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

  Well, well, well, it's day 16 of my London Marathon 2023 training and let me tell you, it was bloody freezing out there today! I'm talking minus 3.5 degrees Celsius, so cold that I had to wear my neck scarf over my face! I even had to steal my wife's hat to keep my ears warm. Now, I know some of you may be thinking, 'Oh, it's just a bit cold, it's nothing.' But let me tell you, when you're trying to push your body to its limits, the last thing you want is to be feeling like an ice lolly. Anyway, moving on to today's session. I thought it was going to be the usual intervals session of 4 x 5 minutes heart rate zone 4 with 1:30 rest. But as I got to the school gates at the end of the final interval, my trusty old Garmin Fenix 6s Pro beeped at me, and upon looking down, it told me that I had a FIFTH 5-minute run to complete! Coupled with the intense cold, this was a real challenge as I don't like having to run past my finishing point. But, I'm ...

  Day 15 of my London Marathon 2023 training and it was a most welcome rest day today, I tell you! After the hard runs at the weekend and a 90 minute run yesterday, my body was in need of a bit of a break. But, with tomorrow's forecast calling for a downright chilly -3 degrees Celsius in Rochester, my mind is already focused on preparing for the bracing run ahead. I'll be donning my warmest gear for this one, including my trusty hat and gloves. And who knows, there could even be some snow! But, I won't let a little bit of cold weather dampen my spirits. I'll be out there, braving the elements and sticking to my training schedule come rain, shine, or snow. I know that the hardships of training are what make the accomplishment of running the marathon that much sweeter. And let's be honest, who doesn't love a bit of a challenge? After all, if it was easy, everyone would do it, wouldn't they? So, if you're also training for a marathon, or any other big event...

  Day 14 of my London Marathon 2023 training journey was a long run day, and I decided to spend my 90 minutes on an out-and-back route in the direction of Faversham along the A2. The route took me through Bapchild, Teynham and Norton before I returned home. The run was quite challenging, as it was difficult to maintain my zone 2 heart rate. I found that the tiredness caused by a little less sleep from watching the Jaguars beat the Chargers in the NFL playoffs put my heart under a little more stress than usual. I didn't realise that lack of sleep could affect your heart rate like that, but it's something to keep in mind for the future. My wife suggested that my blog would be more interesting if I posted a picture of myself, so this time, I have a mid-run photo of me standing in front of some sheep. It's a reminder of the beautiful countryside that I get to run through on my training journey. Overall, it was a tough but rewarding run, and I'm looking forward to continuing...

 Today was intervals day for me and let me tell you, it was a bit of a blustery one. I was running into the wind for most of the way and it felt like I was trying to run through a hurricane. But, as they say, what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? The intervals consisted of 4x5-minute hard runs in heart rate zone 4 with a 2-minute recovery in between. I was feeling good, pushing myself and getting into the zone. But then, something strange happened with my trusty Garmin Fenix 6s Pro. It started beeping at me and upon looking down, it said I was in heart rate zone 6 with a heart rate of 195! I immediately checked to make sure I wasn't in fact dead, but thankfully I was still alive and well. I quickly took my watch off, wiped it on my shirt and popped it back on. After a few seconds, it seemed to be working fine again. I was relieved that the problem was resolved, but it did make me wonder what caused the issue in the first place. It's possible that the watch may ha...

  Today marked day 12 of my London Marathon 2023 training journey and I must say, the rest day was most welcome. After a late night at the hospital with my daughter Polly, my legs were feeling like they had run a marathon themselves. But fear not, my trusty running shoes will be back on and ready for action tomorrow. I will also look forward to the extra couple of hours in bed tonight as Saturdays mean no 5:15am alarm call! Tomorrow has intervals back on the menu. I can already feel my lungs begging for mercy and my legs pleading for a break. But, I remind myself that the end goal is worth all the pain and suffering. And let's not forget, the delicious post-marathon treats that await me at the finish line. As if that isn't challenging enough, this Sunday's schedule includes a 90-minute run. It's a long haul, but I'll power through and remind myself that every step brings me closer to the finish line. So far, this journey has been a rollercoaster of emotions, but the...

