Do you bring your weekly mileage down at the end of a season? Should you or shouldn’t you? In this podcast, we’re going to be discussing how to bring mileage down after a training block.
This is a common problem that many runners face, and it’s important to know how to deal with it. I’ll be discussing some of the most common techniques that work well for reducing mileage after a difficult training block. After watching this video, you’ll be able to reduce your mileage safely and comfortably!
This episode of the long run podcast is sponsored by Sketches Good evening everybody and welcome get rid of that uh oh to the long run show my name is Chris Ford and this is live people we are live from Chicago I know not that was last week wasn’t it um but we are here hang on a sec let me
Just oh I’m not my camera is not on hang on sorry about that so we are live um from Hayden’s house in Chicago and today we’re going to be talking about we don’t know um now we are going to be talking about something we’re going to be talking about reducing mileage after
Basically a uh block of training a end of season let’s call it uh some of us are still training for things other people are just given up haven’t they Ben um but yes so we’ve got to give a shout out first before we start to our friends at sketches sketches. co.uk over
There and smash The Living Daylights out of that I’ve just uh posted on Instagram actually a new pair of shoes they sent uh some of these casual ones that everyone seems to be wearing they’ done this deal with the I’m gonna get this wrong is it the dojo girls or something
Dojo something or Dojo cat Dojo cat yeah they’ve done a thing with them and uh it’s all over like social media so anyway um yeah we smashed that uh so thank you very much to them uh if you’re looking for some shoes or anything like
That there’s a pair of ASX brand new ASX down there I actually wore them today uh you want this is no good for the podcast is it but they came from start finish is K40 runs you’re welcome and yes so the team we’ve assembled The Avengers tonight in our bobble hats because we
All smashed a living day likees out of Chicago and what uh and we’ve got we we’re there’s me uh we got Ben Mr 321 um the hobbit’s here Hayden’s here and Al’s down in the corner as well we have about 50 layers on he’s cold bless him uh and
So I said we’re going to be talking about what it’s like now you know to talk about what you do at the end of a block what the hell do you do now you know mean training for all this stuff and whether it’s half marathon catch 5K
Whatever what do you do now sort of thing so we’re going to be getting on to that in a minute but we are going to talk about Chicago because obviously we all went there and had a good time and uh I got to give a shout out to the guys
That believe have you seen the believe in the Run podcast guys uh all the video they um was talking about you a lot talking about Mr Speed Goat as well bit confused about what Toby got up to and I have said uh I’ve reposted it I’ve said just just
Wait till um wait till Sunday’s video comes out brilliant it’s absolutely brilliant uh so watch that if you’ve got no idea what we’re watching talking about wait you see that and I think that’s about it so uh this is recorded live by the way this a this award-winning podcast it is awardwinning
Believe It or Not is uh recorded live we the biggest uh running podcast in Saudi Arabia and we are recording this live so get your comments questions whatever you do after a marathon training block half marathon training what did you do when you got to 5K from the couch put it in
The box and we’ll get on to that any questions any you want to talk about if you think my hat looks amazing um let me know and I think that’s probably about it but I think we should start with our adventur in Chicago what do you think
Guys no I think we should start with the the obvious question everyone’s G to know is who have you paid to get the bubble hat from I pa no one no money no money’s changed who’s giving you the Bobble hat no no one’s giving me a bobble hat
This is my B what what’s SM what I don’t understand what the issue is you always knew I was GNA you always knew I said it from day one when you all got really clever oh we’re going to Chicago together I said to you I’m going to have
One of them and I’m going to turn up on the podcast with one and I don’t need to do this 5K did I say that I did say that didn’t I Ben get involved see so you go you go so there we go people so everybody on
Instagram uh who said that I would be wearing man you’re right so you’re welcome can I take it off now because I’m really hot it is hot yeah talk about yourselves Hayden F the views Al feel the views what you’ve been up to what been up to Hayden Ben not much rning
Like a week ago touching down in State Side it really doesn’t just weird how it goes so fast is it it literally is half your life getting prepped and ready you blink and it’s over and then then you’re back here with gear or all the no idea
As they say all the gear no idea it is it is great someone just said we we look like Smurfs it is quite funny I was editing Toby’s video and uh to see like the Sea of bobble hats it’s quite it’s quite a sight what was it what was it like to be
Part of that Ben um I mean you you definitely need the bubble hat it was cold um at that time in the morning um but yeah it’s pretty pretty insane and then I went to the Expo afterwards because um we landed in kind of lsh on the Friday
Afternoon um and obviously rocking the bubble hat around the Expo and the amount of people who were like oh where’d you get that can I buy one can I buy I was gen they can’t be bought can they they can’t be bought I was considering auctioning it off to the
Highest bidder to pay for the merch that I bought but for tonight yeah there you go um at for context can some Hayden you explain what the Bobble what this Bobble hat is so don’t forget we we are the biggest running podcast in the world we’re the biggest running club in the UK
That is actually true and we’re the biggest running independent running podcast in the world um which is also true so Hayden so for our viewers listeners in Saudi Arabia where we’re huge Mongolia Peru obviously the whole country of Malta where we’re National Treasures can you fill them in on what
Actually we’re talking about so with a lot of the world Majors now it seems to be a growing Trend where they have almost like a it’s not a ShakeOut run it’s almost a big 5K event the day before they had one in Boston um you get obviously you get your ShakeOut runs
That all your influencers and people like that organize and get to but this is more of a this is run by actual Chicago marathon events well it’s actually won by Abbotts World Majors I had one in Boston it was a 5k I think there was 15,000 of us that done that
And you get a nice t-shirt and finishers but the thing with Chicago it’s become a little bit iconic is when you run Chicago 5K there’s no finishes t-shirt there’s nothing like that but you get the bubble hat and they’ve actually really really for something so silly
They’ve really done a good job with this because it it has almost become iconic and if you gave everyone a t-shirt not everyone would wear it for the 5K there was 12,000 of us and I would say out 12,000 maybe 500 would wear the t-shirt
And do the run with the bubble hats i’ say it’s at least 10 and a half maybe 11,000 that wore the bubble hat so and because they are as they are standing up looking like a Smurf looking like a dwarf great it it does actually there it’s even better it’s absolutely brilliant you
Just see the Blue Hats just bobbing up and down it’s just real fun it’s a 5K run it’s almost like a bit of an introduction to the city of Chicago you do a tiny bit of the actual course on the day just get a feel for the city and
