Women's Running Magazine UK

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RUN HAPPY EVERY WOMAN’S GUIDE TO RUNNING WITH CONFIDENCE

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YOUR GREATEST RUN EVER.

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2015

GET RUNNING 28 WOMEN’S RUNNING 10K Join us for one of our final races of 2015 in Glasgow and London – don’t miss out!

32 TIME HEALS Fight off your frustration when you’re injured with this guide to quick wins for sidelined runners 36 THE PERFECT TAPER Find out how to wind down properly for your next race with our tailored taper guide

40 CREATURES OF HABIT Turn your occasional runs into an everyday occurence with this expert lowdown on forming a healthy habit 44 RUN HAPPY Boobs bouncing? Thighs chafing? Here’s how to sidestep embarrassing niggles that might keep you off the road

66 48 THE RUNNER’S GUIDE TO YOGA Try this whole-body solution to become stronger, more flexible and more focused

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62 MIND CONTROL Learn about the powerful connection between your thoughts, feelings and performance with this expert insight 66 GET STRONG AND SPEED UP Use our eight-move workout for four weeks to see real speed gains

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62 ➝ THIS MONTH ON THE COVER Cover photo Eddie Macdonald Cover styling Kellie Daggett Cover hair and make-up Bea Burton using Bobbi Brown Cosmetics and Paul Mitchell Cover model Danielle Holbrook @ WAthletic Clothing: Shorts, £30, Nike www.nike.com. Running shirt, £48, Nike www.nike.com Trainers, £114, Gel Noosa Tri 10 Asics.

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58 RUNNING ON AIR Learn to breathe better and your running will follow

TRAIL 72 EPIC TALES → Katie King travelled to Spain to take on the Buff Epic Trail, which does exactly what it says on the tin 76 TRAIL GEAR Get kitted out for off-road running with our guide to the latest essentials 78 PROJECT TRAIL Meet our intrepid trio getting ready to take on the EnduranceLife Coastal Trail Series Gower half-marathon

October 2015 www.womensrunninguk.co.uk

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See page 56 for details

PERSONAL BEST 86 DOUBLE UP Fancy another 5K or 10K PB? Use our four-week guide to turn out another performance to be proud of

+ FREE Complete Marathon Training Guide

90 EXPERIENCE: THE RUNNING SCHOOL Consultant editor Tina Chantrey heads back to the classroom to turn her running style around

AND GET FREE

Subscriber Club Membership

92 TURN UP THE VOLUME When you’re ready to build up your mileage, read our quick guide first

NUTRITION 52 KEEP YOUR WEIGHT LOSS ON TRACK Steer clear of these weight-loss traps and keep your health kick on course 94 THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CAVEGIRL DIET You might have heard of paleo eating – but is it right for runners? We find out

REAL-LIFE 22 “I NEEDED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT” Elizabeth Francis came up with a unique challenge to raise awareness for her cause 24 “OWNING THE FACT THAT I’M A BIGGER RUNNER BOOSTED MY CONFIDENCE” How Sue Lenton learned to love her body by taking up running

RACE REVIEWS 98 THE GIANT’S HEAD MARATHON Lisa Jackson goes in search of a naked farmer in a bath and a 35-foot phallus…

100 ADIDAS THUNDER RUN 24 → Anne-Marie Lategan leads a team of insomniac runners round a relay with a difference

REGULARS 08 EDITOR’S NOTE “One of the best things about becoming a runner is joining an incredibly supportive community” 09 MEET THE EXPERTS The team behind the issue 10 ON YOUR MIND Your news and views 11 HEALTH BOOST The latest health and fitness findings 16 FOOD IN THE NEWS Nutrition fact or fiction?

20 TOP GEAR New kit to help you keep fit 106 CELEBRITY INTERVIEW Jenni Falconer on how early-morning running keeps her awake

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK / EDDIE MACDONALD / XAVIER ROBLEDA / MATT SPRAKE / ADIDAS THUNDER RUN 24 / CHRIS KELK / BUFF

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Editor’s note

2015}} AUGUST 2012 {{OCTOBER JUST 3 RACES TO GO – IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO ENTER.

Editor Elizabeth Hufton elizabeth.hufton@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Tel: 020 8996 5135

SEE PAGE 28

One big club

One of the best things about becoming a runner is joining a vast, varied and incredibly supportive community. I have never been a member of a running club, preferring to run on my own for some headspace (and so that I can run at stupid times of the day). But I have never felt alone as a runner – from day one the nods, smiles, and sunny calls of “Good morning!” have ensured I feel part of a wider movement.

It was great to be reminded of how big and beautiful this community is when I was reading through all your entries for our Project Trail competition.

We received hundreds of entries, all detailed, all inspiring in their own ways. It took days to get through them all, and narrowing them down to a team of three was one of the hardest tasks I’ve ever done in the line of duty.

What came across most of all was the energy and the passion for running that all of you have. From women who have overcome incredible adversity to take up running, to those who just took their first steps a couple of months ago, to runners who just wanted a new challenge – every kind of female runner was represented.

In the end we had to pick a team, of course, and I was lucky enough to speak to them all, hear their stories and their ambitions for the Endurancelife Coastal Trail Series Gower half. Vicki, Anne and Lou are the three brilliant women who will be getting stuck in to some serious off-road training to represent the Women’s Running Project Trail team this year. You can read their stories from page 78. Thank you to all of you who entered the competition, and if you didn’t make the team, don’t worry – we’ll be sharing training plans and tips from our coach and team leader Anne-Marie Lategan, both in the magazine and online over the coming three months, to help you achieve your off-road running goals. Get stuck in!

Consultant Editor Tina Chantrey tina.chantrey@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Art Director/Designer/Production Xavier Robleda art.director@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Sub Editor Isaac Williams isaac.williams@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Digital Writer Jenny Bozon jennifer.bozon@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Tel: 020 8996 5056 Commercial Editor – Maternity cover Angelina Manzano angelina.manzano@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Contributing Editors Christina Macdonald, Lisa Jackson Fitness Editor Anne-Marie Lategan Editorial Director David Castle david.castle@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Commercial Director Allan Pattison allan.pattison@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Tel: 020 8996 5058 Deputy Advertising Manager Yemi Williams yemi.williams@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Tel: 020 8996 5104 Advertising Sales Executive Cristina Lopez cristina.lopez@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Tel: 020 8996 5167 Senior Marketing Executive Paul Clayton paul.clayton@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Managing Director Nick Troop nick.troop@wildbunchmedia.co.uk Contributors Lisa Buckingham, Katie King, Juliet McGrattan, Jo Scott-Dalgleish, Bethan Taylor, Ben Walsh

Follow me on Twitter @LizzieWRMag Like us on facebook facebook.com/womensrunningmagazineuk

Elizabeth Hufton Editor

Published by Wild Bunch Media Ltd 1st Floor, Gable House 18-24 Turnham Green Terrace London W4 1QP Licensing and Syndication Allan Pattison Tel: 020 8996 5058

THIS MONTH, WE ASKED OUR CONTRIBUTORS… Do you have embarrassing moments on the run?

“Bursting out in floods of tears upon seeing my work colleagues after completing HellRunner was quite embarrassing. I don’t know where it came from but I felt about twelve years old!”

Jenny Bozon

“The more effort I put in now the more my bladder is not able to control itself.

I’ve had three kids, but I’m not ready for this!”

Tina Chantrey

“When the start of a race was delayed, I was forced to wee in view of the entire field while my husband held up a space blanket, after which the organisers declared a loo break…”

Lisa Jackson

Music & Movement

What the Women’s Running team is running to this month…

Jenny Bozon, digital writer – Lean On, Major Lazer & DJ Snake (feat. MǾ) Tina Chantrey, consultant editor – Flashlight, Jessie J Cristina Lopez, adverising executive – Panic Cord (Hucci Remix), Gabrielle Aplin Chris Macdonald, contributing editor – Dream to Me, Dario G

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October 2015 womensrunninguk.co.uk

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Printed by William Gibbons Distribution by Marketforce UK Ltd Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street London SE1 0SU Tel 020 3148 3300 To advertise call 020 8996 5058 To subscribe call 0844 245 6918 Website: www.womensrunninguk.co.uk No part of this magazine may be copied, reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without prior written consent of the publisher. © Wild Bunch Media Ltd 2015.

Women’s Running is a UK publication, published by Wild Bunch Media Ltd, and is not associated with any other women’s running magazines.

The UK standard annual subscription rate is £29.97 for one year The Europe standard annual subscription rate is £50 for one year The Rest of World standard annual subscription rate is £80 for one year ISSN 2042-0242

★★ AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE ★★ Circulation Excellence By A Smaller Magazine (ACE Press Awards) Consumer Magazine of the Year (PPA Independent Publisher Awards) Consumer Magazine of the Year (PPA Customer Direct Awards)

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MEET THE EXPERTS THE WOMEN’S RUNNING EXPERT PANEL HAS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST FROM YOUR RUNNING

CHRISTINA MACDONALD is an experienced health and fitness journalist, a qualified Level 3 personal trainer and running group leader, as well as contributing editor to Women’s Running. She runs her own content company, Healthy Content Ltd. She has completed 10 half-marathons and two marathons. Follow her @writefitchris

ANNE-MARIE LATEGAN has a BSc (Hons) in Human Movement Science & Rehabilitation. She specialises in functional training, body sculpting, and sports and orthopaedic rehabilitation. She has completed eight ultramarathons, including a 120K race, and trains clients at Ignite in London (ignitept.co.uk).

HAZEL SILLVER is a keen off-road runner and a freelance fitness journalist. She has written about health and exercise for publications such as The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph and regularly writes for our Trail Zone section. Hazel is lucky enough to live at the foot of the South Downs – trail running paradise!

CHRISTINE BAILEY is a qualified nutritionist.

She’s also a professional chef, food and health consultant, and journalist. Christine advises runners, cyclists and sports clubs on nutrition and performance, and is the author of The Intelligent Way To Lose Weight. To find out more, visit advancenutrition.co.uk.

JULIET MCGRATTAN is a GP and keen runner, so she is the perfect person to answer your health-related running questions. She has been running for six years and has taken part in many races, including the Helly Hansen Beauty and the Beast in the WR team, the Cross Bay Half Marathon and Virgin Money London Marathon.

PHOEBE THOMAS has a busy life! As well as being a well-known actress, she’s a qualified running coach and Advanced Personal Trainer. Through her business, runningwithus, she coaches runners of all levels. Phoebe races anything from 5Ks to marathons. For more info, visit runningwithus.com.

GEORGINA BURNETT is a keen long-distance runner, accredited life coach, NLP practitioner and qualified personal trainer. Georgina coaches the mental and physical side of fitness, giving you the motivation to get out for that early run! Tweet her @healthymistress or visit footprintcoaching.org.uk.

STUART MAILER initially trained as a sports therapist and gained his BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy in 2005. He has a HN. Dip in Sports Therapy and a PG.Dip in Sports & Exercise Medicine. He is based at Kensington Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine. For further information, visit kenphysio.com.

BEN WALSH is a personal trainer, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a CST Coach. He has completed a BSc (Hons) in Food Science, as well as a diploma in Nutritional Therapy. He has also competed in triathlons. Visit cstsouthlondon.co.uk.

LISA JACKSON is a clinical hypnotherapist, and author of Running Made Easy and Adore Yourself Slim. A fitness-phobe until 30, she has since run 67 marathons and is a wannabe member of the 100 Marathon Club.

Visit quiet-medicine.co.uk and adoreyourselfslim.com.

JO SCOTT-DALGLEISH is a nutritionist who works with runners, cyclists and triathletes to develop a personal nutrition plan that improves performance and boosts health. Jo is a full member of the British Association for Applied Nutrition and Nutritional Therapy (BANT). Visit endurancesportsnutritionist.co.uk.

LIZ YELLING Liz is a two-time Olympic marathon runner and Commonwealth Games marathon medallist, with a marathon best of 2:28. She has also won the National Cross Country Championships four times. Liz, a mum of three, coaches runners of all levels. Visit yellingperformance.com.

Spotlight on… Katie King Writer Katie King took on the Buff Epic Trail this issue (see page 72). She’s co-author of Tricurious (with Laura Fountain; see tricurious.co.uk), and writes a running blog (cakeofgoodhope.com).

Tell us how you started running…

My parents started running when I was little and my dad used to organise local races, so my brothers and I grew up with it around us.

I mostly only ran to keep fit for other sports until my friend suggested we enter our first marathon about 10 years ago.

How did you end up writing about it?

I had an injury a few years ago and I somehow let it stop me running for longer than it should have done. I really missed it

so I started a blog to give my withering selfmotivation a nudge and spur me on to train for another marathon. Writing about a run forces me to focus on the good bits, or at least the funny bits.

What’s the weirdest event you’ve done?

I ran the Stockholm Jubilee Marathon in 2012: organised to celebrate the centenary of the Stockholm Olympic marathon. Marshals in straw boater hats handed out coffee at the drink stations, and competitors were encouraged to dress in 1912 style. My friend, who ran the whole thing with a parasol, made the final in the best-dressed competition and had to parade around on stage at the post-race party while an Abba tribute band played. Unfortunately, a man in a knotted hankie took the title, but she did come away with a commemorative fruit bowl.

womensrunninguk.co.uk October 2015

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STAR LETTER

★★★

THINKING TO THE FUTURE A friend from a young widows’ support group (Widowed and Young) asked if anyone would like to sign up for a halfmarathon and I felt that it was a good thing to do, in spite of being only moderately active. I was moved to tears by Louise McLellan’s article in the July issue, Running Helps Me Look After My New Heart. When my husband died suddenly of bacterial meningitis at the age of 30 last year, he was in perfect health. As

such, he was able to donate all of his organs, including his heart which went to a woman in her 30s. Reading Louise’s article reminded me of the amazing possibilities that arise from my husband’s selfless gift. I am running my first half-marathon just days after the one-year anniversary of my husband’s death and I look forward to future issues of your magazine helping me to train the best I can.

WHAT YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT ON

Mandi Kimberly, by email

Your letter has moved us to tears. It sounds like you have found a wonderful support group. Best of luck for your first half marathon.

I ran through my divorce and my fourth pregnancy, making running a life-saver for me.

Rebecca Gedala

GOAL GETTER

I took up road running in Manchester in April this year when a friend invited me to join her Leeds Total Warrior team. I was immediately hooked and decided to run to raise money for Endometriosis UK, to roar in the face of the chronic pain the illness has caused me over the last decade. I took on the Great Manchester 10K as part of my training, completing it in 59mins, after only five weeks of running from scratch! I’m currently training for my first half-marathon and loving every minute. I have planned all my running goals over the next four years and plan to run the Ridgeway by the time I turn 30! I can’t wait to get stuck into trail tuning and take my goals to the next level.

Jemima Palfreyman, Manchester

Yours is such an inspiring letter.

We’re glad you’re fighting fit again and hope you achieve all of your goals - and more!

YOU ARE A RUNNER

Whenever anyone tells me that I am a runner, I am always quick to correct them that while I like to run, I’m not a runner. I have run on and off for the past 12 years, having taken it up when not being able to find time to fit in my usual love of swimming. I had suffered from post-viral debility and after several months of inactivity needed to start exercising again.

I followed the Running Made Easy book and soon found enjoyment in running/plodding.

I kept it going for several years

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until I had my eldest child, who’s just turning seven. I found some local swimming sessions that worked perfectly for me, so running fell by the wayside. Just before falling pregnant with my third daughter three years ago I bought a subscription to Women’s Running. It really helped me enjoy running again. Running has become such a part of my life that my eldest daughter wants to run with me and in June we ran a 5K race for life. I may not be fast, but I still love and enjoy it… And I am a runner!

Hannah McMullan, by email

Well done! You’re clearly setting a great example for your children and we’re glad we could help.

LIGHT WORK

I recently went on holiday to Majorca with my copy of Women’s Running packed safely in my suitcase. Having spent the last six months running at least three times a week, I was determined not to let my holiday ruin the progress I had made. I’ve lost a stone and a half and can run 10K. Within two days, I had read and absorbed my WR magazine cover to cover, planned my regular sessions at the hotel gym and decided what I would eat and drink whilst on holiday. So thank you for helping my holiday run smoothly. I usually find breaks in routine to be filled with poor food and drink choices and lack of exercise, but this time I returned home at exactly the same level of fitness and a pound lighter.

Sue Watt, Glenrothes

No need to thank us. Sounds like you have willpower of steel. Keep up the good work!

HAPPY ENDING

I’ve just been reading Michelle Nicholson’s story about her miscarriage in the September issue. Me and my husband had six miscarriages and I had taken up running to help my head space.

Just a month after I had started I fell pregnant for the seventh time and our daughter is now three. It’s good that ladies like Michelle share how heart-breaking miscarriage is and how running helps. I’m so pleased she had a happy ending too.

Kate Griffiths, by email

Thank you for sharing your story with us Kate. We’re so glad there was light at the end of the tunnel.

S TA R L E T T E R P R I Z E This month’s Star Letter prize wins a Saucony PE Short, £30. As cool and comfortable as your favourite gym short, the PE Short was designed to move with you without riding up while you run.

Featuring ultra-light, quick-drying shell and internal pocket for keys and money, this is a great short for spring and summer runs. Visit saucony.co.uk

WRITE TO US Send your views to: Women’s Running, 1st Floor, Gable House, 18-24 Turnham Green Terrace, London W4 1QP or email editorial@wildbunchmedia.co.uk LETTERS MAY BE EDITED

A few years back my husband, then unfit and very overweight, said the Marathon des Sables is on his Bucket list. Little did I know that he would come to run it in 2013 and take me back with him in 2015. The Marathon des Sables is ranked by the Discovery Channel as the toughest footrace on the planet. I had to withstand temporary blindness, dehydration, unbelievable pain and losing most of my toenails. Yet, I showed the women in my family that anything is possible and that you can partake in a sport that is predominantly male-orientated and still retain your femininity.

Tanya Pieterse

You don’t need a personal trainer; running clubs have coaches. Best £47 I’ve ever spent and that’s for a whole year.

Mandy Smith

I’ve been for my Friday run with my son in his buggy. Six miles in the sunshine – can’t beat it!

