EDITOR’S LETTER

I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT I was one of those runners who was that bothered about race medals. I might wear one for a couple of hours while having some beers after a marathon, with the glow of achievement still present, but once I’ve showered and changed it’s usually put away in a shoebox, gradually to be forgotten about.

But our feature on page 54 about the rise of race bling, and the people who love to collect it, has reminded me that medals clearly do matter. They are runners’ badges of honour; totems of all the sweat, effort and discipline that it requires to train for and give your best in a race. And that’s true whether you keep them in a box or hang them proudly from a wall. On the wall by the stairs in our house, my wife and I have framed pictures of some of our most memorable moments – including our wedding day, our honeymoon and our newborn daughter. And there, framed among them, is my London Marathon 2013 medal, the first – and only – time I broke the subthree barrier. For me it’s not really about the time (though I am proud of that). It’s more that the medal reminds me if you really commit to and work towards a goal, you can achieve things you never previously thought were possible. And that’s as true in life as it is in running.