for those who love the outdoors
6 October, 2021
This film aims to bridge the gap between the existing running community and encouraging new people into marathon running. Watch it, feel inspired, sign up for a marathon?
Words and film by Marcus Brown
When I watched London marathons before I was a marathoner, whilst the leading runners were African. However as a Black British kid growing up in London, I couldn’t relate to both British and African running culture. Sport was never a priority in my household, and I wasn’t exposed to running clubs, or cross country as a youth. I couldn’t relate to the runners from the elites, or to the masses, based on the people that I saw in the area I lived and existed within.
However
the London marathon was a celebration of the city I lived in. Often it is easy
to live in a place but to not know it. The marathon seemed to provide a way to
open up and show a space that was often closed off. For example Canary Wharf I
remember going there as kid and it was fairly underdeveloped, and it’s a world
apart from the place we see today.
Watching
the London marathon on the BBC brought out the best of Londoners and the best
of London. I was drawn to explore the unseen parts of my city that I called
home. The marathon seemed to unite a group of people that in other days just
passed each other like ships in the night.
The
London marathon means a lot to me because it was my first experience of it I
ran 4:55. I earned a GFA 2.56 and last Sunday I ran 3:00:06. So it has taken me
on a massive journey revealing what I’m capable of, which I’ve learnt through
running. This translates into other areas of our life’s and I hope that it
inspires other people to take part.
The
film aims to bridge the gap between the existing running community and
encouraging new people into marathon running. It tells the stories of runners based internationally, as
they share their honest, at times funny and truly unfiltered thoughts about
what running the 2021 London marathon means to them.
Their
stories create a powerful narrative showing what truly connects the runners
behind the thousands of anonymous runners. Their collective voices show what
London, and what it’s marathon means to them, and ultimately what it represents
to us.
I hope
that after watching the film that it inspires people to apply to run the 2022
London marathon.
Outside & Active is the home for those who love the outdoors. Our mission is to inspire, inform and educate people about being active outdoors in a fun, safe and sustainable way. We provide inspiration, kit, tech and advice on adventure, camping, climbing, cycling, hiking, running water and winter.
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