Contents Entering Your First Competitive Race
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Inspirational Running
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Alternative Routes
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Severn Bridges Race Silver Lining Favourite Routes
8 9 10
Who’s who?
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Run Music
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Covid-19: Advice for Athletes
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Covering The Basics
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Optimal Movement: Feet Rock
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The Shuffler 2 Miler
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Coaches Corner
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Magazine available online at: issuu.com/theshropshireshuffler
Contributors Chris Clarke Ed Graham Evans Kevin Heede Anna McCann Anna Iley Dr Tom Williams Joe Brocklehurst John Short Richard Bishop
(Cover Photo)
Editor Graham Evans Design: www.studiopayne.com
CHAT FROM THE CHAIR Welcome to the Spring-Summer 2022 edition of the Shuffler Magazine. As ever, my thanks go out to the editorial team for seeking out items to entertain, inform and keep you up to date with what’s been happening around the club. Training nights are starting to have a buzz around them again, which is wonderful to experience, especially on a Monday when we are seeing approaching treble figures of runners. This has only been possible thanks to our existing run leaders and those who have recently stepped-up to join them. I am aware the booking system has divided opinion amongst members but, with the surge in demand there is simply no way to avoid it without putting unreasonable pressure on our valuable run leaders for most of the training sessions. We review the situation regularly and have been able to drop the need to book for the daytime runs. So many things that haven’t been able to take place for a while are starting to be possible again; For the first time since Covid we have a beginner’s group taking place on a Monday night. It’s proved very popular so far and I wish them all well as the build towards being able to complete a 10k in the summer. I have missed the Severn Bridges race too. Organising the marshalling so Shropshire Council could lay on the race around the river and quarry was always a pleasure. I’m so pleased that, now Shropshire Council have opted to hand the race on, we have a willing group of Shufflers making sure the event will be back in September. I know some of you will look forward to running in the race but I’m sure there are plenty who will lend Nick Deane, Graham Evans, Mark Grice, Juan Reyes-Montes and Stephen Riley a hand in setting up and marshalling the event on the day. It’s great to have an event of our own that will support the town. 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 so, if you’d like to contact me about club matters – positive comments or suggestions for improvements - you can contact me through the website or via Facebook. Happy running and take care of yourselves! Nick Pollock Chairman
Entering Your First Competitive Race Shufflers run for lots of reasons, too many to list probably, but some draw the line at entering a competitive race and are happy to do the Parkrun each Saturday morning or the Monday and Wednesday sessions with the club. It is quite daunting to take part in a race for the first time so I thought I would share what happened when I ran my first race in 1985, which was the Wrexham Half Marathon. At the ripe old age of 39, I gave up playing football and started running with a colleague from school, (who had also retired from football) a couple of times a week, usually a Wednesday night and a Sunday morning. This was just to keep the lethargy away and we usually ran about 4 miles in a loop which contained a couple of steepish hills, we were in Wales for gods sake! After a few months my running mate, Dave, made the mistake of bringing along a stopwatch from the P.E. department, and that’s when the problems began. Our next two runs over the 4 miles, verified by milestones on our route, were run in 26.19 and 26.29. We had no idea what these times meant apart from the fact that we were knackered at the finish. Encouraged by this and, wanting to expand our horizons, we then increased the distance to 6 miles. Then, one Sunday, Dave suggested that we enter a race and brandished a copy of “Runners World” magazine which gave a timetable of runs in our area and highlighted the Wrexham Half Marathon, which was about six weeks away. At this point you need to be aware of a few things. Dave and I were not in a running club and all our tactical and training advice came from the printed page (no internet then). Each run consisted of us going out and running as fast as we could over the set distance, no fartleks, intervals or warm up and warm down afterwards. Our diet probably left a lot to be desired as school dinners can lie heavy on your stomach and carbo loading was a mystery. Our running kit was old football stuff and my running shoes were Dunlop Green Flash.
