The Original Marathon – Susan Kennedy

So the Original Marathon is a little known marathon, mostly because it has not been run that many times before and it's not a "race" for a PB.  I became aware of it after my first marathon in 2006 because when it was over me, and two other Mums from our children's local primary school in Willesden Green, did an assembly for the school so the children could understand about the marathon and how we were fundraising for the school.

My contribution to the assembly was the history of the marathon so off I went to investigate.  I had heard of the original Marathon in Greece and the poor man who ran to tell news of a battle only to die when he had delivered the news, but I had not heard of the 1908 Olympic event here - from Windsor to White City - where the 0.2 was added to the Marathon of 26 miles so that the winner would finish exactly in front of the Royal Box at the White City Stadium.  What I loved most of all was the old black and white photo of the runner  Dorando Pietri, passing the clock in Harlesden - a local landmark!

So at some point last year I saw a notice about it and signed up! Luckily for me Emma & Sam Sutherland signed up too - I would never have made it without them.

My training was scarce - even by my standards - I was away over Christmas and New Year in Thailand and Australia, way too hot for training - and too much going on so I did about 3 runs in the three weeks I was away - one 8 miler in the heat - that must be good surely? So when I got back to the UK on 16th Jan I had about 7 weeks to go - and of course a 3 week taper - so what was the best way to train in the intervening 4 weeks?

Obviously number 1 - rely heavily on the scant training I did for Abingdon last October - which I finished in 4 hours 38 which wasn't bad considering my first marathon in 2006 was 4 hours 20. So I decided what I would do was : Fred Hughes, Watford Half and as much cross country as I could fit in and one 18-20 miler three weeks out. Thanks to Lucy Birrell I bagged an extra cross country the day after the last Chiltern League at Oxford, with the Dash for the Splash 10km on the Sunday. Then 5 miles of insane mud at the Nationals, Parliament Hill rounded off my training nicely - I was meant to run an hour the following Sunday before the marathon but my legs felt knackered so I did a slow 5km instead. Doubt high in my mind.

The Original Marathon route - the first ever 26.2 mile marathon has only been run on 7 previous occasions prior to 2025. Only one of those events permitted women to compete. The first running of this famous route was in 1908 at the Olympic Games. Subsequent events included the Polytechnic Marathons in 1933, 34, 35, 36 and 37. The most recent running (Original Marathon VII in 2024) had 18 female finishers.

