A huge congratulations to University of Kent Sports Development Officer for Medway, Jemma Whyman, who smashed the Brighton marathon on 14 April 2019 in just 3 hours and 14 minutes. We asked about herself and the experience.
How would you describe your job?
I put on sports and activities for student and staff, to help encourage them to be more active. For details of the May and June activities see the timetable at the end of this article and to be added to the mailing list email j.whyman@kent.ac.uk.
Why did you do the marathon?
For three reasons:
- It helps with my mental health.
- I like to challenge myself and have a target to aim for.
- I have never been able to get a place in the London marathon, so I wanted to try and get championship entry by running a good time at Brighton marathon.
Is it your first marathon?
No, I have done Lake Windermere marathon which took 4 hours 26 mins as I didn’t really train enough for it.
What training did it involve?
I have spent about six months training and I have a running coach who writes me a plan each week. Her name is Liz Weeks and she really has helped me to achieve my goals. I was training 5-6 days a week which included running and circuits.
Did training involve diet change?
I have a healthy diet anyway but I had to increase the volume of food I eat and eat more carbohydrates. Especially before the long runs I would carbohydrate load and take on energy gels. I also stopped drinking alcohol.
What benefit did you notice from the training?
My endurance and speed increased throughout my training. I did several races in preparation where I placed 2nd and 3rd lady in a couple of them. Which really gave me a confidence boost.
How did you do at the event?
The event went very well. My time was 3 hours 14 minutes which means I will get automatic championship entry into London marathon next year. I came 13th in my age category and 21st lady overall.
What did it feel like running that far and with so many people? How does it feel crossing the line after such a long run?
It was an amazing day. There were so many people in the crowd cheering you on. I started to feel fatigued from 17 miles, then the last 5/6 miles was into a strong headwind, so I felt exhausted and relieved when I crossed the line. It took a couple of days to sink in. It was an emotional day as my family came along to support me and seeing their faces after I crossed the line will stay with me forever. I have never seen them look so proud.
Would you do it again? Would you recommend a marathon to others?
If you asked me just after I crossed the line I would have said no. However, I am already planning my marathon next year as I have the championship entry into London. I do not think marathon training is for everyone. You have to really train and dedicate a lot of time to it. But if you can then it is such a huge accomplishment.
Any tips for people striving towards their own personal goals?
Find out what you enjoy and do that, there is no point in torturing yourself training for a marathon if you do not enjoy it and you won’t stick at it. I genuinely think that if you want something enough and believe in yourself you can achieve it. All the painful training sessions, lack of sleep and exhaustion are so worth it once you achieve that goal.
