Contents Stories Summer Series
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Shrewsbury Triathlon
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Where are they now?
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Who’s who? Race to the Stones
Contributors Calvin Wright
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Fell Running
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The Art of Spectating
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Endurance Running
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Are you an Elite Athlete?
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Phil Watton Ruth Craven Wendy Taylor Ian Richards Helen Crook-Richardson Ian Richards Richard Paddock Helen Grime Graham Evans Claire Bilgic Sarah Hall Kelly Booth
Advice
Jeanette Panayi Glenn FranckĂŠ
Controlling Asthma
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Running Gear Advice
18
Running a Faster 5K
20
Graham Evans
Coaches Corner
21
Lucy Grime
2019 Calendar
22
Design:
Magazine available online at: issuu.com/theshropshireshuffler
Rick Garcia Richard Bishop (cover image)
Editors Helen Grime
www.studiopayne.com
CHAT FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the Autumn 2018 edition of the Shuffler Magazine. The team of volunteers behind it have worked really to bring you an enjoyable read – my thanks to all of them for that. We have a wonderful band of people who are the key to what we are as a club and that’s our coaches. Keeping them in order for a very long time has been our Head Coach, Tony Welsby. Tony has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make sure we have enough coaches for Dave Perry to build the rota that makes our training nights happen. Moreover, many club members will be grateful for the support and encouragement he has given them. Tony has now stepped down from this role and I would like to place on record my thanks for everything he has done for the club. Stepping into Tony’s shoes is Glenn Franke who will use his extensive coaching experience to continue Tony’s work and develop the club further. Thank you Glenn for stepping up to support the club. Sticking with the subject of changes, we are trying to update many of the services that help us to build our running community. The club website has been crying out for development for a while but I’m pleased to say that two of our committee, Rick and Darren, have been tackling many of the issues. Lots of changes have appeared already, but there are more to come. We want it to be a really useful and current resource that you can use to keep up with club matters. If you’ve any suggestions for things you’d like to see please let us know. Likewise, we are also in the process of updating the training kit available to club members. Business changes at the supplier we have been using have, I know, caused some issues for some of you. However, we are in the process of resolving that and hope to be able to launch a new range of kit very soon. Thank you for being a part of our club. Whether you race or if you just want a social way to get a bit fitter, the Shropshire Shufflers aims to be a great and welcoming running club. If you’d like to contact me about club matters – positive comments or suggestions for improvements - you can find me at training most Monday nights or you can contact me via Facebook. I hope to see you at training or a race soon. Happy running! Nick Pollock Chairman
Summer Series
The Hills are Alive with the Sound of Panting We are blessed to live in a county with a landscape that shouts out “come and explore me”. From the compact woods like Nesscliffe, Pontesford and Haughmond Hill, to the vast expanses of the Long Mynd and Stiperstones, hills and valleys to be run on. For those keen to taste off-road and fell running during the summer months, various running clubs and individuals have brought together eight midweek evening fell races, with the best five results counting. All taking place from April to August. This forms the Shropshire Hills Fell Race Summer Series, all the races approximately three miles in length, with 300m of ascent. I’ve always enjoyed running on the hills, taking part in trail / fell / LDWA events around the county, and the summer series a perfect introduction to the running season. 2018 started for me with a career change, walking away from the 9 to 5 and jumping into a gardening
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venture. Once the ‘Beast from the East’ had thawed away I started work. The weight dropped off losing 1.5 stone in the first three months and a six pack appeared, which hasn’t been seen for 20 years. This year would be a milestone for me as I would be competing in the vets 45-50 age category for the last time, with my half-century birthday just around the corner in September. The series started with the Caradoc classic on a sunny April evening. As always a good turnout of 14 Shufflers for the opening event. In total 159 runners, a record for both the event and a series race. The race started with the usual rush to the base of Caer Caradoc. In previous years I would have resorted to placing my hands on my knees and trudging very slowly to the top, but this year was quite different. The weight loss and newly found core strength from the gardening meant I was able to jog and quick walk, keeping up with fellow runners that were distant blurs ahead of me last year. I crossed the finish line in 37th place overall. I decided to stay on for the race presentation at the end, more out of curiosity than hope! It appeared
