I’ve been told by several people, most importantly my coach, that the marathon will be my best event, but I’ve not been convinced.

Each year that’s gone by I’ve naturally upped my training and delayed doing a marathon, since it would have taken more and more work to do myself justice.

As I started out racing my 5k to HM times always lined up well, but I actually thought 5k was one of my stronger events. One thing is for sure though, I don’t have much natural speed. I’ve never done any pure speed work in training and I’ve never run a sub 60s 400m. I remember in the Armagh 2020 race being in the lead group chasing Zalewski and on the last lap I was feeling great. I knew I was able to bridge the gap to him and it’s a regret of mine that I didn’t and just go for it earlier.

As it happened even though I was strong, I got destroyed in the sprint finish. Of course, lack of natural speed is no guarantee of being suited to the marathon, Kipchoge definitely has good natural speed!

All the eggs in one 26.2 mile basket

The Marathon is intimidating. For me it’s not the distance though. This build up has included three long runs over 24 miles and each saw good recovery afterwards. It’s the pace that you have to hold for such a long time that makes it so hard.

Trying to establish a goal for the Marathon Trials has been especially difficult with no races around to gauge fitness, something I think may will elate to. Instead, it all has to be based on training sessions, for a distance I have never raced before.

Training has been going really well and I know I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in, that’s for sure. It’s just a bit of a shame that I can’t bank some of that training by knocking out a good 10k or HM, but instead everything will rest on one race. The eggs are all in one marathon basket.

I am grateful that I’ve had a race to aim for that I was confident would go ahead as the Marathon is a lot of work. What I could never be sure of was that I wouldn’t get COVID in the build-up, or another illness which would have almost certainly spelt the end. Even now my participation all hinges on a negative Lateral Flow Test!

 Have faith in your own process

Over the last year, I’ve found it’s very important to have faith in your training and the sessions you know mean you’re in top shape. It’s also important to run controlled and by feel rather than chasing paces.

With no races around and no doubt a flood of “check out this session by XX on strava” in your running WhatsApp groups in-lieu of any race results, it can be demotivating when you compare with your own training. But you must have faith in yourself.

The only person relevant for training comparisons is you.

For me, it’s as simple as a 10k tempo. It might not sound much, but if I can do it in under 32mins at tempo effort then I know I’m in top shape. I did it before Armagh in 2019 (31:39), Armagh 2020 (actually failed here with a 32:30!) and GNR (31:23). One thing we’ve all seen over the past year is how variable GPS is depending on what watch you have and what loop you run.

Again, this is where it’s important to be able to directly compare by running the same loops and for time trials I’ve not kidded myself, I’ve measured them beforehand with Satellite tools which I’ve found to be very accurate. In fact, when I measured my old tempo loop that I did those 10ks on, I found they were ~130m short!

So, whilst they gave me confidence, I was blissfully unaware they weren’t as quick as I thought. My training in this build-up has used measured courses and I’ve been running quicker.

Nigel training in all conditions with his strong group. Still shorts weather for most though… Photo: Dave Proctor

No group training, but still a good group around

Whilst there’s been a lot to learn and no group training allowed, I’ve had plenty of help. On my longer sessions, my partner Laura has kept me company on the bike. In the first 24+miler we got caught in a heavy snow storm and Laura had to abandon soon after 15 miles and almost got hypothermia! (Don’t worry I was fine).

The second run included 20mph winds with a -10oC wind chill! Somehow, Laura still came along for the third. (You must just be brilliant long run company Nigel – Ed.)

I’ve had race nutrition help from Robbie Britton who I’ve been regularly pestering. When Robbie informed me there’s a crucial difference in whether you put in the powder or water first when mixing Beta Fuel vs Maurten, I knew I was talking to the right man!

My coach, Norman Poole, has been in regular contact and provided my training plan. Amongst many others Norman coached my clubmate Matt Bond to his 2:15:32 at London in 2016. Unbelievably Matt managed that time off very low mileage, I think peaking only around 80mpw.

He did do a lot of cross training, but that’s a lot less than I’ve been doing. I’ve averaged about 85mpw over the last 14 weeks. Certainly not as much as some of the people I’ll be competing with, but I know I couldn’t have sensibly done more. My training is certainly not as impressive as a lot of others either, but I respond strongly to training and as a result my easy runs are generally very slow – more on that in another article.

Racing 3000m is now a distance memory, but it’ll all come back on Friday. Photo: Dave Proctor

The ins and out of training

In terms of marathon sessions, I’ve followed a bit of a hybrid Pfitzinger/Canova approach. I’ve tried to do plenty of miles at or very close to MP (Canova), doing very regular long tempos of 10+ miles or so. But my long runs have been focusing on 80%-90%+ of MP, which is more in-line with Pfitzinger.

Canova style special block training is totally out of the question for me. There’s no way I could handle that and I’d either get injured or just get nowhere near the paces. Have a read of this blog to get a flavour for it – It took him 10 days to recover from that during which he managed only easy runs, so yeah, not for me!

In this last cycle I’ve done a long run just shy of 25 miles with about 23 miles at 80-95% MP feeling very comfortable and 60mins at race pace definitely not feeling comfortable! Looking at Matt Bond’s training I know I’m able to do the same sessions and actually bigger volume, so it will just come down to the day and finding out if I’m a marathon runner or not.

It won’t be an easy debut, most of the others have nothing to lose and have done marathons before. I’m expecting two groups, the 2:10:00 (top 2 or die) group and the still very challenging Commonwealth Games 2:13/2:14 group. If you don’t go with them, you’re probably on your own, which isn’t where anyone wants to be!

With little more than a week to go I’m looking forward to it and whilst I’m very grateful for the opportunity for this unique event, I’m also really looking forward to a more normal racing calendar later in the year!

I’ll be posting another blog post marathon and depending on how the marathon goes it might be sooner or later!

The post The journey to a debut marathon appeared first on Fast Running.

Having spent her early years in Llanelli, Rosie Edwards moved from Wales to Indianapolis in 2000 to study for her Masters degree at Butler University.

