On Sunday I completed my 12th marathon and first as a master's athlete (40+). This episode tells you exactly what it was like going into the race, how the race panned out and what my reflections have been.

A marathon is always hard work, especially when you are pushing your limits and you are relying on good training, nutrition, mindset, pacing and conditions on the day. Sometimes, a small thing can help get you to the end.

Thank you so much for the support on this chapter of my running journey. Next up Chicago!

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching⁠

Diet is very individualistic otherwise we would all be eating the same things! However, certain diet principles can increase your chance of good running performance and better overall wellbeing.

In today's episode, I talk about my diet journey from becoming pescatarian at the age of 6 to getting very lax with nutrition in my 20s. In 2018 I became vegetarian and then became a nutritionist and understood how to improve my vegetarian diet.

This episode is not only for anyone that wishes to follow a plant-based diet but also anyone who wants to improve whatever diet they are on to gain better performance.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching⁠

This is part 11 of a series following my preparation, training, nutrition and mindset for Manchester marathon 2024.

A visit to the physio and a call with my coach has set my mind at ease and gently adding load back in has helped build the quad back up to the point that I'm feeling other 'taper' niggles more than the quad. It's also helped me to remember to take a relaxed approach into the marathon which has worked well in the past.

Today I have an absolute expert in the topics of London marathon and pacing - Marty Rea. Marty has run London marathon over 20 times pacing 3 hours for the majority of those years. He is this year's 3 hour pacer at London and Belfast marathons.

Marty has a marathon personal best of 2:35 and a real passion for proper pacing, using effort levels to gauge intensity and relying on the watch less.

We talk about the London marathon course in depth, what to expect on the day and also have a look at Belfast marathon too. Marty shares his pacing tips and how to use official pacers in a race.

If you are interested in connecting with Marty either for advice or a sports massage in Belfast, you can email him at [email protected]

or connect on Strava - https://www.strava.com/athletes/5946550

or X (formerly twitter) -

https://twitter.com/martyrea23

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching⁠

This is part 10 of a series following my preparation, training, nutrition and mindset for Manchester marathon 2024.

An injury can put a different perspective on everything and in hindsight, maybe you can see it coming. I talk about what brought it on, the prognosis and trying to view the positives when you get an unexpected setback.

Running watches are an amazing piece of technology compared to what was about when I ran my first marathon but what features do you really need and what should you ignore?

In this episode I talk about common watch features such as data fields, workouts and even safety features that you might not be aware of as well as maps, music and solar power which you can pay more for if you need it.

I explore the relationship we have with our watches and discuss the things you really need to pay attention to and the things that can drive you to distraction if you let them.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching⁠

This is part 9 of a series following my preparation, training, nutrition and mindset for Manchester marathon 2024.

You can learn a lot from these setbacks though and learn to view them as bumps along the road. I know I need to tighten up on my nutrition, sleep and stress and a day off can be worth its weight in gold.

In response to an Instagram question, I discuss the difference between inspiration, motivation and dedication. Can you be inspired to do something difficult and follow it through? Do you need to be motivated all the time or is it all about doing it when you don't want to.

I talk about my own inspirations, motivations and also what helps me to stay dedicated to what I am currently training for.

If you want to improve in your next race and want personalised help in training, nutrition and mindset designed to get you faster, further and stronger straight away, message me at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/therunningrules⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or see ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.therunningrules.com/coaching⁠

This is part 8 of a series following my preparation, training, nutrition and mindset for Manchester marathon 2024.

This week I talk about breaking down runs mentally, fuelling more than ever for long runs and tempos, dialling into marathon paces and how weather can affect your workouts.