Rachel Billington

Follow us on facebook facebook.com/womensrunningmagazineuk

October 2015 womensrunninguk.co.uk

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HEALTH BOOST Bite-sized fitness facts

Smear campaign More than a quarter of adults in England are classified as obese

SOURCE: CORONARY HEART DISEASE STATISTICS 2010, BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

Do you know when you had your last smear test? Large numbers of women in the UK are still missing out on smear tests, even though cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under tXhe age of 35. Research shows that 38% of women between the ages of 25 to 29 have failed to make a cervical screening appointment when invited by their GP. More than three years since your last smear?

Then make an appointment today – ask for a female nurse if you feel shy about it.

GOOD RUN = CLEAR HEAD

RUN AWAY FROM DIABETES

5%

There’s no denying that exercise and weight loss can cut diabetes risk. A study called the Diabetes Prevention Programme found that by losing 7% of body weight by exercising for 150 minutes each week and adopting a low fat, lower calorie diet, participants lowered their blood glucose levels and reduced their risk of developing diabetes by 58% over a three year period.

This was almost twice as effective as treatment with an anti-diabetes drug called Metformin.

The total % of daily calories that experts are now advising should come from sugar. It ’s thought that most people consume at least twice this amount

Got a problem you need to solve? Go for a run and you’ll be impressed by how much clearer your head feels afterwards. The science is there to back this up. Justin Rhodes, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign, says: “When we exercise, blood pressure and blood flow increase everywhere in the body, including the brain. More blood means more energy and oxygen, which makes our brain perform better.” It’s a no brainer.

Smoothie operator

Burning 1,000 to 2,000 calories per week by exercising can reduce levels of harmful cholesterol in the blood by up to 15%

Creating your own juices and smoothies is hugely popular with those who are health and weight-conscious, but if you overdo the ingredients and put too much into your Nutribullet or blender, you could end up actually gaining weight. To keep your juices and smoothies healthy and lower in calories, make sure you add just one piece of fruit, and make the rest of your ingredients vegetables like watercress, spinach and an avocado. A small scoop of flavourless protein powder or a tablespoon of zero fat natural yogurt can help bulk out the smoothie and make it more filling, without adding lots of extra calories.

SOURCE: AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EXERCISE (2009)

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK / WORDS: CHRISTINA MACDONALD

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HEALTH BOOST Bite-sized fitness facts

ON A ROLL

How often do you get round to foam rolling tight muscles after a run?

Probably not as much as you should. Foam rolling, also known as selfmyofascial release, helps to relax tight muscles and knots formed between muscle layers and their surroundings. Foam-rolling the IT band, which is a ligament that runs from the outside of the thigh from the hip to the shin, is crucial for runners. The IT band attaches to the knee and helps to stabilise and move the knee joint, so if it’s tight, it can create a lot of discomfort. A 2014 study in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that foam rolling after a tough workout can help to reduce muscle soreness and improve range of motion. Just make sure you don’t roll over the hip or knee joint.

In 2008, there were 50,000 premature deaths from cardiovascular disease. Reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease by exercising regularly

Sweet success

O bese wom en sta n d a sl i ght l y hi gher c h a n ce o f reachi ng a healthy bo dy wei ght com pared to m en , accordi ng to a stu dy conducted by exper ts at Ki ng’s Col l ege Lo n do n .

However, t he o dds a ren ’t good for ei ther sex.

O bese m en have o n l y a one i n 210 ch a n ce o f reachi ng a healthy bo dy wei ght, whi l e o bese women have a o n e i n 124 chance. The exper ts behi nd t he st udy c l a i m ed t hat ex i sti ng diet a n d exerci se strategi es a re not effecti ve fo r o bese peopl e. The fi ndi n gs were based on h ea l th records of 279,0 0 0 peopl e. Those w h o di d l ose wei ght were l i kel y to put i t back o n , w i th 53% of peopl e w h o had reached a h ea l thy body wei ght ga i n i n g i t back wi t hi n a yea r. Th e fi ndi ngs were p u bl i sh ed i n the Am erican J o u r nal of P ublic H ealt h. I m prove your chances of stayi n g heal t hy on pag e 52 .

Trying to lose weight? It’s not just about counting calories, but also about eating to stabilise your blood glucose levels (the amount of sugar in your blood). This can help you to avoid cravings and therefore reduce the temptation to overeat. To stabilise blood glucose levels, eat small regular meals, reduce the consumption of high GI foods (such as white bread, white rice and cornf lakes) and eat a source of lean protein (such as fish or chicken) with each meal, to help to slow the release of glucose to the blood. It’s also worth reducing the overall fat content of your diet, especially saturated fats (examples include red meat, cream, cheese and pork) which are linked to a reduced insulin response in the body.

Random fact BACK TO IT

Research from Nuffield Health has revealed that over a quarter of Britons (27%) are suffering from debilitating lower back pain and do not have a diagnosis for their symptoms.

According to the research, some six million people are suffering, leading to anxiety, depression and time off work.

Nuffield Health questioned 3,322 people from across the UK, of whom 36% said they suffer from lower back pain. Of those, 27% have never had a diagnosis and over 35% have not had any access to a diagnostic scan, such as an MRI, CT or X-ray, to investigate their symptoms.

For most people, a 10 to 15% improvement in cardiovascular fitness can be seen in the first two to three months of starting an exercise programme

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK EDDIE MACDONALD / WORDS: CHRISTINA MACDONALD

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HEALTH BOOST Bite-sized fitness facts

No smoke without fire

PILL PLUS The contraceptive pill isn’t without its side effects and health risks, but – as well as the obvious benefit of preventing unwanted pregnancy – it might have other health bonus points, too. A recent review of evidence published in the Lancet Oncology Journal suggested it had saved around 200,000 women from womb cancer in the last decade. The review of 36 studies showed that, over 10 years, the incidence of womb cancer in women under 75 years old dropped from 2.3 to 1.3 in 100. Although taking the pill isn’t always recommended for women with a family history of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke, this latest research is good news for those who do take it, as womb cancer can be hard to detect in its early stages.

A tenth of the NHS budget for drugs is now being spent on drugs to treat diabetes, according to a report. The amount has risen sharply over the last 10 years and has reached £869 million, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre report.

The report’s author, Ian Bullard, said: “It shows that 10p in the pound of the primary care prescribing bill in England is being spent on managing diabetes.

Diabetes continues to be one of the most prevalent long-term conditions, and the number of patients being diagnosed with the condition is increasing each year.” The figure includes treatments for both type I and type II diabetes.

Type II diabetes can develop later in life and your risk of developing it can be affected by genetic and lifestyle factors.

If you have a family history of the condition, ask to be checked out by your GP.

Although the ban on smoking in public indoor areas has resulted in an impressive drop in the number of smokers in the UK, it’s now been recommended that the ban be extended to cover some outdoor areas, too.

The Royal Society for Public Health says that smoking should be banned outside school gates and in pub gardens, and smokers should be encouraged to switch for other forms of nicotine to help them give up, such as e-cigarettes. According to its research, 90% of the public still believe nicotine alone is harmful, which it says is not the case.

Shirley Cramer, CBE, Chief Executive of RSPH says, “Over 100,000 people die from smoking-related disease ever year in the UK. While we have made good progress to reduce smoking rates, one in five of us still does.

“Most people smoke through habit and to get their nicotine hit. Clearly we would rather people didn’t smoke, but in line with NICE guidance on reducing the harm from tobacco, using safer forms of nicotine are effective in helping people quit. Clearly there are more issues in terms of having smokers addicted to nicotine, but this would move us on from having a serious and costly public health issue from smoking related disease to instead address the issue of addiction to a substanc,e which in and of itself is not too dissimilar to caffeine addiction.”

Of course, quitting smoking will also help your running – if you’re struggling to give up, visit nhs.uk/smokefree.

Th e p a i n a n d i r r i t a t i o n o f arthritis in the knees can be s eve re l y d e b i l i t a t i n g , a n d co u l d e n d wo m e n ’s r u n n i n g c a re e r s i f t h ey d eve l o p i t . B u t a n ew t re a t m e n t i s b e i n g te s te d t h a t co u l d h e l p : a n i n j e c t i o n o f p l a ce n t a a n d a m n i o t i c f l u i d ( t a ke n a f te r c h i l d b i r t h ) .

Re s e a rc h e r s a t Texa s U n i ve r s i t y c a r r i e d o u t a t r i a l o f 5 5 a r t h r i t i s p a t i e n t s a f te r s u rg e r y a n d fo u n d t h a t t h e i n j e c t i o n h e l p e d w i t h p a i n re l i e f a n d t i s s u e re g e n e ra t i o n . Co n s u l t a n t O r t h o p a e d i c S u rg e o n S i m o n M oye s (s i m o n m oye s .co m ) s ays , “ Th e i n j e c t i o n s o f s te m ce l l s f ro m a m n i o t i c f l u i d a n d p l a ce n t a s a re t h o u g h t to a i d i n t h e h e a l i n g p ro ce s s by s t i m u l a t i n g o n e ’s ow n ce l l s to g e n e ra te a n d re p a i r. I t m ay a l s o c a u s e c a r t i l a g e re p a i r a s t h e ce l l s a re i m m u n o l o g i c a l l y p r i v i l e g e d .”

71%

of Brits say they take pills such as vitamins and minerals every month SOURCE: BULKPOWDERS.CO.UK

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK / WORDS: ELIZABETH HUFTON

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FOOD IN THE NEWS Find out the latest on how to fuel up for your running

SHOULD I WORRY ABOUT HOW MUCH SUGAR I EAT?

Monitoring your sugar intake might be advisable if you’re looking to make health improvements, particularly if you’re trying to lose weight or there’s a history of diabetes in your family. However, it depends to some extent on what you mean by sugar.

When we think of sugar we tend to think of the white granulated variety heaped into tea, or we think of obviously sugary snacks such as sweets and chocolate.

If you decide to start monitoring your total sugar intake every day, you might start to run into some confusion.

It’s been recommended by the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) that we cut sugar down to less than 5% of our daily calorie intake. However, that recommendation doesn’t cover total sugars – if you use a food diary app or website to track your sugar intake, you’ll quickly discover that it would be incredibly

hard to reach that figure. Take a look at some of the foods that contain sugar and you’ll also realise that it wouldn’t necessarily be desirable to cut your sugar down that much – because you’d be cutting out some useful, not to mention very tasty, fresh ingredients such as fruit and even milk.

The kinds of sugars we’re advised to cut down on are the added variety. Think about it in terms of the nutritional value your body gets from a food. For example, a handful of raisins might be high in sugar but they also deliver fibre and high levels of antioxidants. Even milk is pretty high in sugar – a 200ml serving of semi-skimmed gives you almost 10g of it. But you’re also getting bone-strengthening calcium, vitamin D and protein. Contrast this with a handful of Haribo or a spoonful of caster sugar on your cereal: adding sugar in this way adds fast energy, but doesn’t bring your body any other sort of nutritional value.

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BRAIN FOOD

MIND THE GAP 30.1% of people think skipping meals helps to lose weight, according to a survey for British Military Fitness (britmilfit.com). Dropping a meal initially helps to shift weight, but it slows down your metabolism, making it harder to burn what you do eat.

SUNNY D The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), is reviewing its advice on vitamin D intake, as many Brits don’t get enough sunlight to keep their vitamin D levels topped up. Try BetterYou DLux spray, priced at £7.95.

What you eat could help your mind stay healthy as you age, according to researchers from the Rush University Medical Center. A study published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association showed people who followed a special diet known as the MIND diet were 7.5 years younger cognitively than those who didn’t follow it closely.

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK

FIT QUITTERS Spend your life on a diet? You’ll probably give up when you’re 41, according to a new survey.

The research, conducted on 2,000 people by the Happy Egg Company, suggested that there is a ‘health abyss’ at that age when people stop putting effort into eating healthily and exercising, with one in five saying they just love food too much.

October 2015 womensrunninguk.co.uk

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PUSH YOUR RUNNING TO THE LIMITS WITH OUR SNEAK PEEK OF THE BEST NEW KIT

KEEN UNEEK SANDALS These sandals certainly look, and feel, very different; the benefits for runners are these shoes will move and adapt to your feet when you are recovering during your everyday activities. Constructed from only two cords and a sole, the shoe is incredibly comfortable, as well as being very distinctive! £89.99, keenfootwear.com

FAT LASS AT THE BACK A great technical top, incredibly lightweight, designed for the average British female runner. It’s flattering, whatever your size, due to the design being based on hips, bust and waist size rather than the more generic S, M and L. Ideal for runners with a GSOH. £49,99, fatladattheback.com

BOOMBOOM ATHLETICA ELITE TANK Stylish enough to wear on your run, or after as you catch up with friends, we found this beautiful tank, which features a built-in sports bra, supportive and very flattering. The inner four-way stretch fabric is breathable and the outer layer has shaping power. With pocket inserts in the bra for removable cups, this tank offers everything you need! £75, boomboomathletica.com

BROOKS GLYCERIN 13 SAUCONY SCOOT MINI CAPRI

BRIDGEDALE NA-KD SOCKS

Get comfort and style, with an injection of fun with the mini capri range; we tried the gorgeous twilight print. The ruched seams at the knees and wide waistband ensured these capris are getting lots of outings!

Bridgedale’s CoolFusion technology delivers a highly ventilated, ultra-light, comfortable sock. We found the SlingShot heel fit of this no-show sock provided optimum protection from rubbing.

Version 13 offers a Super DNA midsole to enhance cushioning (25% per more than regular Brooks DNA), together with Ideal Pressure Zones to disperse impact. This shoe felt familiar, with a snug fit and the rounded heel felt secure; it’s perfect for neutral road runners and we love the four funky colourways.

£40 saucony.co.uk

£10.99, bridgedale.com

£130, brooksrunning.com

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SAUCONY KINVARA 6 The Kinvara keeps getting better; the PROL-LOCK lacing system ensures you feel secure in your midfoot (this was on a narrow foot) and the open breathable mesh provided excellent ventilation. This is a great neutral shoe that gives a comfortable ride. £105, saucony.co.uk

KARRIMOR XLITE LIGHTWEIGHT JACKET Yet again Karrimor offer a jacket that’s just unbeatable on price and is packed full of features: hood, two zipped pockets, reflectivity, half zip. Easy to stash and a great colour to get you seen! £18.99, sportsdirect.com

UA HEATGEAR LEGGING You get a tighter compression fit with these UA leggings, which we found incredibly light and soft against the skin.

The flat waistband felt really comfortable and they were excellent at wicking away sweat. We loved the print most of all. £35, underarmour.co.uk

ODLO REVERSIBLE HEADBAND Light and extra soft against your skin, we’ve been using this over the summer as it’s great for moisture management/ UV protection, but it’s an essential for any season. £20, odlo.com

BUGABOO RUNNER Bugaboo’s first foray into the running stroller arena is loaded with intuitive functionalities. Practical features include speed control brakes, highspec suspension systems, mudguards, adjustable handlebars and a fixed front wheel for stability. Great whether you’re heading out for a leisurely jog on your local footpath or taking on the trail. £583, bugaboo.com

BEETACTIVE Made from 100% beetroot juice, Beetactive provides a rich source of dietary nitrates to aid performance (and one glass counts as one of your five-a-day). Dilute in water, add to smoothies, or drizzle over salads to top up your antioxidants and assist recovery. £5.99, hollandandbarrett.com

womensrunninguk.co.uk October 2015

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inspiration

“It’s not just about raising money – it’s about raising awareness” Reader Elizabeth Francis wanted to do something out of the ordinary. So she signed herself up for 30 races in 2015, with the goal of raising £10,000 for a littleknown charity close to her heart Interview: Angelina Manzano

fter a close family friend suffering from a degenerative neurological disorder, Multiple System Antrophy, passed away last year, Elizabeth Francis was so moved that she wanted to not only raise funds to help support the MSA Trust, but also to raise awareness of the disease.

“Before he was diagnosed, which was several years ago, I had never heard of it. It’s a really little-known illness, which is often diagnosed as Motor Neurone disease or Parkinson’s. Nothing can be done in terms of even slowing the symptoms down. Because it was so unknown, it was something that got to me a little bit, because it wasn’t a particularly high-profile charity, but having now found out a lot about it, it is a horrific thing which essentially destroys every aspect of your body and I guess I just really wanted to try and help.”

“There are a lot of amazing charities out there – some of the larger charities get a great deal of support and I’m trying to put some of the smaller charities out there a bit as well. A lot of people ask me about the illness, about the charity, and they don’t know anything about it or about the illness itself, so it’s raising awareness.”

Elizabeth had been an on-off runner for the last 15 years, and it had been a long-time ambition of hers to run a marathon, so last year she ran the London Marathon for the MSA Trust, raising almost £4,000 for the charity, but she wanted to do more.

Encouraged by the support she had received while running her first marathon, she felt compelled to continue raising funds and awareness. “I was overwhelmed by the support people gave me. I wanted to raise more money for charity and I thought it would be nice to do something else, but I thought, ‘People aren’t going to sponsor me to do another marathon – I need to something different.’”

After a chat with friends at a Christmas party, the idea

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“People have been really supportive”

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inspiration

for her 2015 challenge was born. “I came up with the idea of doing five 5Ks, ten 10Ks and 13 half-marathons and then I thought, “I’m not going to do 26 marathons,” so came up with the idea to run two marathons and round it up to 30 races – then it would be catchy: 30 in 15.”

Her goal is to raise £10,000 for the MSA Trust in 2015 and, in January, Elizabeth signed up for the Mad Dog Southport 10K, the first of her 30 races, and also set up a blog so people could follow her progress.

Although she had trained to take on the London Marathon, Elizabeth’s running was sporadic, so she knew that she would need to train to complete the challenge.

However, as she was running so much in races, she found that they became a useful training tool. “Some races basically became training for other races.”

Increasing her running to three to four times a week helped with endurance training, but she decided to join her local running club to improve her running time. “[Raising money and awareness] is the main goal, but when I set out to do it I wasn’t really interested in running times. But because you’re running so regularly, I think you do become a bit more interested in it. So I’ve found that particularly my 10K speed is getting loads better. I’m hoping that I might bring my half-marathon time down as well. I have a marathon at the end of the year and I’m hoping that my time will be quicker than the last marathon that I did.”

Elizabeth cross-trains for all-round fitness with a couple of gym-based circuit classes each week for core strength.

