34km: My Longest Ever Training Run

The Plan

Three weeks out from the Manchester Marathon. The training plan called for the longest run of the block. Ideally 32-35km at easy pace. Not a race effort, not a time trial. Just cover the distance, practise fuelling, and build confidence that the legs can handle it.

Started from home in Altrincham, headed out along the Bridgewater Canal. The canal is perfect for long runs. Flat, traffic-free, and you can just zone out and run without thinking about navigation.

Solo to 22km

The first 22 kilometres were solo. Easy pace, gels every 8km, water from a bottle stashed at a known point along the canal. The legs felt good through 15km, started to feel the distance around 20km, that familiar heaviness where you know there's still a long way to go.

Company for the Last 12km

My girlfriend met me at the 22km mark for the final 12 kilometres. Having someone to run with at that point in a long run makes an enormous difference. The conversation takes your mind off the fatigue, the pace stays honest, and the kilometres tick by faster.

Finished 34.1km in about 3 hours and 8 minutes. Not fast, but that was not the point. The point was proving the legs could handle the distance, the fuelling strategy worked, and the mental game was there.

Three Weeks Out

The taper starts now. No more long runs. The fitness is banked. Whatever happens on 19 April, the preparation, imperfect as it has been with the foot injury and the skiing holiday, is done. Sub 3:45 is the target. The longest training run says it is possible.