19 February 2010

Hello and welcome to my marathon diary! As the first Virgin London Marathon fast approaches, I’ll be sharing my training tips and marathon advice in this diary. London is, as Race Director Dave Bedford always says, “the greatest marathon in the world”, and I’m sure this year will be extra special as the first ever Virgin London Marathon, and the 30th London marathon overall.

Anyway, down to business. With just about ten weeks to go, now is a crucial time for building up your endurance by getting plenty of miles in the bank with long runs and a good total volume of training. You might be feeling tired and with race day still some way off, you might be finding it hard to motivate yourself – especially when the weather is cold and the evenings still dark. But hang in there, because now is when the hard work needs to be done. Building up a good aerobic base is essential for the marathon, and there’s no getting away from the need for a good base of endurance.

I’ve just got back from a half-marathon in Marugame, western Japan (see here for more details). This was my first race since last April due to a long injury lay-off. But it’s great to be back racing again. I ran a fast first half, but struggled in the second half so endurance is top of the menu for me too right now. And talking of injuries, make sure you are doing something to prevent injuries from ruining all your hard work in training, for example, having regular massage, an MOT at the Physio, double-checking that your training shoes are in good shape and not too old, or even ice baths! If these things help you to make the start line in one piece, you’ll be glad that you made the effort to keep any nasty injuries at bay!

Looking after yourself is important at this stage too, and that means making sure you’re eating enough carbohydrates and protein, and staying well-hydrated. By doing this you’ll maximize the benefit of your training, and make sure you stay fit & healthy as the marathon approaches.

Must dash to my next training session….until next time.