December 2009 Issue #127 £1.99
City Runner Cardiff’s No.1 Local Running Magazine
Dai Jenkins – An inishght into the mind of a marathon runner - Pg 3 Feature: What you can do to Get the most out of the winter - pgs 4/5
Half Time - take the training up a gear and sign up for a half marathon. pg 8
Interview
Interview : David Jenkins The man from Aberdare talks us through his preparation for one of the greatest races in the world, the London Marathon.
A
t age 22, David Jenkins has decided to take on the massive task of completing the Virgin London Marathon. I caught up with Dai Jenkins at Rhydycar leisure centre where he traded the dangerous conditions of the road that this winter has inflicted upon us, for the calmer waters of the swimming pool. Throughout the interview I was impressed with Mr. Jenkins attitude towards his training and how committed he was to make his finishing time a true reflection of the work he has put in all year. • So how’s the training going? 26 miles is pretty lethal.
I feel the training is very difficult due the weather conditions and I don’t like to attend a gym. The road’s are very icy and slippery and makes getting the miles in more difficult. The training is going well and currently stepping up my miles to get myself prepared for the marathon.
• Any superstitions or routines that you have to do before you start a run?
Adidas adistar ride. They are a very comfortable pair of trainers; I wear anti blister socks as well so it’s just the cold mornings and icy conditions that I have to deal with at the moment.
Not really superstitious but I do go to the toilet before I go out running. • How do you relax when the training gets to you?
• What trainers are you running in at the moment?
• Winter runner or summer runner and why? I don’t really mind either to be honest as long as the rain holds off when I am out running. I think I would say summer as the weather doesn’t stop you getting the miles in.
Relaxing
Diet
“ It is a challenge that lots of people want to take part in but are not always successful at getting through to do.”
“Im a very active person so I don’t have a lot of time to relax, when im not running im either working or i’m playing football. “
“I am generally a fit person and I do usually eat a banana before I run.”
Yes it is my first full marathon. I have chosen to do it as it will be a big achievement once completed. Also I am very active and love playing and doing all different types of sports. To complete the London marathon is a big accomplishment, and the race is known worldwide. It is a challenge that lots of people want to take part in but are not always successful at getting through to do. Also I wanted to take part in this event as my father has completed the London marathon many times and he has told me about the event and this gave me an even bigger incentive to take part in the marathon.
• Do you run on your own or as a part of a team?
Interview: Michael Burke
It depends what day it is as I sometime go for an early run or evening run this does depend on when I am working and what days I am attending university. A typical day will be with have a light breakfast so it doesn’t feel too heavy in your stomach when you’re running. I usually then cool down, take a shower and a main meal. I then usually have to go to work and have a piece of fruit in work depending on how long I work for. I then try to go for another short run late in the evening as possible and then a good night’s rest is always important.
Im a very active person so I don’t have a lot of time to relax, when im not running im either working or im playing football. I play football with my friends so i guess you could call that socialising. It’s also another part of my training.
• Why did you decide to run the London marathon, is this your first?
• With around 4months worth of training left, how do you think the training is going?
The training is going well but the hardest part is trying to find the time to get the miles. I am finding it difficult lately with this freezing weather as the road surfaces are very dangerous under foot and this has resulted in me twisting my ankle once or twice. Also I am not the sort of person to spend hours in the gym so I prefer to be outdoors when training.
The London Marathon
Pictures:
• So, you’re pretty motivated, how do you start a typical day of training?
I prefer to run on my own or with my sister as she has also got a place for the marathon so we sometimes train together when we can. I used to be part of a team many years ago which was Aberdare athletic club. I am still involved with the club as my father is an athletic coach.
• So, how do you keep yourself going when you start to feel the burn?
• Obviously stretching before a run is important, are there any particular areas that you need to concentrate on for long distance running? Personally I always need to stretch my back fully as I was in a car accident a few years back and have had back pains since. So before I do anything this is one area I mainly focus on. I always stretch before I do any sport and I have my usual routine I always go through.
• Diet is also an important part in long distance running, do you eat before a run or use carbo-gels and other energy products whilst running. I am generally a fit person and I do usually eat a banana before I run. I am currently stepping up my mileage so I will start to take an energy bar or gel with me when running. Once I have stepped my mileage up I will start to break down my run into when I eat and when I stop for a drink to rehydrate.
• What’s the most important part of your training equipment other than you’re running trainers and why?
