“I Ran It The Hard Way” — How Michael Young Fuelled a 2:24:20 PB at London Marathon

There’s a certain type of marathon effort that looks smooth on paper but feels like absolute war underneath.

For Michael Young, London Marathon 2026 was exactly that.

A 2:24:20 finish.
A lifetime PB by 13 seconds.
Top 10 in the Scottish Marathon Championships.
And a race that, for 35km, flirted with something far bigger.

“I ran it the hard way.”

Michael went into London knowing the target was aggressive.

Puma had offered a $3000 bonus if he could break 2:21:32. Realistically, nothing in training or recent race results suggested that was where fitness was sitting.

But sometimes marathon racing isn’t about what’s sensible.

Sometimes you go for it anyway.

Through halfway in 70:29, Michael recorded his fastest half marathon split since becoming a dad over three years ago. For long periods he sat in the lead pack running at 2:21 pace, even taking the wind at times.

For around 10 minutes between 15k and 20k, he described feeling completely invincible.

“My fastest 5k of the day was 16:33. I genuinely thought I was going to pull off the target. I felt like an absolute titan.”

That stretch became the highlight of the entire day.

Not the PB.
Not the result.
Just the feeling.

“The result was elation, but those 10 minutes were priceless.”

Then, like marathon racing so often does, London hit back.

The final 7km became survival mode. Pace drifted. The race changed from chasing 2:21 to salvaging a PB. But instead of collapsing completely, Michael held things together well enough to grind his way home in 2:24:20.

At nearly 39 years old, he crossed the line with a lifetime best.

The Fuelling Strategy

One thing Michael absolutely did get right on the day was fuelling.

The approach was simple, aggressive, and highly practiced.

Pre-Race Breakfast

Race morning breakfast consisted of:

• 50g of Highland Fuel Nutrition Blackcurrant Rush
• Sticky microwave rice with honey
• Small amount of peanut butter
• Beetroot shot
• Black coffee

Carbohydrate loading across Friday and Saturday was equally deliberate.

Michael targeted approximately:

• 11g carbohydrate per kg bodyweight
• 1.5g protein per kg
• 1g fat per kg

The bulk of this came from simple, digestible foods:

• Sticky rice
• Pasta
• Muesli
• Blackcurrant Rush

Race Fuel

Michael started the race carrying a handheld 500ml soft flask containing four scoops of Highland Fuel Nutrition Blackcurrant Rush.

He began consuming this around 5 minutes before the gun and continued sipping consistently until roughly 40 minutes into the race.

From there, the strategy shifted to gels and aid station fluids.

Fuel intake during the race:

• SIS Beta Fuel Apple Nootropics gels (~40g carbs each)
• Taken at:
  • 1h10
  • 1h35
  • 2h05
• Water and Lucozade taken from aid stations throughout

The strategy prioritised steady carbohydrate intake without overcomplicating things.

Simple.
Repeatable.
Practiced.

Lessons From London

Looking back now, Michael believes the marathon highlighted a very specific weakness rather than a lack of endurance.

“Current framing is we’re a few bricks away from being in 2:22 shape.”

The foundation is already there.

The issue?

Top-end speed.

“We just can’t be running so close to 10k pace for a marathon.”

That means the next training block gets uncomfortable.

Shorter.
Sharper.
Faster.

“Sometimes to address your weaknesses, you’ve got to get out your comfort zone.”

But perhaps the biggest shift hasn’t been physical at all.

After years of chasing performances without fully enjoying the process, Michael says the past seven months have completely changed his relationship with running.

“Most importantly I’m enjoying my running more than I ever have.”

That mindset shift coincides with another major life change — moving to Metro Aberdeen and representing Scotland moving forward after 7.5 years with West Cheshire AC.

A new chapter.

And judging by London, there’s still plenty more to come.

Final Thoughts

The marathon didn’t go perfectly.

That’s exactly why it matters.

London 2026 wasn’t a carefully executed negative split or a perfectly controlled PB. It was ambitious. Aggressive. Emotional. Risky.

It was someone taking a genuine shot at something huge.

And even when the wheels came off, Michael still found a way to leave with a PB.

That’s marathon running.

And that’s why we love it.