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Fortunately Dave had found a schedule for a Half Marathon but unfortunately this was for six months and we only had six weeks. We then began to question the wisdom of running 13.2 miles but by then we had paid the money and were committed. Probably we should have looked for a 5k or 10k race before attempting a half marathon but, back then, the choice was quite limited and my ego said “how hard can it be, it’s just double the biggest distance you have run so far”. So, not taking things too seriously, we continued our twice weekly six mile run, and the week before the race did a ten mile Sunday morning, gut wrenching, lung bursting, leg aching, mind bending, bumble as practice for the real thing. How little did we know of the horrors to come! On the day of the race we rolled up to Wrexham Rugby Club which was the venue for the start of the race. We were fairly confident that we would not disgrace ourselves as our Headteacher was also running and it was important to beat him at all costs! You then start to look at the opposition. This is where you learn one of the great lessons in life i.e. never judge a book by the cover. I was mentally ticking off all the runners that I would leave in my wake only to find that most of them were to pass me at some time before the finish. In those early days of mass events the field was relatively small, just over 350 runners, and what an eyeopener that was. The Club Runners were nowhere to be seen as they were all warming
up or stretching somewhere out of site. The rest of us were milling around the start like lemmings waiting for the off. Dave had sneaked off for a crafty fag before the start with the other smokers and I was feeling, somewhat, out of my depth. Looking around I saw a group of guys dressed as football referees ( it was not fancy dress, they were real refs) and a few in other assorted costumes. The announcer said 5 minutes to go before the start which was the signal for the serious Club Runners to appear and make you feel totally inadequate. The 5 mile stare before the race started and the constant flexing of leg muscles was frightening to behold to the rest of us, hiding at the back of the field. Then we were off, in a mad dash to get off the rugby field onto the road and the race began. Running in a large group is totally different to running as a pair and I can remember thinking as we went through the first mile in 6.30 that this was going to be easy! Four miles later I was gasping for breath as we had probably run our quickest time,ever, for that distance. We had then run through the outskirts of the town, via Wrexham Industrial Estate and were headed out into the country where there was very little crowd support except for the few people who were following their team/family member. At this stage we were slowing down at an alarming rate after committing the classic error of starting too quickly (page two of the schedule for the half marathon) and were running out of gas as the miles caught up with us. At six miles, that was it, I had to stop running and walk to regain my breath and think how I was going to get through the next seven miles without falling over, it was that bad. At this point I was passed by
a phalanx of referees, like the Praetorian Guard in unison, who delighted in taking the mickey as I knew a couple of them from my footballing days and this was their day to get their own back for the abuse I had given them over the years. At this stage I hadn’t the ability to respond except to wish them “Bonne Voyage”, or something like that! Now six miles into a half marathon is a bit early to hit the wall but that’s what it felt like at the time. Luckily Dave was in the same state as me and wasn’t about to leave me struggling on my own ( how things changed in later races) so we continued at a very slow pace for the next few miles. It’s always disappointing to be overtaken by runners in costumes or in diving suits etc but by then we were passed caring and just wanted the pain to be over. The next few miles were dreadful! Finally at twelve miles we reached the last hill and staggered to the finish at the Rugby Club in 1 hr 55 mins, just 3 mins in front of the Head who looked worse than we did . We were in the last 50 runners or so to finish and were taught a real lesson on that day. The object of the exercise was to plan properly and run within ourselves but that went quickly out the window which resulted in a disastrous debut race. I am still fairly competitive, even at my age, and like to think that I can give people a run for their money, although my wife thinks it’s time I grew up and stopped thinking about p.b.’s . But that really isn’t the point of running with the Shufflers. It’s all about enjoyment and the support you get when things are not going to plan and not being put under pressure to perform or worry about where you finish. I would encourage every Shuffler to have a go at a race at some point. It doesn’t matter where you finish or how long it takes. The last finisher in any run is probably fitter than 90% of the people in their age group and how good do you feel at the end, apart from the coughing, wheezing and cramp in your calves! It is no disgrace to finish last. I have achieved this twice with the Shufflers on Cross Country runs and once on the London to Brighton Road race so don’t be afraid to get out there and show them what you can do! Chris Clarke