But she had to cut back on netball for fear of injury.

“Touch wood I’ve been really lucky I haven’t had anything of any great note that’s stopped me from running. I play a lot of netball as well and I was constantly injured, so I’ve had to reduce the amount I’m playing to ensure I can keep on running.

“The last few weeks really changed my training plan because I’ve got two marathons later in the year, so I’m trying to crank it up just a little bit and just trying to be really careful with what I eat, because I’m now aware of just how much food and drink can affect your ability to train. I’m really conscious of what I eat and I know that if I go out for a meal that I might not run as well the next day.

“I’d done a little bit of hill training but not loads, so I think that [the Round Sheffield Run] was by far the hardest run that I’ve done so far, because most of the others have been reasonably flat and generally on the road as well – so that was all off-road and really quite hilly.”

Such an ambitious challenge requires real dedication, but thankfully Elizabeth has found her friends and family to be supportive. “I have to say the time commitment takes up a lot of weekends, because races tend to be at weekends, and often on Sundays, so it means really that Saturday night has gone as well because you’re not going

Follow Elizabeth’s progress by reading her blog, 30in15.wordpress.com.

If you would like to help Elizabeth reach her target of £10,000 for the MSA Trust, you can donate by visiting her Just Giving page at justgiving.com/Elizabeth-Francis3

to go out on Saturday night if you’re running on Sunday.

So I would say that yes, there have been sacrifices in that sense because I can’t do all of the things that I’d like to do in my spare time”.

“People will say to me: ‘Do you want to do this at the weekend?’ and I’ll say I can’t, because I’ve got a run. But on the other hand, people have been really supportive of it because they know that it’s something worthwhile. Quite a few of my friends have signed up and done the odd run with me. They’re all really supportive, which has helped to keep me going.”

The challenge comes to an end with the Liverpool 5K Santa Dash in December, but since starting the challenge Elizabeth has raised another £2,500 for the MSA Trust and also hopes that she is getting their message across.

“I will continue to try to raise money for this charity, but I’m not sure I’ll do running events again. I might do something that is a challenge that’s a bit of a one off. I know a lot of charities do things like Sahara Treks, which I’d really love to do, so maybe I’ll look to do something a bit more like that rather than something that takes up the duration of the year.”

“I think that you underestimate the response from people. And it’s not just about how much money you actually raise. It’s about raising awareness. It’s about getting the charities out there and getting people on board.

No matter how crazy it might sound, how hard it seems, just go out and do it.”

For further information on Multiple System Antrophy, visit msatrust.org.uk

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inspiration

“Owning the fact that I’m a bigger runner boosted my confidence”

Sue Lenton, 53, from Sidcup, turned her health around by taking up running and wants everyone to know that you don’t have to be a stick-thin athlete to be a runner Interview: Lisa Buckingham

n October 2011, I finally decided that I had to do something serious about my health. I weighed 21st and had just suffered another miserable summer of overheating and chafing due to my weight.

The weight had gone on gradually over years of too much good food and no exercise at all. I hated sports at school, avoiding it whenever possible, and that theme continued into adulthood!

I started by changing my eating habits and joined Weight Watchers. This taught me about portion control, eating more fruit and veg, and how to enjoy treats without overdoing it – for example, still having chocolate and a glass of wine on a Saturday night, but just not every night.

By April 2012, the month of my 50th birthday, I had lost five stone and felt I’d lost enough to start exercising. I knew that, in the long term, I had to be active if the weight was going to stay off. I’m not a fan of classes, as I don’t like having a fixed schedule and gyms bore me, so I decided that running was going to be my sport. I did a bit of research and found that the two absolute essentials for beginners were good shoes and a good sports bra, so I went to my local running shop and had a gait analysis and bought the firmest Shock Absorber available!

I downloaded the Couch to 5K app and got started. As a bigger woman, I still felt self-conscious about going out running, so I would get up at 5am and go out before the rest of the world woke up. The app started me off with walk/running and even a minute of running was a breathless struggle, but I stuck to it religiously and, 12 weeks later, I could run non-stop for 30 minutes.

I grew to love my dawn runs and relished the peace and quiet. I began to realise that running wasn’t just benefiting my body but my mental health too. It’s my downtime, the only time I truly switch off, and I always come back with a clearer head.

In December 2012, I entered my first race – a 5K santa run. I got round in 40 minutes and loved it, although I massively overheated in my Santa suit! My husband, George, and daughter, Eloise, 17, came and cheered me on and I felt great.

I was hooked and the next goal was a 10K race. I found

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a plan online and adapted it to suit me, then stuck it on the fridge. Having a chart to tick off sessions really motivated me and I still do it every time I start training for a race.

I completed the Great British 10K in July 2013, then went on to do a ten-mile race in October and then a half-marathon in June 2014, which was my greatest achievement yet. I repeated my race mantra to myself throughout – “my race, my pace” – which helps me not to become despondent about being overtaken. It was a blazing hot day, but I finished in 2:53:38 and was so elated.

I’d like to lose a bit more weight to protect my health, but I love the changes that I’ve seen in my body from running – I’m slimmer, have stronger muscles and a flatter stomach. I got down to 13.5st, but I’m still a bigger runner, so I was thrilled to come across The Fat Girls’ Guide To Running, a website (toofattorun.co.uk) and Facebook community for bigger women who love running.

It was so great to share my experiences with women who understood what it’s like to be a a woman who defies other people’s perceptions of what a runner should look like.

I started doing One Big Fat Run, which involves going out for a 5K run on the last Sunday of every month and then posting your time along with hundreds of others. I got so much support and encouragement, and also bought one of their T-shirts, which says ‘Don’t Judge, Just Run’ on the front and ‘I follow the Fat Girls’ Guide to Running’ on the back.’ I found that owning the fact that I’m a larger runner and stating it on my T-shirt boosted my confidence.

Members also share tips on where to find the best plussized running gear. I don’t want to hide my body in black – I want the snazzy leggings and fabulous vests just like any other runner!

I’m now training for the Richmond Half in September and, one day, I’d love to tackle a full marathon.

My other running mantra is “never surrender, always believe,” and that’s what I’d say to anyone who’s a bit heavier and wants to take up running. Believe that you can do it. Anyone can be a runner.

Find out more about the Fat Girls’ Guide to Running at toofattorun.co.uk

SUE’S TOP TIPS 1. Good eating and running both need planning – plan your meals and training for the week ahead.

And set yourself monthly goals as well – whether that’s weight or time related.

2. Reach out!

There’s a whole world of people out there on social media who will provide invaluable support.

3. Don’t run before you can walk – take it easy to start with and don’t overdo it. Plug in your earphones and enjoy!

4. There will always be someone who will tell you running is bad for you – If you are really concerned, go to see your GP before embarking on a running plan.

5. Smile! There are a few folk who won’t reciprocate, but smile and say “Hello!” to your fellow runners.

October 2015 womensrunninguk.co.uk

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“Running doesn’t just benefit my body, but my mental health too. It’s my downtime, the only time I truly switch off, and I always come back with a clearer head”

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advertorial

Become a

MoRunner Calling all runners… Prepare to don your moustache this November as MoRunning returns to cities across the UK and Ireland Supporting

PL E AS E F U NDRA I S E FO R THE M OVE M BE R FOU N DAT I O N. YOU R D O NAT I O N W I LL HE L P US TO CONTI N UE W H AT W E’VE STA RT E D AND F U ND WO RL D C LASS PROG RA M M E S THAT A RE SAVI NG AND I MP ROVI NG THE LI V E S O F M E N.

ast year, over 15,000 MoBros and MoSistas took part in MoRunning events up and down the country, and this year promises to be even bigger and better than before.

Now in its seventh year, MoRunning raises awareness of men’s health through fun and friendly running events. Men and women of all ages, MoRunners, are invited to sign up and to wear a moustache, whether stuck on, drawn on or carefully grown for Movember! Fancy dress is very popular with prizes for the best dressed MoRunner and teams are also encouraged to take part (groups of four or more can claim a 5% discount: use code

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MR15-TeamEntry for booking).

MoRunners are encouraged to raise sponsorship to help support Movember and fundraise for men’s health. Last year, MoRunners raised thousands for Movember and we want to raise even more in 2015.

Can you help achieve this?

YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE Around 20,000 MoRunners are expected to join the events in 17 locations around the UK and Ireland including three new to this year; Birmingham, Belfast and Brighton.

Each location has restrictions on entries to ensure a super friendly, fun and great experience so early registration is highly recommended to secure a place.

14/08/2015 14:39

advertorial

2015 MORUNNING DIARY Sunday 1 November The Muddy 10K and 10-mile MoRun Reading, Swinley Forest mo-running.com/swinley-forest Saturday 7 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Edinburgh, Holyrood Park mo-running.com/edinburgh The 5K and 10K MoRun Leeds, Temple Newsam mo-running.com/leeds Sunday 8 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Glasgow, Glasgow Green mo-running.com/glasgow

Each runner receives a top class MoMedal – bigger and better than 2014, a MoRunning headband, snacks and drinks at the event, photos to download plus additional goodies from event partners.

There’s also a Yellow Winners Jersey for first finishers, including Champion medal and free entry to 2016, and Legend and Superhero medals for best fancy dress and legends of MoRunning.

MoRunners can choose from 5K, 10K or 10-mile off-road runs which take place on weekends throughout November.

Dave Krangel, MoRunning Race Director explains that everyone is welcome. “There’s a MoRunning event to suit every runner, from 5K and 10K MoRuns to the 10-mile Muddy MoRun for those who enjoy getting their feet dirty. We’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of MoRunners and

raising funds for Movember.”

To be a MoRunner means you are part of something bigger than yourself! You’re part of a community, a family, a team.

So whether there’s a MoBro with a funny moustache, a MoSista that’s painted one on, or even someone dressed up as a superhero, give them a smile, shake their hand, give them a high five and just remember we are all in it together. Run hard, run fast, have fun and enjoy being part of something special!

Further information: Find your nearest MoRun and register today mo-running.com

The 5K and 10K MoRun Newcastle, Exhibition Park mo-running.com/newcastle Saturday 14 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Bristol, Ashton Court mo-running.com/bristol Sunday 15 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Belfast, Ormeau Park mo-running.com/belfast The 5K and 10K MoRun Cardiff, Bute Park mo-running.com/cardiff The 5K MoRun London, Battersea Park mo-running.com/battersea-park Saturday 21 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Birmingham, Sutton Park mo-running.com/birmingham The 5K and 10K MoRun Liverpool, Croxteth Park mo-running.com/liverpool Sunday 22 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Nottingham, Wollaton Park mo-running.com/nottingham The 5K and 10K MoRun Manchester, Heaton Park mo-running.com/manchester The 5K and 10K MoRun Milton Keynes, Campbell Park mo-running.com/milton-keynes Saturday 28 November The 10K MoRun London, Greenwich Park mo-running.com/greenwich-london Sunday 29 November The 5K and 10K MoRun Brighton, Stanmer Park mo-running.com/brighton

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RUN WITH US!

END YOUR SUMMER ON A HIGH WITH A FRIENDLY, FUN EXPERIENCE AT THE WOMEN’S RUNNING 10K SERIES

ALL RACES START AT

10AM

e’re just a couple of days away from the Glasgow event in this year’s WR10K series on 30 August, which means time is running out if you haven’t yet made it to one of these fun, friendly, female-only races!

The series kicked off in Cardiff on 31 May and the team has travelled all over the UK to help thousands of women reach their 5K and 10K running goals, whether that’s completing the distance for the first time, or bagging a new PB to be proud of.

So far there have been races in Cardiff, Southampton, Bristol, London, Milton Keynes, Liverpool and Nottingham.

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RUN WITH FRIENDS Nervous about taking part in your first event? Many of the WR10K runners have come along with a group of friends to make it even more fun. Regular WR contributor and GP Juliet McGrattan was at the Liverpool race, along with the women from the Wray Women’s Running Club, which she set up. The Wray Women had travelled 1.5 hours to run in Liverpool, many of whom were running their first ever race. “One of our members suffered from breast cancer, so we all decided to get behind her and

enter a race. I knew the WR10K races are very friendly with a great atmosphere so it was worth travelling to take part in such a special event. Exercise, and running in particular, has been shown to help fight cancer, so it’s something all women should give a go.”

It’s also a great chance to raise money for charity. Alzheimer’s Society is our Lead Charity Partner this year and the series has seen women raising thousands of pounds for the cause, with many of them sharing their personal reasons for running. Angela Bates was the top Alzheimer’s fundraiser at the Liverpool race, and bravely spoke about her experience on stage before the event.

“Alzheimer’s is such a tragic disease, and losing my dad was really tough. I took up running to help me cope. I’m really happy to be here today, and have been raising money over the last year through my running.”

STAY ON PACE Although your top priority at WR10K races should be having a good time, we know some of you want to record a personal best, too – so you’ll find pacers at every race to help you hit your 10K target. Southampton finisher Emma Quirk said: “I haven’t run this

far before and it really makes a difference running in a group! Our 70min pacer was fab, as were all the ladies I met today in the group with her.”

Jane Clarke from Peterborough managed to break the hour with the help of our pacers at the Milton Keynes race: “The crowd support was great and I was with the 60-minute pacer, who got me in in under 60 minutes, she was really encouraging!”

If you sign up to one of our remaining three races, you can be sure of a supportive welcome from the Women’s Running team and your fellow runners. At each event, we guarantee you’ll have a great experience, from our organised warm-ups to our dedicated pacing teams for the 10Ks, from sub-50 to sub 70-minute times. You’ll find a retail area including bright and brilliant footwear from Skechers, our official shoe partner, and every finisher will receive a goody bag worth £30 and a medal. Look out for the odd spot prize and competitions from our partners too – for example, our recovery drinks partner Everything But The Cow is giving away drinks at every event, and they’re also running a competition to win a spa day – perfect for recovering from one of our last three races.

2015 RACE DATES

30-08

Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow

13-09

Brockwell Park, London

27-09

Finsbury Park, London

ONLINE ENTRY IS NOW OPEN! VISIT WR10K.CO.UK 28

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“Alzheimer’s is a continuous grieving process”

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Hannah Clarke ran the WR10K in Nottingham to raise funds for The Alzheimer’s Society after her grandmother, Pat, was diagnosed with dementia. She told Christina Macdonald her story

Hannah Clarke is a 28-year-old freelance blogger, copywriter and mum to Toby, who is one year old. She and her husband Phil live in Rutland. This summer, she completed the Women’s Running 10K Race in Nottingham.

She took up running to fundraise after watching her grandmother, Pat, deteriorate after being diagnosed in 2007.

Her grandfather was her main carer for nine years.

Tell us a bit about your grandmother.

Before she was diagnosed she was your stereotypical grandmother – really gentle, really kind and would do anything for anybody.

When did you first notice that something wasn’t right?

We could see that something was up about two years before she was diagnosed. She would stumble over people’s names and was getting upset and anxious because she was aware that she couldn’t remember something. She lost her confidence.

© BUDDING SMILES.CO.UK

How much did the dementia progress in the first few years?

It went from her forgetting names to progressing to a point where she would ask repetitive questions, and you’d be having the same conversation every few minutes.

What was your first reaction when she was diagnosed?

It was awful. I was travelling around South East Asia when she had the official diagnosis and I remember phoning her up and she had forgotten that I’d even left the country. That hit me a bit. It wasn’t a surprise, but it was still a shock.

How did your grandfather cope with looking after her?

My grandad just turned 80 at the beginning of this year so it’s been exhausting for him.

My nan has gone into a home and has been there for a year now. But Grandad was caring for her for nine years. It was very difficult for him on a lot of levels.

thing, as I was so exhausted from being a full-on mum, as well as running my freelance business. But I’ve really enjoyed it. The WR10K was my first 10K. Did the fact that it was a women’sonly race appeal to you?

I probably wouldn’t have minded either

What effect has your nan’s illness had on you and your family?

It made us appreciate what we’ve got so much more. There have been times when mum and I have sat and cried but we know we’ve got to make the most of the life we’ve got in the way that Nan did and would still be doing if she could.

How would you describe coping with the illness?

It’s an immeasurable change “Every to everybody. When someone way but I do like the fact that time they get a bit worse you has a disease and it takes hold it’s a women’s-only race for are grieving and it’s incurable, they pass my first event. I’d always said all over away and you have a grieving I’d raise money for Alzheimer’s again” process. With Alzheimer’s, Society and the race gave me because it can go on for years, it’s a that extra nudge. continuous grieving process. Every time they get a bit worse you are grieving all over What would you like to say to anyone again for a loss of a certain part of them. who hasn’t been personally affected by dementia?

Tell us about your running It’s really important to raise awareness of background. how difficult the disease is on not just the When we moved to Rutland two years ago patient but also their loved ones. If you and I was working in a school, I had the know someone who has it or someone whole summer holidays off and I got quite caring for someone with Alzheimer’s, just bored. It started with me doing 1K up the reach out and offer support as it is one of road and then I learned to pace myself the most devastating things anyone can better. After our wedding I was getting up go through. to 7K and then I fell pregnant. I didn’t run much during my pregnancy but signing up Take part in one of the WR10K races to help to the Women’s Running 10K gave me that raise funds for The Alzheimer’s Society. Visit wr10k.co.uk. For more information on dementia push to get back into it properly again.

How did you find the training?

At first I wondered if had I done the right

visit alzheimers.org.uk or call the free National Dementia Helpline on 0300 222 11 22. Read Hannah’s blogs at buddingsmiles.co.uk

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OUR 2015 PARTNERS Lead Charity Partner

Footwear Partner

Women’s Sport & Activewear Partner

Alzheimer’s Society* is our Lead Charity Partner for the Women’s Running 2015 10K Race Series.

Dementia not only affects the lives of those with the diagnosis, but it also has a huge impact on the lives of their loved ones. Currently there are few treatments and no cure, but with the right support it is possible to live well with dementia. The number of people affected by the condition is on the rise. Some 225,000 people will develop dementia this year – that’s one person every three minutes.

Alzheimer’s Society reveals that over 850,000 people in the UK will have a form of dementia by 2015 and in less than ten years, this will grow to over one million people. It’s crucial that we help support those living with the condition today and help find a cure for tomorrow.

