Recently I've noticed a pattern in the typical kinds of questions I get asked by people - those wanting to start running, runners building up to marathon distance and nutters like me interested in taking on a multi-marathon challenge! Whatever your goals, I'm always happy to help to the best of my knowledge so feel free to get in contact, here, here, here or here :)!
In the meantime, here are the 11 questions I get asked most often...
In the meantime, here are the 11 questions I get asked most often...
What does a typical week look like for you? With my marathons often being so close together I don't have a 'typical' week - I try and listen to my body when it needs to rest but find it near impossible to sit still for more than a day!
After a marathon I rest for 24 hours then swim - just 30 or so gentle breaststroke laps. Four days later, if my knees are feeling okay I'll run 2-3 miles and build back up from there. Due to injury, I've found myself cross training a lot after races and avoiding running completely; I suspect if I'd trained for longer and allowed my body to get used to longer distance this wouldn't be the case!
In a 'normal week', I exercise 6 of 7 days totalling around 15 hours. I'll incorporate short runs (5-10km), two 45 minute spin sessions, cross-training (good for damaged knees), circuit training and an hour of pilates. I also try and have at least one 'leg day' and use weights to strengthen my lower back.
After a marathon I rest for 24 hours then swim - just 30 or so gentle breaststroke laps. Four days later, if my knees are feeling okay I'll run 2-3 miles and build back up from there. Due to injury, I've found myself cross training a lot after races and avoiding running completely; I suspect if I'd trained for longer and allowed my body to get used to longer distance this wouldn't be the case!
In a 'normal week', I exercise 6 of 7 days totalling around 15 hours. I'll incorporate short runs (5-10km), two 45 minute spin sessions, cross-training (good for damaged knees), circuit training and an hour of pilates. I also try and have at least one 'leg day' and use weights to strengthen my lower back.
What is your diet like? Do you use any supplements? I've been awful with my diet recently, thinking I can eat anything I want because I exercise a lot but that isn't the case and I've learnt the hard way. You cannot out exercise a bad diet.
A typical day for me will be porridge for breakfast, a banana around 11am, a tin of tuna, salad and hummus for lunch and chicken, wholemeal rice and some veggies for dinner. I try and stick to around 1,400 calories and up this to around 2,500 calories in the 3-4 days before a race.
I also use JstJodie nutrition. I take semtex pre-workout and have been known to replace breakfast or dinner (when I'm busy) with a crème brule J-Meal. After a marathon I use, SIS Banana Recovery drinks. I also take a generic multi-vitamin, glucosamine and cod liver oil tablets.
A typical day for me will be porridge for breakfast, a banana around 11am, a tin of tuna, salad and hummus for lunch and chicken, wholemeal rice and some veggies for dinner. I try and stick to around 1,400 calories and up this to around 2,500 calories in the 3-4 days before a race.
I also use JstJodie nutrition. I take semtex pre-workout and have been known to replace breakfast or dinner (when I'm busy) with a crème brule J-Meal. After a marathon I use, SIS Banana Recovery drinks. I also take a generic multi-vitamin, glucosamine and cod liver oil tablets.
Are you part of a running club? No but I try and run with my local Sweatshop Running Community as often as I can. My local branch (Maidstone) run a 5km on a Monday and a 10km on a Friday. Over 200 people attend the Monday sessions and I always have a great run and meet lots of lovely people. If you want to set a PB or get help with your running style, I'd highly recommend SRC!
After this year, when I can commit to 3-4 sessions a week, I will be looking at joining a running and athletics club!
After this year, when I can commit to 3-4 sessions a week, I will be looking at joining a running and athletics club!
Which of the six marathons you've run so far this year would you recommend? I've loved and hated them all for different reasons. I would 100% run the Cambridge Boundary Marathon again - it was a really great, mucky cross-country race with the only fault I can think of being that they don't give medals out at the end but for £8 entry, you can't complain too much! The Kent Road Runner race is also fantastically organised and has great race-bling!
I'm keeping a diary of my 'Runner Race Review' which I'll publish when I've completed all 12 marathons.
I'm keeping a diary of my 'Runner Race Review' which I'll publish when I've completed all 12 marathons.
How have you raised so much money? I really want to run the London Marathon but can't commit to raising £2500! There's no way around this one. If you commit to a charity place in an iconic race like the London Marathon you need to work your arse off to raise the funds, having generous friends and colleagues really helps! I've previously posted a blog on fundraising which you can read here!
Do you have any race day rituals? Aside from smothering my feet in vaseline and dancing in front of the mirror to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself', I tend to just go with it. Nerves get the better of me on race day but I'm quite good at concealing it and everything is fine when I get to the start line. If I make it there, I'll make it to the finish.
