As I lace up for the Reading Half Marathon, the familiar dance of nerves and excitement takes hold, a feeling I've come to know as 'paranoia.' This episode peels back the curtain on a runner's mind in the throes of pre-race anxiety, balanced with the thrill of an electric finish line ahead. With limited training under my belt due to an untimely injury, I reflect on the mental gymnastics and the physical grind of tapering, all while keeping the carbs coming and my spirits high. Join me as I prepare to face the challenge head-on, honouring the distance, and fueled by the memories of past races that whisper strength with every stride.
The hills we choose to run reveal much about our determination; mine is a notorious slope that demands respect and grit. I recount my battle with it, the muddy treks, and the careful pacing – all while bearing an emotional tie to a path that winds past my late nan's final resting place. This episode isn't just about the miles clocked but the legacy that propels me forward. With each step, I share insights into my training regime the strategic art of listening to my body over technology, and how the paradoxical sluggishness of carbo-loading transforms into race day prowess.
Finally, the starting line is in sight, and it's not just about the run; it's about executing a flawless pre-race ritual. From kit organization to diet deliberation, I open up about the meticulous strategies that help keep the race jitters at bay. The episode traverses the mental landscape of pacing, from ambitious goals to the tactical distraction of mental arithmetic. It's a candid glimpse into the psyche of a runner on the brink of a half marathon – sweat, strategy, and all. So, tie your laces and tune in for a tale of perseverance, strategy, and the pure, unadulterated love of the run.
Thanks for listening. Keep on running.
As I lace up for the Reading Half Marathon, the familiar dance of nerves and excitement takes hold, a feeling I've come to know as 'paranoia.' This episode peels back the curtain on a runner's mind in the throes of pre-race anxiety, balanced with the thrill of an electric finish line ahead. With limited training under my belt due to an untimely injury, I reflect on the mental gymnastics and the physical grind of tapering, all while keeping the carbs coming and my spirits high. Join me as I prepare to face the challenge head-on, honouring the distance, and fueled by the memories of past races that whisper strength with every stride.
The hills we choose to run reveal much about our determination; mine is a notorious slope that demands respect and grit. I recount my battle with it, the muddy treks, and the careful pacing – all while bearing an emotional tie to a path that winds past my late nan's final resting place. This episode isn't just about the miles clocked but the legacy that propels me forward. With each step, I share insights into my training regime the strategic art of listening to my body over technology, and how the paradoxical sluggishness of carbo-loading transforms into race day prowess.
Finally, the starting line is in sight, and it's not just about the run; it's about executing a flawless pre-race ritual. From kit organization to diet deliberation, I open up about the meticulous strategies that help keep the race jitters at bay. The episode traverses the mental landscape of pacing, from ambitious goals to the tactical distraction of mental arithmetic. It's a candid glimpse into the psyche of a runner on the brink of a half marathon – sweat, strategy, and all. So, tie your laces and tune in for a tale of perseverance, strategy, and the pure, unadulterated love of the run.
Thanks for listening. Keep on running.
The race is on. The race is on, so let's get straight into this episode of 30 years of running marathons. Currently, I'm suffering a condition known as paranoia. Now, paranoia usually appears in the last couple of weeks before a race and hits its peak in the final week before you're due to run. And it's a combination of the fact that you start tapering, so you're cutting down on your training, and then you start carbo loading, so you eat a lot of carbs to make sure you have enough fuel for the race, but at the same time you've cut down on your running, so you tend to feel really sluggish. You also have this, as it says. It's like a paranoia. And it's known as paranoia where you think have I done enough training? How am I going to manage 26 miles? Ok, luckily for me, it's not 26 miles this Sunday, but it is a half marathon.
Speaker 1:I've not done much training. To be honest with you. I didn't do any training during January because I was injured. I had shin splints, gout attacks and it's only since February I really started getting back into the swing of things. Now you might think OK, it's only since February I really started getting back into the swing of things. Now you might think, okay, it's only a half marathon.
Speaker 1:But as I've learned from experience, if you've listened to my previous episodes, when I was younger I started off running marathons. I was lucky enough to get in the London Marathon and then I went to do a half marathon and family and friends said well, you know, it's half the distance, you'll have no problem if you run a marathon. But you know it's half the distance, you'll have no problem if you run a marathon. But that's not the case. I treat every race 3, 10k, 6 miles. Whatever race I do, I give it the respect it dues. And a half marathon is tough, trust me, and I've run so many half marathons and this particular half marathon on Sunday, the Redden Half Marathon, it's one of my favourites Because it finishes in the football stadium.
Speaker 1:It's 20,000 seat to football stadium. It's one of the best finishes of all the races that I've run. I mean, you know it's on a par with running London Marathon or Dublin Marathon and there's going to be quite a few thousand people here. And Reading's a big city and you're running through the city, you're running through university campus, so you get loads of crowd support and I know this Sunday when I run it, I know the weather here in the UK for it. It's going to be good, it's going to be quite warm. I think it's going to be in the 60s. So it's not what I've been used to in the training. We've had a lot of wet weather here, as you tend to do in England, and it's not been that particularly warm. But ironically, of course, it's going to be warm on Sunday and, as I say, I haven't really done much training for it, although I have tested myself for it.
