The British marathon runner’s career has recently been affected by injuries, but he is aiming to make his mark again this weekend in New York.
Five years ago, Callum Hawkins was soaring. He had just finished fourth in a row at the World Championships in Doha and broke the Scottish record at the London Marathon in 2:08:14. It seemed that nothing could stop his rise.
But fate had other plans. The following years saw Hawkins’ body turn against him and a series of injuries held him back. A heartbreaking ankle injury prevented him from finishing the Tokyo Olympic marathon, and in early 2022 he underwent surgery for a broken leg, followed by various stress reactions. However, the setbacks didn’t stop there and this year began with another blow: a broken collarbone.
Despite various physical challenges, the 32-year-old crossed the start line of the London Marathon in April and, although far from his personal best, finishing 16th in 2:17:34 was a triumph in itself. Given that Hawkins hasn’t followed a traditional training plan due to injuries.
Callum Hawkins (LM Events)
“Before London I had only done one full marathon,” he says. “I felt uncomfortable and probably hit a little hard in the middle of it. But it was still good to get out and do some racing and get that monkey off my back because I hadn’t done a marathon in a while. You forget what it feels like.’
Fast forward to the present, and Hawkins is preparing for the New York City Marathon on November 3rd. After a dedicated summer of training, he is ready to take on the Big Apple with renewed confidence and competitive energy.
In October, he reclaimed his crown at the AJ Bell Great Scottish Run, taking his third half-marathon win. Crossing the finish line in 63:25, Hawkins returned to his winning ways on home soil, a great way to prepare for the challenge ahead.
Having previously won the Great Scottish Run in 2016 and 2022, Hawkins knew the course would help him prepare. “Glasgow is generally about half the amount of climbing and half the length of New York, so it’s about the same profile,” he says.
Callum Hawkins (Mark Shearman)
“It was good to be back racing and I wasn’t too worried about my time, I was just going out to win it.”
While this will be his New York Marathon debut, it won’t be Hawkins’ first taste of running through the city’s streets. Back in 2017, he ran the New York Half Marathon, placing second in 60:08. He had hoped to return to the marathon after the Tokyo Olympics, but the aforementioned injury woes derailed those plans.
He’ll have a fierce lineup to contend with on a course that starts in Staten Island, then winds through the five boroughs of New York before finishing in Central Park. They include reigning champion and Olympic gold medalist Tamirat Tola, along with two-time Olympic medalist Bashir Abdi, as well as 2022 champion Evans Chebet.
Callum Hawkins (Bobby Gavin)
But compared to the hurried preparations for London, Hawkins’ training in New York has gone much more smoothly.
“I managed to do a full training block for the entire 16-week marathon,” he says. “I was just a little smarter, sticking to a 10-day cycle instead of the seven-day cycle that we used to do. It allows more recovery between sessions. I have a lot more confidence in it and I’m starting to feel a little more like my old self.
“I think now I’ve got the confidence to get out of the main group and if nothing stupid happens in the first half then we’ll take it from there. I feel blessed to be able to actually go to a marathon and feel competitive.”
» This is an abridged version of a feature that appears in the November issue of AW magazine. Subscribe to AW Magazine herecheck out our new podcast! here or subscribe to our digital archive of back issues from 1945 to the present day here
The post Callum Hawkins. “I’m starting to feel like my old self” appeared first AW:.
