Spring is for marathons and there are a few very good reasons why. First, it’s cool, stable temperatures are ideal for endurance events. Many spring marathons are planned with the idea that more athletes will train through the winter months allowing a long, structured period to prepare. Winter training can be much more tolerable than taking on the long training runs through the heat of summer. Many major marathons (like Boston, London, and Paris) are scheduled in spring, drawing both elite runners and mass participation. Their popularity reinforces spring as prime marathon season.
In the last couple of years I have been greatly reminded that we only get one shot at this life and after the loss of a close friend and a second brush with cancer, I’ve started tackling items on my bucket list that at one time seemed far far away. The most recent item I was able to check off was participating in the London Marathon. While London is my second international marathon experience it is the first in the major category that I’ve run overseas.
The London Marathon is one of the world’s most iconic long-distance running events and was founded in 1981 by former Olympic champion Chris Brasher and athlete John Disley with a goal to promote running and boost London’s global image. It was inspired by the New York City Marathon, which Brasher ran in 1979. In 1981 with just 7000 participants, Dick Beardsley of the USA and Inge Simonsen of Norway famously finished hand in hand with a time of 2:11:48. The event saw rapid growth in size and prestige and in the 90’s became one of the six World Marathon Majors, alongside Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo. It is know for its flat, scenic course, and passing landmarks like Tower Bridge, the Thames River, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.
The 2025 TCS London Marathon was held on April 27 and was a record-breaking event in several different ways. Let’s take a look at the numbers!
Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa set a new women’s marathon world record with a time of 2:15:50. The 2025 TCS London Marathon set a new Guinness World Record for the largest number of finisher in a marathon with 56,640 participants successfully crossing the finish line. The London Marathon is also the number one fundraising event in the world which raised 73.5 million pounds for charity this year alone.
It was exciting to arrive in town early and watch the set up and production portion of the event. The number of semi-trucks rolling in to town loaded down with barricades was enormous. Traffic warning signs were already in place when we arrived and I heard someone say they start marking the course and laying barricades and cones 12 days prior to the actual event. The security was tight and there were no real issues that I was aware of. The Expo was fun and exciting and since we were in town early we went the first day before the massive crowds hit.
In full transparency, traveling abroad to any event is not full proof. My husband Terry and I, had completed a full training cycle with much success and we felt excited, strong and fully capable. The day after we arrived in Enland, my husband started feeling unwell, but we kept pushing on to see and do as much as we could in the amount of time we were there. A few days later, it all came crashing down. His neck and throat swelled to the point that his breathing was labored and swallowing food was not an option. Seeking medical attention he was diagnosed with strep throat and I made my way to several different pharmacies to gather supplies. 4 days and 13 pounds later, Terry should not have participated in the London marathon, but like most runners I know, he pushed through and did it anyway. The day continued to decline with record breaking temperatures and our late start corral of 11:40. At one point in the race we had to let go of our expectations, our plans, our goals and embrace what we were currently dealing with. We had to let it go – it wasn’t our day of personal bests or record setting times but it was our choice to continue on, be part of the overall record setting event and have the time of our lives, finishing the London Marathon together!
Keep Moving Forward Friends.