To donate now, call 0845 306 08 98 or visit alzheimers.org.uk for more information and support. There is also a free National Dementia Helpline provided by Alzheimer’s Society – call 0300 222 11 22.

Jeremy Hughes, chief executive of Alzheimer’s Society, says: “We are absolutely delighted to be the chosen lead charity for the 2015 Women’s Running 10K Race Series.

Rather fittingly, regular exercise, including running, may well be one way to reduce your risk of developing dementia.” Jeremy adds, “Events like this Race Series will help Alzheimer’s Society raise vital funds to support people living with dementia today and find a cure for tomorrow.”

We’re pleased to announce Skechers Performance Division as our Footwear Partner for the Women’s Running 2015 10K Race Series.

Supporting the runners of all abilities taking part in the series, Skechers will be retailing at WR10K events throughout the summer, so runners will be able to treat themselves to new performance shoes as a reward for reaching race day.

“We are very excited about the partnership with WR10K Race series. The partnership cements our continued commitment to the performance category and is ideally suited for our long-term Skechers Performance Division™ strategy.

With an ever-growing elite and aspirant following we look forward to continued success in the world of performance running,” said Will Cheung, Marketing Manager of UK and Ireland.

Skechers not only look great but they also know how to create a superior running shoe. The Skechers Performance Division designs and produces an extensive collection of technologically advanced performance footwear.

Their lightweight Skechers GOrun line is designed to give you a more natural running experience and has received numerous awards from running press over the past few years here in the UK. Skechers’ award-winning collection promotes a mid-foot strike which runs throughout the Skechers GOrun line. Their success can be seen in the fact that elite athletes worldwide are competing in Skechers footwear.

bellum active was founded on a love of health and fitness and they are passionate about what they do. So they’ve designed and created a range of stylish sports and active wear to suit the needs of all women who are inspired to perform and look their best using the latest technical fabrics.

As our Women’s Sport and Activewear Partner for our WR10K Race Series this year, bellum active will be providing all pacers with brand new kit from its latest range. Giving you the chance to try out its gorgeous new gear, bellum active are giving ten lucky winners, participating in each of our WR10K races, the chance to win a pair of Active Power Run Pants (RRP: £34) and an Active Power Run Tank (RRP: £29).

The lucky winner from each event will be drawn one week prior to the event, so that you can wear your kit on race day! Simply enter here: womensrunninguk.co.uk/gear/ winwednesday-kit-giveaway.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

*Registered charity number 296645

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

ALZHEIMERS.ORG.UK

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SKECHERS.CO.UK

BELLUMACTIVE.CO.UK

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OUR 2015 PARTNERS Headwear Partner

Recovery Drinks Partner

Hydration Partner

App Timing Partner

We are proud to announce BUFF® Headwear as our Headwear Partner for the WR10K Race Series. You’ll be able to purchase a bespoke Women’s Running 10K Original BUFF® at one of our ten races for a competitive price. BUFF® products are useful for rainy days, helping to keep your hair dry and are also perfect to help keep you cool on warm days. Versatile and easy to wear – they look good too!

We’re proud to announce Everything But The Cow as our Recovery Drinks Partner for the Women’s Running 10K Race Series, which means that, like our runners last year, you’ll get to taste and enjoy this delicious healthy, protein drink after your 10K run. Everything But The Cow has over 20% real fruit and 7g of plant protein, providing the perfect balance of carbohydrates and protein for a pre- and post-workout recovery after your 10K. Because natural is best, they contain no artificial flavours, colours, stabilisers or sweeteners and being dairy, gluten and fat free they are lighter on your digestion as well.

They provide a nutritious, convenient way to get protein on-the-go, especially within the essential 30-minute period postexercise. Available in three delicious flavours from Tesco (selected stores).

Following a successful partnership in 2014, Women’s Running is proud to announce Saka Water is our official 2015 Hydration Partner for the 10K Race Series and is providing a generous supply of bottled water to help keep thirst at bay during and after your 10K race. Saka is a true natural mineral water, originating from a protected aquifer deep in the heart of the pristine and remote Koruglu Mountains.

We are pleased to announce that Endomondo will be powering your training for the 10K series. You will have the only personal trainer you’ll ever need right in your pocket. Whether you’re running, walking, doing yoga, or something completely different to get ready for the 10K series, Endomondo will keep you motivated, and most importantly – keep what you’re doing fun.

Track routes, share your workouts or even challenge friends all from one simple app. Join 25 million users and start freeing your endorphins.

Even better: we’ve partnered with Endomondo to give you access to the Premium version of the app!

Achieve your time goals during the Women’s Running 10K Race Series with the help of Endomondo and see your PB’s reach new highs.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

BUFFWEAR.CO.UK

EVERYTHINGBUTTHECOW.CO.UK

SAKAWATER.COM

ENDOMONDO.COM

Associate Charity Partner

Protein Ice Cream Partner

5K Partner

We’re pleased to announce that Send A Cow is our Associate Charity Partner.

Send A Cow’s programmes across seven countries in East Africa work alongside struggling farmers by providing livestock, tools, seeds and training, enabling families to secure their own futures from the land and lift themselves out of poverty.

We’re pleased to have Wheyhey! as our Healthy Protein Ice Cream Partner for the WR10K Race Series. Packed with protein, free from sugar and low in fat, Wheyhey! is the perfect healthy treat. Each 150ml tub contains 20 grams of protein and on average 150 calories. Check out Wheyhey!’s Exotic Forest Fruit Smoothie Bowl recipe at womensrunninguk.co.uk.

Women’s Running is proud to announce that This Girl Can is our official 5K partner. This Girl Can is a national campaign developed

by Sport England. It’s a celebration of active women up and down the country who are doing their thing no matter how well they do it, how they look or even how red their face gets.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT

SENDACOW.ORG/EVENT/WR10K

WHEYHEY.COM

THISGIRLCAN.CO.UK

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injuries

TIME HEALS

aiting to get over a running injury is frustrating. Follow all the boring physio advice, take all the rest you can stomach, but for the impatient among us, it’s still pretty demoralising.

How much you can do while you’re injured will depend on what has happened. If you have an acute, serious injury then you’re probably under the care of health professionals, in which case always follow their advice to ensure a full recovery. Many running injuries are simply a result of overuse, or of building up training too quickly. These more common problems can be even more difficult to deal with, as diagnosis can be vague and treatment isn’t guaranteed to work. If a couple of weeks’ rest from running doesn’t sort out your niggles, go and see a sports physio to start taking proactive steps to get better.

Most often you’ll be given exercises to do at home or in the gym to help your injury recover, and more importantly to help you avoid the same problem occurring in future. Don’t skip these exercises, no matter how dull you find them. It could take up to six weeks to be ready to run again, so in the mean time, silence that little voice pestering you to get up and do something with these quick ideas to keep you distracted from the pain while also helping you form good habits to stay injury free in future. The best thing? Nothing here takes six weeks.

W

BORED OF WAITING FOR YOUR INJURY TO GET BETTER? HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF HEAL WHILE KEEPING YOUR RUNNING MIND TICKING OVER

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controlled. Make sure your knee doesn’t cave in sideways, keep your core pulled in and breathe naturally. Don’t let your hips jut out or your back curve, and don’t let your standing knee go further forward than your toes. If it feels difficult, you’re doing it right. You can vary this by doing it super slow, or by adding instability – try driving your arms backwards and forwards as if you were running to add to the challenge of balancing. Feel stupid? You won’t when you run faster in a few months’ time…

In… five minutes

CHOOSE A NEW CHALLENGE

In… 10 seconds

ADDRESS YOUR POSTURE Many running injuries stem from biomechanical imbalances, which in turn are exacerbated by poor posture. Pause a moment as you’re reading and think about how you’re sitting. Crossed legs, slumped shoulders and a slouched back mean you’re not engaging your core muscles and you’re creating tightness in some areas and over-flexibility in others. When you take your body back on the road and force it to run thousands of steps, it won’t be able to engage the right muscles to help you run efficiently and strongly. So, try to get used to engaging your core, drawing your shoulders down and back and sitting up straight. If you work at a desk, have a workplace assessment to ensure you’re not putting undue strain on any part of your body – you can try sitting on a gym ball or kneeling chair to help improve your posture from nine to five.

In… two minutes

Hopefully you’ve been given exercises specific to your injury and your own biomechanical problems. If not, and even if you’re not injured, try adding a few functional exercises into your daily routine. One brilliantly simple move to help runners is the single-leg squat. You don’t need to get down to the floor – just try a half or quarter squat, keeping the movement slow and

TRY A SIMPLE FUNCTIONAL MOVE

This one is all about making yourself feel better mentally.

Take a few minutes to explore new events to enter next year, when you’re better – nothing too ambitious, just something you know you’ll enjoy. Make it realistic and make it different to the kind of running that you’re used to doing, so you don’t feel disheartened if you’re not immediately straight back up to speed after recovery.

In… 10 minutes

GET A SWEAT ON Getting snappy with your friends and family because you can’t run? You need to find a way to release a bit of energy. Try a short, intense home workout to satisfy your need to get your heart-rate up, while at the same time building a bit of functional strength you can use once you’re back on your feet. Try downloading an exercise app such as Sworkit (sworkit.com).

You can select upper-body exercises or core strength – if you’re worried about too many squats and lunges – and set how long you want to work out for – the app will guide you through different exercises.

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In… 20 minutes

DIVE IN TO A SWIM

Swimming is suitable training for just about any running injury: there’s no impact and not much bending of the legs, providing you stick to front crawl. Try a beginner’s swim speed set, suitable for almost any running injury. All you need is 20 minutes in the pool (we’re assuming you can swim a few lengths without stopping, but you don’t need to be fast). Start with five minutes of gentle lengths alternating kicking with a float and easy swimming – you can include some breast stroke as long as your knees aren’t injured. Then more on to pool sprints – remember, it doesn’t matter how fast you go. Switch between sprinting for one length, resting 30 seconds, two lengths, resting for 30 seconds, and three lengths, then work your way back to one length. You should be able to get your heart rate up to almost running levels even if you’re a new swimmer. At the end, cool down with five minutes of gentle swimming and kicking.

In… an hour to 90 minutes

Yoga has many benefits for runners – not just the physical, which includes improving flexibility and strength (all good for avoiding injuries), but the mental too. It’s the perfect solution to calm injury-stressed minds. Sign up to a gentle class near you: the cost for a one-off class will be from £5 to £15 depending on where you live, though many teachers offer a free trial lesson. Make sure you inform the instructor about your injury so they can help you adapt poses if necessary. Find out more about getting started in yoga on page 48.

TRY A YOGA CLASS

In… half an hour

Investing in a foam roller (around £15 to £20) could save you hundreds on physio and sports massage bills in future.

Use it to massage the big muscle groups all over your body – your ITB (at the side of your legs), thighs, hamstrings, glutes and even your back will benefit from a good roll. It’s easy to get bored or put off by the pain so set a timer or promise yourself you’ll keep at it for the duration of your favourite TV programme.

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© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK / EDDIE MACDONALD

GIVE YOURSELF A FOAM ROLLER MASSAGE

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Jabra Sport PulseTM with integrated running app • Perfect and secure fit • Sweat and weather proof • Music powered by Dolby®

OFFICIAL PERFORMANCE PARTNER

BEAT YOUR BEST SPORT LIFE APP

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14/08/2015 09:54

taper time

THE

TAPER FORMULA

WHETHER YOU’RE RUNNING A HALF OR A FULL MARATHON THIS AUTUMN, GET YOUR LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS RIGHT AND YOU’LL SAIL THROUGH YOUR RACE Words: Elizabeth Huf ton

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TAKE THE TAPER QUIZ ll set for that big race you’ve spent the last few months training for? It won’t come as a surprise to you that what you do in the last few weeks before you hit the start line will make a huge difference to how you reach the finish line. But you might be interested to know that what you DON’T do in those last few weeks is just as important.

The last few days or weeks before a key race isn’t about cramming in as many runs as you can. You need to carefully control the amount of training you do so that you balance maintaining your level of fitness with getting enough recovery to race to the best of your abilities – whether that’s reaching the finish line in one piece or recording a new personal best.

A

BIG BREAK For anyone new to racing, the idea of tapering can be strange and cutting down on your running can be surprisingly difficult. You might feel restless, heavylegged, and dying to lace up your trainers – a weird sensation when you spent months convincing yourself to go out running in the first place. But the science behind tapering is solid.

To become fitter, you need to break down your body slightly in training; in between runs, it repairs itself and adapts to the training, and it’s this that makes you stronger over time. So when you train over a period of weeks for a race, you’re gradually building fitness that won’t be lost over a couple of weeks of easier training – instead you’ll be conserving energy for your race, maintaining your peak level of fitness, and avoiding any risk of injury or illness that might come from pushing yourself any further. Of course, you need to be sensible during the taper period. You need to eat well, rest well and maintain a minimum level of running to keep your body ticking over. The amount of training you do and how long your taper is depends on several factors.

TAILOR-MADE TAPERS The most important factor when you’re working out how to train during your taper is how much running you’ve been doing in the past few months. Generally speaking, the more miles you’ve run and the harder you’ve run them, the longer your taper needs to be to make sure you’ve properly recovered.

Tapering is much more important for longer races, too – particularly marathons. Leave out turning down training before a 26.2-miler and you’ll start the race tired, even if you don’t necessarily feel it on the start line. However, for every race you do, as long as you’ve trained well you should cut down slightly before the big event – even if it’s just for a day or two beforehand.

The final factor affecting your taper outline is how long you’ve been running for. The more experienced you are, the more recovery you’ll need (and the less likely it is that your fitness base will drop off during the down-time). Take our simple quiz then find a taper plan for you.

1 HOW LONG IS YOUR RACE? 10K Half-marathon Marathon

5pts 3pts 1pt

2 HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TRAINING FOR IT? 12+ weeks

1pt

6-12 weeks

3pts

4-6 weeks

5pts

3 HOW MANY TIMES PER WEEK ARE YOU RUNNING? 2-3 5pts 4 3pts 5-6 1pt

4 HOW MANY YEARS HAVE YOU BEEN RUNNING? Less than one 1-2 years 2+ years

5pts 3pts 1pt

5 IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY LIFE (NOT INCLUDING RUNNING), HOW ACTIVE ARE YOU? Sedentary – desk job, no kids 5pts Moderately active – young kids, semi-active job, lots of housework 3pts Very active – physical job, active social life 1pt

6 HOW HAS YOUR TRAINING GONE? Well – haven’t missed a session OK – ticked off the key runs Terrible. I’m panicking!

1pt 3pts 5pts

IF YOU SCORED… ■ 6 to 9 points YOU NEED A TURNED-DOWN TAPER

Even if you feel as though you haven’t trained as well as you’d like, you’ve had a lot going on for the last couple of months and your race is going to be very demanding on your body. Make sure you take a nice, long taper and be restrained about the amount of training you do. Try Plan A (overleaf) to get you in race shape.

■ 12 to 18 points YOU’RE IN NEED OF SPEED

Perhaps you’re racing a shorter event, or perhaps you’ve missed a few workouts in the key phase of your training plan – or maybe you’ve just got a less hectic lifestyle.

If you have more energy and are generally not as well trained, you can afford to take a gamble on a few more intense sessions to keep you ticking over for your race. Try our Plan B to get you in race shape.

■ 18 to 30 points YOU’RE ON TRACK

For the shortest events or those with less experience of running, keeping up most of your training is a good option. You just need to ensure you listen to your body and if you do feel you’re doing too much – or if you experience strange aches and pains – then ease back. You’re unlikely to do your racing results much harm at this stage. Try our Plan C for the last week of your training. This plan isn’t suitable for marathon runners, who should follow a two or three-week taper even if they’ve missed a bit of training.

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taper time

RUN 1

RUN 2

RUN 3

RUN 4

RUN 5

40-50mins run including 2x10mins at threshold pace

40mins fartlek run (use landscape to run intervals at random)

35-40mins run with 4x3mins at 10K pace or 8/10 effort, 2mins recovery between efforts

Long run: up to 70% of race distance

40-50mins run including 20mins at race pace

35mins hill run: take effort to 7-8/10 up hills, recover on jogs down

30-35mins run with 3x3mins at 10K pace or 8/10 effort, 3mins recovery between efforts

Long run: half your race distance

Optional: easy 2025mins run

40mins run including 10mins at race pace

30-40mins steady, but throw in a couple of 10K speed intervals if you’re feeling strong

30mins run with 10x1min strides (fast, flowing running) with 1min recovery

Steady run: one third of your race distance

20mins run

30mins run – leave the watch at home and try to run at race pace by feel

20mins run with a friend – keep it easy

Rest

Race!

THE FULL TAPER

RACE - 1 WEEK

RACE - 2 WEEKS

If you’re running a marathon or half, have done plenty of training and/or have a hectic life, follow this plan for your last four weeks to make sure you’re well rested.

RACE - 3 WEEKS

A

RACE - 4 WEEKS

PLAN Optional: easy 30mins run

Optional: easy 30mins run

TAPER TANTRUMS WEIRDLY, THE LONGER YOUR WIND-DOWN IS BEFORE A RACE, THE MORE LIKELY YOU ARE TO GET TENSE AND START TO FEEL TEMPTED TO RUN MORE. RESIST THE URGE WITH THESE TIPS: BOOST YOUR SLEEP Set yourself a target of getting an extra 30 minutes of sleep per night for the two weeks before your race. The extra recovery time will really help you feel rested and calm. If it’s not possible because of small children or work shifts, just aim for an extra 30 minutes of true relaxation, even if it’s just reading a book quietly on your lunch break. +30 mn

TRY EASY CROSS-TRAINING Get rid of your urge to exercise by doing some very gentle cross-training. Try swimming or yoga (check what kind of class it is first) – both low-impact activities that will help your mind switch off from race worries as well as stretching out your body.

GET RACE READY Use your extra time during the last few weeks before a race to make sure you’ve got all the practical issues taken care of: your race number, kit for the day, travel and accommodation (if needed). Spend time visualising a race: just imagine yourself running strong and reaching the finish feeling fantastic.

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PLAN

Follow this plan for a 10K or half-marathon, if you’ve missed a bit of training or are relatively new to running. Keep up your full training until two weeks out from the race then switch to this schedule, designed to ‘sharpen up’ your speed without piling on too many miles.

