London Marathon 2023: Sunday 23rd April

 London Marathon 2023:   Sunday 23rd April

I smashed it!  5:28:43

My finish line photo face says it all!

Wanting to mark my 70th Birthday in May this year I entered the London Marathon 2023 (26.2 miles / 42.2 Km). I didn’t have a specific time in mind, but my training suggested between 5h20m and 5h45m providing I could keep running and not drop to a walk. 

Everything fell into place on the day, and I am delighted to say that I ran the whole route!

What a day! I wanted a life experience and got more than I could have ever dreamed of.

Thanks to:

My fantastic family who came to London to support me with four pre-arranged meets to top me up with goodies and support.

My amazing wife, Lynne, who tolerated my training and met me in random locations with water and nibbles on my long runs.

My Instagram buddies and the mutual support as they shared my journey and allowed me to share theirs. One of the best things I did was set up a profile for this journey and I even bumped into Rachael during the run - twice 😂

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat 💓

Energy on the Day:

I have found by trial and error that I need something every 35 minutes.

I carried SIS Blackcurrant energy gels and Tesco Gluten Free Flapjack bites which I restocked at each meeting point.

On way to Start pen; banana

Support halt 00:35 half banana; 3 slices of Snickers Bar

Moving: gel & 3 flapjack bites

Support halt 02:00 half banana; 3 slices of Snickers Bar; handful salted peanuts 

Moving: gel & 3 flapjack bites

Support halt 03:05 half banana; 3 slices of Snickers Bar; handful salted peanuts 

Moving: gel & 3 flapjack bites

Support halt 04:20 half banana; 3 slices of Snickers Bar; handful salted peanuts; 2 pre-emptive paracetamol for knee beginning to hurt

Moving: gel & 1 flapjack bite

Moving: half gel & 1 flapjack bite

Finish @ 05:28

Crisps & Coke

April 2023

 3rd

Following my wife across slimy pebbles - This is me taking care of my knee!? Some amazing weather in northwest Scotland last few days. Greek looking beaches, though temperature different 🥶

Back home and back to prep for London 2023 in a couple of days.

Happy taper everyone 😘

10th

1 week 6 days to the London Marathon 🏁

Extraordinary RELIEF yesterday with my first run after the blind panic of inner knee pain a little over a week ago. A conveniently timed holiday ensured complete rest for a week driving an automatic motorhome around Scotland.

Knees weren't painless, they never are ; But the crucial one didn't appear, much as I analyzed and felt for it. I did wear an elastic support just to help it along and did ice it when I got home (bag of frozen peas 👍 Standard 🤣).

No after effects today 🤗.

Used a route from early in training that at the time took me as far from home as I'd been on a run. Seems odd now that I have achieved much more than that in my long runs. Also had to add a load of distance at the end as I forgot that I was still doing walk intervals last time I ran that route in a time of 1h 35m.

Strength was still fine after the lazy break but I did feel the effects of too much sitting, eating and drinking on general fitness and lungs particularly. Need to keep moving now; maybe a few exercise bike sessions with little knee impact?

It's odd the discoveries you make on these runs, like pedestrian subways you never knew existed under main roads you normally drive along.

Less guilt than other years as I dive into chocolate heaven. Happy Easter 👍

Mandatory horse pics for Rachael, you know who you are 🙂

14th

Wading through my mind

I suspect I'm not the only one feeling this way so I'll share for anyone who thinks they are alone.

I'm really struggling with excitement about next weekend being replaced by apprehension and fear. I'm actually OK about the Marathon itself but I'm paranoid that something will stop me getting to the start line; something will go wrong. Every twinge in my back, niggle in a muscle, cough or dry throat is indicative of an injury or illness that will thwart my dream. Today my voice was cracking but then I remembered that I actually lost my voice for three days before my wedding; maybe it's nerves? And what about travel disruption? Have I confirmed my accommodation and transport?

I have coeliac disease which made me worried how I could guarantee my diet carbing up before the race. We ended up booking a studio apartment so I can load with gluten free pasta carbonara and garlic bread the night before and have a big bowl of GF porridge oats on the morning. I would much rather eat out but get fed up of messing about finding GF options and decent portions so took an easy though pricy way out. (For those who don't know, Oats do not contain gluten but they are mostly milled in the company of wheat and barley which do, so cross contamination risk is high. I have to buy GF porridge oats which are milled separately) I can't even risk the Oat Bar at the finish unless I can read Gluten Free on the wrapper.

As the Taper has kicked in it is really messing with my head. The feeling of purpose I have enjoyed for months is already waning. I really miss the constant progression and it feels like going backwards. Short runs feel like they should be easy after the long runs I have completed, but they're not! How can 40 mins feel like more effort than 3 hours?