After graduating she stayed in the US, relocating to Colorado to train. Rosie has lots of experience over the half marathon (PB 74:13) and has represented Wales at the World Half Marathon Championships.

She has already run five full marathons, including finishing in exactly the same time (2:40:49) twice – once in London in 2017 and again in Frankfurt in 2018. Last year she finished 27th in the UK rankings and is one to watch for the future.

Nomad Distance Project

For the last two and a half years Rosie has been part of the Nomad Distance Project, a group of 12 athletes who all have different coaches but sync sessions and long runs where they can and travel to races together. Rosie is not running the London Marathon this year because she will be competing in the British Half Marathon Trials in March.

FastRunning: What were you most excited about in your training last year?

Rosie Edwards: Meeting the other athletes in the Nomad Distance Project and forming that group. It opened up so many possibilities and gave me lots of talented women to train with. Also, I am Coached by Robert Hawkins remotely and that is brand new this year which I’m excited about.

FR: What are you most excited by looking to the year ahead? What are your key goals?

RE: I am excited for a new approach to training, travelling home to compete in the British trials for the World Half Marathon Championships in March then potentially targeting a late Autumn or early 2021 Marathon.

My main goals are to dive fully into a new plan and be open to new training concepts while gaining more racing experience. I have struggled with the Marathon in the past years so I didn’t want to jump straight into another without targeting my weaknesses.

I am excited to attack one again after racing some of the shorter distances and taking a new approach, my long term goal is to compete for Wales in the Commonwealth games in 2022 .

FR : What do you think about the women’s marathon scene in GB at the moment? How much do the GB performances get noticed in the US?

RE: I think that British marathoning at the moment is incredible, it’s extremely motivating and gives all of us the belief that success is possible.

Growing up in the UK and seeing the girls I used to race with still competing at the top of their game is exciting. It is very hard to perform consistently at a high level and they have demonstrated that it is possible. There are also a lot of new faces rising to the occasion which is great for the sport. Personally, I’m always aware of the GB scene being from the UK but without a doubt the last couple of years have gained attention from US athletes.

FR: Why do you think the GB women had such a great year last year?

RE: Seeing your peers run well is one of the most powerful training tools, I think Charlie set the stage in April at London leaving us all inspired. I think from that point forward the GB women stepped up their game and knowing it would take a huge run to make the Olympic team.

FR: What do you think about the decision not to preselect anyone for the Olympic team?

RE: I think London will be one of the deepest British fields in history, I think it will be the most exciting trials to date and I will be interested to see if it is tactical or whether those able to push the pace will do so to break it up early.

The decision not to pre select any athletes was tough on those who in my opinion had already earned their spots but I strongly believe that they will step up again in April and had prepared for this possibility. It now leaves the race wide open as the British girls can race for three rather than one spot at the trials.

FR: What shoes do you train in and what shoes do you race in?

RE: I train in the Adidas Adios and save a new pair for race day. My daily mileage is in the Brooks Launch or Ravenna.

FR: Are there any supporters that have helped you over the last year that you’d like to mention?

RE: I am supported by Nuun Hydration and I love using their products for hydration and fuelling, training at altitude is harder on the body with regards to hydration so I love their new line, Nuun Endurance which is great for long workouts.

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The post British Nomad Rosie Edwards is inspired appeared first on Fast Running.

Runners love to brag about the simplicity of running. As the saying goes, “All you need is a pair of shoes and a path to run down” Just you and the trail. It’s a beautiful concept. At its core the act of running is that simple.

There is only one person who can make your legs move, who can force you to wake up before the sun begins to rise and who can choose to keep going and dig deep, even when quitting seems like the better option. Unlike many sports, however, success in distance running doesn’t depend on someone passing you the ball. I’ve come to learn although it might seem like an individual display of toughness, courage and strength; if I am serious about competing at the international level it is impossible to do everything alone.

Not just putting the shoes on and out the door

We are pushing to go faster and achieve new goals. We don’t just go out and run, our training is carefully planned out, each day has a different purpose whether it be recovery runs, interval workouts, tempo runs, long runs, mid long runs- all at specific paces with specific rest periods, cross training at a specific heart rate, weights focusing on specific muscle groups and so on. Not only is it important to get the training right, you have nutrition, recovery, equipment (shoes), a sound mental game and everything else in between to master.

On top of these already in-depth areas there are always barriers that are going to get in the way that can further complicate things.

I am an independent person, and don’t like to inconvenience anyone. I have always kept things as simple as possible. I do all my training solo and spent time self-coaching but last year I finally accepted the fact that if I wanted to up my game, I needed a coach. This was the best decision I made and it was the start of a growing team.

After joining my coach, Tony Houchin, I set a personal best in every race I had run until London Marathon where I had a heart-breaking performance. Tony prepared me in every way possible and workouts were going well and feeling easier than ever. I was the fittest and fastest I’ve ever been, however the final 3 weeks I came up against barriers I’m sure all athletes experience at some point in their career. These barriers really made me realise people are more than willing to help without it being a chore or inconvenience to them. It’s made me step back and appreciate the help I have and has made me realise I am not in this sport alone.

Overcoming the unexpected

Three weeks prior I came down with the flu which wasn’t ideal but working in an office where at the time it seemed every other person had some sort of cold or virus meant it was almost inevitable no matter what measures I took to try and protect myself. Trying to see the positive side, I was just glad it was three weeks prior and not race week.

However, just as I thought things couldn’t get worse, race week came and my knee suddenly started hurting. Then the realisation that my physio who often works his magic and fixes me within an hour was away on a Welsh Athletics training camp, meant I went into panic mode.

This is perhaps what has really made me realise the importance of a strong network. Communicating with my normal Welsh Athletics physio, Adam Rattenbury, along with Sport Wales, led me to work with Sport Wales physio Dan Grimsted. Although I had never met Dan before and he did not know me or my body he really made me realise the willingness of others to help. Dan worked on me for hours at a time, every day the week leading up to London and not only that, he went out his way to work around my work schedule.