the serious fell runners hadn’t turned up tonight in my age category tonight as my name was read out for 1st place. My confidence had received a leg up, perhaps I wasn’t too bad at this fell running after all. What could I achieve if I actually started doing some ‘running training’ and turning up to the odd Shufflers training session. The series and good form continued with the Wrekin Streak, Batch Bash and Rodney’s Pillar in May and June finishing 1st, 2nd and 1st respectively in my age category. I’d have to wait for the last race in the series the Ragleth Inn race in August to register my fifth counting race. A schoolboy error of drinking too much wine instead of water the night before a race had resulted in calf cramp halfway through the Wales Trail Half Marathon, keeping me from racing for a month. The Ragleth race is a brute, nearly 500m of accent in four miles. You’re either going up or down, not a flat section to be seen. I managed to finish in 25th place and 2nd in age category, I was happy with that. I knew I was in with a chance of winning my age group but it was nice to see the final results confirming I’d won my age category. Congratulations to all the shufflers that took part in the series, especially Stuart Smith and Val Swingler for finishing 4th and 1st in their cats respectively. I can’t finish without saying a big thank you to Rich Paddock (our very own ‘off road’ pied piper, looking more like a canary in his yellow attire!) for his enthusiasm and encouragement and spreading the virtues of what the hills have to offer. Calvin Wright
To find out where local events take place go to: www.merciafellrunners.org.uk www.ldwa.org.uk
Help the Shuffler If you’ve got any ideas on how to improve the Shuffler or would like to help putting it together. Have a word with Helen Grime or Graham Evans, or email shufflerpic@hotmail.com
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Shufflers in Wetsuits I’m standing next to a muddy, cold looking River Severn at 10.30 am on a September Sunday morning, and wondering if I really want to do this. A cheery shout of “Morning Phil!” makes me look up and I see Alan Morris waiting for his wave of swimmers to gather ready for the dreaded plunge. No turning back now, there is a witness! So, what am I doing there? Answer. The eighth Shrewsbury Sprint Triathlon which is held every September in the County Showground. It’s my third time so I know exactly what to expect. A 500-metre downstream swim, followed by a 23-kilometre bike ride and a 5 km run around the showground. More easily said than done. Why did I decide this might be a sensible thing to do in my early 60’s you may ask. Well, in my early 30’s I did a sprint triathlon and quite enjoyed it. It was different in that the event involved a pool swim and not an open water river swim. It was also different in that in those days I ran and cycled quite a lot faster than now. The only similarity is that I was a poor swimmer then and still am now. So, when a friend of mine suggested we do the Shrewsbury event three years ago the most obvious reply was “Why not?” As far as preparation goes I have tried different approaches. The first year I tried to follow a plan to ensure that each discipline was covered. This led to a slight feeling of negativity in that a missed session left you thinking you were behind schedule. The next time I entered, I decided just to log the training I actually did. This was a much more positive approach and I felt well prepared. This year however
have all of our cycling and running gear in place in the Transition Area by 9 am when it closes. Following this you have to squeeze into your compulsory, used once a year wetsuit, and walk to the river in bare feet which is where I now found myself apprehensively standing.
due to the demands of a busy retirement schedule I totally winged it and took the approach of doing ‘just enough’ training to know I could finish each discipline. In the back of my mind was a slight nagging that this could end in disaster. Oh well! The race day itself is very busy and we had to be at the Showground by 8 am in order register and to
Surprisingly the river wasn’t too cold, 14 degrees, and the swim was over in about 12 minutes. The first transition was frantic as ever and suddenly you’re on a bike heading out to Baschurch. When I got to the island at halfway I suddenly thought, “This seems to be going quite well.” Tempting providence maybe. The worst part for me comes after the second transition when you try to persuade your legs to run rather than spin round. However, after one lap they seemed to be complying and I got a decent rhythm going. It did get very hot on the last two laps, but when I crossed the finish line I was stunned to see it was my best time yet of 1:32:20. Who needs training schedules? Phil Watton
Members might like to know about a new feature that is available for the Club Calendar. Teamup now have an Android & Apple App, which you may find useful. All you need to do is just download the app and put the following code in, and the Shufflers calendar will be available on your phone!
ks85c78c69777f6366 It is much easier than trying to use it through a web browser on your phone.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW The Speediest Shuffler Ever? At age 84, still trying to run! I like to participate in the Shrewsbury parkrun. Once I realised I was’ not going to improve places on the results list, I reset my aim... to achieve a 73% capacity result. I keep getting almost there when some mishap or other occurs. My latest, falling down my steep stairs at home whilst sleepwalking! I badly hurt my back and was not able to run for 3 months, but at least I was able to keep in touch and volunteer at the park runs. I try to do 2 runs during the week, I have a nice quiet route which I enjoy, and try each week to do a little less walking and a bit more running! I think the concept of park runs is wonderful, just register once, print off your number and travel with it on your holidays around the world, I would have loved to have done that. Over the years with a small group of Shufflers, organised by Mike, I have run races, mainly half marathons in many different countries, they were a brilliant start to a holiday. Training runs, I particularly remember cold, wet, winter evenings going down to our meeting place thinking there will be no one else there... but no, the full group, huddled up in the rain, waiting to start... And an hour later going home feeling good, warm and happy! With best wishes and good running to all Shropshire Shufflers. I hope you enjoy the training runs and races as much as I did, also the companionship. To Shufflers Coaches, a belated Big Thank You, for your teaching encouragement and support. Ruth Craven Take a look at the club website, you will see that Ruth still holds numerous club records. We’re proud to have such an athlete as part of our club. Big thanks to Wendy Taylor.
