Just over a week ago, 13 Harriers took on the challenge of the 2026 TCS London Marathon in the heart of the capital. Below, they have rounded up their training journeys and race day experiences. Could 2027 be your year to do the same? Read on and get inspired.
Michael Coombs [5:36:19]
This was my 10th Marathon and 4th London. It was also my slowest by 1 hour and 15 minutes. I found it hard especially as my left knee swelled up on 19 miles, forcing me to walk the last 7 miles. However one positive over £700 was raised for St Margaret's Hospice in my last Marathon! If you want to support, you can donate here.
Graham Goldsmid [3:38:16]
London Marathon 2026 will certainly be remembered for the two hour barrier being broken twice in the men's race and the record number of finishers.
This was my first marathon in the 65 - 69 age group and having had a patchy training block due to a holiday in March and a bad cold I realised I needed to take it easy on the day and try to get round in about 3:35:00 - 3:40:00. I was in the Red start wave 1 at Greenwich which started about 9.48am. With over 59,000 people taking part this year the course was crowded from the start and the drink stations were very busy so you spent a lot of time weaving around runners trying to follow the blue line on the road. I felt fine up to about mile 19 but then the missed training sessions caught up with me and my legs started to go. So from then on it was a case of digging in over the last 7 miles and getting to the finish in a time of 3:38:16. As always the crowds were amazing and their support kept me going. It was a great day and I was so pleased to have been part of this historic marathon along with the other runners from Wells.
David Hall [3:07:56]
Training all went reasonably well. I felt fit and ready to run the London Marathon. I lined up on the blue start at Blackheath, got there early and enjoyed the good weather and atmosphere before the start.
I had no race plan at all, just ran off, went through half-way in 1:26:50 and thought this is all going well, maybe a little fast but just about ok. I got to 30K still no problems, then started to struggle. I got cramp in my hamstring and had to stop. I thought my race was over. I managed to get going again slowly for the last 4 miles to finish in 3:07:56.
I was pleased with my time and very relieved to finish. There was great support from the Salvation Army team at the 20 mile point and then after party at the finish.
I’ve got the Good for Age qualifying time so hopefully I can give it another go next year. Advice to self, don't go off too fast.....
If you want to support, you can donate here.
Nikki Honan [4:53:27]
Having only started running in March 2025, I can hardly believe I’ve just completed the London Marathon. I felt very fortunate to gain a place through the ballot, and the atmosphere on the day was incredible. I set off a little too quickly and found the later stages challenging, particularly navigating the range of paces, but I was pleased to keep going and run the whole way. I’m very grateful for the support and encouragement from the Harriers.
Rich Horsfall [3:00:09]
I started London not quite sure what to expect! 1 meniscus tear, a steroid in my knee, a blown hamstring 5 weeks ago, and then a hospital visit a week later for an infection in my leg made it all a bit messy. My youngest topped it off by being sick all night at the hotel and re-colouring the carpet (may need to find a new Premier Inn for next year!). My revised A goal was a sub 3.07, to get Good For Age again for over 50’s.
I started really with an aim; to go through 13.1 miles in 128.30-1.29:00.
I had the pleasure to see Victoria at about mile 8, and spent a few miles in her company. Last year's race taught me that it’s as much about the experience as the time, so getting to share some tarmac time with a fellow WCH was fabulous.
I went through half way in 1.29 and then managed to hold on for 3 hrs and 9 secs. I had some great shout outs from both Alex and Stuart on the course. I was chuffed to bits with my time, knowing that a PB of 2.55 was never gonna happen! I didn’t empty the tank, so the last few miles were tough, rather than horrific.
Zak Hurrell [2:48:56]
Zak ran his third consecutive London Marathon. Despite being his slowest of the three, he still finished in a nippy time of 2:48:56.
Damien Pick [3:15:29]
Damien returned to London after competing there in 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023. This time he managed to run 22 seconds quicker than his 2023 attempt. Nice work!
Ray Rawbone [3:07:06]
London 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of my first marathon, the Flora London Marathon in 1996. I can’t remember too much other than ‘96 was a hot year too, however I can say the athletes, crowds and bling are all now on a completely different level, WOW!
