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GET RESTIVE THIS CHRISTMAS

Illustration by Hannah Andrews

We recommend the following to help you make the most of your festive rest…

Kick coughs and colds It’s not just presents that get passed around at those office parties, family gatherings, and other get-togethers – they’re perfect germ swapping occasions. Being ill puts a damper on anyone’s Christmas.

To avoid the dreaded festive lurgy wash your hands regularly, stay hydrated (with water not alcohol!), and try not to get stressed or too tired.

A breath of fresh air Work off a few Christmas calories with a light run on Boxing Day morning. First thing is a great time to enjoy some quiet and come home feeling energized and healthy. Even a short run relieves stress, boosts your metabolism, makes you look and feel better, and can even put a smile on your face.

Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education. Running Free asked this super-active couple to persuade you of the benefits of having a good rest…

From novice joggers to experienced athletes, this time of year is all about balancing and integrating your running with your festive commitments.

When you’re not exercising your body recovers, responds, and adapts to your training – leaving you fitter and stronger. Resting is a frequently overlooked, but completely essential ingredient in every runner’s schedule. The harder you run the more important quality rest becomes.

The Christmas holidays are the perfect time to reward yourself for your hard training and enjoy some structured downtime. Back off your running, drop the frequency of your runs, and cut down the distances – and you’ll have time for those pressing festive jobs. Don’t feel guilty, it’s amazing how a bit of planned rest can leave you energized, refreshed, and ready to go again in the New Year.

We believe that everyone, at whatever level, can improve with the right training, inspiration, and motivation. Our passion is running. That’s what we deliver. = = = = = =

Personal Coaching UK Training Weekends and Workshops Warm Weather Training Running Experiences Charity and Corporate Teams

Find out more by contacting us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or calling 020 8123 7806

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Let yourself go - relax!

Try and put aside a little time each day to relax. As little as 10 minutes a day of downtime can help you feel ready to meet the demands of a busy Christmas.

Stuff the turkey not yourself Too many mince pies, a little boozy indulgence, and turkey with everything – that’s Christmas for most of us. Enjoy. But take care not to overeat or be excessive with your alcohol intake so you can look forward to leaping, not lurching back from your rest period.

Give yourself a real runner’s present this year. Take the time to rest and revitalize yourself. Wrap up your running for a few days or plan in fewer shorter runs that will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalized and ready to tackle the kids, parents, crackers, presents and, of course, your Christmas dinner!

I’m

! d e r e k c a Kn Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education.

Running Free asked this super-active couple to persuade you of the benefits of having a good rest…

Illustration by Hannah Andrews

One of the best things you can do for you body is to listen to it. Learn to understand how it responds to training, notice the differences between when you’re on form and when you’re fatigued. Then you’ll know when discipline is required to do more miles and when to back off and take rest.

Failure to take heed of the principles of effective training and neglecting rest and recovery could see you sink into a real lull and plateau in your running.

Common signs of over-training include: Washed-out feeling, tired, drained, lack of energy Muscle soreness, general aches and pain Pain in muscles and joints Lack of high quality sleep Headaches Increased number of colds, sneezes and sore throats Decrease in training capacity Moodiness and irritability Loss of enthusiasm for the sport Increased incidence of injuries Bear in mind these underlying key principles of running training: Overload: Not as daunting as it sounds! It simply means doing a little more running, putting in a little more effort, and pushing your boundaries a little further as you get fitter and stronger. It is through overloading your body that it learns to deal with the pressure you place it under and, over time, adapts so that subsequent workouts feel easier. You cannot simply keep overloading your body by running more and harder or you’ll run the risk of injury, illness and breakdown.

Progression: Very gradually increasing the amount and type of training to optimise your training. This should take place over a number of weeks and months. A key feature of getting progression right is not to increase the quantity (frequency and duration) and the quality/intensity (how fast/hard you run) of your workouts at the same time. Good progression is balanced, seamless and smooth. Poor progression results in overtraining, injury and illness.

