It’s been a busy few months since lining up at the Valencia 10k back in January, and a lot of the focus has been on stepping up to the demands of marathon training.
I’ve just wrapped up a six-week specific block out in Colorado Springs, which has probably been one of the most consistent periods of training I’ve had in a while. Last week, I hit my longest ever run at 24 miles, which is a milestone in itself, and a sign of how much things have shifted towards the marathon. It was only a short few years ago that I would class 12 miles as a long run - how times have changed!
If I’m being honest, the training has been… well, pretty average. Nothing that’s blown me away, but equally, no disasters. And in marathon prep, that might not be a bad thing.
Last year felt very different. I’d have sessions where everything clicked and I’d surprise myself, but then I’d also have days that were properly bad. This time around, it’s been much more steady - higher mileage, more consistent weeks, and I’ve added back in heavy gym work for the first time in about three years.
That’s probably come with a bit of trade-off. My legs have definitely felt more fatigued, and I don’t feel quite as sharp as I did when I was more focused on the 5k and 10k. But marathon training is a different game. The volume is higher, and you have to accept that you won’t always feel quick. I’m hoping that consistency will count for more than the occasional standout session when it comes to race day.
One of the challenges has been to avoid comparing myself too much to my form in previous years. It’s easy to look at splits or session times and feel like you’re not quite hitting the same level, but the context is completely different. The load is higher, the fatigue is constant, and the goal is much bigger. It’s about trusting that all of the work is building towards something, even if it doesn’t always feel like it in the moment!
Heading into the London Marathon, the main goal is simple - run a personal best.
London is a unique race. The elite women’s field is relatively small, which means there’s a good chance of running large parts of it, or even all of the race, solo. Like I did last year. That brings its own mental challenge, so a lot of the preparation is about being ready for that scenario!
Of course, I’d love to dip under 2:20, but I’m realistic about how tough London can be as a course and as a race environment. It might be a goal better suited to later in the year, but it’s still something in the back of my mind.
I don’t expect the race itself to feel massively different from last year, but I do think I’ll approach it differently. The first time around, everything was new, from the media commitments, the attention in the build-up, even just being in London and surrounded by the race hype for days beforehand. It was all amazing, but also a bit overwhelming. I felt like I was stuck in the marathon bubble for nearly a week, and it definitely drained me of some nervous energy before I even got to the start line. This year, I know what’s coming. I’m hoping to feel a bit calmer, a bit more in control, and ultimately a bit more confident.
The biggest takeaway from my last marathon is pretty simple: fuel and hydrate properly.
Last year was warm - over 20 degrees - and I didn’t take on enough fluids or electrolytes. I ended up cramping far earlier than I should have, which made for a tough day! It’s something we’ve really focused on this time around, along with increasing my fuel intake during the race. It’s not the most glamorous part of preparation, but it can make or break your performance!
Now that the altitude block is done, I’ll head to Monte Gordo in Portugal for the final part of my build-up. Shifting back to sea level should help with recovery during the taper and (hopefully) bring a bit more life back into the legs. The focus will be on shorter, sharper sessions - just keeping everything ticking over without overdoing it. It’ll also be nice to have my mum there for a week.
Everything from here is about arriving on the start line healthy, recovered, and ready to give it a good go!
