On the 16th August at 07:30, Louise Small lined up with the British Women’s Marathon team for the European Championship. The course run around a twisting multi lap course around the centre of Birmingham was challenging. The British team dominated the team race with Louise finishing in 22nd place in a time of 2 hours 33 minutes 32 seconds
Louise sums up her run herself in the following words
“Discovering we had won European team gold as I crossed the line, the first in GBR history, is a moment I will never forget. Standing on that podium with my teammates was a total honor.
This was my 7th marathon, and easily the hardest I’ve ever run. With 126 turns and 460 meters of elevation, the relentless course was both mentally and physically brutal. Yet, putting on the British vest again after an eight year wait made every single step worth it.
I’m proud of my 22nd place finish and even prouder that I never gave up on my dream of representing Great Britain again. Despite running solo for most of the race, the lapped course meant the crowds were incredible – I never truly felt alone and tried to smile through every mile. Having joined AFD at age 14 and gone on to earn 14 GB vests, this was an absolute career highlight that will be tough to top.”
