The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon took place on the 14^th of May 2023. This long-anticipated return of the marathon distance to the city of Leeds was indeed a truly epic event. Whether you were a runner, volunteer, spectator or simply donated to raise an incredible amount for MND, it was a wonderful thing to be part of, and a real emotional moment when Kevin and Rob crossed the finish line.

Some claim that the atmosphere rivalled that of the London marathon. The combination of that special northern welcome, and those ‘wonderful’ Yorkshire hills, certainly made it memorable. For many participants, this was their first ever marathon, and what an amazing debut! Run Leeds would like to congratulate everyone involved and we will certainly be back for more in 2024!

We have three very different experiences to share from race day from those who took part in this amazing event… ‘The Pacer, The Marshal and The First Timer’.

 

The Pacer – Nicola Forwood

The Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon was never going to be an easy race to pace. Pacers usually sit at a constant pace that will result in us running a handful of seconds under the time written on our flags. Relatively simple if you have the fitness and experience. However, this marathon is so hilly that this was never going to be realistic… Expecting a pace group to stay with you as you fly up two-and-a-half-mile hill 17 miles into a marathon would be madness. As a pacing team (Northern Pacing Volunteers) we spoke for months about the best way to tackle this challenge. We needed a strategy that would give the people around us the best chance of staying with us over the 26.2 miles. 

Race day arrived and we donned our flags, each pacer with their individual pacing strategy of where to bank a few seconds here and there, to enable us to ease off the pace on the hills. Marathons always feel special as there is a level of excited, nervous energy that you don’t tend to get at other race distances. After a delayed start and some emotional words from Kevin Sinfield we were off!

 

I don’t think I’d given too much thought to what it meant to me personally to have a marathon in the city where I live. To trace paths walked on nights out when at university many years ago, to pass the home of Woodhouse Moor parkrun where I’ve run since it was Hyde Park Time Trial (and Leeds parkrun, before its current naming iteration). Running the route that I walk with my daughter on the way to school, and running onto the campus of Leeds University – past the Chemistry building which is what brought me to Leeds over 20 years ago… This marathon was special in ways I hadn’t even considered it would be.

 

The crowd support hit you before you’d even turned the first corner. Leeds was out in force with crowds several people deep lining the route. To be part of this marathon felt very special indeed. The first few miles were spent settling down and helping people not set off too quickly. Getting into a rhythm that might help runners get to halfway still feeling relatively fresh. It is just brilliant to meet people, hear their stories, know why they are running and pass the miles chatting to like-minded people, all with the same aim… Of getting to that finish line in Headingley Stadium.

 

I think it’s difficult to portray just how incredible the support all the way around the course was. The oranges, the sweets, the hosepipe showers, the motivational signs and the funny signs which kept our spirits high… My favourites being “WHERE IS EVERYONE GOING?” and “YOU LOOK HOT WHEN YOU SWEAT” as they both made me laugh.

 

Despite slowing down up the hill we lost most of our pace group, the weather was just too hot and the hills a bit too long in those conditions. But the pacers flag must go on and arrive on the line at the desired time, so it was time to push on and there is still much value in encouraging those ahead to keep going and encouraging those that we were passing to try to stick with us. 

As a seasoned marathon runner, it can be easy to forget what running a marathon means to people. This marathon had such a high percentage of first-time marathon runners and many of them were sharing that this was the hardest thing they had ever experienced. To help people when they’re digging deep, when they’re hurting, when they’re trying to achieve is such a huge honour. I am so proud of everyone who took on the challenge of the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and I hope that the memories of what they did that day stay with them forever. 

I crossed the line in exactly 5:00:00 which is some pretty reliable pacing and something I probably couldn’t repeat if I tried. It was such a relief as the plan had paid off! The thanks from fellow runners and seeing the emotion at the finish line makes every step worthwhile. All those sleepless nights, the 5 hours of maths you’ve just done while running, the effort put in to help people get to the line. It is so rewarding and so much fun and I cannot recommend it highly enough! 

