By Owen Morgan
Welsh athlete Josh Griffiths has a number of targets at this Sunday’s Virgin Money London Marathon . . . including a world record attempt!
But the Swansea Harrier won’t be going for Eliud Kipchoge’s remarkable 2:01.39 world best for the 26.2 mile distance.
Griffiths, who will be eyeing a top British placing in the elite race, is also targeting the Guinness world record for the fastest marathon run by a father and son.
The Carmarthenshire athlete and his dad – Nick Griffiths – are hoping to challenge the record set by Tommy Hughes, who ran at the 1992 Olympics, and his son Eoin.
At the Frankfurt Marathon in 2019, the Irish pair ran an aggregate time of 4:59:22, which will be under serious threat on Sunday if the Griffiths boys are on top form.
Griffiths Junior’s personal best is 2:13:11 from the 2020 London Marathon where he finished third Briton home.
Griffiths Senior, meanwhile, only began running in his 40s after previously being a rugby player with the likes of Amman United and Aberavon, but clocked a PB of 2:47:17 at the age of 52 at the Cheshire Elite Marathon in April this year.
“I think if we both run a personal best or if one of us runs a PB and the other gets really close then there’s a possibility it could happen,” says Josh, who also trains his dad.
“He’s running really well for a 52-year-old. If there’s a chance we can do it, it will be pretty awesome.
“But I think if we both just focus on our own races and running well, then we’ll have half a chance,” says Josh, whose mother has also run internationally for Wales.
As much as Griffiths would love to enter the record books with his father, his main focus on Sunday will be his own performance in the men’s elite race.
The Swansea Harrier hit the headlines back in 2017 London Marathon when he emerged from the ranks of the club runners to finish as the first British athlete home.
That performance earned him a place in the Great Britain team at the World Athletics Championships in London later that year.
This time around the Carmarthenshire runner will need to improve his PB by almost two minutes to make the GB team at next year’s World Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
But the worlds aren’t the only show in town next summer, which will also see the European Athletics Championships in Germany and the Birmingham Commonwealth Games being staged in quick succession.
Griffiths already has the qualifying standard for the Commonwealth Games but also has ambitions of possibly wearing the Great Britain vest in Germany or the United States.
With next summer’s championships coming in such a quick succession, those who are eligible for all three will have to make a tough choice over which one to compete in.
Griffiths just hopes there may be a choice to make.
“Next year is a dream year for marathon runners, there’s three championships to aim for,” he said.
Excited to be lining up for my 4th @LondonMarathon this autumn and 9th marathon overall, seems like I only just did my first. As always London have assembled a great field of men and women, honored to be a part of it!
2017 – 2:14:49
2019 – 2:14:25
2020 – 2:13:11
2021 – 👀❓ https://t.co/bLNAsSI3o1 pic.twitter.com/g89ymGWQcE— Josh Griffiths (@JoshGriffRun) August 15, 2021
“There’s lots of goals on Sunday – the World Championships being one of them. Then, you have the European standard, Commonwealth standard, personal best . . . there’s lots of things to aim for.
“I’ll just try and give it my all and do the best I can. If I come away with a PB I will be happy.”
Although the London Marathon is traditionally run in the spring, Josh is glad to be running this edition during the first week of October, which he feels has helped his preparations.
“I much prefer preparing for an autumn marathon because the weather is much fairer. It’s much easier to get quality training,” said Griffiths, who hopes to emulate his performance in 2017.
“If I can reproduce my race from 2017 it will be a good day,” said Griffiths.
“Training this time has been a lot smoother, so there are no excuses on Sunday.”