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Inspirational Running /////////// We have a number of special runners in our club. People who run with physical or mental health conditions, those of more advanced years or those who are just starting. Some of our more mature runners (who are setting club records on a regular basis) may get inspired by Lester Wright (100 years old) who recently ran 100m in 26.34 seconds. The winner of the race, a mere 82, ran 17.33. BTW Lester broke the over 75 200m 24 years ago. Not sure whether this will be inspirational or demotivating, but I’ve listed a few random race winning times for some recent British Masters races. Something to aim for? Go to British Masters Athletics if you fancy giving it a go. Ed
PS – Look out for Club President Alan Morris’s ‘Trail runs for Ruari’, raising money for Muscular Dystrophy. You will see some great countryside as well as raising money for charity. 6
Alternative Routes
As usual, Chris Wood is co-ordinating the social alternative runs for this summer. He can’t do it on his own though. Please, if you have an idea for a run, take a look at the website. Everything you need to know to organise an event is there: shropshire-shufflers.org/index.php/club-events/8-shropshire-shufflers/222-alternativeruns Some of the main points to think about are: The route, the venue (pubs are a good option), parking and toilets. Contact Chris if you want to chat through anything concerning staging an alternative run. Runs that are scheduled at time of writing are: 4 May - Uffington – A great time had by all 29 June - Clive/Grinshill 3 August - Cardington Mill Valley 14 September - Upton Magna These runs are always enjoyable and the more we can get in whilst the nights are light, the better. They are suitable for all abilities and generally you will get some well-earned drinks and sandwiches at the end. Contact altruns@shropshire-shufflers.org for more details. Ed
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Severn Bridges Race - Part 1
Nick P sent out an email saying that the council were dropping the Severn Bridges race and would any Shufflers be interested in keeping it going. I talked to a few people who said they would be willing to help and, on that basis, contacted Nick to say I would help. By then, a few other people had said that they would help too. So, we had our first meeting at the Armoury at the end of March. Sean from the council joined us and was really helpful in guiding us and telling us about the original idea behind the race. It was an initiative by the council to encourage people to get active. I think this fits well with the Shufflers ethos. By the following week we had formed an organising group, Nick Deane is Event director, Mark Grice is assistant Director and responsible for communications, Steve Riley is volunteer co-ordinator and Juan Reyes Montes responsible for medals prizes etc. Since then, the group have been appointing a timing organisation, setting a date (Vyrnwy moved and took our original weekend), getting the event registered with English Athletics, pricing up medals, recyclable cups, finding a van, water divining and finding sponsorship. The list goes on. The work Nick D has done means that we are able to keep the cost down to £16 affiliated and £18 unaffiliated. This keeps it affordable and hopefully will encourage first timers to give it a shot. There will be a post-match report in the autumn winter edition of the Shuffler. 8
In the meantime, expect to be approached by Steve Riley to help on the day or before. Can you encourage anyone you know that wants to enter an interesting race or particularly those thinking about their first official race, to go to the AV timing website where they will find the entry details. avtiming.com/severnbridges There’s a link on the Shufflers event page too: shropshire-shufflers.org/index.php/club-events/2uncategorised/255-the-severn-bridges-race It would be great if we can get a real Shufflers feel to this super event. PS - Not only was Juan helping from Spain, he was also smashing his marathon PB at Madrid. Graham Evans
Silver Lining Last year a call went out for volunteers to help with the Common Wealth games in Birmingham summer 2022. I applied and some months later, autumn 2021 got invited along for an interview at the Birmingham central library. It was extremely well organised and I got measured for a volunteer outfit before the interview. The interview process was a pleasant experience. At the start of April, I got an email saying I wouldn’t be needed, I was disappointed, but I’d already bought tickets for a few events by then, so probably just as well. At the end of April got another email from the organisers offering free tickets to the Muller Diamond League meeting at the Alexander Stadium in May. Very chuffed. If any other Shufflers were successful in the volunteer application, we’d love to hear from you, email Shufflerpic@hotmail.com Ed. There are still tickets available for the commonwealth games, got to: www.birmingham2022.com It runs from 28 July to 8 August.