• Running for charity, if so why? I am not running for a charity this year as I was lucky enough to get a place through the London marathon ballot box. My sister is running for a charity so I will help her raise the money for the charity.
• Favorite aspect of running and why? I just enjoy the feeling of a great jog and the accomplishment of getting fitter and feeling fitter. I also enjoy getting to know my local area that much better. It’ surprising how much the area that you live in changes, it could be something simple like a new car park which means I may have to find another place to run. But the sense of accomplishment, knowing that you’re getting fitter and pushing yourself as far as you can is enough for me.
FACTFILE • Name:
David Jenkins
• D.O.B:
31 / 01 / 1988
• Place of Birth: Aberdare • Type of Runner: Distance Runner
It is very difficult when you are running along but you just try to take your mind off the pain and take in the scenery your running in. Also when training with my sister we both help each other if one of us starts to struggle and give each other encouragement to carry on.
I have recently purchase a pair of running leggings as I have found the cold really takes effect on my legs so with these leggings I feel a lot more comfortable and warmer when running. I do also like to wear a thermal running top and a light weight jacket just to help reach that greater distance by feeling warming and comfortable when running.
• Favourite place to run: Aberdare Athletics Track • Weapon of Choice: Adidas adistar ride • Furthest distance run: 10Miles • Running Stride: Over-Pronator
City Runner
December 2009
3
The Big Freeze With the snow arriving by the bucket load, don’t let it stop that New Year’s resolution, make sure you beat the freeze by keeping fit, eskimo style. Here are City Runner’s top 10 tips for staying warm......
City Runner
#2 - Warm up
#3 - Thermals
#4 - Cool
It’s imperative that you take your time warming up all the muscle groups, head to toe, before setting off on your run.
Make sure you get the right type of thermals, nothing worse than a cold sweat when you start to slow down.
Important as warming up, when you finish your session, walk out the pain.
#5 - Visibility
#6 - Eye Eye
#7 - Layers
Be noticed for the right reasons. Make sure you have hi - viz gear on, refelectors, lights... the works, be safe.
If you think your going to struggle to see in front of you, get on the treadmill.
Be sure to wear more than one layer, make sure you wear the right materials, it’s all about wicking and not moisture.
#8 - Circulation
#9- Hands&Feet
#10- Hydration
Socks are a big help in keeping the red cells ticking over. Invest in some decent socks.
A high percentage of body heat escapes from your body through your hands... Wear gloves
Although it’s cold you still need to stay hydrated, the cold thin air also makes it harder to breath, so get some H20.
December 2009
4
Down
Feature
#1
Stretch those muscles
S
o, you’ve used the snow as an excuse not to get out on those cold, icy mornings or dark evenings and make the effort. City Runner is here to help you, shape up and ship out. With the top 10 tips to get the most out of your training through this Arctic spell we have suddenly found ourselves in, you can improve or at least maintain all the hard work you’ve been putting in the last couple of months. One of the most important aspects of winter running is making sure you’re visible to other runners and most importantly the half ton of metal on wheels determined to give you a nudge. (Thats a car by the way). Making sure you can be seen is not just a fashion statement, it could mean a matter of life or death. There are some quality hi - viz merchandise on the market at the moment, most notably Brookes mens Nightlife Jacket (www.prodirectrunner.com, £64.99); “The Brooks Men’s Nightlife Jacket is the new, high-visibility signature running apparel featuring improved styling construction to ensure you’re seen in low-level light protected from the elements”.
When choosing what hi viz gear to buy what’s important as that you feel comfortable enough to run in it as some hi viz merchandise can me extremly thin and clingy material, which could induce a cold sweat if not layered up properley. Do yourself a favour invest in some decent winter equipment.
