Words by Like the Wind – Photography supplied by New Balance
Finish lines are special places. Sometimes they’re just a streak of chalk across a stretch of tarmac. Other times they take the form of a towering construction, complete with digital clocks and colourful carpet. But whatever the differences in physical appearance, all finish lines represent the same thing for those who cross them – the end of a journey. Not just the miles covered between the start and the end, but the hours of training, the sacrifices and the mental battles that trail behind the runner like an invisible wake. These locations bear witness to greatness, euphoria, desolation and everything in between. The finish line is, perhaps, the ultimate expression of the race day experience.
The finish line at the TCS London Marathon is perhaps one of the most iconic in the world. Having already passed many of the city’s most famous sights, runners pass under a gantry announcing “only 385 yards to go” as they turn onto the Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace. From there, it is a straight shot between bleachers packed with supporters to the end of the race.
Getting to the end, though – that is the tricky part. As two hugely talented athletes know. Alex Yee is just 27 years old and the 2024 World and Olympic champion in standard distance triathlon. Jonny Mellor, meanwhile, was the British Marathon Champion in 2020 and has a marathon personal best of 2h09m06s achieved in Seville in 2024. Both will be toeing the start line of the TCS London Marathon on 27 April this year, aiming to arrive at the finish having achieved their goals. They know that everything needs to be dialled in to get the best out of themselves. And the New Balance family is a big part of that, having supported its athletes at the TCS London Marathon since becoming official clothing and footwear partner of the race in 2018.
Alex is on his way to the airport as we talk – for a trip to Boston, MA where he will be meeting and working with the product development team at New Balance. He says that his overall feeling about racing his first marathon in London is one of excitement.
“It was a no-brainer to pick London for my debut,” Alex explains, “because of the history around the race for me personally. Between the ages of 11 and 17 I raced the London Mini Marathon.” Alex also notes that the marathon is a day to celebrate London. Alex remembers watching the marathon itself from behind the barriers and seeing the elite runners passing by, thinking that one day he’d like to be part of that.
For Jonny Mellor, this year’s TCS London Marathon will be his seventh time running it. So he has very much graduated from dreaming of being part of the event to actually tackling the 26.2 miles. Indeed, Jonny has not only raced the TCS London Marathon, in 2020 he was the fastest British male athlete, becoming the national champion in the process.
“I just love [the London Marathon] because it feels like it’s our home race,” explains Jonny. “I’m not from London, but it feels like the UK’s home race. So it’s always very special.”
As well as racing, Jonny also coaches an array of recreational runners. And he says that for many of them, the London race is their dream. “They all want to try and get in. They’re disappointed when they don’t get in it. And those who do get a place are delighted – just over the moon. They spend all year looking forward to it.”
Like Alex, Jonny also has fond memories of watching the London race as a youngster. “I kind of grew up watching the race on TV. Watching people like Paula Radcliffe. And thinking ‘I want to do that one day.’”
The fact that Alex and Jonny are both from the UK, racing in the nation’s capital, is a fact not lost on them both. “You get your family and friends as well as spectators on the course,” says Jonny. “There’s not many marathons where I go to race, where I’ve got people shouting my name. Because no one knows who I am in New York or Seville. But in London, loads of people from the club scene in the UK are cheering you on. And when you get to 30km and you’re going down the Embankment, you really need those shouts as well.”
Alex has a similar mindset to Jonny when it comes to racing in the city in which he was born and grew up. “I am really excited. I’ve spoken to elite marathon runners. I speak to my mum and dad, who have both run the TCS London Marathon. And everyone’s had such positive experiences, whether they’ve had a good run or a bad run. So that’s the main thing I’m focusing on right now.”
The way that Alex and Jonny are both talking about their excitement for the TCS London Marathon is really relatable for anyone who wants to return to the start line of a big city marathon or get there for the first time. But there is a crucial difference between these two runners and most of the other 50,000 people who will take on the challenge: the times in which they are aiming to reach that finish line.
For Alex, his target time is somewhat harder to estimate, given that he hasn’t raced 26.2 miles before. As he points out, “I’ve always trained to race for about two hours in Olympic-distance triathlons, so I think the physiology will marry up fairly well.” But there is the unknowable impact of spending over two hours just running.
In Jonny’s case, the target is much more clearly defined. “Yeah, I’d like to run a 2h08m marathon. That is kind of where I am in my head.” Jonny is feeling ready and positive about bettering his own record. He acknowledges that the field of British runners who are due to line up for this year’s race is one of the strongest assembled. But that doesn’t faze him: “I’ve got a feeling, given how the British field will be so strong, that the race is going to be fast. There will be a lot of guys between the 2h07m to 2h09m mark. So I want to just throw myself in the mix. If I can finish on the [British Championships] podium and if I can run a 2h08m race, happy days.”
So what, apart from getting their training and mindset right, do Alex and Jonny think will make the difference for them in the race? Both immediately point to the shoes and apparel they will be wearing on the day. On their feet, the two athletes will be wearing the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v5, launching in summer 2025, built for speed and comfort on race day. They are also both looking forward to donning the latest New Balance elite kit, which will be released in time for the race. As Jonny says, “I’ve been with New Balance for over 10 years now. And when I put that elite kit on, I still feel special to be part of the New Balance family. Wearing this fresh new elite kit always feel special.”
Alex agrees that “It’ll be nice – finally – to be able to wear the elite race kit. It’s been sent to me for the last 10 years and I’ve only being able to wear it once or twice. All the New Balance athletes, whether they are racing [on the track, for example at a] Diamond League or on the roads, always have a specific identity to their race singlet or one-piece or whatever they wear. So it’ll be nice to feel part of that as well.”
And perhaps that is the most important of all the elements that give athletes like Alex and Jonny the edge on their way to being the best runners they can be: feeling part of a family at New Balance.
Thanks to this – along with their natural talent, dedication to training and the best-in-class athlete support, shoes and apparel from the brand – these two world-class athletes have a great chance to shine at the front of the pack.