My work colleagues were also helpful and supportive in helping to cover me while I rolled in late or left early for treatment. It really felt like a team effort to do everything possible to get me to the start line. I could not be more thankful for Dan’s hard work that week as without it I would not have made the start line.

Although even with the help of Dan, London did not go to plan and was the closest I’ve ever come to not finishing. I don’t regret giving it a go when perhaps I should’ve made the decision to withdraw.

It left me broken with disappointment and pain but I learnt so much from the experience, one being the importance of a team, another being no matter how fit and well your training is or has been going if you are not 100% healthy on the day it is impossible to give yourself a fair chance on a world stage and also the importance of the other aspects of being an athlete, other than just running; such as recovery, injury prevention work and so on.

The fire still burns strong

It was odd, when I went through a rough patch of racing in previous years, or suffered injuries it would leave me thinking- ‘is this really what I want to do’? But after London all I wanted to do was get back running to be able to race another marathon. I think this is because previously without a team, coming back stronger from a bad race or injury was a big barrier to face alone and hard to find the mental strength and motivation when things weren’t going well. But things are different now. I

have so many people around me supporting me and helping me through this journey. It makes everything seem possible and motivates me even more to come back stronger.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend the first week after London crying myself to sleep and feeling frustrated about barely being able to walk. But when I finally got over the initial disappointment, I was actually excited to change things and become a better athlete. Getting the flu so close to a big race is bad luck but is something most athletes will experience at some point.

For me getting an injury could’ve been bad luck but maybe could’ve been prevented if I had incorporated preventative measures into my training week. Without wanting to blame myself I will be the first to admit I have been terrible at staying on top of the little things. I’m sure I am not the only one who finds stretching and rolling boring!

Not only that, I have kept things so simple I have never incorporated much more than just running and the odd core routine into my training week. I have little knowledge about strength work and that’s something I have been excited to change. Not being able to run has almost been a blessing as it’s forced me to focus on the other aspects of becoming a better runner. Over the last month I have had the best support team I could have wished for.

Welsh Athletics and Sport Wales invaluable

The support from Welsh Athletics and Sport Wales has been invaluable. It has become my second home (so much so that when I get in my car after work my phone tells me “15 minutes to get home” a little confused as I know my commute is far longer than that I checked to see why my phone is telling me this…turns out it thinks Sport Wales is my home!)

Adam Rattenbury (Welsh Athletics Physio) has been a massive help and has pieced my body together on numerous occasions. And again, has got me back on my feet and back running. Through Welsh athletics and Sport Wales I have also started working with strength and condition coach, Chris Chucas.

Not only am I hoping some strength work will further improve my performances, as a team we are working to do preventative work by working on my weaknesses that are likely to be the cause of the knee problems I have experienced. Working with Adam and Chris has motivated me to stay on top of stretching and rolling, so much so I’ve actually started to enjoy it as I can already feel the benefits.

With all this it’s a given that when trying to compete at your best, runners training for a big race end up spending a lot of time away from home, running the roads or traveling across the country or around the world to races and training venues. We spend hours at a time training, then require time for recovery and replenishment. On a normal week day, I am up at 4:45am, out the door by 5am and don’t return home until 8pm and some nights even later, which means the little time I do spend at home is spent sleeping.

Friends, family and beyond

A typical training cycle can command your entire week’s schedule which then dictates your family and friends’ schedule. It leaves me little time for normal daily essentials. My parents play a massive role and support me in every way possible whether it be helping to fuel me, doing my washing or looking after my dog. Without them there is no way I would be able to sustain a full-time job alongside training. I’m also fortunate my friends are understanding of the demands of being an athlete and they don’t pressure me into going out but will always include me even after having to turn down every other invite.

Natasha with her father, a key part of her support team

From my coach, to my physio, strength coach, family, friends, club and even the support from people I don’t know, it all means so much and is all contributing to this team effort!
Running really is like a recipe where you need to have all the right ingredients and right balance in order to reach perfection.

I am still working on my recipe to success. However, over the last year I feel the support system around me has grown massively and has been a huge contribution to improving my recipe to success.

Surround yourself with people who know more than you and surround yourself with people who share the same values as you or with those who want to help you get to where you want to be. Studies have proven connection and social support has a positive impact on performance and resilience along with increased motivation, goal adherence, positive emotions and enjoyment.

Natasha Cockram features in the ‘Fast 10: class of 2019’ and over the course of the year will share her running journey. You can follow Natasha on Twitter and Instagram, while further information about the ‘class of 2019’ can be found here.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post You can’t do it all on your own appeared first on Fast Running.

The taper is a dreaded thing for many. Less running, more time indoors and many feel the opposite of getting faster. Why do we even taper eh? Yet it works. Tapering has some decent science behind it too, like this meta-analysis by Bosquet et al. Why do endurance runners fear or question it so much then?

As I’m tapering for Valencia on Sunday it might be worthwhile to talk about the process as a case study and possibly help others in the same boat. So, what is my taper all about and why?

Reduce Volume 

This is the one that most people understand and see the point of. Marathon training is hard work on the legs and the body so reducing volume of training the closer you get will mean fresh and lively legs on the start line. 

How much you reduce is down to the individual. The study linked above has some nice analysis of tapering across three sports, cycling, running and swimming. There was a linear and step progression of tapering examined across all three and the impact it had on rested muscles, but also maintaining fitness.

The idea that if you reduce your training too much you’ll lose fitness, but not enough and you’ll be knackered on the startline. Many a coach has said “better to be 5% under prepared than 1% overcooked” and for the vast majority of us it’s not worth the risk to go too hard.

We’re not suggesting you just take two weeks off, but if Carlos Lopes can get hit by a car the week before the Los Angeles ’84 Olympics and still win the marathon with a week off, then we can err on the side of caution in our tapers. 

Personally I’m coming from around 12-13 hours in my peak weeks to 10 hours a three weeks out, six and a half hours two weeks out and around three hours before race day. I use time as my running isn’t on flat roads and the time can be transferred to anyone’s training. 

Maintain Frequency 

One of the issues many have with tapers is missing out on the thing they love. Running. 

