Reflections from my first Marathon

Going from being a 5km runner to getting sub 3:30 in the marathon. Here are some of the biggest things I wish I knew beforehand.

I’m a person with an obsessive personality. You’ll find me constantly wanting to have something to work towards. With lockdown being an obstacle to the plans I had, I wanted to put my mind productively towards a goal. Being interested in running and having one or two friends mention they wanted to do a marathon, I decided ‘why not?’ It couldn’t be that hard.” I was dead wrong. It was a whirlwind of emotions and easily one of the hardest things I’ve done. Here are some things I wish I knew beforehand.

Things to think about in your training block:

Prioritize looking after your body

Because marathon training is so long, the biggest challenge is actually to stay uninjured for the whole time. I gave myself 16 weeks to train; however, I fell ill with Covid so was out for two weeks, in addition to an ankle injury.

Despite this, I looked into ways to look after my body away from the actual running. Stuff like stretching, using resistance bands, and foam rolling. I only wish I implemented this earlier as I believed this would’ve made a huge difference and potentially prevented the ankle injury. Don’t be reactive in looking after your body.

I do recognize it is boring, but just a 5–10 minute routine can really help out. Additionally, on days when you are resting, light strength and conditioning really helps. A simple Youtube video and using objects around your house is perfect. You’ll find you won’t get those niggles nearly as much. In a marathon training block, you can’t really afford an injury, trust me you’ll thank me when you get that killer time.

Do more distance than you think

Being primarily a middle-distance runner I was accustomed to regular running but running for two+ hours was definitely new. Despite acknowledging that I was going to have to build my distance, I implemented it late. Most of my weeks were around 40km and the biggest week I did was around 80km.

Despite this number sounding intimidating for the time I wanted, I probably should have been doing more. As a result, I definitely found the later stages of the race really hard. The longer distance training sessions allow you to practice all-important nutrition and hydration. You also get time to sort other things like music, kit, shoes and all that, so come race day it’s second nature.

My personal recommendations to any runner are that you need at least 1 longer run each week as well as lots of other sessions to get a decent amount of time on your feet. From person to person your weekly average will be different depending on what finish time your want and the time you have available. But as a rule of thumb there usually is a strong correlation between more distance covered in a week and quicker marathon times. I personally wish I was also averaging around 80km and topping off closer to around 100km at my peak. However, please make sure you taper, allow your body to rest for goodness sake.

Join some running groups/ tell other people about your race

Like me, you may get worried about what other people think about when you tell them about races. Good. That’s how you should feel, it makes it real, it brings accountability.

I was part of a few running group chats and lots of my family and friends knew that I was doing the race. This forced me on those rainy days to get out there and run. Of course, I could’ve stayed inside but when all my fellow runners had asked how my week of running had been or seen on Strava I’d done nothing I’d be embarrassed.

Similarly amid the agony of the training or even the race itself, I would think about those people. I thought about making myself, my friends, and my family proud. It was a great motivator.

Things to think about on Raceday:

Don’t try anything new

Amid all this training I was trying this diet called the Keto diet. For those who don’t know this essentially means no carbohydrates. However, being the silly person I am I decided to carb load the night before the race with an XXL Papa Johns Pizza contrary to the diet I had been doing for a while. Massive carb-loading definitely works for some, however, for me being so far removed from carbohydrates for a while I was thrown a bit. As nutrition is such a big thing and very variable from person to person always try stuff beforehand and see what works for you.

Similar can be said with all your gels, clothes, and hydration. Do what you have normally done. Don’t run in new shoes for the first time, don’t have gels if you’ve never had them before, and don’t run with a hydration vest if you’ve never done it before.

Raceday you want to be as relaxed as possible and just enjoy the occasion. You achieved a massive feat completing all the hard training so enjoy the time.

Don’t go off too quick

I’m sure all of you have heard this one before but I mean it. Your first 30 minutes of a race can make or break you. If anything it is more of a mental game. If you go out at a comfortable pace you believe you have a lot more to give and therefore have a lot more confidence. But if you are huffing and puffing 5km in, somethings wrong.