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WHO’S WHO? In the last edition, David Webb nominated Ian Richards for this issue’s “Who’s Who?”. Ian will then in turn nominate another shuffler and carry on the chain…
What made you join the Shufflers? I had been running on my own for two years and it was becoming lonely. I also felt that by mixing with other runners I might learn more about the sport. What’s your favourite run or race ever? Gosh that is tough as there are so many that I love for different reasons, but I will give you three of my favourites. 1) The Nick Beer 10km in Llandudno, February. It’s cold, it’s windy, and the first 4.5 km is a climb, but wow, the views from the Great Orme, the organisation, and the coffee and cake in the George Hotel. 2) The Great North Run, just for the atmosphere created by the spectators, and the feeling as you run the last mile into South Shields. 3) The New York Marathon, just needs no explanation. What’s your biggest achievement in running? Completing the Race to the Stones 100km with my buddies Helen, Wayne, and Josey. Not forgetting the best crew boss ever Kate Millard. What are your future goals and aspirations? World domination and completion of my Jedi training. Seriously though, I just want to keep smiling while I run, and get more people running regularly. Favourite running song? Bon Iver, Holocene Best bit of kit or equipment? Garmin watch, and Brooks shoes. Favourite post run food or drink? Coffee and cake. If you could race anywhere in the world where would you go? The Big Sur Marathon, California. If you could run alongside anyone dead or alive who would you choose?
Name: Ian Richards
Gail Clayton, and Steve Prefontaine.
Age: 58
Nominate the next Shuffler to be interviewed and your reason why:
Occupation: Gardener
Mami Laird, because she always wears a big smile, and gives her running 100%.
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Race to the Stones Myself and Josy Whittingham decided that 2018 would be the year of the challenges, so we talked to a few of our running companions to join us for several challenges, Ian Richards, Ian Ford, Wayne Millard and Ange Gregory; the others were far too sensible! Race to the stones takes on 100km (62miles) of the 140km (87 mile) Ridgeway National Trail, starting in Lewknor in Oxfordshire and finishing at the worlds Heritage Site of Avebury, home to the world’s largest stone circle. We signed up in January and started training, as we all had Manchester marathon to complete in April. My training was going well, if I had a bad session then Ian Richards got me to the end with consistently chatting; which is unusual as normally no-one can get a word in! Two weeks before Manchester during a track session I had an unbearable pain in my left leg which I tried to shrug off. The next day I couldn’t put any pressure on that side when walking, after lots of nagging I eventually went and got x-rays and was referred to the Orthopaedic Hospital for an MRI scan, as the x-ray didn’t show up anything; I had a stress fracture in my left fibula. So that was me out for a while. As you can see, my training for Race to the Stones didn’t go quite to plan; I did a few runs before the race, so I knew I could run ok on my leg. Unfortunately, both Ange and Ian Ford had to pull out of RTTS We travelled down on the Friday night with Kate Millard being our support crew and driver for the weekend and stayed over in a very hot and 10
noisy travel lodge in High Wycombe, so we were all tired come Saturday morning. Driving to the start line I was unusually quiet I was wondering what I had let myself into with very little training and an injury. The start is in a farm, in one of the fields, photos taken, t-shirts collected, and toilet queued we were ready to go; our start time was 7:30 on a very hot day, we were going with the fast ones! To be honest the start was great, as you go off in waves it wasn’t too crowded, and you just went along with everyone listening to the nervous chatter from around you (the experienced runners had already taken the lead by then). I really enjoyed the pace we ran at, slow and steady to take on the route. It started on a trail path then went off road for a section that took you in between hedges, over fields, country roads and wooded areas; you had to be very careful as not only were roots sticking out of the ground, but branches were hanging down that even I had to duck under and that takes some doing!! A few people slipped but we all worked together and picked people up on route. Some areas it was follow the person in front as you couldn’t overtake because the path was too narrow; this was in between hedges and the fall the other side was quite a drop. You really had to look where you put your feet. The pitstops were AMAZING!! Crisps, fruit, sweets, sandwiches, salads, cakes, cereal bars, water, isotonic drinks, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and flat coke, I felt very overwhelmed and most probably
spent far too long at them! This is something I wouldn’t do next time; fill up my water bottles and grab something to eat on route and of course use the toilet. At the 50K pitstop if you wanted you could have a meal, as this was where the overnighters stayed or the 50K stopped; RTTS had a variety of option on offer, we all did the 100K non-stop. I tried to eat some of the food, but it just wouldn’t go down, so kept to the fruit, as my stomach was ok with this. It was great to see Kate at pitstop 6, she had set up camp for us, so we could grab or dump stuff and change if needed. I really enjoyed the race, we got to pitstop 8 as night was drawing in. This is where we changed into extra layers and put head torches on and I took my asthma medication. We left this pitstop and the smell of the portaloos turned my stomach; I felt dreadful after this and I really don’t know how I got to the next pitstop, as I felt like I was going to collapse and throw-up. I couldn’t even take in the view of Mars (which was amazing) but I just felt so awful. Once at the pitstop, I had to be treated by the medics and after a very long stay and two hot chocolates later we were off again; I don’t think the medication agreed with me and neither did the lack of food. Once we set off, we were on the home straight to the finish. This section felt like it went on for ages, the footing wasn’t very good, and it was pitch black and cold!! All I wanted to do was sleep.
