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

A Sensible Sort of Run Today’s run was another base run—steady, controlled, and, in theory, uneventful. With the London Marathon now looming on the horizon like a particularly large and judgmental storm cloud, it was just over an hour at a sensible pace. Setting off from The Math School, I took the familiar route into Borstal, over the Medway Bridge and down into Strood. The morning air was crisp but not biting, the sort of temperature that makes running feel effortless for the first few miles before reality inevitably sets in. The sun was just beginning to stretch its golden fingers across the sky, casting long shadows over the Medway and for a brief, blissful moment, everything felt in balance—me, the road and the world. The Medway Bridge is a familiar landmark by now, its structure a comforting signpost in my training, marking the transition from Medway into the heart of Rochester and Strood. There’s something reassuring about that rhythm, the steady pattern of footfalls against the...

Running Through the Ache Another day, another run, another quiet mutiny from my lower back. I knew today wasn’t going to be a heroic effort, but determination outranks comfort when it comes to marathon training. I’ve done my research and as long as the pain isn’t making me see my ancestors or forcing me to adopt a new and permanent sideways gait, I can keep going. I set off with a plan—nothing too ambitious, just a steady run to keep my legs moving and my training ticking over. The first half wasn’t too bad, though I could feel the ever-present stiffness lurking in the background like an officious administrator waiting for an opportunity to hand me some very inconvenient paperwork. But by the time I reached the second half, my back decided it had quite enough of this nonsense and staged a small but effective rebellion. Every stride felt a little heavier, every movement required more thought than it should and the idea of stopping became increasingly appealing. Still, I pressed on. Not ...