ERAC road runner John Sanderson (68) was awarded his Six Star medal after completing the Boston Marathon in April. The Six Star medal is awarded to those who complete the six World Marathon Majors – London, Berlin, Tokyo, New York, Chicago and Boston.
It is notoriously difficult to get an entry to the Boston marathon, and this year being the 129th edition was no different. Held on Patriots Day – celebrated as the start of the American war of independence, 250 years ago, it is the oldest continuously run marathon in the modern era.
John’s training didn’t go to plan, he picked up an injury (shin splints) in February, pulled out of the Paris half marathon after 700 m in early March, because of the injury and it was doubtful whether he could run Boston. And there are no deferrals at Boston.
After weeks of physio and massage, John ran only 1 mile in training since the end of February until the day of the marathon, which is hardly a text book training plan.
But he still went to the marathon start, and took money with him to get home, expecting to have to pull out after a mile or so. But, concentrating on one mile at a time, keeping to a run walk strategy, mile after mile passed, with increasing belief that it might just be possible to finish before the strict cut-off time. Tempered by the fear that the next step might be the last. And so it went until the 40km point, with just 2 km left, when he suffered cramp in is right quad and came to a grinding halt.
At that moment two police officers, who were also running came to John’s aid, and lending him a magic anti cramp spray John could start running again. Then it was right on Hereford left on Boylston and the finishing arch was there in all its glory. John became a six star finisher, one of only c2000 six star medallists in the UK.