It just gets people together the day before big Marathon eases a bit of nerves bit of tension and it’s done really nice and early in Chicago so got the rest of the day to yourself it’s just a great concept that all the world Mages are taking on but Chicago has gone
That one step further very very clever they’ve done the ball it’s been for absolute years I believe Carolyn um done Chicago back in what was that 2017 or something yeah so she TW did 2017 and was new to all of this and just didn’t
Get the kind of bubble hat so she had to go back to do that um so that’s what six years after the event but did you not notice there was one member of our big gang that didn’t get the the message poor Kieran when you look on all the
Instagram post I’ve seen it he’s obvious by his absence of his bubble hat so God knows what he was thinking that morning and I know it was I don’t know if it was a protest because as uh robs already said this this does probably work out
The most expensive 5K in the world if you’re only running the 5K um and he made us quite clear that he had that view and then he didn’t turn up with his bubble hat so I think there was a little bit of protest going on from Kieran it’s about $15 per
Kilomet he’s probably more if you know him speak out yeah true that is true that is true that is we’ve um there is some questions coming we’ll come on to those in just a minute um because I do want to dive into before we get onto the like proper
Subject but I do want to uh dive into uh how you guys ran because I mean there was there was I obviously we had the world record and stuff like that but I’m not I don’t really care about these Elite Runners um I’m only interested in my mates and I
Think it was unbelievable to see you guys smashing the life out of it and it’s all relative right where where you came it doesn’t matter the times it’s but it’s the how you got on was was just so amazing to see because obviously you’re traveling that all that way right
You are in a foreign country I know America’s Western whatever but you are in a foreign country you got the time difference and you got all this stuff I mean you guys just killed it out there I mean you had the best time ever from what I’ve seen and obviously I’ve edited
Two videos now um and it just it just looked like you had the best the best time but then that obviously the times then came about as well so Ben let let’s firstly talk to you because I know we had we we we Ben and I if you didn’t
Know we trained together um over this block and uh he’s been killing killing it um I’ve said it about a million times how well he’s been training um and it was no surprise to me to see that he smashed The Living Daylights out of it after sort of he dragged my sorry butt
Around burl in but we did have the best time there but he um he’s been flying in his training I gave him a strategy which he absolutely nailed um but that doesn’t mean anything if you if you don’t put the effort in so I just think Ben talk
Talk talk The viewers with within three minutes through your race and how you ended up smashing what was it 21 minutes off your PP go yeah so I think start with I would like London Vibes before before I started I was really nervous um obviously we’d Fun Run Berlin um because
Because you were injured so I wasn’t expecting the nerves on it um and it really kind of freaked me out in the morning had gone down to the to the starting pen saw a and Kieran before got a hug off both of them and that actually
Really relaxed me so I’d I’d written my times on my hand which I’ve never done before um and then written them on the back of a piece of paper stuck them in uh in my phone case and i’ I’d said what two weeks ago I was going for 3:30 um in
My head I wanted to go a little bit quicker but I was I wanted 3:30 so I’d written my times to halfway for 3:30 and then put down a 15 mile and a 20 mile time which would have got me in which was like the
326 so I set out like we’d obviously had a pep talk in the morning um so I set out went went for it kind of nice and steady because GPS in Chicago doesn’t help so my top tip for if you’re doing Chicago is have a note of where you want
To be at what time just to kind of keep on the pacing so I pretty much 510k was on Pace got to halfway about minute and a half ahead of the 330 pace and then just sped up to 16 miles checked in felt okay so carried on to 20 and by the time
I got to that stage and I was looking at where I was I just thought Cowboy Up leave it all out there this is like last marathon of the year and see what I’ve got to to drag myself around and I think probably the last two miles like Hayden
We were saying there’s a sign that says like 800 meters to go but it’s not for you running the marathon and in my head I was looking going I’m sure I haven’t got 800 meters to go because I haven’t passed the 26 mile Mark yet it was like s orin’s Vibes
All over again Chris when you were telling me there was 800 meters to go and we hadn’t passed 9k um so it was only as we kind of rounded that last corner and I really wanted to Sprint finish but I was Str I was kind of like
400 meters go I was like right I’m going to go I just couldn’t like get that much and then as soon as you see that Finish Line it just gives you that extra burst but yeah I think pacing wise and and just having that strategy especially
When the GPS was off was something that really played a part for me I’ve got a really important question not to you Hayden whose’s house you in tonight there’s no way right every time comes on this bleeding podcast he’s in a different room or a different house it’s
True is it no it’s not true it’s absolute rubbish it’s this are you in your house tonight I’m in my house yeah are you in the other Wing because I’ve never seen this room before that’s like oh I know where he is it must be the
Toilet is the only man who has a toilet with a TV that size in the toilet true it it’s because he spend carry on um how did your race go well I think just to go back couple of points in terms of what you deal with when you run abroad
And we’ve spoken about this on the podcast a lot you can’t can’t take away that it has an effect I had to create an alter ego called Steve because uh the V the vegans out there the options are very limited so I had to to create a
Person called Steve that gave me options around pepperoni pizza and double cheeseburgers and I managed to find my way through eventually how to kind of fuel and car blow ready for the race um but on the not this this training block has been inconsistent at best uh lots of
Life stuff dealing with so I didn’t really have any clue as to to how it was going to go um when I fell out the taxi on the waiter Berling I wasn’t even sure if I was going to make the start but thankfully painkillers and that
Everything got me to it um and I had the best time ever because I went in with no expectations there was no time it was literally if I I get round I’ve had a fantastic race I was better than that um I had a couple of strategies in terms of
Dealing with the the distances given that H probably covered enough 18 and 20 MERS um so it involved you uh out for 16 miles giving it all um walking through the age stations 16 to 20 and then a very deliberate one run walk strategy
For the last 10K so I was ready to go at that point with little pedometer and the the intervals ready to beep um and looking back that last 10K was quicker than the previous 10K because I kind of had kind of got into a different Rhythm I was no longer worrying about slowing
Down I was no longer worrying about my Pace falling off a cliff because I had a different strategy and I actually you know really enjoyed that last six miles because I was doing something different mid race um compared to normal when you’re just hanging on for dear life and
