How our athletes are training during lockdown

With our athletes training solo during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve pulled together a selection of training diaries for the middle week of April 2020, one month into lockdown. We hope this is useful for other athletes looking for training tips and also that it serves as a snapshot document of these strange times.

Sam Ige

Sam is a 10.62s 100m sprinter and ran the British Championships last summer

What were you targeting this season?

Hopefully PBing for the first time in 3 years as well as competing well at different national level championships.

How are you coping with lockdown?

Struggling with training at the moment, having no equipment, having to resort to grass sessions and weight sessions using an old backpack and book, which is keeping me in two minds as to my decision to run in 2020 if there is a season or prep for 2021.

What has changed in your training?

Lack of equipment, so track sessions are estimated grass sessions and weight sessions are improvised.

What did your training look like last week?

Monday: Circuits and grass recovery runs
Tuesday: Grass 'Track sessions' (6 x 17 second runs)
Wednesday: 'Weights' alternative session (Squat Jumps, single leg squats, single leg RDLs)
Thursday: Grass session (speed session)
Friday: Rest Day
Saturday: Grass session (5x 8 sec runs, 2x6x10secs runs)
Sunday: 1.5 mile easy run

Liv Papaioannou

Liv was the second Belgrave finisher at the National cross country in Feb and recently won the Shrewsbury 10k road race.

What had you been targeting this summer?

Nothing too specific. This year for me is about re-building my confidence and getting back to race fitness after badly breaking my fibula. I had a really positive start to 2020, so I was looking forward to throwing myself into lots of different distances on the track (naturally I’m a 400m runner, but I like mixing things up).

Where are you and how are you coping with the lockdown?

I have returned to my parents’ house in Shropshire where I am working from home. Work is pretty busy at a company which runs clinical trials, so apart from escaping the city, my lockdown routine is pretty similar to normal. Shropshire is also without a doubt the most beautiful place to run - it’s where I fell in love with running, so part of me is really enjoying this strange period of time at home.

What’s changed in your training?

I need a routine, so my running is pretty much the same as a normal week in London. The only difference is that hills are unavoidable in Shropshire, so I will definitely be ready for the 2020/2021 XC season! I normally hit the gym twice a week, but instead of trying to replicate these sessions at home, I have started doing 30 minutes of yoga each day, although I am not sure I am zen enough for yoga.

What did your training diary look like last week?

Mon: SLR (normally I take Mondays off, but I had a bit more time over the bank holiday)
Tue: Long rep session (3 x 2k)
Wed: Easy run
Thu: Short rep session (A Coach Charlie Classic: 3 x 3 x 300m)
Fri: Easy run
Sat: Semi-structured fartlek-type session (pushing up and over hills and taking it easy in between)
Sun: SLR

Matt Welsh

What you had been targeting this summer?

PBs in 1500-5k on the track.

Where are you, how are you coping with the lockdown?

At my parents' in Wales with a newly-acquired treadmill. Not sure what you mean by lockdown but training camp is going well thanks.

What's changed in your training?

Regardless of whether we have a track season or not I still want to have a periodised year, so I'm training as I would have been, but making the transition to faster work more gradual.

What did your training diary look like last week?

Name

First Name

Last Name

Subject

Message

No Impact Monday™:
AM: 60 mins easy bike / Additional: Mobility
Tues:
AM: 4x2km (90) / PM: 8km easy
Additional: Mobility
Weds:
AM: 13.5km easy / PM: 60 mins easy bike
Additional: Strength + Mobility
Thurs:
AM: 6km Threshold (5) 6x200(2) / PM: 8km easy
Additional: Mobility
Fri:
AM: 13km easy / PM: 45 mins easy bike
Additional: Strength + Mobility
Sat:
AM: 1km,800,600,400,200(3) / PM: 8km easy
Additional: Mobility
Sun:
AM: 20km Long Run / PM: 45 mins easy bike
Additional: Strength + Mobility

Matt Welsh is currently coaching a handful of Belgravians to PBs - if any other members would like help with their training programmes, or just a chat about their training, get in touch with the form above or email matthewjwelsh@gmail.com.

Callum Stewart

Callum runs 15:04 for 5km and excels at cross country

What had you been targeting this summer?

New PBs in 5k and 10k. Was going for sub-15 at the Ipswich 5k and sub 31:30 at the Vitality 10k

Where are you and how are you coping with the lockdown?

Living in Milton Keynes with my girlfriend who is a key worker and unable to work from home. I am unfortunately about to be furloughed for at least 3 weeks so will have to find new ways to fill my day (e.g. more time on S&C, physio rehab, etc)

What's changed in your training?

I've been dealing with a niggle for a couple of months so took the opportunity to take a break, see a physio (online consultation), and start building back up again. Hopefully I'll start bringing some speed sessions back in soon.

What did your training diary look like last week?

Mon: 10 miles steady
Tues: Rest
Weds: 9 miles steady
Thurs: 7 miles easy
Fri: 10 miles steady with a short tempo section
Sat: 11 miles steady
Sun: 12 miles including 2 x 3mile tempo efforts

Mhairi Hall

What had you been targeting this summer?

I’d wanted to get out on the road a lot more this summer, particularly targeting a Half Marathon to qualify for the 2021 Island Games this time in Guernsey. I’d also hoped to get on the track later in the summer and run a couple of 5ks – last year was the first year I’d really done a 5km (or 3km) on the track and was keen to see what else I could do!

Where are you and how are you coping with the lockdown?

I headed home to Western Isles just before lockdown. Lockdown is tough, and one of the main reasons I left London was for the open space. I’m really lucky where I live to be able to get out (onto the moors) for some good training sessions knowing you aren’t going to bump into anyone. Also enjoying being locked down with my whole family, which is unusual as my brother lives in Australia, and a week’s holiday with him has turned into several months!

