A MOMENT WITH...

JOHN BREWER

Running fitness columnist John Brewers running exploits are not nearly as well known as those in sports science. Were hoping to change all that: this month, John reflects on his most emotional marathon experience to date and reminds us that the stories of triumph in running still outnumber the small number of tragic occasions when things go wrong

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JOHN BREWER
John is professor of sport at the University of Bedfordshire. He was previously director of communications for Lucozade Sport and before that director of the Lilleshall Sports Injury and Human Performance Centre

first ran the London Marathon 30 years ago, yet I can honestly say that none of my previous efforts produced the contrasting emotions of this years race. Sport is all about highs and lows, on the 22 of April, the Virgin London Marathon produced an event that encapsulated both. In 2011, BBC presenter Sophie Raworth collapsed just short of the finish-line, but recovered after two hours of treatment from some of the magnificent team of St Johns Ambulance volunteers who line the course, and completed the distance in just over six hours. After various email conversations exploring the potential reasons behind her collapse, we met for the first time at this years Expo, and agreed to start the race together aiming for a sub four-hour time. To be honest, I was slightly nervous about my ability to achieve this, since my training had been sporadic at best, with a longest run at least five miles less than it needed to be, and minimal weekly mileage. But the day started well I found myself on the Celebrity start, and crossed the line within five seconds of the gun going. Not bad, considering I had expected to take 10-15 minutes getting over the start from pen five on the Red start! Sophie and I settled into a steady nine-minute mile pace, soaking up the atmosphere and chatting about various topics. The time and miles went steadily by, we were on course and on track for sub-four hours, and the continuous support for Sophie helped us both. A short while later, we marvelled at the pace of the elite men as they headed past us in the opposite direction on the Highway, as we headed for the Isle of Dogs, and they headed to the finish. I knew that if we could get around Canary Wharf safely, we would be heading home, but I am afraid that at 20 miles, my lack of training started to tell. I knew I could keep going, but not at the pace Sophie needed to break four hours. Most importantly though, I knew she would be OK. We had paced ourselves sensibly, and taken on the right amount of fluid; she was meticulous in using gels to top up her carbohydrate stores, so I knew she would make it. As Sophie headed off, I plodded on, got through my bad patch, and even managed to hit the dizzy heights of eight-minute mile pace along the Embankment. Then the lowest point of my marathon career happened. As I entered Birdcage Walk, I saw paramedics working furiously on a runner who we now all know to be Claire Squires. She was one of

us; a runner having fun, doing her best, and raising a modest amount for her chosen charity. Like Fabrice Mwamba at White Hart Lane, I am certain that Claire had the best possible treatment. Thirty years ago, in my first London Marathon, I collapsed close to the finish-line, was unconscious for 24 hours, placed on a life support machine, and only given a 50-50 chance of pulling through, which had I not, would have made me the first fatality of the marathon. I was lucky, Claire was not. It was a terrible way to end what had until then been a great day, and like many across the country I have been moved by Claires story, and donated online to her charity. Running, like all sports, has its risks, but to lose a life so young, doing something she loved, is tragic. Sophie carried on without me, and in front of the TV cameras, recorded a magnificent sub-four hour PB. I was delighted for her, and her demonstration of fitness and bravery of the highest order. Sophie will not be the last TV presenter to break four hours, and sadly, I suspect there will be other fatalities on the London Marathon course at some point in the future. I am not sure if I will run a marathon again this year is one that I will always remember for a number of reasons, and I am taking a bit longer than normal to recover. But running remains a great sport, and the London Marathon is an event where stories of triumph and achievement will always greatly outnumber the occasions when things go so tragically wrong.

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114 RUNNING FITNESS | JULY 2012