THE JENNI FALCONER BLOG

Jenni Falconer began training with Matt Roberts Personal Training at the beginning of 2010. Under the guidance of Run Coach Karen Weir, Jenni managed to take a huge chunk of time off her marathon PB and completed the London Marathon in 3 hours 31 mins. Jenni has now got the running bug and is continuing her running training. The focus is now on the Royal Parks Half Marathon and working with Karen, Jenni hopes to get even faster. Read Jenni and Karen’s Blog below to see how she is progressing!

THE SCOTTISH 10km IN GLASGOW

Jenni and I ran the Scottish 10km in Glasgow at the weekend. It was a fantastic race, really well organised and with a great atmosphere. For me it was a chance to see whether I had any speed left in my legs after training for my Ironman all year, but for Jenni it was the perfect opportunity to get a measure of how her training is going for the Royal Parks Half Marathon.

Jenni Falconer

Entering a shorter race than your target race and running it hard can be an effective part of your training programme. It gives you a chance to test out your pacing, get some race practice and adds a bit of variety to your training. A 10km race is ideal when you are in training for a half marathon. So the Glasgow 10km was perfect for Jenni to see whether she was on track with her training. The Royal Parks Half is still over 4 weeks away (5 weeks from the 10km race) and Jenni knows the target pace she needs to run to hit her time goal so based on that we set a target time for the 10km.

As mentioned earlier in the blog, Jenni has struggled to get a consistent routine in her training due to her current work and filming schedule, but that doesn’t mean she has been slacking off and I wanted to test her current levels of fitness so we would have a better idea of which goal we are likely to hit at the Royal Parks Half. To achieve her ‘A’ goal she needs to run the half marathon at a pace of 4.16 a kilometre, so for the 10km she needed to be able to run at least this pace for the whole 10km but preferably a little bit faster as obviously the 10km is slightly less than half the distance of the half marathon.

Jenni Falconer

So did she do it? Well with a fantastic time of 42 mins and 41 secs (and not to mention coming 25th female overall) her kilometre split times work out on average as 4 mins 14.4 secs a kilometre. So yes she did, but its going to be close! Given there are still 4 weeks to go (2 hard weeks of training and 2 weeks of tapering) a 1.30 half marathon is still feasible but Jenni has to keep focused on the training. Getting all the sessions in, including the longs runs at slower than race pace, some fast intervals and tempo runs at race pace are going to be essential. I know she’s got the pace and I know she can keep that pace for half the distance - but can she keep it going for the full distance……….?

So watch this space. And where did I come? Well with 500m to go, I have to admit Jenni sprinted pasted me and despite trying to keep with her she got a good 20 metres on me which she kept to the finish line. So I have to own up - the client has beaten the trainer! But in my defence, I’ve been training long and slow over the summer for my Ironman so I’ve got a good excuse ;o)

Karen | Tue 07 Sep 10

THE ROYAL PARKS HALF MARATHON

So the countdown has begun to my half marathon challenge!! I completed the London marathon April after 16 weeks of 'enjoyable hard labour' (as I call it) in a respectable time, so when Karen asked me to train for a 13 miler, I thought it would be a walk in the park! However, I am now beginning to worry!

Karen's challenge is to complete London's Royal Parks half-marathon in October, in 90 minutes. After April's 26 miler, I was game...after all, how hard could it be to run half the distance? OK, I'd have to run a wee bit faster but surely with the right training it would be achievable. Besides, it's always enjoyable to run outside and train in the summer months - I like to think of it as a 'tanning and toning' opportunity and also a chance to get your body bikini ready! However, the one thing I over-looked was the fact that work might conflict with my training schedule.

My training plan was due to kick-start in June, but first, I had the small matter of getting married to contend with! The wedding was Thursday June 3rd, so until then I was able to combine running with a pre-wedding workout. Then there was the 2 week honeymoon. Although I did manage to get some running in whilst away-not every day, you have to realise, I was on honeymoon after all-but I did enjoy joining the other joggers along Ocean Drive in Miami a few times.

