NEW - Customer Profiles
MARK CAMPION
Factfile
Age: 36
From: Portsmouth
Activities: Road Running
Club: Portsmouth Joggers
Uses: Health Club at Havant Leisure Centre
Interesting Fact: I have completed 11 marathons so far
(first was in April 2004)
Target: To run marathon under 2:45
Marathon PB is 2:49.22 (London 2008)
(this equates to running each mile in 6.28 mins)
10-mile PB is 59:55 (Great South Run 2007)
(this equates to running each mile slightly under 6.00 mins)
Marathon Progression
I have improved from 3:22 to 2:49.22 in 4 years, representing an improvement of 32 mins 38 seconds.
The table below shows how I have fared in all 11 marathons so far...
| VENUE | DATE | TIME | |
| 1 | London | Apr 2004 | 3 hours 22 mins (Personal Best) |
| 2 | Abingdon | Oct 2004 | 3 hours 18 mins (PB) |
| 3 | London | Apr 2005 | 3 hours 3 mins (PB) |
| 4 | Malta | Feb 2006 | 3 hours 37 secs (PB) |
| 5 | London | Apr 2006 | 2 hours 55 mins (PB) |
| 6 | Nottingham | Sept 2006 | 2 hours 58 mins |
| 7 | Disney (Florida) | Jan 2007 | 3 hours 3 mins |
| 8 | London | Apr 2007 | 2 hours 54 mins (PB) |
| 9 | New York | Nov 2007 | 2 hours 51 mins 54 secs (PB) |
| 10 | Malta | Feb 2008 | 2 hours 51 mins 5 secs (PB) |
| 11 | London | Apr 2008 | 2 hours 49 mins 22 secs (PB) |
In Mark's own words...
I started using the gym in 2004, primarily for the treadmill as part of my preparations for my first marathon in London in April 2004. I had been running for about a year when I decided I wanted to run the London Marathon and increased my training and mileage accordingly. I made use of the treadmill for a couple of my weekly sessions to try and reduce the impacts to my joints instead of pounding the streets.
My first London marathon went well and my time was 3 hours and 22 mins. I was immediately hooked and looked for my next marathon which was the Abingdon in Oct 2004. I ran this in 3:18 but was disappointed with the progress made so decided to step it up a gear and become a little more serious. I stepped up to about 6-7 sessions a week but continued to run approx 2 sessions a week in the gym and started to introduce a speed session whereby I'd run reps ranging from 400m to a mile at a faster pace to improve my running economy and race pace. I made some good progress and in April 2005 I ran a time of 3 hours and 3 mins in London. This gave me a boost and my training developed further but I still insisted on a couple of treadmill sessions to help me with my speedwork and hillwork. My next marathon was in Feb 2006 in Malta, a tough hilly course. My time was 3 hours and 37 secs so although gutted that I had just missed breaking 3 hours it gave me renewed drive to work harder.
My 3rd London marathon followed in April 2006 and finally my time was 2 hours and 55 mins, a huge jump forward which I was over-joyed with. My training had now become structured and included planning around marathons and smaller races of 10K's and half marathons. My treadmill sessions were rotated from short interval reps of around 400m at speeds of 17-18 kmph to mile reps at approx 16.5kmph, 20 min tempo runs at around 16kmph and hill work whereby I'd run at an incline of 10% for 2 mins with 1 min recoveries on the flat.
I ran 2:58 at the Nottingham marathon in Sept 2006 but on a very hot day with temps in the high 20's. In Jan 2007 I ran the Disney marathon in Florida and was disappointed with my time of 3:03 although I was suffering with injuries at the time and hadn't prepared very well at all. This gave me the drive to ensure I had a good London marathon in April 2007 and sure enough I got another Personal Best with a time of 2:54 on another very hot day.
By now I was training with a running club but still used the leisure centre at least twice a week for my speed sessions and tempo runs. I find the treadmill invaluable in terms of 'policing' my speed control and ensuring I achieve the correct speeds over the required rep distances. I must admit I do get odd looks from some people who don't know me when they see me crank the speed up to over 18kmph and run for 2 mins or so and then ease back for a min before doing it again another 10 or 20 times !!
My training went well over 2007 and I got several personal bests on the treadmill for my 5K (17:06), 5 mile (27:04) and 10K times (34:04) - some of which I have not been able to beat in a real race on the road !! In Oct 07 I finally broke the 60 min mark in the Great South with a time of 59:55 on a very windy and blustery day, finishing 57th. A week later at the beginning of Nov 07 I ran the New York marathon in a time of 2:51:54 which I was delighted with as this is a notoriously hard course, finishing 379th out of over 38,000 people.
In Feb 2008 I ran the Malta marathon in a time of 2:51:05 which again I was pleased with as this was a hilly course and 9 mins quicker than the last time I had run the course in 2006. I finished 12th in this race and pleased to be just outside the top 10 as well as the first British person to finish.
I ran the London marathon on the 13th April and this went very well with another PB time of 2:49:22 and finish position of 454th (out of 34K approx). Finally I've broken the 2:50 mark and now I've set my targets of breaking 2:45at London next year.
All I can say is that I find the use of the leisure centre invaluable and a crucial part of my training. I find the treadmill acts as my personal trainer and provides me with the facts and figures to know how I'm running and if I need to make changes here and there. I certainly wouldn't be able to repeat what I do on the treadmill outside on my own and therefore it's an integral part of my training. It's also important to run outside and with other people but for a couple of my runs, getting off the road and having the speed / times flashing up in front of you is just what I need to keep focused and injury free. I also know quite a few people in the gym and it's nice to chat and catch up with people and I always find all the staff around the centre friendly and interested in how things are going.
MARIA GITTOES
Factfile
Age: 41
From: Havant
Activities: Health Club at Havant Leisure Centre, Aqua Circuits
Interesting Fact: I play Rugby
My Story
I have been using the Horizon Health Club at Havant Leisure Centre for around 8 years.
In March 2007, I started having Personal Training sessions with Laura Rogers and she has been a real inspiration to me. Over the past year I have dropped down three dress sizes and my fitness, strength and confidence have all dramatically improved.
My weekly routine consists of 4 sessions in the Health Club plus Laura's Aqua Circuits class on a Wednesday evening at Havant Leisure Centre. I even play rugby at Havant RFC and we are always on the lookout for new players - please call me on 07722 852860 if you would like more information.
