08/10/2026
Looking back at my first marathon in 2018, I was completely underprepared.
No gels.
No hydration strategy.
Only two proper training runs.
And a pair of questionable socks
What could possibly go wrong…
At the time, I was naive. I was relying on the athleticism I’d had four years earlier, when I was 16, rather than preparing for the demands of running 26.2 miles.
I was humbled real quick — halfway in and I hit the wall HARD.
Being in my first year of a physiotherapy degree, I probably should have known better.
I got to the start line expecting my body to cope with a demand I’d never actually trained it for.
I finished — but I certainly wouldn’t recommend my approach.
It was the hardest race I’ve ever run, and also the slowest.
Looking back, I was lucky I didn’t injure myself.
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt since is that performance comes from gradually building the capacity to handle the demands you place on your body.
And that exact same principle applies to rehabilitation.
Whether you’re running a marathon, returning from injury or getting back to your sport — prepare for the demands, and the specifics of those demands. Don’t just hope your body can handle them.
It’s something I see far too often in clinic: people expecting their body to perform at a level they haven’t prepared it for.
Train for the demands. Build the capacity. Then perform.