Recovery: This is explicitly linked to progression and overload and is probably the most crucial, but at the same time, the most neglected training principle. Although regular exercise actually strengthens and boosts your immune system in the long term, immediately after training your immune system is actually suppressed, leaving you open to risk of picking up illness, viruses, and injury. You must balance running and recovering to optimise your training and stay healthy.

We believe that everyone, at whatever level, can improve with the right training, inspiration, and motivation. Our passion is running. That’s what we deliver. = = = = = =

Personal Coaching UK Training Weekends and Workshops Warm Weather Training Running Experiences Charity and Corporate Teams

Find out more by contacting us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or calling 020 8123 7806

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Colds, coughs and common complaints: We all feel under the weather sometimes, especially at this time of year. The key is to recognise the symptoms and understand when you feel unwell, to listen to your body and give it the time and energy to recover and repair. There’s a simple rule here, if you are feeling ill and not sure if you should head out of the door for your run - don’t! A few days resting early will save you time in the longer term. Your body needs the energy to fight off infection and deal with the virus.

Tips for staving off the common cold: Look after yourself!

Eat a balanced, healthy and nutritious diet Get sufficient sleep and recovery Keep warm when it’s cold Take a vitamin supplement – vitamin C and zinc Viruses are spread through contact with an infected person so; Wash your hands regularly Avoid biting your nails and rubbing your eyes or nose, especially if you’ve been near a cold sufferer.

If in doubt…

Before heading out of the door for your next run ask yourself the following question: What benefit is this run to me today and how is it making me better? If in doubt – don’t!

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Words by Liz and Martin Yelling

RECOVERING & AVOIDING

THE

‘JOHN WAYNE’ SHUFFLE

Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling, is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education.

Running Free asked this super-active couple to persuade you to have a good rest after a tough sesh…

So, you’re getting more into your running and starting to build up the volume and intensity of your workouts. Noticed that you feel tired during, immediately afterwards or the following day? Here are some tried and tested ways to minimise next day aches and pains…

Typically fatigue after a tough workout or race shows itself in a few clear ways; s The obligatory ‘John Wayne’ shuffle; having to walk down stairs backwards; stiff, sore and tight muscles (technically called: ‘Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness’ or DOMS). s Generally feeling pretty shattered and battered like you’ve done a few rounds with Frank Bruno. s Sleeplessness, especially the night after a really tough training session or race. s Thirst and hunger or, conversely, a loss of appetite. s After initial ecstasy and elation, a bit of a lull and lack of drive or desire for exercise.

If you’re in regular training, recovery and rest are just as important as running the miles. It’s actually during rest from running that the key adaptations to training take place and the body repairs itself, to allow it to tolerate the workload next time around. The amount of time it takes you to recover after a long run, a hard workout or race will depend on: s s s s

The toughness of the session/race.

Your state of health and fitness and stage of training.

Whether you’re ill or injured.

How well you were able to maintain your hydration and energy levels before, during and after your run or race.

What you do immediately after your run and in the first few days.

s

Drink. Knock back plenty of electrolyte replacement drink and water.

Eat. A tough workout seriously depletes your body’s energy supplies so get a snack in within 30mins of finishing - ideally something containing carbohydrate and protein.

Keep moving. At least a little bit! Actually keeping moving will encourage the blood to continue to circulate and ease those muscles, which is better for longer term recovery. Active muscle contractions are also effective at circulating blood flow.

Get dry/warm. Immediately after your run you need to keep your muscles warm, so collect your kit and put on some warm, dry clothes ASAP. The time to chill comes later – see below.

During the next few hours, follow this up with the following: Sleep. Very important, yet often overlooked. It’s been said that that winning athletes are not those who train harder but who recover better and it’s during sleep and in particular, deep sleep that physiological repair, regeneration and restoration peaks.

