Redvers Runs To Marathon Best

David Redvers, as advisor to Sheikh Fahad's Qatar Racing, has been involved in the careers of champion stayers such as G1 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden (Fr) (Nicobar {GB}) and G1 St Leger victress Simple Verse (Ire) (Duke of Marmalade {Ire}). Last weekend, Redvers advertised his own staying power with a personal-best run in the London Marathon, where he was running to raise money for the John Paul II Foundation For Sport (JP2F4S).

Not only did Redvers raised over £25,000 for the charity, which helps people, particularly youths, improve their lives through involvement in sport, but he also set a personal record of 2:58.33 for the 40 kilometres in what was his fifth marathon, and his fourth London Marathon.

“It's been a lifetime ambition to do a sub-three hour so I'm thrilled to bits,” Redvers said. “My personal best was 3:10 exactly 20 years ago, so to beat that 20 years on was pretty cool.”

Redvers said the seed was planted to take another stab at the London Marathon after he participated with Sheikh Fahad in last August's Mongol Derby, a 1000 kilometre horseback ride across Mongolia.

“We had a fantastic trip over there, and that was one of the reasons I realized I probably had a chance of doing a faster time in the marathon, because I had to lose a lot of weight to ride in the Mongol Derby,” he explained. “I'm still nearly two stone lighter than I was a year ago, so that helped a lot.”

Redvers's fate for the London Marathon was sealed after the JP2F4S bought a Golden Bond for the marathon. The London Marathon is the largest charity fundraising event in the world, and the Golden Bond scheme allows charities to purchase a guaranteed entry for £300, which it can offer to a runner that has missed out on a ballot place. The Golden Bond scheme now includes more than 750 British charities.

The JP2F4S supports the creation of sports clubs in parishes and schools across the country, with the goal of getting young people off the streets by facilitating their participation in sports. The foundation also works to get teachers, trainers and coaches working with the youths in sport. The Chief Executive Officer of the JP2F4S, Vladimir Felzman, is a family friend of Redvers.

“I had a phone call from [Felzman] himself, and he had told me that he managed to get ahold of one of the Golden Bonds for the marathon and asked if I knew of anyone that would do it for the charity,” Redvers explained. “I took that to mean, 'would I do it?' He's done so much for our family over the years that I didn't feel I could pawn it off on someone else.”

Redvers said his training plan included adding some longer runs-including a few 20-mile runs-into his regular morning running regime.

On the day of the event, Redvers said a careful eye on his watch helped him maintain a steady sub-five minute pace per kilometre. He also ran to music for the first time, his artist of choice being Mumford and Sons, but he said the sheer noise and excitement of the event largely drowned out his tunes.

“I had Mumford and Sons blowing away and I could barely hear them because all the fans you pass, and the drummers,” he said. “You've got your name on your t-shirt, and people are screaming 'come on David' when you feel like you're going to pass out. It keeps you going.”

A bet with his boss also helped keep Redvers on track.

“It also helped that I had a bet with Sheikh Fahad,” he noted. “He bet me that I couldn't do a sub-three hour, which to be honest I had doubts about myself. That was a massive incentive because if I did it he was going to give the charity a very significant contribution. That all helped, then it was really that I knew what pace I had to run at so I kept checking my watch to check that I was running at that pace. I managed to keep things going because of that.”

With donations still coming in, Redvers has thus far raised £25,471-well north of his £10,000 target.

“That's going to do some seriously good work for [the JP2F4S],” he said. “I've run in the past for [larger charities], but you really feel like you're part of a huge organisation, whereas with this one, and when I ran for the riding for the disabled–I saw my money being spent on saddles and bridles and grooming kits, and what have you, for the ponies. I saw what my money was going to and it will be the same with this one. I've always liked running for a smaller charity because you can see exactly where your money is being spent.”

As for his running future, Redvers may be dropping back in trip to be a middle-distance campaigner.

“You never say never, but I don't see myself rushing to run another marathon,” he said. “I've decided I want to go shorter now. I think half marathons in the future.”

Nonetheless, he has pulled up well from the race and isn't wasting any time getting back into action.

“I'm riding in a point-to-point on Monday so I've been riding out this morning,” Redvers said on Friday. “I went for my first run this morning and I felt fairly heavy legged, but most of the pain is gone now and I'm able to get around without looking like a geriatric. It took three or four days but I feel pretty good again.”