I know this might sound a little strange but the evidence does exist. Let me explain – or you can just watch my video on YouTube.
2024 Nice to Cannes Marathon
Last year (2024) I was happily (!) running my 17th Nice to Cannes Marathon when, on the way up Cap d’Antibes, a man came over to chat. He asked me if I was the guy on YouTube as he thought he recognised me. I told him I was. He thanked me for my 2023 Nice-Cannes marathon video and said that was the reason he had entered for this year. I was not at my most alert, 25km into a marathon, so I forgot to ask him his name or even have a proper chat before he trotted off.
2024 Athens Marathon
One week after the Nice to Cannes Marathon I was in Greece for my second shot at the original Marathon to Athens Marathon. I had previously run this in 2022 with my GoPro and had spent the entire route making a video documentary about the history of the event. A challenge of memory as well as legs. Just after finishing a man came over to me and said he recognised me from YouTube. This time, as it was just after the race, I was much more alert. His name was Michael and he was from Slovenia. We discussed the course we had just done and we took a photo together. He also had done the race because of watching my YouTube.
2025 Mallorca Ironman 70.3
The Ironman Triathlon is logistically much more complicated than running a marathon. The day before the race you have to park your bike in it’s official Bike Park slot and place your Transition Bags (containing items for the Bike and Run stages) on the numbered hooks. Having done this I hung around in the Bike Park to film the atmosphere. Between filming an Italian man introduced himself as Giuseppe and said he had seen my YouTube resume of my 2024 Mallorca Ironman 70.3. He told me he loved the computer graphics showing my progress during the race. An Ironman is much more controlled than a marathon and they definitely don’t allow you to film yourself while racing. Anyhow he also had liked my video so much that he wanted to do the race. His very first Ironman 70.3.
2023 Marathon des Sables – Morocco
Now I have no evidence for this one but I can tell you that my 2023 Marathon des Sables video has been watched nearly 7,000 times and many people have commented. I am sure some of these people will have been stirred into trying it for themselves. As I only do it every few years it is very unlikely I will actually meet any of them though.