Speaker 1:So, even though you know 30 years of running marathons, I'm such an experienced marathon runner I never take anything for granted and I know this is going to be easy. This is going to be a shoo-in. I'm not just there to collect my medal. I am really, really nervous. You know I have got a case of paranoia and it's the last couple of days as I'm recording this and this is a welcome distraction for me to get all my emotions out and to say, to say how I'm feeling. And no matter how many marathons you've run, you always feel the same way. And okay, this is a half marathon, but in some ways I prefer running the marathon because the marathon does not as much stress on you there's, you know it's, you're not going at such a fast pace and you have that delayed gratification of the kudos of wow, it's a marathon and sometimes the half marathon, you know people assume, oh well, it's, it's not the same as running a marathon.
Speaker 1:And and a week later from sunday, we've got the, the biggest one of all, the London Marathon, which unfortunately I didn't get into anyway. I wouldn't have. I've had the training to run it anyway. A friend of mine's running it and unfortunately I missed out last week on the Brighton Marathon. Because I'm not foolish enough. No matter how experienced I am and as you know I'm one of the most experienced runners there is I'm not that foolish to think. You know, you can just turn up and run a marathon, no matter how many marathons, half marathons you run, you give it the respect it deserves, otherwise you pay for it. So my training hasn't been brilliant. I say no training in January, but in February and March I've tried to, you know, slowly bring my consistency of training up. So I started off with the park runs, which are 5k, three mile runs, and that's good because that's brought my speed up and met other runners, so it's a bit like a race atmosphere, which is good, moved up to 5, 10k, six miles.
Speaker 1:Um, I've been doing my, my normal route, which is quite hilly. Normally I'd run along the canal near my home but unfortunately because I mean, obviously now the clocks have changed but it's normally been quite dark in the morning when I go and because we've had such wet weather here, the whole towpath's been waterlogged so I wouldn't be able to get through anyway. So I've been going up the other way. I've been running towards a place called Jarrod's Cross and there's this massive hill. It goes up a third of a mile and whenever I'm in good condition, I mean it takes me 4.4 miles to get there, to get up this hill. And I say it goes a third of a mile up and even at the start, you know it, it's really steep.
Speaker 1:Um, luckily it's at the side of a road and it sort of goes, um, it's it's quite hidden by by trees and that, and it's, as I say it, at the side of the road, so it's a bit sort of trail-y, which is quite nice. But let's say you start up it and you're struggling just to get up the first part, you're almost coming to a standstill and then it twists and turns its way up and the first one. I always say to myself well, if I can just get up it once, that's fine turn. I said, well, if I could just get up it once, that's fine Turn around. That's going to be eight miles, but the first one's always the toughest and after that it's literally. All I'm just saying is please, god, just give me another run. I take it literally one by one.
Speaker 1:Anyway, cut a long story short, the other day I did manage to do seven ascents of this hill and looking at my Strava training record I knew if I did seven ascents of this hill it would get me to 13 miles. I could do slightly less and then on the way home I could take a detour to the old place where I used to live and that would add up 0.6 of my mile onto it. But I didn't want to do that. I wanted to get all over and done on the hill and like I did the the 13 mile run, I was up and down it seven times and I say that that that gave. I say that gave me the half marathon distance, which I know.
Speaker 1:If I get the half marathon distance, then it gives me the confidence just a few weeks ago. It gives me the confidence to think well, I can at least complete the race because when you're in a race with other runners, you've got the crowd support, you've got the other runners pushing you along, which can be a good thing. It can be a bad thing. Obviously you don't want to. You know. Go runners who are faster than you're expected to run because you're not going to keep up with them, you're going to burn out.
Speaker 1:And the trouble I find is in race, especially in the big half marathons and marathon races which this is a big one, there's quite a few thousand you always get caught up with the adrenaline and the excitement and the rush and you tend to to sprint off with runners that are faster than you, and there's always going to be runners that are faster than you and runners that are slower than you. It's just just the way it is. You know the tortoise and the hare, but you, just, you know you, you just it's. It's very difficult because most of the time you're running on your own and you're judging your own pace. When you're running with other runners, you tend to get caught up in their pace and only comes with experience. But even all the experience I've got.
Speaker 1:I still mess up sometimes, especially on the first mile. You don't want to go out too fast on the first mile. Trouble is you get so caught up in the excitement of the race and the crowds are there, the gun goes and you're just like quick, let's get out of there. And especially being a half marathon, because you know it's not a full marathon you're going to be going in quite slightly quicker pace. So, anyway, this was a real boost for me because I did this, this 30 mile, which is, say, include seven ascents up the hill, and I think it was something like 10, 10 minute, 41 pace, which really I should be about two minutes quicker than that, and I think I, uh, I did it in about two hours. Yes, about two hours, 31, it's just over two and a half hours, which you know, considering in the past my I guess my average time is one hour 41, hour 45, but that's a few years ago can only go by what you've done at the moment and I say in this, in this training period, I've done three 10 mile runs, and 10 mile runs are important because you know if you're training for half marathon, really you only need to get to 10 miles because you know it's a bit like training for a full marathon you never do the full distance.
Speaker 1:So if you can get to 10 miles in a half marathon, then you know you're going to get the other three miles on, because the other three miles will come with the adrenaline of the crowds. Um, this is off, this funny saying, well, you know three miles, it's only, it's only a park run. And you often get members in the crowd saying, well, it's only a park run and park runs just three miles. But obviously, once you've already done 10 miles, it's it's really really tough to do that extra three miles and I tend to break it down so I get to the double figure of 10 miles and then I'm aiming to get to 11, 12. In fact I normally aim for 12, because once I get to 12, you know no one I say no one's going to stop me doing that last mile, even if I have to crawl to the line.