A way around this and to keep the body from going soft is to maintain normal frequency of running. You might reduce the volume so instead of 10 x one hour of running you have 10 x 30-40 minutes (this is obviously rather simplified) but you maintain the frequency.

Even if you add in a couple extra rest days in the two-three weeks before the race, well worth doing, you can keep your double days or normal routine as much as possible, as long as the overall volume is reducing.

Same could be said for any quicker sessions or long runs too. Married to the church of the Sunday long run, well get out for 70-80 minutes but don’t go wild.

Maintain Intensity

This is an interesting one. With the reduced volume of a taper some people start to feel brilliant. Then they have a simple track session to see the legs ticking over and they smash it right out for the park. 

“Fastest track session EVER! Certainly going to PB this weekend”

Unfortunately there’s a chance you just left your best performance out on the track in training. You may be feeling fresh and fast, but it doesn’t mean you need to run faster to prove it. We want to keep the muscles firing at a quick pace to keep the sharpness and maintain fitness, but we do not want to over work the muscles, just because the cardiovascular system is feeling perky. 

Over do the intensity and your muscles will get faster, but probably after the marathon. Which is zero use to you on race day, when they’ll still be recovering from Tuesday’s track run.

The taper is not the time to show off

Now Tom Craggs, my coach, and I both had the same thoughts on this. We knew that I’d be moving faster than ever before and there’s a fast man hidden inside this ultra runner who’d want to come out in taper week. He’s well fast.

So with that in mind we were a bit stricter with paces for the final two-three sessions. We wanted to keep the fitness going, so there was a 20 min tempo nine days out, a 6 x 800 session six days out and a cheeky wee 3 x 3 minutes four days out. None of these were overall fast though.

Plenty of my training had previously been done at the speeds of 5:20 and 5:40 per mile. The 5:40s were specific to my marathon goal and the 5:20s were around threshold effort (plus on a 300m track it’s exactly 60s a lap so is nice and tidy). We knew my muscles were good with these paces.

So the tempo was at 5:20s, the 800s were at 5:20s and the closest session, the 3 x 3 minutes, was 5:40s. All controlled and sensible. Yes, I could have gone and done the 800s really quick and for 3 x 3 minutes could probably break the speed of light. Probably. But that would not have helped on Sunday.

Save it for the big dance

It’s exciting times ahead and I’m confident. The questions I’m asking myself are not whether I can break 2:30 or not, but by how much. That’s something I’m aware can be a dangerous game. Just how quick should we run the first half?

Logic might say 75:00 bang on and go for a negative split, like at the half a few weeks back, maybe 74:30 and expect a little slow down or just go totally on feel and see what happens. Why limit your possibilities with a time?

Well we had a mission and that’s been clear all along. Sub 2:30 is the name of the game so that is goal number one. Hopefully we can stretch that a little and maybe post an even quicker mark, but it can equally all go tits up if I go too fast. A PB should be assured though (famous last words), with 2:59 the time to beat…

Whatever happens I’m excited to find out. All the hard work has gone in, the ups and downs have been part of the ride and it’s up to me to perform on the day. All I can say now is that I’ll give it my best shot.

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Chasing Sub 2:30: Explaining the joys of the taper appeared first on Fast Running.

It was a mere two weeks ago that the question I asked was ‘should marathon pace feel this hard in training‘. The goal of hitting 5:40-43 minutes per mile for 26.2 consecutive miles seemed a world away and my last blog asked for the advice of those more experienced.

The response was excellent. Those who have been in the same situation or were currently experiencing it themselves were quick to get involved. It was encouraging to know I wasn’t the first or last athlete to find marathon pace difficult amongst the high mileage of the build up.

The likes of England marathoner Aaron Scott commented that he struggled to hit marathon pace until four weeks out and even then only 10k at a time. Then Aaron goes and smashes it out of the park with a 2:16 at Frankfurt marathon. Seeing the great British performances at Frankfurt was a real inspiration for my own training. It helps you believe. 

Starting to click

I love to race. Preferably ultra distance, but it all scratches that itch. Last weekend was the Lausanne marathon and I raced over the half marathon distance. The goal was to get out and see how running faster for a prolonged period of time felt. Was the training sinking in?

Coach Tom Craggs spoke about being controlled, how I’d be running on tired legs and it was not the be all and end all of my marathon training, but I was confident of a new PB. My last half marathon had been 74:27 back in 2017. Two weeks ago I would have had 73-74 as a goal, but training had picked up.

All it took were a couple of key sessions to go my way. Confidence is a fickle thing and understanding that can help in the highs and lows of a marathon build up. The run that felt like it had started to ‘click’ wasn’t even that fast. It just felt fast. 

A 35km point to point long run in the Swiss Valais seemed wise. It was flat (even ever so slightly downhill), there a cycle path the whole way and we were returning from Nats’ race in Italy. We had not counted on the headwind though. In my face for every single footstep of that long run and when the steady 15km effort started, it felt like the wind picked up. Yet my confidence grew from that challenge. It was free extra training in my mind. 

The half marathon

Toeing the line at a half marathon I was confident. The nerves that normally crop up were there, but only quietly. Whilst I knew that a quicker half would be a good sign for Valencia, all I could do was try my best. If I tried my best on the day then the time would look after itself. Chasing numbers doesn’t help anyone. 

Setting off, the plan was to not go any faster than 5:25 per mile. Not having a lot of half marathon experience (I think this is my third) there were some concerns I would start too fast. How hard should the start of a half marathon feel?

I was a little alarmed when the Kenyan and Moroccan runners didn’t instantly disappear off into the distance. We ran in a sizeable lead group for the first three or four kilometres, but this was down to the wind and the fact that those more experienced were just easing in. The fastest athletes knew what they had to do and a controlled start it was. Bang on 5:25 for the first mile was probably more down to the group’s pacing than my judgement.

When the lead group accelerated I had to decide whether to go with or hang in no man’s land. There was a chasing pack but as I eased off the concern came that they would just breeze past because I had started too fast. 

