6th November 2023
Listen
Listen
Manchester has always been a city that’s close to my heart. From the music scene to Manchester United, its cultural produce has been a huge part of my life and everyone else’s across the country. In this light, I thought there was no better place for me to take part in my very first marathon race.
A record 42,000 runners participated in this year’s Manchester Marathon. It was an unbelievable experience, full of highs, lows, and every emotion in between.
Having taken part in the 2025 Liverpool Half Marathon – and crossing the finish line thinking how on earth can anyone do double – I had some experience of race days, preparation, and the incredible sensation of completing a targeted distance. However, the marathon distance was a Goliath that little old David here was not prepared to take on.
Why did I do it then? Was it for personal satisfaction? Or was it for a heroic gesture? No, I wanted to beat my brother to it.
Jake was 21 when he smashed the London Marathon in 2024. Seeing the soul and spirit of that day first hand was what eventually got me putting my running shoes on. Also, my good friend Ethan had completed Manchester in 2025 and we decided to sign up together. Unfortunately, he suffered a long term injury, so I was left to my own devices.
I also decided that I could make my time worthwhile by raising money for charity. A family friend of ours, Andy, sadly passed away in November 2024 from liver disease. His daughter, Eliza, suggested The British Liver Trust as a charity that could help others like Andy and his family.
In October, I began preparing for my training program. 22 runs in, a footballing knee injury put me out for December. It also confirmed that I would definitely not turn out to be a professional footballer (a man can dream). I restarted in January, completed my longest ever run at 25km, ran for a Franco Manca pizza, and hopped on a plane to Copenhagen.
This is where I planned my flagship 30km training run around the city. Here is my first marathon top tip: don’t run on cobbled streets. The 25km ended up being my longest run in training, which was not ideal. Alongside a chest infection three weeks before I would be standing at the start line, I wasn’t feeling too confident.
I’m not trying to get brownie points for all of my misfortunes. It’s important to highlight how training programs rarely go perfectly, and there will be major and minor bumps along the way. The most important thing is getting to the starting line.
The marathon began at my beloved Old Trafford with the voice of Jet2 holidays, Zoë Lister. I’m not sure what was more special for me…
The first section of the race was unbelievable and the atmosphere was palpable as everyone’s anticipation flittered away. The crowds got behind us immediately. I found my family as I ran down the straight toward Old Trafford, which gave me an early boost. As such, my split time for the first 10km was around 5:45 minutes per kilometre.
As I approached the half way mark, that time had gone down to around 6:30. I was still well on track to finish before the 5 hour mark, but was struggling immensely. I began to doubt myself, the training that I had put in, and my spirit. Even though I felt energetic in myself, my legs were fatigued and began to give way. From the 30km mark, it was a walk-run situation.
I got frustrated and emotional as I saw my time slipping away. It was then that I reminded myself to just enjoy the day. No matter what time would be on my Strava, I would have completed a marathon! Messages from my partner that popped up on my Garmin also refuelled my weary spirit. So, as I ran past a pub in Sale, I took a small cup of beer that they were handing out and went on my way to the finish line.
I once again saw my family and friends as I got closer to the finish line. The final section was not without a final, bittersweet dodgy knee. However, as I turned the corner and set my sights on the final straight and finish line, none other than the Stone Roses’ ‘This is the One’ came playing through my headphones. What a way to end it.
I looked around at the crowd, the beautiful weather, and my friend Charlie holding a beer out for me (that I kindly turned down until after I crossed the line). I checked my watch and realised I had achieved the illustrious sub-5 hour time (4:53:11) I had set out to achieve. Walking down the finish area, I received my medal and met up with friends and family.
It’s been over a month since that day. Reflecting on it now, after a busy few weeks of work, I am very proud of what I achieved. Even for a spectator, a marathon day can be inspiring and heartwarming. Next time there’s a race near you – be it a 5km, 10km, half, or full marathon – get out and support.
The icing on the cake was that I was able to raise over £800 for the British Liver Trust. A massive thank you to all who donated.
I would urge anyone to get some running shoes on, and begin your journey. Especially for students, who can lead relatively unstructured lives, running can be a routine that benefits both mental and physical health. Three years ago I resented running. I now think it is one of the best parts of my life. Give it a go!
If you would like to donate to the British Liver Trust, here is the link:
https://www.justgiving.com/page/elliotstephenson?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL
If you would like to sign up for the Manchester Marathon 2027 with a charity place, visit here for the information:
To sign up for the Liverpool Half Marathon or 10K event in 2027, see here:
https://www.btrliverpool.com/events/liverpool-half-marathon-and-10-mile
For more lifestyle content, please click here: https://www.liverpoolguildstudentmedia.co.uk/category/lifestyle/