Speaker 1:But, as I've mentioned in previous episodes, the last mile is always the longest. You always think, well, wait a minute, this, this, you know all miles should be the same, but trust me, that mile will seem to last forever. I mean, it's, it's you know, and on this particular half marathon, um, the last two miles, you're coming down this dual carriageway, the A33, and it just drags on forever. I think I mentioned in a previous episode that it was really hot one year and they had these like vertical shower system that you could literally run through because it was so hot and the summer was really beating down this dual carriageway and there weren't the crowds along there and it was very desolate and the runners were all spread out all over the place and it was just so. It really was depressing and yet again, as with all these races, it comes down to mindset. It's, you know, not thinking too far ahead.
Speaker 1:At the same time, I was thinking ahead because I was thinking of my delayed gratification. I was going to be running into this magnificent 20,000 seat stadium and, even though it wasn't going to be full, I knew it was going to be running into this magnificent 20,000 seat stadium and, even though it wasn't going to be full, I knew it was going to be an amphitheatre of noise and that's all I was, you know, banking on. I was just, you know, it was the carrot and stick and this was the carrot. I was going to get my reward. But at the same time I couldn't be too anxious about it. Looking down this long-drawer carriageway, I couldn't start thinking too far ahead.
Speaker 1:Because anxiety trust me, anxiety in races is the one thing that will sap all your energy and it will just drain you and it will slow you down and it is, it is a killer and it's just a natural instinct. You know we all want things quicker and faster and sooner and we want it all to be done quick and got it now. But you know this is saying it's the journey destination and you know I might be out there for two, two and a half hours, three hours, but that's a small percentage of your day and a small percentage when you're doing the suffering, the pleasure, and soon it's going to be all over. And you know when it's all over, yes, you're going to get that instant, instant. You know runners high, the gratification, the dopamine here, of the fact that you know I've been training for this, although I could have trained more, but I've been. I've been injured, but some people have been training for like maybe six months or more might be the first half marathon. And get this, you know, reward for all the hard work that you've done and you'll get that high and it might last a day or two, for some people a week, but then you'll come down again, you'll be looking for your next challenge. So you mustn't rush time. Be mindful of the moment you're in.
Speaker 1:I always try to think that. I always try to think well, you know, if I try to keep on an even keel, if I'm suffering with pain during the race, if I'm finding it really hard, well, of course it's going to be hard. You know, if it was easy, everybody be running a half marathon and everybody can run a half marathon, but you've got to have the mindset it is. It is hard. At the same time, I know that pain and suffering during the race isn't going to last forever, and nor nor the highs. So I've got to make the most of it. And you know I'm recording this now and I tell you I am very, very nervous that in a couple of days' time I'm going to be running the Redden Half Marathon. Last time I ran a half marathon it was back in September, end of September last year. That was my nan's race, the Windsor Half Marathon, which I've done many times, and I've done this race many times as well.
Speaker 1:Redden Half Marathon. It's one of my combat races and I've got many medals and shirts from it. It's a really, really well organised race, a safe, fun race and it's a fairly flat course which, unlike windsor, it's not a hilly course. Um, so to do two hours 30 when I've been doing all those hills in that training, you know that stands me in good stead. I actually put down, because you have to put down a finishing time and what they do is they send you a number with your color on so you go into different pens according to what time you finish. That way the runners are spread out evenly and we're going to be setting off in waves. So the race actually starts at 10 o'clock, I think. You know one of the first waves is out at 10.15.
Speaker 1:And I don't, I can't you know what. I can't remember when I actually applied for this because I ran the Windsor Half and I did that in two hours 20 minutes and you know I'd only done run I think I did one run on the the, which you shouldn't really do this, but it was on the Thursday before of eight miles and that was the first I'd run because I hadn't literally done any training whatsoever and this isn't advisable to do. But listen to my previous episode. You know this is my nan's race. This is the last race she saw before I died. So I wanted to run it come hell or high water, and I was going to, and I know the course like the back of my hand. So that was one advantage and I thought if I can take it easy then I'll be okay.
Speaker 1:And you know, to do a two hour 20 with only one training run of eight miles and that was just a couple of days beforehand, which is going to sap your energy anyway, I should have been resting, you know, to me that was a miracle. So anyway, come back to my number for red and half. I look at the color of my number and apparently I'm in the in the pen for two hours 20. I think there's only one pen after me which is later than two hours 20 and I'm thinking if I can do two hours 20. I think there's only one pen after me which is later than two hours 20. And I'm thinking if I can do two hours 20, we want one, just one training run. You know, I've done a few here, not as much as I'd like, but I've done what? Three 10 mile runs. I've done one 13 mile run and I've even done one 14 mile run, and that was last week and it's probably not advisable to do like a such a long run just a week before. But, as I say, I just want to give me the confidence that I can do it.
Speaker 1:And this was more than the seven times up Gerard's Cross Hill. This was now eight times up. And that particular day last week it was last Saturday I got up, I didn't feel like running and this often happens with me and it's just getting your foot out the door and I just took. It takes me a long time to warm up, to be honest with you, and once I'd run the first mile, I felt start a bit better. I mean, I run past the crematorium where my nan is and then I run up this hill. So the first three, four miles certainly first three miles are really hilly.
Speaker 1:And then I hit the this hill, so the first three, four miles certainly first three miles are really hilly. And then I hit the hill Gerrard's Cross Hill at four, 4.4 up the top and then I do one and then literally I just think, well, if I can get back up another one, that's eight miles. To be honest, that's all I need. I did 13 miles the other day, but then I'm just looking to the heavens, you know. I know Nan's up there looking down on me and I'm praying to God. I'm just, you know, just give me one more hill and let's take it one at a time so I'll go down to the bus stop, turn around, come back up again, struggle back up, and it just seems to.
