The distance runner recorded the third-fastest marathon debut by a British woman in history
Lucy Reed thinks the sky’s the limit.
Last month, the British distance runner clocked 2:26:35 and a gun time of 2:26:37 at the Malaga Marathon (December 15), putting the 32-year-old runner 14th in the UK -time list over 26.2 miles :
It was also the third fastest marathon debut by a British athlete, with only Paula Radcliffe (2:18:56) and Kali Hauger-Tucker (2:22:17) going faster over the distance in their first race.
Notably, Reid had originally planned to run in Valencia two weeks before Malaga, but was forced to postpone his debut marathon by a fortnight due to a sickness bug and sprained ankle.
His marathon involvement included three popular indoor races: the Big Half, the Vitality London 10,000 and the Manchester Half Marathon.
Reed finished third, second and first in the respective events and clocked a personal best of 69:13 over 13.1 miles in the latter.
In early 2024, Reid also traveled to Iten, Kenya for a high-altitude training camp, a trip he describes as a “rite of passage,” but unfortunately sprained his ankle a few days into the trip.
Overcoming challenges and adversity is nothing new for Reed, who balances a full-time job at JPMorgan Chase with her running endeavors.
Here’s an exclusive interview with Reid about his 2:26:35 marathon, how he’s running, and potentially going 26.2 miles.
Lucy Reed (Richard Owen)
How did it feel to run 2:26:35 on debut in Malaga?
I was blown away by the run and nailing the first one was really special, I didn’t even think about doing a debut marathon that would be ranked anywhere.
When someone told me it was the third fastest debut marathon by a British female athlete, I couldn’t believe it.
I felt like I wanted to run in the mid-2:20s based on where I was fitness-wise, so to deliver when it mattered was really special.
How was your training for Malaga?
So right after going to Málaga I sprained my ankle and got sick. Until then though, everything was going really smoothly and I was able to put together a consistent block of four months.
Since it was my first marathon, I ran longer in this block than in previous ones.In past years, we found that I responded well to marathon training, so this block didn’t seem too boring to others.
My average training would be 75-90 miles per week, but the marathon peak was about 100 miles. It was a little higher, but not much of a difference. Also added length to some runs, particularly mid-week, I felt I responded well to that slightly higher run.
However, the marathon block arch was completely new to me. It was great fun learning a lot of new things along the way. I got to train with a lot of different groups in London and it was nice to get that variety too.
Lily Patridge (L), Eilish McColgan (C), Lucy Reid (R) (LM Events)
How did The Big Half, Vitality London 10,000 and Manchester Half help you for the marathon?
I really enjoy racing and I don’t do it often. The Big Half and the Vitality London 10,000 were great because the atmosphere is always brilliant and I live in the city too. It was a great experience to get on the podium like Eilish McColgan and Callie Hauger-Thackery was
One thing that made the Big Half difficult was that my alarm wouldn’t go off, so I only woke up an hour before the race. I was also recovering from Covid-19, so it was a case where I just had to grind it out and take third place.
The Vitality London 10,000 was fun and I don’t do 10kms that often, then doing the Manchester Half at the top helped build my stamina up nicely.
What was it like for you mentally going into the final stages of the marathon?
The fact that the hard part of the race was in the last 10 km was both a challenge and a blessing in disguise. I ran the first 33 km or so comfortably. I had a chat with my coach Richard Owen and the kind people who were at Malaga ” were driving, so I could get advice on the last 10km.
In the end I had enough in me to take it up the hills at the end. I managed to see my parents and coach over the line. There was no support load on the course which really lifted me in the final stages.
Kali Hauger-Tucker (L), Eilish McColgan (C), Lucy Reid (R) (LM Events)
What does it mean to run the third fastest marathon ever by a British female athlete?
Both Paula Radcliffe and Callie Hauger-Tucker are incredible athletes and I would never put myself in the same sentence in terms of marathon ability gave confidence over the next few years.
I know Kali well and she was so supportive. I called her before the marathon to ask her questions. Seeing her run in the sub 2:20s makes me think I can do it :
So many British female runners are making a name for themselves on the world stage. It’s kind of crazy how many have broken the 2:30 barrier and it’s exciting because there’s so much talent. It’s definitely pushing you, and exciting is to see how things might develop.
How is the balance for you between having a full-time job at JPMorgan Chase and running?
It’s hard and it took me a while to prioritize things and how to fit in the best time to train, fuel, and sleep. Most days you do the work or the strength and conditioning making sacrifices because the work days are really work and running.
As for the training, it has to be a little more flexible. If I have something big with work or I’m just crazy, we’ll just move things around. You’re not going to get the best of yourself if you can’t train properly.
I’ve also prioritized sleep and learned to take time off around the marathon blocks. It helps mentally too. I’ve learned a lot over the years and recovery is a big thing now too.
Lucy Reed (Mark Hookway)
What was the inspiration to get into running in the first place?
I started when I was young. My PE teacher recommended I go to a local running club in Tonbridge. I ran through the age groups and loved it.
Maybe it wasn’t until after university that I realized my physiology was better suited for longer events.
What was it like signing with PUMA?
Honestly, it’s just a dream come true. You know, what it’s like to be a professional athlete. I know I’m balancing two jobs, but you know what I mean, and I love them The team is so good and it was a great positive experience.
I messaged them earlier in 2024 and thought “you should go for it.” It went from there and I was soon talking about my plans and ambitions and what I thought I was capable of given what happened in Manchester and Malaga, it set me up for the next few years.
What are your thoughts and ambitions for 2025?
It’s definitely an exciting time. I haven’t reached the GB vest yet. It’s the pinnacle of the sport. I feel like the sky’s the limit, not just the next few year where there is a chance I want to shoot for things and the momentum is going in a good direction in the marathon.
I’d love to have a crack at it (World Championship qualifying standard 2:23:50). We don’t have final plans, but I’d like to run the time in the spring marathon. So yeah, we’ll see.
» 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