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Favourite Routes: Exploring Eastridge Woods and Lords Hill near Snailbeach, Minsterley (1-1.5 hours) Snailbeach is close to my home and a fantastic area for off road running. Springtime is probably the best time of the year to enjoy the wild flowers and the bird song in a traffic-free environment. Much has been written about running to improving mood, increasing well being and reducing stress etc and in that respect off road running is even better for us than urban running. I started running about 17 years ago but it took me several years to gain confidence to go out off road on my own, even though I also used to hike and I know many of the Shropshire footpaths. Hopefully my article will inspire you to give it a go! Park at Snailbeach Village Hall (free but use the donation box) and take the footpath opposite up through the meadow to where it meets the lane again. Take the LEFT track downhill by some cottages. The path goes into the lovely ancient woodland after the last house and it is an easy even route past a barrier. Follow the main track forward for about 1 kilometre past a farmhouse and tin roofed shed, still contouring with fields to your left (avoid the track to the house). The main track will eventually start to climb for a while and in season there are large areas of bluebells near the top, descend past some small pools. IGNORE THE FIRST RIGHT HAND TRACK but keep going downhill for about a further 200 metres and take the next RIGHT HAND TRACK (if you miss this turn you eventually arrive at a lane to Habberley). Go past a large, overgrown quarry on your right and more uphill work!
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GROUP APPS
The fields will be on your left and enjoy views across the upper Habberley valley. You should arrive at a barrier and carpark, it is important that you then descend onto a tarmac lane (turning right) follow it for about 400 metres to another barrier. From the barrier go back into the wood on a main track with a long incline of about 700 m where you leave the main woodland by a small gate. Continue on a smaller path up to a high point of Lords Hill where there are terrific views looking southwest. There are two airshafts for an old mine in the field, but descend left to the tarmac lane. An easy route is to follow the lane (right) and descend back to Snailbeach but there is a more interesting and slightly longer alternative. Turn left on the lane (it becomes a track) past an old chapel to the Hollies Nature Reserve (a noticeboard explains its history). The track splits but keep straight on (the uphill branch) and enjoy the ancient trees of
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.
The Hollies, I have seen Hares and deer here. The field track eventually straightens out and there is a long thin conifer plantation in the distance. Once through that and a small field, stop to admire the two whitewashed squatters cottages which were recently renovated by Natural England. There are westward views of Cadair Idris, the Arans and the Berwyns mountain ranges in clear weather. By a gate and large Stiperstones NR board bear ninety degrees RIGHT off the track following the field boundary downhill. It is important that you leave the main track at this point but there is no obvious path. After 80 metres there is a gate and style out of the field, follow the fence line downhill northwards to a tin shed (easily visible in the distance) and beyond that to a kissing gate. The path in the final field is not obvious but keep to the left of a rocky knoll and at a final high point descend aiming for the massive mine chimney. It is a steep descent (take care of trips) through a small bluebell wood and back into Snailbeach (right at the bottom track then left on the lane). Once you get to know the area there are various ways of modifying your routes. Please beware of mountain bikes in Eastridge Wood and do not stray off the public footpaths. The small carpark is very popular at weekends so early morning or late afternoon visits are best to avoid the crowds.
Shoes My shoes are agnostic They are called Brooks They sleep Together, on a cold tile floor With Walsh and welly and boot They wonder if There may be a greater force They worship on Sunday mornings Wet or dry They pound Together On tarmac and mud Seeking the truth…….. Nikevarna
Kevin Heede
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!)
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WHO’S WHO? For this Shropshire Shuffler edition Anna McCann has been nominated for ‘Who’s Who?’. Anna will then in turn nominate another shuffler and carry on the chain…
WHAT MADE YOU JOIN THE SHUFFLERS? My first degree at McGill University in Canada was in Physical Education and Biology; I’d always loved sports and it seemed a fun choice. However, after a year of teaching in an outdoor school in Australia, I did not pursue the teaching profession. As my life progressed I kept pretty fit and at various times this had included jogging with friends but by 2005 I thought my knees were knackered and that I shouldn’t run any more. It was a remarkable older friend called Ruth Craven (still taking part in the Park Run at age 87) who suggested that I try joining the beginners’ group of the Shufflers. And she was right, the training was done so gently that my knees were OK and I have been with the Shufflers ever since. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE ASPECT OF THE SHUFFLERS? Firstly, meeting some lovely and quite a bit younger friends who have motivated me to come out on Monday evenings even in the darkest days of winter. Secondly, I have loved the alternative runs, organised by generous members, introducing us to various bits of Shropshire countryside and then rewarding us with a bit of social time at a pub or in their gardens. One of my favourites was Alex’s Bluebell Run from Hanwood to Earl’s Hill and Pontesbury. And I must mention Alan’s coastal canters around Anglesey and North Wales which have been wonderful whole days out. WHAT’S YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT IN RUNNING? Basically my only achievement that would be particularly recognised by fellow Shufflers was the time I ran the Lake Vrnwy Half Marathon in 2010. We actually trained quite hard for this including coming out on Wednesday Shufflers nights as well as the Mondays and we did extra runs on top of that too. HOW DID YOU KEEP FIT DURING THE PANDEMIC? In the first complete lockdown I went out cycling quite a bit as well as doing a lot of roadside litter picking to get more fresh air! Then by the summer of 2020 my two closest Shuffler friends and another girl and I started running together – at first at distance between us and in pairs – on Monday nights. I enjoyed setting routes and choosing our pace … We only returned to real Shufflers last autumn. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS? Just to keep mentally and physically active for as long as possible. BEST BIT OF EQUIPMENT
Name: Anna McCann Age: 73 Occupation: Conservation Volunteer
My high viz jacket. I cycle around town a lot and so much believe in the need for runners and cyclists to wear clothes that allow them to be spotted from a long way off. IF YOU COULD RUN ALONGSIDE ANYONE DEAD OR ALIVE WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? Someone who would be good to chat to. We have always chatted a lot on our Shufflers nights, sometimes to the consternation of the coaches. My younger friends are in other groups now and I miss that aspect of Monday nights. We would often sort out the world. I would love to sort out the world and especially climate change and nature conservation so the best possible person I could chat to would be David Attenborough. WHO ARE YOU GOING TO NOMINATE FOR OUR NEXT WHO’S WHO? Fiona Shipston
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Run Music
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Covid-19: Advice for Athletes An article like this would usually start with a summary of the events of the last 2 years. Unless you have been living on the international space station, and even then, you know what has gone on. Covid-19, caused by SARSCoV-2 infection, has changed the world. As an Intensive Care Consultant and Triathlon Coach I have been asked a lot of questions about Covid-19 and training. Below is a summary of these questions and the answers as I see them. These are based on the evidence we have, expert opinion and from views including my own. I hope you find it helpful.
Can I keep training with Covid? Maybe just at a lower intensity? No. Pure and simple. Why? Because of the risks Covid-19 infection brings, even if the infection is mild or asymptomatic. Inflammation of the heart (Myocarditis) was reported early in the pandemic in athletes infected with Covid-19 but who were asymptomatic and continued to train.1 A further study in 2021 of nearly 1600 collegiate athletes demonstrated myocarditis in 2% (1 in 50) athletes following Covid-19.2 Myocarditis can be mild with full recovery, or severe, resulting in cardiac scarring or the most serious (but extremely rare) complication; sudden cardiac death. Put simply, continuing to train is simply not worth the risk.
problems) then it would be a good idea to seek medical advice prior to re-starting training. For athletes who have been asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic my advice based on the medical evidence the expert guidance I have seen would be as follows: • No exercise during the 7-10 day isolation period. That means at least 7 days off from the positive test even if asymptomatic • Only resume exercise after 7 days of being symptom free (so if you were unwell for 5 days, wait another 7 before resuming training – so 12 days in total) • Ease back into training slowly. Start with short easy sessions and see how you feel. • Listen to your body. Everyone will respond differently to re-starting training. • See how you feel both during the session and later in the day. If you’re finding that getting back into training is wiping you out and you’re overly tired that is your body telling you you need to back off. • Assuming you feel ok, slowly build the volume and intensity back to your usual level.
How soon after Covid can I start training?
I would also advise wearing a heart rate monitor for all activities as you ease back in. If you are seeing abnormal heart rates compared to what you would expect (high or low) STOP and if it persists you should seek medical advice. The same goes for any other unusual effects as you re-start exercise such as chest pains, palpitations or shortness of breath out of proportion to the effort you are making. If these do occur you need to be checked out before resuming any form of training.
The big question. There is a lot of different advice out there and this will also depend on the individual. But let’s just take a step back and look at why this is important.
For more details on this, a summary article based on the current medical evidence can be found below (reference 4 – summarised in algorithm one).
The very purpose of training is to stress and fatigue the body so that it rebuilds stronger and faster. Training has a significant impact on the immune system with very hard training or a hard race suppressing white-blood cell production and severe other key mediators of our response to infection.3 So resuming hard training while your body is still trying to clear infection is going to slow that process.