I personally believe in running at the pace you want for your goal time then negative splitting it at the end if you have more energy left. This allows you to not worry about having to sprint and makeup time nor being burnt out at the start.

Personally, my rule of thumb, especially for long runs, is to break up the race into sections. So for the marathon, I split it into basically four 10km races and at each, I would analyze my pace and either go faster or slow down. I found when I did the race it mentally made it more doable.

Understand that pain is necessary

If you go in before the race knowing that pain is coming your way you won’t be surprised by it. Everyone bigged up the notorious ‘wall’ feeling you inevitably hit. Although I went through a lot of emotions I don’t think I ever hit a wall. I think this was due to me bigging up the pain beforehand and preparing. As a result, I mentally felt a lot stronger.

I also understood that all of this is temporary. Cheesy I know. But like I said in the previous section, break it into sections. Focus on what you’ve done and when you’ve passed the half marathon point know that you have the strength and ability to do the rest.

There is often this phrase thrown about in running groups called, ‘going into the hurt locker. It’s the idea that you recognize the pain, embrace it and come out victorious. I like to come up with little motivational thoughts and memories, focus on the crowds and remember my family and friends. It will differ from person to person- but work out your strategy to survive the hurt locker.

Ultimately when running make sure you enjoy it at the end of the day. I can give you all the tips in the world but if you're not having fun what is the point. My first marathon went really well. I got 3:28:28 which I was so happy with. I loved the crowds, I maybe would’ve probably done nutrition a bit different and trained a bit more but there is always “what if”. As runners, we have to be proud of ourselves and what we have achieved- and as races are coming back, you’ll always be able to get that new PB next time.

I hope you found my reflections helpful, if you have any ones please feel free to comment on them below. Thanks for reading and I wish you all the best with all your training and future races!

The Best Home Brewing Method You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

So good you’ll never want instant coffee again

So you like coffee but feeling your home setup is a bit lackluster or simply want to experiment with the way you get your caffeine fix. Well, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve gathered a couple of brewing types in a list as well as including a deep dive on my favourite method. All will have links to guides to help you out with recipes and timings. Firstly let’s start with,

The main ways you can brew your coffee at home (that you probably know of)

The French Press

Also commonly known as a Cafetière it is a staple in most homes. Recognisable for its distinctive plunger; it is cheap, easy, and repeatable. For those who have only ever had instant coffee, this will definitely be a step up with it being an infusion brewer (water passes through the coffee grounds).

As a consequence rich coffee oils seeping through leaving you with a nice little brew. Saying that you do need to be aware that there will inevitably be a silty residue at the bottom of your mug and if you accidentally drink that you’re not in for a good time.

Stove Top Moka Pot

Easily one of the most recognisable and well-regarded brewers. The Moka Pot is a simple pot made from aluminium originating in Italy and invented by Alfonso Bialetti in 1933. Good for a strong, bitter coffee the Moka Pot doesn’t take long to brew at all and is a big reason behind its popularity.

However, due to the high coffee to water ratio and shorter brew time you can often find that it suffers from lighter roasts of coffee. You don’t get to enjoy the acidic coffees or if so it is done with greater difficulty than other methods. For a simple bitter brew, this is a no-brainer.

 The AeroPress

Invented in 2005 by Alan Adler, the inventor of the Aerobie throwing ring- hence the name. This nifty little contraption is easily one of the most portable brewing methods. Being cheap, durable, and very easy to clean it is adored by many- it also makes a really nice coffee. Similar to a French Press the water and coffee steep together. However, completing the process a piston is used to push the water through the grounds then through a paper filter- so a mix between your traditional espresso machine and filter coffee makers.

The unique feature of AeroPress is that it has such a variety of recipes. You can put your own stamp on your coffee-making process. There has recently been somewhat of a cult following that has developed a World AeroPress Championships. Click here to see some of the previous year's champion recipes and give it a shot!

