Loads of people seem to be injured at the moment which sucks. I myself gave up on my London Marathon dream some months ago (I just wish that race transfers were allowed).

I’ve already completed (?) the London Marathon (with various injuries) twice; once in 2006 and in 2008.

In 2006 I had completed 90% of the training for the marathon when I picked up a groin injury. I thought that I was fit enough to get around the course, I was wrong. You have to respect the distance, I didn’t.

Nearly finished…

Finished (the smile was hiding the pain).

In 2008 my right foot started causing me a *large* number of problems to the extent that before the marathon the furthest distance that I had run was six miles. I was given a cortisone injection before the marathon. This masked the pain but also meant that I did even more damage to my foot.

I think that the photos from 2008 tell a story!

Not enjoying the marathon experience

By this point I could barely put any weight on my right foot…

After the marathon I discovered out that I had completed the distance with a stress fracture in my right foot. Really stupid. Since the 2008 marathon I have struggled with various injuries, and 6 years later my right foot is still not 100% and probably never will be.

So what is the point of this blog?

With hindsight I wish that I hadn’t attempted to complete my second marathon in 2008. I wish that I had pulled out at the 20-mile mark (the point at which I knew my foot injury was serious). Believe me walking in a crowed running event is not an enjoyable experience. I must have been overtaken by thousands of runners.

My coach said that I was in too much of a rush to take part in the London Marathon. I was lucky and was accepted into the ballot first time. With yet more hindsight I would have spent a couple of years running half marathons, building a decent mileage base before tackling 26.4 miles.

To this day I will not call myself a marathon runner. Until I have run the complete distance of 26.4 miles I will not feel like a marathon runner. This is my personal opinion.

So please don’t feel that you have to take part with an injury. There are plenty of other marathons.