What's changed in your training?

Training is hard. Missing all my training buddies and Coach Charlie back in London, it’s really difficult doing a hard session on your own, but with all the extra time on my hands I’ve upped the number of sessions I am doing a week and incorporating a lot more hills, it feels like I’m already training for the 2020/21 XC season (which I love and, having missed most of the last one, I’m really looking forward to the next!)

I’ve also noticed with so much more time on my hands I’ve been doing a lot more S&C which I am learning to love (with the help of a few Instagram videos!)

What did your training diary look like last week?

Mon: Steady 30/40mins plus S&C session
Tues: Session: 6x1km reps
Weds: Day off running; S&C session
Thurs: Session: 4x2km
Fri: Day off running; S&C session
Sat: Session: 8x3mins on, 2mins recovery jog
Sun: Classic SLR

Brad Courtney-Pinn

Brad (second left) with his Battersea training group including (l-r) Matt Welsh, Joey Brouwer, Arne Dumez, Steve Gardner and Callum Stewart, three weeks before lockdown.

Best recent performance

It has to be The Big Half this year, running 69:29 (after targeting sub-70). Was particularly pleased as it was something that myself and Steve G had both aimed for and both achieved on the same day. It was great to be able to share it with someone from the club after all the training we put in.

What had you been targeting this summer?

The target was London Marathon (before it was postponed), then Ipswich Twilight 5K, with the big aim being Night of 10000m PBs, which was unfortunately cancelled this summer.

Where are you and how are you coping with the lockdown?

Surprisingly well actually! Living with my girlfriend and two friends (who are both off work) has meant we've had the opportunity to make a weekly plan for things to keep us busy each day and night. We've definitely almost completed Netflix though!

What's changed in your training?

I dialled back the mileage now London has been postponed, and am just trying to stick to 75-80 miles a week. I found this was the mileage amount that my body responded really well to this winter. It's been nice to reduce the Sunday long runs too.

It's also been great to have the opportunity to focus on the small things that I usually neglect when I'm training and working. It has given me the time to think about a lot more rolling and stretching as well as completing S&C sessions three times a week - which I never usually do. I'm definitely feeling the benefits of being more rested when I am training.

However, I have really missed the Tuesday track and Thursday tempo sessions led by 'the Doctor', Matt Welsh as well the rest of our usual training group - I'm really looking forward to when we're able to train together again!

What did your training diary look like last week?

Mon: 70mins easy (16.5km)
Tues: 8x3mins (off 60secs jog recovery) + warm up/cool down (18k for the day)
Weds: 90mins easy (19km)
Thurs: 10k tempo + warm up/cool down (19k for the day)
Fri: Double easy run to work* and back (15k)
Sat: 12x90secs (off 60secs jog recovery) + warm up/cool down (16k)
Sun: Steady Long Run (25k)

*Brad is a teacher at a secondary school, so still required at work for teaching children of key workers

Arne Dumez

What had you been targeting this summer?

After a whole autumn of marathon training and a winter of XC racing, I wanted to try and hit some fast times over the 1500m and 3000m. My plan for summer now is to somehow get my hands on a garden and an inflatable pool for a refreshing lockdown holiday.

Where are you and how are you coping with the lockdown?

I'm still at home in Clapham, roaming my usual stomping grounds on my own. Avoiding the scowling crowds of the parks and commons as best I can.

What's changed in your training?

The main thing I would say is that without commuting to the office I have more time to recover, which is great! Overall, not a huge amount has changed except that I can no longer do double running days. I bought a bike turbo trainer so that I can keep my second session of the day indoors. I have been combining biking and running for a long time now so, if anything, I feel like this is my opportunity to kick the biking up a notch. Seeing as there are no races on the horizon yet, I'm trying different things and actually started doing yoga regularly which has been great. I still suck, but it's fun.

What did your training diary look like last week?

Mon: AM - Rest / PM - yoga and core
Tues: AM - 3x(3mins, 90s, 1min) [1min between reps, 2mins between sets] / PM - easy 65min bike
Weds: AM - easy 60min run / PM - easy 80min bike (hills)
Thurs: AM - 7Mi progressive tempo / PM - yoga and core
Fri: AM - easy 65min run / PM - easy 75min bike (hills)
Sat: AM - 5x600m @ mile race pace [3mins rest] / PM - yoga and core
Sun: AM - 1:40 long run / PM - Rest

Steve Gardner

Steve ran 69:49 at the Big Half on March 1st and then fell ill a fortnight later.

What had you been targeting?

Sub-2:30 at London Marathon and under 15 minutes for 5k.

Where are you and how are you coping with lockdown?

At home in Tooting with my partner and the cat. I’ve actually (probably) had the virus and it’s been pretty rough. I’ve not needed to go to hospital but had a solid fortnight in bed and have had post-viral fatigue for about four weeks now, with symptoms coming and going. I’m missing running like you wouldn’t believe.

What’s changed in your training?

I went from satisfyingly-consistent 70-mile weeks building up to the marathon to zero training. My toenails have grown back and I’ve finished all the biscuits.

What did your training look like last week?

Mon: Easy six miles, thought I was fixed.
Tues: Wiped out again. Felt like a massive hangover.
Weds: Treadmill (ordered before lockdown) arrived. Stayed in box blocking hallway.
Thurs: Napping and paracetamol.
Fri: Stonking headache. Got some of the treadmill out of the box.
Saturday: Watched Tom Hanks in Castaway. I’ve got all the time in the world but that film should have ended 30 mins earlier.
Sunday: Moved the rest of the treadmill pieces out of the hallway and then slept for 12 hours.