Whilst running into Avebury, you could hear the finish line. But you had to run past it to go around the stones. At the time I really didn’t care and, but it annoyed me that you had to as it was dark, and you couldn’t see much! Ian also asked us would we do it again whilst we were running back from the stones to the finish but my answer at the time I can’t repeat! Over a harvested corn field then down a country lane to the finish line in a farm; a welcome sight. Once over the finish line it was so nice to see a friendly face and Kate was brilliant. All our sleeping bags were there ready, and she had set up camp in one of the farm outbuildings. 19 and a 1/2 ish hours after starting we put our heads down for an hour or so until I heard Josy had arrived back in. They had put on breakfast for us and showers if wanted; which was welcome just to warm me up. It was an amazing experience and I would do it again, but I have learnt so much from this race and training is a must; maybe without a stress fracture! Helen Crook-Richardson and Ian Richards
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Fell Running The Art (or otherwise) of Running, Training for and Racing the Fells! WHAT IS A FELL?
FELL RACING AND THE TRAINING FOR…
Locally the Long Mynd is considered fell country, but then again so are the Mountains of North Wales, Cader Idris & Snowdon for example. There is no single definition, they can be open Moorland, or boulder strewn Mountains it matters not. Wikipedia states the following:
Races come in all shapes and sizes, from a simple 2 miler up and down, to the long classic endurance events of 70 miles or more. By their very nature, most of the race will be well off road, sometimes there’s not even a sheep track to follow, and you must make your own route, occasionally, especially if you get separated from others, you’ll need to use a map and compass, sometimes you’re on your own and it can get very, very lonely, just you and a couple of sheep for company – but that’s all part of the fun and challenge.
“ Fell running, also sometimes known as hill running, but not to be confused with mountain running, is the sport of running and racing, off road, over upland country where the gradient climbed is a significant component of the difficulty” As good a definition as any I’ve seen, so I’ll leave it at that.
WHY RUN THE FELLS? I wouldn’t do anything else, it’s as simple as that. It’s something about the freedom, the wildness, being with nature, god’s fresh clean air, and being a part of all of that, stuff that you don’t find running around a stuffy cramped town. It’s certainly challenging, the climbs are bad enough, and the descents can be worse. But the sense of elation; when you get the adrenalin buzz on a downhill sprint, with no track to follow, just you against the terrain and the odd other runner, or when you finally get to the top of a peak and you feel King of the world. As I say I wouldn’t do anything else! 12
We are spoiled for training areas in Shropshire, from basic skills on Nesscliffe or Haughmond Hill, Reps on the Wrekin, to the Long Mynd area itself, with its sharp climbs and long technical descents. • Hill Reps – Stating the obvious, to be able to climb, you need to train to climb, so hill reps are the obvious answer here, once a week (no more) do something formal. Work up hill, turn and recover down and repeat a few times, simple. Keep the distance relatively short so that you can keep the effort level roughly the same throughout. • Down Hill – This is where a lot of us make up ground, so you’ll need to work on this, many are weak here as it’s easy to lose your nerve on a steep technical descent and slow right down. The old adage of “switching your brain off” on a descent is in my view a load of dangerous rubbish, if anything it’s where you need to think more, and very quickly – I love this bit and often slow on a climb to regain energy so I can push on the down! The opposite
to uphill reps, choose your ground carefully and practice – Importantly don’t try downhill speedwork on your own, it’s a long way to the car with a twisted ankle… • Endurance – Do your weekly long runs on the Hills to build up your strength and distance, slow and steady. • Trackwork, is it any use for Hills? – the jury is still out on this as we all have different ideas, none are right and none are wrong. But for me yes, it’s good, on short to medium races a fast finish is essential, and where better to train for that than on a Track??? • Finally – The Gym! – Yes, the gym, working on core and balance with a bit of upper body work, will, in my view aid you in your open country work. Some would disagree no doubt…
CAN I DO IT? We come in all shapes, sizes and ages, it’s certainly not for all of us, but most of us could if we wanted to enough. You need to have the mindset and I think be a bit of an individualist, if you need a gang around you to motivate you then perhaps it’s not for you. You’ll need to like a bit of adventure too. Just have a go one day, life’s too short to stick to the same stuff all the time, you’ll never know what you are missing unless you try, and if you don’t like it, well at least you’ve tried!
