In our occasional series of Runners’ Retreat blogs we thought that it would be good for us to share some of our recent experiences. First up is Freddie Sheppard who serves you at our Marlow store as she’s just run her first Half Marathon.
My first ever Half Marathon!
I ran Cardiff Half Marathon on the 1st of October 2023. After little running experience in my life, I decided to set myself the challenge of running my first long distance event. Having been a member of staff at Runners’ Retreat Marlow for the last five years, I was surrounded by the right people, advice and kit to make the training (relatively) pain free.
I have struggled in the past knowing what running shoe to wear, as I have experienced knee pain when running in a neutral shoe without any support. However, I like the thought of my body being able to move in the way it wants, hence I didn’t want a hugely structured running shoe. This left me slightly stuck, until I tried the Aion from True Motion.
Being an independent shop, we have always loved working with and supporting small brands. True Motion came to light for us in January 2022 as an exciting new brand with promising products, and bags of research to back up their unique technology. We quickly jumped on board and were one of the first retailers to stock the brand in the UK.
Their clever ‘horseshoe’ shape technology around the heel of the shoe helps to centre your knee directly above your ankle as you run, this helped to keep my body aligned. The foam however is soft which allowed my feet and ankles to move in a natural way. This was the perfect answer for me as they ticked all the boxes that I desired!
I did all my training for the half marathon in the Aion and ran the event in them too, in 1 hour 48 minutes and 8 seconds, remaining injury free throughout the whole process! Being a student on a relatively low budget meant more than one pair of running shoes to train for the half marathon wasn’t on the cards. However, the Aion is a versatile shoe, so I was able to do my long, slower runs in them as well as some slightly quicker miles too!
Having now gone through the process of training for a long distance running event, I now respect even more than I ever did the importance in finding the correct pair of running shoes. They will be your partner in crime for the next few months! You want to trust in your shoes as they will be what gets you through the hard miles, the quick and the slow!
My training plan was put together by family and friends. It consisted of one long run a week (over an hour), which I lengthened by 10 or 5 minutes a week. I would also do one or two shorter runs (usually between 30-45 mins). Finally, I was also doing a tempo session in which I ran quicker than my race pace, with rest in between the miles. These runs were tough but important as they gave me confidence come race day.
I am proud of the hard work I put into the training, and it paid off too as I was able to enjoy the event and it definitely will not be my last!
Freddie Sheppard, Shop Assistant at Runners’ Retreat Marlow
