The #SVT Podcast · Swansea Vale Triathlon Club

41. May 2024 | The one with the London Marathon

·1 hr 16 min·4 clips

Emily says race mantras like “this is your opportunity” help her through hard marathon patches.

1. The #SVT Podcast episode centers on Rachel, Hannah, and Emily talking through London Marathon, running, and a few SVT club updates. 2. Rachel, Hannah, and Emily are the main speakers, with Gareth mentioned as Emily’s coach and London Marathon as the race that frames the discussion. 3. The episode asks what Emily learned from London Marathon and why she still prefers running inside a balanced life rather than full-time racing. 4. Emily says she was still “on the high” after London and that her legs were recovering better than after her first marathon, when she could barely walk for three to five days. 5. She explains that race-day mantras matter to her, especially “you are strong,” “you have trained for this,” and “this is your opportunity.” 6. Emily says negative self-talk makes races feel worse, so she tries to stay mindful during every session and focus on each minute of the workout. 7. The discussion turns to pacing on the London course, where Emily says she refused to leave the blue line and still ended up about 250 metres over distance. 8. She says London’s congestion meant faster men were dropping her in the first 10 to 20 kilometres and that the extra distance cost almost a minute. 9. Emily and the hosts compare marathon racing with music, crowds, and headphones, including bone-conduction headphones and whether races allow them. 10. Emily says she does not want to run full-time because she performs best with balance, and she mentions liking holidays, downtime, and “a pint.” 11. She also says marathon success comes from years of consistency, not just talent, and points to her first marathon in 2018 as the start of that progression. 12. Emily describes the confidence gap before London, saying she had felt rough in March training but began to feel better during April and the taper. 13. She says a two-week taper became psychological preparation, with meditation podcasts and repeated reminders that she had already banked the training. 14. Emily says that mindset helped her avoid the trap of thinking a bad training block meant a bad race. 15. She explains that she still believes there is more time to find, because London felt like a perfect day rather than a final limit. 16. The conversation later shifts to marathon course choices, with Berlin, New York, Seville, Valencia, Boston, and San Francisco all mentioned. 17. The tone is informal, chatty, and specific to club athletes, with jokes about swearing, “the C-bomb,” and counting steps to a beat. 18. The format is a long back-and-forth interview with frequent interruptions, personal anecdotes, and practical running detail. 19. Listeners who like marathon training, pace talk, and club racing will get the most from this episode. 20. Listeners wanting polished structure or non-running topics will probably skip it.

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