Virgin London Marathon – A British marathon match made in Colorado

Their paths have crossed, but it's only since November that Britons Scott Overall and ‘Thommo' Thompson have shared the same journey, one which will take them to the start line of the 2014 Virgin Money London Marathon.

Overall – who clocked 2:10:55 on his marathon debut in Berlin 2011 – and ‘Thommo' Thompson, a debutant over 26.2 miles, will set off together at 2:10:00 pace on Sunday having trained together in recent months under the guidance of experienced coach Alan Storey and for five weeks earlier this year at altitude in Colorado Springs, USA.

"It's been good to have someone there during sessions," said Overall, who won the Reading Half Marathon in on his return to Britain in March.

"Before Berlin I was training with Ben Whitby, but since he retired a lot of my build-ups have been on my own. With Chris, we can check in with each other, asking questions like ‘Are you completely knackered too?' – just to make sure things are as they should be."

Overall has travelled a rocky road since his debut success, experiencing disappointment at the London 2012 Olympics, and again 12 months ago when he was forced to drop out of last year's London Marathon with a knee injury.

 Scott Overall & Chris Thompson

He returned to the Berlin Marathon in September 2013 but once again struck bad luck when he tore his calf half way into the race.

"Looking back, I think it was good going into my debut marathon with some naivety," he admitted. "I knew I was in shape to run sub-2:12, which was the Olympic qualifying time, but after I achieved it I was definitely swept up in the Olympics and my 2:10 made every marathon after it more difficult.

"Going into the Olympics I perhaps over trained, and there were a few other reasons it perhaps didn't go as well as I wanted, while in the London Marathon last year I had a bit of a niggle leading up to it and I probably shouldn't have started. It's all gone well this year though."

Overall has endured some tough lessons, but his experience has been valuable to Thompson, who defeated fellow London Marathon debutant Mo Farah to take the European Under-23 5000m title back in 2003.

"It's been good training with Scott. I've asked a lot of questions, I've learned a lot, and I'm ready for Sunday," he said. "We've been extremely honest and open with each other in training, and although we're competing against each other on Sunday, we're coming at it from different angles.

"From my perspective, I've been very lucky, especially with how much Alan knows. I'd always been a bit worried about the training and because of my history of injuries I was bit nervous, but physically my body has responded well. I've not felt any anxiety and I think that's a good situation to be in.

"I think the intensity of track running put me on the edge with lactic sessions, but the volume-based marathon training has been good."

The British duo are both aiming to run 5000m and 10,000m at the European Championships and/or Commonwealth Games this summer, although on Sunday they'll have their minds on racing over 26.2 miles when they're aiming to pass half way in around 65 minutes.

"With that approach, we've got options," explained Thompson. "We can keep it steady or pick up the pace.

"Whatever happens, there's not much I'd have changed going into it. There are lots of unknowns so I'm treating it a bit like ‘me versus the event'. Whatever comes of it – good, bad or average – I hope this experience drives me on.

"At some point in my career I want to smash 2:10. I want to gamble, go off hard and see what happens, but not on Sunday; it's a process and will take time."

Overall, arguably, has more to prove on this occasion. "My goal is to get things back on track. I want to put in a solid performance and if it comes with a PB then that would be great."

 

Source:  Virgin London Marathon – A British marathon match made in Colorado