Other Brew types I haven’t mentioned:

• Home espresso machine- count yourself lucky if you have one of them

• The electric filter machine- a consistent cuppa but rarely anything special

• The vacuum pot- for if you are feeling a bit pretentious

My go-to home brewing method

As you can tell from the picture above, my go-to brew is the classic pour-over (otherwise known as the filter method). This is when the coffee is made via percolation, or in simple terms, water passes through the coffee extracting the flavour, and then is filtered from the drink with a paper or cloth. The beauty of the method is that there is no right or wrong way and so much variation. The link above is the official Hario V60 method, here is a more beginner one.

You may be wondering why I like this method more than all the other ones. With it being seemingly very complex why would I go to all this effort for a cuppa? Good question, here are three reasons why:

It is a slow process

Arguably out of all the methods out there pour-overs can take the longest and have multiple steps in them. In a hectic, bustling, and busy day I sometimes find I never step back and slow down. The beautiful routine and process of literally seeing the drink develop before my eyes are wonderful. I take the 5 minutes or so to take a step back from screens and whatever I was previously doing and ponder life. It’s a very calming method and one I will enjoy over any other.

It helps develop your coffee knowledge

Whilst with other methods you can easily chuck some coffee in a pot and wait a bit, you are an integral part of the pour-over method. You have to learn the measurements, the brewing time, grind sizes, the right weight, and temperatures. It all develops a more rounded understanding of coffee and also when you buy new beans and equipment you learn how these all affect the process. Pour overs got me into researching independent coffee roasters and watching how-to videos.

It just tastes better

Don’t get me wrong I love myself a good flat white. That silky milk, the texture, (and when done well) the art. However, most coffee places end up giving you a stronger tasting cappuccino when you ask for a flat white because they don’t know how to steam milk properly. Most non-independent coffee shops are notorious for serving burnt or very dark roasted beans so lots of foam and milk just makes sense. People then have this fear of coffee without milk but they simply haven’t had a good cup of it before.

Adding milk to any drink takes away from the core part of the beverage- the coffee- all the flavour gets clouded. Pour overs have this beautiful, clean, light sensation. Whereas milk-based espresso drinks are heavier and just don’t taste nearly as good in my opinion. They are more of the caffeine fix rather than the coffee experience.

So I’ve convinced you to get into pour-overs, here’s what you’ll need:

• Either a V60 or a Chemex

The only real difference between the two is the size and filters they take. I usually use V60 for just myself and Chemex when friends are around.

• The filter papers; for V60 and Chemex

• A scale with a timer

• (optional) A coffee grinder

You can buy your coffee pre-ground. It does save you some time and hassle, however, ultimately the freshness and taste of the coffee beans are simply not there if left in the open too long. Even a simple grinder like the one linked can allow you to grind your beans just before use and get more taste.

• (super optional) Pouring kettle

For those of you serious about coffee and maybe with an upcoming birthday this could be a good present. These kettles enable a steady flow and pour rate onto your coffee in the various stages of your brewing. For the average consumer, you won’t be able to tell much difference but for those looking for an aesthetic gadget or wanting to level up your coffee game, this is for you.

• Coffee beans

This is where pour-overs really stand out; you get to experiment and get the most out of your coffee experience. Trying out new beans is a huge part of that and incredibly fun. I always recommend supporting your local independents if they have their own beans. But some solid brands I like are; Origin Coffee,Colonna, and Square Mile Coffee Roasters. A great service to try if it seems all quite confusing is Hasbean. This is a subscription service that sends you unique and brilliant coffee straight to your door without you having to choose. I personally use this to find new brands I like and experiment with flavours. I highly recommend it.

Conclusion

Maybe you hate pour-overs, maybe you love them, maybe you know nothing about coffee and were simply curious. Either way, I hope this article taught you something new or inspired you to push the boat out with your usual caffeine fix.

As always thanks for reading and if you have any questions on anything feel free to send a message. Happy brewing!

Why you need to adopt a People-Orientated Business model

The days where money is the focus have gone.

Ever done a job in retail, hospitality, or any industry where you have not felt valued? Have you walked into a store and felt you weren’t wanted? I definitely have and I’m guessing you have too.

Surprisingly this isn't rare in businesses- especially new ones. Often stemming from a culture within the business leadership, the desire for dollars rather than customer satisfaction is what prevents growth within a sector. On one hand, you can’t blame them. Pressure to pay the bills, to keep shareholders happy, to put a roof over their heads.

