Lazy Girl Running

Articles

Why can't I quit running marathons?

1 week ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

There’s something about marathons that has had me returning to them again and again for the past 15 years. It might not be an entirely healthy relationship. I train for months, forgoing other things, ache a lot, become pretty grumpy at times and then, even when everything has gone well in training, I’m still not guaranteed a good outcome on race day. Every time I train I say “I’m not doing this again. This is my last one.” And so far that hasn’t been true.
How to pace your marathon

3 weeks ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

A question I get asked a lot is how to pace a marathon - what strategy to use. My answer is always even splits, though there are some caveats to that. Runners have often read about ‘negative splits’ (starting slower and getting faster) or have been told by a friend that they should start faster because they’re ‘going to slow down towards the end anyway’.
Are you racing as well as you could?

1 month ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

Running and racing are two different modes for me. I didn’t realise quite how different they are (other than the change of pace and number of people going in the same direction) until a couple of years ago. I was having a pretty stressful period on the domestic front. Even going for a run I’d still be worrying about things. But then I did a half marathon and when I finished I realised that during the race I’d be thinking only about running leaving no space to worry about anything else.
My boring training routine that delivered a 1:34 half marathon

1 month ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

On Sunday I ran the Kettering Half Marathon and finished in 1:34:04. But this post isn’t about my finish time so much as it is about dispelling some myths about training and the sort of running plan it takes to achieve big improvements in times. There was a time, not that long ago, when running a 1:34 half marathon was in another league from things I thought was capable of. I certainly didn’t think that as I got further into my 40s, my times would still be getting faster.
Coaching women, writing and running

1 month ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

I asked Lily Canter to join me for a live chat after chatting on here because our working lives are very similar and I wanted to have a good natter about coaching women runners and some of the shared experiences we’d had. You can watch the recording above. Lily’s book ‘Ultra Women’ is out in May. You can pre-order it now.
Can AI replace your running coach

1 month ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

Way back in 2009 when I first started training for races, Runner’s World had a tool called Smart Coach on its website. You could enter your goal race, a recent race time and the amount of times per week you wanted to run and it would create a training plan for you, for free.
A simple interval session that works for anyone

2 months ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

There’s an interval session that I put in the training plan of many runners of all levels. It’s one of my favourites for the first part of a training cycle when you’re just getting into your plan, but it’s also great for those who are new to interval training too.It asks you to focus on how the effort feels rather than aiming for a specific pace which is great for every level of runner.
My very easy method for timing recoveries

2 months ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

If you’re doing interval sessions as part of your training (or even if you’re thinking about them but unsure about various aspects) there’s a good chance you’re not giving enough attention to the recovery aspect of your session. Recoveries are the bits between the faster bits. Sometimes this will be a walk or a jog, or even an easy pace. As much as possible, I’d encourage you not to stand still during your recoveries, as much as you want to for several reasons.
How I got on at HYROX London

2 months ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

A few months ago, I didn’t even understand what HYROX was. But after writing a piece for Women’s Running explaining the format and then another piece on how to train for it, I accepted a media place to give it a go myself. Last week I ran, pushed, pulled and jumped my way around the course with a lot more respect for the athletes who push themselves over this curious and challenging race. But no plans to go back for another go.
The big question runners need to ask themselves

2 months ago | lazygirlrunning.substack.com | Laura Fountain

This week I watched my puppy playing in the garden with his frisbee. He carried it in his mouth and ran over to his ball before trying to pick up the ball. Only his mouth was already busy holding onto the pink, plastic ring. He stood completely still and started at the ball for a few moments before dropping the frisbee and picking up the ball. Then he stood looking at the frisbee on the ground, holding the ball in his teeth, presumably wondering how he could now pick up his frisbee.