"London Marathon 2023: Getting in Shape Again for the Ultimate Running Challenge!"

  It's day 58 of my London Marathon 2023 training, and today's run was a recovery day. However, it wasn't just any recovery day - I increased my run time to 45 minutes instead of my usual 30 minutes. It might not seem like a significant change, but it's all part of my plan to gradually increase my mileage during the weekday runs. As I enter the next phase of my trainin g, I'm also slightly decreasing my mileage on my long run days to accommodate my new faster pace. It's all about finding the right balance and making sure I don't overexert myself too soon. I'm feeling optimistic about my progress so far, and I can't wait to see where this journey takes me. Despite the slight increase in run time, I still managed to take in the beautiful scenery around me. The weather is turning colder again, but that didn't stop me from pausing to take a photo of the Union Flag flying proudly above Rochester Castle. It's moments like these that remind me of th

  It's day 57 of my London Marathon training, and today was a much-needed rest day. After yesterday's long run, my body was begging for a break, and I was more than happy to oblige. But tomorrow, it's back to the grind. This week, the duration of my recovery runs is increasing to 45 minutes, and I can already feel the burn just thinking about it. But it's all part of the process, and I know that every step I take is getting me closer to my goal. Speaking of goals, Sunday is going to be a big day. That's when I'll start running close to marathon pace on those long runs. It's both exciting and terrifying to think about, but I'm ready for the challenge. I've been putting in the work, and I know that I can do this. Of course, there will be ups and downs along the way. Some days, I'll feel like I'm flying, and other days, I'll feel like I'm slogging through quicksand. But that's all part of the journey. The key is to keep going, to kee

Today was a long run day, and after last week's setback, I was determined to get through the full 2 hours and 45 minutes scheduled for today. I knew I needed a plan to help me get through the run, and fortunately, my former science teacher and experienced runner Phil Larter gave me some valuable advice. Phil recommended that I plan my run with a food break included, by lapping past my home. At first, I was hesitant to try this because I never knew whether I could keep up the motivation to continue past home. But I decided to give it a try, and I'm glad I did! During my run, I lapped past my home and my wife Kelly expertly handed me a jam sandwich through the window by the front door. This little break helped me refuel and recharge, and I was able to carry on with the run without any issues. It was a small but effective change to my routine, and I'm grateful for Phil's advice. Considering I was out late with the band last night, it was a good run to get through. I'm

Today, I tackled a tough interval workout - 6 x 1km in heart rate zone 4. It was challenging, but I got through it. The weather was not in my favour today. It was cold and wet outside, but I didn't let that stop me from completing my workout. I knew I had to stay on track with my training plan, so I pushed through and gave it my all. Interval training is an essential part of marathon training because it helps to improve your speed, endurance, and overall fitness. By alternating between high-intensity exercise and periods of rest or low-intensity exercise, your body becomes better equipped to handle the demands of running a marathon. As I finished my workout, I felt proud of myself for pushing through despite the challenging conditions. However, my day was far from over. Tonight, I have a late gig playing the cajon for a local band called Under the Wood. It will be a fun night of music, but it also means that I'll have to be up early for my long run tomorrow. I'm not sure h

  Welcome to Day 54 of my London Marathon training blog! Today's run started off on a much better note than yesterday. After accidentally sleeping through my alarm and missing my planned morning workout, I was determined to make up for it today. I set my alarm and was up and out the door by 5:15am. As I started my run, I immediately noticed a difference in how my legs felt. They felt light and energetic, almost as if the extra day of rest had done them some good. I was able to keep a steady pace and felt comfortable throughout the run. As I made my way through the streets, I couldn't help but stop and admire the beautiful sight of the lit up spire of Rochester Cathedral. I even took a quick picture to capture the moment. It's moments like these that make me grateful for my early morning runs and the chance to explore the former city before the hustle and bustle of the day begins. Overall, today's run was a great success and I'm feeling more confident about my progre

  As a marathon runner, you know the importance of sticking to a strict training schedule. Every day counts, and every missed day can set you back in your progress. Unfortunately, sometimes life gets in the way, and no matter how prepared you are, things can still go wrong. Today was one of those days for me. I had set my alarm for an early morning run, but somehow, I slept through it. When I finally woke up, I realised I had missed my workout and was running behind schedule for work. Panic set in as I rushed to get ready and out the door. As I raced to work, thoughts of my missed workout consumed me. How was I going to make up for it? Would I be able to stick to my training schedule? I knew that I had to accept the situation and make the best of it. Once I arrived at work, I found myself chasing my tail around, trying to catch up on the usual preparations. The day flew by, and before I knew it, it was time to head home. With the missed workout still on my mind, I decided to make today

  Welcome back to my London Marathon 2023 training blog. Today was day 52 of my training and it was back to intervals with the dreaded 3 x 10 minute efforts in heart rate zone 4 with a 1:30 minute rest in between. I have to admit, this is getting really hard now as my body, where it is now a bit fitter, has to work even harder to get into this zone. Fortunately, the roads around my school in Rochester have plenty of hills, so I don't have to run too fast to get into the desired zone. However, despite the hilly terrain, I still found it difficult with the tiredness caused by the early wake up. In addition, my body in general just hurts more at that time in the morning - serves as a reminder that I am closer to 40 than I am to 30! It's moments like these that really test your mental fortitude and determination. The discipline to get up early and train, especially on those days when your body is screaming for you to hit the snooze button, is what sets apart those who succeed in ac