What happened was a couple athletes bridging to me and then one in particular pacing in the most peculiar way. Every minute or so he seemed to surge. I sat in behind and every time I tried to take my turn in the wind, he would surge and see it as a challenge. Even suggesting we work together didn’t work.

The final miles

The hard work continued, but gradually the finish got closer. It never felt easy in the second half, but it also didn’t feel like I was working too hard any point. My mind was very much accepting of whatever time would appear, knowing I was pacing pretty well.

The final miles I usually kick up in a race, chase down whoever is ahead and generally bury myself. With the marathon training in mind the urge to kick was resisted. Even with another runner just ahead, the difference between seventh and eighth wasn’t worth the extra recovery time. It might be in Valencia.

I crossed the finish line in a new personal best 71:53 and it was a very pleasing result. Well over two minutes quicker than my old best and en route to sub 2:30 in my books. More training and tapering to be done, but confidence is high.

Managing the chaos 

The more organised amongst you might notice this blog is a few days later than normal, but marathon training and writing blogs can all be affected by life.

Having recently written about ‘orchestrating the chaos of training’ it was appropriate that my own training became more complex. After a successful bit of steady running to pace on some intervals with my wife Nats and our friend Sophie, all seemed well, until Nats missed a chain between two posts and hit the ground hard. One x-ray and a broken pinky finger later surgery was planned for the next day. 

This is where adaptability is key with marathon training and your coach. Moving Wednesday’s key session wasn’t the end of the world. Our training needs to fit around our lives and sometimes you just have to change plans. 

Instead of doing 5 x 2km on Wednesday, it moved to Thursday and I appreciated that I was a little more tired because of everything going on. It took a little while longer than usual to get into my stride, but mental tiredness can affect your running too. 

Then came missing the race planned for the weekend, which has been set for a marathon pace effort. But changing plans doesn’t have to mean that it’s less ideal. The opportunity came to do a tempo and long run session with a friend (and faster runner) Ben Riddell. All of a sudden a problem becomes an opportunity. 

Turning problems into opportunity

This is one of the things I have learned about marathon training, it doesn’t need to be perfect. Doing the best you can is great. If the day arrives and sub 2:30 is not to be, but I’ve given it my best shot, then I’ll be happy.

Hitting set paces, key sessions and times in races might be good for Strava and social media, but it needn’t define your marathon training. Do the best you can and be the best athlete you can be. That’s enough.

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Chasing sub 2:30: marathon training starting to ‘click’ appeared first on Fast Running.

The group run can be a brilliant thing, a mixture of abilities getting together to just chill out, enjoy some easy runs and shoot the shit. It’s a huge part of any athlete’s training. The easy mileage make up a big part of the volume and it’s great to share. 

But share those miles with the wrong person, or even just getting over eager yourself, and the training race begins. 

Half steppin’

So it only takes one half stepper (someone who always has to be half a step ahead, regardless of pace) and a sprinkling of ego for the pace to start picking up. Be it an easy, progression or tempo run, the conversation flows and the pace gets faster every mile.

Someone like myself, a certified half stepper, only need be with another competitive runner and before either of us know, it’s a training race. Living and training with Paul Navesey we both had to make sure the training race wasn’t too common a feature. But it’s not always a bad thing.

Using the training race

Training in groups is generally always a good thing, even when it gets competitive, if you’re sensible. 

It might be that you both have a progression run or if one athlete is just faster than the other, you can accept the pace will ramp up and plan it like that. The same with tempo running, although at least one of you needs to keep an eye on over doing it. 

When a whole bunch of half steppers are involved in a group run or session then things can easily escalate. This competitive edge can be great for an intervals session, pushing each other to your limits and enjoying the sharing of hard work. 

It still takes a sensible head not to get carried away, as smashing yourself in every hard session isn’t the way to go. You don’t always have to go to the well in every session, even the faster ones. 

With consistency being the key to progression, going a few per cent easier in tougher sessions might be the difference between getting injured and having months of uninterrupted training. 

Solo training race

You don’t need company to have a race. With everyone wearing a GPS watch and the world of Strava, you can be having virtual races all the time.

It normally starts as an easy pace but half way though to notice you’re on for a good average pace or a new PB for this loop. At first you ignore it. It’s an easy run, you’re well rested, just take it slow. Then the average pace drops again. It’s race time.

Before you know it you’re in a progression run and your easy 45 minutes is going to be a 36 minute 10k. Hammer time. 

Strava

Strava takes it a step further. I wouldn’t suggest that everyone reading this is a #StravaWanker who researches local segments to go “crush”, but every time you upload you see where they are. Your regular loop has regular segments. 

It’s good to see your own progression over months and years. It’s less beneficial to see it as a competition every time you step out the door and then charge up your favourite hill. These solo training races can leave you exhausted.

The middle ground

What training racing can leave you at risk of is doing all your running in the middle ground. Everything is ‘steady’ or ‘average’. Scientists like Stephen Seiler in Norway have highlighted the importance of polarisation in training.

The biggest difference between elite and non-elite runners wasn’t mileage, pace or hours, it was polarisation. 

The whole 80/20 theory championed by the like of Matt Fitzgerald come from Seiler and other’s work. 80% of your running should be easy and the other 20% at a high intensity.

Do too much in a mile ground between these two and you don’t get either right. You never really get enough easy running in, nor do you get the best out of yourself in the higher intensity sessions. 

Training races are the perfect place to go too hard for your session. Every session should have a purpose and if that’s to go a bit steadier then invite your half stepping mates. If it’s an easy recovery then maybe run solo.

And remember. We all know a training racer. If you can’t think of one, then you are one. Take it easy.

The post Are you a training racer? appeared first on Fast Running.

It’s been a big two weeks. Really big. In terms of training, but also because I got to marry the wonderful Natalie White whilst surrounded by friends and family in the Chamonix valley. Not surprisingly that was a rest day, but my legs got a bit of a workout on the dance floor.

So how is life as a married man? Not much different really, just seems the volumes picked up a little in training and I don’t think that’s related.