I also always post a tweet to let everyone know where I'm off to and try and include some photos. My twitter followers are amazing and I love completing a race and spending a good hour responding to everyone's messages.
Do you have any race day rituals? Aside from smothering my feet in vaseline and dancing in front of the mirror to Eminem's 'Lose Yourself', I tend to just go with it. Nerves get the better of me on race day but I'm quite good at concealing it and everything is fine when I get to the start line. If I make it there, I'll make it to the finish.
I also always post a tweet to let everyone know where I'm off to and try and include some photos. My twitter followers are amazing and I love completing a race and spending a good hour responding to everyone's messages.
What do you eat in the days leading up to a marathon? There is no need to eat tonnes of food before a marathon and it certainly isn't the time to gorge on loads of junk (I know you're all hating this news). Now is the time to be eating really well and drinking as much water as you can.
I stock up on porridge and sweet potato, snack on nuts and drink plenty of coconut water (the pineapple vita coco is my favourite). The night before a race I make a big pasta meal with chicken, peppers, courgette and onion in a home made tomato sauce. It seems to have worked this far! I do allow myself a little treat, normally in the form of peanut butter cups and I've been known to have a few glasses of fizz post-race!
I stock up on porridge and sweet potato, snack on nuts and drink plenty of coconut water (the pineapple vita coco is my favourite). The night before a race I make a big pasta meal with chicken, peppers, courgette and onion in a home made tomato sauce. It seems to have worked this far! I do allow myself a little treat, normally in the form of peanut butter cups and I've been known to have a few glasses of fizz post-race!
How do you fuel on the run? A big bowl of porridge three hours before the race (I'm naughty and put a table spoon of nutella in it as a treat - it's slow release energy according to the advert!) I'll then have a banana and a salt tablet an hour before the race and am pretty much good to go!
I used to take gels every 5km which I've realised is completely unnecessary. I now have gels at 7 miles, 13 miles, 18 miles and 22 miles and have a red jelly baby every other mile (mental treat). I stick to water to keep my fluids up as I find I feel really sick if I take on any more sugar!
Immediately after a race I have an SIS Recovery drink (banana) and a real banana. If there's a mars bar or clif bar to hand I'll also tuck in to that to line my stomach for the celebratory bubbles!
I used to take gels every 5km which I've realised is completely unnecessary. I now have gels at 7 miles, 13 miles, 18 miles and 22 miles and have a red jelly baby every other mile (mental treat). I stick to water to keep my fluids up as I find I feel really sick if I take on any more sugar!
Immediately after a race I have an SIS Recovery drink (banana) and a real banana. If there's a mars bar or clif bar to hand I'll also tuck in to that to line my stomach for the celebratory bubbles!
What running kit do you use?
Lets go toe to head shall we? Note: Not everything I own is pink.
Feet: I have more trainers than any one I know. For road running, I rotate three pairs of Asics GT-2000 which are the first stability shoe to stop me getting shin splints! Rotating them stops them wearing out too quickly. For trail running I wear New Balance WT910s and when I'm cross training I have a pair of electric pink nike free run 3.0; they're SO comfortable and lightweight! For marathons I always wear energize hilly socks, and add a layer of vaseline to my feet to try and prevent blisters.
Legs: I wear skins calf guards on long runs (10km +) and they really do help shin splints! I also use a knee strap and KT tape on my knee following my dislocation. I tend to run in Nike leggings but have recently started wearing a pair of Adidas shorts which are so comfy and don't ride up! In the winter, Thoosa thermal leggings are my saviour as I really feel the cold! Good underwear is key to running a marathon; Victoria Secrets do awesome seamless pants, and they're super pretty too (is that too much information?)
Upper Body: On my top half I stick to a Nike sports bra and tech t-shirts, normally that I've got from races, I also have some Nike lightweight t-shirts which are brilliant in this warmer weather. In the winter I tend to opt for a lightweight waterproof and tech-tshirt underneath. Sweaty Betty do fab hoodies for post-workout.
Other: I like to run alone so often listen to music on the go, I use yurbud in-ear headphones which twist in your ear to stop them falling out. I have a standard cheap armband to hold my iPhone and ID. Finally, my two newest bits of kit that I am OBSESSED with are my Garmin 620 which is essential for pacing when running long distance and my fitbit flex which clocks my day-to-day activity and keeps me moving when I'm feeling lazy!
Lets go toe to head shall we? Note: Not everything I own is pink.
