Marathon 22: A Hot Day at the Office in Devon

After a fantastic week away in Cornwall enjoying beaches, sunshine and proper family time, we made the relatively short trip up the A30 to Exeter for the Devon leg of the challenge.

We had some brilliant Air BnB hosts for the night before the run. Andy and Lucy not only had grandchildren exactly the same age as ours, but had also taken on their own slightly mad endurance challenges over the years, so they completely understood the chaos that comes with trying to organise these weekends. We were looked after incredibly well and, even better, were staying less than a mile from the start line.

Despite that, I still somehow managed to leave myself short on time before the start. A last-minute sun cream emergency meant a quick dash into a Co-op for supplies and some extra brunch bars, before finally making it to Exeter Riverside parkrun with about ten minutes to spare.

James was there alongside Beth, who joined us for the opening 5k. The parkrun itself was lovely — grassy underfoot, scenic and not too congested — but even that early in the morning it was obvious this was going to be a warm one. Temperatures were already climbing past 20 degrees by 9:30am, and we still had the bulk of the marathon to tackle in the midday sun.

Thankfully, the route was about as friendly as it could’ve been for a hot day. We followed the Exe Estuary for much of the run, flat almost throughout and with at least some hope of a sea breeze. Even so, the heat was difficult to escape.

Our first major stop came at Darts Farm around the nine-mile mark, where we were met by an incredible support crew of family and fellow runners. Some joined us down towards Exmouth, while others tackled the return leg too. It was particularly nice to see Alice and Nick again after the Dorset run, and Jess making an early appearance ahead of her Somerset leg in a few weeks’ time.

We eventually reached Exmouth and the RNLI station, where James’ babies, Luca and Leela, have their names on the lifeboat — helping rescue people at sea every day. A really special moment in the middle of a tough run.

By around 15 miles, I realised this was going to be a proper grind. We were fuelling well, hydrating properly and keeping things controlled, but it definitely became a case of respecting the conditions and making sensible decisions to get ourselves home safely.

Thankfully, my uni mate Rick joined us for the return leg. We’ve shared a few difficult runs over the years and it was a huge boost having him there when things got tough. James, meanwhile, was outstanding throughout — calm, positive and completely unfazed by either the distance or the heat.

Eventually, after a few extra shade stops, some strategic walking breaks and plenty of fluids, we wound our way back into Exeter and finished along the riverside quays. Tired, sweaty and fairly broken by the end, but still smiling and another marathon ticked off.

It may well be a sign of what’s to come over the summer months. Looking after the body, staying hydrated and managing the conditions properly are going to be absolutely key between now and September.

That said, based on 30 years of living in the UK, I’m not convinced we’ll get many hotter than that.

Onwards to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire on Sunday 31st May.