It's Day 51 of my London Marathon 2023 training blog, and I'm feeling pretty good today, despite the early start. I had to drag myself out of bed at 5:15am for my 30-minute recovery run in Rochester. Last night, I was performing official duties for the Sittingbourne Carnival Court, so I was a bit tired. However, I managed to complete the run without much difficulty. Interestingly, my heart rate was lower than usual for a recovery run, which could mean that my fitness levels are improving. It's always motivating to see progress in my training, and it makes the early mornings and hard work feel worthwhile. I tackled a couple of inclines to get my heart rate into the desired zone 2, which was tough but satisfying. Tomorrow, I have to face the dreaded early morning intervals. As much as I love pushing myself, I'm not looking forward to the intense workout. So, I plan to take it easy for the rest of the evening and focus on recovering for tomorrow's session. Before I sig

  Day 50 of my London Marathon 2023 training, and it's been a mixed day. As a teacher working in a school, I've just returned from a week off for half-term. It was great to have some time to recharge and rest, but getting back into the swing of things was a bit of a struggle. Luckily, my legs don't feel too bad, and I'm ready to get back into my training routine. Tomorrow, it's back to early morning training with a 5:15am start. I'm looking forward to getting back into my routine, and I know my standing desk will help me stay active and alert throughout the day. It's amazing how small changes can make such a big difference in our overall health and well-being. As I head to bed tonight, I'm feeling a little nervous about getting back into the swing of things. But I'm also excited to see what progress I've made over the past 50 days. The London Marathon is still a long way off, but I'm confident that with consistent training and a healthy lifes

Today was long run day for me, and I have to admit that it didn't go as planned. I woke up feeling optimistic and ready to tackle the miles ahead of me, but as I set out into the countryside outside Sittingbourne, I could tell that my legs were just not feeling it. The plan was to run for two and a half hours, but as the roads twisted and turned, my body seemed to be gently steering me back in the direction of home. My legs and back were moaning at me, and I didn't have the strength to resist. Instead, I ended up running just over two hours. It's not the end of the world, of course. Two hours is still a good amount of time to spend on a long run, but I know that I need to do better next week as we are getting closer and closer to the big race day. I've come too far in my London Marathon 2023 training to let one bad run get me down. One thing that I did learn from today's run is that the further I run away from home, the further I have to run back. It's a psychol

  Today was a bit of a strange Saturday for me because, to be honest, I completely forgot it was Saturday and had no idea what was going on. Has that ever happened to you while you're training, or is it just me being forgetful? Anyway, once I remembered that it was intervals day, I got down to business. But there was a twist to today's training session. Since my wife, Kelly, was out, I had my trusty running buddy, Polly, join me in the buggy. The reason for this was twofold. Firstly, at 3 years old, Polly isn't quite ready to fend for herself at home. Secondly, my training programme called for some hill running. As you might know, Sittingbourne isn't exactly known for its hills, so pushing a three-year-old around seemed like a decent substitute. The four sets of six-minute intervals in heart rate zone 4 were particularly tough, especially the final one, which was hampered by a stitch. I don't usually get stitches when I'm running, so it was a bit frustrating, to

Today was a rest day, and I spent it in Rochester with my wife Kelly. And let me tell you, we had a great time! We started the day off right with a full English breakfast. Now, I know what you're thinking – "Aren't you training for a marathon? Shouldn't you be eating super healthy?" But come on, we all deserve a treat now and then, don't we? And what's a better treat than a good old-fashioned fry-up? After our delicious breakfast, we decided to try our luck at bingo. And let me tell you, it was intense! Kelly was on fire and actually won the game! To top off our day of relaxation and fun, we stopped by a local comic book shop. I'm a huge fan of comic books and it was great to squeeze into the small shop in Rochester and get a new one. I may have had a day off from running, but I'll be back at it tomorrow with my intervals. I'm feeling recharged and ready to tackle the next phase of my training. Oh, and one more thing before I sign off – don'

  Today was an easy run day for me, with a gentle 40 minutes in heart rate zone 2. Even though it is half-term for me, I had to get up early to run today as Kelly and I were handing the children over to grandparents and off to a spa break in Rochester. So this post is naturally shorter as I am trying to write it in the hotel room on my phone! Easy runs are an essential part of any training plan, especially when it comes to marathon training. They allow your body to recover and adapt to the stress of previous workouts, which is crucial for staying injury-free and improving your performance over time. Running in heart rate zone 2, as I did today, also helps to build endurance and aerobic capacity. I always find that easy runs are a great time to reflect on my training and my progress so far. It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of workouts, but taking a step back to think about the bigger picture can be really helpful for staying motivated and focused. Of course, easy r

  Welcome back to day 45 of my London Marathon 2023 training blog. Today, I did distance-based intervals, which means running a specific distance at a set pace with a rest period in between. I ran 6 x 1km intervals with a 1:30 minute rest in between. Distance-based intervals can be a great way to build speed and endurance. It allows you to push yourself to run faster than your usual pace for a short distance and then recover before starting the next interval. This type of training can be mentally and physically challenging, but it's an effective way to increase your fitness and performance. One of the main differences between distance-based and time-based intervals is that with distance-based intervals, you know the distance you need to cover but not how long it will take you. In contrast, with time-based intervals, you know the duration of the interval but not how far you need to run. Both types of intervals have their advantages and can be incorporated into your training plan dep