Marathon man goes the distance

Will Beauchamp is not your typical elite road runner. The former heavy smoker and drinker was hooked on fast food and takeaways. He hardly did any exercise at all until four years ago.

Instead, he spent most of his leisure time in the pub. Now he’s in competitive shape with his sights set on completing this April’s Virgin London Marathon in two hours 30 minutes.

Will, 27, an insurance broker from Sheffield has lost 25 per cent of his body weight, dropping from 12 to nine stone, after taking up running.

The turning point was when he came out of a long-term relationship which triggered an increase in drinking and smoking that started to adversely affect his health.

“It was only when my flatmate said to me the morning after a particularly heavy night out, ‘mate, you look really bad – I think you need to do some exercise,’ that I took a long hard look at myself and decided that I had to change.

“I started power walking every night after work in early 2009 and after a month decided that I may as well start jogging.

“It was a toss up between a pair of running shoes or a new shirt, but I decided to go with the running shoes and went for my first ever jog.

“I got less than a mile from home and felt terrible, puffing and panting all the way round the block before returning home to smoke a fag and open a can of beer.

“I decided to keep at it though and within a few weeks started to quite enjoy it.

“I gradually increased the distance from one mile to three and set myself the challenge to run the Worksop Half Marathon in 2009 to raise money for the charity, Help for Heroes.

“I struggled through the race but crossed the finish line in 1:43:21, which was way better than my two-hour target and couldn’t believe it. I started to run more regularly after 
that and entered the Sheffield Half Marathon in 2010, crossing the finishing line in 1:30:29, to sheer disbelief.

“It was at that moment 
that I decided I was now a runner and the smoking and heavy drinking were no more.”

Will joined Sheffield Running Club in 2011 and started to receive expert advice on training, which helped him to take things to the next level. Since then, 
he has won numerous races at a number of distances including 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon and even ultra- marathons.

Will has won the Yorkshire 50 and Ladybower 50 ultra marathons and holds the course record at both events, as well as winning the Southport Half Marathon, Strathearn Marathon, Weston Park 10k and has totted up a further 11 podium finishes since 2012.

“Add to that, two gold, four silver and three bronze medals at county championships and four current course records to my name, it’s been a great start to my athletics career.

“I still consider myself to be a relative newcomer and believe that I still have a long way to go before I reach my full potential.

“I get a huge kick out of training and push myself incredibly hard to work towards achieving my goals.”

Will now trains six days a week and clocks between 70 and 100 miles in a normal training week.

He varies his training between long runs and short interval sessions, and run on the trails as well as the road. His main focus and favourite event is the marathon.

Will is sponsored by nouriSH me now, a natural and dairy-based ready-made sports recovery drinks company based in Sheffield which sponsors a selection of Sheffield-based high profile sports stars.

The drink is accredited with the Made in Sheffield mark, is suitable for elite and recreational athletes, and is currently being used by Sheffield United as part of their nutrition, training and sports recovery strategy.

The company also sponsor the Paralympian table tennis player David Wetherill; the silver medallist paratriathlete Steve Judge; one of the best amateur triathletes in the world Catherine Faux; nationally-acclaimed climber Neil Mawson; triathlete Elliot Smales and up and coming junior triathlete and recently signed heptathlete Karla Drew.

www.nourishmenow.co.uk.

Will Beauchamp – Personal Best

Will Beauchamp made his debut at the marathon distance in April 2012, clocking 2:42:10 at the Manchester Marathon.

In November 2013 he lowered his marathon personal best to 2:34:26 at the Valencia Marathon in Spain.

He is now focusing on a sub 2:30:00 time at the Virgin London Marathon in April 2014. Will has won the Yorkshire 50 and Ladybower 50 ultra marathons and holds the course record at both events, as well as winning the Southport Half Marathon, Strathearn Marathon, Weston Park 10k and has totted up a further 11 podium finishes since 2012.

Will’s ultimate ambition is to run under 2:20:00 for the marathon, a feat which only 10 people from the UK achieved in 2013.

Will said: “This will take years of hard work but may one day be a possibility.”