“I wanted to share how much Tom and Emma’s input helped me complete the challenge.”
Nicolette Hayers, Massage Therapist at Elite Physical Medicine, has thanked her colleagues Tom Stainer and Emma Hurst for helping her achieve her goal of completing the Snowdonia Marathon Eryri – a road marathon with 3,000 feet of elevation around the base of Snowdon.
Nicolette described the course as “challenging but absolutely stunning” and said the event itself was “the toughest physical challenge I’ve ever undertaken”.
Things to do before a big birthday…
Nicolette will turn 50 this year, and although she’s a very experienced runner it’s been 7 years since she last took on the challenge of marathon distance.
Knowing the elevations of Marathon Eryri, Nicolette wisely sought out a bit of extra help in preparing for this event – from two of her colleagues at the EPM clinic: physios Tom Stainer and Emma Hurst.
Nicolette said:
“I recognise the value of including strength training alongside a running programme and I decided to book in with Tom early on. He put together a personalised strength programme for the 2 months prior to starting marathon training in order to build base strength and fitness. I really felt the benefit of incorporating the strength training in the early stages.”
Nicolette’s bespoke programme was revised in order to maintain her strength during the 16 week phase of marathon training.
If you’ve signed up for an event and feel unsure how to structure your training, we can help. Start by booking a consultation here.
Plan for the plan not going according to plan!
Training for any big event rarely goes completely to plan, as friend of the clinic Mike Sutliff found out in April when he took on the Paris Marathon.
In Nicolette’s case, a fall (or rather a very spectacular face plant!) during a training run resulted in a hamstring strain.
Nicollete said:
“I felt really disappointed as everything had been going so well! However, realising I had sustained an injury after falling over, I was quick to book in with Emma Hurst, who devised a rehab programme for me and advised me on how best to adjust my training through the final weeks leading up to the event.I would definitely recommend getting professional advice as quickly as possible to minimise any impact on your training goals.”
It’s all worth it in the end!
For Nicolette, Marathon Snowdonia Eryri wasn’t one to aim for a personal best: this event was all about finishing, which she did in style!
She said:
“The course was brutal, particularly the final hill at mile 23 with a quad-busting steep descent to the finish line. But the spectacular scenery and warm support around the course made it totally worth it. It has to be one of my favourite events so far.”
It sounds like there are plenty more miles left in those legs, Nicolette! The team will be here to support you for the next one, and the next one…
Marathon Eryri Cyf (a non-profit making organisation) was set up in 2007 to take over the bulk of organising the Snowdonia Marathon from the National Trust.
They are determined that each year, the race can raise as much money for local causes as possible.
To find out more, visit: www.marathoneryri.com