Fitting training in around a big life event like a wedding wasn’t easy, but it was doable with a bit of planning. Coach Tom Craggs also front loaded the week a little as we knew it might be a little busy. The beer kilometre race on the Sunday was a good little interval workout too.

Enough about our wedding though, you’re here for some running chatter.

Should marathon pace feel easy?

The one thing that I’ve started to notice more and more is that my goal marathon pace of 5:40-43/mile still feels pretty tough. Running at that pace isn’t impossible, but it certainly doesn’t feel like my “marathon pace” yet.

So should marathon pace ever feel easy? If it felt like I could run 26.2 miles at that pace now, still six weeks out from race day, would my target be a little too soft?

With plenty of big sessions and key long runs to come, I’m certainly feeling fitter, but it isn’t the quality sessions that this comes through in, it’s the easy runs. Ticking over at a comfortable easy effort is suddenly getting a little quicker. That’s a good sign I hear.

The sessions are getting quicker, but feeling harder too. This is likely down to the fact I’m in a bulky part of my marathon training, otherwise referred to as ‘the grind’.

Wise words

There are plenty of people out there with better marathon experience than I so I reached out for advice. The wise words come in from all directions.

“With the volume of training you’re doing in the peak weeks nothing will feel easy” said 2:27 marathoner Paul Navesey. “Imagine you’re doing the last 20-25km of your marathon as you’ll be starting the race on fresh legs. You certainly shouldn’t have fresh legs now.”

“It’ll come, don’t worry” were the first thing 2:19 runner Carl Hardman said. “I remember going out for a five or six mile tempo early in the build up and being 10 seconds off marathon pace. I thought “how the f**k am I going to get around this marathon when I can’t even hit MP”. Then in one session it clicks and all is forgotten”. 

The coach just says that “little by little we’re nudging towards where we want to be” and that’s a key point.

There is no magical marathon session that gets you ready, but weeks and weeks, month and months of solid, consistent work get you to that start line ready. Patience is key.

A little help from my friends

In recent weeks I’ve been fortunate to have friends help out on some of these tougher sessions: Majell Backhausen, my wife Nats, Ben Riddell and Tom Payn have either kept me company, kept me honest or just shown me how fast a road runner can go. 

The power of the group is something that comes through a lot when reading about running fast. Whether it’s American colleges, the running community in Iten or just groups of runners working together across the UK, having others around to push you is a good thing. 

This is one of the reasons Valencia marathon was an easy choice for a goal marathon. The depth between 2:25-30 at the Spanish marathon is great, with 40 runners coming in in the five minute gap. This year 23 runners did the same at the much bigger London marathon. 

The goal is to use the groups around, with hopefully a bunch aiming for sub 2:30, to achieve my best on the day. Some people train well and race badly, but I’m definitely the other way round, finding a little something extra on race day.

So what is next

Coming up are some bigger weeks still, with key sessions and races mixed in with a few races. The Lausanne half marathon, Geneva 10k and Martigny’s seven kilometre night race are all good markers of where I’m at. They could be a good confidence boost if they go well, but good experience if not.

Not only will they be fun to race, but also good opportunities to practice race day build up.

Certainly for Lausanne I will prepare my food, rest and everything else in the same way I will for Valencia. Practicing these beforehand might make all the difference on the day.

With a track session of 3 x (1200,1200,400) done today, it’s another great one in the bank. My calves are even starting to get used to the faster work. Kind of.

This next fortnight sees more threshold and steady running built into big weeks. Fuelling and recovery will be really important. 

Hopefully that marathon pace feels easy for at least the first half of Valencia…

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Chasing sub 2:30: Does marathon pace ever start to feel ‘easy’? appeared first on Fast Running.

When we think of accountability in running it’s usually part of the coach-athlete relationship. You have a training plan that’s been set and you know that if you skip that session, without good reason, you’re letting someone down. Another person who has put in the time and effort to help you become a better runner.

Accountability needn’t just be a negative. Yes, it is extrinsic motivation to get out and run, but allowing ourselves to use this as a technique might actually come from your want to improve.

The coach

So one way this might help a runner is if one has a coach. Not only do they set your training sessions, they also hold you accountable for them. Just downloading a simple 12 week marathon plan off the internet holds you accountable to your actions, especially if you stick it on the fridge.

A coach doesn’t just mean you have to do every session. A good coach is flexible and happy to adapt your plan, but there must be good reason. Knowing that you would have to explain why you skipped that morning workout or missed out on that last rep keeps a runner honest.

Even during a workout you might be thinking about extending that recovery or forget to pace correctly from the start. Knowing that you’re accountable to someone else not only gets you out the door, but can make you conscientious about your session too.

This Monday, after a fantastic, but tiring weekend, the only time to get a session done was early. The alarm goes and it really isn’t the shrill ringing that makes me jump to my feet, well, crawl out of bed, but the thought that Tom Craggs has decided this is what needs to be done to get in sub 2:30 shape this December.

The friends

It needn’t just be a coach that keeps you on the straight and narrow. Also this Monday I shuffled to a friend’s door and knocked. It was still dark outside, but he’d asked me to let him know if I was going running. Whereas I wouldn’t have gone if it were not for the coaching plan, Majell would’t have run if it weren’t for the friend waiting at the door.

Training together isn’t just good for company and hard sessions. It can be the kickstart you need to actually start the run too. Organise a time the day before and you will make sure you’re up in time, especially as the winter months kick in and running late might freeze your mate.

The same works with core sessions and signing up for races. Talk to your running mates about it and take the leap together. Anyone want to sign up for Valencia marathon? Commit to three core sessions a week, even if you’re not living nearby, and make sure you check in on each other.

Even just halfway round an interval or on a long rep, just knowing a friend is in front of or behind you keeps you honest.

Social media

Hold yourself accountable online too. It might just be a Facebook post when you sign up or a tweet every time you go for a run, but there are literally thousands of people who can keep you working hard. Work with them!

Not all blogs are about people reading them, but also as an outlet for the individual too. If you set yourself a weekly or fortnightly challenge to update the wider world (or even just the 17 people who follow you on Twitter) then you know you have to do the running in between or have a good reason.

