In the build-up to my first marathon, I’ve faced a lot of the common challenges associated with long-distance running. When you scale up to 14+ miles, peaking in your final long run before the full marathon distance, you put your body through an enormous amount of...
It’s been a rollercoaster ride since my last marathon training update. As part of my training plan, I’d built it around two key dates: The Portsmouth Coastal Half Marathon and the Hampton Court Half Marathon. They were the two key fixtures I wanted to aim...
By Claire Donnelly. This is the unplanned sequel to the last blog I did for Vivi. Unplanned because I signed up for the Prudential Surrey 100 with the confidence that I wouldn’t actually have to do it. It’s the end of summer 2017, my Mizen to Malin cycle in Ireland is...
As my marathon training has started getting more serious, I’ve been thinking. The last run I did (17k – just over 10 miles) was not enjoyable in any way. It was a battle from about 3k onwards. But I realised during it that sometimes you will have these...
Thinking about where I was this time last year, it’s mad to think how different my goals are this year. To start with, being what I’d call a non-runner, I never thought I’d be training for a marathon. I’m not there yet, but my running has come...
In my last post, I had just PB’d the Great South Run. It should have been the perfect platform for stepping up a level and ending the year in good running shape. Alas, that was not to be. A few short runs in November, and suddenly my plan to maintain (at a...
