On 18 April 2022, Mrs Hill ran the Boston Marathon, finishing in a time of 3hrs 51mins. This means she has now achieved the Abbotts World Major Marathon Six Star Challenge, having run the London, New York, Chicago, Berlin, Tokyo and Boston Marathons! She’s thrilled to have raised over £10,000 for multiple charities along the way. Mrs Hill spoke to cross country runner, ON and Lower School Gap Placement Kitty Taylor about her experience:
Kitty: What motivated you to start running marathons, and more specifically to complete the big six?
Nicola: I've always loved to run since I was little and I have memories of two teachers at school who have inspired me along the way: Mrs Calver from Reydon High School and Mrs Yardy from Sir John Leman High - the amazing thing about Mrs Yardy is that she is still running and competing herself and recently joined my running club! When I qualified for the English Schools XC Championship in 1992, it was then that I decided I wanted to run a marathon at some point, but it wasn't until 2008 when I qualified for London that it felt like a possibility (and by then I had three children under the age of 3!). It wasn't until I was in New York when someone asked if I was doing the big 6 and I didn't even know they were a 'thing' at that time?! But from then on, they very much were a 'thing' and I didn't look back.
K: What do you find the most rewarding thing about long-distance running?
N: Long term fitness, long term headspace, long term goals - I need to have an event to look forward to, to get me out and to focus on. Running provides me with this discipline and the rest of my life benefits from this immensely. It also has to be said that the 6 majors challenge has ultimately given me a ticket around the world (thanks to the support and commitment from my husband and family) as without this, I never would have travelled to places like Berlin or Tokyo for whistlestop 72 hour tours!
K: Which of the six marathons was your favourite?
N: This is a really good question, because each of them had something special about them and made them all favourites in their own way. But I think if pushed, I would have to say Tokyo, not only because it gave me my PB and qualifying time for Boston, but mostly because of my supporters and the reason for fundraising that year. Two of my closest friends joined us in Japan for the event and it was most memorable because one of them had recently been diagnosed with Parkinsons and we all completed the 5km 'Friendship' run the day before.
K: During Boston, at which mile did you ‘hit the wall’ (if at all!)
N: I haven't really experienced 'hitting the wall' before now in my previous seven marathons, but the infamous Newton Hills 5 mile stretch from mile 16 to 20 really took it out of me. As I reached the Summit of Heartbreak Hill, my legs just felt so heavy and although I tried to heed the advice of something I had overheard at the start line 'just make sure you take 10 quick steps at the top of the hills', I was struggling both mentally and physically to picture myself making it across the line with still 10km to go! My average minutes per mile had rapidly gone up from 8:18 to 8:28 and when they went past 8:30, it was only when I calculated that I was still in the running for a London Marathon 'good for age' qualifying time for 2023 of sub 3:53 that I managed to pick the pace up again and finish strong. It's always so exciting to qualify for your next marathon!
K: What kind of things do you think about when you run?
N: Anything and everything! When training locally, I'm often planning lessons or thinking about what to have for tea! Whereas in big events I love to people watch and enjoy thinking about the spectators and other runners and usually which run I should sign up to next! I love the way running really does let your mind run free. If I need head space - running is where I find it.
K: Do you have any pre-race rituals?
N: Yes! Where do I begin?! I have some items that have sentimental value and that I have to wear for luck including earrings that Miss Mounter (an ex-colleague at school) bought me for my 40th birthday just before my first major marathon in New York in 2015 and a wrist sweatband from a previous race for good luck. I also am superstitious about needing to go on a boat trip the day before a marathon (regardless of where we are!) and obviously eating pasta the night before and a porridge pot and banana for breakfast - and lots lots more.
K: What do you think is the biggest misconception about running marathons or completing the 6 majors?
N: That it is too big a commitment or that it takes too much time. I ran my first marathon when my children were very small and although I was very lucky that we were able to get hold of a treadmill towards the end of my training, it was thanks to my Mum and close family who were willing to help with childcare to allow me the time and space to max out on 'me' time. It is never the case that we 'don't have enough time' to do something, but more that we have to 'make time' for what matters to us most and to what will benefit us (and those around us) most. Even at the busiest times of our lives I believe it is important for us to carve out time to do what makes us happy and makes us feel good. Running does that for me.
K: What three bits of kit could you not live without?
N: 1. This is something I never run without - although in Boston I nearly had a disaster by leaving it on one of the buses which drove us the 26 miles out to the start in Hopkington and it was only thanks to another very kind runner who chased after me with it that I survived the full-on sun the whole way round!
2. My 'FlipBelt' - a waistband which I keep all my gels and phone etc in when running - I've tried lots over the years but this has been the best.
3. My Parkrun band - great for identification if I were ever to be in an emergency situation (fingers crossed this will never be needed)!
K: Who is your role model in the world of running?
N: I have two, both of whom I have now met! The first is Paula Radcliffe as I have watched her achieve so much in her running career and was lucky enough to meet her (and get a selfie) in 2017 at the Chicago marathon. Second is Kathrine Switzer, who I met last weekend in Boston as she was there to celebrate the 50 years of women being 'allowed' to run in the Boston Marathon. During lockdown I gave an assembly about 'fear' and how incredible Kathrine was to enter the race in 1967 but how awful it was that her race number snatched from her and then has not existed since (number 261). Kathrine has inspired so many women to run since that monumentous day and I'd like to do the same.
K: Have you got any plans for another challenge?
N: I have so many! Next up is the Mammoth Marathon in May and then London 2023 (thank goodness I just qualified). I'd then like to aim to requalify each year for London GFA and add in another international marathon a year too - I quite fancy Venice, Paris, Rome and am super excited that the Abbott World Major Marathon organisation are talking of adding two more to the BIG 6 - Cape Town and Singapore. Keep adding them on, I say!
K: What would be your message to young runners?
N: It's never too early (or too late) to start running. I am fortunate enough to be able to incorporate running into my day job - by running with our most senior runners in the Sixth Form during timetabled Games sessions and also having started up an Early Morning Running Club for our younger runners and joining in with the Infants Running Club too - I get much exposure to the next generation of runners and if I can hope to inspire them even a tiny bit to keep on running throughout their lives then I will have achieved my goal. I like nothing more than to know that ex-pupils of mine (like Kitty here) continue to run and compete beyond school - running is for life! This year I have also been fortunate enough to have embarked on becoming a qualified running coach and I am currently over halfway through my CIRF (UK Athletic certified 'Coaching in Running Fitness') training. My plan is to be involved in running coaching more and more as I get older - watch this space.