Help the Shuffler For the next edition, we are looking for the most interesting Shuffler vest. Please send your entries to shufflerpic@hotmail.com. There will be a mystery prize!
Richard Paddock
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THE ART OF SPECTATING Helen Grime style!
Over the past few years, I have been enjoying life as a spectator particularly at long distance running and triathlon events. It is not a case of turning up and waving a bit, it is a highly skilled vocation needing preparation, planning and stamina. Here are my dos and don’ts for a successful long-term career in spectating. 1. Be fully equipped. This includes bottled water, flask of coffee, snacks, cowbell, spare cowbell, clackers, lip salve, map of route, phone, yellow raincoat (see point 2). 2. Be prepared to become an unofficial Marshall. This has happened on several occasions where there are too few marshals, or sometimes rather ineffective ones. For example on a crowded Abersoch beach where runners literally had to jump over sunbathers who were in the way, or in Snowdonia where exhausted ultra-marathoners were made to run through a busy carpark before the finish. This is where your yellow raincoat comes in handy. 3. Get yourself a core of at least five useful phrases which can be repeated “Brilliant running”, “Keep going”, “Amazing running”, “You’re doing really well”, “You’re nearly/halfway/almost there” and “Keep smiling”. And always shout out their names if they are visible on their race number, Welsh ones can sometimes be challenging. 3.a. Unofficial rule: if a runner shares your name shout and yell extra loud. 3.b. If you make friends with other spectators always give their runner an extra loud shout out. They will be confused but pleased. 4. Plan your time carefully. It is entirely possible on long events, such as Iron Man, to pop to a café for lunch, do a little shopping or even visit a museum (I have managed all of these). But get to your post in plenty of time and be very careful with trips to the loo at a crucial point! 5. Pace yourself and your voice. Use your clackers and cowbell to support your vocal chords and just like run training, build up to the bigger events. Start with a 10k and then dip your toe in a half marathon. Over time you will be ready for the big 12 hour events, which quite frankly are exhausting (almost as tiring for the spectator as for the runner). 6. Most important of all remember every little shout, cheer, clack and ring can be a massive boost to a tired, weak, wet, hungry and despondent runner. I’ve had so many post event thanks from struggling participants who say the support makes all the difference to their event, to make the impossible….possible!
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So you want to be a better Endurance Runner? If you had been carefully watching Eliud Kipchoge’s record-breaking (2.02.57) marathon run in Berlin last month, you may have noticed that every mile or so he’d produce a big grin. It wasn’t just because he was leading. Research in Northern Ireland by Noel Brick shows that when runners smile their running economy improves by 2%. This means the same speed for less effort. Here are a few more tips to being a better endurance runner. Choose your parents well. Genetics isn’t everything, but it is a very important starting point. The Finish Olympic multi-gold medalist of the early 1960s, Eero Mantyranta, had very high haemoglobin levels. Be born and live at altitude (but not too high). You tend to have slightly bigger lungs and increased haemoglobin levels that are crammed full of oxygen. Best altitude for training is between 6000 and 9000 feet. Any higher and the air is too thin to train. The Ethiopian Oromo people live just across Mount Elgon from Kenya. They are about a third of the population, but make nearly 100 percent of their top distance runners. Be poor. 81 percent of 404 Kenyan professional runners had to run or walk considerable distances to primary school as kids. Kenyan children who have to run or walk to school have 30 percent higher aerobic capacities than their peers. Have thin ankles. One tenth of one pound added to the ankle increases oxygen consumption by about 1 percent. Kalenjin runners have nearly a pound less in their lower legs giving 8 percent per kilometre energy saving. Have long legs. Kenyan runners have achilles tendons 2.7 inches longer than white non-runners of the same height. Longer tendons mean more elastic energy. Be male (for now). The rate of improvement in women’s athletics far exceeds that of men. There is a school of thought that suggests that the 2156 100 metres Olympics fastest time could be set by a woman.