Speaker 1:I just seem to have a love, love, hate relationship with this hill. The more I, the more reps I do, the more times I go up it and come down, the more I tend to get into it, and I just tend to. I guess it's what people would call the zone. I get into this zone and there's a few cars passing me on the road now, but I don't even notice them. I'm just thinking of my nan. I feel close to my nan when I'm running this. I just feel totally at peace, and a lot of people find this very strange, you know, but I guess it's the pain and suffering. It's just like it.
Speaker 1:Just your mind is completely focused, not only running up the hill but running down, because you'd be ever so careful. There are some muddy patches and I say it's been quite waterlogged here. So I had to be careful, more so going down, especially, as you know I've. I have got the odd knee. That's not uh too good, shall we say. So I have to be careful, uh, but touch wood, you know, I, I did that and it was okay and I felt good. Actually I felt better than the 13 miles I've done the other week and I got back and I was running at a really good time actually. I think my minute per mile was 941. In fact I did it in. I think it was two hours 20. Anyway, I'm not approximately 10 minutes off the 13 mile run. So the pace, so this is two hours 20. Bear in mind it's about a thousand foot in elevation going up eight times up this hill. So a thousand foot in elevation. You're not going to get that red in half. So now I'm thinking, oh no, I've put down. You know, I've got this two hours 20. Um, and and this is the time that I'm aiming for and unfortunately what happens, especially at these big races, because of the colour uh, I think it's the orange on my, on my number I can't move forward because they're going to put you in pens, and you can always move back a pen. But they have the marshals and if they see your orange number, you know they only have so many runners allocated per pen and it's also done on pace because they know you're not going to keep up theoretically.
Speaker 1:So I can't remember when I applied for red and half. It must have been when I didn't think I could ever run a half. It must have been before the winter half. I can't believe, after running two hours 20 with only one training run, that I would go and put two hours 20 for Redden. I think I know what it was, I think after after Windsor, um, I think it was November and December. I wasn't, I wasn't running. I say I haven't ran January this year and that's probably when I applied. So and I was thinking well, you know, I got lucky once, let's put it this way, two hours 20 with just one training run. But I bet I better be sensible and if I do two hours 20 again, that would be a miracle. But it just gets better and better, uh, but it just gets better and better, um, because this week I started the week, I think it was.
Speaker 1:So I did my, my long run on saturday, 14 miles. I took a couple of days off. I mean, my garmin watch normally tells me you know the recovery time, you know whether it be 12, 24, 48 hours. I tend not to listen to it. I tend to go by how I feel so often I'll start running again before it says not to listen to it. I tend to go by how I feel. So often I'll start running again before it says I've got the experience to do that. I know, I know what I'm doing. I sort of know how my body feels at this stage. So it's a sad day.
Speaker 1:It was long run, sunday, monday off and then, uh, tuesday I did seven mile run. So I like to get just over half the distance. So obviously that half marathon 13 miles to six and a half miles, seven miles is exactly 13.1 miles. So seven miles, you know you're just over, just over the halfway mark. And then I just took one day off. Then, as I'm currently recording this, it's friday at the moment. So yesterday I was only going to do like maybe two to three miles. So three miles would take me back to my old place and the countryside. So it's just up the hill. Um, maybe stop there. There's a field there with the horses and that have a little rest and run back. But knowing me, I felt good and that's what I planned on. That's like all my runs.
Speaker 1:When I was out there I was like no, I feel really good and it was trying to hold myself back because I could easily run another seven miles and in the final week before race, trust me, it's not any runs you you do. They're not gonna give you any more energy, any more speed, anything. It's just to keep your legs moving, it's just to keep you loose. That's all it is. And in fact there has been research that proves if you taper, in other words if you rest, you actually do perform better on the day. And I have found this in the past. I mean, over the years I've struggled with this concept and even now I do. But I have done it when I've been injured and I just wanted to get to the start line. I've had almost nearly a week of not running before the race and then I've done my carbo loading. So I've, you know, I've stuffed myself with the past the last few days now I felt really sluggish.
Speaker 1:You get to the start line and you feel like I don't, I don't think I can run, it's because you've just stuffed yourself with all these carbohydrates. You feel very bloated. You've not been doing the running to burn it off. But then come the race, especially in the marathon, later stages, all that energy comes to the fore. And it does work Because even when you're resting that's when the real magic happens you know your body is recharging. That's when the real magic happens. You know your body is recharging. It's like plugging yourself into, you know, like these electric cars or electric chargers. You're charging yourself up and you're getting refueled and you're ready to go and it's very tempting to keep on running and it's more of a confidence boost. So any run you're doing the last week is just a confidence boost.
Speaker 1:I did that seven mile on the Tuesday and then on the Thursday you're supposed to do a short run. In fact do a bit quicker, do it at a race pace. So that's what I tried to do. So bear in mind my normal minute mile pace was about 9.41. And I think when I did winter it was 10 minutes and in the past I've been down to seven minute mile. But obviously you can only work with your current condition.
Speaker 1:So the so I go run past crematoria first mile up the hill. It's always tough, and then you turn and you're literally going up the hill again and you get to the two mile point and I think I got to the. Uh, yeah, I got to two mile point and then it's downhill so that that would give me four miles. But what I did was I did actually turn into my old house where I used to live in the countryside, and I think that got me to. What did that get me to that? That got me to, uh, 2.7, 2.8, yeah, that took me to three. That took me to three miles.
