He’s at it again! On April 21, Diespeker MD John Krause is running in the TCS London Marathon 2024. It will be his 210th marathon despite his declaration in 2000 that he would only run one…
Statistics
More than half a million people applied to take part this year, setting a new world record for marathon applications. In 2023 48,600 runners participated, from the elite to the distinctly average! The men’s course record is 2:02:37 set in 2019 by Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya. The average finish time for women of any age is just under 5 hours, and for men, just over 4 hours 20.
After completing the Southampton marathon on April 7th in 3 hours 46, contending with 45mph winds and challenging hills, John is hoping to at least equal if not better his 2023 London time of 3 hours 39 (the approx average for his age group is 4 hours 52).
The course
The course remains very similar to the first London Marathon which took place back in 1981. It starts in Blackheath, takes in Charlton and Woolwich before turning west past the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. Then over Tower Bridge (one of John’s favourite views) past Canary Wharf and the London Eye, before heading past Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
Thousands of fundraisers
Of course, many runners are raising funds for charities close to their hearts, and for John this is stem4, which Diespeker has supported since the charity was founded in 2011. John has also raised funds for Diabetes UK: in his very first London Marathon and in 2023, to celebrate his 200th marathon.
Please donate
To donate to stem4 – which focuses on increasing access to early evidence-based mental health interventions to protect the mental health of children and young people – click here or the button below.
John says
“With charities facing tough times fundraising during the current cost of living crisis, every penny really does help. Please help me continue to support this enormously worthy cause by contributing to my target amount, so that together we can ensure children and young people can live happy and healthy lives and thrive in adulthood.”
He added that he’s finally sorted a location at home to hang 50 of his marathon medals – now he’s wondering what to do with the other 159 (160 after April 21)!