Compression. One of the most useful recovery innovations to hit the market place in recent years is the increasingly popular use of compression garments. Compression clothing is designed to provide a constant pressure around the muscles to stimulate capillary blood flow and to reduce the build up of waste products in the muscles.

Get cold. We’ve all heard stories of elite runners leaping into cold baths after races. Although it’s rarely going to be practical for the majority of us to hop into a bath of ice after a hard run, there are more realistic opportunities to reap the benefits of cooling the muscles. Try contrast bathing - turn your post-race shower intermittently from warm to cold for between 2-3 mins warm water, 30 secs to 1 min cold (10-12 degrees).

Repeat this 2 or 3 times.

Massage. There’s no hard scientific evidence supporting massage as a therapeutic intervention reducing exercise-induced muscle damage, but for many runners a good rub down after a race seems to do us the power of good!

Recovery = results = a happy runner!

The worst possible recovery strategy immediately after a tough session or a race is to be completely passive, i.e. do nothing! Although you might feel like collapsing in a physically-wrecked, sweaty heap, there are some very straightforward things you should do.

We believe that everyone, at whatever level, can improve with the right training, inspiration, and motivation. Our passion is running. That s what we deliver.

Personal Coaching UK Training Weekends and Workshops Warm Weather Training Running Experiences Charity and Corporate Teams

Find out more by contacting us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or calling 020 8123 7806

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Illustration by Hannah Andrews

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I’m

Words by Liz and Martin Yelling

TAPERING – WHAT

IT IS AND HOW IT WORKS

Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education.

This month they join us to talk about the importance of “tapering” before a big race…

Having peaks and troughs in your running is actually a good thing. If runners settled for mediocrity year-in-year-out they’d only ever achieve the same results. Making space in your running calendar for downtime means you’ve also created space for real peaks in performance.

Peak Performance - getting it right For truly great running performance and to reach your full potential build peaks and troughs into training. Building in a peak means you get the balance of overload, work, progression, recovery, just right at the optimum time. The final stage of this training cycle leading into a key race is called tapering.

Under no circumstances should you complete your hardest run of the week the day before or even two or three days before your running event/race. Training for an event is done in the month and weeks prior to the event not in the final few days before it.

Less is More Don’t jeopardise race day by testing yourself in the final week. The running fitness you have gained through regular training doesn’t just disappear overnight. The last few weeks and especially the final days before the event you will need to ‘ease down’ or ‘taper’.

Tapering involves a reduction in the volume (how long you run) and the intensity (how fast you run) in the weeks leading up to the race, whilst maintaining some frequency (how often you run). It also involves effective nutrition, rest, and thinking/mental strategies to help you reach your best when it matters. The goal of your taper is to maintain your fitness, revitalize your muscles and reach a peak on race day.

Fit, Fresh, and up for it!

In general, the bigger and longer the race, and the more important it is to you, the greater the tapering process. For example, a marathon taper may begin three weeks before the race, with mileage decreasing by 30% each week. For a 5k event a sharper, speedier run might be done on the Monday or Tuesday of the week followed by gentle running as the race draws closer.

It’s a good idea to maintain some intensity in your running even in

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the final few weeks, just cut back on the length of your runs but stay sharp. The key is to keep reminding your body what it feels like to run without over doing it.

It’s common to feel a little restless and full of energy, or more lethargic than normal during a taper. Don’t worry. A good taper gets you ready to race feeling excited, fit, fresh and up for it.

Planning your taper s During all your training maintain a balance of recovery – stress – progression. Easy running is a key ingredient throughout. s It’s important not to expect to run well all the time. Does it really matter where your name appears in the results or what other people think? s Be prepared to accept where you are in your phase of training and acknowledge that you won’t (and arguably shouldn’t try) be at peak fitness all the time. s Structure your running year around your most important events and allow yourself plenty of time to prepare for each.