  It's been a tough day, to say the least. My training schedule is demanding, and I have been pushing myself to the limit to achieve my goals. However, today was a day that I didn't expect and couldn't have prepared for. My daughter, Polly, fell ill unexpectedly and required a trip to the hospital. It was a worrying time, and I spent several hours with her in the long wait to be seen. Polly was seen by the doctors and was prescribed medication. She's happy and cheery, despite feeling unwell, which is a relief. She is doing well and will make a speedy recovery. Despite the unexpected interruption, I did manage to fit in my recovery session earlier in the day. The plan had me running for 30 minutes in heart rate zone 2, which is a low-intensity workout designed to aid recovery after a hard workout. This was followed by 30 minutes on the stationary bike, which is also a low-intensity workout that helps to increase blood flow and promote recovery. I have to admit, it was a ...

  Day 10 of my London Marathon 2023 training blog and things are hotting up! Today was all about intervals, as I set out to tackle 4 x 5-minute hard runs in heart rate zone 4, with a 1:30-minute rest in between. Now, I won't lie, interval training is no walk in the park (even though I'm training for a marathon, ha!). It's tough work pushing yourself to keep in zone 4, but as they say, no pain, no gain! As I set out on my run, I made sure to keep my goal in mind: to try and run up hills as much as possible. Lucky for me, Rochester has plenty of hills to choose from! It's all part of the training to make sure I'm ready for whatever inclines the London Marathon route may throw my way. I must admit, by the end of the session, my legs were feeling it. But that's all part of the process, right? I knew exactly what I needed to do when I got home: a nice relaxing salt bath. Nothing beats a warm bath after a hard training session. It's the perfect way to soothe thos...

Day 9 of my London Marathon 2023 training blog and I have to say, that 5:15am start is getting harder and harder each time. Especially when you finish work at 9pm the night before, like I did. It's like my body is telling me, "Erm, remember that thing called sleep? You should probably try that more often." But, when you have a goal as big as running the London Marathon, sacrifices have to be made, right? Today's training run took me back to Rochester, and it was a pretty straightforward 45-minute run in heart rate zone 2. Although, I have to admit, there were a couple of difficult moments. My school is located at the top of a hill, and let me tell you, running down it into Rochester is easy. The problem comes when you want to run back up it. It's like the hill is taunting you, saying "You thought you were done with me? Oh no, we're just getting started." But, I pushed through, and I'm proud to say that I made it back to the top without stopping t...

  Today was another rest day, which was fortunate as it was a long day at work starting at 7am and finishing at 9pm. I was grateful to have the chance to take it easy and give my body some extra time to recover. Rest days are as ever, an important part of any training plan and I will continue to make sure to include them in my schedule to ensure that I don't overexert myself and risk injury. Monday is also weigh-in day for me, and while I am not using my marathon training to specifically target any particular weight, I was happy to see that I weighed in at 115kg today. This is a loss of 3kg from last week, or about 7 pounds in imperial units. It's always encouraging to see progress, and I am committed to continuing to work towards my health and fitness goals. Tomorrow will be a return to running, and I am looking forward to getting back out on the pavement and putting in some miles. I'll be pounding the pavements of Rochester once again, and I am eager to see how my trainin...

  Today's long run was definitely an interesting one. I set out on my 75-minute run with my trusty running buddy Polly in the buggy, and overall it was a pretty good run. The weather was great (only a tiny bit of rain) and the scenery was beautiful, but I have to admit that the run left me feeling ravenous afterwards! I practically inhaled a post-run jacket potato and still found myself wanting more food throughout the rest of the day. I guess that's just the price you pay for burning all those calories on the run. Speaking of burning calories, I made sure to track my run using my Garmin Fenix 6s Pro watch to see just how far I went and how many calories I burned. It's always interesting to see the data after a run and see how my performance is improving over time. I also made sure to stretch after my run today to help prevent any muscle strains or injuries. It only takes 5 minutes before showering, so thinking that you don't have enough time is not an excuse. Stretchin...

  Day 6 of my London Marathon training was an experiment in fartlek training. For those unfamiliar, fartlek is a type of running workout where you mix periods of hard running with periods of easy running, all based on your own internal clock. It's a great way to mix things up and keep your body guessing, but it can also be a bit intimidating for someone like me who likes structure and a clear plan. My fartlek run was a 45-minute affair, and I have to admit, it was tough. It was difficult to know when to push myself harder and when to ease off, especially when I was starting to tire. I ended up using my Garmin Fenix 6s to monitor my heart rate and make sure I wasn't pushing too hard. It was a bit of a compromise, but it helped me get through the run. Overall, I'm still on the fence about fartlek training. On one hand, it's nice to have a bit of variety in my workouts. But on the other hand, I do like having a clear plan and being told exactly what to do and when to do it...

