For Bournemouth AC’s Alex Bonnet, the Tokyo Marathon represented far more than just another outing over the classic 26.2-mile distance. In truth, it was the final chapter in a remarkable personal journey through the Abbott World Marathon Majors, with the coveted Six Star Medal awaiting if he could make it to the finish line.

The build-up, however, had been far from ideal. Injury issues had hampered Alex’s preparations and meant that the training block had not quite gone the way he would have liked. Some key sessions and longer runs had been missed, leaving him arriving in Japan knowing that this might be more of a battle of resilience than a shot at a fast time.

Alex certainly has the pedigree when it comes to the marathon distance. He clocked 2:51:08 at the London Marathon in 2024 and produced his lifetime best of 2:50:26 at the Chicago Marathon in 2023. Earlier that same year he had also taken on the famous Boston Marathon course, finishing in 3:06:37.

In Tokyo he set out steadily, opening with a 6:45 first mile before following it up with splits of 6:48 and 6:49. That brought him through the 5km mark in 21:47 as he settled into the early rhythm of the race.

Miles four, five and six came in at 6:55, 6:57 and 7:06 respectively, bringing him to the 10km checkpoint in 43:36. He continued to tick along through the next section, recording 6:59 for mile seven and 6:57 for mile eight before clocking 7:10 and 7:03 for miles nine and ten.

The steady pacing continued as the race approached halfway. Alex covered mile eleven in 7:04 and mile twelve in 7:14 before a 7:24 thirteenth mile brought him to the halfway point in 1:34:14.

Heading into the second half he was still holding things together well, running 7:16 for mile fourteen before registering splits of 7:27 and 7:32 for miles fifteen and sixteen. But as the race wore on the earlier injury-hit preparation began to take its toll.

Mile seventeen dropped to 8:12 and the effort of the marathon was becoming increasingly evident. Splits of 8:18, 8:21 and 8:02 carried him through to the 20-mile mark in 2:26:42, leaving just 10km standing between Alex and his Six Star goal.

The closing miles proved to be a real test of determination. An 8:29 for mile twenty-one was followed by 8:01 for mile twenty-two, before an 8:44 twenty-third mile left him with just 5km to go. With the temperature a little warmer than Alex would have preferred, the latter stages required a mixture of grit and perseverance, with some walking as the effort of the day took its toll.

The largely uphill twenty-fourth mile was particularly challenging, coming in at 9:40, before Alex dug deep again with splits of 9:01 and 8:46 for miles twenty-five and twenty-six. The course measured slightly long on the watch, meaning there was still around an additional kilometre to cover before the finish line finally came into view.

Eventually Alex crossed the line in a very respectable 3:25:53. It had been a tough day out, but the bigger objective had been achieved.

With that finish in Tokyo, Alex completed the full set of the Abbott World Marathon Majors and secured the prestigious Six Star Medal — an accomplishment that reflects years of dedication, determination and marathon running across the globe.

For Alex, it was a hard-earned reward and a truly momentous occasion.