London Marathon 1988
This is the race for which most people remember me. I’d won the Barry 40 in 3:58:40 on 6 March, a performance which pleased me greatly. However, with London being just six weeks later on 17 April, I felt that my legs probably wouldn’t be sufficiently recovered for me to better 2:20 (which I did in 1983 and 1985). However, I might be able to run at the required pace for a long time, and hence help someone chasing a time.
Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway was the World Record Holder for the marathon at this time (2:21:06 in London 1985, when I ran 2:19:48). Ingrid was always a really aggressive runner, and at London 1987 had gone through half in 68:30 ish before fading to 2:22:48. Surely if I could pace her to 69:30 and hold that pace for as long as possible, she might break 2:20? I was always a fan of Ingrid (still am!) and thought she deserved it more than anyone. So I wrote to Chris Brasher suggesting a plan. He actually rang me in work accepting my proposal. I met Ingrid’s coach Johan Kaggestad on the Friday evening prior to the race. He gave me a copy of the race schedule planned, with the corresponding marks Ingrid had recorded in 1985 and 1987.
The mile marks he suggested were 5 miles 26:25, 6 miles 31:50, 7 miles 37:08, 8 miles 42:25, 9 miles 47:43 and 10 miles 53:00. Remember those marks as you watch the tape. I learned pace judgment by running repetitions on Jenner Park. It’s all about rhythm and practice. Unfortunately things then started to go awry. I knew immediately that Ingrid was struggling and told her as we were crossing Tower Bridge. Unfortunately, when that happens there’s not much you can do. By halfway we’d slipped to 69:45 (15 seconds down, and slowdown becomes exponential thereafter. What I didn’t know was the Ingrid’s victories in the World XC and world 15 km road during the previous month had taken their toll. Ingrid struggled to 2:25:42, the slowest of her 4 London wins. And in the end my fears about the Barry 40 did catch up with me, and I came home 93rd in 2:26:27.
It was assumed that Ingrid was best placed to be the first lady to break 2:20, and when she didn’t we began to wonder who would.
By a strange coincidence I was able to witness this landmark – at least, I was in the same race. On 30 September 2001 in Berlin, the 2000 Olympic Champion, Naoko Takahashi ran 2:19:46. I ran 2:34:12 to place 80th overall and win the Over 45 section. Phil Cook was 72nd in 2:33:07. We watched the Race Presentation together seeing history made, though I’d have preferred it if it had been at London 1988. However, it was great to try, and definitely one of my better running decisions.

The video is very interesting. First up, the guest starter was Lady Di, and the men’s race was very exciting. Nowadays the pack zooms off from the gun, and you know the winner will come from them. In the 1980s, strategy played a big part, and sometimes the winner comes through from a long way back. I could still see winner Henryk Jorgensen at Cutty Sark – he was at least 200 yards back from the lead. Clearly, it was a smaller more elite field then, and I was a very small part of that system. Hope you enjoy it! -----Mick-----

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