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Rejoice, we conquer!
00:00 09 Apr 1997
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For construction engineers determined to run the Flora London
Marathon this weekend, talk of "The Wall" is of bigger concern than
anything to do with bricks and mortar.
If they don't get their food, drink and preparation right beforehand then, as they plough along the 26.2 miles with thousands of others, their muscles could suddenly be sapped of energy, bringing them to a quick halt - like hitting a wall.
To overcome the physiological barrier, over the last four to six months these runners have been trying to put in solid training for the long haul around the capital.
Building up the mileage while working widely varying hours over the winter, they will have found a reasonable running pace - they hope.
On Sunday morning, nearly 1,400 engineers and workers from the construction industry will find out if their preparations have been enough for the world's biggest marathon.
They will jog off with more than 25,000 others who have come from all over the world to what, for most people, is the ultimate running challenge.
A staggering one in 20 marathon runners this weekend will be from the construction sector - possibly no surprise, given the physical nature of the industry.
For some runners, though, one marathon is not enough. They will be back again, just as they returned to the winding course this year - some for the third time; others, remarkably, for the eighth. This is even more amazing given the working patterns of the construction industry, which are usually not conducive for steady training - even over the quieter winter months.
About 60 percent of the construction industry runners are from the building trade; the remaining numbers are fairly evenly split between general contracting and civil engineering, about 550 in total.
The majority of the runners are men, with at least 15 women from across all the disciplines planning to run the event.
The marathon is the 17th in London. Elite athletes, like Eamonn Martin and Liz McColgan, can complete the distance in well below two and a half hours.
Many others try for less than four hours and others are simply elated to complete the gruelling run.
The event includes several races, including for British team qualifications. But the majority of the runners raise funds for charities. Last year more than œ10 million was raised, according to a Flora Marathon spokeswoman.
Construction's contribution to the event, in terms of runners, backup and charity support is huge.
Perhaps it is no wonder, since nobody in the industry is a stranger to the gruelling long haul and determination in the face of adversity. If the construction industry is its workforce then, when 1,400 men and women from our industry cross the line this Sunday, we will all have reason to rejoice. n
If they don't get their food, drink and preparation right beforehand then, as they plough along the 26.2 miles with thousands of others, their muscles could suddenly be sapped of energy, bringing them to a quick halt - like hitting a wall.
To overcome the physiological barrier, over the last four to six months these runners have been trying to put in solid training for the long haul around the capital.
Building up the mileage while working widely varying hours over the winter, they will have found a reasonable running pace - they hope.
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On Sunday morning, nearly 1,400 engineers and workers from the construction industry will find out if their preparations have been enough for the world's biggest marathon.
They will jog off with more than 25,000 others who have come from all over the world to what, for most people, is the ultimate running challenge.
A staggering one in 20 marathon runners this weekend will be from the construction sector - possibly no surprise, given the physical nature of the industry.
For some runners, though, one marathon is not enough. They will be back again, just as they returned to the winding course this year - some for the third time; others, remarkably, for the eighth. This is even more amazing given the working patterns of the construction industry, which are usually not conducive for steady training - even over the quieter winter months.
About 60 percent of the construction industry runners are from the building trade; the remaining numbers are fairly evenly split between general contracting and civil engineering, about 550 in total.
The majority of the runners are men, with at least 15 women from across all the disciplines planning to run the event.
The marathon is the 17th in London. Elite athletes, like Eamonn Martin and Liz McColgan, can complete the distance in well below two and a half hours.
Many others try for less than four hours and others are simply elated to complete the gruelling run.
The event includes several races, including for British team qualifications. But the majority of the runners raise funds for charities. Last year more than œ10 million was raised, according to a Flora Marathon spokeswoman.
Construction's contribution to the event, in terms of runners, backup and charity support is huge.
Perhaps it is no wonder, since nobody in the industry is a stranger to the gruelling long haul and determination in the face of adversity. If the construction industry is its workforce then, when 1,400 men and women from our industry cross the line this Sunday, we will all have reason to rejoice. n
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