Marathon training taper tricks: 1. Start your taper three weeks before the race by running roughly 10% less than a typical week. With two weeks to go reduce your volume by a further 30% and during the final week by a further 30% again.

2. Eat a healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet that is high in carbohydrate to help your muscles recover and load them up with energy for your big effort. That doesn’t mean stuffing your face at the pre-race pasta party.

A reduction in training volume coupled with an adequate carbohydrate intake should optimise your energy stores.

3. Even though you might have a little more time, don’t fill your taper period with extra jobs or over-commit at work or socially. Leave the DIY until after the race!

4. Remind yourself of all you’ve achieved in your training over the past few months and see yourself running a strong race.

5. Get an extra hour’s sleep each night in the week leading up to race.

I’m

! d e r e k c a Kn Words by Liz and Martin Yelling

KEEPING IT INTERESTING Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education. Here’s their advice on snoozing your way to a personal best.

It’s been said that that winning athletes are not those who train harder, but rather the ones that recover better. Hard training places tough physical demands on the body. In fact, regular training actually breaks down the body and it is during recovery and rest periods that adaptation and so ‘training effect’ takes place. Yes, that’s right, runners get fitter, stronger and faster as a result of training that includes, rather than overlooks, proper recovery. Recovery includes nutrition and rest but it’s during sleep and in particular ‘deep sleep’ that the greatest physiological repair and regeneration takes place and restoration and revitalisation peaks. Growth hormones are released and the body’s metabolism functions at a rate that enables healing, growth and repair to take place most effectively. Without this period of restorative sleep the body is unable to restore itself optimally and effectively and can leave you feeling tired and fatigued for your next run.

Be Deeper Sleeper Getting regular deep sleep isn’t as easy as it sounds and many of us suffer with broken and irregular sleeping patterns due to stress and hectic lifestyles. Poor quality sleep really isn’t great for optimum recovery from regular running. In fact, as we age the amount of time we are able to spend enjoying the benefits of high quality deep sleep actually deteriorates. Whilst 10 year olds spend twenty five percent of their sleep time in deep sleep, by the time we reach 40 this figure has dropped to ten percent for men and twelve percent for women. So, as we get older it becomes increasingly more important to bag the early nights after a hard days running. It makes sense for runners to spend as much time as possible in deep restorative sleep to get the most of their running training and be up, ready and focussed for every days training. Without doubt high quality sleep helps runners perform better, have higher energy levels, recover stronger and run faster.

We believe that everyone, at whatever level, can improve with the right training, inspiration, and motivation. Our passion is running. That’s what we deliver. = = = = = =

Personal Coaching UK Training Weekends and Workshops Warm Weather Training Running Experiences Charity and Corporate Teams

Find out more by contacting us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or calling 020 8123 7806

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Kip Tips s Get the right bed.

If you spend night after night on an uncomfortable, sagging mattress where the springs dig in and the seams push out then it’s time to for a new bed. Many people have the same mattress for years and years despite it being way past its sell by date. When you spend a quarter of your life on a mattress then investing in a decent one that promotes high quality sleep, which in turn promotes better recovery, is a winning idea.

A mattress that provides appropriate support, is firm but comfortable and can help regulate body temperature is a real must for any runner. s Grab an extra hour Go to bed an extra hour early at least two days of the week. Make a conscious effort to get to bed earlier or stay in bed later. The additional time spent recovering will reap dividends when the training picks up. s Screened off Turn off TV’s, laptops, monitors and screens at least 60 minutes before your head hits the pillow. Give your eyes time to refocus and tune out before getting into bed. s Don’t make a meal of it Try not to have your biggest meal of the day late at night and then hop straight into the sack. Leave at least one and a half to two after eating before going to bed. s Unwind After a hard training session your body is probably ‘up’ and even though you feel tired, your mind may be awake.

Before getting into bed give your body and mind a little time to relax and unwind.

