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

With the first day of my Easter holiday finally upon me, you’d be forgiven for assuming I might gently ease into it—perhaps with a cup of coffee, a leisurely scroll through the news, or the kind of lie-in that makes you question whether clocks are even real. But alas, my day began not with rest, but with football. Specifically, Polly’s football, rolling across a cold, early-morning pitch. So, instead of duvet time, I was up, dressed and out of the house before the sun had fully committed to the sky. From the Sidelines to Sequins No sooner had Polly’s session ended and the mud been metaphorically (and quite literally) brushed off, I was back home, getting ready to go back out. Kelly had tickets to ABBA Voyage —a show she’s been eagerly looking forward to—and I had the honour of accompanying her into London. Cue quick shower, fresh clothes and the an on the road snack that makes your digestive system file a complaint. We drove to Stratford, not quite realising we were heading directl...

A  Wise Pause Today was a day of choices, and for once, I made the sensible one. The pain in my back continues its stubborn residency, refusing to move out despite increasingly forceful eviction notices. With an early start required for a Mother’s Day outing for Kelly and the girls at Gulliver's Land in Milton Keynes, resting the back for another day was not just logical but, dare I say, an act of wisdom. The Long Haul to Milton Keynes If there’s one thing a sore back doesn’t appreciate, it’s being folded into a car seat for two hours each way. Milton Keynes may be a marvel of roundabouts and efficiency, but even its best-planned infrastructure can’t offer a shortcut to comfort. Still, it was worth every jolt and judder to spend the day celebrating Kelly and ensuring she was suitably pampered. The Recovery Plan Having survived the drive, tonight’s strategy involves a bath loaded with Radox salts and a thorough application of the massage gun, wielded by an overenthusiastic Kelly. If...

A Late Start and a Leisurely Run Yesterday’s late-night NFL playoff game (Chiefs vs. Texans – not exactly the stuff of legends) allowed for a much-needed lie-in this morning. There’s something delightful about waking up naturally, without the intrusive blare of an alarm clock. By late morning, I was laced up and ready to take on a 40-minute base run towards Teynham. Experimenting with Layers In the spirit of trying new things, I decided to tweak my layering strategy today. A seasoned runner recently advised me to consider wearing one less layer than usual. The rationale? Excessive layers can weigh you down and hinder sweat evaporation. At first, the chill bit at my skin, but as I settled into my stride, the cold melted into insignificance—much like the promises of “just one drink” on an impromptu night out. While I can’t claim any miraculous improvement in performance over the short 40-minute run, it did feel like a step in the right direction. Finding the sweet spot between freezing a...