Catch up with Blossom

Now that everyone is sadly back to reality. It is a great time to reflect on Tokyo Marathon. So we caught up with Blossom, a Running Evolution athlete who ran Tokyo Marathon.

Hi Blossom, thank you for your time. Congratulations on Tokyo Marathon.

Was this your first marathon? Yes it was my first marathon!

What was the longest you had run before starting training? The furthest I had run was 25kms, I had done this distance twice in my life.

How long did you prepare for Tokyo Marathon? For the Tokyo Marathon I did a 3 month training block with Lee, Running Evolution.

Had you done much running before training for your marathon? My running journey started two years ago. When I first started running, I couldn't run to the end of my street. After 4 months I ran my first half marathon. Over the two years I ran a number of half marathons. My journey to a full marathon could definitely have been shorter than two years, but at the time I was content with running half marathons.

Did you find Running Evolution helpful in your preparation? Running Evolution was the first time I formal worked with a running coach. It was pivotal to building my experience, knowledge and confidence necessary to complete the marathon. At the beginning, Lee asked me questions about my schedule, training needs and injury history. She tailored my training plan to my individual needs. I had started a new job at the beginning of my training, Lee was very supportive with my need for my training to be flexible.

What did you enjoy about it the most? The support I received. Running is an individual sport and can be quite lonely if you do most of your training runs solo. Having Lee as an ear to ask questions and debrief hard runs was a highlight of my training experience. I fell sick at the peak of my training, and I missed my longest run for my final training block. Lee provided reassurance that I had done all the work and one long run wasn’t going to impact race day. This chat stopped my head from reeling with guilt and meant I approached the start line with confidence.

How many sessions a week did you have to do? Four sessions at the beginning. In the final month I was doing five sessions:

- Two x 30 minute easy runs

- One x 1 hour easy run

- One x approx 1 hour speed session

- One x long run  

I work 12 hour days, 5 days a week so am quite restricted for time. I was able to manage the runs with the flexible schedule Lee created for me.

What was the best thing about Tokyo Marathon?

Being able to do it with friends. And proving to myself that I was capable of it. A marathon is also a great way to see a city!

If someone was looking to run their first marathon, what would you advise them about? Challenge yourself. The marathon day is overwhelming, knowing all the sacrifices and 4am runs on a Saturday have put you there. It's a surrealexperience, working hard for something that only you can be accountable for.

What’s next? Definitely another marathon, but I need a few more sleep-ins before I book one 😂

 Thanks for your time Blossom. We can't wait to see you conquer your next challenge.