Matt Bacon, a 56-year-old father of two from Longlevens, Gloucester, is gearing up for a unique marathon challenge along the newly opened cycle path stretching from Stroud to Bishop’s Cleeve. This 26-mile route perfectly mirrors the marathon distance, inspiring Matt, an experienced runner, to take on one last endurance run.
Having completed the London Marathon three times, with his first race back in 2003 and a personal best of 3 hours 54 minutes in 2009, Matt hasn’t run a marathon since 2012. However, the unveiling of the new cycle spine rekindled his passion. He plans to run the route during the final weekend of July, raising funds for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK—charities close to his heart. His first London Marathon was a fundraising effort in 2006 for Cancer Research UK, conducted in memory of his late mother-in-law, a lung cancer victim.
“The idea just came to me when I learned the cycle path was 26 miles long,” Matt explained. “I thought, why not run it?” He acknowledged that the cycle path has had mixed reactions, with some drivers unhappy about narrower roads favoring cyclists – a necessary change to encourage more sustainable travel. “If I lived in Gloucester and worked in Cheltenham, I’d definitely use it,” he added.
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Matt’s marathon training involves running about 11.5 miles on his commute from Stonehouse, where he works as an accountant, to his home in Longlevens. These practice runs typically take around two and a half hours. His goal is to finish the marathon in approximately four hours and thirty minutes, maintaining a pace of about 10 minutes per mile.
Despite recognizing the physical challenge—“It’ll probably be my last marathon; I’m curious to see if my knees and calves hold up”—Matt is determined to complete the event. “My wife thinks I’m crazy, but I’m hopeful the weather will cooperate. I plan to start early and finish before midday,” he said.
Adding a personal touch to the event, Matt hopes his daughters, Kate, 24, and Emily, 21, will come out to cheer him on, just as they did when he ran his first marathon, back when they were toddlers.