Be trainable. Some bodies respond to training, some don’t. Deena Kastor and Meb Keflezighi bronze and silver medals at 2004 Olympic marathon, Deena took about two years to respond, Meb set a new USA 10k record after just 6 weeks at altitude. He also became the first American to win the New York marathon for 27 years. Don’t be resistant to malaria. Reduced haemoglobin possibly prompts a switch to more fast twitch fibres. Sickle cell carriers are underrepresented in athletic endeavours that require aerobic endurance. Nearly 20 percent of 122 Ivorian national in explosive jumping and throwing events were sickle cell trait carriers. Run in the cool. Paula Radcliffe was an unbeatable marathon runner on cool autumn mornings, eight wins. Come the heat of the summer and she struggled to finish, DNF in 2004 and 23rd at the 2008 Olympics. Improve your running economy. Paula again. When she started serious training at 18 her VO2 max was already at an elite athlete level. By the time she set her world record of 2:15.25 in 2003, her VO2 max hadn’t changed, she was taller and the same weight but her running economy had improved dramatically. Race in Berlin. Eight men’s world records have been set at the Berlin marathon since 1998. Maybe you can’t change the length of your leg or the thickness of your ankles, but you can follow a regular fitness routine that will improve your endurance and speed. Do mix your training to achieve your potential. You can improve your running technique and form. And most importantly - smile. Graham Evans
Ack. Most of the information in this article came from the best sports book I have read in a long time – The Sports Gene. Talent, practice, and the truth about success by David Epstein. Geek Speak: Haemoglobin carries oxygen which is essential for aerobic activity. Running economy is the measure of how much oxygen a runner uses to run at a given pace. VO2 max or aerobic capacity is the measure of the amount of oxygen a person’s body can use when she or he is running or cycling all out. Kalenjin - There are about 4.9 million Kalenjin people (12%) in Kenya centred around the rift valley at an altitude of between 6 and 8 thousand feet.
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Are you an Elite Athlete? After being Shuffler members for the past five years we started to murmur the words “We could be coaches? Couldn’t we?” We thought we had some of the right qualities to lead a group of motivated runners, although two out of the three of us lack a basic sense of direction and know their left from their right. But we all agreed we had bucket loads of enthusiasm and encouraging words of wisdom for anybody who wanted to listen. Coach Tony suggested we would make Shuffle Coaches of some sort, he always believed in us and said all the right things to make us believe in ourselves too. The day arrived and after getting lost going to Telford College we turned up with our packed lunches and Shuffler Hoodies, keen as mustard and raring to go. The day started outside in the cold car park of Telford College, with around 25 runners in total, running laps of the car park all too afraid to speak. The day continued with some theory work and practical sessions. The group became much more integrated, lively and friendly as the day passed. By the end of the day, we had clear ideas about the type of coach we wanted to strive to be. We learnt about the physiology and mechanics of running, how to develop distance and speed.
Who is an elite athlete? Was the question posed to the group. No one raised their hand. Colin Lancaster explained if you can run over a mile without stopping then you are by definition an elite athlete (only 4% of the population fall into this category-park run statistic). 16
Each of us received three mentored sessions by experienced Shuffler coaches. Then the fun began, planning routes, recceing runs, having fun and getting lost from time to time and still not knowing our left from our right. Several months on we all have our LiRF qualification and a shiny yellow bib to boot. We have braved several different ability groups and we have our bikes and megaphones ready for leading the fast group! The best part of coaching people is supporting them to realise they can achieve more. We often see runners braving the next ability group to push themselves further and realise they can strive for a fast time, longer distance or to just enjoy the run. This has only been made possible with all the support we have individually received from the many inspirational Shuffler coaches, it feels good to give something back to the greatest running club ever! FACT! Claire Bilgic, Sarah Hall and Kelly Booth
Help the Shuffler Are there any budding cartoonists out there? If yes, please have a chat with Helen Grime or Graham Evans or email shufflerpic@hotmail.com
Controlling Asthma During my first 10k run, Graham asked (volunteered!) me when I couldn’t breathe, run and talk at the same time, to put something together for the Shuffler magazine. As part of my role in a respiratory team at the hospital I see patients with asthma, so thought a short piece on asthma might be useful. In the UK, over 8 million people have been diagnosed with asthma. Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition associated with airway inflammation and hyper-responsiveness. Often characterised by symptoms including cough, wheeze, chest tightness, and shortness of breath. It is a variable disease which can change throughout a person’s life, throughout the year and from day-to-day. Symptoms can be triggered by factors including exercise, allergen or irritant exposure, changes in weather, and viral respiratory infections. An asthma trigger is anything that irritates your airways and sets off your asthma symptom. Everyone with asthma has their personal mix of triggers – you can have one or more. The best way to help your body cope well with any asthma triggers is to take your medicines to reduce sensitivity in your airways. The most important aspect of asthma therapy is taking inhaled corticosteroid (preventer) regularly. You need to take a preventer inhaler every day, even if you’re feeling well, to protect against the inflammation in your airways. The effects build up gradually over time. Stopping for several days at a time can mean the protection starts to wear off. Knowing and understanding how to use an inhaler properly is the cornerstone of asthma management and symptom control. There has been an increase in the types of inhaler device. It is therefore vital for patients to learn the proper inhaler technique for their device to ensure optimum drug delivery to the lungs for asthma control. The best inhaler device is the one a patient can & will use! If you have a metered dose inhaler (aerosol) this should be used with a ‘spacer’. This is to ensure that you get the right amount of medicine, delivered to
your lungs and not in your mouth or back of your throat. It also makes easier for you to take your medicine and reduces the risks of side effects. This technique is ‘Slow & Steady’. If you have a dry powder device this technique is ‘Fast & Deep’. If you’re using your reliever inhaler (usually blue) more than three times a week, your asthma is NOT well controlled, and you need to seek medical advice! Each patient should be offered a written asthma action plan, as it is key to the effective management of their asthma. Regular exercise can help reduce asthma symptoms by: • Improving how well your lungs work, so you have more stamina and get less breathless • Boosting your immune system so your asthma’s less likely to be triggered by coughs and colds • Supporting weight loss which, will cut your risk of symptoms and an asthma attack.
