London Marathon April 26, 2026 Race Recap: Recognizing and Appreciating Successes and Failures
The 2026 London Marathon is in the books and there are many things I have been reflecting upon in the aftermath of the race. Most importantly, along with the other four members of the London Marathon Team for Haymakers for Hope, we raised over $55,000 for cancer research, support, and survivorship. I started this journey around this time last year to honor my friends Colin Andries and Marc Brooks, both of whom died in 2024 from cancer. Coincidentally, Colin and Marc were running buddies and, while not even knowing each other, had the shared goal with me of running one of the major marathons like Boston or London. The journey hit home even more on July 30, 2025 of last year when my father passed away from cancer. So, despite my own trials and tribulations, successes and failures, highs and lows of race day, the race unequivocally was a success in accomplishing my original, and main, goal of raising money to “KO Cancer” as Haymakers calls it.
London 2026 will be memorable for many reasons, not the least of which a few records were set race day. A world record was set in the number of finishers at 59,830. Additionally, no human had ever run a marathon in under 2 hours. Two men accomplished that feat on Sunday April 26, 2026 and a new world record was set at 1:59:30. That’s a 4:33 minute per mile pace for 26.2 miles. If you look at race photos or videos, it does not even look like he was laboring that much to go that fast. He was interviewed after the race and said his race day breakfast was two pieces of toast with honey and then some tea. I guess I have an alternative to try now versus always doing apple sauce…which didn’t happen in London since I could not find it anywhere in London.
My training for this marathon was a bit different this time than past efforts. Firstly, I did not constrain myself to a coach’s workouts. In the past, I followed pretty closely to race plans. This time around, I used the Haymakers for Hope plan as a bit of a guide but put most of my workouts together myself. I also did a lot more cross training this year. Rather than running 6-7 days per week, I typically ran 4 days, did spin workouts 2 days per week and tried to take 1 day per week for recovery. While I ran into the typical soreness and injuries you get while training, I avoided any major issues that normally would have cost me workouts and training time. I pretty much got in every long run I wanted to do.
Four weeks before the marathon, I did a 21-mile run at an 8:54 through hilly Forest Park in Portland with over 1,000 feet of elevation change (the entire London marathon is about 400 of change). The following week I ran 8 miles at a 9:00 minute pace followed by 8 miles at an 8:00 minute pace. I was feeling good about the marathon and thought an 8:45 minute per mile pace was achievable, which would equal a 3:49 marathon.
Big marathons, like London, typically have pacers to help runners who want to stay on track for a specific goal. When I signed up for London, I was far less optimistic and put my estimated time at 4:00. With almost 60,000 runners, the race separates the start out into 18 or so different start groups from 3 different starting corrals. I was placed into group 7 in the red corral. You are not supposed to move up in waves, but are allowed to move back. I knew I wanted to be up with the 3:50 pacing group, so began snaking my way up through the masses. I made it as far as group 5, but unfortunately that still was the 4:00 estimated finishing time pacing group. The gun fired for my new group to start and off we went. It was at this point I made a common mistake, one I knew better than to do, but alas I took off. I had in my mind if I could catch the 3:55 group, having started a couple of minutes after them, then I could still probably hit the right pace. This error likely affected my ability to finish as strong as I had planned.
I had hoped to maintain a steady pace throughout the race. Trying to catch up to your pass group at the start is not the way to accomplish that goal. My first mile was 7:56 and second mile 8:01. I felt great and the energy distracts you from keeping within yourself. Not to mention, the first 5k is downhill, I was running a pace of 8:21 at that point and I knew I had messed up so I started to slow down to try to get back to my goal pace. Through the first half marathon, I still was running slightly ahead of my goal time pace.
In 2018, at 38 years old, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in DC. I ran 4:11 and hit the wall hard at mile 20. In the New York City Marathon, I also started out too fast and hit the wall around mile 15 and finished at 4:26. I was determined not to let those things happen again, so I worked hard to “get back within myself” and maintain a more sustainable pace.
Much like other races I have done, there typically are places on the course where crowds are especially loud and energetic. Of course, in London, there is not much in the way of letdowns in crowd support and energy. Once you get past the first few hundred feet or so, there are supporters and spectators throughout the 26.2 mile course. It’s been estimated that over 1 million people come out to cheer on runners at the London Marathon. This is both a blessing and hindrance. It is a blessing because the energy keeps you going and your energy and spirits up. It’s a hindrance because it can make you forget to temper your effort.
I had been told that the Tower Bridge is the loudest and most amazing experience in marathon racing you ever will have. I also was told to run in the middle of the bridge because that’s where race photographers camp-out. That advice was spot-on in both regards. The energy and excitement is like nothing I’d ever experienced in my decades of racing. There also were 4-5 photographers in the middle of the road as you cross the bridge. I think some of the best, or perhaps least bad, race pictures of me were taken on the bridge.
As we weaved our way through downtown London after crossing the Tower Bridge, I realized I had fallen off my goal pace. At this point, I knew I had to readjust my goal and I set 2 different, new, goals. The first was to hit a personal best and beat 4:11. The second goal was to run the rest of the race after mile 24. I had this goal for a couple of reasons. The first, I wanted to finish strong. The second, I knew my wife was with the Peloton London crew and they were supposed to be around mile 25--I did not want to walk past them. So, from about mile 20 through mile 24 I decided to walk through aid stations.
I passed the mile 25 marker and still had not seen Jen or the Peloton group. I had decided to run in the middle of the road so I could see both sides as I had no idea where they were. I started to get concerned I had missed them when I finally could see, and hear, the Peloton crew cheering loudly. Jen is a huge Peloton fan and accomplished at making friends with people there, especially the instructors, who, as it turns out, have become celebrities almost as much as fitness instructors. The Peloton cheering squad had come armed with 5 confetti canons. Rightly, they saved one for one of the other instructors who was running as well as one for the husband of another instructor. The connection Jen had made with the instructors meant they saved one for me, while I vaguely remember the confetti canon, the energy and cheering definitely helped add some pep to my step. I am equally certain Jen was eternally grateful for the slightly sweaty (she claims it was very wet) hug I gave her.
I turned a couple of more corners as the course maneuvered around the Mall and worked my way toward the finish, which sits by Buckingham Palace. There are many cool finishes in races, but finishing your marathon in front of a castle is pretty cool and unique.
There is a little extra energy and motivation you find when the finish line enters your sights, and you know you almost are there. I picked up my pace a bit and crossed the finish line at 4:08:16. I had not achieved my goal of running under 3:50 at an 8:45 pace, but at 46 years old, I set a personal record for the marathon by about 3 minutes and know had a run a bit smarter and fueled a little better, I have a faster race in me.
One of the great things, or collateral consequences, about endurance racing is the mental exercise of setting goals and recognizing accomplishments but also dealing with failures. I had failed in achieving my goal time but had succeeded in setting a personal best 8 years after my fastest marathon.
As I raced past the grandstands, with Buckingham Palace in view, I reflected about my dad who was my hero and one of my greatest supporters and I thought about how much Colin and Marc would have loved cruising along with me. With all the trials and tribulations of running, this is why I run.