You’re just you know wishing the miles away um so yeah in in that context I’m putting it down as one of my best marathons ever um because it was about survival and and some of you know how difficult that was even to get to the start line and it was it exceeded
Expectations so I’m really Keen to go back because I would like to actually give a crack at it it is a Fab course the crowd is absolutely amazing I wish we could have the Mexican mile you know every race because they just went for it with tequila and shots and 20 foot
Statues of day of the Living Dead and everything and it can’t but just lift you but it was true I think pretty much all the way around so it hate to say it I’d probably rank it higher than London now in terms of one of my favorite races
Yeah it’s a good it’s a good point you just mentioned now about um the strategy change the just the focus I think we find ourselves sometimes when when we’re on we’re doing a race or we’re in a race and or or whatever or just a normal run
A long run that’s maybe a little bit harder um you sort of try and just you get into this rout just slugging it out and actually you’re just sitting there just hating hating what you’re doing and I think what Al just said about in terms of changing it up whether that’s a run
Walk or whether you and now I said this to S he’s not on today um he’s also got a hat like me as well and he’s still this is not Simon’s Hat by the way Hayden before we start crying about it uh it’s um AR the uh but no he he uh
Struggled quite openly struggled with his uh points in the race in which you know he always wanted to feel like he wanted to walk even though he’s like trained exceptionally well he just had this thing so this time around I said to him at these points on the on the
Mileage drop it push do something slightly different to what you would normally do which is oh just got to keep going just just got to keep my legs C I just got to keep going I’ve got to get to the next mile he pushed um and then
He checked himself I and he pushed again which is why he ran so strong at 342 which is his first sub4 hour marathon so it just shows you he’s always had it it was just it was just doing what Al said changing it up slightly made a huge
Difference to it because there’s nothing worse when you get to whether it’s marathons half marath whatever it is and you get to that last phase of it and you’re just it’s event is I just I just want to stop I just want like side does
I just want to have a lay down and and you you can’t help it but changing it up like I did brilliant um and Hayden I’ve got to come to you because everybody who’s commented on the video has all said that you look like you’re having
The best time and you and you finishing like you ain’t done nothing which I’ve got to say and I’ve told this story to a couple of people that both of these herberts run me um pretty much after they crossed the line and both of them
When they run me I’ll be honest with you you’re both in trouble they both sounded like they just finished part run not running not running you know under 330 hour marathon both of them sounded like they’ just done part run it was an absolute Mickey take um it’s good that
Obviously Ben had more in the tank because we can we can push on that and obviously the old man he’s got New York with me in a couple of weeks so I’m pleased to be it was just an absolute they run me like they done nothing but
You you did you felt good didn’t you yeah I felt really good it’s actually quite strange just talk Al talking about his experience and Ben there’s a few comments in there about what they’ done and I was actually on it’s just the way people approach the marathon and how
They do it this is what makes the whole sport so individual and so personal to everyone I was speaking to a guy on the plane as we got off at herro and his PB before Chicago was 3:30 and he run 244 and I was like that that’s ridicul
That’s 45 minutes I said why he said I just went out he said a good training blot I went out really hard and just thought I’m going to hold on for dear life and he kn 45 minutes of his PB Al had it in his head he’s going to do that
Walk run at the end Ben went up and down in Paces Simon was pushing at different points for me my my strategy always was um consistent pacing I people do call me Mr consistent I just I just something about it I like who I call you other things never you Mr
Consistent consistent I could I could give you all the list if you want listen I’d like they got loads for you but it’s a bit trouble but no i’ like to be consistent I like to hit the same pace and I had it in my
Head that I was going to hit a 455 pace for every kilometer and if I felt really good in the last 5K maybe give it a push But ultimately for me everyone’s got different goals my goal was literally to get round no injury feel good and just
Be ready for New York I was only 12 weeks into my New York plan so running a marathon at 12 weeks isn’t ideal but it worked fine and I just had it in my head last year I went out a lot faster than I did this year and at 20 miles I didn’t
Blow up but I had nothing left and I come in 5 minutes slower than what I did this year and this year I come in honestly cross the line I felt fantastic I it was just it was so comfortable I’m just so pleased with myself I know as
Well I’ve got so much more there and where some points when you’re doubting your PB when you might have done it a year ago two years ago 10 years ago and you think I’m not going to get there again maybe I was thinking that few months ago but now no problem whatsoever
I know that’s there that that was all about confidence and but you won’t but you won’t go for it in New York will you because that’s a oh absolutely not no I was looking at the elevation this is the thing with Chicago is fantastic and out of everyone I personally knew that was
There I think everyone performed really well it wasn’t just about PBS about the performance and PBS so Marissa was on the show before the self-c confess at back of the pack Runner she was her training plan was awful leading up to this she had a lot of injuries and she
Was really really nervous about the 6:30 cut off time as she always is she always laughs about it just coming at six hours and 3 minutes and her training plan literally she won maybe two or three weeks out of the 16 it was that bad it just there’s something about the place
Something about the support the atmosphere and I think maybe being away from home and it was flat yeah absolutely Until the End there’s just something about it is little bit special and I think that really gives you that boost and gives you that performance in the comments a guy Gavin Braden it his
First marathon ever you do your first marathon ever and you do it in Chicago absolutely smashed it and loved it the problem he’s going to have is how the hell do you match up to that you top it yeah is it’s tough is it Al let’s um
Before we get into um talking about what the hell you do now what’s uh what questions comments anything you’re on mute Big Boy even though it’s my fault because I said I was stopping the echo so a couple of Chicago related questions um one for all
Of us so we’ll start with that one here an wants to know what we thought about the organization of the major in compared to others um not bad I thought it was pretty good I know there was some issues if you’re a little bit further up
The track in terms of bagd drop at the end but uh I didn’t experience any of that and I think given where the marathon is in relation to the city center I don’t think it could have gone much smoother to be honest um again Kieran and I made a decision not to
Chase the start of our pen because of the toilet cues but there was never any issues about not making it onto the start line um absolutely awesome in terms of the number of water stations and you’re always going to get idiots cutting across you on race day I think
