“You don’t have to be fast to be a runner”—an ASICS running coach and new mum shares the seven days of workouts she relies on to stay race-ready

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Ania Gabb’s fitness resumé is nearly as long as the races she runs.

According to the British running coach’s Instagram profile, she’s now up to 35 full-distance marathons, with an astonishing personal record completion time of 02:49—just 40 minutes shy of the world record.

Bear in mind that’s been accomplished while qualifying as a personal trainer, a group exercise instructor, a Pilates and yoga teacher, a pre- and post-natal fitness specialist, a UK Athletics-accredited running coach and, within the past couple of years, a new mum.

“Basically, every fitness class you can think of, I teach it or I’ve taught it,” she tells Fit&Well.

Gabb also leads the ASICS FrontRunner Community—a network of over 500 runners from 31 countries united by one goal: to inspire others to move for a sound mind in a sound body.

“The way I describe it is you don’t have to be fast to be a runner in the Frontrunner Community,” she says.

“Whether you’re 60 or 18, elite or a complete beginner, running for fitness or mental health, everyone has a different story. That’s what has brought us all together.”

Gabb’s passion for running started in school, where she ran cross country and seemingly took on “all the races on sports day nobody else wanted to run”, but top of her bucket list was the London Marathon.

“I used to watch it as a child. My auntie used to take me along to watch my uncle. I used to think to myself, ‘God, they’re like celebrities’. I’d high-five them and hand out Opal Fruits.”

Then, after leaving university, Gabb got her chance.

Lining up in a big Top Shop hoodie, long Sweaty Betty joggers, clutching her phone in one hand and iPod in the other, things unravelled quickly.

“I was aiming for sub-four hours but it started hailing and I got soaked, and had to stop for the loo about 10 times because I hadn’t trained with gels. I was very naive,” she admits.

Fortunately, that experience didn’t put her off.

Seventeen years and 34 marathons later, Gabb still relishes every race like it’s her first. She’s just a little more prepared for the challenge.

Here, she reveals how she stays race-ready while juggling a busy teaching schedule and navigating early parenthood.

Ania Gabb’s week in workouts

Before the birth of her daughter, Gabb used to get up early each day to exercise or lead fitness classes.

But after initially attempting to slot back into her old routine, she quickly learned she’d need to make some compromises to be fully present for her family, clients and herself.

“When I started to get back into fitness, I was putting a lot of pressure on myself,” she says.

“It was like, ‘I have to get up at 5am. I have to go and run eight miles.’ Very quickly I learned I can’t do this. I’ve just got to look after myself because otherwise I’m going to burn out.”

Here is what the elite runner’s week in workouts looks like with a two-year-old in tow.

Monday
4-6 mile easy run plus a 20-30min light lower-body strength workout.
In the evening, Gabb teaches a Body Pump Les Mills class.

Tuesday
Teaches three HIIT classes back-to-back.

Wednesday
Speed training with interval runs.
Gabb also teaches a gentle over-60s fitness class.

Thursday
Early morning run plus an upper-body strength workout.

Friday
Teaches three fitness classes back-to-back, including strength, HIIT and Pilates.
Gabb then might run with a client, keeping it “nice and easy”.

Saturday
4-6 mile easy run plus teaching a spin class.

Sunday
Long run up to 20 miles.

Ania Gabb on three rules that have made her a better runner

1. Keep a food diary

“What’s the one thing I’ve changed that’s made me a better runner? Definitely nutrition,” says Gabb, without hesitation.

Since that first troubling marathon, she’s tried every energy gel going and a variety of different meals the night before and morning of a race to discover what works for her.

“That was the biggest mistake I made on my first marathon—my stomach was not good,” she says.

“Now I tell all my clients to keep a diary. Trial and test everything. See what keeps your energy levels up. That’s what I did and I didn’t make the same mistake twice.”

2. Prioritize recovery

You can’t get quicker if you’re always ill or injured. That’s a critical lesson Gabb has learned since the birth of her daughter.

“I always go on about recovery and sleep because for a long time I was my own worst enemy,” she explains.

“I would stay up really late, then force myself to get up early to do a long run and I’d be knackered for the rest of the day.

“Or I’d make myself ill because my immune system was down.”

She now sticks to a hard deadline of 9:30pm the night before a long run. “Sleep really is the best recovery,” says Gabb.

3. Be kind to yourself

Lastly, Gabb says she has learned to take each day as it comes.

“Whatever your circumstances or race expectations, don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” she says.

“External factors like how stressful your day has been, how tired you are, how much sleep your newborn allowed you to have, can all affect performance.”

So if your training schedule dictates you need to tick off a long run on the weekend after a highly stressful, sleep-deprived week, run by feel rather than to your plan’s timetable.

You can always catch up later when you’ve had the chance to fully recharge your batteries.