I’m

! d e r e k c a Kn Words by Liz and Martin Yelling

KEEPING

IT INTERESTING

Liz Yelling is an Olympic athlete and qualified physical education teacher. Martin Yelling is a triathlete and runner, with a host of qualifications in sports and education. This month they’re here with some superb advice on staying motivated.

Many novice runners begin with a mixture of walking and jogging, gradually building up to jog continuously without stopping or walking.

This is a wonderful strategy for getting started, improving fitness levels, and boosting confidence. But once the excitement has worn off it’s really important not to get stale, lose motivation, and swerve off track. Avoid becoming a one paced plodder and getting bored with your running by including some variety in your workouts, challenging yourself, and playing a few mind games.

‘Sessions’ aren’t just for faster runners, they’re brilliant for keeping runners of all abilities motivated and excited about their running. Try the following: Fartlek (Swedish for speed play) is a great introduction to varied-paced training. It basically means, run slow or fast, or even walk whenever you feel like it. The concept is to mix easy, steady, and fast running for different amounts of time or distance with recovery – just make it up as you go along. Fartleks can also take on a different emphasis depending on the terrain. For example, if you’re running off road on hilly terrain you can run fast up the hills, easy down the hills, and steady on the flat. If you’re on roads, use lamp posts, parked cars, and side roads to divide up your run. Make sure you include noticeable changes your pace.

Intervals are more structured. You predetermine how long you’ll run for and how much rest you’ll have between efforts. Each running effort in an interval session is called a ‘rep’ or repetition. Reps can be time or distance focused and are always followed by a specific period of walking or jogging rest/recovery. You should be running much faster in the ‘rep’ than in the recovery section. The reps should be done at a pace that feels uncomfortable to maintain and you shouldn’t be able to utter more than a few words at a time whilst doing these.

Examples: s 10 min easy jog to warm up. 1k rep with 3 mins walk recovery.

Repeat 4 times. 5 mins easy jog to warm down. s 10 mins easy jog. 2 mins fast, 1 min jog recovery. Repeat 6 times.

10min easy jog.

We believe that everyone, at whatever level, can improve with the right training, inspiration, and motivation. Our passion is running. That’s what we deliver. = = = = = =

Personal Coaching UK Training Weekends and Workshops Warm Weather Training Running Experiences Charity and Corporate Teams

Find out more by contacting us at info@fullpotential.co.uk or calling 020 8123 7806

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Threshold runs are great for extending limits. Running at a threshold speed is running at a pace that feels on the threshold of comfort. It is a pace where you really have to concentrate to keep running. It is ‘controlled discomfort’! This is a pace that is slower than intervals, but that you’ll attempt to hold for longer, for example, 10 or 15mins. This is an excellent way to improve the economy of your running.

Play mind games Keeping going with your running is as much in the head as it is in the muscles, heart and legs. Sometimes the hardest steps are actually the first ones out of the front door. Stay motivated by reminding yourself of your reasons why you run. What is your goal? Why is it important? Also, it’s worth remembering that you are fortunate that you can actually run, many others who can’t would love to be able to.

Keep yourself focused by saying positive things to yourself as you run. “I am light and fast”, “I run with commitment and passion’, “I am running for ….”

Do something different When running seems feels a like a repetitive struggle, find somewhere new to run. Don’t just slog round the same dull routes every day. Be adventurous and go exploring.

Don’t be afraid to bin the run entirely if you’re feeling totally out of sorts and swap it for cross training. Building in activities like cycling, pilates, and swimming can benefit your running as well as stopping your training from going stale. Don’t let it become a begrudging drag.

Look forward to your runs by freshening your week up with plenty of variety.

Group hug Running on your own can get tiresome even for the highly motivated and committed.

Getting a running buddy or joining a running group or club can be amazing for keeping you going. Knowing that you have arranged to meet someone makes it much harder to pull the duvet back over your head or pack the run in all together after a tough day at the office.