Many a true word spoke in jest. I recall when reminiscing about the 2004 London Marathon, for it was on the Friday afternoon when one of my work colleagues asked me what I thought of Nell McAndrew running her very first marathon.

"Well whatever time she crosses the finish line, I won't be far behind her", I joked to my colleague. He then asked “What time do you think you’ll cross the finish line?”

"The same time as Nell McAndrew I hope", I replied.

I had booked the week off work, but not to recover from the London Marathon, to put in some extra training for the 145-mile Grand Union Canal Race (a month later). To such end the London Marathon was to be a steadier pace than usual. I was in high spirits because a film crew from the BBC were meeting me on the start line of the marathon to film an interview with me for the "CAN'T STOP" Documentary ( myself being part of the "Can't stop....exercising" programme).

The morning of the Marathon was great There I was standing (in the rain) in front of a camera and crew- being filmed on the start of the marathon. Other runners were whispering "Who is he, a celebrity or something?" as they walked past.

It was to signal the start of a special day and one of the most memorable marathons that I have ever run. I had an extra spring in my step as we started off on the race, but it was around the Cutty Sark ( 6 miles) that something amazing was to happen. There was a huge sound of wolf whistles and as I looked to my right, Nell McAndrew was running alongside of me- I couldn’t believe it. She smiled at me as I joked " Are they whistling you or me?"

"I think it may be me," she laughed. Then we started talking of running and marathons- "Have you done the London Marathon before?" Nell asked, "YEP, this is my 11th London in a row" I told her. She couldn’t believe it. "Oh you're experienced then?”  she said.

I did ask what time she was expecting to finish the race. Nell was hoping for around 4 hours or less, I explained that at the pace we were running she would finish around the three and an half hour time, she seemed amazed.

"Haven’t you got someone to pace you?" I asked. (Being a celebrity, I thought she would have), "No I haven’t," she replied. "Are you offering?"  "Err, yes if you want me to,"  I replied as I tried to contain the huge smile that I could feel growing on my face, for I was to be the most envied runner on the marathon- pacing Nell McAndrew, it was like a dream come true.

"Oh, I’m Glyn. Glyn Marston," I said as we shook hands. She replied "And I'm..." I interrupted with " You need no introductions I'm sure”, but as we chatted on the race, I couldn’t help think of my last day at work. The Friday afternoon when I told my mates that I would be crossing the finish line with Nell McAndrew- AND THERE I WAS, PRACTICALLY PACING HER AROUND THE MARATHON- as I said "many a true word spoke in jest" .

Back at home there was a huge buzz amongst my family and friends. I was unaware that we had been picked up by the BBC cameras at different points of the marathon, but they had all seen the TV at home and were busy phoning each other with words of "Have you seen who Glyn is running with?"

I told Nell of my ultra distance running and she found it hard to believe that anyone could run for almost 150 miles without stopping. She wanted to know how to contact me if she wanted the help of an ultra runner for fundraising in the future- we had no pen and paper, so she suggested that I contact her and she would reply.

When the finish line was in sight, Nell had picked up the pace ( and so had I ) but the nearer we got to the finish line ,the faster we were running- so fast in fact, that I was struggling to keep up with her- I recall shouting, " GO FOR IT GIRL, GO FOR IT", and she did, crossing the finish in 3 hours and 22 minutes. I was ten seconds behind her, but then something happened that I shall never forget. As the marshals were about to escort her to the media tent for an interview, Nell looked at me and shouted "Glyn, thank you, thank you very much". A kiss and a hug was my reward, plus she happily posed with me on my finishers photo.

I was floating on air from that moment on and as I collected my kit bag from the finishers area I could hear my mobile phone ringing After fumbling for a while I picked it up to find my wife on the line- "Guess who I have been running with" I shouted. "Yes, and guess who's been watching you" Ann replied, "Oh you saw me then"? I asked,

"I think the whole nation has seen you, how can you talk and run at the same time?"  she quipped.

It seemed that good news travels fast in Walsall, for on my way home (in the back of my friends car) I received a phone call, it was Jim Dunton from my local newspaper “Hi Glyn, had a good race today?"  he asked. He knew only too well what my day had been like, for he had seen me on the TV with Nell McAndrew.

So the next day, when I got a copy of our local newspaper their was the headline "Glyn, pacemaker to the stars, "what an accolade.

As for Nell McAndrew, she did keep in touch- a signed photo, a thank you card and a letter of admiration for the work I do, something I shall always treasure.