London Marathon Training Week 3 - Chat with Running Coach Jo Bridge

Catherine Lorimer's Guide to Life

Hi everyone and welcome to Catherine Lorimers Guide to Life Podcast.
It is week 3 of my London Marathon Training and a welcome back to Alan (Hello) you were away skiing last week, your fan did email and complain that you were not on the Podcast last week so at least we know one person is listening to us.
Did you have a good break (Yes) Well Alan you are a man of few words, let’s hope I don’t ever have to interview you.
Now last week was the 50th episode of my podcast, which you missed Alan while you were on pieste, probably off pieste in the bar piesete.
I started this podcast in September 2022, I had a break last year, which is something that I will not be doing this year, I am aiming to get a full year so 52 episodes of 1-hour long podcasts in and I have already got some exciting activities and adventures planned for this year. I have also already got some fantastic and interesting guests to interview lined up.
Now coming up in this weeks podcast, I have an update on my training, I will be interviewing / getting some more tips from Jo Bridges, who is a personal Trainer and has her own gym and online membership for some advice on strength and conditioning and Pilates to help with my running. I have been cooking more meals from the Mindful Chef and Alan will, be. Err what will you be doing Alan (pressing buttons). Just for anyone who is listening to the podcast for the first time, Alan is the producer, I occasionally get him to read stuff out and he is the one with the fan!
My Marathon training has gone really well this week and I am feeling really well prepared for my half marathon this weekend, providing we don’t have any adverse weather that cancels it. Last week I ended up running 17 miles instead of the 15 miles I had planned to run, this week I have given myself more of a break, doing a 5 mile long run with Pippa while my car gets MOTed and then some shorter 2 mile runs mid week again working on pace and continuous running rather than the walk running that I have been doing. The half marathon I am doing is around a really hilly area, so great training but also challenging, if I get a time under 3 hours for this one I will be happy, I would love a time of between 2 hrs 40 and 2 hrs 50, that would be awesome. I have a plan to run at my 5k pace for most of the way as I managed that on my 9 mile run last week, then slow the pace slightly after 9 miles and finish the rest at the slower pace, but I will see how it goes as if there are a lot of steep hills, I might walk those and then run the rest of the way at my 3k pace.
What has worked well this week
I have been doing more work on continual running and also work on my pace on shorter distances. Sprint work is probably best for this as well, but I haven’t had chance to do that, as it has been a bit icy this week.
What has been challenging this week.
The main challenges this week have been the snow and the extreme cold, running in the cold as an asthmatic is difficult and when you have icy conditions it is a bit dicy, I managed to get a couple of runs in, I am tapering this week ahead of my half marathon on Sunday.
Strength and conditioning sessions
This week I am easing off on the strength and conditioning sessions ahead of my half marathon run on Sunday. I have done one arm session and a platies session and will do stretch session after my run, I use Jo Bridge who I was chatting to earlier one, she has a great one on YouTube.
Here is a snippet from one of her sessions.
Healthy Eating
I am really happy with the food that I have been eating this week, only a couple of suspect biscuits h