That’s inevitable there was a few moans about that in some of the Facebook groups but yeah I don’t you can give it a 10 because you shouldn’t but I’d give it a good solid eight and a half maybe even nine for organization from where I
Saw it so that’s my view don’t about the rest of you guys yeah I think I was go Hayden I think you’re GNA say exactly same as me Ben me and Ben come over the Finish Line not far from each other so we actually walk back to the bag drop up until that
Bag drop point we actually had a bit of a conversation about ratings and I think Ben went 10 out of 10 like no hesitation and after the picking up the bag he was like um maybe I would have dropped that at half a point because it was a bit of
A pain but as you said when you look at the real terms of things it held us up by maybe what 15 20 minutes on the marathon of that scale over the other side of the world if everything else is perfect and you’ve got to wait 20
Minutes for your bag pickup so be it yeah it didn’t it didn’t dampen it I think there was Q’s getting in as well so I went in through gate one I don’t know which which gate you were Hayden there seemed to be a lot which was F
Like it didn’t bother me like but there was a girl I was chatting to in the queue who was having a bit of a not a meltdown she was just really nervous which is fine which actually probably helped me in a way because focusing on
Her and trying to get her to sign up for 40 runs and you know kind of do doing all that actually took my mind off everything else I’ve just seen one of the comments there were plenty of toilets at the start line like you out I
Stayed at the back I kind of I wasn’t worried about getting into the pen I was at the back of wave one so I was quite happy being at kind of being at the back and stuff like that and yeah plenty of room I thought organization wise I
Thought no issues I’ve got a question wellow it’s not mine I’m going to steal it Hayden out of the five Mages you have completed so far which has been the best for crowds slash Atmos as I was saying before by this is this is a really personal thing if I’m
Looking at it from myself it’s difficult because I was so hyped so excited and obviously Boston is just it’s just on a different scale together and there’s parts of the crowd in Boston that you just couldn’t hear yourself think so for me that was right there but honestly
Yeah Chicago is right up there the problem is Chicago and Boston are fighting for them top spaces they just pushed London Berlin and Tokyo down for me so yeah Chicago is definitely definitely on par with Boston both of them are amazing absolutely amazing I I just say actually did help to be fair
That we did have our own team of supporters out there yeah difference Mak Tracy KT carollyn Danny all of them out there it was just have them there as well that the flag the 4D flag it made a few it made kafui YouTube Vlog it was
Just up there prominent and when you see things like that I actually saw the 40 flag from about watch out about half a mile away I knew that was coming so that half a mile I can’t remember that bit of the run it wouldn’t have mattered if I
Was had one leg working I still would have got there your mind just takes it off that and you see that you go away with a smile and you move on to the next part of the course that’s a really good point you know you you see those cheer
Squads and you want to stop and recognize them and give them a hug and all that and you know it’s going to slow you down but you also know it’s going to give you such a boost for the next half a kilometer or so that it’s worth it
Because it just lifts you Spirit wise wherever is whether it’s you know what’s Katie she was at Mile 10 then it was halfway and then mile 20 and whatever you just knew you was going to get that lift from your own crew and I think we’ve spoken about this in terms of why
It’s so important to get the volunteers out you know we had it I think at the big half where you know we had all the medals being dished out by FES it makes such a difference to have a familiar face give you that little bit of support
Whether it’s during the race or at the end of the race that you know you can’t really put you can’t quantify what that’s worth but you know it’s very special to to have it out there and that’s the foreign race wow that is that is on the cake and that’s the amazing
Thing about this club that we’ve got ourselves into um oh sorry Ben I’ve left that up by accident and um but yeah this club this club that we’ve got ourselves into is it’s just amazing you know to see to see all these people like as I say even Thomas believe
In the r was talk about it on on the drop podcast today that they put out about you guys out there and Sh oh my head’s falling off um about the um you guys out in Chicago you know wherever you you even around the world now you
Know to find that support to find those Heroes whether it’s volunteers people on the course or just at your local part run you know you you you’re bumped bumping into somebody who’s who’s part of it and it does give a boost go back to J’s question as well I think this
This isn’t sound I really hope it doesn’t sound condescending or not racist yeah do you know but know what the problem is as well I find do the American marathons and everyone knows they are so over the top they’re they’re over the top everything you just walk
Past them they’re like gold man gold man high fives loud as you want whereas when you’re in Berlin don’t you experience it particularly Tokyo because the main language isn’t English you’re not going to get that shouting out your name go Hayden you haven’t got that so when you’re in these American marathons and
London as well obviously you get that different experience as well from the crowd and I think that’s what makes a big difference whereas if I was from Tokyo you know I spoke Japanese maybe I think the Japanese Marathon was a lot better maybe they just hate you you find
As well Hayden I I think we were saying there was so what surprised me in Chicago was how many people didn’t have names on their top we’ve spoken about it so many times because off because we all had our names on our top like literally everyone you know I was chatting to
Before we started and said oh I’m really nervous and she’s like this is your Victory lap and actually it did feel like a Victory lap because every every person you passed was just like go on there go on there and you’re just like there’s so many people around me and
They’re just shouting for me it was yeah it’s crazy but love I’m I’m gonna end the Chicago talk on this because you’ve just remind me of something we’ve got to give admin a big shout out right because she had the best training block I’ve ever seen her do right she
Really committed to this one and she reckons uh it’s it was her last but it ain’t because she signed up for Berlin and the um she has and she absolutely flew around there she she beat her PB was it 20 minutes Ben I can’t remember exactly was it 25 I think
Something like that but she absolutely flew around there I I rang to or message so I can’t remember what it was I said who’s going to ring her and tell her to slow down because she was going so fast right it was unbelievable she absolutely
Killed it so for all you admin fans out there I know she’s got them and I’m not just talking about speo but you got we youve got to give her a shout out because she absolutely destroyed it out there so give big props to to admin for
For killing it right actually can I just know can you’re going to get me you’re going to get me in trouble otherwise I need to step in you got to remember my wife done a p as well so oh yeah yeah good point I let that one she she’s um