Feet: I have more trainers than any one I know. For road running, I rotate three pairs of Asics GT-2000 which are the first stability shoe to stop me getting shin splints! Rotating them stops them wearing out too quickly. For trail running I wear New Balance WT910s and when I'm cross training I have a pair of electric pink nike free run 3.0; they're SO comfortable and lightweight! For marathons I always wear energize hilly socks, and add a layer of vaseline to my feet to try and prevent blisters.
Legs: I wear skins calf guards on long runs (10km +) and they really do help shin splints! I also use a knee strap and KT tape on my knee following my dislocation. I tend to run in Nike leggings but have recently started wearing a pair of Adidas shorts which are so comfy and don't ride up! In the winter, Thoosa thermal leggings are my saviour as I really feel the cold! Good underwear is key to running a marathon; Victoria Secrets do awesome seamless pants, and they're super pretty too (is that too much information?)
Upper Body: On my top half I stick to a Nike sports bra and tech t-shirts, normally that I've got from races, I also have some Nike lightweight t-shirts which are brilliant in this warmer weather. In the winter I tend to opt for a lightweight waterproof and tech-tshirt underneath. Sweaty Betty do fab hoodies for post-workout.
Other: I like to run alone so often listen to music on the go, I use yurbud in-ear headphones which twist in your ear to stop them falling out. I have a standard cheap armband to hold my iPhone and ID. Finally, my two newest bits of kit that I am OBSESSED with are my Garmin 620 which is essential for pacing when running long distance and my fitbit flex which clocks my day-to-day activity and keeps me moving when I'm feeling lazy!
What injuries have you suffered from? How did you recover and how can I prevent getting injured? I am basically a walking injury. I've suffered from shin splints as long as I've been running, dislocated my knee, have a tight ITB and get problems with my quad muscles and abductors, and have had blisters so bad they could qualify as retirement injuries!
I am lucky enough to have an amazing osteopath as part of my support team who keeps me strong and injury free with regular massage. I cannot recommend seeing a sports specialist enough. If you're based in Kent, check out Luke!
Three other elements come in to play with injuries: good fitting shoes (go to your local sweatshop for an assessment on your gait FOC!), rest and recovery (everyone needs some time to allow their body to recover) and your diet (too often people are skipping meals and trying to restrict, food is fuel, eat well and eat up)!
I am lucky enough to have an amazing osteopath as part of my support team who keeps me strong and injury free with regular massage. I cannot recommend seeing a sports specialist enough. If you're based in Kent, check out Luke!
Three other elements come in to play with injuries: good fitting shoes (go to your local sweatshop for an assessment on your gait FOC!), rest and recovery (everyone needs some time to allow their body to recover) and your diet (too often people are skipping meals and trying to restrict, food is fuel, eat well and eat up)!
I really want to start running, how can I do it? I get bored really easily and just want to stop... You can do anything you set your mind to. Boredom is something you have to overcome - running is my thinking time and I find it a great way to relieve stress so tend to run alone with music to motivate me but grab some friends or join a local beginners running group to get started.
If you're concious of joining a running club, download one of the many C25k apps on to your smartphone and start a walk to run program, they seem slow at first but really really work!
Every runner has bad runs and great runs. When I'm struggling I try and remember to:
1) Never judge a run by the first mile. Everything will settle down 2-3 miles in and you'll know how you're really feeling! The only exception is if you feel a REALLY debilitating pain - get yourself home and ICE ICE ICE!
2) Running is just putting one foot in front of the other. If you're struggling and want to stop to walk, set yourself small targets 'run to that postbox... okay now to that car... I'll overtake that person walking their dog'. Metres soon become miles!
3) That nothing compares to runner's high! You'll feel great when you get home so keep plodding on!
If you're concious of joining a running club, download one of the many C25k apps on to your smartphone and start a walk to run program, they seem slow at first but really really work!
Every runner has bad runs and great runs. When I'm struggling I try and remember to:
1) Never judge a run by the first mile. Everything will settle down 2-3 miles in and you'll know how you're really feeling! The only exception is if you feel a REALLY debilitating pain - get yourself home and ICE ICE ICE!
2) Running is just putting one foot in front of the other. If you're struggling and want to stop to walk, set yourself small targets 'run to that postbox... okay now to that car... I'll overtake that person walking their dog'. Metres soon become miles!
3) That nothing compares to runner's high! You'll feel great when you get home so keep plodding on!
I hope you might have picked up some interesting tips whilst reading this. I love hearing about other runner's experiences, so please do share them on our facebook page or tweet me! And if you have some advice you think I might benefit from, get in touch here.
If you'd like to submit a question for a future Q&A click here.
xox
If you'd like to submit a question for a future Q&A click here.
xox
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