RACE - 1 WEEK

THE LOWVOLUME, HIGHSPEED TAPER

RACE - 2 WEEKS

B

RUN 1

RUN 2

RUN 3

RUN 4

Run for 30mins with intervals, gradually increasing speed: 10mins warmup followed by 5mins fast, 1min easy, 3mins fast, 1min easy, 1min fast, 1min easy then repeat back up to 5mins. Cool down

35-40mins hilly run, pushing hard up the hills and recovering on the downhills. Run off road if possible

10mins warmup, 4-6 x 400m reps with 2min recovery between reps. 10mins cool-down

Long run: up to 70% of race distance for half, or full race distance for 10K

Run for 30mins at a steady pace, with 5x2mins at race pace thrown in as you feel like it

Run for 30mins with 5x1min at 10K or 5K pace in the middle. Give yourself time to recover between intervals, either jogging or walking

Run for 20-25mins, at an easy conversational pace

Race!

RUN 1

RUN 2

RUN 3

Run 40mins with a 15 to 20-minute section at race pace, concentrating on mentally being ‘in the zone’ and visualising your race

Run 20-25minutes at an easy pace – but throw in 5x200m at 10K or 5K pace, with 1min recoveries. If your legs feel heavy, revert to easy running for the rest of the session

Race!

PLAN

C

For a 10K or your first half, if you’re training three times per week, keep that volume up until the week before your race, but don’t run more than half your race distance the weekend before. Then follow these sessions to keep your legs ticking over.

RACE - 1 WEEK

THE RACEWEEK RUSH

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GOING FOR YOUR FIRST RUN IS DIFFICULT - BUT IT’S KEEPING UP THAT MOMENTUM THAT CAN BE THE BIGGEST BARRIER TO FITNESS. LISA JACKSON CAN HELP

abits make the human world go round: we use them for everything from waking up in the morning to going to sleep at night. “We get up at the same time, eat the same food and listen to the same radio station without even realising we’re doing it,” says Jack Marlow, a sport psychologist at St Mary’s Clinic in Twickenham (stmarys.ac.uk; 020 8240 4070). “These learned behaviours become automatic over time. The reason these habits are formed is because they fulfil a purpose in our lives, in the case of morning routines, they prepare us for the day ahead.” Clinical hypnotherapist Peter Mabbutt (petermabbutt.net) agrees: “If the behaviour provides some benefit it gets reinforced and repeated. Eventually it moves from being a conscious action to becoming an unconscious, automatic response that we call a habit.”

Most running coaches vouch for the fact that running twice a week results in fitness maintenance, and running three times a week results in fitness gains, and the easiest way to ensure you either maintain or improve your fitness is to turn running into a habit. Here the experts give us the lowdown on successful – and easy – habit acquisition.

H

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PRACTICAL STEPS TO KEEP ON RUNNING

1

LOSE YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS

Transcending limiting beliefs is a very powerful step in achieving what you want, says runner and life coach Jackie Graveney (jgraveney@aol.com). “You may have a belief that you can’t run simply because your sixth form PE teacher told you to speed up on a cross-country run.

Understanding that this happened 30 years ago can help you get rid of long-maintained mental obstacles. Creating a new belief – that you can and want to run – will give you permission to move on and act differently, which is the final step to helping you leave that limiting belief behind permanently.”

2

Remember, running should never be a chore

“To create a new habit I ask my clients to establish a clear goal of what they want to achieve and why,” says lifestyle coach Sally Humphries (sallyhumphries.com). “A distinct goal focuses them on where they’re going and helps them to determine how to get there. For example, training for weight loss will be very different to preparing for a 5K race or a marathon.” NLP (neurolinguistic programming) practitioner Rachel Smith (re-emerging.com), who’s also the joint race director for Saxons, Vikings and Normans Marathons (saxon-shore.com), also says it’s important to understand your motivation, as that will make the habit easier to form: “Keep asking yourself, ‘And what will that give me?’ to drill down to the real nub of what you’ll get from running,” she says.

According to Graveney, life-coaching’s GROW Model is a very useful goal-setting technique that you can use to challenge and focus yourself. “GROW stands for Goals, Reality, Options and Will.

Using the four stages, you can establish a ‘Goal’, such as running three times a week. The ‘Reality’ of your current situation might be that long working hours mean you can only run once a week at a weekend. Your ‘Options’ may involve giving up an episode of your favourite soap during the week, and getting up earlier on a Tuesday to fit in a run. And finally, ‘Will’ is all about establishing what needs to be done and committing to doing it in a specified time frame.”

SET CLEAR GOALS

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SEE THE JOURNEY, NOT JUST THE DESTINATION A common mistake is setting ‘dream’ goals without considering the process of achieving them, which makes them seem unreachable, says Marlow. “Look at your current long-term goals and then set shorter daily or weekly goals that are realistic and measurable. Achieving goals and seeing progress is a massive confidence boost and can make running more fulfilling.”

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HARNESS MENTAL IMAGERY

Hypnosis is a very effective way to create habits. “It’s a way to programme your mind to create a template for the running habit,” says Mabbutt. You can find a qualified hypnotherapist through the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis (bsch.co.uk) or the General Hypnotherapy Register (general-hypnotherapyregister.com). If you can’t afford hypnotherapy, selfhypnosis will work just as well but requires more self-motivation. “First count yourself down into a trance [deeply relaxed state] by saying the numbers ten to one on ten consecutive exhalations, focusing on relaxing with each number,” says Mabbutt. “Then give yourself direct suggestions by listing, step by step, what you will be doing to keep up the running habit. Tell yourself you’ll lay out your clothes the night before, what time you’ll get up to go, what route you’ll follow, and so on. Finally count yourself awake by silently saying the numbers one to ten on each inhalation.”

You can also try something called ‘pseudo-orientation in time’ which means creating a three-dimensional psychological reality of the changes you’d like to see in the near future using all of your senses. “While in a trance imagine yourself running regularly, enjoying the feeling of success as you do so, hearing the self-talk that encourages you to enjoy it, basking in the sense of achievement as you develop the new running habit,” says Mabbutt.

■ “Find words or photos to remind you of why you want to run and stick them somewhere where you’ll see them often,” says NLP practitioner Rachel Smith.

■ “The more you can plan the better,” says lifestyle coach Sally Humphries. “Write a plan of the week or weeks ahead: include what days you will run and how long for, what you will do if it rains, what route you will take each day, what and when will you eat (including shopping for food), what to play on your playlist.” Life coach Jackie Graveney suggests booking your run in your diary or phone and taking it as seriously as you would a work meeting.

■ “Set at least one goal for each run,” says sport psychologist Jack Marlow. “What distance do you want to run? In what time?

What do you want to achieve from this run?” Humphries suggests starting small: “If your goal is to run every morning for an hour before work, start by running on two or three mornings and build it up,” she says. “Work on creating a small habit that you can do regularly until it’s automatic, and then add to it.”

■ “Keep your kit washed and ready for use each day – and lay it out the night before so there’s no desperate scramble to find anything,” says clinical hypnotherapist Peter Mabbutt.

■ “Get into performance mode,” says Graveney. “Change into your running gear as soon as you get home after work, or have your gym bag packed by the door in the morning so there are no excuses.”

■ “Find a great runner whom you aspire to be and model or copy their behaviour – ask yourself, ‘What would that person be doing right now?’,” says Smith.

■ “Have fun,” says Marlow.

“Running the same route every week can become tedious.

Think about how you can make running more stimulating, whether it’s through music, spectacular scenery or running with a friend.”

■ Reward yourself after each run. “It could be a refreshing cold drink, a smoothie or using an invigorating shower gel,” says Humphries. “This will cause your brain to associate your run with something good, creating a new neurological pathway for your new habit. Every so often reward yourself with something big like new kit or a new pair of trainers.”

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consistency

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Set up some short routines to get you in the mood for a run. “Just like your morning routine prepares you for work, a pre-run routine involves behaviours aimed at preparing you for your run,” says Marlow. “This can include planning your route, getting changed into your running gear and warming up before every run in a specific order. Doing this before every run will eventually automatically cue your mind and body to get ready to run without having to consciously think about doing it.”

FAIL TO PREPARE, PREPARE TO FAIL

Train your mind and body to prepare for a run by sticking to a routine

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KEEP YOUR SELF-TALK POSITIVE

List three positive outcomes that running regularly will give you and repeat them to yourself three or four times a day – especially just before you go out for your regular run, suggests Mabbutt.

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CREATE THE RIGHT CUES

“Habits start with a psychological loop that scientists call the ‘habit loop’. This consists of three stages. First is the cue (or reminder), that initiates the behaviour, then there’s the routine, which is the behaviour itself, and then there’s the reward, which is the outcome of the behaviour.

Usually it is the outcome that drives the habit so I would get my client to identify a reward associated with running, says Humphries. “With the reward (outcome) in mind they would use current cues to create a new habit. For example, a daily activity such as brushing their teeth could be used as a cue to getting their kit on to go out for a run in the morning. The reward could be the nice long shower they get when they return.” Smith concurs: “With regular repetition of the ‘trigger, behaviour, reward’ pattern new habits are formed – those automatic conditioned patterns of behaviour that we don’t really have to give much thought to but just seem to happen.”

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confidence boost

confidence Run with

SIDE-STEP YOUR EMBARRASSING BODY ISSUES AND JUMP INTO HAPPIER RUNNING Words: Elizabeth Huf ton

unning should be a source of joy and a way to re-energise your body and boost your self image, but many women encounter problems on their first few runs that can make them reluctant to try again. Don’t let these irritations turn into road-blocks – sort out your body worries and get back up to speed.

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RED FACE

BOOB BOUNCE While starting to run with bigger boobs is undoubtedly trickier than if you’re less full busted, excessive movement or discomfort shouldn’t be a reason to avoid running.

Selaine Saxby, founder and managing director of sports bra specialist lessbounce.com, says that it’s just an excuse not to run. “You just need to get a decent bra,” she says.

“If you’re very busty there is going to be a bit of motion, but it’s not that big a step up from fast walking to running.

They do cost money though; a six quid bra from Tesco won’t do it. Sports bras are technical pieces of kit.”

Smaller women aren’t immune to the discomfort of overly mobile breasts, either. “There’s research from Portsmouth University showing that even an A-cup moves up to 4cm when you run,” says Selaine.

Fix it Bite the bullet and invest in a proper sports bra.

Expect to spend £30 to £50. Selaine suggests starting with the best sellers list on lessbounce.com – effectively a vote from real women on the best bras out there.

Your breasts deserve the best

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Forget all the rubbish you’ve heard about ladies ‘glowing’.

Go for your first run and you could be forgiven for worrying that you’ll be hauled into an ambulance when your face turns scarlet. Usually this is just a short-term reaction to your blood vessels near the surface of the skin dilating – one of your body’s cooling mechanisms when your core temperature rises during a run. How much it shows has more to do with your complexion than your fitness so the best thing to do is just to embrace it. However, for some women the redness continues for hours after exercise, and it can sometimes indicate a problem such as rosacea, a skin condition that effects around one in 10 people. “Flushing and facial redness is a natural side effect of exercising,” says Dr Johanna Ward, cosmetic doctor and GP. “However, for people who find that the redness persists or is accompanied by visible blood vessels and thickened skin, it is important to seek medical advice to help manage the symptoms.”

Fix it Whether your flushing is just down to exercise or down to an underlying skin problem, if it’s really troubling you then simply cover it up. Try Dermalex Rosacea (£18.99), a skin cream that treats the symptoms of rosacea. If you suffer from eczema which is worsened by sweat, try applying unscented moisturiser as a barrier cream before you go out.

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confidence boost

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confidence boost

CHAFING Rubbing of the skin against material or other body parts can cause chafing which can be painful for days after your run. Again, ill-fitting bras can be a culprit, with chafing around the chest band common. “It’s often because the bra is too big – it happens a lot when people lose weight,” says Saxby. “It’s also common when sports bras wear out – women don’t replace them often enough.” She advises replacing your bra every 30 to 40 washes, or think of it this way: you should go through three bras for every pair of trainers you wear out. “We have a saying: no sports bra should celebrate a birthday,” says Selaine.

Chafing is also common on the inner thighs or around the upper arms or armpits. Although common if you’re a curvier runner, it’s not necessarily a weight issue – you could just be a victim of body shape, loose skin from weight loss or your running style may need looking at.

Fix it Selaine suggests doing up your bra one notch tighter for long runs, when chafing is more common.

Chafing around your bra and elsewhere can be kept to a minimum by applying BodyGlide (£11.99) before you run to help keep friction to a minimum.

LEAKING

RUNNER’S TROTS Though a pretty common problem among runners, if you’re new to the sport you might have had a nasty surprise to find that it gets things moving in all the wrong ways sometimes. The sudden urge to empty your bowels when you run can be down to a number of factors, so you may need to take some time to work out what’s causing it in your particular case.

It’s thought that the action of running combined with diverting blood away from the bowel towards the working muscles could be behind ‘runner’s trots’, but everything from pre-race nerves to what you had for breakfast could be to blame. It’s exacerbated by high-fibre foods, artificial sweeteners, and strong doses of caffeine. Occasionally it can be a sign of a more serious underlying problem, such as irritable bowel syndrome or Coeliac disease. If your symptoms continue when you’re not running, or you’ve recently noticed a change in bowel habits generally (which might also include constipation at times) or blood in your poo, you need to see your GP to have further investigations.

Fix it For most runners, simply experimenting with what you eat and drink around your sessions and races can provide the solution. When you’re working up to a hard session or race, go for more simple carbs and avoid having heaps of fruit and vegetables the evening before. Avoid energy products with high fructose content as this can also cause irritation. You could also try avoiding dairy or gluten in the run-up to races, but ask your GP for help with this to ensure you’re accurately identifying any foods that don’t agree with your running.

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If the queue for the toilets at your last race was your biggest loo-related problem, think yourself lucky. For many women, running can be made miserable by urinary incontinence – basically, leaking wee as you run. There are different types of incontinence, and the type that ruins a run is known as stress incontinence. Stress incontinence can be brought on by sneezing, coughing or any highimpact activity – yep, that includes running. If you’ve had a baby, particularly if your labour was assisted with forceps, you’re more likely to suffer from incontinence as the experience will have weakened your pelvic floor muscles. However, you don’t have to have had children for this to become a problem.

Fix it There’s no quick cure for this. Running with a pad is unlikely to be comfortable so while you’re

working on a solution, if it makes you feel more comfortable, stick to short loops near home so you’re always near a loo. Longer term, see your GP who will be able to check there are no underlying causes and advise you on how to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles – usually the best solution whether or not you’ve had children. The exercises can be done anywhere and at any time you remember.

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ENGINEERED FOR THE HIGHEST PERFORMANCE

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yoga

WANT TO BE A BET TER RUNNER AND STAY INJURY FREE? THEN DON’T OVERLOOK THE BENEFITS OF YOGA, WHICH GO WAY BEYOND JUST GET TING A GOOD STRETCH. CHRISTINA MACDONALD EXPLAINS WHY ost of us know that taking up yoga is a good way to become more flexible. Yet the benefits of yoga for runners are wide-ranging and often overlooked. Apart from increasing your flexibility, yoga will also improve your strength, balance, stability and breathing – all of which will benefit your running. It will also help to calm your mind and develop mental strength, which could improve your confidence and lead to fewer raceday nerves. Ultrarunner Scott Jurek is a huge fan, along with Jessica Ennis-Hill and former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

Whether we admit it or not, runners can’t ignore the benefits of yoga for too long. If you run regularly and don’t stretch properly, your muscles will feel tight. If we’re really honest, most of us don’t stretch as much as we should at the end of a run. Many of us will settle for a quick quad stretch on the doorstep before hitting the sofa to veg out (and stiffen up). As we run more, we get stiffer. Eventually, this can lead to injuries that could have been avoided.

If you want to increase your distance, or generally improve your running ability, yoga should be a key part of your training routine. You don’t have to be spiritual or super flexible to give it a try. All you need is an open mind. Here’s why it’s worth finding the time to take part in a regular yoga class…

IMPROVED STRENGTH When it comes to strength, most runners know that stronger leg muscles make demanding runs feel easier. Good leg strength will also protect the knees.

Stronger core muscles will help you to maintain a good posture when you run.

You may not doubt this, but you may also be wondering, “Why can’t I just do squats, lunges and the plank to improve leg and core strength?”

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yoga

It’s true that all of these exercises will benefit you if you do them properly and regularly. However, not everyone can squat or lunge with safe and effective technique. If your hips or lower back are already stiff then it will affect the quality of your squat. Simply putting a weighted bar on your upper back and squatting when you’re already tight will only lead to even tighter muscles.

Personal trainer Frank Mayfield (mayfieldfitness. wordpress.com) says, “If you dive into those type of free-weight moves then you could do more harm than good and it’s also quite daunting for some people to start squatting heavy. The injury potential during yoga is a lot lower and it has a knock-on effect of improving flexibility, certainly around the hips, which will in turn help with stride length.”

“Holding various poses can be very demanding on the body, and requires enormous strength and body control” In a yoga class, you are often using your own body weight for resistance and your muscles have to work very hard to support you. Physiotherapist Tim Allardyce, Clinical Director from Surrey Physio (surreyphysio.co.uk) says, “Most people know that yoga is great for flexibility, but people who have never done yoga don’t realise that it’s actually fantastic for strengthening. Holding various poses can be very demanding on the body, and requires enormous strength and body control.”

FEWER INJURIES Internationally recognised yoga instructor Sheila Maubec, who runs her own yoga practice in Guernsey (shaktishalayogaguernsey.com), believes that yoga can reduce injury risk. She says, “As most conventional types of exercise focus on strengthening specific muscle groups, this often leads to tight muscles with a smaller range of motion and a tendency to get injured more easily.

A regular yoga practice, however, will provide holistic physical conditioning by strengthening muscles but, at the same time, stretch and increase flexibility throughout the muscle groups.”

Yoga can do this by offering a mixture of active and passive stretching. Sheila explains, “In active stretching, the body moves and lengthens muscles dynamically, creating warmth and suppleness in the tissues. Passive stretching, where you hold a posture for a while, allows muscles to lengthen more.”