Since the honeymoon, I have started working on a new TV series which takes me away from home Monday to Friday. Fortunately I have managed to find routes around our hotels to keep up the running.

First, we filmed near Weymouth, so that week I got up at 5.30am three mornings and ran 4.5 miles each time. Next was Altea near Alicante, and again, 3 times that week, I woke early and ran along the promenade. That was a 40 minute run in total but it was also 28*C at 6.30am so it took me a while to cool down afterwards and prepare to be on camera! I experienced the same need for post-run air conditioning in Cyprus - on this occasion, for part of the run I had to go along a busy road with manic Greek-Cypriate drivers swaying as they passed! It was also very hot and rather hilly (as well as life-threatening on that road) so the runs were limited to 30 minutes.

Jenni Falconer

The training is tough but not because I lack motivation, I am willing to get up at 5am and exercise before working a hectic 12-14 hour day. In saying that, I am finding it tough to fit the training in whilst managing such a relentless schedule. I am back most weekends, so on Saturdays, have been coming into Matt Roberts gym for some weight training. In saying that I'm shattered a lot of those days and taking into consideration the fact I'm a newlywed who rarely sees her husband, there is a need to prioritise downtime occasionally!!

I'm currently in the south of France. Our hotel is on a roundabout, there's nowhere to train outdoors unless you fancy a dual carriageway. There is, however, a gym with a treadmill...it's a bit wobbly but is better than nothing. So, I ran 10k last night whilst the crew sat in the bar drinking...am I mad?!!

The challenge to run the half-marathon in 90 minutes may be out of my reach, but my competitive spirit won't let me be defeated without giving it my best. The training is time consuming and the schedule is frequently proving impossible but Karen has adapted it so that the regime is slightly more flexible than it was originally.

The Great Scottish Run is in Glasgow on September 5th and will be my practice for the Royal Parks a month later, at that point, we can see what improvements need to be made. I am travelling with this job until the end of September and I never know how much running each week will consist of until I arrive on the location and get the itinerary. All I hope is that by the time October 10th arrives, I have managed to get enough done to at least try to get round that course in as close to 90 minutes as possible.

Jenni | Fri 30 Jul 10

So there are now only 10 weeks to go to the Royal Parks Half Marathon and Jenni is well into the training programme I set her. Unfortunately Jenni’s work schedule has changed requiring lots of travel and being away week on week and so we have had to adapt the programme. This is a situation that many people face, unforeseen circumstances arising that impact your ability to train. Well this is where you have to really take a step back, review the situation and be completely realistic. There are times when training for an endurance event is not the best focus for your life and trying to squash in hard training sessions in a non-structured way when you have a spare minute will result in pain and injury either before you get to the start line or during the race.

However, many people manage to juggle busy and hectic lives with training for an event, but you need to be organised and clear on your priorities and there are ways to adapt your training to fit in with other commitments. Jenni is still committed to training for her half marathon, so I have adapted her programme to focus on 3 quality sessions a week. These are the sessions that cannot be missed, and other than not doing them on back to back days, she can choose to do them anytime that works for her schedule. This means that Jenni can look at her schedule week by week and plan her ‘running appointments’ – each week will probably look very different. I have also asked her to fit in 2 additional steady runs of anywhere between 45 and 60 mins whenever she can. On top of the running we are also still trying to fit in a couple of strength sessions a week to keep the balance in the major muscle groups and ensure Jenni has good core strength which will help run efficiently through the whole 13 miles.

Not everyone is training at the level Jenni needs to as she has a specific time goal in mind. But if you are training for a half marathon you need to be doing a minimum of 3 runs a week, if you can do more that’s great but guard against ‘junk miles’ in an attempt to make up extra training sessions. Fit quality sessions into your weekly schedule, better to have only 3 quality sessions than 5 half hearted, poorly executed sessions.

People committed to training for a half marathon need to make sure they get their keystone session of a long slow run this is where you build your endurance. A faster, tempo session that takes the heart rate higher for a sustained period of time is another important session, especially if you have a time goal in mind. The third key session is for strength, speed and power, so a sprint or hill session that takes you into an anaerobic state. If you’ve got time to fit a couple more steady runs in then perfect!

