MBNA Chester Marathon 2025, 5th October – Race Report
Conditions were dry but windy, with a steady W–WNW breeze around 17 mph and occasional gusts as the tail-end of Storm Amy passed through the area. Temperatures sat between 14–16 °C — ideal for racing if not for the persistent cross and headwinds.
This was my third marathon, but my first time in the elite field, starting from Chester Racecourse with its own facilities, ViP (elite only) parking, post-race buffet, and proper toilets! We were escorted to the start line 15 minutes before the gun, which made for a relaxed build-up.
Training had gone almost perfectly, and the taper felt spot-on, leaving me confident on the start line. I ran sensibly through the first half in 1:14, keeping the effort controlled and finding shelter from the wind where possible.
After reaching mile 20, I was able to lift the effort and began moving through the field, passing several runners in the later stages. The second half was covered in 1:16, despite the challenging final 8 miles, which featured around 700 ft of climbing, including a tough hill between miles 24 and 25.
I finished strongly in 2:30:18, placing 15th overall and 10th in the Senior Men’s category.
Despite the wind and hilly finish, I came away with a PB, which has given me great confidence heading into next year’s London Marathon.