And now I have my start time, 11:15, I am feeling disappointed that I will have very little time with my family support before they start their long journeys home.

So, that's the side of my head I'm fighting. Deep down, I'm excited, proud of what I've already achieved and believe this is all 'Maranoia' (I love that word whoever coined it).

See you all there - it's going to be great. Believe!

16th

I think I enjoyed that 😃 70 mins, 7 miles. I think next week's warmer weather needs accounting for, I'm hot now and it's only 11C.

In 7 days I will be setting off on the culmination of this adventure.

If you thought you may sponsor me but haven't got around to it yet then now's the time for action 🙏; go to JustGiving and search for Ged Donovan 😃

20th

That's a wrap(per). Last training run done for London Marathon 2023..

I created this alter-ego account last August for this journey and have loved your company along the way.

The drive was always to mark my 70th year with an amazing life experience challenge and at the same time raise funds for St Ann's Hospice. If you have thought of sponsoring me but not quite got around to it, then now is the time 😊 Link in bio or go to JustGiving and search for Ged Donovan 😘

Very best wishes to everyone taking part on Sunday

20th

So Maranoia was telling me I've picked up a bug. Sore throat, chesty, stuffy nose. Really fed up and ratty.

Then my wise wife @lcdeeeee pointed out the weather forecast said pollen levels are high.

Yep, tree pollen gets me every year 🤔

21st

Ready to go! [photo with my number in front of course map]

23rd

Here we go. Good luck everyone 👍[photo hotel room wearing my kit for the day with number]

March 2023

 4th

I decided to use my 30 min 'easy' with @bramhallparkrun, a contradiction in terms for this course especially if you push yourself. Back to sub 28 mins following a clear yesterday on some heart checks, brakes off now 😃.

Love the "smile you're halfway" sign 👏😘

5th

I am running in the London Marathon 2023 just 2 weeks before my 70th Birthday in support of St Ann’s Hospice.

If you would like to encourage me and join in supporting this amazing organisation, please sponsor me and help raise vital funds for the wonderful St Ann's Hospice with #TeamStAnns

Donate on the JustGiving link on my bio or visit

6th

Half Marathon distance!👍🎉😃

I am in constant awe of you people doing this who have jobs and caring responsibilities 👏👏👏👏

I am lucky to be retired, in good health and with no caring roles so can be very flexible in training. This morning, I could have gone later when the weather looked better but I went out at planned time in your honour - and got soaked 😂

A horse with a coat on - sensible today. [photo not included]

Signs of spring with blossom trees.

6 min cold bath after run and my knees hurt like hell on the stairs 😭

Still, very chuffed to hit the distance.

Happy running everyone 😘

13th

15.8 miles, and I missed recording a bit 🙄. Concentrating on starting a route on OS App forgot to press Start on my watch ☹️

I ran out to join the old Manchester Airport Orbital Cycleway; the website is still there but you need to map it before you go as there are only 4 signs left and one of them points the wrong way 🤬. Good route for me keeping my mind occupied with places I cycled as a kid and occasional sights of the airfield.

Great midway stop at the Airfield Viewing area; dry clean toilets with a good hand dryer so I could finally work my phone screen properly. Drink & fruit bar in the cafe then out into the rain again.

Physio introduced me to McConnell taping a couple of weeks ago but this is the first long run I've tried it instead of an elastic support and my left knee was and is painless - it's a miracle!

Cold bath at home then hobbling a bit from stiffness. Achilles started stinging a bit later so I have ankle supports on to apply some pressure. I think it's short term; the stair heal lift exercise I do every day have worked wonders. Also fell asleep for 20 mins 😴

I was apprehensive about today so really pleased with the achievement. The plan times weren't getting me the mileage but now I'm looking at Moving Time and allowing for my habit of photos and a toilet, food & drink stop; so, if it says 2h30m I plan to be out 3 hours-ish to get the target miles.

Happy running everyone; may your aches be brief 😀

16th

Discovering a few niggles now as the week mileage climbs.

Revisited by IT Band irritation which was a real problem when I did a Half 5 years ago.

Also, my toes hurt. I discovered on my last long run that I inexplicably clench my toes. Shoes are fine, lots of space and a decent footbed. My smallest toes hurt again after only 8k this morning ☹️

PACE: am I alone in that my Easy, Steady, Jog and Marathon are all the same?

Bins; I knew it, they're breeding 🤣[photo not included]

18th

Feels like spring, blue skies and warm.