If you are lacking in time then try getting up early and do a run before work, or can you include your run as part of your commute? Run to or from work, or if that is too far then get off a couple of stations earlier and run the last part of the route. You can easily introduce sprint intervals to a commute run – it doesn’t have to be slow and steady. Make the most of the weekend, get up an hour before the family and get your run in before they can distract you and tempt you into another less healthy activity.

Lacking in time however can sometimes be an excuse for lacking in motivation, so check yourself, and if its not a good time in your life then change your goal. Maybe you could focus on a 10km or 5 km or maybe it’s a good time to just do some good strength and conditioning work in the gym as a foundation for future events. Sometimes stopping can seem harder than keeping going, but to keep an injury-free body, a healthy mind and enjoyment of running, it can be the smartest decision you ever made. So good luck and remember it takes a special kind of person with a strong motivation to run a half marathon. If it was easy, everyone would do it!

Karen | Tue 27 Jul 10

THE LONDON MARATHON

Well the marathon has been and gone....I can't believe it. I spent 16 weeks training hard in a bid to beat my previous time of 3.53, and thankfully it paid off!

My first attempt at the London marathon was in 2009. A combination of a crammed work schedule and a complete lack of training know-how meant that my preparation for the 26 miler started later than ideal and involved nothing other than simply 'running'...my thoughts being the more mileage in your legs, the more prepared you will be. Seemingly this is not necessarily the case, particularly if you have a specific time in mind.

Jenni Falconer

I met Karen, at Matt Roberts gym, in early January. I explained to her that my goal was to beat 3.53, and that I would invest all free time into the training programme. I had maintained an OK level of fitness since the last marathon (or so I believed) on the treadmill and the cross-trainer in the gym but other than cardio, my workouts comprised of a few press-ups, tricep dips and sit-ups. Lifting weights had never been a consideration - bulking up was not my intention.

Karen presented me with a training programme that consisted of 5 runs each week, all different intensity- some being long, some being short but uphill, others fast. They varied each day. On top of this there were 2 weight training sessions each week; over 30 sessions between New Year and the marathon - and it made me a bit nervous. Karen's belief is that the stronger you are, the more stamina you have and whereas last year I 'hit the wall' at 18 miles, the hope was that this year, the muscles in my legs and arms could carry me further.

The goal: To complete the 26.2 miles in 3.30.

The first session was really tough - I loved every minute of it, although I couldn't walk the following day as the squats, lunges and step-ups took effect! Nor could I laugh, as my stomach muscles had seized up! In saying that, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, the commitment and the whole training process, hard as it was at times, turned out to be real fun. The tough part was the running.

At the start of the training, the days were short, it was freezing and we never thought the snow would go away. I ran in multi-layers, sheepskin gloves and woolly hats. As time went on, the runs got longer and thankfully the weather improved. I tried to keep the 'long run' of the week to a Saturday or Sunday. I had 2 days off each week (usually Mondays and Fridays) and I ran to my weight sessions with Karen on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

There was one flaky period, where I had developed a cold and felt dreadful. I had to take time out that week partially because I needed a break from exercise and also so I could get better. A week later I was out again and this time felt stronger and faster. Obviously the rest had done the world of good.

In all, for the London Marathon 2010, I ran more than ever, lifted weights twice a week, increased my food intake, started using carbohydrate gels to run with, drank protein shakes after work-outs and in the last few weeks, almost cancelled my social life....(I stress 'almost'). It paid off. I completed the race in 3.31.02. OK I was 62 seconds off my ultimate target of 3.30, but I was delighted. The training seriously paid off - I felt comfortable throughout the 26.2 miles maintaining a pace of 8min/miles or 5min/kms. This time, I didn't 'hit the wall' and although the last 2 miles were a killer, my legs and arms had the strength to propel me forward.

So Karen - thank you so much for bearing with me and getting me round that course so quickly. I am now ready for the next challenge....I think!!!

