Day 4: Anaerobic Intervals and New Year's Eve

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An Early Start for a Big Challenge

Day 4 of my London Marathon 2025 training, and here I am, braving the unholy hour of 6:30 am on New Year's Eve for a session of anaerobic intervals. It’s a bit like starting a diet at a buffet—ambitious and faintly ridiculous, but you press on anyway.

The Workout: Intervals That Test Your Limits

After a 15-minute warm-up that mostly involved trying to convince my legs they weren’t still in bed, I launched into the main workout: 5 intervals of 40 seconds running hard at a 4:10 min/km pace. Between these sprints, I took 3-minute recovery periods, walking until my heart rate settled down to something vaguely human before easing into a gentle jog.

The Science of Anaerobic Training

For those unfamiliar, anaerobic exercise is essentially the art of asking your body to produce energy without enough oxygen, relying on the lactic acid system instead. This works by burning carbohydrates in a way that, while efficient, leaves your muscles with that delightful burning sensation, like they’ve been personally insulted. It’s intense, short, and as merciless as a bureaucratic form.

Why It Matters

The fatigue that built up in my legs with each interval was a potent reminder of why this type of training is so crucial. These workouts aren’t about comfort; they’re about forging the ability to push harder and faster—skills that will become invaluable on race day, particularly when “just one more mile” feels like a cruel joke from the universe.

From Running Shoes to Party Hats

Of course, the challenge doesn’t end with the run. The day stretches on, and I’ll be trading trainers for party hats as I juggle my marathon fatigue with hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration. There’s a certain symmetry to it: testing my endurance in the morning and my patience in the evening—a marathon of a different kind. But as I enjoy time with family, I’ll keep one thought in mind: today’s intervals may have been tough, but they’re just a small step toward the even greater challenges ahead.

If I can face a 6:30 am run on New Year’s Eve, surely the rest of this training plan can’t be that bad, right? Right? Oh dear.

Location: Sittingbourne, UK

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