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BAIt took me 11 years to go from a 3:23 marathon to 2:22.
No shortcuts.
No breakthrough moment.
Just years of getting things wrong… and slowly figuring them out.
I ran my first half marathon back in 2009 in Sheffield while I was at university.
At the time, it was just about getting fitter and losing a bit of weight.
That then led to my first marathon in London in 2012.
I ran 3:23.
I had no real structure to the training.
I thought if I ran 20 miles a couple of times before, I’d be ready.
What followed was 11 years and 8 more marathons of learning:
• how to actually structure training
• how to fuel properly before and during runs
• how to control effort instead of chasing pace
• how to be patient and build over time
One of the biggest shifts came when I got a coach myself.
That’s when I stopped guessing…
and started understanding what I was doing.
The improvements weren’t just physical.
They came from understanding the process.
Because the biggest challenge most runners face isn’t motivation.
It’s guesswork.
Guessing pace.
Guessing mileage.
Guessing when to push and when to hold back.
In the end, there’s no shortcut.
Just time, consistency, and getting the basics right.
If you’re trying to improve your running and want help structuring your training properly, send me a message.
@bagsofrunning