She’s my second favorite person she she’s just behind the door there knock his hand mention my PB mention my I saw the not right move on go yeah she she wanted to use the toilet that you’re in um yes right so come on guys we’ve got to get
Off of Berlin because we get complaints about the fact all we do is talk about marathons and it’s that’s all your fault we talk about everyday runners okay so look it is a genuine valid question because um I think wherever you are in your journey right and again this could be because
You’ve got to 5K you’ve got to 10K you hit the half marathon maybe you just did great North run whatever or maybe this weekend you’re going to go and do 10 miles at the Great South run that’s your first thing right what do you then do afterwards so my question to you and
We’re going to go around this is what do you do now do you maintain your training do you maintain your frequencies do you do you keep running do you keep like doing the speed sessions do you keep doing the long runs how do you now go about sort of you know keeping yourself
Ticking over because we’ve all got different reasons why we run you know lose weight mental health whatever it is right um social side of things but what are you going to do to tick yourselves over now Ben so I’ve got Valencia half next Sunday uh so that’s probably yeah that’s
That’s probably my one um I think after London I didn’t run for about a month and then we did Hackney and whilst the time was great I I noticed I struggled on that one so this time round I’ve done a couple of gentle runs this week I’ll
Do a couple of gentle ones next week then I’ve got that half and then I’m looking at maintaining I’ll probably bring my distance on my long runs down to you know the 10 miles for a you know through November um and then slow like build back up through December again and
Then we’ got Manchester in April so training block starts again but I want I’m looking for this one to maintain okay so last time you sort of fell off a bit yeah um sat on the sofa sofa watch the boxing stuff like that um Al what about you what what do you tend
To do between blocks yeah so so I won’t stop um partly because I run for mental health as much as anything else so having a an extended break probably wouldn’t work for me um so probably the easiest way to describe it is thinking about a reverse taper so coming off this
Week couple of very gentle easy runs and then then slowly building the miles back up but with at the moment no real purpose other than just to be on my feet and just keeping ticking over um I don’t have a spring Marathon planned at the moment moment so the target is a couple
Of uh spring halfes uh and I’m not really gone for any of those for about a couple of years now because marathons have taken over so it will mean in effect a very different approach in terms of there won’t be so many long slow runs on a Sunday um but there will
Probably be more focus on some of the shorter speedier work trying to get some of that back in the legs after 18 months of marathon training but I think it’ll will kick in in a couple of weeks time what’s interesting this is the first time I’ve run a marathon where I’ve kind
Of lost hours coming back to the UK so for me my legs have felt fine but I’ve just been generally knackered so I’m listening to the body going more sleep better food you know just do the basic recovery um get out there do some running because you you want to be doing
That for all sorts of reasons but it’s listening to your body so this is a new experience in ter terms of coming back from the states having run a hard race and feeling that it is it is a bit different in terms of recovery so in
That sense it will be a little bit play it by it see how that goes and see if in a week’s time you know I’ve got got to that point where I feel like I’m sleeping well eating well and and and then able to kind of start thinking
About you know what next with a with a bit of a plan down line it’s a funny one for me and Hayden because we obviously got New York about you Hayden but I found it weird like all my mates sort of finishing up their season and then still going it’s
Been it’s been a bit bizarre kind of like I’m kind of over marathon training for this year I’m sort of done I’ve checked out uh the injury’s not helped at all to be honest with you because I think that’s probably half the reason Li having to limit my miles every week um
But I’m kind of done with it all I’m sort of like checked out so I I don’t think let me tell I’ve been given an amazing opportunity to go to New York right and run the New York City marathon with the guys who believe they running New
Balance but I think next year you you I just I I I wouldn’t do it again do you know what I mean I just I would rather finish in Berlin or finish in Chicago and that’s me done and then like literally have a down month let’s say
And then sort of before I start gearing up again for spring I don’t how are you feeling about this I think I think like what you just spoke about sums up really what You’ advise people to do someone said to you they just started running how many marathons a year would you
Advise I’d run I think you and Al being the coaches I’d imagine you’ll probably say two you shouldn’t really run more than two marathons a year so as yourself you’re going to be doing three this year I’m doing four so yeah it’s going to take it out of you and maybe you are
Going to get them bits them feelings where you think you know you’re just done you want to move on to the next thing so I think yeah I’m bit like you with that I’m always going to Target two marathons next year and try and stick to
The two marathons um a lot of it I think depends on what your goal is what your target is what you’ve got coming up obviously we’re going to I’m still I’m on week this is week 13 for me towards New York so it’s not as though Chicago
Was an end point or it’s like just somewhere in the middle this is week 13 for me so I’ve got a half this weekend then next weekend I’m going to go long then have two week taper I’ll probably come back seeing how I feel the body
Feels I am going to rest up a lot more in December February I’ve got I’m out in Vegas for the half and then probably I’d like to do a marathan April I think I think I will stick to I think it’s almost like it’s almost like a tradition
The big ones I’m going to go sort of spring April May and then maybe September October if I can maintain that for the next few years I’ll be great my biggest problem is it’s gonna be motivation for me getting the six stars and doing the abotts was always always like eyes
Sparkling can’t wait for this and I feel like it now um some people said to me you don’t seem that excited you’re playing down New York honest to God I wake up every morning I keep keep thinking about that Bloody bit of tin around my neck that’s all I care about
That’s all I think about I can’t wait for it I’m really excited but I’ve always had that thought in the back of my mind once I get that and I wake up the next day and I’m happy and I’ve got my pictures and I’ve flown home and I
Wake up I’m like well what’s next what do I do and this week actually um he’s actually talking to Ben about it over in Chicago I have actually today as well signed up for um the super halfes excellent because the super halfes are they just increased it from five to six
And there’s six real good cities easy to get to quite quick short weekends they’re all half marathons and again now I’ve got that little bit of excitement once the majors are done that’s the next goal for me to so talk the viewers through listeners through again you’ve
Got two and a half minutes to tell everyone what that is and uh why it’s appealing go well it was originally was a series of five races it’s Cardiff Prague Valencia cop haen five halfes they’ve just added for next year Berlin so basically you do the
