Adrian Taylor, 52, is just 23 days away from running the London Marathon for the first time. An experienced runner he may be, but the renowned London challenge is one he has never had the opportunity to take on.
I spoke to Adrian about his preparations for the race and what this marathon means to the Pentrebach born council worker.
“I was delighted to be able to run this year. Every year I apply and never get in which is incredibly disappointing. It’s a race I have always wanted to run”.
“Once again this year, I applied individually and didn’t quite make the ‘good for age’ grade. I was able to gain my place as my running club are given one place a year in the race. My current running form and strong intention to run the race was enough to see me win that place”.
Adrian threw himself into the deep end of long distance running without too much knowledge on the sport. He has never looked back and has become quite an accomplished runner.
“I started running in 1981, competing in my first marathon at the age of 21. There was a big running boom and I thought I would have a go at a marathon. I didn’t really train, I didn’t have proper trainers; I just turned up and ran”.
“Since then running has become a big part of my life, I’ve trained for this one more than I have trained for any other race. This is because I want this one so much more”.
Being a frequent runner anyway, Adrian didn’t feel too much strain on beginning training for this iconic event.
“I always run, so starting the training for the marathon wasn’t too much of a challenge”.
“I decided to give myself 16 weeks to train, starting at the turn of the New Year”.
You can see how serious Adrian is taking this marathon as his training schedule is meticulously planned.
“Before Christmas, I was going to the gym to do some light weights just to create a base layer for fitness. Now the weather has turned, it’s purely running”.
“I have built up from 33 to 60 miles a week, which I will do this week. This will be my highest amount before the marathon. I will gradually start decreasing the distances of my training runs to make sure I am fresh for London”.
Adrian has mixed up his training by entering a number of competitive races such as the Merthyr Tydfil 20 Mile race and a number of 5 kilometre runs, just to keep sharp.
Adrian has had to make certain sacrifices in the build-up to this marathon, one of them being significantly cutting back on the alcohol consumption.
“Most nights of the week, I used to have four cans or a couple glasses of wine but since Christmas I very rarely drink, this has really helped my training”.
Adrian spoke about how for this marathon he has changed his diet, something he did not do for previous runs.
“I make sure I get my five fruit and veg a day and I tend to look for pasta and rice in meals, good healthy options which provide fuel for my training”.
At the age of 52, Adrian will be competing against a lot of younger runners.
“One problem I am experiencing with my running is my recovery, I am taking longer to fully recover than I would like to. I think this is simply because of my age”.
“If I race on the Sunday, I can’t do a quality run again until the Wednesday or even the Thursday”.
Other than that, preparations seem to be going swimmingly for the veteran runner and the results are evidence of that.
Adrian ran the Merthyr 20 mile race in 2.34. He ran the last 5 miles without being overtaken, finishing very strong.
“That was a big buzz for me because if people are overtaking you, you haven’t judged it right and it can be quite demoralising”.
Training for a marathon can be not only physically draining but mentally as well. Your mind is constantly focused on those twenty-six miles and your entire life revolves around the required training.
“The build-up to a marathon is like having a second job”
“It’s certainly helps having a great wife and kids to not only offer you support but to put up with the preparations”.
Adrian lauds the Welsh team for their achievements in the six nations this year, claiming it has helped him take his mind of the marathon during his recovery time.
“It’s been great to watch Wales doing so well in the Rugby the last few weeks, screaming at the television is a welcome break from all the training”.
Adrian’s final preparations for the run will be a relaxed, gentle couple of days. After all, the hard work has been done.
“I’ll stop running the Sunday before the race, I’ll just go for a few walks and maybe a few gentle jogs around the football pitch, just to loosen up”.
Adrian is very optimistic that his hard work will pay off and looks forward to the London Marathon with great excitement.
“I am excited for the run. I know I have put the effort in and I know the distance will not be a problem”.
“I want it to hurt, if it doesn’t I know I am not working hard enough, but at the same time I want to be able to enjoy the run and take in the whole occasion”.
For Adrian, this is just the starting point for a number of different big city marathons. Within the next few years, he has already set his sights on running in Amsterdam, Prague and Paris.
“I’ve been talking to my wife and we are hoping to bring a travelling aspect into my running, possibly look at one big city marathon every year, somewhere different across Europe. We very much hope to travel to Paris next year and try that one out”.
Adrian has set his target time for the London Marathon at 3.15, the same time needed to qualify for a ‘good for age’ entry, something he was unable to secure beforehand. This shows the determination and focus Adrian possesses, not only to show organisers of the marathon that he should have qualified individually, but to ensure his place for the 2013 race.
After four months of limited alcohol consumption and a tight training schedule, Adrian plans to celebrate crossing the finish line by simply “having a shower and going out on the lash”.
Adrian will be running the London marathon on behalf of the British Epilepsy Society.
“I always said if I was to run the London marathon, I would like run it on behalf of a charity. My daughter has epilepsy so this is a charity very close to my heart. It means a lot that I can run for them”.
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