Paris Marathon Blog- Distraction

Training

Three weeks back into the gym and I am struggling to get the runs in. The combination of trying to fit runs in around work and also the novelty of being able to use all of the kit in the gym, has meant I have essentially prioritised my strength work.

While this isn’t anything that will be keeping me up at night, I will need to shift my focus soon to run the Paris Marathon the way I want to. I have the opposite problem to most runners. I have good background in strength and feel more comfortable in a gym than out on the road. So whenever my training schedule is compromised I naturally shift towards getting in the gym and skipping the runs (despite loving running and probably getting more out of it than a workout.)

But running is a skill and if I am to improve at the skill I need to be running. So I am going to finish the month training as I please and then focus on the running with the strength as the secondary.

Diet

Diet has been on point and despite having less calorie output I am managing to control my calorie input and have dropped 2kg. I have a further 2-3 kg to go over the next 5 weeks and may end up aggressively dieting towards the end to achieve that weight loss. Once I have done this I will look to maintain weight while the marathon training steps up a gear.

Sleep

Sleep has definitely been an issue over the last week or so and is something I am going to be really mindful of going forwards. Balancing late nights and early morning with work can be part of a PT’s job description but I will have to manage it the best I can to make sure I don’t compromise my training.

Outlook

I guess what has come most apparent to me is my priorities. Right now I want to focus on my business and after essentially struggling with work for a year, being able to get in front of clients and work again is amazing.

With this I know there will be periods where I don’t train, eat or sleep optimally so it will be about managing those factors while trying to keep as fit and healthy as possible.

It’s still early in the training cycle but all these factors that are presenting a challenge now are unlikely to change. So I need to be mindful of this and adapt as I go.

If you have any questions about my training feel free to drop me a message. If you would like help with your training then also feel free to get in touch. Always happy to help.