How To Convert Your Marathon Training Miles On Strava Into Free Pints

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Marathon training is a hard and lonely road. More so than running the race itself in many ways. Come the big day you’ll be surrounded by other runners and, if you run in a major event like the London Marathon, have a crowds of supporters cheering you on. During several months of training you’ll mostly be solo and the crowd will be non-existent, so any way to make it less lonely is always welcome.

To support those running the London Marathon (or indeed any other spring marathon) New Balance has opened The Runaway pub in central London. It’s a place for runners to get together and relax, or take advantage of the gym in its basement if you want to lift some weights or stretch.

And to help runners turn up when other runners are there, New Balance has set up Strava challenges where your training miles can be redeemed for free drinks for you and a friend on certain days.

There are four challenges planned and the first is already live on Strava. Download the app and you’ll find it in the Explore section. Go through the sign-up process and a card will be added to the wallet on your phone.

Credit for three drinks will automatically be added if you reach the full distance demanded by the challenge, and two drinks each if you reach half of it. These drinks can be redeemed on certain dates at The Runaway, which should encourage a host of runners to head there at the same time so they can discuss their marathon training with like-minded runners.

These are the four challenges that will run in the build-up to the London Marathon. Keep an eye out for each challenge on Strava because you’ll have to enter each one separately.

Challenge 1: 40 miles Can be redeemed on 24th February or 3rd March

Challenge 2: 13 miles Can be redeemed on 10th or 17th March

Challenge 3: 60 miles Can be redeemed on 24th or 31st March

Challenge 4: 10K Can be redeemed on 14th or 21st April

The Runaway is located on Charing Cross Road in London and is part of London Marathon sponsor New Balance’s Everybody’s Race campaign

Nick Harris-Fry is a journalist who has been covering health and fitness since 2015. Nick is an avid runner, covering 70-110km a week, which gives him ample opportunity to test a wide range of running shoes and running gear. He is also the chief tester for fitness trackers and running watches, treadmills and exercise bikes, and workout headphones.