Original Marathon VIII this year had 57 female entrants and those of us who finished are in the first 100 women ever to complete this famous route!  Quite amazing - I certainly hadn't factored this in when I signed up some time early last year.  What I also hadn't realised was that due to some road changes since 1908 the Original Marathon the route was now 27.5 miles!  I only found this out a week or so before - too late to adjust my training plan (JOKE). As often happens when I run marathons the weather can be unseasonably warm, just to test me that extra bit - and this was no different - a week of beautifully warm sunny days led up to Saturday March 8th - with forecast of 16 degrees.  Seriously?Luckily for Emma & I, Sam had decided not to run the race as he has been picked as a Puma Athlete to run London with some incentives and he rightly did not want to jeopardise his training - so he was free to drive us there and provide endless support on the long run back!  There was something much more daunting thinking about the route from Windsor to White City - it seems so much further than Greenwich to the Mall??  Lucky for me Emma had recently done a stonking run in Florence with Jojo and got herself a Boston place so she was happy to keep me company which was so lovely and also essential - if you don't run with a pacer or you lose your pacer (see later) you have to navigate the route through busy high streets, pavements by dual carriageways and all sorts - to find your way.  Being a clever tech person with a good watch Emma was also able to download the route which was really good and she was able to keep us motivated when inclines seemed neverending by showing her watch with nice down hills too.The start was very different to other races, changing in the Guildhall at Windsor and the Royal Scots guards parading just before we started.  We had a moment of sheer panic 5 mins before our wave started (everyone set off at diff pace groups - we were in the 11 min mile group)  - Emma, who had to wear glasses for the run, due to an eye op - BROKE the arm off her glasses!We stood in disbelief - staring at the glasses in two pieces - knowing she could not run without them. As luck would have it a small souvenir shop was right by the start line and we rushed in both gabbling about needing sellotape and both consumed with panic as the very kind man produced sellotape from his till and set about trying to mend said glasses (see photo!).And so (this should be a series, not a one off race report) we were ready as we were going to be - and off we went - with me panicking straight away that the pace was too fast!  There were about 10 of us around the pacer - and I ended up sprinting forward to her after a mile or so to ask if we were going to be doing 11 min miles - she apologised and said everyone gets carried away and goes off like dervishes!  We slowed the pace and my anxiety reduced.So the miles passed and I am not sure where but around 8 miles or so we were just us two, the pacer, Georgie and a lovely woman from Westside Runnas called Carla.  We were interrupted every so often by a car hooting and Sam ringing cowbells out the window - very good for the soul.  In the whole race there were three aid stations - at the first I honestly was thinking how was I going to run another 19 miles - I had done 8 already and was quite tired!!The aid stations were great and I can see the attraction of longer runs with food tables to look forward to - I was eating all sorts of things I don't normally do on a run - and taking my gels.  I even took a while to eat 2 x Ritz biscuits - yes! so dry - but also so nice and salty and we were losing a lot of moisture in that heat.  Emma had to go to the bathroom - upstairs (!!) in Morrisons so I had time to chew them and wash them down with lots of water. And on we went.As we headed nearer to home, and the finish, we passed the Harrow Hill 10km route - going down the hill - and past Northwick Park Hospital where I truly wondered if they would let me go in and just have a little lie down.  Shortly after that I had to admit out loud to Emma that I had some painful blisters and thought I should stop and address the issue - I have run 24 marathons to this point and never had to stop for a blister but am blaming the warm weather - so we stopped and I hopped on one leg getting my Compeed plasters on - I always carry one on a long run but for some reason luckily this time I had taken two, I needed them both.Off we went again - Wembley High Street at 3.30 ish on a Saturday afternoon is not somewhere to go on a long run - too much bobbing and weaving but that's the way the course went, and so did we!  I was now really focussed on getting to the Harlesden Clock - I knew that my marathon husband Trevor Mathurin was going to be there,  Saikat, one of my long run and Strava Art buddies and possibly a couple of other friends.   In my head I had also said - I can always walk the last 3 miles, or at least run/walk them.... but I hadn't said this to Emma....When we got to the clock it was a brilliant moment - really enjoyed re-living that bit from the 1908 race, there were ten friends there - clapping and cheering - a Hoopsters shirt on a stick and a tutu on a stick - those go-to Marathon supporter items! We stopped for photos, hugs and general chat before taking a big deep breath for the finish.  Now it really felt quite close,  a  hop and a skip down Old Oak Common Road - we passed a couple of other runners - to be fair we had been quite consistently overtaking people who had all GONE OFF TOO FAST!  I ventured to Emma about the idea of walking and she suggested how much prouder I would be if I didn't walk  (inside my head I did say  - well I have done run/walk before and it's been fine) but I didn't say it out loud - I just kept going which was good - by now we are running along the back of the prison at Scrubs and alongside the playing fields we often run cross country - so close now.  Passed the back of the Hammersmith Hospital where our dear friend was recently diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer - and into the final mile.  We had almost done it.The finish line was the original finish line for the 1908 Olympic Marathon - round the back of the building where they used to film the One Show and I met Mo Farah (yes - that photo!!).  I was so taken with it being the original finish line I had to go and sit on it - and made Emma do so too. (see photo)Thank you Emma, for making the 27.5 miles go much quicker and with more laughs than if I had done it on my own and for all the supporters.  This one is for our friend John O'Brien.  If you would like to donate to my fundraising page that would be awesome.  https://www.justgiving.com/page/susan-kennedy-originalmarathon25