If you start to have asthma symptoms, you need to stop the activity and take your reliever inhaler quickly to avoid the symptoms from getting worse. Once you’ve been exercising regularly, you might notice that you get less breathless and don’t need to use your reliever inhaler as much during exercise. If it’s cold, wrap a scarf loosely over your nose and mouth to warm the air before it gets to your airways. Thank you to Graham for the support you gave me during the Shuffler 10k run and all the other Shufflers week in and week out. Jeanette Panayi (new improver!)
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Running Gear: How to wash your running kit I recently saw this article in the Guardian newspaper, well online! and at first I thought ’everyone knows how to wash their running stuff’ but actually it is a good read!
How do I wash my running kit? At what temperature should you wash technical gear – and should you put your trainers in the machine? We put the big laundry questions to an expert. Most runners have found themselves at the sink dealing ineffectually with muddy, sopping wet trainers and wondering if they dare machine-wash them. Can you do it – and what is the best way to tackle a “rainproof” jacket that is starting to whiff? I asked Michaela Uzzell from appliance manufacturer Miele for her advice on the most common runners’ laundry conundrums.
At what temperature should I wash smelly, sweaty running kit? The temperature will depend on the material of your clothes: cotton items can be washed regularly at higher temperatures to get rid of bad smells, whereas synthetics are more sensitive to higher temperatures and should be washed at a maximum of 30C. For peace of mind, follow the guidance on the fabric care label, as the manufacturer will dictate the safe temperatures for washing.
If a top is just a bit sweaty, will a rinse do the trick? Your clothes should be thoroughly washed, as water alone will not fully break down body fats and sweat. Also, if you wait too long to wash your items, it will be more difficult to get rid of bad smells and dirt from the fabric.
Should you use a specialist detergent for sportswear? We advise using specialist detergent if possible. These are excellent at breaking down bad smells, and will also help to prevent Lycra from sagging and prevents electrostatic charging of fibres, which means your sportswear lasts longer. Non-sports clothes would not be harmed by being washed in this detergent as part of the same wash. It is important to bear in mind, however, that synthetic clothing is more sensitive than cotton, so I would recommended loading the machine only half full, up to a maximum of 4kg. If you want to try specific sports detergent then try Halo or Penguin.
GROUP APPS
Garmin Connect Just to let everyone know; if you use a Garmin watch there’s a Shropshire Shufflers Group on Garmin Connect – which you can search for via the Groups tab on the main menu.
How should I wash outer running gear that is rainproof or windproof? We would advise washing using a specialist detergent, to help protect the fabric. It is important that your waterproof garments are re-proofed every so often, otherwise they will stop repelling water and allowing moisture to escape from the inside. Try Nikwax which you can purchase from Amazon and Cotswold
Some running gear starts to smell, even after washing, as it gets older. Is there anything you can do about that? To avoid this, ensure that you are washing items regularly using a good-quality sportswear detergent, as the odour absorber included will prevent bad smells. Specialist detergent contains the correct enzymes to break down fats and sweat. It is important to make sure that you are washing your clothes at the hottest temperature allowed for the garments; this will help eliminate bacteria that cause bad smells.
Should you tumble-dry technical fabrics? This depends on the advice of the garment care label advice, which is not random: fabrics from different manufacturers will contain different blends of fibres, so what applies to one brand may not apply to another.
What about fabric softener? Using fabric softener is not usually necessary when using good detergents, as they contain cellulase, which helps to stop fabrics becoming rough. You should not use fabric softener for any outerwear, as this will damage the membrane of the fabric. Sports textiles are usually made of synthetic fibres, the functional properties of which can be affected by fabric softener.
Should you put your trainers in the washing machine? If so, should you take out the insoles? Again, it is important to follow the advice of your trainer manufacturer, as different trainers may be more or less suitable for washing machines, depending on their construction and materials. Some washerdryers actually have a trainers programmes, which have reduced mechanics – similar to the wool and silk programmes. It is not normally necessary to take out insoles.
Strava Also we have a group on running Strava (running app & website connecting millions of runners & cyclists worldwide) which you can search for via the Explore menu. So why not join and see where other Shufflers are running. (and how well they are doing too!)
