London Marathon Blog 2 - by Leon Taylor
I ran my first marathon for SportsAid in 2009, which I thought would be the first and last time. But here I am again! This year is particularly special being the year of the Olympics and also because it will be a shared experience with my girlfriend Allie, who will be running her first ever marathon also for SportsAid.
The charity is close to my heart because it supported me when I was 12 years old and the Olympic Games were just a dream. Running for SportsAid means I get to contribute to the progress of other young athletes by raising much needed funds.
My training is going well and having done a marathon before, this year’s training feels very different to the last time. No longer is there the fear of the unknown – though of course 26.2 miles is a long way and it hurts, but this time I also know it’s a manageable goal. As additional preparation for the Virgin London Marathon I am also running the Brighton Half on February 19. It will act as a good 'hit out' to test my running legs and its likely to be freezing cold just to add to the challenge!
My training is split between London and Sheffield, which offer very different ground to train on. So far my longest run has been two and a half hours, running between Clapham and Wapping along the Thames and back. The Sheffield runs offer a much more hilly terrain than London, so where I go up I’ll have to go down. It will be excruciating! Tomorrow morning I plan to run at freezing cold o’clock, 7am, and run for two-hours-and-forty-five minutes.
As it’s so cold in Sheffield its important to keep warm and dry, and the longer the run, the more important it is to have a few key essentials: mobile phone, the right clothes, money for water and energy drinks, sweets, snacks and a taxi (just in case of injury) if need be.
My tips for first-timers would be to spend time on your feet. Rather than worrying about speed, concentrate on building up those hours and minutes on your feet. It’s better to monitor your pulse rate and run continuously for two and a half hours than to focus on speed and mileage.
The best piece of advice I can offer is to enjoy the experience. Some people take it so seriously that it becomes traumatic. Instead, smile on the day and make sure you have your name on your vest so that spectators can cheer you along. This will definitely enhance the experience.
This year my target time is slower, despite the temptation to smash my personal best by half an hour, as I will be running in costume. It’s not going to be Scooby Doo or a deep sea diver but I promise it will be eye catching! I’m aiming to run in under four hours.
The training is starting to hurt now so it’s important not to neglect recovery. I practise yoga daily, both pre and post run. For more information about that check out www.yogahaven.co.uk.
I'd like to wish all the SportsAid marathoners well with their training - get your hours in now and the day itself will be one to remember.
Photo (from Action Images): Leon in action at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens where he won a silver medal in the 10m synchronised diving competition. Find out more.
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SportsAid, previously known as SportsAid Foundation (SAF), was founded in 1976. Its principal function was to raise funds from the private sector to provide financial assistance to Britain's amateur sportsmen and women. The aim was to help them prepare for competitions against better-funded, overseas athletes.