Super halfes all six of them bit like the majors and you get a super medal in basic terms that’s what it is they’re easier to get into there’s no mucking about with ballots or things like that and because they are in Europe you know yourself been to Amsterdam you guys have
Went up to Berlin you could fly out there on a Friday come back on the Sunday night or Su it’s not going to take up your whole weekend and I know it’s a bit arrogant to say but it’s a half marathon for me I find that quite
Easy but easy depends how hard I want to go on it but it’s not something I have to train 16 weeks for so it’s really appealing super halfes get signed up I’ve just signed up we’re in for Prague can’t wait to pick on that it’s accessible isn’t it from a distance
Point of view it’s accessible from a travel because pretty much all of those cities will have a rione air EasyJet option and to put a plugin we are trying to get as many FES onto many of those trips in 2024 and 2025 so we can share
The love of running abroad because it is something different it does give you a different motivation and a different spark so if we can get a few groups going to each of those races it’s we will literally take over set up the events uh one of you in the Facebook group it wasn’t
Me it was Carolyn but there are events Pages live in each of the for each of the super halfes now well in the in the Facebook group well done I think that’s a great shout to promote that when is Prague when is when you Prague Prague is um April April but
You know what come you’ve come to me you’ve come to Al this man in the top right I think he’s only got one left or two left is he and is any good or is it like Pony uh so the original one was was all right so
I’ve done so far I’ve done Cardiff Lisbon Copenhagen got Valencia next Sunday and then the plan was to finish in Prague because it’s a Saturday race and then literally they announced Berlin and so I said to spicy we’re doing Berlin she didn’t have a choice um so that that’s
The same weekend as Prague so we’ll do that 2025 but yeah they are I’m gonna correct you Ben it is the same weekend but technically you could do Prague on the Saturday jump on a plane get to Berlin and do that Sunday challenge that is technically feasible you could but
You know I treat every running abroad a holiday say I wasn’t listening because I was looking at a picture of a man with a very very very big medal um sorry looking up he’s looking up the super hars that’s what he’s doing Ben so Al say that again because that
Sounded interesting so the way they the way they’ve scheduled the the super hes I don’t know if it’s deliberate or or why it’s come about but as Ben said the the Prague is on whatever day but it’s a Saturday and the Berlin race is on a
Sunday and Prague to Berlin is not a million miles oh so whether you were flying coaching F I’m going to put an advert in for Flicks bus I’m sure you could get a 25o flicks bus from Prague to the same weekend as Manchester I don’t uh yeah I think so because I’m
Doing Prague and then Manchester the AL the only thing with that though is do you have time to get to the Expo in Berlin you get a friend to pick it up for you no I’m just saying it’s possible we’ve looked at it the the Prague ler is
Probably the big seven the Brighton’s on the seventh and prague’s on the seventh oh I can’t do that oh mind you say when’s the one on the on the Saturday Saturday Prague sorry the Saturday how are you doing that one I’m doing Prague on the Saturday yes a bger are you
Coming he meant to be doing something else on that day yeah yeah yeah well done thanks for coming um but I got a say ha I leave it to me I I’ll saw it all that um the medal does look good can if if I do these six or seven or
Whatever you’re talking about I’ve already lost um do I have to do them all in the same year when can I get this medal so you have to do them within three years from when you start your first one four years five I think it’s 60 months now actually five years they keep
Changing it this is the only thing I’m gonna say about super hars that it originally was supposed to start in 2020 obviously the pandemic hit and it all changed but then messaging and communication about all those races that got postponed was shocking which is where with this it I’m not surprised
About their messaging around this as well because I think I’ve said on here before I was in Cardiff the night before the Cardiff half and it was only that I randomly went on their website and saw that it wasn’t part of the new super half series and so I had to do cardi
Twice in a year and I could have delayed it had we known that before so they messaging they need to just get a little bit better on that I would say can you still hear me y sadly I was getting feedback from my earphones so I
Got rid of them um Ben yes I’m going to show you a man with a very big medal Joey Cruz look at the size so if you’re on the podcast I’m just showing a man of a very big medal it’s is that what we’re going for yeah yeah I might
Do it you know that looks pretty good and checking him out they’re reasonably price as well when you say reasonably price Hayden you’ve got to remember you’re a billionaire so what is that in reference to I think Prague was 68 Euros I think it was 70 euros that’s a bit
Trumpy was it because I I have to say with them as well so Valencia if you’re they might change it now but with quite a few of them if you’re one of the first entrance so like up to the first 10,000 it was say €30 EUR then 10,000 to 30,000
Was 40 EUR so some of them have a kind of staggered price in as well but Copenhagen was around 70 EUR that was the most yeah that was the most expensive one out of all of them but yeah I mean for for it and to get there’s no entry like other than the
Entry fee there’s no times that you have to um that you kind of have to run so is accessible for everyone and as Al said it is within you know within Europe you can hop on a flight know issues and and stuff like that so I’ve loved doing them
And it’s an excuse to kind of get away and go for a weekend away with friends and say 70 is a bit steep I about 58 quid I like L same price as Larks big I like the fact that we’re going to own these I like the fact that Caroline’s
Already put them in the Facebook group and we’re now going to take over all these events and the fact that we’re going we’re going abroad big time I like this a lot I don’t care really about your your whatever you’re talking about I didn’t catch any of that all I’m all
Immediately I’m just thinking of like us lot out all these races smashing The Living Daylights out of it I just think think about the big medal you’re thinking about the big I’m not I’m not where is he where’s Ben’s M about that I’m not thinking about wah Cruz or
Whatever his name is I’m thinking I’m just thinking about like you just said going back to I think it was our’s point or your point I can’t remember who it was wasn’t really listening was about about the flag that’s what I listened to was the flag and and the and the symbol
You know the fact that you know even like as you said Mike kzi picked up on that then to to take that to all these other events and to bring that message of everyday Runner to to across across the world it’s just it’s just brilliant
I love it where um hayen have you sorted out my place what place for these things you said and obviously I can’t do the one that you’ve now done because obviously reasons I literally this is this is something that happened when I got back from Chicago it was last night
I think it was and someone put up on about Berlin being added did so I looked into I sort of knew what the super halves were because of Ben and Rachel were doing them and I just started looking into it yesterday and we saw the Prague ones day and I spoke to Louisa