Can I train when I have the vaccine?
The other point here is that Covid-19 is an inflammatory illness. At best, continuing to train will simply prolong the illness or any symptoms you have and make it even longer before you can get back to training properly.
So what’s best to do? Well firstly it depends how ill you have been. If you have been more than mildly symptomatic, the illness has been prolonged or you suffer with other medical conditions (particularly heart 14
There is different guidance on this too, from different organisations even different countries. Again, let’s take it back to basics. The idea of the vaccine is to trigger an immune response so your body forms antibodies to the virus. For some the only side-effect may be a sore arm. Others may feel rough for a day or so with headaches and fevers. Either way, what your body doesn’t need while it’s busy making antibodies is a hard threshold session. My advice, combining expert opinion as well as guidance from other organisations would be:
• Train as normal the day before but nothing too hard that will leave you wiped out. • If your vaccine is late in the day you could consider an easy session in the morning but once you’ve had the vaccine take the rest of that day off. • Take a day off training the day after the vaccine. • Then go on feel. If you are feeling completely well two days after the vaccine, ease back into training. Listen to your body as outlined above. • If you are still having symptoms after the vaccine, for example temperature headache or feeling in any way unwell do not restart training until these have been fully resolved for at least 24-48hrs then ease back in gently. Again, monitor yourself as above.
I’ve just tested positive for Covid but I have an Ironman in three weeks I’ll be okay to race won’t I? No. For all the reasons outlined above this is simply not worth the risk. An Ironman takes a huge toll on the body, risks all of the above and will without doubt suppress the immune system for several days afterwards. Likewise any major endurance event. It is simply not worth the risk. There will be other Ironman’s but you only have one body. With my coach hat on it is also worth pointing out that after a recent infection such as Covid you simply aren’t going to perform to your best. If you do race, not only are you putting your long-term health at risk but you will almost certainly not perform anywhere near your best or achieve what you hoped for. Far better to rest, recover and re-focus on the next race.
But Omicron is far milder so I’m okay to crack on aren’t I? Early studies are reporting that Omicron does indeed appear to cause milder infection but this is with regards to not becoming seriously ill or dying.4 However it is still a viral infection and as far as we are aware at the current time, carries similar risks to the athlete as those discussed above. There are still many thousands of people in hospital with omicron requiring oxygen even if the demand for intensive care has reduced with this variant.5 My advice; treat all variants the same with regards to training. Again with my triathlon coach hat on I would point out that it is January. Many people’s target races are still many months away and a few days off followed by easing gently back into training is unlikely to have any significant impact on performance in the racing season. However if you do try to return to training too soon without properly recovering you are likely to lengthen the
illness and prolong the time when you’re unable to train hard. That is far more likely to have an impact come the summer.
I don’t really need the vaccine do I? I’m an athlete and fit and well so I’ll be fine even if I get Covid? As an intensive care consultant I have to declare bias on this one. Since May 2021 by far the majority of covid admissions to Intensive Care have been unvaccinated patients.5 Whilst few in number, we have still had young, relatively well patients die from Covid-19 and its complications. I am also aware of several athletes who have had Covid infection and whilst they have not required intensive care, they have been very ill. In some cases they have needed hospital treatment, and have not recovered to anywhere near their baseline following the infection. ‘Long covid,’ fatigue and breathlessness can all follow infection with covid and can impair performance for many months. This is perhaps the most compelling argument for athletes to get the vaccine. There is also the debate about the social responsibility of being vaccinated if you run, bike and swim (or indeed participate in any other sport) with groups of people on a regular basis. I’ll leave that one for you to consider.
Summary In summary; as athletes we should take covid-19 seriously. As fit and well people it is easy to be blasé but Covid-19 still comes with its risks. Don’t try and train through it. Professional athletes aren’t and neither should you. Listen to your body, be sensible and stay safe. Then go smash 2022. It’s going to be a good year.
