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From Plateau to PB: how we hit new levels in our 40s

Sarah Dudgeon Seville Marathon Finish 2020

Seville 2020 saw us both smash our PBs after 20 years of running and broadly plateauing in the last several years. As a result, many people have asked us, along the lines of, “How on earth did you do that?!” So here are our reflections on how we managed such a significant step change, although, spoiler alert, there is no magic; focus and hard work are at the heart of it.

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Two top positive mindset tricks to improve your training and racing

body achieves what the mind believes ArtOfYourSuccess.com

How mantras & visualisation can help you be your best Visualising a goal time Visualise your dream time as you cross the line at your event. It doesn’t need to be ‘good’ by anyone else’s standards, it just needs to be meaningful for you. Maybe you’d like a post injury comeback time, or a new[…]

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How to get motivated

Motivation’s a big deal.  It’s one of the things I’m asked about most.  It seems to come naturally to some people.  To others, I look like someone who finds it easy.  But in reality I’ve just thought hard about what works for me, and worked to put that in place.  Here I break it down[…]

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4 Steps to Spring Marathon Prep

How to run marathon

Spring. A time of daffodils and lambs for most people. But for many runners, the blossom and the lighter mornings signal that Spring marathons are approaching. Even with a few weeks to go, there’s lots you can do to get yourself fully prepped, from your kit, to your race strategies. Here’s 4 steps how to[…]

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How to train through winter: 10 tips & tricks to keep your motivation high

Let’s face it, when it’s cold, or cold and raining, cold and snowing, and dark, we just don’t feel as motivated to train. It’s harder to put on your trainers and your kit inside in the warm, to then have to launch yourself into the harsh conditions. In the UK and Northern Hemisphere there are[…]

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How to push to a PB

How to run a PB or PR

Personal Best. Those magic words. Most of us love our PBs. Rightly so, we train hard for them. So what if you want your PB to be a bit faster? You’re sure you tried as hard as you could in your last race. Or did you? We all know the feeling of someone passing us[…]

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How not to forget anything for your race

Race checklist – what you need for your race, marathon or long run Most of us get nervous before a race. Even if I don’t think I’m nervous, my body usually is. Last week I was joking before we ran a low key race, that my friend was nervous. He pointed out I must be[…]

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Motivation and Inspiration: the chicken/ egg Venn diagram

Most of us want to be motivated, and most of us love to be inspired. But are they different, and do we need them both to get out and run? Do you feel any different when you say you’re motivated, to when you say you’re inspired? Or do you use them as two words for[…]

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Three Tough Truths About Running

Running is easy right? One foot in front of another.  Get fitter.  Build up the distance.  While out running, you see a poster of women smiling and laughing, advertising a running event, and decide to enter a 5k.  Run the 5k.  Awesome.  Time for the first tough truth – you’re now a runner! We all[…]

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Trust issues: managing your relationship with the taper

The marathon taper A runner’s relationship with the taper is an emotional rollercoaster, treated by many with suspicion, even some moodiness! The best way to treat it, as with any relationship, is to put your trust in it, and go with the love option! So what’s it all about anyway? Here’s my relationship advice for[…]

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Use the Pros’ techniques to learn from your race + get better next time

Pro tips to improve your race

We’ve all watched Olympic athletes fall over a hurdle, tumble on a ski run, or not perform as well as expected and finish last, only to then talk about the positives in the post-race interview.  This can sound incredible to us, but they’re using techniques we can all use and benefit from.  I’ve put these[…]

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10 top tips to prepare you for a race

If you haven’t raced before, it sounds daunting.  If you have, you know it’s not easy.  So why do we do it? Because it makes us stronger, because it’s rewarding and because it can be fun! If you’re building to a big event, like a marathon or a sportive, it’s a good idea to have[…]