BETTER BREATHING Your breathing will also improve. Tim says, “Most people don’t breathe effectively. Many people shallow breathe, not taking a full deep breath. Others breathe too fast. Many people do not utilise their diaphragm when breathing, so relying on the neck and chest muscles to pull the ribs upwards – a particularly inefficient way to breathe. All of these are common in people who lead stressful, busy lives. Yoga teaches you how to control your breathing, slowing it down, breathing from your diaphragm, and taking a deep breath.”

What type of yoga is best for you?

Hatha yoga – ideal for beginners, it’s a gentle form that gives you time to get used to each pose and hold it for several breaths before moving on.

Vinyasa Flow yoga – good for those who spend long periods at a desk, as it opens and lengthens the front of the body, bringing the shoulders back and opening up the chest. It moves through poses rather than holding them, but isn’t too strenuous.

Iyengar yoga – if you’ve got tight glutes and hamstrings this may be ideal, as you’ll hold poses that gradually stretch and strengthen these areas.

Ashtanga and Power yoga – ideal if you want to burn calories or take part in a faster-paced class. Ashtanga is quite strenuous, while Power yoga focuses on strength, stamina and flexibility and is thought to be good for improving mental focus, making it ideal for athletes.

If you’re not sure which type of yoga would best suit you, it’s worth asking an instructor to give you some advice.

IMPROVED BALANCE Yoga will also help to improve your balance, as any pose where the muscles are contracting to hold you in position will provide more control over your trunk when you’re running. Good balance is essential for runners, especially on uneven trails. When you run, you’re effectively hopping from one foot to the other, so poor balance can make you a less efficient runner. Moves like the Tree, where you stand on one leg, are ideal.

MORE FLEXIBLE Yoga is perhaps best known for improving your flexibility as you are holding postures with the muscles lengthened, improving elasticity in muscle fibres.

Sarah Shimwell, a certified yoga instructor from Manchester (yoga_bysarah@yahoo.com), says, “All types of yoga are geared towards lengthening and strengthening the spine, creating better posture and releasing tension from the body. People who have desk-based jobs tend to carry a lot of tension in their neck and shoulders, often resulting in poor posture and a weak back. Some of the most effective yoga poses help to open the chest and shoulders and the Downward Dog is also really effective at reducing spinal pressure.”

HOW OFTEN? If you’re going to take up a yoga class, try it at least once a week. Be patient, because if your muscles are tight it’s going to take some time to improve. “It’s a great to do on one of your days off from running,” says Mayfield. “You could do yoga sessions two out of your three rest days – you’d get the added benefit of that strength and you’d be able to maintain flexibility. This will hopefully stop you from getting any major injuries.”

“YOGA HELPS ME RUN MORE OFTEN” 34-year-old runner and triathlete Eva Hatfield, from Epsom, who works long hours in an office, took up yoga two years ago when her muscles started to feel very tight…

“I have tried many different types, but I settled on Bikram yoga,” she says. “The room is heated to 104 degrees Fahrenheit and the heat helps the body to relax more and allow for deeper stretches. After the class I feel that all the muscles in my body are stretched properly, which is something I would not be disciplined to do on my own.

“Since I started going to Bikram yoga every two weeks, I feel less tightness. I used to feel very frustrated when I couldn’t train as much as I wanted to but it happens a lot less these days. If I can’t go to yoga once a fortnight, that’s when the little injuries start creeping up. I am definitely able to go into deeper stretches compared to a year ago.

I have also significantly improved my balance and single leg strength. My ankles are much stronger and my core strength has improved. A few people have even commented on my running style and said I look like a real athlete, which I think is due to a correct posture and body alignment.”

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DOWNWARD DOG Good for: Hamstrings, calves and shoulders.

STANDING IT BAND STRETCH Good for: The IT band (a thick ligament that runs down the outside of your thigh).

• Start in a kneeling position on your hands and knees • Place your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips • Stretch your elbows, spread your fingers wide and press firmly with your palms and knuckles • Exhale and lift your knees off the floor. Aim to get your heels flat on the ground, but don’t force it • Push your pelvis up to the ceiling • Gently begin to straighten your legs but don’t lock the knees. Keep your pelvis lifted

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart • Step your right foot over so that your legs are crossed at your ankles • As you inhale, take your right arm up • As you exhale, side-bend towards your left and sweep your top arm over • Make sure you are not leaning forwards or backwards

RUNNER’S LUNGE Good for: Hip flexors

90-DEGREE HAMSTRING STRETCH Good for: Hamstrings

• Start on all fours • Step your right foot in between your hands and sink into the lunge by dropping your hips and straightening your back leg • To move deeper, ease your back knee further away

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart with your toes facing forwards.

• Inhale and then, as you exhale, gently slide your hands down your thighs to just above your knees.

• Tilt your pelvis, gently bending forwards. Look down as you do this.

RUNNER’S LUNGE QUAD STRETCH Good for: Quadriceps (front thighs) • Starting in runner’s lunge bring your torso up and look forwards, bend the back leg and reach back to hold the foot with your left hand. Stop if you feel any pain in your knee.

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LYING QUAD STRETCH Good for: Quadriceps (front thighs)

COBBLER’S POSE Good for: Inner thighs • Sit down on the floor with good posture and bring the soles of your feet together • Place your hands around your feet and lengthen your spine by lifting your head up • Don’t bounce or press on your knees

• Lie on your side and place your hand at the back of your head • Support your head on your elbows • Bend your top leg and grasp the foot or the ankle, while keeping the leg underneath you straight

GLUTE BRIDGE Good for: Glutes, quads and hamstrings • Lie on your back with your feet hip-width apart • Bend your knees so that the soles of your feet are on the floor, keeping them hipdistance apart • Place your arms by your sides with your palms facing down • As you inhale, press your palms into the floor and gently raise your hips up. Keep your knees in line with your hips • Tuck the chin in and exhale to gently lower your body down

PIGEON Good for: Glutes

CAT CURLS Good for: Back • Kneel down on the floor with your hips positioned over your knees and shoulders directly above your hands with a neutral spine • Tighten your abs, then round your back tucking your chin to your chest • Pause, then go back to a neutral spine and arch your back, looking to the ceiling. Keep your shoulders away from your ear

• Kneel down on the floor, with your knees directly below your hips and your hands slightly forward of your shoulders • Raise your right leg (which should be bent) and angle your right shin so that your right foot should be at the front of your left knee • Rest the outside of your right shin on the floor • Slide left leg back behind you and straighten it • Keep your right foot flexed to protect the knee joint • Keep your elbows slightly soft but stand tall • Stop if you feel any pain in the knee joint • Repeat on the other side

Some of the poses shown here can be found in Yoga For Runners by Lexie Williamson (Bloomsbury, £16.99) which has a wide range of yoga poses to improve balance, strength and flexibility. © EDDIE MACDONALD. ALL KIT BY ZAAZEE (ZAAZEE.CO.UK)

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MIND THE TRAPS WHEN YOU’RE TRYING TO SHIFT A FEW POUNDS THROUGH R U N N I N G , I T ’ S E A S Y T O S L I P U P. W E ’ L L S H O W Y O U H O W TO AV O I D T H E S E C O M M O N W E I G H T - L O S S P I T FA L L S

TRAP #3

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A typical coffee-shop muffin might give you between 350 and 550 calories

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weight loss TRAP #2

osing weight should be easy when you’re running. In fact, our sport is one of the most efficient ways to rev up your metabolism and shed excess energy. However, it’s not always as straightforward as you might hope.

Whether you took up running to help you lose weight, or you’re a runner who has decided you need to shift a few pounds, you’re likely to come up against a few stumbling blocks on your shape-up journey. Some of these issues are as relevant for those who don’t run, but are trying to slim down, as they are for us pavement pounders – but no matter how much you have to lose and where you are on your running journey, you will come up against these problems. Here’s how to get to grips with them and start to see real results.

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1

Calories in, calories out. You must have heard the slimmer’s mantra. Of course it is broadly true that in order to lose fat, you need to burn more energy than you eat. However, after a certain point – particularly when you are running more than ever – you’ll find that your weight loss reaches a plateau with this strategy.

That can be a real kick in the teeth when you’re working so hard to keep running and ignore your rumbling stomach. The real danger here is not just that your progress grinds to a halt physically, but that you might take several steps back mentally. After all, if your effort is not rewarded, why should you carry on trying? Don’t worry though, there’s a solution – and probably one you won’t mind applying. You just need to eat a little bit more.

In simple terms, you hit a weight-loss plateau when your body thinks you are starving. Your metabolism slows down and your body will try to conserve fat stores, thinking that since you’re not eating much (for what you’re doing), food must be in short supply. The answer is not to go back to eating whatever you want, but just to make sure you’re eating regularly and enough to cover your running needs. It could be a simple as having a 100-calorie snack an hour before your workout, or a smoothie as soon as you finish. Building in strength work to your routine is also helpful, as increased muscle mass will help keep your metabolism ticking over.

BELIEVING THAT “LESS IS LESS”

TRAP #1

You just need to eat a little bit more

Car b but s are a you c ’re n ommo n ot a diet enemy er, y ou’r for diet ear e unn rs – er

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MISSING OUT FOOD GROUPS

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FALLING INTO A TREAT MENTALITY

Every now and then a weight-loss plan comes along that’s so seductively simple, you have to give it a go. Whether it’s cutting out carbs after 5pm or giving dairy products a miss, the shortest of all shortcuts is to cut out a major food group altogether. If you normally eat a lot of it, the results can be impressive in the short term.

However, once you start running more and are as addicted to hitting your training targets as you are to reaching your weight-loss goals, it’s risky to limit your nutritional intake in this way. Carbs are a common enemy for dieters – but you’re not a dieter, you’re a runner, and you need complex carbohydrates to provide the quickest form of energy for your working muscles. Cutting down on carbs can also mean you lose out on fibre and much needed vitamins and minerals, particularly if you’re ditching wholegrain products. Similarly, skipping dairy means you’re missing out on calcium, vitamin D and healthy fats.

A better way to approach your eating is to track your ‘macros’ – keep a food diary for a couple of weeks and make sure you’re getting a little bit of everything, with no banned foods. Portion control, cutting down on obviously ‘bad’ foods such as sweets, crisps and booze, and keeping up your training are far better ways to shed pounds.

Losing weight is at least as much an exercise of the mind as it is a change in physical habits. A major factor behind many people’s failed weight-loss attempts – runners or not – is the association of food with rewards and punishment, denial and treating yourself. This is likely to have become ingrained in your mindset from childhood, when many of us are rewarded for being good with sugary treats or fizzy drinks; eating pudding was the prize for eating all your sprouts. When you’re a runner this mindset can be exaggerated further. How many times have you caught yourself thinking, “Actually, I WILL have that muffin – I deserve it after the run I did this morning!”

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of what you fancy. The trouble is that it’s easy to lose track of all these treats and, before you know it, they’re ruining all the hard work you’ve put in from running. Take that muffin. A typical coffee-shop cake might give you between 350 and 550 calories – whereas a half-hour run could burn 250 to 350. At best you’re breaking even – at worst, your reward is counteracting your run.

We’re not going to suggest you give up cake (heaven forbid), but why not look for ways of treating yourself that have nothing to do with food? Rewarding yourself with a new lipstick or a fresh bit of running kit is a healthier way forward. You can use the same trick if you’re a comfort eater – try treating yourself to 10 minutes outside and a rush of endorphins instead of a self-abusing snack.

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Going for a run shouldn’t justify hours of inactivity!

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TRAP #4

DOING NOTHING ELSE WHEN YOU’VE RUN

Now that you’re a runner, we’re willing to bet you’re less active than you’ve ever been. Bear with us on this. Think about the days you run – what do you do for the rest of the day? Have a quick shower and crack on with some chores? Take the dog for a walk? Or give yourself a pat on the back and spend your lunch break sitting at your desk or your evening in front of the TV? It’s thought that being generally more active could be even better for your health than regular, structured workouts. There is some evidence that on days when people do an intense workout, over the course of the rest of the day they are less active – and therefore burn fewer calories overall – than on days when they haven’t worked out ‘properly’. Try wearing a pedometer or activity tracker for a few days to see if this is true for you, and aim for a step count or active time regardless of whether or not you’ve run. This could include incorporating simple changes to your routine like using stairs instead of lifts, having a quick walk while dinner is cooking or just doing the vacuuming more often. Not exactly thrilling – but hey, you’ll be whittling down your to-do list while you’re whittling down your waistline!

6

LOSING TRACK OF FOOD

When you’re rushing around trying to fit in a run in an already hectic schedule, it’s no surprise that you’re going to lose track of a few things. What you eat shouldn’t be one of them. Studies have shown that keeping a food diary is key to losing weight; in a 2008 US study, dieters who recorded what they ate six days per week lost twice as much as those who only recorded one day’s intake. If you’re serious about shifting pounds, you need to measure and record what you’re eating. Make it easier with one of the many food-tracking apps or websites out there.

Pick up the kids TRAP #6

Have a quick snack

5

OVERDOING THE SPORT NUTRITION PRODUCTS

It hardly counts as ‘treat’ eating – some would say it’s the opposite – but getting stuck into sports nutrition products is an understandably easy trap to fall into for runners.

The process goes something like this: take up running to lose weight; get better at running; decide you want to race faster; find out that there’s a whole range of products out there to help you do just that. The trouble is those products are not calorie free. In fact their sole purpose is to deliver energy to your hard-working muscles as you run, enabling you to keep going for longer.

As with all food and drink if you’re on a weight-loss mission you need to be aware of how much you’re eating.

A single energy gel would usually contain around 80 to 100 calories; a bar can be anything from 150 to 300kcal.

For weight loss, stick to slow-release real food.

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Do the shopping

A small bite won’t hurt WARNING: NOT CALORIEFREE

What was it I ate today?

TRAP #5

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weight loss

7

EATING JUST AS MUCH (OR MORE) ON RECOVERY DAYS

TRAP #7

Eat, drink, repeat. Eat, drink, repeat...

8

We often talk about weight as a measure of health, but that’s slightly misleading. Although weight, or body mass index, can be a good indicator for robust health, you might find it more beneficial to focus on body fat – or even waist to hip ratio.

When you take up any exercise, you’ll build muscle, which means your weight might not drop particularly quickly – and you might well be perfectly healthy at what’s deemed to be a high weight or BMI. If you find it dispiriting to focus on weight, instead aim to drop your body fat (you can have it measured at the gym or buy a set of body-fat monitoring bathroom scales). A body fat percentage of 21-33% is deemed healthy for women aged 20 to 39 years old; 23-34% for 40-59-yearold women; and up to TRAP #8 36% for women aged 59 or older.

9 As you run more, one of the great things you’ll notice is that you get to eat more, too. Over time you might even be able to forget about counting calories as you naturally fall into better eating habits, you lose body fat, gain muscle and your metabolism speeds up. But there is one surefire way to find yourself ejected from foodie paradise and back at the foot of a weight loss mountain, and that is overcompensating for your running on days when you haven’t actually run.

The temptation to do this is always going to be strong.

When you think about it, the day we get to sit down, relax and enjoy a leisurely meal is most likely to be the day we don’t spend an hour running. There’s something emotionally satisfying about letting everything go for at least one day every week, forgetting about running and forgetting about watching what we eat. Trouble is it is far, far quicker to eat a thousand extra calories than it is to burn it off. Stack up a few days like this and you’re not only undermining your weight loss efforts – you could even be gaining weight. Cue the feelings of “It’s so unfair, I’m trying so hard”, feeling deprived, comfort eating… and on you go. You don’t need to deny yourself on rest days, but you can adopt a couple of strategies to avoid this trap. Firstly, slightly under eat (and we mean, very slightly) on every other day – so you’re ‘saving up’ calories to spend on a big family meal or snacks at the cinema.

Secondly, re-set your idea of what constitutes a treat. You don’t need to have a tub of Ben and Jerry’s just because it’s Friday night. Maybe a mini Magnum will do the trick.

FOCUSING ON THE WRONG NUMBER

BECOMING OBSESSED

This last one won’t stop you losing weight – quite the opposite. Once you’ve experienced the thrill of meeting your goals, whether in weight-loss terms or in terms of running performance, the feeling can be addictive. Make sure that doesn’t spill over into an unhealthy obsession with your weight. Remember, you need to eat enough to fuel your body as it takes on your new-found passion for PBs. Under eating lowers your immunity, causes fatigue, mood swings and irregular periods. Take it too far and your long-term health could be affected. If you find yourself panicking about eating, skipping meals or feeling overly anxious about missing workouts, talk to your doctor about your feelings before you develop a full-blown eating disorder.

TRAP #9

Weight loss shouldn’t become an obsession. If you’re fit and healthy, a few extra pounds won’t hurt!

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breathe easy

TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND GET READY FOR BETTER RUNNING Words: Tina Cha ntrey

reathing is a reflex: it’s something you do independently of your conscious mind between 5,000-30,000 times a day and two million to 500 million times in a lifetime.

Breathing marks the beginning and end of your life. It stands then, that if you’re not doing it right, breathing can negatively influence your running experience.

B

OUT OF CONTROL When you run, do you feel your breathing is like a steam engine veering out of control down a very steep slope that has no end in sight? This can be a frightening sensation, and most of us have no insight into why it happens. You can change this, though, and make your breathing a controlled and skilful action that will guide you to your end goal. Tap into the magic of breathing correctly (we’re not just talking about the input of oxygen and removal of carbon dioxide) and you’ll unblock energy to invigorate your running.

Do you get frustrated when you can’t control your breathing? “Breathing and emotional responses are very closely connected,” says Sean Carey, a worldrenowned practitioner in the Alexander Technique, a method that works to change movement habits in our everyday activities. “Anyone who has ever felt anxious or had a panic attack knows the experience of a racing heart, profuse sweating and feeling of breathlessness. It’s very easy to associate exercise-induced exertion, which produces bodily responses similar to those associated with anxiety, with an unpleasant past experience.”

Different experiences of breathing reflect a number of things, the most obvious being your degree of fitness.

Running may seem like very hard work in the beginning but it will become less so as your body adjusts to the demands put upon it, and your aerobic fitness improves.

“This is a very good reason for not doing too much running too soon,” says Carey.

“However, how you are breathing from moment to moment is also indicative of your general coordination,” he adds. “Humans are unique amongst primates in possessing a double-S shaped spine, which allows us to maintain a vertical or upright posture but also acts as a

springy shock absorber in movements such as walking, running or jumping.”

