Meet Ben Ryall – Marathon Man

Biology PhD student raises £23,000 after running the London Marathon - News

Thursday 26 April 2007
By Naomi Weston

Ben Ryall was chosen to run the Flora London Marathon for Imperial College London in its Centenary year and raise money for the Student Opportunities Fund. The Fund was established in 2003 to provide entry scholarships for gifted students whose financial circumstances could prove a barrier to studying at Imperial. Ben competed in soaring temperatures and finished the gruelling course in under three hours last Sunday.

After his success, how does Ben feel post London Marathon 2007?

Are you happy with your time of 2 hours 53 minutes?

I am extremely happy with my time, my aim was to finish in under 2 hours and fifty minutes so three minutes extra is fine by me. However, at the half way point I knew that I would take a little longer. Each mile got harder and harder and my whole body began to hurt. Considering the heat and the fact that this was my first marathon, generally I am very pleased.

This was your first marathon, was it harder than you thought?

It wasn’t harder than I had imagined, however miles 20-26 were an unknown area for me. The longest distance I had run before was 22 miles as part of my training programme so I wasn’t sure how my body would cope with the extra miles I was running. It was definitely the toughest thing I have ever done and my legs, feet and back are all still aching. It never crossed my mind that I wouldn’t finish or had to stop, I was so determined to get to the end. At the end I had a tremendous feeling of exhilaration after the initial feeling of relief.

What did you do straight after the race?

After finishing the race I had to walk about 500 metres to meet my friends and family which was really tough. I could hardly walk and I just drunk lots of water. We then all went to Ethos for a celebratory drink. I am planning on resting this week and then do some gentle training to let my body recover over the next two weeks.

Would you do it again next year or compete in a similar race?

I think it would be fun to have another go at the London Marathon as it was such a great experience and the atmosphere was amazing on the day. I would also like to compete in the Iron Man, a competition which involves cycling, swimming and then running a marathon!

Where did your interest in running originate from?

I was always into sport at school and started playing Rugby for Imperial in my first year. In 2004 I began competing in rowathlons and then I started the triathlons in 2005 which is my favourite. I took part in the European Triathlon Championships last year with the GB team and I hope to qualify for the World Championships next year.

How much did you raise for the Student Opportunities Fund?

So far we have raised £23,000 and people can still support me and sponsor my efforts. Competing in the London Marathon for Imperial College's Student Opportunities Fund has been a fantastic experience and something I will never forget. All the training and all the pain afterwards has been well worth it.

For more information on sponsoring Ben please visit the website: Sponsor Ben