That way you can zip up at the beginning or end of runs or when running into the wind, if you find your-
Pre Run
T
here is a key difference between warming up and stretching. As a runner or any athlete, a warm up is the transition from your resting heart rate to your training heart rate at a slower pace. This can be achieved by walking at an increased pace and ending at a medium paced jog. Running in ‘lines’ can be very effective in warming up properly, run up and down a flat road or field and have at least 5 markers you can easily distinguish between. When you pass each marker, slightly increase the pace you a running at through each stage and buy the end of the line you should be hitting around 60% - 80%. The ideal distance of each line should be around 500 yards depending on how serious you are about running and what your goals are. Research has illustrated that a good warm up can significantly reduce the severity of DOMS (delayed onset of muscle soreness). If you’re a serious runner, DOMS can be extremley painful around the third day out of six when your training. Although pain is generally a good indication that you’re working the right muscle groups, you should not over do it and listen to your body when it starts getting too much. A good warm up increases your musclular elasticity and flexi-
Avoid the most common mistake... Most wintertime novices and veterans make a common mistake: they overdress
The amount of winter gear you need depends on how cold the temperature gets and your natural ability to withstand the freeze. In my opinion, protection from the wind is more vital in keeping warm than waterproof gear. The cold winds can be very debilitating and make you think twice about venturing into the white abyss. If you live in the higher reigons of Wales or England, you may have to go all out and buy a balaclava or ski neck scarf to keep the wind out of your body and slowing you down. You don’t have to go out and buy expensive gear like Gore Tex products (although brilliant clothing, not necessary for the British climate), you will get ridiculously sweaty and thats just as bad as the cold getting to the bones. Be sensible don’t over dress, just wear enough to be warm and wear quality wind protection clothing.
Try your best to buy clothes with buttons or zips, they can be extremly useful when running in the cold.
bility, which will result in less strains. After your warm up, its time to stretch all the muscle groups to prevent injury. Some runners argue over the benefits of strecthing and claim that they have never experienced injury when deciding not to stretch. Whereas others state that the only reason they have never had an injury is because they stretched. Personally, I feel that stretching is equal to a good warm up, if not more important. When you stretch each individual muscle group correctly, you feel a lot more flexible and as previously stated warm up’s increase muscle elasticity, stretching is a more targetted and effective way of making sure your muscles are at the optimum level. The best time to stretch is after your warm up and
before the work out. This applies to any sport, footballs jog and complete drills before they decide to stretch. Stretching is important any time, but in the winter it is essential. The colder temperatures mean your body will be a lot more rigid, thus risking injury when stretching your muscles at around 80% pace. Stretching should start just as you begin to sweat at the end of your work out, this way your muscles are in the best possible condition to start stretching. Your muscles are warm and slightly ore flexible. A good stretching session should start from head to toe. When you run, you run with your whole body not just with yout legs, so make sure you do strecth from head to toe. If your a road runner you will always be looking for oncoming traffic so you use your neck muscles, obviously you run with your arms as well as your leg for that extra momentum and technique. When stretching aim for discomfort as opposed to pain. Muscles are like guitar strings and when they are too tight they will snap or strain. Therefore, stretch and hold each position for around 25 - 30 seconds. In addition, running will result in inflexability as your muscles will shorten and become tight. Therefore, to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you should stretch as often as possible before you run, to get the most out of each session. Yoga is seen as a great way of stretching all muscles and an easy pace, some runners swear by yoga and make a key part in their training.
Cool Down
The final part of your training session should be the cool down. This is the period after you have finshed your work out and need to wind your muscles down correctly and safely, reducing the risk of muscle damage. The cool down is often neglected as part of the amateur’s work out, possibly down to a lack of knowledge or due to a lack of comittment. A cool down period should ideally last around five minutes, which means it takes less time than the warm up and is just as effective. Where the warm up brings your heart rate up, the cool down slows your heart rate down bringing you to your natural resting rate. If your have just completed a long run of around 7 - 10 miles your cool down should last around 5 minutes with a slight jog leading into a a hard walk. Cool downs get rid of the waste building up in the muscles, such as a build up of lactic acid which, results in less soreness while your muscles recover. Follow these rules to stay healthy.... Warm up, stretch, run and cool down in the winter.
Pictures:
Message Boards: www.runnersworld.com
Message Boards We take a look at the old chat room to see what’s interesting you at the moment. • I just started running this summer,up till now I,ve got away with wearing shorts and vest. But this week weather has turned “Baltic”,Irecently purchased a pair of running tight and they are fine. I have also bought a rain proof jacket for wet weather. It is fine first mile or so but as I sweat a lot I find it to hot for longer runs.It has vents at back to let air through but even with zip down to waist, there’s still not enough air going through.So was wondering what the rest of the Sweaties wore on a cold windy day. - “DOH” • I live and run in the far North of Scotland (think - next stop Iceland) so I know about winter weather. I’ve always thought that windproof is far more important than waterproof as it is the wind chill that makes you cold when you are wet. My winter kit consists of Adidas climalight full length tights, Ron Hill longsleeved lightweight thermal top and, most important a pertex wind shirt. Also, hat and gloves. This combination has always kept me warm enough in the severest of conditions. - Jayne Hall • I only need glasses for seeing so don’t wear them for running(!) but my ears get very cold. Don’t know about a hat though cos I think it will be too hot. Just bought a headband. Makes me feel 13 again. i suppose real runners don’t care what we look like, do we? - Carmel Bennett • I always wear a hat - head normally doesn’t get overheated, and I am happy to sweat cos then I know I must be losing weight! I need a good waterproof jacket/leggings but don’t know where to get them from - not too keen buying them over the net as I like to try things on really, and I hate sending things back. - Tiny Toes
City Runner
December 2009
5
Equipment
We’ve teamed up with www.forrunnersbyrunners.com to review the latest merchandise in the shops, so you don’t waste your money, or your hard earned cash!
