Student runs London Marathon in aid of Heart Research UK
Physics student Karam Ramzan shares his story of running the marathon.
In our final article for Sport this academic year, we interview Physics student Karam Ramzan who ran in the 2025 London Marathon this year, sub-4 hours, where he raised money for Heart Research UK. Karam shares his insights about training for the marathon, his feelings during the marathon and how it felt to cross the coveted finish line.
What inspired you to run the London Marathon in the first place?
Growing up I’ve always thought that marathon runners are really cool, it always seemed to be such an incredible achievement. So, after doing a couple of half marathons, I decided to take a leap.
When did you decide you were going to run the marathon? Did it take any encouragement from friends or family? What planning did it require?
I decided around ten months before the marathon to run it. It was a decision I made with a couple of mates to do it, we had to write applications to the charity we wanted to run it for, but there wasn’t too much planning.
How did you train and prepare for the marathon, physically and mentally?
I started proper marathon training at a fitness level where a half marathon was relatively comfortable and followed a four-month training plan with Runna, specifically for the marathon. I listened to so many podcasts to help me understand how to structure my eating and recovery; there’s loads of great info online.
What was going through your mind as you crossed the start line?
I literally thought “I’m about to run the London marathon!!!” I was really excited.
Did you face any unexpected challenges during the race? How did you push through?
It was really hot on race day, around 22-24 degrees, so I had to make sure I didn’t burn out too early and took a lot of water, I always reminded myself how lucky I was to be running the marathon when facing tough moments.
How did you manage your pace throughout the marathon?
I went off vibes for the first half, slowed up a little between halfway and 34km, then gave it everything for the last 8km.
How did it feel to cross the finish line and what did that moment mean to you?
It felt incredible, I was aiming to break 4 hours and ran a 3:58:31 - so I was so emotional crossing the finish line - such a great way to end four months of really hard training. When I saw my mum afterwards, I just broke down and started crying.
Karam (pictured on the left of the medalists) crossed the finish line with a time of 3:58:31, averaging a pace of 5 mimutes and 39 seconds per kilometer across the 42.2 km course. His friend, Shreyas Shringarpure (on the right of the medalists) also ran the marathon. Karam Ramzan
Did running the marathon change you in any way, physically, mentally or emotionally?
I definitely am in the best shape I’ve ever been, and I think I’ve gained a lot of resilience from the whole process.
How important was the crowd support during the race? Did anyone in particular stand out?
The crowd support was essential! Felt like a celebrity giving hi fives out.
Were you running for a cause or charity? If so, can you tell us a bit about it and why it’s important to you?
We ran for Heart Research UK, raising around £6,500. My great aunt passed away last September due to heart disease, so it was amazing to run for such a great charity that do work on issues that have affected me a lot.
Would you do it again and what advice would you give to someone thinking about
running their first marathon?
I would do one again in a few years, but I’m not sure that I can deal with the training again for a while, as you really have to be up for it, and it really becomes a lifestyle. I would tell anyone interested in running a marathon to go for it! Such a worthwhile and amazing experience.
Do you have any future challenges you have in mind that you’d like to do some fundraising for?
I don’t have any challenges yet, but open to suggestions!
