This time next week I’ll be in Arran. Probably nervous. Probably wishing I’d trained more. Probably checking everyone else out and deciding they look fitter and more capable of me. And wondering if I’ll be last! But I’ll also be feeling excited. Enjoying the energy the atmosphere and being secretly proud of myself for putting myself through something that has taken me well out of my comfort zone. I have a last run tomorrow. Mostly to practice running with poles - which I definitely have left too late. Then I’m going into full recovery mode. No formal workouts, just keeping everything moving. Stretching, mobility, foam rolling, and the massage gun. I want my muscles to feel Loose and supple - whereas right now my legs are pretty heavy. Food wise I’ll be eating my normal diet until 24 hours before and then I’ll be doing a mini carb load. I don’t need to go mad and don’t want to be bloated. On the run itself I’ll be dosing with carbs every 30 mins from the start. I plan to run/walk and will use the walking strategically to allow me to eat some proper food later on. Tim will Meet me at the half way feed station with a protein shake as I’ll be breaking down muscle by then. So that’s my plan. And then I’ve got an exciting new training phase for the summer which I’ll share more about soon. Whilst I’ve enjoyed training for this, the longer runs have felt hard on my body and I’m noticeably weaker in the gym. I’ve also got more body fat. Probably from the change in body composition (muscle breakdown), fewer strength sessions to prioritise recovery for longer runs, and the extra stress of long runs. So I’ve got some rebuilding to do to get my muscle:fat ratio higher again. What about you? If you’re close to your big run, how have you found the training. How are you feeling about it as you get closer? I’d love to know more about what other people are doing this month.

In May this year I entered a 10k race - with no intention of actually racing. The year before I’d pulled out of the same event because of knee problems, and I remember thinking on the journey there, that simply getting to the start line was an achievement. By the time we crossed the finish line it was raining so we headed back to the van. We were just about to get going and I heard my name being shouted over the tannoy. I thought I must have lost something, but it turned out I’d come first in my age group! I couldn’t stop laughing. I am not a natural or talented runner. I was awful at school - so to win my first medal at 53 was something I never expected. It just goes to show - we can bounce back now and do more than we ever thought possible. What’s your most memorable run?

Mine’s planned for Sunday. Saturday is always a day for shopping and getting straight at home - and getting a dinner ready to come back to after being out running. Which day are you out?

I’ll be going out later on with my new trainers! So I’ll be dodging the puddles 😂 When I used to run with my dad years ago, we used to go and buy our trainers together and he’d be straight into the mud trying to make them look worn 😂

Last week I shared a lot of information - which was important. This week is all about making changes, to get you on the path to becoming a stronger, faster, leaner runner - and achieving your personal goals. So I want you to do two things and share them in the comments: 1 - identify 2-3 changes you need to make to your training and nutrition 2 - Get clear about how you will make that happen. The second part is the hardest, because it involves changing our routines. But unless we work this out, we’ll stay stuck. This is 100% worth taking 30 mins out of your day for. When you’ve done it share it here and I’ll keep you accountable by checking in with you on Friday to see how you’ve got one.