The amazing dirt trails of Iten
I’m really lucky to be part of the altitude training camp here in Kenya thanks to the London Marathon Endurance Initiative & British Athletics. I like nothing more than escaping the British winter to enjoy training in the Kenyan sunshine. However, it can be hard to leave loved ones at home and just focus on training. Training and performing well is all about the support system around you, coach, physios, sponsors, friends and family. I’m so grateful to everyone in my team; both the individuals and the various organisations that help me along my journey.
This year my husband Nick has joined me for a month in Kenya as we share the marathon training journey to London in April. It’s no secret that Nick helps out pacing and assisting me in training and racing. Its all about the team effort.
Nick and I are a great team, we share the highs and the lows of our sport and life in general but that doesn’t always mean it is easy! Sometimes it can be intense on camp. It is basically eat, sleep, run, repeat. When you’re in heavy training emotions often run high, so you can imagine my reaction when Nick said one day “work harder” mid tempo run…..
Nick is a very good athlete himself, so we support each other in our goals but also have a good understanding of what it takes to train and perform well. It also means we can bounce ideas off each other and help put things into perspective when things don’t always go to plan.
However, with a heavy training schedule it is easy to forget that we also need time to enjoy life away from all things running, so it’s important to plan time to do things as a couple and find a balance.
As I begin the last 2 weeks of my Kenya trip and Nick has already returned to the UK, I realise just what an important role he plays not only in my athletic performance but also in my life.
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