Jenni | Thu 13 May 10

MARATHONS AND GOALS

Jenni had a fantastic London Marathon taking a whopping 22 minutes off her PB and crossing the line in 3 hours 31 mins. The huge improvement was down to Jenni’s hard work and consistency, she also has a certain amount of natural talent which helps, but talent will only take you so far. Jenni trained for 16 weeks using a programme I had put together for her of 5 runs a week and 2 strength training session. For a first time marathon runner, just getting out and running as much as possible is fine, and this is the approach that Jenni took last year, but this year we added a bit more sophistication and science to her training programme – and it paid off. So for her next challenge its time to up the ante! Jenni’s next target is the Royal Parks Half marathon in October and I am setting her a stretch, but certainly achievable target. In fact I am setting her 3 targets, and this is a good way to keep her motivated through the months of training as it allows for all eventualities – i.e illness, injury, unexpected work commitments or hopefully, a perfect training period!

Jenni Falconer

Jenni’s ‘A’ goal is to go sub 1 hour 30, which means running each mile in 6 mins and 52 seconds or each kilometre in 4 mins and 16 seconds. Based on some of Jenni’s training runs leading up to the marathon I know she is capable of this pace, but can she hold it for 90 minutes?! With the perfect preparation, no illness or injury and a bit of luck on race day it is feasible.

The ‘B’ goal is 1 hour and 35 minutes – a 7 min 15 secs for each mile or just under 4 and a half minutes per kilometre. Given Jenni’s current level of fitness and pace, this is definitely an achieveable and realistic goal, but she does need to stay fit and healthy and consistent in her training.

The ‘C’ goal is 1 hour and 41 minutes – why this time? Well I put her marathon time into a number of websites that estimate race times from previously achieved race times and this was the average estimate. It requires her to run 7min and 42 secs per mile or 4 mins 47 secs per kilometre. This is a realistic target should Jenni not be able to train as much as she would like for whatever reason and we know Jenni has a new filming schedule coming up so we should be prepared for it.

So if you are preparing for an event, the first step is to decide what your goals are – having a goal will help keep you motivated through the training period as it is hard to keep up an intense period of training if you don’t know what you are striving for. I’d also recommend you do exactly as Jenni and I have done above. Set yourself 3 goals; one for if everything goes perfectly and the absolute best you think you can be, a second goal which is a challenge but you know you can reach with a bit of hard work and finally a third goal that you’d be ok with should the worst case scenario occur – in many cases this might just be to finish, especially if it is your first attempt at a particular event or distance. One final point – write these goals down and share them with people, peer group pressure is another excellent source of motivation. And so, I’ve just shared Jenni’s goals with you all!!

Good luck in defining your goals – don’t be afraid to dream a little!

Karen | Thu 13 May 10

ABOUT KAREN WEIR

After 12 years of working in the Financial Services industry in the City and a burgeoning interest (and participation in) endurance sports Karen retrained to become a Personal Trainer with Matt Roberts.

In 2003, on a bit of a whim she signed up for the London Marathon, joined a running club to help her train and has not looked back since. Six years on, running and fitness have become a part of her life and Karen is keen to extol the benefits to everyone. This enthusiastic nature has seen her take on a volunteering role as Event Director for a weekly 5km run in Richmond Park as well as completing her UK Athletics Level 2 Coaching qualification so she can coach athletes at her running club. It was also this desire to help people achieve their own fitness goals that led Karen to personal training.

Since running her first marathon, Karen has gone on to run 3 others, each time achieving a PB. Over the past couple of years she has also branched out into multi-sport taking part in several triathlons as well as the Enduro Challenge – a team based ultra-triathlon from London to Paris. Most recently Karen has completed a half Ironman distance triathlon in Barcelona and current training goals are for a full Ironman in 2010. Her personal experiences in endurance events, sports massage qualification and Level 3 Personal Training certificate from the Matt Roberts Academy mean Karen is well placed to train and coach clients seeking to undertake endurance events or just improve their general health and fitness.

MATT ROBERTS