FREE YOUR RIB CAGE Your spine also provides support to your barrel-shaped rib cage, which (compared with other great apes) is wide at the top and middle but narrow at the bottom. “If you pull your head down on to your neck, raise the front of your upper chest and pull your middle back in, or stiffen your arms, hands, legs or feet, you will be interfering not only with your springy, upright spine but also your breathing,” advises Carey. Instead of your whole rib cage moving freely, with an outward expansion of your lower ribs, you will have to breathe in some other way – typically, belly breathing (pushing your stomach downwards and outwards) or more likely raising your upper chest.

How do you know if you’re breathing inefficiently?

Stand with your feet a few inches apart and carefully place the tip of your index finger at the base of your skull without stiffening your shoulders. “Now run on the spot, or run forwards slowly and then speedily and see whether the pressure against your finger increases or not. If it does you know you are stiffening your body, from head to toe, including your rib cage,” says Carey.

Ask a friend with a smartphone to record your fulllength sideways profile, standing still, and then as you start to run. “Your whole body should be releasing as a unit from the pivot point of your ankles, with your head poised on top of your spine, rather than initiating the movement by lifting upwards the front of your chest, or pushing the pelvis forwards or sideways, all of which will interfere with the efficient movement of your rib cage.”

DISCOVER YOUR DIAPHRAGM “Whoever you are, training your breathing muscles can make any physical challenge feel easier,” states Professor Alison McConnell, a leading authority on breathing muscle training and the inventor of POWERbreathe, a breathing muscle training system.

Running presents a huge challenge to the breathing muscles, as they are also involved in controlling posture and protecting the spine from injury. “The key to efficient,

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comfortable breathing during running is synchronising breathing with the running cadence,” suggests McConnell.

“During a moderate-intensity run, the breath cycle should be completed on every other footfall of the same leg.”

This means you should start to inhale as your right foot strikes, and continue you as the left foot strikes (think of this as two ‘sips’) and exhalation starts at the right foot strikes for the second time, continuing as the left foot strikes (another two sips).

Professor McConnell also suggests getting in touch with your diaphragm. Most people lose touch with their diaphragm after infancy and become belly breathers.

Stand in front of a mirror and place your palms lightly on the bottom of your ribs, with the tips of your fingers almost touching. “Take a deep, slow inhalation through your nose and observe the movement of your abdomen and rib cage in the mirror. If the diaphragm is being used effectively, you should be able to see and feel the ribs move sideways and forward, and your abdomen will also bulge forward.” Your fingertips will also move apart, making it easier to visualise the movement of your lower rib cage.

“The key to efficient, comfortable breathing is to synchronise each breath with your running cadence” PRACTISE PRANAYAMA Alongside breathing from the wrong area, most of us are also shallow breathers; we do not breathe to the full capacity of our lungs. This results in less oxygen being absorbed by our lungs in a single breath. “A regular practice with pranayama (yogic breathing) can increase your breathing capacity resulting in more oxygen supply to your blood,” says Wilmien Bos, a yoga and Qi Gong instructor (oneflow.guru).

Pranayama is the gentle control of inhalation and exhalation, to encourage calm retention of breath between the two.

“This oxygen-rich blood can boost performance and endurance. A regular yoga practice will make your breath deeper and more rhythmic. Yoga also enables you a level of awareness whereby you can let go of things not important and thus conserve your energy. As your endurance builds and your lung capacity increases, the body becomes more efficient.”

Changing the way you breathe may feel strained at first, so find a quiet place to practise the above techniques, perhaps at bedtime, or sitting restfully in a chair (at home or at work). As you become more confident at breathing with your diaphragm and through your nose you can introduce this into walking and then jogging. “If your breathing is still laboured, think about the muscles that attach to the base of the back of your skull releasing, allowing your spine to lengthen upwards, and your back musculature to fan outwards,” says Carey. “This will create the space for your rib cage to work efficiently, allowing you to be in control of your breathing every step of your run.”

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Sometimes difficulty breathing when you run can be a result of an underlying condition. Sonia Munde, head of Asthma UK’s Helpline, says: “One in 11 people in the UK live with asthma.

A small number have exercise-induced asthma – they only experience symptoms (wheezing, tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing and/or a dry cough) when they exercise.”

When you exercise and breathe faster it’s more difficult for the nose and upper airways to warm up and moisturise the air breathed in. This drier, colder air is thought to trigger asthma.

“Asthmatics need to ensure they’re not over breathing or hyperventilating by mouth breathing,” says Carey. “It’s crucial to learn how to breathe simultaneously through the nose and mouth.”

“Running outdoors during cold weather increases the likelihood of exercise triggering your asthma. During aerobic activity you may inhale more cold air and breathe it more deeply into your lungs,” says Sonia.

Having asthma doesn’t have to stop you running.

Exercise helps improve lung function and management of asthma symptoms. Paula Radcliffe, and 25% of the Team GB athletics squad at London 2012, had the condition.

“Control your asthma by receiving the three elements of basic asthma care: an annual review, a written asthma action plan and having your inhaler technique checked,” advises Sonia.

“Also, build up the amount of exercise you do and the level of intensity gradually.”

Visit asthma.org.uk or call the Asthma UK Helpline for independent advice on 0300 222 5800 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).

October 2015 womensrunninguk.co.uk

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RUN A 10K

WITH US! It’s back and it’s bigger and better than ever before!

Join the Women’s Running team in our 2015 Race Series and enjoy a friendly, welcoming event!

■ 30 August 2015 Strathclyde Country Park, Glasgow ■ 13 September 2015 Brockwell Park, London ■ 27 September 2015 Finsbury Park, London

Entry discounts available for groups of three or more runners!

All races above are now open for entry! To enter, visit

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NOW WITH A NEW 5K OPTION! Every runner can expect… ● Pacers to suit their speed and running goals ● A friendly, welcoming atmosphere ● Two fuel stations on the course ● Friendly and supportive marshals ● Technical t-shirt and goody bag worth over £30 ● A finisher’s medal to be proud of!

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mind control

MIND

BODY

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mind control

QUICK THINKING R E A L I S E T H E F U L L P OT E N T I A L O F YO U R M I N D/ B O DY CONNECTION TO BECOME A BETTER, HAPPIER RUNNER Wo r d s : K a t i e Pa g e a n d H e l e n C l a r k e

here is a direct correlation between your thoughts, feelings and behaviour, which is fed by your perspective of any given situation.

There are a number of tools that are easy to master, which can change your thought processes, your attitude, mood, confidence and mental state. Changing these will directly affect your performance. The first step is to become aware of these tools, the second is to put them in to practice.

T

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Have you ever wondered why some days things work out really well, you train well, you are pleased with your progress, you feel happy and confident, but on other days the opposite happens?

In every event in our lives, big or small, we use all five of our senses to process things. This then allows us to form our version of what is going on.

This will not necessarily be the same as someone else’s version of the same event. For example, if you asked two gym users what their opinion of the gym was, there would undoubtedly be a difference in their description. One may feel it is too busy and hectic, another that they like the buzz of the place; and yet it is the same room.

Approaching things from different perspectives can change the picture completely.

What we see and experience influences our mood, which ultimately influences our behaviour.

THOUGHTS

BEHAVIOUR

FEELINGS

This is a three-way process with each aspect influencing the other.

Just imagine waking up in the morning and hearing the birds tweeting. You realise it sounds like a lovely summer’s day. If your response to this is positive your thought process may be along the lines of, “What a great day, I can go for a run.”

However, your response to this could be very negative. “Oh no, it’s a lovely day and I have to go for a run!” You can see here how your mood can influence your behaviour.

To demonstrate the link between your thoughts and feelings try this exercise.

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• Try to feel sad without a sad thought • Try to feel happy without a happy thought • Try to feel guilty without a guilty thought It’s just not possible and so we see how they are so closely linked.

We are never going to stop all negative thoughts, but we can learn to alter our response and make these responses more realistic.

Have you ever wondered why sometimes you respond to someone or a situation in a way you were not expecting? The reason behind this lies in the difference between our conscious and unconscious mind.

A better understanding of how your mind works will give you, as a sports person, a better understanding of how to get the most out of yourself and your performance.

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR TWO MINDS:

SHORT-TERM MEMORY

GOAL SETTING LOGICAL THOUGHT

LONG-TERM MEMORY

UNCONSCIOUS

CONSCIOUS

analyse exactly what you need to do to perform. There are also times when your unconscious mind takes over. For example, a tennis player relies on his subconscious mind to react to a ball that is coming towards him at over 100kmph. The unconscious mind is running your body at this very moment. You are not concentrating on blinking; you are breathing and the unconscious is sorting out your blood sugar levels right now. When you are asleep you continue to breathe, but you are unaware of all this at a conscious level.

The unconscious mind is very powerful and has huge capacity. It is responsible for: • your long-term memory which includes every situation you have been in • every emotion you have felt • every reaction to a person or event • every practice session you have done • every time you have run a race This also explains why some reactions are not understood, because if you have been in that situation or a similar one before your subconscious will react as it did before – it has not been told to do anything different.

The unconscious mind follows instructions. Therefore, if you are a golfer and you three putt on the green muttering, “I am terrible at putting”, then guess what? The unconscious mind does what it is told and you are now officially terrible at putting!

The more positive way of looking at this is that the unconscious mind can allow you to break through barriers that had previously been put in place. Back in May 1954, Roger Bannister fully believed he would break the four-minute mile, which most people believed was not possible. His philosophy was, “Psychology and other factors set the razor’s edge of defeat or victory.”

How to make the unconscious mind work to improve your performance:

What your subconscious needs is clear instructions.

Include your senses when visualizing.

Your purpose must be positive.

What you practise is what you get.

EMOTIONS REACTION

AUTOMATIC BODILY FUNCTION CREATIVITY

The conscious mind in sport is responsible for: • setting your goals • arranging your training • deciding on tactics • analysing what parts of your performance need improving.

The conscious mind is where we find logical thought. It holds your short-term memory and it is what you use to go about your day.

There are frequent times in sport when you have to logically

64

When you are performing at peak performance and your body is doing exactly what you want it to do, almost on autopilot, your subconscious mind has taken over. Imagine that you are writing an instruction manual for your subconscious so that it knows exactly what it is that you require of it.

Some ideas could be to think about: • What is it you want that will specifically improve your performance?

• What would it feel like to train and compete as if on autopilot?

• How would your body respond?

• Which parts of your performance would flow better?

• What would other people see when they watched you?

Now, sitting quietly, close your eyes, take two deep breaths that you hold for a few seconds before releasing the breath and relaxing.

While sitting here think about the things you have just decided would be helpful to you and run them through in your mind, bringing in as many senses as possible. For example, if you are imagining the perfect training run when your subconscious takes over and just allows your body to perform well, include what your feet would sound like as you ran. What is it that you would see? If you can

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include the taste and smell senses, then this makes it even more effective.

IS IT TRUE? Sometimes your thoughts and feelings can affect your behaviour in such a way that it is unhelpful for your goal. For example, if you have an argument with your coach or personal trainer because you feel she doesn’t think you are working hard enough, it could leave you feeling miserable, fed up and your enthusiasm for training could be affected. There is a very useful process that can help you look at this situation.

ASK YOURSELF, “IS IT TRUE?” Sometimes stepping back and really looking at the situation can change your perspective, which will ultimately change your behaviour. Have a look at the table below.

ACTIVITY This is an extremely useful and powerful tool to help you reassess a situation. Remember, opinions are not facts.

Think of a situation you have been in recently that you could apply this process to and fill in the table below. It could be a race that has not gone exactly to plan or maybe a training session that left you feeling despondent.

When you fill in the “Is it true?” column, brainstorm as many different things as you can possibly think of, even if they don’t appear to be relevant. It can be surprising what insight comes from what appears to be irrelevant.

What is the situation?

How do you feel about it?

What other possible conclusions can you draw?

How are you thinking/ feeling now?

Is it true?

What has happened?

Argument with coach What’s the point?

What thoughts are going through your head?

I know I am working hard What does she expect of me?

She’s being unfair She doesn’t treat others like that Fed up

How do you feel about it?

Annoyed Frustrated Perhaps I was a little lazy

What other possible conclusions can you draw?

Is it true?

(Brainstorm as many possible solutions as you can think of)

Maybe she expects more of me as she sees more potential in me It could be nothing to do with me. She may be affected by something else.

It’s up to me how I respond I am en route to my goal, I need to re-focus Perhaps she felt I needed a shake-up She is on my side.

How do you feel now?

Re-motivated Happier Focused

This process will allow you to change your reactions to situations that had previously left you feeling, and possibly behaving, in a negative way.

The time to use this tool is when you become aware of a shift in your feelings or thoughts. For example, when you walk into a room full of people who are all deep in discussion, and when they see you the room goes quiet. If you imagine this scenario you will also notice how it affects your feelings.

ACT “AS IF” One of the most important and easiest ways to improve your performance is to stay positive. This is sometimes easier to say than to do, but it is easy to alter your thoughts and feelings simply by acting “as if ”.

We have seen that looking at a situation from a different perspective can change the way you feel, think and behave. But what would happen if we attacked this from a completely different angle?

What if your whole body language, tone, words and actions are in line with how you want to behave?

Here’s an experiment for you to try. Get together with a friend and stand still with your friend behind you. Raise your dominant arm and ask your friend to try to push it down whilst you resist (gently, so you don’t injure yourself). Return your arm to your side and say out loud, “I am weak and feeble.” Say this ten times with real conviction.

Raise your arm and ask your friend to push it down. This should happen very easily now. Return your arm to the side and repeat the process, but this time saying, “I am strong and powerful.” Your friend should have difficulty moving your arm down. This shows the power of your self-talk.

Notice the way that you speak to yourself within your old chatterbox. Speak positively and your attitude will follow. The mind can have a profound effect on you physically which is why it is so important to work on it alongside your physical training.

TA K E N F R O M 1 0 S E C R ETS TO S P O RT I N G S U C C E S S ( PA N O M A , £ 1 4. 9 9 ) , BY KAT I E PAG E AND HELEN CLARKE.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS KATIE PAGE, BA (HONS), SAC DIP, SAC CERT Katie’s passion for the mind and body connection began when she was paralysed by a virus. During this time she began researching the association between the mind and body. She was walking within nine months, which baffled doctors. Katie went on to qualify in Sports Psychology and now works with many of the country’s top athletes. mindtrainingforsport.co.uk

HELEN CLARKE, DIP CH NLPP Having played sport all her life, Helen now works with sportspeople helping them to train their minds. She runs a busy practice on the south coast. Using Neuro Linguistic Programming, Clinical Hypnotherapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Helen also helps her clients with their phobias, weight issues, smoking, anxiety, sleep problems, IBS, IVF and more. effectivechanges.co.uk

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Runner’s workout

BOOST YOUR 5K AND 10K SPEED IN FOUR WEEKS

Speed equals distance divided by time. Power equals speed multiplied by strength. In running terms this means that the more strength and power you have, the faster you’ll run.

SETS, REPS AND FREQUENCY Complete three sets of 10 repetitions twice per week in combination with a sprint session.

words: Anne-Marie Lategan

SEATED ARM DRIVES

Muscles: Arms and shoulders (biceps, triceps, deltoids) Why do it?

Having a good rear arm drive will help to propel you forwards faster.

Technique: ■ Sit on the floor with your legs straight ■ Keep a 90-degree bend in your elbows ■ Keep your hands relaxed ■ Swing one arm backwards until your fingers are next to your body ■ The other arm should be up with your finger tips, level with your shoulder ■ Swing your arms as fast as possible forwards and backwards ■ You will bounce on your bottom if you swing your arms fast enough Watch points: Keep your back upright and look forward.

RESISTANCE BAND LATERAL SQUATS

Muscles: Outer and inner thighs, bottom (abductors, adductors, glutes) Why do it?

Strengthening the supporting muscles during the running stride will reduce muscle fatigue.

Technique:

■ Tie a resistance band around

a pole or secure object to form a loop ■ Stand with your left shoulder facing the pole ■ Place your right ankle inside the resistance band loop ■ Step sideways with your right leg ■ Perform a squat ■ Step back to the centre position ■ Complete one set before changing over Watch points: Keep the resistance band behind your fixed leg.

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Runner’s workout CLAW DRILL

Muscles: Hip flexors, back thigh (psoas muscles, hamstrings) Why do it?

This exercise overexaggerates your running stride, which helps to strengthen the muscles.

■ Pull your toes up (dorsiflex) ■ Explosively push your foot down ■ Swipe your foot backwards and bring your heel up to kick

Technique: ■ Place your hands against a wall and keep your body at a 45-degree angle ■ Keep your arm straight ■ Lift one leg up until your thigh is level with the ground (high knee)

■ Bring your leg forward and repeat the move ■ Complete one set on the right before changing over to the

your bottom other side

Watch points: Keep a straight line between your ankle, hips and shoulders.

SINGLE-LEG SQUAT WITH SINGLE-ARM ROW

Muscles: Front thigh, bottom, upper back, core (quadriceps, glutes, rhomboids, lats, transversus abdominus) Why do it?

Performing the running motion with extra resistance will strengthen the muscles and improve your speed.

Technique:

■ Tie a resistance band

chest-height around a secure object ■ Hold the edge in your left hand, ensuring that there is some tension on the band ■ Balance on your right leg ■ Simultaneously squat with your right leg while pulling the resistance band backwards with your left hand ■ Pull your hand back until it’s next to your body in a right angle ■ Return to the starting position ■ Complete one set before switching to the other side Watch points: Tighten your core muscle to aid your balance.

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Runner’s workout SINGLE-LEG LUNGE JUMPS

Muscles: Front thighs, bottom (quadriceps, glutes) Why do it?

This is a great exercise to improve strength and explosive power.

Technique: ■ Place your right leg behind you on a step and stand on your left leg

■ Bend your left knee to perform a lunge ■ Explosively jump up ■ Upon landing go straight back into the lunge ■ Complete one set before changing Watch points: Tighten your core muscle to aid your balance.

WEIGHTED SQUAT JUMPS

Muscles: Front thighs, bottom (quadriceps, glutes) Why do it?

The more explosive power you have the quicker you can accelerate and the faster your speed will be.