And we were talking she said it’s the Easter holidays the last weekend said should we do it I was like you know what even I get to London I get to London or something like that yeah and then after that as you said I thought well I didn’t even know Louisa
Told me tonight that Karen set up an event page for every single one of the super halfes so I’m like well yeah let’s get cracked thing I will do and I’m determined to I’m not going to go there and just want to just smash all six of
These out in the space of a year or 18 months I really want to spread these out so I’ve got so I go back to that point we talked about 20 minutes ago I’m not getting to that point where I’m thinking this is all done now right next what’s
Next I don’t I don’t want that I want to sort of like know I got these six over the next three or four years do two a year that I’ll be over the moon if I can get praga maybe Valencia done next year choose choose or two apart we after and
The good thing is three of them are spring three of them are Autumn as well so you can literally do two two a year I think we we did three last year just kind of like we Cardiff it was great we went down on the Saturday morning drove and stayed
Saturday night Sunday night that’s probably the shortest one that we’ve done um whereas all the others we’ve flown in Thursday Friday made a weekend of it um and yeah and they’re just amazing cities and it’s just so cool so lisb you start on the bridge as well
It’s what I think it’s the only race that you start on the bridge and get to run across the bridge which is pretty iconic um yeah I like I like the fact that we’ve actually inadvertently answered the question of the topic which is what to do after which is basically book more
Races just go out and book more races and just just spread the word I me that’s it is it it’s just what what do you do after you finish training uh sign up for something else to start training again that that is a runner’s mentality
And that that is what it is we all like structure in our lives and by sign up to a race you’ve got structure you’ve got a end point a focus point but a six week plan 12 weeks 16 20 week whatever it is you’ve got something to work towards and
That’s important in life every aspect I think yeah is true it’s it’s just it’s just funny the fact that we all said the same thing and about do it and again it’s irrelevant right it’s relevant for anybody even if you you if you’re like catch the 5K like what do you then do
It’s like can’t book a 10K you might as well carry on I was talking to new Dave on um on honly what you laughing about new day for tell what because people might understand this story literally I was introduced to this guy at Vitality 10K heyen hi this is new Dave I’m thinking
His name can’t be new Dave new Dave and I realize it’s you Wally you’ve given him the name best thing I’ll tell you a little story quickly D now was listen we was at Royal Parks when I I was with a friend of mine and we was running around
Like idiots and and I see new Dave volunteering I’m shout at Dave Dave like this who’s that making all that noise shouting out Dave and then he’s realized it’s me calling him Dave and he went oh I thought oh brilant anyway my point about new Dave I was chatting to him on
Wednesday and uh he’s got a cutle bits coming out off marath and I said D you might just carry on to a marathon he’s going to he’s going to sign up for something it’s it’s inevitable is it because it’s it’s that progression is it’s that thing once you get that
Running in your life you get that health and well-being that comes from running and you know that that is interesting this week um where we did the the the mental health awareness you know and all that kind of stuff the three things that make you smile everybody said it was me
Which was amazing but you know we was talking about genuine seriously you know mental health awareness and and the positivity that comes out of running okay and then what you find is is that somebody gets into and all of a sudden they’re addicted and then they start
Signing up for everything but it’s true it’s it’s it’s so good to for you and and what you can do and so you know there’s never any reason to get down about your running there’s never any reason if it’s not going to plan don’t get down because the thing is it’s it’s
Absolutely amazing what you’re getting out of it anyway so never get down about your running and when you finish a block sign up for something else because then you’ll keep it you’ll keep rolling you you’ll stay on that ride you know that’s that’s that’s what it’s all about now we
Got to give a few shout outs firstly we’ve got to give a shout out um because Benny boy is organizing a trip to Pathos and um that’s that you got to have that book by the end of the month so we need to get we need to get you in for pathos
Ben how can they book p p just go on to the Facebook page or or yeah so if they look for the um I didn’t get from that by the way yeah if they look for the event on the Facebook page and then we’ll repost
It tomorrow as well so I think we’ve got about 20 two signed up so far so it’s going to be another we’re going to take over Cyprus aren’t we yeah so you need to Penny you need if you if you need if you want to come book it now you you
Haven’t got a choice on this one you you’ve got to just care about make a decision you either go for it or you don’t go for it you can’t be either way on this one get off the fence take get the splinters out your bum and book it
If you’re looking to do paos next up we got to give a shout out to the people who are running the Amsterdam Marathon this weekend I’ve done it it’s fantastic don’t lay down at 25 and half miles it’s not recommended the Yorkshire marathon is also this weekend good luck to
Everybody who’s doing that we’ve got about a million people doing the Great South run this weekend as well so make sure that you there’s a Meetup posted there’s an event in the Facebook group get along to that I’m going to be at the Oxford half I’m filming but I am
Genuinely there so the good thing is with Oxford is there’s a lot of um sort of out and backs and stuff like that so we all see each other quite a lot so I will be out and call I’m starting early but I am of course filming so make sure
If you see somebody in a 40 runs top you shout at them very loudly especially if his new Dave and don’t call him Rob call him Dave uh we had who do we have the other day new we had new Derek didn’t we come we got Bob by the way have you by
The way have you met new Bob we got new Bob at Harford as well brilliant um so yeah so make sure if you’re any of these races this weekend and you’re feeling anxious you’re feeling overwhelmed by it all hunt out another 40 run okay don’t need necessarily need him need to talk
To them just stand by them and smell them they usually smell awesome um unless your name’s Hayden I think that’s it have I covered all the races in events um I’ve got one I’ve got one it’s not so much event but is about Great South run based don’t if people have
Seen or known so in the 40 runs running Community um one of the benefits of joining the 41s running club which is absolutely free by the way is we are now not partnered up but we are helping a charity up in the Northeast called for Louie very very very very important
Charity that does some absolute amazing work and they’re helping us out with some good race Paces race places and we’ve got a few of our Runners 40 Runners that will be down wearing their tops with pride at the Great South run promoting for their charity for Louis
Which is a Northeast based charity so if you get a chance go and check them out and have a look at them absolutely we’ve got um we’ve got a pay set up no one has to donate if they don’t want to but if you do um we’ve got a pay set up we’ll