Speaker 1:So I thought, okay, three miles is pretty good. What I'm gonna do is I'm actually gonna have a little quick stop here, a little reflection. I mean, it's a beautiful morning. Someone's just coming up, so the horse wasn't around, but I was just looking across the field. I was just thinking to myself because I'd done that three miles really quickly. Actually, the, the pace was good. Looking at 841 pace, 841, 842 minutes per mile, bear in mind. Normally a minute slower than that, I didn't feel too out of breath. I mean, yeah, it was nice to have a little rest. Only had 1.3 miles to run home, but this just gave me a time.
Speaker 1:I didn't want to stay too long because I know what happens my legs would seize up. But just give me a chance to take in the nature, reflect on my thoughts, reflect on my race plan, basically reflect on uh. At the same time, I always have this dreadful feeling this is going to be the last run that I do before the half marathon. I mean, sometimes I do go out. I mean it. It varies.
Speaker 1:You can do a little run the day before the race. I was thinking well, maybe on Saturday I could just run up to the crematorium. That's half a mile, half a mile back a mile. But unfortunately I've just started a new job and I'm actually working tonight, friday night, as I'm recording this, and it's going to be a late night. So I don't particularly, you know, want to have to wake up early and do any kind of run, and if I did it later in the day then it's really going to be too close to the race.
Speaker 1:So the best thing I can do is is have today off, work late tonight, saturday off, and, and, you know, have a nice lay-in and and really recharge, because on on sunday for the race day, I'm going to be up fairly early and and this is where you try to take all the stress out of race day so so, for example, I've already got my race kit, already planned out what I'm going to wear. I know what the weather is going to be like. I've checked before because it's going to be quite sunny, so I've got my shorts, my t-shirt, I've got leggings, tracksuit, bottoms, tops Take a raincoat in case. I've got my kit bag, my luggage label Because I've got a bag drop there so I can drop it off. Obviously got my, my trainers ready to go, all cleaned and ready to go. And, more importantly, I've also worked out my travel. So I've decided to go by train because I could have taken the car, but a lot of the roads are going to be closed. You have to already pay for car parking in advance, and I mentioned this previously.
Speaker 1:Actually, I think in a previous episode that the good thing about this race is they actually provide shuttle buses. In fact, they're more like coaches. In fact, they are coaches, really, because there's so many runners in this race. When you get into the train station in Reading, that actually transports you out, because it's a bit out on the sticks, the stadium near where you start. They take you out there. It's only like one pound 50 charge and it's really good because you really feel part of the whole race atmosphere with the other runners and when you're on this coach it's like you're all being driven to the gallows or something. It's very, very somber mood because obviously we haven't done the race yet. On the way back when you're all your medals and everybody's in a very jovial mood but you, you can really feel the race nerves within this coach anyway.
Speaker 1:So I've already planned out my race morning. So I'm going to be leaving the house at seven to catch the 720 train to get there at 7 41. Now the race starts at 10 but I want to get there in plenty of time and there's a bit of a walk from the actual stadium, from where the well, from where the actual race village is, to the start, so you have to allow that might be like a 20 minute walk and obviously I've got to change, do the bag drop, go to the toilet and, as I say, there's thousands of runners so everything takes a little bit longer. So seven o'clock is when I'm going to leave, so I'll probably wake at five, because I'm one of these people I can't just get straight up and go out. I need time to get up and what I'll do is I'll get up, do a bit of stretching, maybe a bit of yoga. I will probably have yoga, I will probably have. Let's see, I will probably have my.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm gonna have my breakfast, which is normally the same and you should always. I mean, I don't normally eat before I run because I run so early in the morning. You know like 5 30 in the morning. But you should practice what foods are good for you because you don't want any trouble on the day. So what I do is I have a porridge pot, I have a peanut butter bagel and then a banana and that's, that's half six. It's like three and a half hours, maybe just over three and a half hours by the time I start, and that gives me enough time for the food to digest. Some people can eat maybe a bit nearer to it, maybe two hours before. I could maybe take a banana to eat now before um, but I will probably just go in my usual routine, because I'd rather feel a little bit hungry on the start line rather than feel bloated. And what I'll have the night before is on saturday night I will have a big pasta meal anyway.
Speaker 1:But you shouldn't change your routine too much. If you haven't already tested it out, don't try it, you know. Don't don't bloat yourself out too much. Don't have a bigger meal than normal on the saturday night and on the sunday, have what suits you as regards food. Don't try anything new. So you know, peanut butter, bagel, porridge and a banana. That suits me fine. As I say, I have had a banana with me, sometimes an hour or so before that. It's usually not too bad, but I like to rum. I guess it's a. It is literally having the hunger within you and I'd rather do that, because if I have any type of food within me, I just feel very heavy when I'm running and you certainly don't want that. So, as I say, so that that's my routine.
Speaker 1:Probably wake up five, stretching yoga meal at half six and have a black coffee in the morning. That always gets me going. Uh, plenty water, plenty of fluids. Take water with me, take a LucasAid sport with me, and when I get there at 7, 40, there there's usually signs to the train, to the coach, from the train station, to the coaches. I think they start going from as early as 7, so, even though that time won't be one of the earliest, so it gets in at 7.40, they might have a coach going at 7.50, and I think it only takes about maybe 15 minutes to get to the start line. And then I know I'm there in plenty of time and I can take in the race atmosphere. I can look to see where the backdrop is, see where the toilets are. I've already got my numbers, so my number's already put on my shirt the night before and it's all underneath my tracksuit bottoms and tops, and then I'm ready to go.
