On Sunday 2^nd October, 42-year-old Shuhel Khan of Upney, Barking finished his first London Marathon in a record time of 03:46:05 which puts him amongst the top 3% of the42,000 runners in this year’s marathon.

The TCS London Marathon was the 42^nd running of the annual London Marathon and one of the most famous and prestigious events of its kind in the world with 26.2 miles of a fantastic course through the capital, around the River Thames and finishing on the Mall.

So how did Shuhel get to this level of fitness and stamina in such a short time?

Shuhel initially started running during the plight of the Covid 19 lockdown around May 2020 to focus on staying fit and healthy whilst losing weight. However, his addition to a newly found hobby continued throughout the pandemic and beyond. He started running 5KM, then 10KM and then gaining strength and stamina, he went on to do Half Marathons.

What made Shuhel take on the London Marathon challenge?

At the beginning of 2022, a few friends from up North who have managed to get the ballot for the London Marathon encouraged Shuhel to join them through a charity “Gets Kid Going”. There were 20 of them running with a target to raise £40K. So far, they have raised over £25K. A special mention goes to Aziz Patel from Dewsbury who Shuhel had linked up via Strava. Aziz was in his 50s yet this was his 6^th London Marathon and coached Shuhel with diets and a training plan.

What was Shuhel’s training regime?

Shuhel embarked on a 12 week training regime from July 2022. This was running 5 days a week on an 80/20 rule for 40 to 50 miles per week (80% slow and 20% speed work). 3 x 20 miles during this training period:

Monday  – off

Tuesday – track and speed session

Wednesday – low intensity 8-10 miles

Thursday – 8-10 miles

Friday  – off

Saturday – long run (14-20 miles)

Sunday – recovery run or trail running.

He fixed his running days and stuck to it come rain or shine.

What was Shuhel’s dietary plan?

“I run to eat!” he laughed. This area was somewhat neglected but stayed away from too much fried food and only consumed fresh home cooked meals. Leading to the marathon week, he was on chicken pasta diet for 4 days and drunk lots of water. Totally avoided spicy food and curries.

Did he face any stumbling blocks?

It was very difficult running 5 days a week and juggling a full-time job, studies, and a family life. That was the most challenging part of this journey. He was injured for two weeks and carried on running at low intensity to keep the legs going and maintain fitness.

What tips would he give to others who are planning to run a marathon?

1. Speak to an experienced marathon runner.
2. Find yourself a 16-week marathon plan and stick to it.
3. Train with an experienced runner or at least run with them once a week.
4. Buy quality running gear – including foam roller and a good watch.
5. Don’t train with everyday shoes or clothing.
6. Carry out daily stretches and core muscle training.
7. Know your limit, do not push yourself too hard and get injured.
8. Apply the 80/20 rule.
9. Enjoy running otherwise you will fail.

We would like to thank Shuhel for his top tips and reflective feedback, and congratulate all the runners of Bangladeshi-origin for the participating and fundraising thousands of pounds for charitable causes.

A special message from Shuhel “Huge thanks to my ‘Running Brothers’ for helping me take my running to another level with their humble advice and brotherhood.

Finally, my parents, wife and my children for bearing with me when I used to disappear to go out running after Fajr and at night.”