Dr Tom Williams MBChB (Hons) MRCP FRCA FFICM Consultant in Critical Care & Anaesthesia Triathlon Coach
References 1. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance findings in competitive athletes recovering from COVID-19 infection. Rajpal S, et al. JAMA Cardiol. (2020). 2. Review of COVID-19 Myocarditis in Competitive Athletes: Legitimate Concern or Fake News. Zulqarnain Khan et al. Front. Cardiovasc. Med., 14 July 2021 3. Immune function in sport and exercise. Gleeson, M. Journal of Applied Physiology. Aug 2007. 4. COVID-19: Return to play or strenuous activity following infection. O’Connor, FG. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/covid-19-return-toplay-or-strenuous-activity-following-infection 5. Covid-19: Early studies give hope omicron is milder than other variants. BMJ 2021;375:n3144 6. Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre. https://www.icnarc. org/our-audit/audits/cmp/reports
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Covering The Basics As Nick mentioned in his chairman’s piece, we’ve just restarted beginners after a two-year hiatus. There is a lot covered during that course that can be of use to all of us, whether we are beginners or veterans. 1) Safety – carry a phone and a bit of cash 2) Clothing – wear appropriate gear. At this time of year, it can be pretty hot one minute and cold the next. Layers are a good idea. 3) Try and find a running buddy, similar ability is a bonus. If you haven’t got someone to run with (or prefer running alone), let somebody know where you are going, particularly if running off road. 4) Three bears training principle: a. Too much – Upping your milage by more than 10% a week can to lead to injury b. Too little – You won’t improve and are likely to get bored and may lose interest c. Just right – You will get stronger and enjoy you running more 5) Think about technique. Do a running body check every 10 minutes or so: a. Am I upright on both vertical planes b. Are my arms going from pockets to sockets c. Am I relaxed d. Is my cadence what I want?
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6) Variety. We all have our favourite routes, but if we just stick to those, we won’t improve. Include hill work, off road, tempo runs, fartlek, track etc. Do other forms of exercise, dance, football, swim, cycle, yoga etc. it almost doesn’t matter, but don’t just run. Do race if you like that sort of thing, but don’t if you don’t. 7) If running long distance, have some food and liquid with you. If it’s really hot, remember to drink more 8) Do read, listen to, or watch running articles, podcasts and YouTube videos. But, don’t believe it all. Take what works for you. 9) Talk to fellow Shufflers, some of them might have something useful to pass on. This is all basic stuff, but it does no harm to be reminded occasionally. Most importantly. Enjoy it! Graham Evans
Optimal Movement: Feet Rock Hopefully you’d agree that our feet really do rock, we rely on them alone to interact with the ground when walking and running. Our feet are amazing when you think about it - they have the mobility to adjust to different surfaces, the strength to cope with ground impact forces and to propel us forward. It’s easy to take them for granted as they’re often out of sight, tucked away in our shoes. I invite you to liberate your feet, take your shoes off and feel them move to their full potential. On that note, we are now going to explore the rocking mechanisms of our feet and ankles and how we can utilise them to maximise efficiency when walking and running. There are four rockers of the foot and ankle; the heel rocker, ankle rocker, midfoot rocker, and toe rocker. We need them all to work well for us to move in a fluid and effortless way.
We start with the heel rocker of our calcaneus (heel bone), which has a rounded shape and plenty of padding underneath, this allows for a smooth transition and gives some much needed cushioning. As we roll through the heel the foot plants on the ground, the front of the joint needs to be free of restrictions to allow this to happen. The second rocker is the ankle, the bones of the lower leg (tibia and fibula) roll over the talus (main ankle bone), as this happens the knee continues over the toes and the foot will spread (pronation). The foot acts as a shock absorber by spreading, allowing force to be distributed, the soft tissue of the lower body stretches in response. The foot needs to be mobile enough for this to happen, which is crucial for generating elastic energy, which will be used to help propel us forwards. We now come to the midfoot rocker, the foot must return to a rigid position (supination) and the foot pressure on the ground will move to the pad of the first and second toes. The big toe is wider and stronger than the other toes, it is designed specifically for the job of propelling us forward. Last but not least, we come to the toe rockers - rolling from the base to the end of the big and second toe. This allows you to catapult yourself forward, using all the stored up elastic energy from your foot to the rest of your body. However, this can only happen efficiently if the first and second toes are able to reach 40 degrees of extension. Any restrictions in muscles, tendons, ligaments, or the joints of your foot and ankle will decrease the efficiency of the foot rocker mechanism. This will lead to compensations, such as; tight hip flexors, shorter stride, malalignment of the knee and hip joints, increased energy expenditure, and increased risk of injury. So, next time you have a bit of spare time - liberate your feet, get them moving so that you can harness their full potential when running. We cover aspects of running such as the toe rockers in our ‘Running & Yoga Workshops’, for more information or to book your place on our next workshop please get in touch. Thanks for taking the time to read this article, I hope you found it useful. Joe Brocklehurst | www.movement-base.co.uk | info@movement-base.co.uk
www.optimal-movement.co.uk | info@optimal-movement.co.uk | 01743 292 622 17
The Shuffler 2 Miler Some of us have been Shuffling long enough to remember the 2 mile time trial that Martin Ottey used to organise. Recently Martin (the Streets) Streeter volunteered to bring this fun event back to life. It will take place on the 1st Wednesday of the month, starting this June until it becomes too dark, the last one will probably be in October. It will run at the same time as the normal Shirehall club night. On Strava it will be the segment or route called “Shuffler 2Miler”.