The facade of having the face of an organisation full of fancy equipment & gadgets yet behind it all you get soulless service you aren’t going to get anywhere. With the evolution of customer awareness, you can’t just serve a good product anymore. People have an interest in the ethics and reasons why you do things both in the public and private eye.

Staff retention and job satisfaction are at an all-time low and with this being a major cost to businesses through recruitment, training, and disturbance to the workplace it is definitely worth considering how to counter the issue.

Another thing to consider is that new jobs and sectors are opening all the time. Covid has also promoted the idea of freelance and remote working. The power that employers have will slowly diminish as the choice of jobs increases. The employees can have more demand over wage, hours and ultimately change the working climate.

Taking this into account, the focus needs to be redirected onto motivation, training and development, and ultimately the customer experience. Money cannot be the focus otherwise the traditional working environments we are used to will be a thing of the past. Here are some helpful ideas to maybe implement in your own business or day-to-day work.

Motivation

This is not a rise in a paycheck. Multiple surveys have been done worldwide to show how there is no correlation between staff satisfaction and money. This can indeed be used to reward good work but people ultimately don’t fall in love with their job because of the wage.

Instead, people are motivated by autonomy, gaining skills, being trusted, seeing progress, being acknowledged in their work. Dependent on your place of work, this can look different, but practically here are 5 core values to go after:

1. Have fun

2. Recognise when staff succeed

3. Reward often

4. Communicate well

5. Promote Loyalty

Dialing in on these ideas and listening to staff will build a relational manager-staff bond. In doing so you can trust that staff won’t jump ship to another company for a higher paygrade and have honest chats about the progression of the organisation as a unitive force rather than one person at the head.

Training and development

Kaizen is the Japanese term for "continuous development" and is something often forgotten by major businesses. After the first bit of success, organisations can often stay stuck in their formula rather than trying new ventures and pushing their staff. It is here where scaling up is impossible.

As the last 2 years have demonstrated, we have to be agile in business and the way we work. Constantly innovating and developing both the structures of organisations and the people within them. This is exciting as it allows for staff to constantly be a part of an exciting changing environment, however, unless communicated well, a workforce can feel out of the loop.

Having core training courses to get all workers to know about your business is essential but also providing lots of optional courses to grow staff in areas they enjoy. Promoting their skills, talents, and desires out of a job.

It doesn’t stop there though. Having assessments, constant checkups with staff and career counseling are ways you keep staff with you for the long haul.

Jobs become stale after a while and if money isn’t a motivator, you may wonder what you can actually do? The solution; provide a vision of progress for staff. Something attainable but a good challenge. Giving them a dual role, a new dimension to their job, or showing them progression to management are subtle changes and much more creative than a wage increase and often provide bigger contributions to your organisation.

Customer experience

The holy trinity of good customer experience is a product, procedures, and people.

1. Product- this is the integrity of your product or service. Ultimately you can’t provide great customer service if you are selling something you know is rubbish. Having a quality product that you can personally back will shine through in the customer experience you and your staff can provide.

2. Procedures- this is the integrity and automation of your procedures. If you have the best products or services in the world yet you are constantly unavailable, can’t supply stock or people have to work to even purchase from you something is wrong. Making the process and procedures as seamless as possible enables a successful customer experience.

3. People- the overall quality of the experience. Without having people who are knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful you aren’t going to have good customer service.

A combination of these three and you’ll be well on your way to pleasing your customers. And if not, make sure you create a way for customers to critique you. Respond swiftly and with care. People are your greatest marketers. Please them and they’ll sing your praises to all their friends, disappoint them and their whole Twitter following could know about it.

Final Thoughts

The customers and people you work with have to be your focus. Sometimes this doesn’t directly mean profits and in many instances, it will be costly. However, building a business with integrity will separate you in saturated markets and draw the clients you want as well as the staff you deserve.

Motivate often, have continuous development and training, and always have the customer experience at the forefront of your mind. The money will follow.

I wish you all the best with your ventures.