Speaker 1:And then I give myself enough time to make sure I go to the toilet one last time and walk down to the start line and, as I said, I'm going to have to start my pen, unfortunately, because with the colour of my number what I'll try and do is because, even though I'm in the 220 style, I'll try to get to the front of it. Now, a friend of mine, gary, he's actually pacing the 205, actually pacing the 205, which is the next pen. Um, I know he said a friend of his is doing 220. So I could try and look out for his friend in the 220 pen. But to be honest, it doesn't really matter because I can still go for a faster time if I want, because you get two times. So the gun will go off and they'll set the first wave off the elite runners and it's. The next pen go off and the clock's already running. But my own time, there's a chip on my number, so my own time is only when it goes through the line and that that's all I need to worry about. So I know I'm not going to be starting off at 10, so I might be going off to half 10, even though the race might have started at 10. I don't know exactly what time I'll go, but my time, my specific time, won't start until I cross the line.
Speaker 1:The only problem I might have is, obviously, if I'm in the 220 pen, then the runners I think they're going to be running about 10, 20 pace and, as you can see, I did this, for it turned out to four and a half miles and that was yeah. So I did four and a half miles. That was yesterday and that was I mean, okay, it was. You know, I was really pushing, pushing it, and that's not even half the distance of the half marathon, but I did four and a half miles in 841 minute pace and I'm in the pen that people are probably being running about 10 minute 20. So the only problem I might have is if I want to do, for example, if I want to do about two hours, it's nine minutes. If I want to do Gary's pace, which is two hours five, which I'd love to get, two hours five, then I think you're looking at 930 pace, so 841, somewhere in between, and it's always good to have a bit of a race plan.
Speaker 1:I say the only problem I might have is if I try to go a bit faster. There's loads of runners in front of me are doing 10 20. I might have trouble getting past them, but I would like to do maybe the first half in. It's ambitious but at 8, 41 pace. So I've done four and a half miles at that five and a half six and I've two uh, about another two miles. If I get around in 54 minutes that gives me an hour and yes, an hour, an hour and six minutes to get to two hours and certainly break two hours five. So I always like to do the first half of a marathon or any half marathon, any race, faster.
Speaker 1:Now people say and this is the what the experts say is that you should do a negative split. In other words, you should do the first half slower and second half faster. I work it around the other way because I know I'm going to slow down no matter how, how slow or fast I go in the first half, I'm going to slow down in the second half. So I'm going to push the first half slightly harder. I mean not not go crazy, but I am trying to give us, basically give myself, leeway for the second half. So not that I can relax in the second half, but I know I can take a little bit easy and take my foot off the pedal or if the wheels start coming off, then I know I've got that leeway. So in the second half, let's say, for example, I've do 54, even if I get under an hour, that gives me an hour to do the next next part, but I'd like to give myself just under the hour. So I've got a bit of a leeway. And, for example, if I did 54 in an hour, you know, if I'm looking for an hour and 20, even to break two hours, 20, I'm quite happy with that.
Speaker 1:Nor doing much training. But in my mind really I'm not. I guess at the back of my mind. I'm like, because I'm so competitive, I'm like thinking, now maybe I can do under two hours. I mean, normally when I go into a race I have several targets.
Speaker 1:So, for example, your first target should always be to finish. It's a half marathon. People don't care what time you do, it's only really you care, maybe a bit of banter between you and your friends, but it's only you who really care about the time and it's always best to finish rather than to not finish, no matter what the time. So that's my main priority. Then have several other targets. So obviously I've done two hours 30 and I've done two hours 20 for this 14 mile run and that's the time I put down. So second target beat two hours 20, ideally. My third target love to get under two hours 15. Fourth, two hours five. Fifth target a miracle would be two hours or just under two hours. And these are the targets I have. I have these targets in the back of my mind.
Speaker 1:Some people you know right on their hand the different mile times you can sometimes. Sometimes races have these, whether you're working kilometers or miles. They have these pace bands you can wear around your wrist so you can check that I mean I'm experienced enough now over the years I can I literally work it all out my head as I go along. But what we'll do is the week or the night before I will already have written out the times I need for each section and normally I'd cut it down. And so the standard sections you normally cut it down to is, for example, is maybe the 10 K, just over six miles, or in half marathons I work in Mars, I'll probably work at the half marathon distance, six and a half. Then I work out your 10 mile pace and there's so many resources now where you can find pacing charts, so it's quite easy to work out your pace and a lot of smart watches as well, that you're wearing, uh, garmin watches and that you can set different alarms and different to keep you within the zone or a certain pace. So there's many ways you can do it.
Speaker 1:I mean I do old school, just, you know, write down a bit of paper, keep it on my head as I go along, and it's good sort of mental arithmetic and it keeps your mind off the pain and suffering. If you try to work out what times you need. Obviously, as the race goes you can get a bit more tired. Sometimes it can be difficult to concentrate, but you've got a rough idea. So you're looking at maybe six and a half halfway mark in a half marathon 10 miles, and then I might look at at 12, and then you know if I'm, if I'm really suffering, what time I can do the last mile and I can stagger back in whatever you know. So I give myself a bit of leeway and that's how I think about it.
Speaker 1:Also work out my mindset, the fact that you know to give myself confidence, I look at my training schedule in strava. Look at my training schedule in strava, look at what training I have done, for example, that 14 mile run in that time. And I look at that and I think, well, okay, I did 14 miles, I did that in two hours, 20, but that was with all the hills, um, and this isn't going to be hilly, this is going to be a flat course. I've run it many times before, so I know the course really well. I've got the crowd support. I'm going to have rested, loaded up with carbohydrates, I'm going to feel refreshed. You know I'm going to be raring to go because I'm going to be anxious, not having run for a couple of days.
