Meet Our Marathon Runner: Anna’s Quest for Personal Excellence
Here at MHR Clinic, we celebrate every facet of our team’s passion and drive. This year, we’re excited to spotlight Anna, one of our dedicated team members, who’s gearing up to conquer the London Marathon!
A Running Journey Fueled by Family and Friendship
Anna recalls how her running journey began, sharing how her love for running has stemmed from a cherished family memory:
“My mother took up running about 20 years ago and was always trying to drag me along for runs. She’s even part of this adventure!”
Anna was further inspired to put on the running shoes by others:
“I also had a friend whose kids were in the same class as mine. She used to run after dropping her kids off at school and convinced me to join her. That was about 13 years ago when I signed up for my very first race—the Watford 10K.”
Setting Personal Goals
Anna is not just running for the thrill of it—she has a personal target. In the world of marathon running, there’s a category known as Good For Age (GFA). This means that if you meet a specific time based on your age, you qualify to enter certain marathons without needing to go through extra routes – a huge achievement for any keen runner.
“I’ve clocked London in 3:23 and Edinburgh in 3:24. Even with an injury last year, I managed a 3:35 at London. Hitting these times means I can keep qualifying for London every year, and that’s my personal goal,” Anna explains.
Learn more about Good For Age
Anna continues to set goals in hopes to run 1 marathon a year :
“ It’s good to be able to train at that level consistently. Personal goal is just to keep in the GFA zone and then I can up the effort when I am ready”
Training: A Balancing Act
Despite a full-time job and being a busy parent to three children, Anna remains committed to her marathon training—albeit with a dose of humor about her “rubbish” routine.
“Working full time and having three children definitely means I haven’t got much time to train. I actually injured my Achilles last week so I am trying to give it a couple of weeks of rest. Generally, though this means trying to squeeze in 10 mile runs early doors ahead of work. I try and train on the hills as much as I can as it really helps when it comes to flat running! 3 times a week running minimum and I am at 15 miles with 7.5 weeks to go. I need to aim for 17 on my next run.”
Finding time is one of the biggest challenges, but Anna finds comfort in running with friends, sharing laughs, and supporting each other through the demanding marathon training seasons.
“ It’s a real slog knowing you have to go out and run distances in training of 16-20 miles every week. I have some great friends in the running world and so we run together and chat which is nice. There are always people marathon training ( there’s two marathon seasons in the year- Spring and Autumn, you either summer train or winter train. I prefer winter training) I ran 15 miles last week in stupid trail shoes and I have buggered my Achillies… I subsequently bought 2 pairs of VERY expensive trainers- nearly £300 on one pair alone…. ”
Race Day: Beating the Maranioa
When it comes to race day, Anna follows her mantra that keeps her going:
“Pain is temporary, pride is forever.”
You feel apprehensive about everything and there’s a name for it- Maranoia. I also like to count my spare seconds and add them up over the 26.2 miles and then see what I have left with a target time in mind. I choose certain songs to help me when I am really struggling. My favourite is the Theme to Black Beauty called Galloping Home. It might sound silly but if you listen to it you will know what I mean!”
And once she crosses that finish line?
“I’ll head straight to the nearest pub with my medal in hand. That’s the perfect way to celebrate!”
Join Us in Cheering on Anna
While Anna’s journey is all about reaching personal goals and staying in the GFA zone, her determination inspires us all at MHR Clinic. We invite you to follow her journey, share in her excitement, and cheer her on as she takes on the London Marathon.
Stay tuned for more updates, and don’t forget to follow us on @mhrclinicuk for race day highlights!
Good luck, Anna — we’re all behind you!