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

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...

Earned, Not Given After yesterday’s long run and a weekend that could only be described as “character-building” (courtesy of unexpected water damage), I was elated to see that today’s schedule contained the most glorious of words: Rest Day. There are few things in life more satisfying than knowing you’ve worked hard enough to deserve a proper break. It’s the same feeling a wizard might get when, after a long night of incantations and improbable near-death experiences, he realises someone else is now responsible for saving reality. Resting Properly Now, a rest day isn’t just about doing nothing—it’s about doing nothing properly . That meant ensuring, through sheer determination and a bit of tactical delegation, that I had no lingering tasks hanging over me. No surprise marking, no ‘quick jobs’ around the house, and certainly no unexpected DIY disasters sneaking in under the radar. Once I was satisfied that all was in order, I settled into the fine art of relaxation, feet up, cup of tea ...

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...