Runner’s World UK – September 2019

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On tapering

‘I still get taper anxiety. This year before London

I got a sore throat on the Friday, so I was

panicking a bit because I didn’t feel 100 per

cent. But I just thought, I can’t do anything

about it, I’m going to run anyway.’

On marathon focus

‘I prefer the latter stages of the marathon. In

the first half you’re just sitting tight, waiting for

the race to unfold – I think of it as a warm-up

really. Then, after about 25, 30km, it gets really

hard, but it’s actually easier to focus because

you’re working really hard and you need to

knuckle down for the last 12km.’

On race planning

‘If it’s a championship, I won’t worry about the

time, I’ll do it as a race, whereas in the London

Marathon I focus more on the splits, making

sure I’m within a certain time, because I want

to run a fast time.’

On running in Doha

‘They’re predicting temperatures between 28C

and 34C. Obviously the sun won’t be out [the

race starts at 11:59pm], but it will still be very

humid. It will be really different to be racing at

night. I’ll be training in the heat chamber at

Teddington at least three days a week.’

On the elite athlete’s life

‘I spend more time away from home on training

camps and at competitions, whereas before I

was studying and at home more. Now I’m pretty

much constantly away, a lot of travelling, but it’s

really cool to do that and I actually quite like it.’

Inspiration

‘I really admire Shalane Flanagan [US winner of

the 2017 NYC Marathon] as a runner. I raced

against her once in the World Cross Country in

2011, and I saw her afterwards in drug testing

but I didn’t get to speak to her. Then, last year

in St Moritz, she was there with her training

group so I saw her a couple of times at the

track, but again I haven’t actually spoken to

her. But she follows me on Instagram and

sometimes likes my posts, which is cool.’

On running for fun

‘I’ve always run for fun when I’m not in serious

training. I don’t like to take a watch. All of the

runs I do in training are timed or measured, so

it’s nice to go for a run sometimes and not

worry about how far or fast you’re going.’

Biggest sacrifice

‘I don’t really see anything as a sacrifice

because I really like running. When I was at uni

I couldn’t go on holiday in the summer because

I always had races or just couldn’t go out as

much, but I didn’t really see it as a massive

sacrifice because I wanted to do it.’

Best lesson

‘Probably to listen to my body a bit more. I’ve

been in training groups before where the coach

sets everyone the same programme, and you

think you should be doing what everyone else

is. But everyone is so individual. I’ve definitely

got a lot better at it, especially since I started

marathon training, as it’s so hard.’

SEPTEMBER 2019 RUNNERSWORLD.COM/UK 073

NUTRITION

Monday

‘Two easy runs: 60 mins then

40, sometimes 50 and 50.’

Tu e s d ay

‘Intervals. Usually shorter

reps – 1km, or a mixture of

1km and 500m reps at

around my 10K race pace.’

Wednesday

‘Recovery day with two easy

runs. Also a quick gym

session – a 30-min circuit

with a resistance band or

kettlebell. But no heavy

weights or squats – I don’t

want to make my legs too

tired for running sessions.’

Thursday

‘Marathon-specific session,

something like 5 × 3km at

marathon pace with a

3-minute rest or 1km jog

recovery, and sometimes a

straight tempo, 10km, 15km

or 20km, depending on

where I am in the build-up.

And then a second easy run.’

Friday

‘One easy run of around an

hour, or two shorter easy

runs. Sometimes I’ll do gym,

but it depends on how I feel

after Thursday.’

Saturday

‘A mix of long and short, such

as a longish tempo (8km),

and then something like 1-min

hill reps, or two fast 1kms.

And a second easy run.’

Sunday

‘Long run. In the marathon

build-up I get up to two and

a half hours. It’s usually

quite an easy pace, but

sometimes I’ll do the last

half hour at marathon pace.’

Breakfast

‘Usually oats. I add

protein powder, nuts

and seeds to make

them more interesting.

I always have coffee in

the morning before I run,

after I run...and right

throughout the day!’

Lunch

‘Sometimes a salad, or

poached or scrambled

eggs on toast, or sushi if

I’m at training and I need

to pick up something.

I eat fairly light as I’m

always training again in

the afternoon.’

Dinner

‘Rice, sweet potato or

pasta if I have a big

session the next day. I eat

chicken and a lot of fish

and veg. Evening meals

are quite boring: I don’t

want to wake up feeling

heavy before I run.’

Snacks

‘Greek yoghurt, dark

chocolate, nuts,

seeds, rice crackers

with peanut butter. I

like making smoothies,

as well. I also eat a lot

of cereal without milk

during the day.’

TRAINING WEEK

The World Athletics Championships take place in Doha, Qatar, from Sept 27 to Oct 6. The women’s marathon is on Sept 27

The long game: Charlotte Purdue has never seen the

rigours of training as a sacrifice, as she just loves to run