Marathon 20: The Half Way Point

And just like that, we’re halfway!

Week 20 took us to Leeds for the Yorkshire leg of the challenge, and it felt like a fitting place to hit such a huge milestone. Amy went to university there, so the weekend became a bit of a reunion too, surrounded by old friends, their kids, and one very serious runner in the shape of Tommy.

Tommy was our guide for the day, and when I say he’s a proper marathon runner, I mean it. He’d carried an injury through London only a couple of weeks earlier and still managed what he described as a “bad day” of 2:44. Ridiculous really. Even more ridiculous considering we found out during the week he’s currently dealing with a hernia. No excuses from him though — just straight into another marathon.

Leeds Marathon, officially the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon, felt like the perfect event for us. There’s such a strong charity focus around the weekend, with thousands raising money in memory of Rob and for motor neurone disease charities. You could feel the sense of purpose everywhere.

After a wet and windy Saturday revisiting Amy’s old university haunts, Sunday brought bright sunshine and packed streets. Around 10,000 runners took on the course, and the atmosphere from the start was brilliant.

The route itself... Less brilliant for the legs.

Two long climbs made sure of that, particularly the drag out of Otley between miles 17 and 20. We’d set off aiming for around 3:40 pace, hoping for a chunky PB without completely wrecking ourselves for the weeks ahead. For a long time, we held it well, rolling through beautiful Yorkshire countryside, chatting with runners, sharing stories about miscarriage and baby loss, and once again being reminded just how many people carry those experiences quietly.

A surprise boost came in Otley where my uni mate PJ’s parents appeared roadside to support us, which genuinely lifted everyone before the hardest section of the course.

By the final few miles, things were hurting. The hills, the pace, and probably the emotion of the halfway point had all started to catch up with me. But we dug in and pushed hard back into Headingley Stadium, crossing the line in 3:46 — a 10-minute PB.

Not quite the target, but on that course, we’ll absolutely take it.

Truthfully, it was an emotional finish. Seeing Amy, our friends, and the kids supporting hit me harder than expected. Halfway through this challenge suddenly felt very real — both what we’ve achieved already and what still lies ahead.

Twenty down. Nineteen to go. Cornwall next.