Put a link down somewhere out over the weekend but if you see anybody in a for Louie uh top give them a shout out as well really really great amazing charity base in the Northeast they do incredible work uh I say we teamed up with them to um to
With some raised places and trying to raise some awareness so give them B sh uh JBS has just mentioned as well it’s the Manchester half as well that’s the other one because I know some of the staff’s crew are going up there as well um make sure you get along to that one
If you’re doing that one or you’re supporting again look out for the guys and girls that are doing that um so yes so check that one out as well so we’ve got the staff’s and and loads of people doing the Manchester half so it’s a busy busy weekend I think medal Monday will
Be crazy as always uh which is good news um uh part run out for you Saturday yeah ticking off another Essex uh part run so heading to Harrow Lodge with the Three Amigos I think okay that should be fun nice J round uh yes I think I’m actually
Going to harro like not the lodge part sorry so just down the road because I need a h for my alphabet so I think I’m going to Harrow where are you on your alphabet uh I’ve got five letters left I believe learn five letters left to learn
The alphabet learn yeah what are those letters uh h i q y and Zed try to make a a word out of that while I talk to heyden Um I thought he was going to say some other letters to be H you when you when you put the other yeah is it what was it Q did you say say yeah where’s Q what one’s Q you got Queen Elizabeth Country Park I’ve done yeah that’s there’s a
Couple of Queens I think there’s a Queens in Belfast and the Queens in Scotland Belfast you got come to IP switch there’s not many eyes and uh if you want your Zed zuda Park 17th of February my birthday weekend oh see I haven’t got much leave because of Pathos
And my cousin’s getting married in are you blow out he’s getting am sorry there’s a z near kov so I’m gonna already said to him on his wedding morning I’m going part run nice I’ll be back later I’m exactly just a cheeky three miles uh Queens in Belfast get yourself
Over Ben yeah Ben you’ve got your fans who are saying you had a lot of fans out in Chicago didn’t you I mean I like to think so Gavin I’ll let you know when I’m coming over we’ll we’ll meet there we Gavin loved Chicago we we looked
After him didn’t we ha him we did and you know is actually saying that honestly if I could remember the names I would but there’s so many people literally in the departur lounge going out they notice you they come up to you one person actually most people are
Quite nice one person conly looked at me and went ah Hobbit that was it nothing else else as whole a hobbit that was it nothing else but a lot of people were just like they giveing loads of love for the show the podcast and I listen to the podcast it was really it’s
Really good to hear that when you’re out especially as again when you’re in Chicago it’s such a great talking point someone cut you and say oh listen to that podcast was great I remember when you were talking about this we have so much love for the podcast all around the
World it’s absolutely brilliant it is mad we had it we had it at Raw Park some some lady um stopped us on the on the way out she she looked to up and down and thought why is he in Chicago couldn’t quite work that one out
But she was saying about it is amazing it is an incredible thing that’s come out of this podcast um obviously the YouTube channel everything around what we do here but to to hear that around the world it is and being Ser go back to what I was saying to hear like the guys
On believeing the Run talking about the fact that you guys are out there I mean that’s they’re huge right in the US you think about their ShakeOut runs you know they they’re getting over 200 300 people regularly at these ShakeOut runs and things like that they’re massive in the
US in terms of the running Community talking about asot um rocking out Chicago you know everyone in their fully runs tops and stuff like this and their Bobble ATS and and and seeing it all around the world it’s it is it is amazing it’s there’s a woman it was
Actually one at the Expo when you go and get your numbers the people that sort of scan your number and you give you the bag and stuff one of the one I was there and had a 40 top on literally she said as I walked away wasn’t flippant she
Went seen so many of them bloody 40 Runners today that’s what she said that’s what she said we was at we was at the Expo early as well so I know we had that we had that raw Parks I’ve seen so many of your tops out there today there
So many of your Runners out there today it’s it’s pretty cool um I’ve got to um I’m not going to say say too much but be prepared in the next few weeks for some big announcements coming we’re going to start rolling out some big announcements
Between now and the end of the year for our plans of 2024 that I think are going to blow some people out of the water we’re going to be changing the landscape of running clubs in general um and the running Community across the country uh so stand by for that we we started
Started teasing some of that out so I’m not going to say too much because I’ll get shouted at by admin um but yes we’ve got quite a bit coming out so if you’re not part of this Madness or as Mark Sloan calls it the cult that is 40 runs then get on board
Now as we say it all the time and we’re not being flipping with it he’s free to join you could be anywhere in the world you can become a member so get involved we’ve got all the different straa groups we’ve got the global running crew that
Go out virtually twice a week we’ve got the trail crew who are now just eating it up every week we got obviously the over 35 satellite groups up and down the country which you know everybody’s welcome to join um there’s no barrier to entry there so get involved people it’s
Now is the time um to get involved so yeah that you’ve been warned I keep saying it but you have been warned it’s it’s there’s some amazing things that are coming across the country I’ve Just Seen A comment about Scotland’s across the country um so yes I think that’s
Probably a good place to leave it um Hayden we’ve got a busy weekend um I don’t know yeah we can say we’ve got an event in London that Hayden’s uh coming with me uh to take part with tomorrow and then obviously I’m at Oxford so we’ve got busy weekend as well we young
Man I’ve got park run tomorrow morning first early doors we’re going out to Richmond Park it’s a hour now I don’t know what they call it I think it’s a is it a 555 I don’t know what that means Buton be massive yeah this is Marissa
You know what she’s like there we go um Hayden you better get out of that toilet because I think Lou’s probably still at the door trying to get in I tell you what I can’t to guy his hat well that’s why I I only wear mine
When I go out running I mean that’s that’s that’s the thing what what’s m um if any of you lose your hats obviously you can borrow mine that I got from Chicago but that’s it I think that’s it we got to give a shout out again to the
Guys at um uh what’s it called uh sketches Al’s gone black his screen’s gone black it’s just threw me out I don’t know where he’s gone I think he’s left um but yeah so give a shout out to the guys at sketches sketches. co.uk uh make sure you check all that
Stuff out thank you very much to everybody for all your questions thank you everybody for everybody to taking part uh if you’re listening to this is your podcast thank you very much is an award-winning podcast and we love you all uh there’s nothing else to do other
Than for Ben to take us out while I um work out what we’re doing Ben take us out bye Boys
1 Comment
That hat looks amazing!