Matt Bacon, a Gloucester father of two, is preparing to complete a marathon along the newly opened cycle path stretching from Stroud to Bishop’s Cleeve. At 56 years old, Matt is no stranger to endurance running, having completed the London Marathon three times over two decades. This year also marks the 20th anniversary of his first marathon in London.
Living in Longlevens, Matt last ran a marathon in 2012 but was inspired to take on this 26-mile route when he learned that the new cycle spine matches the official marathon distance. “When I found out the path was 26 miles long, I thought, ‘Why not give it one last go?’” he said.
He plans to run the route during the last weekend of July, raising funds for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK. His marathon fundraising holds special meaning; his first London Marathon in 2006 was dedicated to raising money for Cancer Research UK in memory of his mother-in-law who passed away from lung cancer.
While the cycle path has faced some criticism for narrowing the road and seemingly favoring cyclists over drivers, Matt sees its benefits: “If I lived in Gloucester and worked in Cheltenham, I would definitely use it.”
Training has involved regular runs from his workplace in Stonehouse back to Longlevens, covering about 11.5 miles in roughly two and a half hours. He aims to complete the marathon in approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes, pacing close to 10 minutes per mile. His personal best remains 3 hours and 54 minutes, achieved in the 2009 London Marathon, which he recalls as the fittest period of his life.
Acknowledging the challenge, Matt joked, “It’s a tough gig, and this might be my last marathon. I’ll see if my knees and calves hold up. After this, I may switch to walking, football, or cycling.” His wife finds his commitment amusing, but Matt remains optimistic about the weather and plans to start early in the morning to finish by midday.
He also hopes his daughters, Kate, 24, and Emily, 21, will be there to support him, just as they did when they were toddlers at his very first marathon.