Marathon views

The return to post-COVID normality continued on 24 April 2022, with the ABP Southampton Marathon. The last one, back in May 2019, had been eventful, and I was hoping for a more relaxing time. As usual, Commando was acting as a pacer for the Half Marathon, which meant I had access to the VIP changing rooms. This year they were in the MAST Mayflower Studios rather than across the road in the Sir James Matthews Building. Pre COVID, this was the NST Nuffield Southampton Theatre, which opened in February 2018 as part of the new Cultural Quarter. The original Nuffield Theatre opened on Highfield Campus in 1956. I was lucky enough to see a performance of The Tempest there back in my college days. As far as I can tell, the new theatre was supposed to run alongside the old rather than replace it. Sadly, both were victims of the pandemic and went into administration.

MAST is part of the Mayflower Theatre Trust. There was no time for seeing plays or even to have much of a look around the building, but Commando, Kim and I did take a few photographs on a throne we discovered in a corridor. I was also mesmerised but the view of the Civic Centre and Guildhall Square from the huge picture window on the first floor. I do like getting a different perspective on a familiar view. With the crowds in the square and the tables set up for the finishers, it was a colourful sight.

As usual, there was a lot of time to kill before the race began. I spent some of it taking photographs of local celebrities, like the Mayor and Sammy Saint, along with the obligatory team photos of the Hamwic runners. Usually, I take the pacer team photo too. This time I was told my services were not required because a ‘professional photographer’ was on hand on a cherry picker near the start line. I will remind the pacers of this comment next time they want me to take their photo.

Once the race started, my priority became getting to London Road before the coffee queues got too long. Then I had to find somewhere to watch the runners. In the past, London Road has been my preferred spot. After the disaster of 2019, I decided I’d rather be a bit further from the finish line and, therefore, less likely to have any runners collapse in my arms. The cool of our early morning walk from the Common had turned to bright sunshine, and it was getting hot, so I decided the Common might be the place to find some shade and watch the runners come past. As it was, I kept bumping into people I knew, so I’d only got as far as Archers Road when the first runners came past.

After that, it was all about concentrating and trying to spot Hamwic runners before they sped past. This might have been easier if they were all wearing their red and black shirts, but there were a few who tried to dodge me by running in charity shirts or wearing pacer bibs. There were also some interesting costumes, although not nearly as many as at the Great South Run.

All in all, it was a successful event. I managed to capture most of the people I was supposed to. No one collapsed at my feet. Being further from the finish meant I had a little bit of shade and some old friends to chat with, and I didn’t think about COVID once, all day. Hopefully it won’t be 3 years until the next one this time.

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