Running on Full

Random thoughts, used to be about running

Thoughts on Running

Picture of me at work, and me at the end of the Chiltern Challenge

What Running Has Taught Me: On Being Self-Employed

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

Have you ever had one of those moments? You know the ones that slap you in the face and you realise there’s a choice to be made. This was me in terms of my job last year. So, here are some thoughts on what running has taught me. It had been brewing for a while. I was walking down a nondescript corridor in Whitehall and the thought entered my head ‘I can’t do this anymore, something’s got to change’. And the thought stuck. I was lucky. This happened in the early stages of a radical restructure where my Department was […]

Buffy - I have the best plan ever

2018 – From 5k to 50

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

Here we go again… another New Year, another set of running plans, a few goals. From 5k to 50 will be part of the story for the year for me. A bit of a repeat but not too much of one. These aren’t resolutions as such. I kind of think resolutions suck and give me something else to beat myself up about. So I’m thinking of this as more of a plan. A plan to get stronger and faster and kick butt (my own that is). The aim this year is PBs from 5k to 50. Maybe longer? Who knows…will […]

The people I've met

2017 Running Review

Sophie–Race Day, Running, Thoughts on Running, Training Updates–

The 2017 running review – and what a year it’s been. I was going to do a ‘best of…’ and then realised it was impossible – too many moments, meetings, and races, to choose from – each unique and memorable in their own way. So here are some of the highlights…   Panic training Those moments. You know those moments where you realise what you’ve signed up for? The first – When I realised I had the London Marathon to train for. It wasn’t that I didn’t have a plan. It was the fact that life had gotten in the […]

tips on training plan

6 Tips on Putting Together a Training Plan

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

I’ve been running on and off for five years now. It’s only this year I’ve really worked on putting together a training plan that works for me. There are some key elements I’ve included which might be helpful if you’re struggling to develop a plan you can generally stick with. For me, the real benefit of spending time on this is it means for weeks at a time, I don’t have to think about what run I’m doing that day. As I mentioned in Why Motivation Sucks (and how to get your arse out the door), it means I don’t […]

Portaloos

The VIP Race Experience: Coming to a race near you

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

There’s something afoot in the world of racing in the UK – the VIP Race experience. Pay anywhere from £20 to £80 and you can get those extras – food, a better location for parking, private toilets, post-race massage, a warm tent or building in winter, and sometimes race photos. Not everyone’s heard about it but it is a growing trend. It tends to be the bigger races – in 2017/18, Reading Half (VIP £60), Bath Half (VIP £80), Manchester Marathon (Premium £35 or Premium+ £65), London Winter Run (Premium £25). This trend leaves me uncomfortable and I’m trying to work out why. I […]

I'm not lazy

When does running get easier?

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

A big question for me last year and one I continue to ask myself as I train for my first 50k in July: when does running get easier? Last year it went a little like this… It happens to the best of us – when running takes a dip, you mainline Netflix and your favourite pair of running shoes gravitate to the back of the wardrobe. You look on your scales – perhaps the numbers haven’t changed much but your clothes are a little tighter and you start feeling soggier around the edges. 

7 marathons in 7 days

Kasim: 7 Marathons in 7 Days for Grenfell

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

What do you say to someone who tells you they’re about to run 7 marathons in 7 days to raise funds for Grenfell? To run from Manchester to London? Added to this was the line, ‘I’m not really a runner.’ My thoughts came in rapid fire, from that’s insane yet really amazing to ooh, that’s going to be tough. What I said? ‘That’s amazing,’ and then of course I asked lots of questions, the first of course being why. Why would someone who’s ‘not really a runner’ embark on such an epic journey? I don’t normally write about others writing […]

2018 Running Awards - Favourite blog

Running on Full Nominated for The Running Awards

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

I emitted a squeal of excitement when I got the email saying I’d been nominated for Favourite Blog in the Running Awards 2018. Sorry to the person next to me on the bus, you probably thought I was a little insane! This is London… I’m honoured and excited at the same time. So if you’ve liked what you’ve read here, and shameless I know, vote for me. Go check out the other blogs as well.   The Running Awards 2018 The Running Awards are an annual event held a few days before the London Marathon and it’s are a very big […]

grumpy runner

The Grumpy Runner: When Autumn Hits

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

I am the grumpy runner. This came to the fore on Sunday. It was one of those runs where each step is like wading through treacle. I got out the front door late. I’d procrastinated – cleaning, a few tweets, another coffee. The weather was mild albeit a little grim. My plan was to do about 6 miles with some hills thrown in for good measure. Mile 1 – sucked. This is fine. It takes a little while for my breathing to sort itself out and my legs to work out what the hell is going on. Mile 2 – […]

Science in sport caffeine shots

Science in Sport (SiS) nutrition

Sophie–Products, Running, Thoughts on Running–

At the beginning of the year I was a newbie in sports nutrition products, including SiS nutrition. I remember on a long run last year, a friend giving me a gel to try. After taking the smallest of slurps, I came very close to spitting it out. Then before the London Marathon I was invited to a Science in Sport (SiS) afternoon on nutrition and fueling for marathon day. I came home with some pointers and a great batch of goodies that I incorporated into my marathon training. You can read about what I learned here, and then what I put […]

Reasons to run an ultramarathon

6 Reasons to Run an Ultramarathon

Sophie–Running, Thoughts on Running–

So what are the reasons to run an ultramarathon? I get odd, quizzical and confused looks from non-running folk when I tell them this year I’ve done a couple of marathons and an ultra. For those of you new to running, an ultra is a race at a distance longer than the 26.2 miles of a marathon. I don’t look like a marathon or ultra runner. Indeed, I don’t look like a runner at all really. My thighs are not on the small side and there are bits of me that wobble that perhaps shouldn’t and I’m slow. But following the […]

Running a 50k

Running a 50k: Lessons learned

Sophie–Race Day, Running, Thoughts on Running–

Running a 50k is an amazing experience. Well, there was a lot of walking on my part but hey ho. It’s been a couple of weeks since I completed the Chiltern Challenge 50k. Review here. I learned a lot – in the training, on the day, and about myself. While the day certainly didn’t play out as planned, took longer than expected, and included a lot of pain, I’d do it again in a heartbeat. There’s nothing I’d change about the race itself, but there are things I’d do a little differently in the lead up.   Running a 50k: […]