Running the Boston Marathon UK and pairing it with the Boston Marathon US, connecting the original city with the oldest marathon, and linking two races in two Bostons, felt like a fun and meaningful challenge.
Returning to Lincolnshire wasn’t the plan, but it ended up being the only viable marathon option. As it turned out, it only seemed like the best alternative to my original goal – the Newport Marathon in Wales, which I missed the registration window for.
A flat course relatively close to me (Birmingham) left Boston UK as the only choice. My goal was to qualify for the London Marathon 2027 (sub 3:02 for Good For Age in the 45-49 category), ideally repeat my 2:55 from Valencia 2023, or even set a new PB.
Boston UK Build-Up
Since November, training had been going great. I felt better than the entire previous year, even though I had trained consistently before. Toward the end of the year, I focused on maintaining a solid base. On December 27, I ran a parkrun PB (5K): 18:25.
That gave me a strong foundation before starting proper marathon prep. Unlike last year, when training lacked strict structure, this time I followed a plan I wrote myself from start to finish. Recovery improved too – I bought a bike and walked less. Everything was clicking.
A key session – 26 km at 4:07/km – gave me confidence. From the start of the year, I logged 1,350 km, including 503 km in March, while improving my strength training. I also maintained my running streak – 728 days at the time of writing.
Flat Means Nothing
Boston is a small town, and returning after a year didn’t bring new excitement. The race is advertised as the flattest marathon in the UK, but the issue is the wind. This region is always windy. Forecasts predicted strong winds, which I tried to ignore. It didn’t matter, I’d deal with it. As it turned out – not very well.
Don’t Lose the Group
I started at my planned pace (4:08/km). After 5 km, everything felt perfect. But by 9–10 km, crosswinds hit hard. Holding pace required much more effort.
Runners started asking: “What will it be like when we turn into it?”
The wind was southwest, allowing about 16–17 km of manageable running. But the forecast showed 35–36 mph (≈55 km/h), with gusts over 40 mph.
I held 4:08/km until 17 km, but at 18 km it dropped to 4:23/km. That didn’t make sense – I had run 26 km at 4:07/km in training.
A group formed, and the message was clear:
“Whatever you do, don’t lose this group!”
No Shelter
Easier said than done. In such conditions, effort within the group varies wildly. Runners were dropping out of the group instantly – literally blown out of formation. There was no shelter. After 2 km, you leave the town and run across open fields the entire time. Even the water station bins were knocked over by the wind.
More Effort, Slower Pace
At 18 km, we turned – and pace dropped further despite increased effort. At that point, I knew my goals were gone. Even sub-3:10 felt unrealistic.
At times, crosswinds made it hard to even run straight – like at 25 km, where it felt possible to be pushed into the cabbage fields.
At 30 km, I struggled to stay under 5:00/km. Then a turn east gave brief relief – 31 km at 4:13. But the fight continued until 38 km, when the wind eased slightly.
Heading northwest and re-entering town gave some protection. My final kilometre was 4:02, clear proof that this could have been a much faster race in normal conditions.
Conclusion
I finished in 3:05:46 – well above what seemed possible mid-race, but still below my pre-race goals. One good thing is certain: I completed my 34th marathon.
Every marathon is a new experience. This one was especially unique – I’ve never raced in conditions like these. I’ve run in strong winds before, especially during training, but nothing like this.
At the finish, everyone shared the same story about the wind.
Boston Marathon UK is a completely different story from Boston US. Not glamorous -but a truly welcoming, grassroots race. A dedicated community of enthusiasts delivers excellent organisation. This year, nearly 2,000 runners participated across four distances, including 1,050 marathoners.