Speaker 1:And this is where paranoia comes in. It is literally a word play on paranoia, because you are so worried, especially beginners, you know, if you're new to to running any type of race half marathon, marathon and you're not used to this tapering, I mean, logically it doesn't make sense because you you think, especially when you're starting out, if I miss a couple of days training, two, three or even a week, I'm going to lose all that training that I've done maybe over the last six months, but it's so not the case. For example, I've been injured many times over my running career, but when I've come back I've actually run better because of this in-force injury layoff. And, as I said, I had it in one of my races once before where for the week before, I'd done some training up to that week before. But I knew if I did any sort of run in that week it was pushing it. So, because I was injured, I just literally laid off the last week and was just praying my injuries would stay off and I'd better run the race. So I rested the whole week. I ran one of my best races because I'd laid off, because my my body had a chance to literally repair itself. So don't think that you need to.
Speaker 1:But you know, even all the races I've done over years and many runners will tell you this they still get paranoid. It's something that can't be avoided. But it's good to have nerves. Even after all these years I still get the nerves. But the nerves, or excitement, is good. I mean, there's nothing more I like in life than a good race day. The nerves, the excitement, the anxiety of am I going to finish? This? Is the race going to go to plan? Because it's very rare that race goes to plan.
Speaker 1:You start off too quickly and it all depends how you feel on the day as well. I mean, sometimes everything just goes right. Other times you're on that start line, you've done everything right preparation beforehand and there's just something not feeling right in your body and you start off really sluggish. And you start off and it's like you look at your watch and then you get anxious because you're looking at your watch every mile time and you haven't done the mile, and that's something. That's something I'm guilty of. I look at the watch every single mile. That I do and it's not necessarily a good thing, even in a half marathon, I guess not as long as the full marathon. But you don't necessarily need to be looking at the watch every mile. You know I should be experienced enough to know roughly my own pace without looking at my watch. You look at every mile. It just brings anxiety and, as I say, with anxiety you just get this. You know it's just a killer on your energy. Uh, it just really drains so much energy out of you, but it's hard not to do.
Speaker 1:You look at your first mile. You think, oh, I've gone too fast, not fast enough. At the end of the day, 30 miles is a long way. First mile's not going to make any difference. To be honest, if you do it slower, plenty of time to catch up. You do it too fast? Okay, slow down in the next one, but just try not. I mean, it's hard not to, but you always get caught up with the other runners and you just literally got to try and run your race. But at the same time, enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the fact that I've got the name on my number. I'll have people cheering for me, people I've never met before, people shouting my name and all that support, and it's just this whole loving feeling that you get from the crowds, loving feeling that you get from the crowds and it's complete contrast to when you've been out training and you've just been on your own in the dark winter mornings and times when you didn't want to go out. And now this is, this is the victory lap. This is, this is what everybody says. This is the victory lap.
Speaker 1:You've got to have confidence in your training and on the day, whether you think so or not sometimes, logically, it doesn't think so You've got to trust in the fact your body will bring it all together, but also it is. It is your mindset. You could have this positive mindset but at the same time, I have a positive mindset, but I also have this realization I also look on the worst case scenario that I look, not the worst case scenario of the fact that I'm not going to finish or I'm going to get injured, but the worst case scenario of there's going to be pain and suffering. There's going to be points in the race. There's no race where you ever run, where everything runs smoothly, where you think, wow, I didn't feel anything. Ok, maybe 30 years ago, when I ran my Everton Marathon, did my PB. If you listened to one of my previous episodes, it was when I just started running, I did three hours 18. That's my PB and I still haven't broken it. And I ran through that and I was thinking I could have gone even faster. But that is. You know, those are once in a lifetime experiences.
Speaker 1:It's very rare that you're going to get a straightforward race, a race where you don't feel any pain or suffering. But that's part of the experience. You know, as I said, it was easy Everybody be doing it. I mean everybody. More or less everybody can do it if they're physically possible. But it takes a lot of hard work. It's not so much on the day, it's all the training beforehand just getting those runs in and having the mindset to do these runs when you don't want to do them, to get out there when the weather's bad. And then come the race day, it's facing the fact, no matter how well you've trained, it's going to be tough, it's not easy. But if you hadn't done that training it would be even tougher. So you, you just got to think. You know, you've got to not think of the 13 miles, split it down into pieces.
Speaker 1:Look back at your training records, look what you have done. I mean I look at the positives. I haven't done much training. But as I look at those, those couple of runs 14, 13 miles what I have done, I've done the distance in training faster than I expected. I've gone from 230 down to 220. Now I've set the time for this race at 220, so I should theoretically touch wood. Nothing goes wrong. Then you know I should be looking at least breaking 220, maybe better. So I've got got to have that confidence with me when I go to the start line. But at the same time I've also got to realize it's going to be tough, but you know it's.
Speaker 1:It's two. What a couple of hours out my whole day. And soon it'll be over and I'll be like, yes, I've done it. And then there'll be this this week, maybe a week of of runners high, and then you come back down to earth and you're looking for your next challenge. And I have got some next challenges booked in, but I'm not going to tell you now because I'm concentrating on the red and half this sundial. I will tell you later, in one of my later episodes. But for now I'm just concentrating on the red and half. I can't look too far ahead. You know I'm anxious, I'm nervous, I'm excited about about sunday. I've got work tonight will be a nice distraction, and then tomorrow it's just going to be a complete rest day. I'm going to try and rest as much as possible.
