THE JOURNAL

THE
ORDINARY
TIMES

Training notes, gear you actually need, and existential running content. Written for remarkably average people.

THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF

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Runners crossing Westminster Bridge on an easy taper week run before race day
What to Do in Race Week
Fewer miles, more worrying. What the taper research actually says, how to eat and sleep in the last seven days, and the race-week mistakes that cost ordinary runners minutes. Read more...
Ordinary Mile Club runners on a long training run beside the River Thames in London, preparing for a half marathon
How Long Does It Take to Run a Half Marathon?
Average half marathon times, a full pace-to-finish table, and the things that actually decide the number on your certificate. Read more...
A group of runners on a long marathon training run beside the Thames in London
How to Train for a Marathon on Four Runs a Week
Four runs a week is not a compromise. It is the shape of most plans that actually get ordinary runners to a marathon finish line. Read more...
Group of Ordinary Mile Club runners training together on a track during a 10K training session
10K Training Plan: Three Runs a Week
An eight-week 10K training plan built around three runs a week, for people with jobs, boilers and finite willpower. Read more...
A group of Ordinary Mile Club runners on a Thames path long run during half marathon training
A Half Marathon Training Plan for Slow Runners
A 14-week, three-runs-a-week half marathon plan written for runners at the back, where weekday sessions are measured in minutes and the long run peaks at eleven miles. Read more...
Runner in the opening mile of a training run
The First Mile Always Lies (And Other Truths About Bad Runs)
Why the first mile of every run feels terrible, why bad runs happen to consistent people, and how to tell a bad mile from a bad idea. Read more...
Running kit in the rain, typical British running weather
Running in British Weather: A Field Guide
Horizontal rain, surprise heatwaves, wind with a personal grudge: a field guide to running in every mood of British weather. Read more...
Runner heading out for an early morning run in Ordinary Mile Club kit
What to Eat Before a Morning Run (And What to Never Eat Again)
Run fasted or eat first? Toast or banana? A practical guide to pre-run food for ordinary morning runners, including the list of regrets. Read more...
Runner training in Ordinary Mile Club kit on a regular weekly schedule
Running Twice a Week: What Actually Happens
Every plan says three to five runs a week. Life says two. Here's what twice-a-week running actually gets you — which is more than you think. Read more...
Runner at an easy conversational pace in Ordinary Mile Club kit
How Slow Should Easy Runs Be? Slower Than That.
Your easy runs are too fast. Yes, yours. Why slow running builds fast runners, and how to actually do it without dying of embarrassment. Read more...