Training Plans & Runs | London Marathon

I’m so pleased you are able to run this weekend as you’ve worked really hard during this plan. I think you’ve had your best results starting these races a bit more conservatively. So don’t be afraid to use the first few kms as a warm up, just under the 7:00 pace, then look to settle around 6:45 for at least the first half. At that point if you feel strong, slowly pick up the pace. If you can run those last 10k around the 6:30 mark you’ll be passing so many runners and I think you can come in under the 4:45 mark which would be a significant improvement on your 2 marathons last year, here in London and again in Chester. If you do find the pace drops, ignore the watch and use the other runners as bait, picking them off one at a time. I hope you have a fantastic race. Very best of luck. I will try and communicate with you via WhatsApp of our whereabouts if you wanted to try and meet up afterwards. You got this Sarah.

Target Pace: 6:40 Target Time: 4:44

Coach Simon

FEEDBACK

5 ENJOYMENT

8 RPE

11.16 mins per mile

PACE

It was brutal. I’ll be interested to find out how others got on as not only was the heat a challenge, especially for those of us starting later in the day, but the sheer numbers of runners made it an unpleasant experience. I found myself being tripped umpteen times by overtakers, or tripping someone else when overtaking, or suddenly having my path blocked by walkers spread across the whole road. The organisers are forever trying to increase the size of the field – 56,000 mtoday and according to BBC commentator at the start areas, next year they aim for 75,000+ to make it the biggest marathon in the world! So – my race. It went quite well for first half and I was more or less on plan around 6:45 mins per km. the heat was building all the time and I took every chance to run under showers, get a cup of ice and throw water over myself. Second half of race was a definite struggle – no chance of going a little quicker a) because I was weary and b) you just could not go at a consistent pace anyway and had to weave around walkers from Tower Bridge onwards. By 30k I thought I was getting heatstroke with rising nausea and dizziness but I managed to get another gel down and felt better for final 5km where I upped my pace a little. It had fallen significantly off target for the previous few miles. My watch was stopped at 42km at just under 5 hours but my official time was 5:05:05. By mile 20 I was thinking I’d be lucky to clock 5:15 so that result was not too bad. I had a couple of kms where I did brisk walk alternating with running. I am sorry to have missed the target which should have been achievable as I really worked hard on my plan and was not injured and only a bit ill earlier this week but today was not the day. But I am proud of how I kept going when it would have been much easier to just walk like so many others were! Enjoyment was high for first half but fell during 2nd. RPE was low for first half but ramped up significantly during 2nd half. The crowd, as ever, were fab – except when doing that bicycle race thing when they get all over the road and squeeze the runners into a small space! Nice to see Pete H setting off in his wave but I could not attract his attention. Nick A spotted me as he overtook around mile 9 (??) and we cheered each other on. That was nice but other than that, no other HR, or Team Orange members spotted in race or crowd. I was very wobbly at the finish and for about half an hour including when on very packed train home, standing all squished together but after a couple of stops a kindly person gave me their seat and I soon recovered with water and snacks. No aches, pains, stiffness or any feelings of unwellness now I am safe home. PS – later in the evening I accessed results that showed me 3rd in age group above others who were ahead of me last year. I’m taking that as very positive sign that my fitness and race preparation were definitely improved by the Plan. Many thanks coach Simon!

Sarah Marzaioli

Firstly I think this plan has been a real success. I’m very happy with were your fitness is at and optimistic if you can make a quick recovery from your surgery then 2025 has the potential to be an excellent year of running for you. 3rd in your age category in what is one of the biggest races in the entire World puts things in perspective. I class myself as a good runner these days and I’m 30 mins slower than the GFA time. You’re an hour quicker. That shows how amazing you are and what a good time this still was. The conditions were so tough and those temperatures will always slow you down. Not to mention the crowds, I was surprised how busy it was for the masses and was expecting it to thin out, but even when the 6 hour pacers were coming by the streets were still rammed. I think there a lots of positives to take, and your time was ultimately effected by things out of your control, but you stayed positive and continue to fight at the end which as a coach is really pleasing to see. Really sorry we didn’t see you en route, having travelled up as a group we had to stick together and despite a quick rush to mile 24 to see you go past we just missed you 😥 But really well done. Let’s hope they see sense, listen to the feedback and realise more runners is not the way forward.