Hello there! Welcome back to my London Marathon 2023 training blog. Today was a much-needed rest day for me, and I have to admit that I took full advantage by sleeping through my alarm until a rather leisurely 6:30am. I'm sure many of you can relate to the struggle of trying to pull yourself out of bed early in the morning, especially when you have a busy schedule and so much to do. But eventually, I managed to battle through the Rochester traffic and start my day. Now, I know what you might be thinking: "Why on earth do you need a rest day if you're training for a marathon?" Well, let me tell you, rest days are just as important as those long, gruelling runs and speed workouts. Your body needs time to recover and rebuild after all the hard work you put it through. Training for a marathon is no easy feat, and it's important to listen to your body and give it the rest it needs. Skipping rest days can lead to burnout and even injury, and nobody wants that. So far, I...

Today was day 4 of my London Marathon 2023 training program, and I had a solid 45-minute cross-training session on the stationary bike. Now, I'm not going to sugarcoat it - stationary bikes can be pretty dull. There's only so much you can do to mix things up, and let's be honest, they're just not as fun as a spin class and getting up out of the saddle is almost impossible. But I made it through the session and am feeling good about my progress. I kept my heart rate in zone 1 for the duration of the workout, and while it may not have been the most challenging session, I was still able to get in a good workout. It's important to listen to your body and train at the right intensity for your fitness level, and heart rate zone 1 is a great place to start. Overall, I'm feeling good about my progress so far. I'm starting to build up my endurance and strength, and I'm noticing small improvements in my performance. I'm excited to see what the next few weeks o...

Day 3 of my London Marathon training is in the books, and let me tell you, it was a tough one. As a 36-year-old maths teacher, waking up at 5:15am is no easy feat, especially when it's still pitch black outside and I can hear the rain pounding against the window. But I knew it was necessary to get my training in before work. The run itself was an intervals session, consisting of 4 x 4 minutes in heart rate zone 4 with a 1:30 minute recovery in between. I was running near my work in Rochester, and the terrain was a mix of slippery downhill sections and some tough flat and uphill sections. It was like my legs were saying "Maths is hard, running is hard, can we just go back to bed?". But despite the difficulties, I found the run to be quite hard but also incredibly rewarding. I know that pushing myself during these early training stages will pay off in the long run.  In addition to the physical challenges of the run, I also need to focus on my nutrition. Proper nutrition is ...

Day two of my training for the London Marathon 2023 was a 40-minute run in heart rate zone 2. It was challenging to maintain this lower level, as I naturally wanted to run faster. However, I'm aware of the risks of overtraining and the importance of following a training plan. At times, it was difficult to gauge how hard I should be pushing myself, so it was helpful to check my Garmin Fenix 6s Pro to see when I could increase my pace or when I needed to slow down to stay within zone 2. Training in heart rate zone 2 can be very beneficial for marathon training for several reasons. It helps you build endurance by running at a lower intensity for longer periods of time, which can help develop the stamina needed for a marathon. It also improves your aerobic fitness, which is crucial for endurance running. Additionally, training in heart rate zone 2 can help you recover more quickly from your workouts, allowing you to train consistently and avoid overtraining. I expect to spend a lot of ...

Hello everyone! Today marks the first day of my London Marathon training journey and I'm excited to document my progress and share my experiences with all of you. I started off my training with some cross-training on the indoor bike for 40 minutes. I tracked my workout using my Garmin Fenix 6s Pro watch and uploaded the data to Garmin Connect. I'm really enjoying using the platform to keep track of my workouts and stay on track with my training plan. For 2019, I didn't have anything that tracked my heart rate and I found that I often went out to fast on any training run, meaning that I usually ran out of steam. As you can see from the graph, I did manage to keep a steady heart rate of around 120 bpm. I really struggled to get my heart rate much higher on the bike without my arms and shoulders hurting - slightly weird but I suppose I was doing all I could just to hang on to the bike! Speaking of my training plan, I'm following a marathon training plan provided by Garmin ...