Why be normal?
Valencia Marathon is in December. 3 weeks ago I snagged a 2:54 PB at Pisa Marathon. Honestly, this wasn’t the result I wanted. I avoided making excuses on SM posts and this blog because, for me personally, blaming all manner of variables for not hitting your goals just comes across as… I don’t know. Not good character. And also, EVERYONE sees through it. But, for me to address the issue that plagued me, I have to voice it.
I have a pelvis/adductor issue that became chronic just shy of a year ago. I manage it just fine, but, when it flares up, it’s near on impossible to lift my right leg off the ground. It kicked in so hard during the final miles at Pisa that my pace dropped from 3:57 to nearly 5 mins per k.
I can absolutely fix it with appropriate strength work. The issue with high volume marathon training (when you’re of the advanced age of 44 and have 20+ years of lifting under your belt) is that you’re never fully recovered and thus never really able to make progress in the gym . Maintenance is the goal when lifting during this time. Maintenance… is huge.
The muscle breakdown that accompanies marathon training is not good for long term performance outcomes. Yes, you’ll look more like a runner as you drop muscle (some athletes like this because they want to weigh as little as possible, muscle be damned) but your risk for injury rises exponentially.
The issue for me was that, whilst training for 2 separate marathons in 2024, I could not build my core and adductor strength. At best I could try to keep the symptoms at bay with bodyweight isometric work. Now that I have a period of time where my running volume has dropped, I am dedicating much more time to strength and top end speed. Things are improving already. My bodyweight has gone from 84kg to 88kg but I look much better. I began taking creatine for the first time in two years, I’ve upped my protein to around 180-190g per day and I’m in the gym four times per week. Mileage is sat at around 40 miles currently.
My bench press strength is pretty good right now (words rarely spoken by an endurance athlete). I’m going to see where I can take it whilst - drum roll please - I prepare for the Southdowns Way 100 miler in June! I don’t know how training is going to look, but currently I’m working top end speed and will continue to do so for a while. I’d like a sub 17 minute 5k before ultra prep begins. Is this realistic? I have no idea. Probably not. My first ParkRun is next week and I suspect it’ll be a rude awakening at 90+kg.
The other MASSIVE variable is The Speed Project this Spring. Realistically we’re going to be gone for two weeks and any running I do will be pacing Holly somewhere between LA and Vegas. Possibly up to 20 miles in one stretch. I’m not concerned about the impact this might have on my training. Her priorities are our priorities and this epic adventure trumps anything I plan to do. Also, to clarify, I’m not going into this 100 miler with anything other than the intention to finish in 24 hours or less. I will most likely be sat at around 90kg or so and Valencia prep will still be a long way off.
I’ve never run 100 miles before and wasn’t planning on doing so any time soon, but when we stopped in for tea with our celeb mates Allie and Damo on the way to Cornwall, I somehow ended up leaving with a receipt from Centurion Racing for two hundred quid. Tbf, my introduction to running was via ultra running - specifically a fascination with Western States. By the time I’d picked up my first pair of road shoes, I’d already raced a 50 miler. Roads are still fairly new to me.
To date, 82 miles is the longest trail race I’ve completed. I’d like to go further for sure - it’s an adventure of sorts. The opposite of happiness, in my mind, is boredom, and adventure is as far removed from boredom as the sea is from the stars.
Here’s to to 2025 and to all the highs, the lows and the ‘meh’s’. Here’s to adventure.