This might sound slightly harsh but if you don’t achieve your goal at a 5km or 10km race that I’m pacing then it’s okay… you can have another crack at it and I’m sure you’ll get there in the end. Marathon pacing is a whole different kettle of fish. For lots of people this will be their one and only marathon and that brings with it a whole load of pressure which means I really, really, REALLY want runners to be able to stay with me. Luckily the amount of maths that you need to do in your head keeps you pretty focused because if you spent time thinking about every single runner that dropped away from the pacing group then I’m not sure I could do it! We really do care about each and every person’s run! 

Seeing Kevin and Rob in the first mile reminded us that we’re all in this together as well as the incredible support that charities get from events like these. There was so much awesome music on route and children with their high-fives and brilliant cheering, there was even a dog howling us on, as its owner cheered, it felt like the whole world was supporting us! It felt like we were in the Tour De France at some points! I loved the out-and-back sections where we could cheer on our fellow runners face-to-face and I was so thankful for the hosepipe showers to help stop us from overheating. By halfway my cheeks hurt from smiling so much and by the end of the race I was absolutely exhausted. Emotionally and physically drained in the best possible way, with a medal around my neck to remind me of a grand day out. 

Afterwards I sat with a good running friend and ate chips… On the curb, next to a traffic cone. It doesn’t sound particularly glamorous, but trust me, as we cheered runners past us and we smiled and shouted to them, I realised there was nowhere else I’d rather be. Marathon running is tough, but it’s worth it, and sharing that journey with others is what makes it so special!

 

If you fancy giving marathon pacing a go then please contact Nick at Northern Pacing Volunteers on Facebook.

 

 

The Marshal – Pippa Plumtree-Varley

My ‘journey’ to marshalling on a water and gel station at the inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon began not long after it was announced that the event would be held.  I know I will never be likely to run the 26.2-mile distance myself.  Any running or training of my own usually has to finish at a coffee shop and involves passing retail outlets so I can distract myself by doing some window shopping on route. Not really conducive to serious marathon training!  However, I know what extensive organisation and support such events require… so thought I’d like to help out in some way even if I was not going to ‘go the distance’.  A friend sent me the link to the Run for All Eventeers website and, before I knew it, eight months had flown by in great anticipation and race day had almost arrived.

Preparation as a volunteer was minimal – just reading a briefing note and watching an online webinar about the day and all the arrangements.  An early night beforehand was much needed though, as I knew it was going to be an early start on the morning of Sunday 14 May 2023 and a long day lay ahead. Although I only live about 10 minutes’ drive from my allotted marshal point, I was conscious that I would probably need to undertake about a 30-minute walk to get there on account of the road closures for the marathon.  I needn’t have worried, as our start time on the station was actually well in advance of the road closures commencing at 8am.  By the time I arrived at the muster point, a huge HGV was actually already just arriving too with our supplies of water and gels.  I have never seen so many boxes and pallets! 

Alongside me, there were two other marshals, as well as four Scout leaders and our station ‘supervisor’.  We had to quickly set to work forming a human chain to unload the lorry of its contents – first on one side of the road where the runners would be going ‘outbound’ (Mile 6) and then on the other side of the road for the ‘return’ (Mile 23).  It was somewhat overwhelming to think that we were going to be faced with approximately 14,000 runners passing us on…. not one… but two occasions, desperate for hydration and an energy boost. It was good to learn from the Scout leaders at least though that we would later be joined on our station by a gaggle of eager and enthusiastic Scouts to help us out. 

Having unloaded everything and set up the tables, flag markers and the like, it was not long before it was time for our formal briefing from the station supervisor.  Despite having been there so early, it was actually 8am before we knew where we were, and crowds were beginning to gather along the route.  Time flew by even quicker from that point until the first wheelchair competitors and then the front-runners came through.

