"London Marathon 2025: Getting in Shape Again for the Ultimate Running Challenge!"

A Well-Earned Rest (and a Lot of Pizza) Last night, I took the advice of my friend Paul Harris and did something revolutionary: I put my feet up and ate pizza. A full 14-inch pizza, in fact, inhaled at a speed that would make a competitive eater nod approvingly. I can confirm that this was excellent training—though not for running. That said, it seemed to do me some good, as I slept well and woke up feeling refreshed. With Polly’s football not on this morning, I had the rare luxury of a slow start and the freedom to choose an afternoon run. Anaerobic Adventures and an Unexpected Twinge Today's session was an anaerobic workout featuring 10 x 40-second efforts at a pace that could best be described as “uncomfortably enthusiastic.” It was certainly faster than my 5k speed, probably closer to a 1-mile effort—otherwise known as “the pace you regret after 200 metres.” Each burst was followed by a three-minute recovery, during which I permitted myself a little walking to get my heart rate...

A Morning Without the Cockerel’s Call A welcome lie-in graced Day 15 of my London Marathon 2025 training. The luxury of waking up at 8 am on a Saturday—rather than the usual pre-dawn scramble—felt like a rare indulgence. Perhaps it was the marathon gods’ way of reminding me that balance is as crucial as discipline. There’s a unique comfort in having time to sip your morning coffee whilst assessing the frost outside, instead of gulping it down like a hurried apology. The Great Easthall No-Go By the time I ventured out at 11 am, the icy grip of winter had not loosened its hold. The nearby Great Easthall pond, usually a picture of serene ripples, was a frozen expanse—a perfect metaphor for my reluctance to leave the warmth of home. Any thoughts of testing my winter courage on the ice were swiftly vetoed. If my training plan suggested a base run, it clearly did not include a re-enactment of a 19th-century polar expedition. A Steady Pace in the Chill The training plan’s wisdom prevailed, an...