Speaker 1:As I say I've. I've planned everything. I know my travel plans. I've got my kit laid out my gels, my lucas aid, sport. I'm thinking about the race, how I'm going to get there. I'm I'm actually visualizing now running the route, because I know the route so well. I've run it so many times over the years running the route, because I know the route so well. I've run it so many times over the years. So I'm actually visualizing running the route, the crowds, people cheering my name. I'm visualizing the times I'm going to get and I'm feeling confident. I'm anxious, but I'm confident and I'm looking forward to it.
Speaker 1:You know it's, I'm anxious and I'm nervous and there's a little voice at the back of my mind saying you know, do you really want to do this? You know it's, it's, it's going to be tough, you're going to struggle, it's going to be a hot day. Do you really want to do it? But then there's another voice at the back of my head saying you, you know, you're lucky to do this. I'm getting to do this because I missed out on the Wokenham half marathon earlier on in the year in February.
Speaker 1:I couldn't do the Brighton marathon last week and even though you know it's, it's a tough thing to do. To run a marathon or a half marathon it's a tough thing to do. You never want to have to pull out because that's that. Okay, that sounds like an easy option. Oh, I couldn't do it because I was injured so that took me out of it. But I want to do these races. You know there, there will come a time when you know I won't be able to do these races. I dread to think that. But so any run that I can do is a bonus. And there are people who wish they could run these races. There are people who injured, who can't at the moment run, who would love to run. There are people who could maybe never run, for whatever reason.
Speaker 1:And then I think to my, my late nan, who's looking down on me, who was my biggest running fan. She loved seeing all my medals and she was there when I first started running marathons all those years ago, and I know when times get tough during the race. I know she's looking down on me and she's getting me through the tough times in the race, and it's for her that I'm running. I'm running because, even though physically she's not here anymore, I'm sure she's looking down at me and she's proud of the fact that I'm still running these marathons and I'm sure she's approving of all the the medals that I get, particularly this race, this race. I know she's always loved the medals you get from this race. It's always a really nice medal and she was a great commentator on my medal. She knew the best ones she knew and she was very straightforward, saying that's a lovely medal. I'm not so about that. So I'm running for me, I'm running for her, I'm running for the fact that I can.
Speaker 1:You know, when times get tough, I ought to be thinking to myself I get to do this, you know I get to do it. Not everybody gets to do this. I get to run with all these other people, all these other lovely runners. I get to feel the, the love and emotion of, of reading people, the cheers, the supports. What's not to like?
Speaker 1:You know, I I don't get it when people say what, why? Why would you want to? To put yourself through that for a half marathon or full marathon? But why not, you know, for those couple of hours I'm literally in the zone. Nothing else matters, nothing else matters to me, and when times get really tough and the pain and suffering gets really bad, in fact, that's probably the best time because, okay, it's not a full marathon, but towards the end you're still going to feel that like a mini wall. You're still going to get that struggle towards the end, or it might come earlier, might come in the halfway point, the 10 mile point, but you are going to get that struggle. But you are going to get that struggle.
Speaker 1:And I have to be honest with you, the more of a struggle it is, the more real life just disappears from your mind the problems, any anxieties, anything, because your mind is now just completely focused on getting to the finish line. Nothing else matters. And, okay, you'll hear the crowds, you'll hear the support, you'll hear the support and you're in your own little world and you're just trying to get through it. And you know, for those couple of hours, that's all I'm focused on. I'm just in the zone, focused on running as fast as I can. I'll be so competitive and probably, whatever time I'll do, I'll probably be thinking I could have run that faster, because that's just a competitive person inside me. But at the end of the day I'm not comparing myself to anybody else, I'm competing with myself.
Speaker 1:But no matter what time I finish in, and if I do finish, I shouldn't say if, I should say when. But it's never, you know, it's never a guarantee. So first priority always a finish. But even it's never, you know, it's never a guarantee. So first priority always a finish. But even when I finish I should look at the time and think, oh, I could run faster. But then the next day I reflect on it and think, look at the training. I did hardly any training. That's another half marathon, another medal. I should be proud of myself. And you know big respect to anybody who runs a half marathon, no matter what time you run it in, whether you run it in the fastest time, just over an hour or two hours or three hours, whatever you know you run a half marathon and in fact you know if you're out there even longer than two and a half hours, you know you could be out there for three hours. Then I think that the runners who do that deserve even more respect, because the longer you're out there, you know, the harder it is, the longer the pain and suffering goes on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that's the mood I'm in at the moment. I'm sort of anxious, excited, yeah. I'm feeling good about it, though, and it's good that I can express my feelings on this episode, because it helps with my race preparation. So you know, as I say, tonight I got a bit of a distraction with work, and then tomorrow, probably on the Saturday, it'll probably be when it really hits me. That's when you know your real nerves come into it. And then tomorrow, it'll probably on the saturday, it'll probably be when it really hits me. That's when you know your real nerves come into it.
Speaker 1:I'll be going over the my race plan again and again, looking at the race route, and then sometimes it all gets a bit too much. You're thinking to yourself. You know you can overthink things at the end of the day. Just get out there one foot in front of the other and just enjoy it. So, yeah, fingers crossed, touch wood. I'm looking forward to a, a good race and my next episode. I shall, as soon as I've recovered, I shall give you an in depth race report on how it went. But yeah, it should be good. So stick around for the next episode and I'll let you know how I get on. Okay, thank you very much. Thank you.