How it works Martin has marked out and remeasured the course. With your warm up and cool down the minimum distance to cover will be 7km assuming you park at Shirehall. Warm up - from Shirehall along Sutton Road or Wenlock Road. 19:15 - First Shuffler sets off 30sec intervals - slowest to fastest runners in order Finish - at the bollard on the cycle path. Warm down - in reverse of warm up or add your own return. Support car will be parked in the layby opposite the start for gear drop and medical, we may have a cup of water too.
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Social It is hoped to have a few beverages afterwards in the Peacock Inn and once their refurbishment is complete, back at the White Horse across from our Shirehall meeting point.
Safety A brief will accompany the risk assessment, and, while some will be looking to avoid delays, we must be respectful of other pavement users, junctions, and comedy moments with dogs on leads. Graham Evans
Coaches Corner As runners, we develop all the time I always want to start any coaches comments with a huge thank you to the over thirty five run leaders and coaches who lead the running groups over the five sessions we offer every week - Debs brilliantly organises the rota on a quarterly basis and has been really pleased with how quickly the rota has been filled this year. As summer approaches we are also seeing new strength and conditioning, beginners, off road and hill groups taking place. You are a member of one of the largest and most varied running groups in the Midlands and we have great run leaders and coaches to make this happen At the end of summer, we will be advertising new places on the run leaders (LiRF) and coaches (CiRF) courses so please consider doing these courses and making sure we are sustainable as a club going forward - it’s been wonderful watching the recent LiRF course graduates take such a strong roll now in club sessions. I’m going to mention just two run leaders here as I have been able to go out with them and see just how far they have progressed and gained confidence in their run leading - Phil and Elaine you have been real stars over the past few months but the comments from members about the other new run leaders leave me in no doubt that we will have great future coaches in the coming years. Do look out for these to be advertised and do step forward and say yes when you are ready to start your own run leading and coaching careers. Like all other sporting activities, we are increasingly concerned though with safety - both yours, the public we meet and our run leaders. Over the past few weeks, the coaching team (Debs, Norman, Kelly, Chris W and myself) have been reviewing our risk assessments. We now have new agreed risk assessments for road, track and off road running and I would like to ask all members to look at the club website and read the ones that are relevant to you - they contain a list of what we expect from all runners in terms of fitness, equipment and behaviour and what, in return, you can expect from our run leaders and coaches. We need to ensure that all runners feel safe whilst out with the Shufflers so that they can focus on improving their health and well-being. We are always keen to hear feedback on these so if you want us to explain these better or amend them, please get back to me on - coachcoord@shropshire-shufflers.org And finally an observation on what makes our club special - over the past two years as coaching co-ordinator I’ve enjoyed watching all the groups out running and when not able to attend follow a number of you on Strava to see what routes you are taking and what stage of your training you are at. This has highlighted to me the importance of training programmes, having downtime and periods of recovery and of sharing running experiences and tips. Do keep sharing your runs and experiences with each other either whilst out in groups or on Strava or the club Facebook page. We can all learn from each other and hearing what went well and what doesn’t can help us all learning to be better runners Take care and stay safe John Short Coaching Co-ordinator on behalf of the Coaching Team