(Fun facts from the 1996 Times newspaper! Headline ‘1015 runners break 3-hr barrier’ Only 44 men ran sub 2:30, the women’s race was won by Liz McColgan in 2:27:54, and men’s by D Ceron in 2:10:00).
This year I started the marathon feeling confident for a good time and hopefully a new PB - aiming for sub 3. Achieving a good for age place, having a solid 18 week training plan, and achieving a half marathon PB last month, everything was looking good. Unfortunately it was not to be! I felt good through halfway, bang on target at 1:29:00, but energy evaporated around 16-18 miles and my legs wouldn’t respond. Not sure what happened but no excuses. (I was tempted to blame the heat but seeing so many great times and Sawe smash the work record put an end to that!).
Once I knew my times were gone I took some great advice, lifted my head, and just enjoyed the phenomenal crowds and atmosphere. I counted eight people deep in places and the noise was deafening!
Overall an incredible experience, and despite the time I absolutely loved it!
PS - Free beers are always the best! Can’t believe just how many freebies you can pick up with your medal.
Sean Rose [4:21:51]
This was Sean’s first experience of London, and finished in an impressive time of 4:21:51.
Victoria Ryan [3:05:55]
This was my second London Marathon and the atmosphere and experience was amazing! Plus, being in the race where world records were broken made it extra special!
The 16 week training plan overall went really well. Special thanks to coach Jon James for help and support.
Being in the Championship Start was definitely a great but intimidating experience. Lots of fast and well-known runners. I felt sort of out of place.
The first 25km felt pretty smooth but I started out a little quick and ended up paying for it in the end. Rich Horsfall found me among 59,000 runners and we ran a few miles together before I had to let him go.
I was trying to soak up the experience and atmosphere when things got tough around 30km. The cheering from the crowds was so loud it was almost overwhelming at times.
Finally making the last turn down the Mall is a special feeling and seeing the finish line felt so good!
I came away with a 1 minute PB. I’m happy with that even if I hoped for a bit more. The marathon takes no prisoners!
Thanks for all the support and encouragement from the Wells City Harriers! After some rest I’ll be back for more!
Curtis Stevens [2:39:22]
This was my third consecutive London Marathon. The best day of the year. Overall the training block went well with a short stall with nerve pain 13 weeks out. Within the block was a dud bath half performance, a reality check but a blessing in disguise as it really spurred me on to get things right ready for London.
A big shout out to Adam Gibson who joined me on the big marathon prep sessions in the build up!
A good taper and prep in the days leading up to the marathon put me in a great position to send it on the day.
The A goal was sub 2.40. B goal was just getting a PB.
A different start line for me this year meant it was heavily congested through the first half. Lots of weaving and trying not to collide with anyone, meant the reins were held back until the course was clearer. Who knows if this helped or not. Halfway in 1.20 meant a negative split for the second half was needed.
The course was clearer and I found a good rhythm and stuck it out to the end. Second half in 1.19.
Extremely happy with the result, mission accomplished and a real buzz to give it another crack in Berlin in September.
Louisa White [3:22:14]
I have spent the last 11 years unsuccessfully entering the London marathon ballot, paying the entry fee for a double chance and receiving the commiserations training top. In 2025, after another failed attempt, I decided to run Newport Marathon with a few others from Wells City Harriers and crossed the line in 3:30:17, about eight minutes inside of the senior women’s Good For Age time of 3:38:00. Eight months later I finally received the long-awaited email, I was in for the London Marathon 2026 Good for Age ballot.
In January I started a 15 week marathon training plan (shout out to Ben Parkes), training for a 3:15:00 marathon, with the goal being 3:20:00 knowing that I would probably run further than a 26.2 miles on race day. The training went really well, I was much faster and stronger physically and mentally than the previous year and managed to hit nearly all my pace targets for nearly all the training sessions. I was running 4-5 times per week, with at home strength training once per week (thanks Josh!), 1-2 yoga classes per week and 1 pilates class per week.
