{"id":1525,"date":"2020-10-13T16:36:35","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T16:36:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/systemsthink.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=1525"},"modified":"2024-07-06T15:09:16","modified_gmt":"2024-07-06T15:09:16","slug":"marathon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/systemsthink.co.uk\/wordpress\/marathon\/","title":{"rendered":"Marathon"},"content":{"rendered":"

You will all be familiar with FB memories and today I had one from 35 years ago – yes, somewhat pre-facebook – and that has inspired my music choice. Those of you who are runners – and many who are not – will immediately make the connection.<\/p>\n

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This was the memory that popped up – 35 years ago today I was running from Marathon to Athens. For an assortment of reasons it wasn’t my best time – but it was an experience not to be missed.<\/p>\n

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There are many stories about that day that could be told (some are here) – the guy just behind me in the picture I had overtaken and “out-sprinted” in the final straight which is inside the 1896 Olympic arena.<\/p>\n

The marathon is not a “Big city” run like the London Marathon – done on a much smaller budget and a much smaller number of runners – so there is much less ‘help’ for the runners – only occasional water stations; smaller crowds; a lot of the run with no spectators; far fewer medical stations; and so on – and for those used to the almost flat run round London this course would come as a shock – miles 10-20 are almost constantly uphill as you cross from one coast to the other over the intervening hills.<\/p>\n

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A great experience.<\/p>\n

There was also an outing to the Isle of Wight Marathon (reputedly the toughest in the UK) with the corps cadets to see Nigel, Richard and myself ran that one.<\/p>\n

For the record – my fastest marathon was in Glasgow in 1984 – slightly faster than the time shown on the finish clock – did take a little while to cross the start line.<\/p>\n

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Ron Goodwin : Theme from The Trap<\/a><\/h5>\n
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