Communities like #UkRunChat or the ultra running community on Facebook can be a great support network. Find out who else is signed up for the same race and help each other, even if you live at opposite ends of the country or even the world.

My club, the North Norfolk Beach Runners, has a FB messenger group for the club session. It’s often a place for laughing and joking about, but weekly sessions and long runs are posted there too. Race results are congratulated and you have a great bunch of people supporting you to keep you accountable too.

The club

It doesn’t just have to be on social media that you connect with your club (unless you live in a different country) but also at club nights, road relays and cross country events.

If you know you’re in for the team events then it will keep you working hard at Track Tuesday and getting up early to get that easy run in. The Round Norfolk Relay this September made sure my marathon training kicked off early as I didn’t want to let my club mates down.

Again you can just check who’s dong the same races and team up together. A Sunday long run, when you’re both trying to break three hours at a spring marathon, becomes a key part of your journey.

Having someone else enjoying the same highs and lows of the marathon journey keeps you accountable too. Excuses sound better to the person making them and if you say them to a peer, they’ll know if you’re being honest.

The family

Last, but by no means least, is the family. Remember that they’re supporting you and often take great pride and inspiration in your running. Your partner, parents or children all want you to do well, but might sacrifice a few things themselves so you can go running.

If you remember this in the tougher moments, imagine them asking you why you missed that session to go out with your friends or get a bit more sleep. We’re not saying balance isn’t necessary and sometimes you need more sleep or a night off, but when you want some motivation to dig deep, let your family hold you accountable too.

Tell them you’re heading out in the morning or how far you have to run this weekend (although be wary of talking about running too much). Kids are great at calling you out when you’re not true to your word. They’re great motivators.

Accountability to yourself

It isn’t always about dragging your tired body on a run though. Remember to remain accountable to yourself too. Check that you’re not overdoing it and you get enough recovery.

You’re often the one who really knows if you’re pushing too hard and you owe it to yourself to listen to your body. If you ignore it then eventually it will hold you accountable for that too.

RELATED: Chasing sub 2:30 – Robbie Britton’s blog keeping him accountable

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post How accountability can make you a better runner appeared first on Fast Running.

Since announcing on Fast Running my goal of running under two hours and thirty minutes for the Valencia marathon in December the advice has been plentiful.

It’s mostly been about not taking my hiking poles to the super flat Spanish marathon, but some has been useful.

Specificity

The specificity of marathon training has meant many more flat miles. Living in Chamonix, France, is fantastic for mountain running but the vert-less options are limited. The wonderful track is 300m long and the one mile Valencia loop has been christened. They are already close friends. 

Working with Tom Craggs we are both learning about marathon training in the hills. From the front door, there isn’t more than a few hundred metres without a hill. The local carpark is great for drills and strides though and finding a hill for short 8-10 second sprints is easy enough. Long runs need imagination. 

In previous years the Round Norfolk Relay (RNR) is a club experience at the end of the mountain season for me. Every year my legs doth protest that they are not ready for the roads. The conditioning needed for miles and miles of rolling Norfolk tarmac is hard to come by in the Alps, but this year I hoped it would be different. 

Instead of coming straight from the mountains to the road, there have already been several flat sessions in the bank. Strangely seven miles of tempo running at 5:45s hurt my legs a whole lot more than 100km of Polish mountains, but the body always needs to adapt to new challenges.

The key sessions before the 19.7 mile leg of the relay this year certainly made a difference. Instead of third or fourth on my stage, a win was possible. It might only have been flat six-minute miles, but the 1:45am start time might have a slight effect on speed too. 

The difference felt like efficiency. In years gone past the gait would become more labourer as the miles ticked past, rather than the lungs or energy levels dipping. The fitness was always there, but the legs just weren’t prepared. 

Comfortable being uncomfortable

Another element of marathon running is being comfortable in discomfort for over two hours. Marathon pace certainly feels easy enough at the start and doesn’t hit you like a bus if done right, but discomfort certainly builds.

In the mountains, you always know there’s a hill to hike up soon, or a downhill to cruise down. The effort may well be consistent but the stress on the body and mind changes constantly. 

In marathon running, you get to that place. Where it hurts, you’re working hard, but it’s just about achievable. You want to slow down but know that you can continue if you choose to. You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable.

This thought kept running through my mind in the second half of my stage. Dodging the surprising amount of roadkill on the beautiful A1066, keeping a consistently high effort starts to get harder past 14 or 15 miles. Maybe even 12 or 13 miles. The mind wants you to forget. 

Yet the thought of relishing the opportunity to hurt kept me going. Thinking of form, fuelling and chasing the clubs ahead. Head up, arms driving back, jump over that pheasant. 

The plan for RNR was to finish strong, to up it a gear. Finding a that “critical power” level for a marathon is important and the drive to the finish for my club is clear from the Strava HR data below. If Valencia looks a little like this, maybe a bit higher throughout, then I’ll be happy.

Getting used to the pace

And then the thought of running 20 seconds a mile quicker, for longer, comes to mind. Marathon pace keeps popping up in training. Sure, I can run at 5:40s, my half marathon time can attest to that. Yet it doesn’t yet feel like marathon pace.

Such is the patience needed. Nine weeks to go still. You wouldn’t even want to be ready yet, but that doesn’t stop a little panic in the mind. Should I be working hard to hit that exact pace or just doing the work at the right effort?

The big question is really how much difference it makes doing your workouts on a 300m track? I like to think it’s worth two to three seconds a lap, with all those small bends. Doing 400m reps you actually have three bends on most of the efforts. Maybe it’s worth five or six seconds a lap… only kidding.

The real tests are still ahead. Taking to the roads for the Lausanne half marathon at the end of October will be a marker for progress and road running on a flat, fast surface that isn’t above 1000m of altitude. Full of excuses aren’t I?

Finding fast

The legs keep responding well though. Aches and pains are a little different to the mountains, but that could be because I’m falling over less. The easy runs still see me getting onto trails and hiking up some hills, but hopefully, the conditioning from the long runs and hard sessions is enough.

