A former editor has dedicated a new book about the history of mass participation marathons to his late father’s memory.

Patrick Edwards, who edited the Brecon & Radnor Express until July 2019, has examined the rise in popularity of the marathon from the 1890s onwards.

He has self-published the book, called The Rise of the Mass Participation Marathon, on Amazon.

Patrick spent 30 years in journalism on titles including the Exeter Leader, Plymouth Herald, Metro and Daily Telegraph, and is currently working as a customer assistant at Morrisons supermarket in Brecon.

Discussing the book, he said: “Although the narrative covers the history of the marathon from 1895-2019, I have mostly divided it into separate sections on some of the most prominent names in marathoning running history.

“People such as Pheidippides, Spyridon Louis, Dorando Pietri, Emil Zatopek, Abebe Bikila, Kathrine Switzer, Derek Clayton, Ron Hill, Frank Shorter, Jim Fixx, Grete Waitz, Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit, Paula Radcliffe, Jane Tomlinson, Kipchoge, Mo Farah and many others. There is a separate section on the Boston Marathon bombing.

“For research I used my father’s back catalogue of Athletics Weeklies, my own knowledge of marathon running and extensive searches I did on the internet.

“I have dedicated the book to my father, Brian, who died this year aged 80. We were estranged for the last 15 years of his life so I guess this is my way of saying goodbye and trying to make amends.”

The book can be found here.