official entrants as a primary school kid. 37 years, a couple of mini-marathons and six full finishes later, he still loves the race and is coaching others to run it.
It was a kind of grey day but the excitement simply got the better of me and my older brother. We’d cheered on the official entrants at the start and on the course before – this time we were going to run with them.
The inspiring, smiling nature of this amazing event that started virtually on our doorstep had worked its magic and it made more sense to join in than not in our 10 and 12-year-old heads.
It was easy back then, too. We simply watched the start on TV, put on our sports kit and joined the great big running snake at the top of the hill from our house, a mile or so from the start.
Our version of what we knew only as ‘The Marathon’ was unique in every respect. Beginning after the start without a race number or age eligibility was one thing, taking a shortcut to avoid the Woolwich loop was another; I can remember my sense of having ‘cheated’ by going off the route to this day.
We stuck it out from the Woolwich Road in Charlton until close to Surrey Quays and reckoned we’d run about 10 miles.
It wasn’t actually that far but it felt like a heck of a long way -- and the pride from taking part and pushing further than we ever had before, in front of cheering crowds, was immense.
Some things never change. It was a similar but much greater high when I finished the race for real the first time in 2011. Except high doesn’t do it justice as a description: the finishing feeling was (and always is) transformative, making me the friendliest, chattiest extrovert in town when quiet and reserved is my character.
Thankfully, there have been many more such great moments since. Tears and pain, too, but feeling the full range of marathon-running experiences can be (ultimately) rewarding in other ways.
It’s not for everyone, I know that. My brother who shared that great day with me (and can’t remember how we got home, either) isn’t a runner and, except for one summer with an athletics club, I spent the intervening years mostly playing football.
But 'The Marathon' (I only became properly conscious of other similarly amazing, large-scale events in my 30s) made a big and lasting impression on me.
Heading to Blackheath and Greenwich, where my grandparents – who took us to those early marathons – lived on the edge of the park and I spent much of my youth, is exciting and comforting in equal measure to this day.
My brother lives nearby still and I have a race-day routine that feels a bit like going home. From running and living near it, even the marathon route has a friendly familiarity.
The event is so much part of my life that I find myself entering even when my coach brain says a change or a rest would be best. It's fair to say the London Marathon is my running-event soft spot.
I’ve been fortunate to have had these experiences and I’m grateful. I got into my first two races because I was a full-time sports journalist and ever since I’ve managed to get Good For Age places.
Paying that forward has come in the form of fundraising for Mind, the mental health charity, which I’ve done voluntarily for five out of six races.
The last marathon was different because, for the first time, I was coaching in earnest and had developed a system I was really happy with. Having got unexpectedly close to three hours in 2016, this was the time to test my approach and keep my focus on a time goal.
It was a fun experiment and it worked. At the age of 46 and eight years after running my first marathon in 3:30, I squeaked in with a few seconds to spare under the three-hour landmark.
Now, I know race times are not the be-all and end-all. I’ve coached runners from absolute beginners to experienced marathoners and I've run marathons and ultras around the UK and Europe. The goal for all of us is the same: to get the most out of ourselves and our running. Happiness and self-belief are key.
I believe passionately in the multi-dimensional, transformative power of running and the London Marathon is a fantastic example of that. The money raised over the years is nothing short of mind-boggling and the camaraderie and goodwill among runners and spectators on the day is truly life-affirming.
There are always heart-wrenching personal journeys and thousands contributing to the greater good, and I’m just pleased that I have grown up with it in my life.
If you are lucky enough to have a place in the 2020 London Marathon, Runners' Mentor is offering a limited number of comprehensive coaching packages that cost less than a pair of Nike Vaporfly Next%s. Email leo@runnersmentor.com for more details.