I'll say it now, I hate tempo days. I just don't enjoy mucking about with pace and timings and my lungs don't enjoy the extra push. Spoiled what would have been a perfectly pleasant morning run.

New shoes day, didn't want to get to the big day reliant on one pair of well worn and loved shoes. Could have been better, a few rubs appeared by end of run. Need to experiment with the lacing for long run Monday.

Happy weekend running everyone 👏😀

21st

Nineteen and a half miles yesterday, 19.5 miles! , and everything below my waist hurt 🥲

Was planned as 18 but a bit of a departure from route added a bit🙄

Thanks to my wife who met me at 7 & 14 miles with water, banana and chopped up Snickers. Also topped up my pockets with gels and Tesco gluten free flapjack cubes.

Delighted to be mobile this morning, expected to be stiff & sore but was fine.

Next Monday 21 miles then off to Scotland for a week.

27th

Over 21 miles; that's my last long run before the big day.

Wonderful weather for a change.

Kept my wife waiting at 2 support stops due to an error in my spreadsheet, oops 😘

Went well with a mix of blackcurrent gels and gf flapjack bits for intermediate fuelling and half banana and chopped up Snickers plus water at 2 support stops where I also topped up my gels & flapjacks. I'm taking something in every 35 minutes.

Pretty sore but after a 10 minutes cold bath I'm surprisingly mobile.

Only bad thing was leaving my earphones on the car roof at the last stop. Been back but no sign of them 😭

Good luck to everyone training 👍👏

....... and relax. I feel a snooze coming on 😴

29th

BAILED! 😭

After the high of Monday's long run, I set out today for an easy 50min before I go away for a week.

Cue sudden unfamiliar jab of pain right inside my left knee, enough for a sharp intake of breath and a hop. Then again a few minutes later. Backed off and ran on for a while then another one.

Called it and bailed out of route and turned toward home. OK walking so had another little jog and there's another one 🤬

Walked the rest of the way home and ice packed for 20 mins.

Desperately hoping it's just inflammation from Monday that will clear with rest.

Tomorrow I head off to Glasgow and pick up a hired motorhome to bumble around Scotland. It's an automatic so I can give my knee a good rest. Have taken my running gear out of packing to avoid temptation to tax it too soon. Rest combined with knee strength exercises for a week. 🙏

Stay fit everyone, may you be injury free 😘

31st

Nursing my knee in NW Scotland. So far so good, but not running

Good luck all those getting their last long run done 👏

February 2023

 4th

Plan shows 40 min mixup with tempo & walks but replaced with #parkrunbramhall and an extra 10 mins easy to follow. Garmin says it was my first sub 30 min 5k for a long time at 29:44 but official time was 30:01😭. Bramhall has a few taxing hills so it was a variation of effort throughout so I think it counts to the plan 😃 and it was 5k, honest; GPS plays up in the trees.

6th

A cold sub-zero start with an amazing blue sky. 1h40m with a target of around 8 miles achieved. I'm doing a lot of leg and ankle exercises and strengthening seems to be helping the Achilles problems.

Guts were a little off so a welcome diversion into big Sainsbury's to use facilities. As over 1 hour and 10k I topped up with a blackcurrent SIS gel. I don't need anything less than that but by 1h20m I'm running on empty if I don't top up. All in all, a good run, especially after a 5.6 mile hill walk yesterday. Bit stiff this evening.

Keep going everyone, we'll do it together 👏😃

11th

The look of a 69 year old who just did a 10 mile run for the first time in 5 years 😃 , last time was a half marathon to celebrate my 65th birthday.

1h45m on plan but ran on the extra 1'22" to get the milestone 🤗🎉 😂

13th

No running as a few days away in Swaledale but definitely got my STEPS in today 🤣  [photo of steep steps up the side of Malham Cove]

19th

A few days of no running or exercises. We had a few days in the Yorkshire Dales and I know I never run even if I take my gear. So, 5 days of eating and drinking too much but with some activity.

Home yesterday and slotted in a 40 min run which went ok. The only thing I've lost is pace management, aiming 6:20-6:35 pk but kept finding myself in 5:50-6:10 🙄.

Long run Monday is 1h40m so I'll know then how I'm doing.

Have a good week everyone 🙂

2 photos from activity day: [not included in blog]

Malham Cove 4.8mi walk

Swaledale Trail on electric bikes.. first time and they're amazing 17mi

Muker to Keld valley 6mi walk

Richmond town & Easy Abbey along Swale 5.6mi walk

Circular out of Reeth 4mi walk

20th

Long run Monday and after nearly a week away I did wonder and indeed 2 mins out I was gasping and struggling; However it all came together and on the long gradients of the bypass I was amazed at the power in my legs today. Benefits of a break?