Race weekend started with a trip to the Expo to collect my bib number, find my name on the wall and to awkwardly brush shoulders with Ben Parkes. Sadly my name was not on the wall, ‘Louise Saunders’ was there (she ran a 5:41:53 so congrats to her) and so was ‘Louis White’ (he didn’t exist) so we assumed that was supposed to be me! Thankfully that was the only real hiccup in the whole process!
On Sunday morning, full of carbs, excitement and gratitude I made my way on a packed train to Blackheath, it was a glorious morning, and the atmosphere was electric. Whilst waiting in my start pen I saw Eilish McColgan and some of the wheelchair racers warming up, and then bumped into WCH alumni, super speedy Adam Sutton (who ran an impressive 2:51:34). I honestly did not feel nervous, I just felt ready to go and incredibly grateful to be on the start line. Everyone says not to go off too quickly and I was so conscious of that but equally at the time, I thought I should use the downhill to my advantage and run to marathon effort, keeping track of my heart rate. I was a little quicker than my goal pace initially but then found my rhythm and groove. The crowds were so loud and so motivating from beginning to end and it was a game and sometimes a necessary distraction to keep my head up and look around searching for familiar faces. When those familiar faces and voices bellowing my name came, it was such a boost. Thank you SO much to Josh, Stuart, Stephen, Henry and Alex from the club, but also to faces I didn’t see but heard ‘come on Wells City’. All was going well and I passed through halfway bang on pace, in a half marathon PB of 1:37:12 but as I entered Canary Wharf my bladder was becoming more and more uncomfortable, eventually I had to make a brief stop. Canary Wharf is a GPS nightmare so this came at a terrible time, because it broke my rhythm entirely. I really tried to pull it back and run based on my heart rate. At 20 miles, when the race really starts, I was starting to fade. I stopped looking at my watch and instead ran to feel, putting one foot in front of the other, I knew I was on the home stretch and I knew I could finish the race. The temperature was rising too and after training through some wet, cold and dark months, it was a bit of a shock to the system. The last few miles along Blackfriars and Embankment were painful madness. The crowd kept me going and once I had turned the corner at Big Ben I just emptied the tank, that was the longest mile of my life! The finish line was a bit of a blur. I crossed it just ahead of a guy in full cricket whites including pads and then had a little cry before ringing my Dad who broke the news to me about Sawe and Kejelcha.
It was the most incredible day for marathon running history with the elite men breaking two hours, but for me personally, to be a tiny part of that race, after years of waiting, it was all the sweeter. I am so grateful and completely over the moon with my finish time 3:22:14. I said I would have some time off marathon running for a while but 3:15:00 is already calling... until next time!
Emma Zarrabi [3:58:03]
After entering the London Marathon ballot for over 10 years without success, this year felt different. Following the loss of my mum last year at just 64, after a long battle with rheumatoid arthritis and other serious health conditions, I was determined to run in her memory.
I applied for a charity place with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society and was fortunate enough to secure a spot. From that moment, I committed fully — not just to the training, but to raising as much money as possible for such an important cause.
I organised fundraising events, including leopard print bingo nights, and was incredibly proud to raise over £6,000.
Training began properly around four months before race day, with many early mornings and long runs — often starting at 6am — out on the Somerset Levels. Like many marathon journeys, it wasn’t always easy, especially training through the winter months. At times I found the longer runs challenging, with my longest run being 21 miles.
However, on race day everything came together. I paced myself consistently throughout, stayed on top of my nutrition with regular energy gels and electrolytes, and kept well hydrated. I felt strong the whole way round and didn’t need to stop.
Coming towards the finish, I checked my watch and knew I needed to push to stay under four hours. I managed to pick up the pace and finished in 3:58:03 — a result I’m incredibly proud of.
Crossing the finish line was not only a personal achievement after years of trying to get a place, but also a moment to honour my mum and everything she went through.
I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who supported me along the way. If you want to support, you can donate here.
