The Training Is Done.
Now Comes The Part Nobody Prepares For.
The marathon is a completely different sport. An intimate evening with three expert speakers on what that actually means - and what to do about it.
Physical preparation gets you to the start line. Mental preparation gets you to the finish.
🎉 Limited Early Bird Tickets - Just £30 | Standard price £50 | Limited spaces
Everyone Is Telling You How To Train. Nobody Is Telling You How To Prepare.
Social media is full of marathon advice. Fix your technique. Hit your marathon pace. Fuel every 45 minutes. The list is endless - and most of it is focused on the months of training you've already done.
But here's what nobody talks about: the 7th fastest British woman in marathon history debuted with no structured nutrition plan, ran her PB with minimal "marathon-pace" workouts, hasn't spent hours perfecting her technique, and doesn't follow low-value pre-run routines. She runs her way. She trains enough. She gets tired. And she ran 2:24.
An Evening on Marathon Preparation isn't about adding more noise. It's about understanding what good preparation actually means for you - psychologically, physiologically, and practically. Whatever your goal time. Whatever your experience. If you have a spring marathon on the horizon, this evening is built for you.
What's Actually Going On In Your Head
Nicole Wells, Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, on the psychological strategies that make the difference before and during the marathon - and why most runners never explore them.
The Taper: Why It Feels Terrible And What To Do About It
Shane Robinson on the science of what happens when your training load drops, why your brain turns against you, and the specific tasks that keep you focused and race-ready.
What The 7th Fastest British Woman Actually Did
Abbie Donnelly on two marathons, a 2:24, and the inconvenient truth that most of what you've been told you need - she didn't do.
The Honest Truth
You Can Train Perfectly.
And Still Be Exposed At Mile 23.
No matter how well you fuel. No matter how well you taper. No matter how good your build has been - something will feel uncertain on race day. You can't train for every limiting factor.
The runners who thrive aren't the ones who avoid adversity. They're the ones who know how to respond to it.
When It Gets Dark, Can You Zoom In?
When it gets hard, when your back is against the wall, most runners catastrophise. The high-performing marathoner does something different. They narrow their focus:
- — The next light post.
- — The next 10 steps.
- — The next breath.
They don't solve the whole race. They solve the moment. In this event, you'll learn how to train that skill before race day.
The marathon doesn't care about your training log. It doesn't care how good your last long run felt. It rewards humility. It rewards emotional control. It rewards those who prepare beyond splits and spreadsheets. This evening is about learning how to prepare properly.
Learn From Those Who Know
Three expert perspectives on the final stages of marathon preparation - psychology, the taper, and elite experience.
Abbie Donnelly
Professional Marathon Runner
Born and raised in Lincolnshire, Abbie is a British distance runner who has risen to become one of the most decorated runners of her generation. Her 2:24:11 at the 2025 Frankfurt Marathon makes her the 7th fastest British woman in marathon history.
Her medal haul includes individual bronze and team gold at the 2023 European Cross Country Championships, team gold at the 2024 European Half Marathon Championships, team bronze at the 2023 World Half Marathon Championships, as well as multiple domestic titles. She is a Loughborough University History graduate and current PhD researcher, balancing academic study with an elite training and racing schedule. 2026 sees her prepare for London Marathon, with her first Great Britain call-up for the full marathon distance at this year's European Athletics Championships in Birmingham. Abbie will provide a candid talk on her current marathon experiences, including reliving that magical 2:24 in Frankfurt.
Nicole Wells
Sport & Exercise Psychologist
Nicole's interest in sport psychology grew from her own experience competing at international level in kayaking - a curiosity about how mindset influences performance that eventually led her to become a Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist. She works with athletes on motivation, preparation, coping strategies, and performance-focused thought processes, helping people get more from both their sport and their exercise.
Alongside her practice at Active Edge, Nicole is currently lecturing at the University of Lincoln while undertaking PhD research exploring life skills and positive youth development through sport. On the night, she'll guide you through actionable psychological strategies you can take straight to your next marathon, and open your eyes to what sport psychology can do for endurance preparation.
Shane Robinson
Health & Performance Coach
Shane picked up running over 20 years ago with little expectation of where it would take him. From modest beginnings, he progressed through the ranks to achieve high national standings - a journey that shaped not just his athletic career, but the entire direction of his life. That passion for performance drove him to accumulate a Diploma in Sport Coaching, Fitness and Development, a BSc in Sport and Exercise Science, qualifications in sports injury and soft tissue treatment, and more recently an MBA in Strategic Leadership.
In 2017, Shane founded Active Edge Health and Performance, built on the belief that every person deserves opportunity to world-class care. At the heart of his approach is a deep understanding of the mechanisms of adaptation to training: how the body responds, rebuilds, and improves, and how that same understanding informs both smarter coaching and more effective injury rehabilitation. Driven by a passion to cut through the noise and educate runners on what actually matters, the Marathon Mindset Masterclass is the next step in that mission.
What to Expect
A structured but relaxed evening with space for questions, conversation, and connection with fellow runners.
Welcome & Arrivals
Doors open, refreshments, and time to meet fellow runners in an informal setting at Giant Store Lincoln.
Psychological Strategies for Marathon Runners
Practical techniques to implement before and during the marathon - managing race week nerves, staying composed, and maintaining focus through the toughest miles.
Nicole Wells - Sport & Exercise Psychologist
The Marathon Taper
Understanding the changes in training load as race day approaches, managing taper anxiety, and the key tasks that keep you sharp, focused, and ready to perform.
Shane Robinson - Health & Performance Coach
Life as the 7th Fastest British Woman in Marathon History
An honest account of elite marathon preparation and racing - what the final stages really demand, the mental challenges of competing at the highest level, and the lessons learned along the way.
Abbie Donnelly - Professional Marathon Runner
Panel Q&A & Open Discussion
Your opportunity to put questions to all three speakers and hear them in conversation together.
Close & Networking
The formal programme ends but the conversation doesn't have to - connect with speakers and fellow runners.
Is This Evening For You?
🗓️ You Have A Spring Marathon Coming Up
Doesn't matter if it's your first or your tenth. If you're in a build-up right now and the taper is approaching, this evening is directly relevant to where you are.
📱 You're Drowning In Conflicting Advice
Every coach on Instagram has a different opinion. You've been told to fix your form, nail your nutrition, and run more marathon pace. This evening offers a different conversation entirely.
😰 The Taper Makes You Anxious
The miles drop, the doubts creep in, and suddenly you're questioning everything. You're not alone - and there are specific, evidence-based strategies for exactly this.
🤔 You Suspect The Mental Side Matters More Than You Think
You've done the physical work. But nobody has ever sat down with you and talked seriously about what happens between your ears on race day.
🙏 You Approach This With Humility
Some athletes thrive on high volume. Some need extended recovery. Some need solitude, some need company. The marathon rewards self-awareness - and you know the blueprint doesn't exist.
Reserve Your Place
Early Bird
Standard
Questions? Email info@activeedgesportstherapy.co.uk
Giant Store Lincoln
Doddington Hall
Doddington, Lincoln. LN6 4RU
A Unique store setting on the grounds of the historic Doddington Hall estate - easily accessible from Lincoln and the surrounding area with parking on site.
The Training Is Done. Are You Ready For The Rest?
You can't control everything on race day. But you can control your response.
Join us on 27th March. LIMITED SPACES.
Photos from previous Active Edge events