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Do you have ‘Run a marathon’ on your bucket list? If you do, this podcast episode is for you. It’s even more perfect for you if you don’t think you could do it! The alternative title is ‘How to run a marathon when you don’t like running, think it’s too far for you and… how to nail it!’

In Season 2 Episode 1 of the Active Health podcast I’m talking to Nancy Gillen, a sports journalist, Content Coordinator at GiveMeSport Women and WiSP Sports podcaster. She only started running during the first U.K lockdown because her gym closed and she needed a way to keep active. After building slowly to a 5k distance, she impulsively entered the 2021 London Marathon ballot. She wasn’t expecting to get a place (the chances are so small). Imagine her shock when she did and the reality hit – she was going to have to run more than eight 5ks in a row!

Nancy is very modest. She ran a perfect marathon with steady pacing and finished bang on her target time. I really wanted to find out how she did this, when she didn’t like running, had no previous race experience and trained alone with out a buddy, coach or club.

I also wanted to know what hurdles she met along the way, how she found the race itself and of course, whether she’ll keep on running now the gym has reopened!

Listen below, on the Wisp Sports website or on any of your favourite podcast apps – don’t forget to leave me a comment and subscribe too!

Listen to “S2E1: How to Run Your First Marathon” on Spreaker.

If you enjoy the podcast you’ll enjoy my book Run Well: Essential health questions and answers for runners, published by Bloomsbury and available from all the usual booksellers.

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