Whether you are celebrating a holiday this December or not, things tend to get a little out of synch in terms of routine at this time of year. Schools’ break-up for a few weeks, gyms often embrace amended timetables, friends and family travel the globe to spend time with loved ones… there are many variables. 

“All we have is the here and now”, was my thought as I stood in my starting pen and shuffled towards the start. 8 minutes to go. I kept my warm layers on until 3 minutes to go, when I then handed them to a volunteer who was promptly collecting the donation clothes from the railings.

Are you still be disciplined if you mindlessly make your runs green in TrainingPeaks? For some, discipline of course is a case of showing up to sessions, and not snoozing that alarm.

I said out loud, but to no one in particular “wait, I can’t see the way to go…” I couldn’t. The path I had been following seemingly disappeared right in front of my eyes. 

What you do today will likely impact your life in 12 months. From the decisions you make to the habits that you endure. You are gradually, day by day, carving out your future. Similarly then, what you were doing 12 months ago has impacted your current day to day.

Training 12 months of the year does not mean smashing yourself week after week.

Instead it is about focusing on smaller chunks of time and on areas that you might need to improve on, in order to aid your next training block and/or race.

“Use it or lose it!” A phrase that we are probably all familiar with in terms of physical training. We have probably all experienced hitting a physical goal or achievement and then losing the fitness or skill again once we stop practicing. 

Recently I discovered that some clients are somewhat under on their water consumption, especially for being located in Dubai and running several times a week.

So, below, I provide a list of simple ways/idea that you increase your water consumption. Perhaps you will find something that works for you…

There was no official “start” to this training block; no week 1. The race was in my mind at least 6 months out. I knew about it when I crossed the finish line of Amsterdam back in October. And I was excited to train.

You have signed up for a marathon (or any race for that matter) and now you’re on the hunt for the perfect training plan.

Sorry ladies, but race often enough, and it’s going to happen. Your “A Race” and your period are going to align! But like anything in life, this can be managed, as long as you don’t just stick your head in the sand.

Whether you are just starting out or training for a race, when training volume increases, your fuelling should too.

Whether you have a big training day, a hectic day in the office, or a big race, it’s all kind of the same. You are likely feeling an element of stress; and as you might have realised the parallels between life and running are somewhat uncanny. Hence the below applies not just in the running sphere.

We save time, have no time, waste time, wish away time, want to stop time, watch time. There are connotations behind all these expressions, and it’s likely we have all use them at some point. 

“You have to be able to walk before you can run”, so the saying goes…. well, it’s pretty true.

Perhaps you have aspirations to start running this year, but are struggling to get beyond a couple of minutes. And therefore the thought of ever running a 5km or 10km is not even comprehendible.

Perhaps you have been following the Ladies Run Club (LRC) journey for a while. Or perhaps you are new here. Either way, if you have never attended a session, you might be wondering how the hour unfolds.

We are fast approaching the end of the year, meaning it’s almost time where many exchange gifts. In lieu of this, I have jotted down some of my favourite running gifts and gadgets, should you have a runner in your life that you need gift inspiration for.

“I became more daily” was the answer I found myself giving Tom when he asked how I trained for my latest marathon. The race date was not going to charge, nor was my current situation or training ability. As opposed to hypothesising about what “could” or “should” be, I pulled everything back to the current moment.

It would be unjust to say I didn’t train for this race. It would be disrespectful to those who help me, undermine the work I have put in, and be a lie to my clients.

Sit in your comfort zone the entire time, and you might notice things don’t tend to progress too much. Alternatively whack yourself out of your comfort zone and you might get that initial dopamine hit, but potentially followed by a crash back to reality as you feel things spin out of control.