Ratcliffe Aims for Personal Best in London Marathon to Secure Man Utd’s FA Cup Semi Spot
Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the partial owner of Manchester United, faces a difficult decision as he plans to run the London Marathon on the same day as the club’s FA Cup semi-final match. The Red Devils secured their place in the final four by defeating Liverpool 4-3 at Old Trafford last weekend. However, the match against Championship side Coventry City is scheduled to kick off at 3:30pm on Sunday, April 21, while the London Marathon usually starts at around 10:30am. Ratcliffe will need to beat his previous time of 4:30 in order to make it to Wembley in time.
Ratcliffe, a veteran billionaire, has a passion for distance running and has completed nearly 40 marathons in his life. Last year, he participated in the London Marathon and finished with a time of four and a half hours. However, he faced a hamstring injury during his training and had limited time to prepare. This year, a similar setback occurred with a five-week hamstring injury, leaving Ratcliffe with only one week of training before the marathon. Despite these challenges, Ratcliffe remains determined to participate and complete the race.
Ratcliffe’s love for distance running is well-documented. He even funded Eliud Kipchoge’s record-breaking 1:59 time at the Vienna Marathon in 2019. In addition to marathons, Ratcliffe has completed other athletic challenges such as the Marathon Des Sables across the Sahara Desert, treks to both the North and South poles, and an Ironman triathlon at the age of 64.
While Ratcliffe focuses on his marathon preparation, Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag will be strategizing for the semi-final match against Coventry City. Ten Hag aims to lead his team to victory and secure a place in the FA Cup final for the second consecutive year. United captain Bruno Fernandes has already done his homework on their opponents, thanks to his chef who is a Sunderland fan. Fernandes noted that Coventry City has skilled players and presents a physical challenge, as seen in their previous matches.
As Ratcliffe pushes himself to achieve a personal best in the London Marathon, Manchester United fans eagerly await the outcome of the semi-final match against Coventry City. Will Ratcliffe make it to Wembley in time to witness his team’s performance? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain – both Ratcliffe and Manchester United are determined to succeed in their respective challenges.