​Stu returned to the fast course Frankfurt Marathon this year to try and attack and claim that elusive sub 2.20 time, which he’d been training long and hard for.

All of my training build had gone well and I was confident of a good run and a PB at the very least! The conditions were near on perfect and, as the race got under way, I sat in with a group of German athletes; the pace was pretty swift, with us going through 10k in 32.50, then halfway in 69.30. At 25k I was still feeling good and confident in getting close to the 2.20 mark.

At 35k my legs started to feel as if they were tightening up a little, and the pace dopped just slightly. However, as the race end came closer, I realised that a fast time was on the cards and finished this amazing race with a new PB of 2.21.35, yet another step closer to that sub 2.20 (couldn’t wait to tell the folks back home!)