Running
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A marathon training block generally has a set rhythm, depending on the athlete you would have a few easy weekday runs, maybe a speed session or two, but always the weekend long run. A Sunday morning early start, to catch the cool Johannesburg temperatures, is my long run day. But occasionally, a run comes along…
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After the mass crowds and supportive atmosphere of Tokyo, my training has shifted gears. With the Cape Town Marathon on the horizon and a minor Achilles strain to manage, my focus right now is on time on legs rather than time on clock. This past Sunday provided the perfect opportunity for a slower, if somewhat…
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They say Tokyo is a city of precision, but after 43 odd kilometres through the streets of the city, I would call it a city of pure inspiration. I have now officially ticked off my first Abbott World Marathon Major and the experience was a dream. Near Perfect Conditions Coming from the heat of a…
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In the world of marathon running, there is huge prestige to the Abbott World Marathon Majors. For me as a runner, it is the ultimate bucket list. My large 2026 goal is to move significantly closer to that Six Star Finisher medal, I have decided to challenge myself with three destination marathons. While the training is…
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If you’re anything like me, running is not just about logging km or chasing the next PB (although chasing the next PB does sound like a good idea), it is about making the most of your limited running time, your technology, and your legs. So when it comes to choosing a running app to guide…
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I did it! A sub 4 hour marathon! 🎉🎉🎉 All the training, long runs and preparations paid off. Here is the breakdown of the event. Expo Like many big races, there is an expo a couple of days before race day where participants go to collect their race numbers, final instructions for the race and…
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We are less than three weeks out from race day! Time to taper The taper is a period of reduced training before a race to improve performance. The taper is intended to reduce the negative effects of fatigue from the full training block while preserving the training adaptations that have been gained. Sunday was my…
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I was going to focus on the training app that I chose for my marathon training plan in this post, but after having this post sit in draft hell for a few months I have started this post anew. Welcome to my 100th blog post on my blog 🎉 Current training status I am 6…
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Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Allen Saunders – 1957 The Wings for Life World Run 2024 happened this past Sunday (5 May 2024) – The local start time for South Africa runners was 1pm (A hot clear day in Johannesburg made for a tougher run) Some improvement I…
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Decide on a Race I initially was looking for a marathon close to Johannesburg but far enough away (time wise) to provide me enough time to train up for the additional distance. Unfortunately, it appears that marathon season in South Africa is from January to May and then again (but fewer) from September to December…
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What is the Wings for Life World Run? The Wings for Life World Run is a global charity running event that takes place annually on the first weekend of May. The race is the world’s largest simultaneous running event using a mobile app to align all participants worldwide on the race day. The race raises funds for the…
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If you search the internet for “How to stay motivated when running” you will get loads of similar results on how to keep yourself motivated on your running journey. While you will find loads of different and sometimes rather unique and fun ideas, most lists include the following ideas: Personally, one of my regular enjoyments…
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Last week Saturday (10th February 2024) I ran the Joburg North City Half-Marathon. This was my longest race to ever run. I completed it in my goal time of 1:58:09, this was 25 minutes and 2 seconds faster than I have ever done that distance. Starting Point I first started running more seriously in 2020,…
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Had you asked me if I was a runner in 2019 or earlier – I would have said something along the lines of “I am more of a swimmer or cyclist if I need to do something for fitness – I don’t think I have run further than 3km since high school”. I don’t think…