Plan today listed 25 jog & 5 walk x 4 but somehow I got it into my head it was 1h40m so I was 20 min down on plan. I can deal with that but it's a little annoying 🤔

I took music with me today; I normally just take in the world around me and let my mind wander but the duration is getting longer now. Albums Texas: Red Book & Melanie C: Northern Star

Really working on morning and evening exercises and strength is improving. I think my sit to stand squats building my quads is really helping. When I did a half marathon 5 years ago it was my quads that hurt most in the last 3 miles. Slow heel lifts on the stairs are working wonders for my Achilles.

Keep going everyone, we'll get there 👏👏👏

24th

INJURED 😢 Only climbing over a stile on Wednesday and managed to pull a calf muscle as I bent my leg to step over.

Thought it was ok for my Thursday run an Easy 40 mins but it was one of those runs, 40 mins of hell. My breathing wasn't right, I was tired and weak and protecting my calf ended up with hamstrings and left Achilles pain; Evidently posture all wrong 🙄

Calf feeling better but still tired and a bit of a sore throat, maybe a pesky virus is mucking me about.

I think I'll have to accept missing my Saturday run to recover and get straight back in on long run Monday.

Have a good weekend everyone, may your runs be happy ones.

27th

Long run Monday; it was 2 hours moving.

Need to subtract 20 minutes of overall time for a pause at the Carrs, Toilets which failed to accept my card but fortunately did take my phone and then I was tempted at the kiosk so instead of a SISS gel I got a chunky gluten free granola bar and an apple & blackcurrant smoothie in a carton. This time, phone wouldn't work 🙄. Eventually I managed to pay and then hung around the gardens fuelling up for the second half. (Granola bar was excellent 👍)

The mystery lack of energy last time out didn't return and the calf pull could be felt but was in control. Glad I was sensible and rested it Saturday. 6 minute cold bath on return home and some rolling in order.

Happily on target again 😃

January 2023

12th

A 30 min easy/fast per km this morning but added 2 minutes "puddle time" for stops to let traffic pass by; and it let me get to round number at 5k 😂 3rd run in a row I need to rinse & dry my shoes 💦

14th 

Don't you hate it when you pick out the wrong route and get near home too soon so have to keep adding another pointless turn around a local road? ☹️.

This morning was tough, 40min so called easy but it wasn't. Now my long runs are getting further I think I'm expecting shorter ones to be a doddle but they're still hard 🤔

16th

7 miles, that's over 1/4 Marathon 🎉🥂Relooked at my plan and concluded I have been too far too soon and not doing enough near the end. Plan to end now closely matches TCS Beginner.

Talking of plans, what's with the lingo?

• Run/walk
• Brisk walk
• Walk
• Jog
• Easy
• Steady
• Marathon pace
• Tempo
• Fartlek (cabbage for tea the night before?)
• Interval
• Cross train
• Fast
• Slow
• I give up 🤔😂

19th

It's a YakTrax sort of day up here. Should have been 40min but 2 phone calls and photo stops on such a lovely morning, I made it 

21st

One of those days where it just comes together. A really enjoyable 4.9 miles and I met my new best friends Thea and Thalia. Lots of ice spotting and avoidance, trying to run on the crunchy bits and avoid the shiny ❄️

23rd

Monday is long-run day for me. It feels odd as the distances go up and you find yourself places you'd normally only drive to. Nearly on the M60, I can go anywhere 😃.

1h30 run with a 5 min walk in the middle delivered 8.3 miles so I'm happy. Still trying to keep my speed down, I don't want injuries.

28th

One of my runs this week was a 20 min Easy so what did I do? I thought, Good grief, only 20 mins? Well, I don't need to hold back, I'll test my pace and breathing for a mere 20 mins.

Result = Left Achilles is now playing up. When will I learn and do what it says on the tin?

31st

Amusing myself that my runs are all 1 or 2 seconds longer than plan; I'm so determined not to stop short of target 😂. Photos at each km, just because 🤔😃

Training Demands, Unfinished Writings & Instagram Posts

My last blog post was dated 10 January 2023 and I feel bad that I left it there.

In January I had started my final 16 week training plan in readiness for the London Marathon 2023. One of the casualties of the demands of the time required in training was this blog. I'm sorry if you were reading it.

Largely for my own feeling of completeness, I am going to finish with a series of posts from Instagram which I did keep up with. This will hopefully give a feeling of my journey.

You can find the Instagram posts along with photos and videos @Ged70Marathon

So here's the final 15 weeks of my big adventure