Major marathon mission complete for Perse staff member
Perse staff member Mali Storan was rewarded with a hat-trick of medals after crossing the finish line at the Virgin Money London Marathon at the weekend.
As well as picking up a medal for running the course in an impressive time of 3hr 35min 43 sec, the Perse purchase ledger supervisor also received a decoration for taking part in the women’s 55-59 years category in the AbbottWMM Wanda Age Group World Marathon Championships, which were incorporated into the London event.
However, Mali’s most cherished honour was the Six Star Medal she collected for having completed all the World Marathon Majors. She began her gruelling mission by finishing the Berlin Marathon in 2017, followed by Boston and New York in 2018 and Tokyo and Chicago in 2019 before finally ticking London off her list at the weekend.
Mrs Storan said: “I was delighted to get this special medal. For the last 5km, I was just thinking about the medal and that kept me going. I wouldn’t allow myself to stop.
“Completing the six major marathons is a status symbol for marathon runners and it’s becoming a very popular thing to try to do. It’s very difficult though, and for a race such as Boston, it’s extremely hard to even get entry as you have to meet a qualifying time. For my age group it was under four hours, so I was able to get a place.”
New York stood out for Mrs Storan, who said: “It was just amazing. There was so much cheering and lots of bands playing music, you just forgot the pain because you felt like a superstar!”
However, London was not far behind as an experience. She said: “There was a great atmosphere and both runners and spectators enjoyed the live excitement of the event. I think Londoners are really proud to have the marathon and we were cheered all the way.”
Mrs Storan, who took part in her first marathon in Amsterdam in 2011 after deciding to start running to keep fit, trains twice a week with Cambridge & Coleridge Athletics Club and also heads out with a group of like-minded long-distance runners at weekends.
She said: “I love training in a group. It’s hard, but we all suffer and then we share the experience. I’ve met so many amazing people through running. We may go for a 10-mile run on a Saturday morning and then have breakfast together, so it’s very sociable.”
Despite achieving her aim of finishing the six World Marathon Majors, Mrs Storan will not be putting her feet up just yet as she will be taking part in the Paris Marathon on 17 October, adding: “I may just do it for fun and put on some make-up or wear a wig!”
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