Back to the start
As I get older I have a growing sense that life loops back on itself over and over again. I suspect that this is because of deeply ingrained habits that mean that no matter how hard we try, we often end up doing the same things over and…
Guest race report from the Perkins Great Eastern Run, Peterborough (2013) and some thoughts on running a sub 75 minute half marathon
In this guest post Jamie Rutherford, friend of the blog and top level runner, writes about his recent run at the Perkins Great Eastern Run half marathon and how that relates to the blog I wrote recently about picking your half marathons carefully, if you want to focus…
A stat-attack: the best half marathons in the UK if you want to run fast times
I have a theory that if you want to run a fast time in a race, then you really should find a race with as many other fast runners as possible. I am just reading the new book by Malcolm Gladwell, called David and Goliath and in that…
How to get your preparation on track
For many runners, training on a track is something other runners – more talented, more dedicated, more serious runners – do. There is a perception that training on the track is for the elite or for athletes training for track distances. But that should not be the case.…
Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon – the return of the red squirrel
This morning I went to the launch of the Royal Parks Foundation half marathon ballot. You can register for the ballot here: www.royalparkshalf.com and there is also an ultra, the details for which are here: www.royalparksultra.com The press release from the Royal Parks team is as follows: Sara…
St Neots half marathon 2012
There are a few races that feature prominently in the calendar at my running club, the Mornington Chasers. There is the Finchley 20, the Cabbage Patch 10, the London marathon, the club’s 6 race 10km series in Regents Park… and the St Neots half marathon. Until recently I…
Competing or completing: does it matter?
I just read an article in a running magazine and one line in it made me feel momentarily sad and frustrated. Then I checked myself. Then I thought I’d write about it anyway. The article was a race report. It was for a half marathon and the writer…
Runner at the Sharp End #3: John Hutchins
I recently met John Hutchins at an event hosted by the team behind the Brighton marathon, which involved a coaching seminar on the Saturday night and a 20km time-trial run on the Sunday morning. John, like many of the amazing runners I met on the weekend, was really…
The art of pacing
Next weekend I am racing the Wokingham half marathon and I think this is an opportunity to attack my personal best. Apart from the desire that most runners have to log a PB once in a while, I think that running a quick half marathon at this stage…
Runner at the Sharp End #2: Richard Gregory
This is the second in a series of interviews with Runners At The Sharp-end (the R.A.T.S). For an explanation of what I am defining as a runner at the sharp end have a read here. Richard, a member of the famous Ranelagh Harriers, is a fierce competitor, especially…