by Clarissa Hartley

Welsh long-distance athlete, celebrated for her remarkable resilience and prowess on the track, has reshaped the marathon scene with her record-setting performance after grappling with personal hurdles. After being side-tracked due to the pandemic and a knee injury, she rose stronger and faster, surpassing her previous racing record and scoring the sixth place in the UK’s all-time ranking, a leap from her previous thirtieth position. In this piece, she unveils the training routines and mindset that fuel her astonishing comebacks.

Our champion began her journey in running at an early age, when she was invited to join a cross-country race in primary school. Though initially focusing on middle-distance races in university, she had a penchant for road running and longer distances. Following a period of intensive and regimented training abroad, she returned to Wales to recoup and rediscover her love for running. Surprisingly, her first marathon, completed with no intended training, resulted in an impressive time of 2:49:37. This experience stirred her curiosity and set her on the path of serious marathon training.

A devoted self-trainer, she runs up to 100 miles during a typical week while juggling interval training and recovery sessions. Even on ‘easy’ days, she doesn’t drop below 12 miles. Our champion’s impressive dedication to her craft extends to her choice of terrain— to minimize potential injury, she opts for the steadfastness of the road over softer ground.

While she presently lacks regular strength and conditioning sessions aside from a few rehabilitative exercises, harnessing a coach for this purpose is on her future agenda.

A Peek into Her Recovery

Our marathon champion proposes an unusual perspective on rest—she finds that entirely resting her body is abrupt and unsettling. Instead, she opts for short, active recovery runs to keep her body limber. Adequate sleep is another non-negotiable aspect of her recovery routine—she ensures a minimum of eight hours of sleep. She also invests time in post-training stretching and foam rolling.

Nutrition and Essential Gear

Having previously struggled with an unhealthy diet, our champion now places great emphasis on mindful eating. She ensures a sufficient intake of protein and carbs, and does not withhold herself from the occasional sweet treat. Her daily breakfast rotation includes eggs and avocado on toast, and she takes pride in planning weekly meals with her powerlifter partner.

One of her treasured running gears includes the Asics Novablast 3 running shoes and the Asics Metaspeed Sky+ for racing. The latter, equipped with carbon plates, provides race-day support and post-marathon recovery assistance.

Greatest Achievement

While one might attribute her record-breaking performance at the Valencia marathon as her greatest achievement, she considers her return to running—after initially quitting—a major victory as well. According to her, the emotional resilience and mental strength required to do what she loves again after reaching a low point have value beyond measurement.

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