Running A Faster 5K A lot of members have joined the club from the parkrun. You may have found that those PBs that used to tumble every other week are getting harder to come by. Here are a few ideas to help you improve your personal best. 5k is a long way, it’s an endurance run that needs proper preparation. That preparation can be split into three sections:
Speed Most kids sprint everywhere, as adults we need to relearn that skill. One way of doing this is to practice strides and hill sprints. Strides are a way of improving your stride length whilst maintaining a quick foot turnover. Do them two or three times a week after an easy session. Complete them on a flat surface over about 100 to 150 metres. You can use distance or time as your measure. If using time, easy for 10 seconds, stride for 15 seconds and then decelerate for 5 seconds. Start by running easy, thinking about a short quick stride, gradually increase your speed by lengthening your stride. It should be controlled fast pace rather than a sprint. Three quarters of the way into your distance, gradually slow down by shortening your stride. Walk back to your start point, get your breath back and start again. Move on to hill sprints once you are comfortable with strides. You should build up to a 10 to 12 second hill sprint with 6 to 8 reps. Recovery is key, take up to a minute between reps. Start by running the hill at sub-sprint pace. Walk leisurely back down to recover. Then move up to sprint the hill, starting with an 8 second sprint repeated three times. Gradually build up to 8 reps for 10 seconds. If you do this gradually, it will make you stronger and protect you from injury.
Endurance There is no substitute for mileage. Gradually increase your mileage (no more than 10% a week) and you will find that fairly soon you are running twice as far fairly easily. Run at a sustainable pace, not your 5k speed. You should be comfortably running 7 to 10 miles to have enough in the tank to really start improving your 5k. Endurance is built up over a long period of time.
Race Specific Work on this from about six weeks prior to your target race. Key point, the effort should be at your anticipated race pace. Vary the time of the effort, not the speed. It’s a combination of speed and endurance. The earlier sessions should be easier and have longer rest periods before gradually building up to more challenging sessions. You need to have got to a good level of general fitness before race specific training can be undertaken properly. You need to be able to run the distance at the pace you want in training if you want to run it in the race. Your first session could be 5 x 1km at 5k pace with 90 second rest. Your last session could be 3 x 1 mile with 45 second rest. Whether you are running a 35 or a 17-minute 5k, by applying these simple strategies, you will improve.
Home Truths Remember, adaptation is key. Your body responds to the demands you place on it by becoming more efficient. You can’t be race fit in a week. • Everybody has an off day. Come your target day, it might not work. But by putting the groundwork in, it will pay off eventually. • Don’t forget strength training, press ups, sit ups, circuits will all help improve your performance. • Vary your training, don’t repeat the same session time after time. Progression is key. • Remember you can’t run a PB every week. Aim for a specific race or date when you want to achieve your PB, then gradually build towards it, in a minimum of 18 weeks. • Happy running. GE CIRF
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Coaches Corner It’s an honour to write my first Coaches Corner, especially as I’m following Tony who has been a knowledgeable head coach and mentor. I owe a lot to him. Tony has been a stalwart of the club for many years and I wish him and Gill good luck for the future. Some of you may have seen the #runandtalk Couch to 5K programme that I’m organising. In setting that up, it’s made me think of some running basics I learnt on my coaching courses. The ABC of running are Agility, Balance and Coordination, and these three skills are very important in helping to maintain a good posture and running style. We try to add these into running drills and games on a Thursday night at Track, where we also focus on strength and interval training. Track is for runners of all abilities. Ask any of the beginners who have tried it and I bet you get positive comments back. It’s good to use other parts of your body and other muscle groups to help improve your running, so if you can get into a swimming pool or attend a gym class you will reap the benefits whilst out on the tarmac. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is currently very popular and you can usually pay for classes on a pay-as-you-go basis without incurring exorbitant gym fees! The correct warm-ups (dynamic) and cool-downs (static) are also important in maintaining peak, injury-free fitness. Warm-ups can include gentle jogging and mobilising legs, hips and arms by doing high knees, leg swings, lunges etc, before running at a pace or endurance. Cool-downs can be gentle jogging to reduce your heart rate, followed by static leg and arm stretches to enhance flexibility and reduce muscle tension. Try and build in these routines before and after races and even parkrun. As the Club’s new Head Coach, I’ll be working with the Committee to review and act on the Member Survey where appropriate and achievable. Two things stood out for me initially. Firstly, it’s not just Beginners that would appreciate ongoing advice and support, and secondly, people asked for event-specific coaching. We should all have heard about our London Marathon places by now, and many have already signed up to London and other marathons. I’d also like to support runners in experiencing the variety of different competitive races available, from shorter 5k trail runs to cross-country and ultras. I’ve already started talking to some of our senior and more experienced runners to put some support in place. Watch this space! Finally, as this is our Autumn/Winter issue, it would be remiss of me not to mention hi-viz clothing. Be seen, be safe and happy running! Glenn Francké
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Club Year Planner 2019
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