Andy Cox and Sarah Hunt with their well deserved Boston Marathon medals.
I was thinking of not producing a newsletter this week as there were only a couple of reports, both on the Boston Marathon. I had thought of holding these back until next week when, hopefully, there will be several reports on London, Manchester and Stratford marathons together with the London Mini Marathon and Stratford half.
However, on reflection, I think it only right that the superb efforts of both Andy Cox and Susan Hunt in Boston are recognised. Boston isn’t any old marathon, it is one you have to achieve a qualifying time, based on your age and gender, to be allowed to compete in and even then you are not necessarily guaranteed a place due to it often being over subscribed. If that is the case then only the fastest runners are accepted. So well done to Susan and Andy for qualifying and super well done for your performances.
Crazily they will both be competing again this weekend. Andy in the London Marathon and Susan in the Stratford half. Good luck to both.
There is still a vacancy for a press correspondent, someone who could help publicise our achievements, as a sports club of some stature in the town, to the wider public outside of our membership. If you want more details please contact myself, Sarah Bland or Paul Bearman.
Good luck to those of you competing in half and full marathons this weekend, there are too many to list. A special mention to 3 of our juniors, Lucia Ogilvie-Putt and Zak & Sam Lambert who have qualified to compete in the London mini marathon on Saturday, where they will run part of the iconic marathon course.
Andy’s time which put him well inside the top 10% of his age category.
My Boston Marathon
My Majors Journey – Boston no 2
Report – Andy Cox
Having completed my Abbot’s 6-star journey at Tokyo in 2024, I set a new challenge to complete all the 6 majors in sub 3 hours. So far London, Chicago, Berlin have all fallen, with Boston today and just Tokyo 3:04 and NYC 3:18 to go.
Boston is unusual as it’s run on the Monday and on Patriots Day which is always the third Monday in April – 2025 marks the 250th anniversary of that day.
The weather in Boston can be unpredictable, In 2022, I recall it snowed the day before, this year it was 28 degrees, fortunately the temperature dropped to a more sensible16 for race day.
The race starts from Hopkinton, a little town 26.2 miles West of Boston, the journey is by school bus from Boston Common starting at 06:45.
Boston is a nett downhill course, I nervously remember the mistakes I made in 2022, it’s 10am and we’re off, heading towards Ashland and onto the 10k marker at Framingham in 39:50, next up is Natick and halfway at Wellesley in 1:25:18 home of the famous Scream Tunnel.
Next up, and through 30k, was Newton and the series of infamous hills, I hate hills at the best of times, but I summit Heartbreak Hill and it’s all downhill for the final 8k, through Brookline, my quads were shot, as I head towards the Citgo sign and the last turns, right onto Hereford and left onto Boylston, just 800 meters go, I finished in 3:02:23, which was 22 minutes faster than 2022.
Then it was back to the airport for the overnight flight to London, with just 6 days to recover in time for London Marathon with several of my club colleagues.
In November, I have been invited by Abbott to compete in the world age group championships in New York. I’m having to revise my target now, I would like to complete all the majors in a nett aggregate under 3 hours, my journey to Boston and those Newton Hills are done.
Susan Hunt en-route
Susan relaxing in NormaTec boots which apparently accelerate recovery after heavy exercise. Much deserved me thinks !
My Boston Marathon
Report – Susan Hunt
The Boston Marathon has long been on my bucket list, due to both its iconic status and the challenge of qualifying for it.
Happily, the qualifying time for Boston is based on your age on race day, so this year’s race, falling 10 days after my 60th birthday, was the window of opportunity that I’d been waiting for.
I achieved the qualifying time in Valencia and I could justify the trip to Boston as a Big Birthday celebration.
I decided to go all out and blow the kids’ inheritance on a 2 week holiday to Massachusetts, so by the time I boarded the yellow school bus to the start line, I’d had the most wonderful holiday and was carrying the additional weight of 10 days’ of American breakfasts.
The marathon (like Boston itself) was everything I’d hoped for and more.
The support on the course – from spectators, volunteers, police and army – was just incredible. Even the passing trains were tooting their support. It’s no exaggeration to say that I felt like the star guest at a 26.2 mile party.
I’d been warned about the hills in the second half and the unpredictability of the weather.
The hills did slow me down, as did the warmth of the fierce afternoon sunshine (evidenced by surprise sunburn down the back of my arms and legs).
Every marathon bites, and by mile 21 I realised that there was a strong possibility that I might end up running every 5k slower than the one before (a bit embarrassing after I’d bragged about the achieving the opposite in my previous marathon in Florence); but happily the course flattened out and I was able to save face by picking up the pace.
The famous finish on Boylston Street, past the memorial to the bombing victims, had me sobbing like a baby (I haven’t dare check my official finish photos).
4:13:58 Good for (my new) age!
Boston had definitely delivered, and, adorned with the most impressive medal that I’ve ever had (and clutching a weighty goody bag of puzzling food items), I headed off to celebrate with a cold beer.
If you ever get the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon, I’d recommend that you seize it!
Sits Vac !
Press Correspondent
The club has a vacancy for someone to liaise with and submit reports to The Stratford Herald.
As a club of considerable stature in the town it seems only right that we make the wider public, outside of our membership, aware of our considerable achievements, plus most people like to see their name/photo in the press and I know for a fact that it gives a great deal of pleasure to parents and their children when juniors’ are featured.
Of late we have had tremendous support from The Stratford Herald when we have submitted reports and it would be great if this could continue.
It is not a particularly time consuming role. Reports can be collated from those submitted by members or parents and the newsletter can also be used as a resource, as it has been in the past.
If you are interested in taking on this role please contact myself:
With the light nights our Wednesday night social runs have suddenly become a whole lot more varied and interesting, after several months of the Winter Route.
This one seems to have slipped through the net.
A couple of weeks ago it was Paul Hawkins’ birthday. I won’t embarrass him by saying how may years. This was just s few days before he was due to go under the knife for his knee op. Members of his Thursday night training group took the opportunity to celebrate the occasion with a cake provided by the Lamberts.
The latest news on his op is that he’s still in quite a bit of pain but improving and with lots of exercises to do.
Get well soon Paul.
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