Josh prepares for his half marathon

Josh Keelan really is into the swing of preparing for his half marathon which takes place on Sunday 13th October in Manchester.

He’s training every day, except Sundays and he’s seeing improvements to his performance on a daily basis.

A keen hockey player, Josh is finding his hockey practice and tournaments are a tremendous help as they keep him fit whilst being fun and competitive.

As Josh is studying for a Masters in Engineering at Durham, the majority of his training is being done there and the challenging hills are certainly helping him with his fitness compared to the flat areas in Preston.

Josh is hugely aware that his performance isn’t just about his level of fitness and that in fact his diet plays a major role. Since starting his training Josh has challenged himself to give up beer and junk food and so far is doing this very successfully. Instead he’s eating far more protein, with chicken and eggs being current favourites, interspersed with a little pasta and rice along the way to sustain his energy levels.

Much of his training is done alone and Josh uses the opportunity to clear some head space whilst listening to music. This, combined with the hockey, which really gets him in the team spirit is the perfect balance.

Josh’s advice to others looking to train is to lay off the beers and follow a sustainable programme of healthy food and training which is realistic and achievable. Setting goals is also excellent for motivation and Josh’s is to better his time and achieve just under 1hour 30 minutes in this half marathon!

There is no let up for Josh as once he’s completed the half marathon he’ll be onto a dedicated training regime for the full marathon next April.

Josh has selected St Catherine’s Hospice as his chosen charity and if you would like to donate to this fantastic cause please click here