The Summer Runners Reset

When I got my place to run London Marathon, my running consisted of the occasional 10k and running with friends to catch up on gossip. 2022 was a big year, I turned 50 (gulp) had clear signs of impending menopause, crunching knees and a serious lack of spare time.

How to start? What to eat? How to train? All the plans online looked super-intense with 5 runs a week. How could I possibly fit that into an already busy life? I needed help.

Apart from the training itself, the best thing about working with Helen was the education. Turns out there is a lot to know about running in your 50's.

Fiona, London Marathon runner

Turning 50, I felt I had passed my running peak. I didn’t think my legs could manage running a marathon, as I was always tired and sore after a race.

Your training was a game changer. 

I can now run long distances without the burden on my legs that had previously limited my goals. My diet, something I’ve struggled with all my life, is finally at a place where I effortlessly eat healthy, balanced meals every day that support my running and my active job.

Training this way I’ve realised that getting older doesn’t mean you have to give up on your dreams and that you can be fitter than your younger self!

Debi, Sydney Marathon runner

Training for my first 2 marathons I followed a plan but only did the steady runs ignoring the harder, more technical bits in the programme. 

Each time I ran a bit faster, but I wasn’t feeling stronger.  So training to run London Marathon I wanted to follow a more structured training programme that would work for me. 

I found the programme was easy to follow and loved the varied structure, the conditioning workouts and nutrition/diet advice, as well as the running. 

Working on my core and leg strength, and making sure I always did the post run stretches which has really helped reduce joint and muscle aches and pains that I’d experienced previously training for marathons.

Diane, London Marathon Runner

I’d run several marathons, and I’d start out strong, but I then lacked the energy to finish strongly at the end. I wanted to learn how to sort that.

After changing my approach to training, I took 10 minutes off of my fastest marathon time. More importantly, my splits towards the end of the race were only 15 seconds or so slower than at the start, unlike other races where I’ve crashed.

Monica, London Marathon runner

I’d been running for about 8 years, but I knew I wasn’t doing the right types of running to improve or to run further than 13 miles. I was just plodding around, running the same speed, run after run.

By including different types of training run and workouts into my training I can now run faster and for longer.

Claire, London Marathon runner

I was anti-carb but soon realised this wasn’t going to give me energy for running.  I started to keep a food diary to help me monitor my macros and keep on track.

I won’t lie it was hard.  But understanding how the ‘nutrient free calories’ were hindering my progress really helped me make better decisions.  I was eating good food, and more of it.

When I ran my next marathon I took 54 min off my time. I also lost weight and I was eating more food than ever!”

Karen, Kilder Marathon runner