Each week you feel the sessions past making you stronger. The joy of hitting a session spot on becomes easier to achieve and that memory of being a road runner starts coming back. I’m starting to feel like a 24hr runner again, that efficient shuffle on flat ground returning.

The next two weeks hold some big days, not least Nats and I’s wedding in a couple weekend’s time. The blocks of marathon pace get bigger and bigger and hopefully start to feel a little easier. Watching Kipchoge’s marathon record he never really looked to be striving, so hopefully, that will come. I can certainly smile as much as the big man, just not run as fast…

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Chasing sub 2:30: Getting comfortable with uncomfortable appeared first on Fast Running.

Throughout his build-up to the Valencia Marathon, Robbie Britton will share details about his training, and the trials and tribulations as he attempts to find some leg speed to break 2 hours 30 minutes.

Along the journey, the ultra distance international will be assisted by Running with Us coach Tom Craggs, Sports Dietician Renee McGregor and other experts in the field of endurance running. Every fortnight Britton will update us in his progress, and hurdles on the road to Valencia.

In this first blog, he talks about his motivation for turning to the roads and why everyone should challenge themselves within their running.

What doesn’t kill you…

Whenever you say you’re a long distance runner people always ask “what is your marathon time?”. The circumstances don’t matter (it was a hot day in Chennai, India and I had the s***s). It’s just the numbers that count. 2:59 isn’t a bad marathon time, but it’s far from what’s possible. It’s definitely not the best I have in me.

Yet every year the world of ultra marathons throws up new challenges. New races emerge, the temptation to keep doing what you’re good at and hide away from empirical evidence of your own ability is there. If I race an event in some far flung country, that no one has heard of, then no one will know just how quick the result is.

With the marathon there is no hiding. Generations before have tried and tested the ultimate long distance event. Everyone in the 1980s runs under 2:30 just in training.

Finding speed

Often discussed is the relevance of marathon times in ultra running. Several have said to me that it just doesn’t matter. It has no relevance. What a load of rubbish!

Whilst the marathon PBs of the runners on an ultra distance start line might not determine the finishing position of the runners, it does signify each runner’s potential.

If you have a greater physiological ability then you can be a better ultra runner. Yes, I have beaten many a faster marathoner over 100 miles or 24 hours, but surely a faster Robbie would beat me (and I don’t just mean Robbie Simpson).

Hence we find ourselves reading a blog about my journey to Valencia Marathon. Working alongside my friend Tom Craggs, who has taken on the task of getting some road speed into these ultra distance mountain legs, I hope to document the challenges that lie ahead on this journey.

The aim is to break 2:30 and, in the process, become a better ultra runner. Increase my potential at every start line. The other main factors that determine ultra running ability, pacing, eating, drinking, are all things I’m happy with. So let’s increase the speed.

The journey begins

With a comfortable win at the Gorce 102km race in Poland in August, my mind was satisfied to get into marathon training. The final mountain race of the season, the 40km MCC of the UTMB festival, was seen as a long run in the process, if a little unsuitable. I’ll never race easy, so it wasn’t like I wouldn’t give it my best.

Tom Craggs is on the same MSc Performanc Coaching as I at the University of Stirling, so I have seen his fastidious, diligent approach to coaching and wanted to improve my own knowledge by working with someone who knew the marathon world inside out. As an ultra distance coach, I don’t coach marathon runners, but my athletes often want to try a marathon for similar reasons as I do, so it is a good opportunity to learn.

Using the Training Peaks platform, Tom has started setting my training. Living in a place without any flat running from the door means we have to adapt a little, so flatter trails down the valley will have to do.

First comes the speed

The first thing Tom wants me to work on is the leg speed. This sounded like it was going to hurt. Never before has a session included so little volume. Surely this was a typo? 3 x (3 x 200m) and 10 x 150m sounded like a sprinter’s workout? There was even some 6 x 80m hill efforts on some days.

Before we got into the bulky marathon sessions, my coach wanted me to get faster. Improving the leg speed would make the 5:40min marathon pace seem more comfortable. Apparently.

Never did I imagine how exhausted I would be after these shorter sessions. A 40 minute uphill tempo never left me as exhausted as the 1800m worth of efforts in that first track session. Do something that is out of your comfort zone and you’ll see some of the biggest improvements. That’s what I told myself when the burn set in each lap.

The muscles took a little convincing, but each time they seem happier with the workouts. The 300m reps are great on Chamonix’s 300m track, Takes a little bit of thinking out and you can always tell yourself you’d be faster on a normal 400m loop. There’s just a lot more time on the straights, not those pesky bends.

What comes next

After the speed, comes the speed endurance. The reps will start to get longer, 800m, 1km and maybe even more. Loops will be the flavour of the season as there isn’t much in the way of flat running in the valley. It can help to have your tried and tested loops though.

A one-mile loop near a friend’s house will be a major part of preparation too. Not only because said friend, Ben Riddell, is faster than me, so a great rabbit for hard sessions. Gauging improvement and getting used to the accelerated pace will be a large part of the next few months.

Fitting some races in too will hopefully help. This weekend is the annual Round Norfolk Relay, where I will be running a 19.4 mile leg for my club, the North Norfolk Beach Runners. Normally this is done solely on mountain legs so it will be interesting to have some road mileage in beforehand this year.

Then there will be events like Lausanne Half, Geneva 10k and maybe even a parkrun or two. Racing can be a great way to see your progression, but also great fun too. I run because I love it and the motivation might be a little harder on the roads this autumn.

Focusing on improvements, shorter races and the longer term goals will help keep motivation high throughout this training block. Writing a blog alongside should help too. Or at least provide some laughs.

Robbie is sponsored by Odlo, Profeet Sports Lab and Precision Hydration. If you want to follow his training chasing sub 2:30 you can also see it here on Strava or the highs and lows of Twitter and Instagram.

Are you a fan of Fast Running? Then please support us and become a patreon. For as little as the price of a monthly magazine you can support Fast Running – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

The post Chasing sub 2:30 at the Valencia Marathon appeared first on Fast Running.