The renaissance man

Here’s an update from Phillip Howells. As some of you may know, Phillip is renaissance man when it comes to sport – his log of events over the last 10 years is jaw-dropping. Have a read of his most recent exploits when he logged his 200th marathon…

As you do, lol, I decided to make it a double to celebrate the double century and it was a very satisfying weekend. I entered the new City to Sea marathon from Exeter to Babbacombe on the Saturday (3rd September) including some really tough SW Coastal Path sections and pouring rain for the last couple of hours. Had entered to partly to support a friend doing her first marathon not realising at the time that it would be my 199th, so a happy coincidence that next day I was already in Wolverhampton which would therefore by my 200th – ideal because it was also my first marathon way back in 1982 when it was also the first Wolverhampton marathon, making it a nice symmetry. Having lived there for years and having family and many friends still there, and it being a very popular event with 100 Marathon Club members, made it a perfect venue for the 200th.

I finished the City to Sea in 7.09.45 and was 108th of 379 entries (some runners and some walkers), I had a good steady run, lovely scenery and enjoyed it hugely.

Most of us found Wolverhampton a tough day on Sunday 4th September and I had some AF health problems at about half way, having to stop and rest for a while, but got going again to finish in 5.51.08, 216th of 224.

Neither were particularly impressive times of course, but I am rather proud of the achievement – a lot of running and even more mental energy involved for sure! I am now the 111th person in the UK 100 Marathon Club to have achieved 200 from a membership currently at 600 (many more people have climbed Everest than have even done 100 marathons, to put it into perspective).

I am especially proud of the fact that because the total includes 64 road marathons, 63 trail marathons and 73 ultramarathons, I am only one of just 13 people who have done at least 60 of each, so quite exalted company eh? That represents 6,380 miles, an average of 32 miles for each race, an average speed of 4.5mph, I’ve run a marathon on every day of the week, every date of the month, in 50 UK counties and 10 different countries (I’m a nerd for the numbers, lol!). Already at 201 as well.