Lessons learned during our short briefing – and which became vital very quickly during the course of the event – included how to hold both the water bottle and gel sachets.  Water bottles needed the caps loosened and to be held on the palm of your hand. Sachets are best dangled from the ends of your fingers. Arm outstretched at all times!  This allows the runners to quickly get what they need as they pass you, without them pulling you along with them.  At some points I did still manage to have a runner grab my hand with a (sometimes sweaty) strong grip, but the techniques mean that any participant can be sure to firmly get the liquid and / or fuel they need from you as they pass.  I had also not appreciated how much I would get sprayed with water or sprinkled with gel during the course of the day…  mostly by accident but also from some jovial runners ‘playing’ along the way, which all added to the fun. So, in future I would not only dress appropriately for the weather, but also the possibility of getting slightly wet and slightly sticky!

 

The hours of the marathon itself absolutely flew by, from the very first frontrunners coming past us to those finishing later in the afternoon.  Our duties did not end with the final participants but continued to include taking down the tables and banners; sweeping up the numerous bottle tops in the wide vicinity of the station itself; trying to pick up empty gel sachets and similar; and loading up vans with Run for All ‘kit’ as they returned along the route.  The 10+ hours went by so quickly though, for two reasons.  Firstly, there was simply always something to do and runners to assist in one way or another.  Secondly, the atmosphere, the enthusiasm of the crowds surrounding the marshal point, and the banter of the runners themselves as they came through was just so amazing and uplifting. There was simply never a dull moment!

 

By the time I returned home on Sunday evening, I was certainly exhausted. I may not have run the 26.2 miles… but I felt like I had!  My feet killed from standing on them all day.  My shoulders and back ached from holding out my arm(s) with the bottles or gels in.  My throat and face hurt like crazy, simply from shouting words of encouragement and smiling solidly for the entire day.  While not undertaking the marathon myself, the euphoria of playing a part in it was inspiring, uplifting, special and unique. 

The highlight of the day for me was not handing Jamie Jones-Buchanan and a number of other Leeds Rhinos players their gels when they ran by; nor seeing Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield pass (as wonderful as that was); nor watching a number of friends taking part from a prime vantage spot; nor enjoying a hot dog provided by the Scouts for lunch. 

Instead, it was actually having a runner come to stand by my on her way back at Mile 23.  She was in tears, she was in pain, she was hot and a little sunburnt, she had lost her friend on the way, and she couldn’t go on.  I suggested that I could run with her to the next marshal point and then maybe she could reassess.  At this point there were fewer runners coming by and plenty of people on the station, so I felt it was okay to temporarily ‘abandon ship’. 

We set off slowly and talked a bit, so that sure enough we got to the next marshal point without even realising.  “There are barely 3 miles to go now and just think how far you’ve come.  It is literally all downhill from here.  Right-left, right-left, one foot in front of the other”, were my words of encouragement.  Sure enough, the lady said: “Right I’ll go.  I’ll finish this”.  That was my highlight of the day: realising that everyone came with their own story, their own different levels of experience, their own training programmes, their own injuries or niggles, their own support crowd, their own reason for running, but everyone was in it together. 

Be it runners, marshals, official organisers, or the supportive crowd, everyone was on their own journey and taking on a challenge to support an amazing cause.  Running and sport bringing people together as only it can. 

 

The First Timer – Vic Choules

Victor is one of our Run Leeds Ambassadors, has been one of our inspirational Runners of the Month and recently featured in Runners World, sharing his incredible journey of weight loss, grief and friendship. He is a member of Rothwell Harriers, who I imagine are all incredibly proud of Victor’s achievements, most recently running his very first marathon… and what a tough one to do as a debut.

The marathon was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, even though we had done a recce of both parts of the course over two runs. The preparation hadn’t accounted for the weather. Although Leeds was shrouded in mist on the morning of race day, the sun came out and it soon turned into one of the hottest days of the year so far. The heat was just awful, and not something we had experienced in training. But I never gave in, quitting was not an option and I finished in 6 hours and 23 minutes. I will definitely be doing it again next year!

I’ll be back to racing again soon, as I’m signed up for the Hardmoors 10k in June, and will end that month with Endure 24, so a couple of new adventures to look forward.

 

Well, you are certainly avoiding that post-marathon void with some epic and yet brutal local races Victor.

A huge well done to our pacer, marshal and first-time marathon runner and anyone else who took part in, or supported the marathon and half marathon. Run Leeds can’t wait for Leeds Marathon 2024!