Brooks Vapor-dry Nightlife Gloves - £17.99 The Brooks® Vapor-Dry™ Nightlife Gloves are built to transfer moisture away from the hand, ensuring dry comfort. Features include finger grips, functional wiping surfaces, and nighttime visibility. “Warm - Comfortable. They don’t allow cold air by the wrists. The magnets are a good idea to keep the gloves together also allows you to stick them to the radiator to dry. 5 / 5” (Anonymous)
Asics Nimbus Running Socks - £9.99 The Nimbus sock even enhances the comfort fit and function of the Asics Nimbus shoes. Flat toe seams reinforcements and the use of special Friction free yarn help to avoid any unnecessary pressure or irritations. Anti-bacterial yarns further avoid allergies and irritations. The built-in features of the Nimbus sock also include Asics DuoTech concept to keep the runners feet cool and dry.
BodyGlide Anti Chafing - £4.99
Words And pictures provided by www.forunnersbyrunners.com
(Prices correct as of 17/01/10)
BODYGLIDE® Anti-Chafe balm is the recognized leader for comfort. It helps prevent and relieve hot spots on feet, and chafed, chapped and cracked skin from head to toe; good during & after activity. It penetrates the skin and creates an invisible, comfortable barrier against friction and moisture - without clogging pores or trapping perspiration.
Asics Kayano 16 (Support) - £94.99 Over the years the GEL-KAYANO has grown to legendary status in the ASICS family of shoes. Every year loyal wearers eagerly await to try the next evolution of the shoe they love. Its imperative each update still suits the consumer profile that loyal GEL-KAYANO wearers have come to expect and trust. We’re proud to say that the 16th GEL-KAYANO once again delivers an outstanding ride for the moderate over-pronator. Because this is an IGS development the transition through the 3 phases of gait is very smooth and efficient. The newest Mens GEL-KAYANO has an enhanced upper fit and improved forefoot comfort.
City Runner
December 2009
7
Races
Half Time We take a look at some of the post popular half marathons around. It’s time to take the New Years resolution to the next level.
Llanelli Waterside Half Marathon
Nike MK Half Marathon
Liverpool Half Marathon
•Name: Llanelli
•Name: Milton Keynes
• Name: Liverpool
•Date:
•Date:
• Date: 28/ 03 / 2010
07/ 03 / 2010
•Surface: Road •Setting: Rural
07/ 03 / 2010
•Surface: Road •Setting: Town •Profile: Flat
•Profile: Flat
• Surface: Road • Setting: City • Profile: Flat • Water Stations: Every 5km
•Water Stations: Frequent
•Water Stations: Every 5km
•Distance Markers: Every Mile
•Distance Markers: 10Miles
•Traffic Free: Yes
•Traffic Free: Yes
•Awards/mementos: Trophy, Winners’ prizes, Memento
•Awards/mementos: Medal, Winners’ prizes, massage,
•Venue facilities: Toilets, Onsite parking, Refreshments.
•Venue facilities: Changing, Toilets, Onsite parking, Refreshments, Supervised bag storage.
•Organiser’s notes: A fast, scenic and traffic free course run along the beautiful Millennium Coastal Park in Llanelli. The event is also suitable for Power Walkers.
Pictures:
•On-the-day-entry: No
City Runner
December 2009
8
•Organiser’s notes: Flat and fast, an ideal date pre-VLM. New city centre start & finish •On-the-day entry: Yes
• Distance Markers: 10Miles • Traffic Free: Yes • Awards/mementos: Medal, TShirt, Goody bag • Venue facilities: Toilets, Onsite parking, Supervised bag storage • Organiser’s notes: The course starts and finishes on the famous River Mersey waterfront alongside the new Liverpool Arena. The route passes many of the iconic landmarks in the city and is generally flat apart from one incline after mile 1. Race received good reviews in 2008 on the new course. • On-the-day entry: No