Club Welfare
Wells City Harriers has two club welfare officers, Sarah Massey and Jon James. They are available to support any concerns athletes, parents or coaches raise or would like to discuss in relation to safety and wellbeing, and to help the club implement welfare policies and procedures. All officials and coaches have DBS clearance and have received training related to safeguarding and health and safety.
Further details can be found on the WCH website safeguarding page: Safeguarding: including links to forms where incidents and concerns can be logged.
Please do contact us if you have questions:
News Reports
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this week’s report. If you’ve raced recently, please remember that we can only include your results if you send us a race report or photos to let us know about it. Send your race details and photos to
Dates For Your Diary
Here is a list of upcoming races, including WCH supported races, Somerset Series races, road relays, athletics league fixtures and other notable events. Contact club secretary Alexander Coombs if there is an event you would like adding. (SS = Somerset Series race, SRC = Somerset Road Championships)
May 2026
Sunday 10th May 2026 - Great Bristol Run (Half Marathon and 10K)
Wednesday 13th May 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 2)
Saturday 16th May 2026 - Millfield BMC Classic
Saturday 16th May 2026 - Compton Challenge (Marathon & 16 Mile)
Saturday 16th May 2026 - The Bolt at Badminton (5K & 10K)
[SS] Sunday 17th May 2026 - The Badrat Bolt
Wednesday 20th May 2026 - South West PB 5K Series (Race 1)
Thursday 21st May 2026 - Dave Jones Weston Prom Series (Race 9)
Saturday 23rd May 2026 - National Athletics League Division 1 West (Fixture 1 - Yate)
[SS] [SRC] Sunday 24th May 2026 - Wells Festival of Running
Wednesday 27th May 2026 - Wells City Harriers AGM (19:30 - Wells Rugby Club)
Thursday 28th May - YOAC Evening Open 1
June 2026
Saturday 6th June 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th June 2026 - U20/Senior Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Bedford)
Wednesday 10th June 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 3)
Wednesday 10th June 2026 - South West PB 5K Series (Race 2)
[SS] Saturday 13th June 2026 - Neroche 10K
[SS] Wednesday 24th June 2026 - The Forde Abbey 10K
Thursday 25th June 2026 - YOAC Evening Open 2
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th June 2026 - U14/U16/U18 Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Chelmsford)
Sunday 28th June 2026 - The Heron Half-Marathon
July 2026
Saturday 4th July 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 8th July 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 4)
Wednesday 8th July 2026 - South West PB 5K Series (Race 3)
Saturday 11th July 2026 - National Athletics League Division 1 West (Fixture 2 - Bournemouth)
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th July 2026 - Combined Events Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Horspath)
Thursday 30th July 2026 - YOAC Evening Open 3
August 2026
Saturday 1st August 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 12th August 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 5)
Saturday 22nd August 2026 - National Athletics League Division 1 West (Fixture 3 - Yeovil)
Thursday 27th August 2026 - YOAC Evening Open 4
[SS] [SRC] Monday 31st August 2026 - Baltonsborough 5 Mile
September 2026
Saturday 5th September 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 9th September 2026 - Yeovilton 5K (Race 6)
Saturday 12th/Sunday 13th September 2026 - The Isle of Wight Fell Running Championship Series
Saturday 12th September 2026 - National Athletics League Promotion Playoff (Oxford) TBC
Saturday 12th September 2026 - U20/Senior Inter Counties Track & Field Outdoor Championships (Kingston)
Sunday 13th September 2026 - U16/U18 Inter Counties Track & Field Outdoor Championships
[SS] [SRC] Sunday 13th September 2026 - Burnham Half Marathon
Sunday 20th September 2026 - Swansea Bay 10K
Sunday 27th September 2025 - The Black Nore 10K
October 2026
Saturday 3rd October 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 14th October 2026 - Street 5K (Race 1)
[SS] Sunday 25th October 2026 - Herepath Half
November 2026
Saturday 7th November 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 11th November 2026 - Street 5K (Race 2)
[SS] Sunday 22nd November 2026 - Brent Knoll MT
December 2026
Saturday 5th December 2026 - Midsomer Norton Town Park Community Run
Wednesday 9th December 2026 - Street 5K (Race 3)