You’ve recovered. The soreness has gone. You’re back running again. But something doesn’t feel quite right. Easy runs feel harder than they should. Your legs feel flat. You can’t quite “switch on” like you used to. This is one of the most common phases runners go through after a marathon, and it’s often misunderstood. Because the issue isn’t your fitness. It’s systemic fatigue. What is systemic fatigue? After a marathon block, fatigue isn’t just in your muscles. It affects your: nervous...

With the London Marathon just days away, the work is done. I ran 2:39 at the Milan Marathon this weekend, and if there’s one thing I’d emphasise, it’s this: The final week isn’t about getting fitter. It’s about arriving ready. Here’s exactly how I’d approach the final 6 days. 1.⁠ ⁠Tapering: Don’t Overthink It At this stage, you cannot build fitness. But you can carry fatigue into race day if you get it wrong. The goal is simple: feel fresh on the start line. •⁠ ⁠Reduce overall volume...

I stood on the start line of the Milan Marathon ready to run my goal race. I’d trained well. I was fit. But 10 days before the race I honestly thought it might all be over. Here's what was actually happening... The Week Everything Started to Unravel On the Thursday before race week, I completed my final session: 16km with 4x4 minutes at threshold. Nothing excessive. Nothing out of the ordinary. But that evening, I noticed an ache in my left hip. Not pain. Just… an awareness. Why This One Felt...