I can't get close to Sabastian Sawe's marathon time. But we can all take strides with running

Miracle marathon man Sabastian Sawe isn’t the only one who ran for two hours the other Sunday. I missed his incredible, humanity-defining exploits because I was out running for two hours myself.

I fell a bit short of 26.2 miles. Still, 15.5 wasn’t too bad. But I was inspired by Sawe’s achievement (not forgetting the other sub-two-hour hero Yomif Kejelcha and women’s record smasher Tigst Assefa).

As sports go, there is nothing more accessible than running, for those with the mobility to do it. A pair of trainers and you’re good to go – you don’t even need the swanky Adidas ones.

Sawe and his Kenyan and East African predecessors have shown that poverty needn’t be a barrier either. Sawe grew up working on his family’s maize farm in a home with mud walls and dirt floors, as well as no electricity. Running was a way out of the Kenyan village of Cheukta. His training came with great sacrifice and dedication. Sawe lives in a camp room, shares a bunk bed and sees his wife only twice a month.

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It’s perhaps not realistic to think we can replicate Sawe’s rise to greatness. I’d snap your hand off to get within an hour of his time. But running isn’t an elitist sport, and competition is as much with yourself as anyone else.

I’ve become obsessed with it this year. I’m by no means a beginner but injury and other priorities took me away in recent years. Parkrun got me back to chasing times and dreaming of going faster. The event has gripped my partner too. She’s also there on Saturday mornings, ready to run, after recovering from cancer.

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The community event is a quiet revolution. For the uninitiated, it’s a free 5k around parks across the country (you can find your nearest one on the Parkrun website).

You register on the app, turn up, run (or walk if you prefer) the route, get your barcode scanned at the end and they send you your result later. There’s no judgement and it’s open to anybody.

And it must remain so, despite the efforts of ADF International to crush it. Olympic swimmer and peer Sharron Davies has fronted the group’s threats of legal action against sporting organisations over failing to ban those born male from female categories. Parkrun is among the organisations targeted. The grassroots event – and the trans community the ADF is attempting to erase from society – must be protected.

But it’s not the only event putting the community at the heart of running. Rapper Tinie Tempah’s doing just that in this week’s Big Issue magazine. We sent Big Issue senior reporter Isabella McRae in hot pursuit of Tinie as he held a run club in Nottingham, which he does occasionally before gigs to bring fans and communities together. The former high sheriff of Nottinghamshire was there too, and told Isabella: “Everyone getting together, doing a run around the city centre, sun shining, what’s not to like?”

What’s not to like indeed?

Now running is pretty much consuming my thoughts. I’m thinking about how I can go faster, run for longer, shave seconds off my time, enjoy the solitude of pounding the pavement. If Sawe’s achievements entered your world for even a second, consider lacing up your shoes yourself. There are plenty of ways to get started. There are beginner running clubs dotted around the country. You could get the NHS Couch to 5K app or listen on BBC Sounds.

Just remember to say hello when you run past me!

Liam Geraghty is deputy editor of Big Issue. Read more of his work here.

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