Technique: ■ Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip width, holding a weight in each hand

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■ Bend your knees to perform a squat ■ Explosively jump up ■ Repeat the move as quickly as possible without losing technique

Watch points: Focus on a point in front of you. Don’t look down at your feet.

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Runner’s workout LYING GLUTE LIFT

Muscles: Bottom, lower back (glutes, para spinals) Why do it?

Activating your bottom during the running stride would help to propel you forward and optimise your running stride.

Technique:

■ Lie on the floor ■ Bend your left leg to form a right angle in your knee

■ Pull your toes down ■ Lift your knee off the

floor without rolling or lifting your hips ■ Complete one set before switching to the other leg Watch points: Ensure that you can feel your bottom working and not your hamstring (rear thigh). If you do feel your hamstring bend your knee more.

RUNNING MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

Muscles: Shoulders, arms, hip flexors and core (deltoids, rhomboids, biceps, triceps, psoas muscles, transversus abdominus) Why do it?

Get your core muscles and legs to work as a unit to improve your speed.

Technique: ■ Place your hands about shoulder-width apart on the floor ■ Keep your shoulders, hips and feet in line ■ Bring your right knee in towards your right elbow ■ Return to the start and repeat with your left leg ■ Start by walking the move before increasing the move to a run ■ Alternate between right and left Watch points: Don’t do this move if you have high blood pressure.

GET KITTED OUT Photography: Eddie Macdonald Model: Gabriella Darlington@ WA Styling: Anne-Marie Lategan Clothing: Crop: Man Up neon blue crop Top: Striders Edge. Bottom: Man Up neon blue shorts. Shoes: Adidas Glide Boost

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Š EDDIE MACDONALD

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EPIC TALES

TRAIL GEAR

PROJECT TRAIL

WR takes on the stunning Buff Epic Trail

Trail-ready kit for style as well as substance

Meet the intrepid ladies taking on the challenge

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Katie King’s weekend in Spain took her to dizzying heights at the Buff Epic Trail on 11 July Photos: Chris Kelk, Bu f f

woke up to shrieking and the smell of red wine as we flew over the Pyrenees on Friday morning. On an early flight to Barcelona, the girl in the seat behind me had just spilt her drink over her shorts.

“Epic fail!” taunted her friend; this seemed a bit uncharitable – it was her hen weekend, after all. I was grateful for the alarm call in time to see the view below us. On my way to the BUFF®Epic Run, a mountain trail race organised by the Catalan clothing brand, the weather was set to be hot and sunny. I may have had different plans to the girls behind me, but one piece of advice applied to us all: drink plenty of water this weekend.

Keen to develop trail running in Catalonia, Buff established a race for the first time on the trails in and around the landscape of Aigüestortes National Park: the ‘Epic Run’ launched in 2014 with a 105K ultramarathon that took in over 7,000m in climbing. I wasn’t ready to tackle a challenge on this scale but I had been a bit caught up in the notion of running across mountains since reading Lizzie Hawker’s Runner; luckily, the organisers at Buff had expanded this year’s event to include 21K and 42K races. I opted for the 21K and packed my bag for an adventure in the Pyrenees.

An entire town in the Vall de Boí seemed to have been taken over for the race: Barruera’s central landmark, a Romanesque church, was surrounded by a finishing lap, and Buff ’s banners, displaying the tagline ‘Flat is Boring’, were visible wherever you looked. The locals seem to embrace the takeover and the mayor was very much part of events, speaking animatedly about the run at the

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press conference the night before. While the 105K began at dawn on Saturday from Barruera, the 42K and 21K races started at more sociable hours with shuttle buses taking competitors out to their respective start points. For us, El Pont de Suert, a nearby town further south along the valley, was set up with a simple start funnel and bag drop, in front of a dramatic backdrop of mountains to remind us what the day had in store; just 15 minutes by road to get there, our route would take us the scenic way back to the finish.

With about 250 competitors, there was plenty of room to stream through the start and onto the first few hundred metres of wide concrete pathway.

Very soon, however, the course tightened onto a wobbly bridge, which slowed our excited crowd before we hit the Cami de l’Aigua: a narrow path that would wind along, then up and away from the river in the valley for the first 10K. I found myself running with a small group of women, changing places occasionally as we negotiated the rocky sections of trail. As the sheltered path opened up briefly, we caught a glimpse of the valley below and a sense of the height gained. Another runner suggested we grab a quick photo and we started to chat: Carolina was born in the UK but moved to Mallorca as a child; she had taken up trail running a few years ago and had moved quickly up to running longer distances, completing a 68K mountain trail race last year. “It’s much better than the road!” she yelled back as we picked our way carefully across more rocks.

Our race bibs had a handy course profile printed with the checkpoints; they were positioned well,

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King of the hill: Katie takes a well-deserved break

grinning – an international language between runners.

We could see and hear Barruera beneath us as the trail finally started to descend and we were able to run more than walk again. In my excitement, I took a wrong footing and tripped over; this time properly, and in full view of others. The words of the girl on the flight – “epic fail” – rang again in my head as I stood up, brushed down my bashed knees, and pretended it hadn’t hurt, but there was no such teasing from my two amigas. I think the hens would have been proud: like the trail running equivalent of the last three on the dance floor, we were walking each other home via the chip van, with high heels in hands. If it weren’t for the limping and dizziness, we might have belted out a rendition of ‘I will survive’. Instead, we grabbed each other’s hands and held them high across the finish line, before Carolina was swiftly whisked away for medical attention.

Shortly after, the first 42K finisher arrived in a winning time of nearly five hours. Neither the 21K nor 42K are courses on which to chase a PB but either would make a great challenge for anyone wanting try distance trail running in the mountains. For the second year running, the women’s winner of the 105K was Núria Picas: “An epic journey and not for the faint hearted,” she said on Instagram following her win, “amazing, beautiful and wild!” The Epic Run returns next year, with the 105K, 42K and 21K formats, and will host the 2016 World Skyrunning Championships.

“Epic” is used all too frequently - whether describing an impressive feat; recounting something that lasted a long time; or in teasing your mate when they trip up or spill a drink – and, this weekend, it was a word I’d become familiar with in many different ways. This adventure certainly deserved a glass of red wine. Rest assured, I didn’t spill a drop.

Katie King is a runner, blogger and cake lover. cakeofgoodhope.com

and stocked with water, isotonic drinks, energy bars and fruit. By the second stop, I knew that we were in for a change of scene: most of the course’s 1,400m cumulative ascent had been saved for the latter half of the race and our little group was soon strung out and silenced by a sharp climb. Tree cover helped to shade the route as we marched up and up, gaining about 400m in the next two kilometres, and taking us to the most spectacular part of the route. Following a path with a steep drop to one side, the trees cleared and allowed views across the valley below; a brief rest from the climbing made it tempting to pick up the pace on the rolling trail, while striking a careful balance between admiring the scenery and watching your step on the rocks below.

I chuckled to myself as I nearly tripped, and looked behind to see if anyone had clocked it; after running alone for a while, I was glad to see Carolina again but she was minding her own step rather than watching mine. The temperature seemed to be climbing as steeply as we were once more, and she told me she had been feeling unwell with what looked like heat exhaustion. We stopped at the 15K aid station while the marshals checked in with her; after a lot of discussion in Spanish, they agreed that she would be allowed to carry on. Another runner from our earlier group, Eulalia, had stayed back too and the three of us agreed to continue together: Carolina and Eulalia spoke Spanish, Carolina and I spoke English, and Eulalia and I communicated mostly through sticking our thumbs up and

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“I really enjoyed the dynamic and high-spirited level of encouragement all along the tracks – people are very involved and happy to be in such event.

I also really enjoyed the view at every pass we claim as a prize to get closer to the finish line.

“But it was hard! It was especially difficult to keep on walking and running over very unstable, rocky and quite dangerous terrain, especially because of rocks falling down, once because of sheep running away and sometimes because of some runners a bit too furious on the way down...

“Of course as always during the hardest moments of your life, you don’t think of coming back, but I must say that the pictures, the smiles and the keen interest of the locals make me want to try again, in better conditions, to challenge myself and enjoy even more that the beautiful race has to offer.”

Barbara Deliere (France), 2nd in 42K event

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COMFY A ND ST Y LISH TR AIL-R EADY KIT

UNDERARMOUR HEATGEAR 7.5CM SHORTY UA is really standing out this season with its distinctive stylish prints, all at great prices. Incredibly lightweight, with a four-way stretch, these shorts sit very comfortably on your hips. They didn’t get heavier with sweat and the material feels divine against your skin. £22, underarmour.co.uk

SALOMON FAST WING HOODIE

ODLO ATOMY SINGLET

This jacket is so lightweight and packable that you can squeeze it into the tiniest of spaces, even the smallest of pockets on waistbelts. It gives enough protection from the elements to make it an essential for the trails, and is so transportable you’d be a fool to leave home without it.

There’s an American collegiate feel to this vest; it’s fab in the heat, but also as the temperature drops as it’s great layered up. It’s fast drying, and also features antibacterial silver to wage war on any unwanted smells!

£80, salomon.com/uk

£35, odlo.co.uk

SAUCONY BULLET CAPRI If you want to take off on the trails we recommend the Speedcross 3. Stability without rigidity, this shoe is lightweight but feels incredibly sturdy. With powerful grip and plenty of padding around the ankles you won’t feel you are wearing such a robust shoe. We fell in love with them instantly!

We loved the way these capris finish just below your knee (the inseam is 16.5inches) compared to mid-calf, as many do. There’s a zippered back storage pocket as well as side cargo pockets, so you get plenty of space for essentials. The scalloped reflective trim on the side pockets and the back covers safety, and the wide waistband is a winner for any size.

£100, salomon.com/uk

£45, saucony.co.uk

SALOMON SPEEDCROSS 3 FUELMAX PLUS BARS A delicious combination of dark chocolate and apricot pieces, these are the ideal pre-run snack for when energy levels are low. As an added bonus, they taste good too.

12 in a box for £23.99, shop.maxinutrition.com

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ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE LACES End the worry about whether your shoe laces may come undone with these colourful and tough elastic laces. Easy to fit, the spring-loaded lock will hold the cord securely in place, leaving you free to concentrate on your pace. £5.99, ultimate-performance.co.uk

THE NORTH FACE ULTRA MT SHOES If you’re looking for a shoe that fits like a slipper yet grips in all terrain this is it! The Vibram Megagrip outsole makes this a rugged shoe, plus the Ultra Air Mesh allowed for ventilation. Both are perfectly complimented by the pink colourway, giving it a feminine edge. £110, thenorthface.co.uk

XBIONIC THE TRICK SHIRT

ON CLOUDCRUISER The CloudTec sole of these shoes, featuring hollow pods, gave a cushioned ride out on the trails. This is a natural shoe that, once worn, soon becomes a favourite due to the feeling you get of running on air. The upper was breathable and versatile.

BRIDGEDALE SPEED DIVA You can really notice the extra cushioning in these socks (especially in the Achilles zone) due to the T2 technology, featuring a knitted loop within a loop. They’re also highly breathable. Ideal for longer miles and marathons.

We were blown away by how technical this top is. Heat management is tackled by a pad along the spinal column.

You also get compression, odour minimisation, protection against the cold, and stability zones to stop it riding up. It also was a great fit: 10 out of 10 to X-bionic for innovation. £79.99, ardblairsports.com

£12.99, bridgedale.com

£125, on-running.com

INOV-8 TERRACLAW 250

What’s not to like about Halo’s latest offering? Halo’s yellow seal is amazing at redirecting sweat away from your eyes, and its headbands fit so well. Go wild and have fun!

Weighing just 250g, the Terraclaw 250 is lightweight and agile, while still offering outstanding levels of protection. Perfect for training and racing over any distance, its multi-directional outsole lugs deliver unrivalled trail grip, while the fit has been engineered to keep the foot stable yet still allow the toes to splay.

£14.95, haloheadbanduk.com

£120, inov-8.com

HALO CAMO HEADBAND

MAXINUTRITION FUELMAX An all-in-one energy drink that maintains performance and keeps you hydrated – that’s a winner to us! We found it was best taken before exercise; providing a noticable boost of energy. £19.99, shop.maxinutrition.com

ADIDAS GT MARATHON 10 SHORTS Sweat won’t touch you when you wear the women’s adidas Marathon 10 Shorts. They’re made from Climalite fabric that sweeps sweat away from your skin and are available in three colours. £22, adidas.co.uk

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TRAIL BLAZERS

OUR TOUGH TRAIL TRIO HAVE BEEN PICKED OUT FROM SOME STIFF COMPETITION – NOW THEIR CHALLENGE REALLY STARTS… Inter views: Elizabeth Huf ton / Photos: Eddie Macdonald

Back in July, we invited Women’s Running readers to tell us why you should be a member of this year’s Project Trail team, training with the help of our Fitness Editor Anne-Marie Lategan and kit partner Salomon to complete a grueling off-road half-marathon. We received an incredible response – it’s amazing how many of you are prepared to put yourselves through the grind of training for such a challenging event. In the end we had to pick some winners and now Vicki Juett, Louise Wilks and Anne Akers have put on their brand new Salomon kit and started the (literal) uphill struggle to complete the EnduranceLife Coastal Trail Series Gower half-marathon in November (endurancelife.com).

MEET THE COACH Anne-Marie Lategan is no stranger to running on all kinds of terrain in all kinds of conditions, for hours on end. She’s an ultrarunner, and as we write is heading out for her second attempt at the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, a throughthe-night ultra race around Europe’s highest peak. AnneMarie is also a qualified personal trainer and she’ll be giving each of our team members individual training plans and advice for the race. You’ll be able to find details of each of their plans at womensrunninguk.co.uk.

Vicki

JUETT THIS TOUGH 43-YEAR-OLD HAS BEEN RUNNING FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT RECENTLY FACED HER HARDEST CHALLENGE OF ALL: BEATING BREAST CANCER. NOW SHE’S THROUGH HER TREATMENT, SHE’S RUNNING TO HELP REGAIN HER FITNESS AND APPRECIATE HER HEALTH. SHE’S A SPECIAL NEEDS TEACHER BASED IN PENISTONE, SOUTH YORKSHIRE, AND IS MUM TO 11-YEAR-OLD LEWIS

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or Vicki Juett, running a very difficult offroad half-marathon as autumn turns to winter will be a relief. Not because she’s a masochist, but because for Vicki, returning to running represents a fresh start following 18 months of grueling treatment for breast cancer. She’s had two operations, six rounds of chemotherapy, 15 rounds of radiotherapy and a year of taking the anti-cancer drug herceptin. Throughout the treatment, Vicki gained almost three stone and lost her hair, but now she’s ready to reclaim her body. “I would love to be chosen for this project because I feel like a new runner all over again,” she told us in her original entry.

Vicki started running years ago with the encouragement of colleagues at the school in Sheffield where she then worked. “Sheffield is incredibly hilly, and the group would circle back around to wait for me as I jogged up the hills that felt like mountains,” she says.

But she soon progressed and ran her first half-marathon in 2007, finishing in 2hrs 16mins. She went on to run several more, but always on the road. “After I changed schools, we had a kids running club after school, and a couple of our runs were trail runs,” she says. “My view of it at the time was that I’d end up with a sprained ankle.”

She had just moved to an idyllic trail training location – the village of Penistone, on the edge of the Peak District and with easy access to the Trans Pennine Trail – in 2013 when she began to be suspicious of pain in her left breast.

“The doctors already kept quite a close eye on me and my sister because my mum had had a cancer diagnosis six years earlier. I had a burning sensation that wouldn’t go away, so I went up to my new doctor’s surgery.” She was given anti-inflammatories and told to return in a few weeks if they didn’t take effect – which they didn’t, but with a busy life and job, a few weeks turned into a few months, and it was March 2014 before Vicki eventually returned. “The doctor said he could feel an anomaly – not a lump, but there was something different from one side to the other. My feet didn’t touch the ground after that.”

A mammogram and biopsy confirmed that Vicki did have stage three breast cancer and she began the whirlwind of treatment, starting with surgery. Tests on her cancer showed it was oestrogen positive, which meant she’d be taking tamoxifen (an oestrogen blocker) for five years; and it was also protein positive, so would respond well to taking herceptin – but that would only work with chemotherapy alongside it. So in May she began chemo.

“It’s harder looking back than it was going through it,” she says. “I lost my hair, I put loads of weight on – to be fair, I had comfort eaten my way through my diagnosis, it was my way of dealing with it. Alongside the steroids you have, even though your tastebuds vanish and you still throw up with the strongest anti-sickness pills, you still manage to bloat and put weight on.

“In August, when it finished, it was like winning the Lottery. When you’ve had to be injected with something you know is going to make you feel like shit, it’s awful, but you know you’ve got to do it.”

During her chemo Vicki had made an attempt at running. “I had to keep exercising,” she says. “My bottom line was, I needed to be able to get my son to school every day, and I needed to be able to walk my dogs.

Everything else I had lots of help with.

“So I thought, I’ll have a go at running, just to try and

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“Sheffield is incredibly hilly, and the group would circle back around to wait for me as I jogged up the hills that felt like mountains” curb the weight gain and keep as healthy as I could. It wasn’t that successful to be honest – my legs felt like they were made of lead, and my breathing wasn’t that good because the herceptin can damage your heart muscles.”

When her chemo and radiotherapy came to an end, Vicki decided to take action to get rid of the weight gain, and joined Weight Watchers. One of her group started a Couch to 5K running group, and she joined. “I thought, ‘I need to pretend I’ve never run before and go right back to basics.’” It was worth the effort – her last heart scan to check the effects of the herceptin showed that, in fact, her heart function had improved before she’d even finished taking the drug.

Now, Vicki is gradually finding a new life as a runner and says her view of her body has completely changed.

“Right from being a teenager, I’ve always been body conscious and always thought ‘I feel fat!’ But it took me being bald and nearly three stone overweight in the mirror to think, ‘If I can’t accept my body in the worst state it’s

ever been now, I’m never going to be able to.’ I don’t look down on my figure any more and I don’t stress about whether there’s a little bit of back fat here.

I do moan like everybody does, but it’s not a deep down disgust or dislike of myself – I’m a lot more at peace with myself physically and mentally than I was.”

She’s also more at peace with the trail – albeit the flat, friendly surface of the Trans Pennine Trail near her home – so seeing the Project Trail competition was just what she needed. “I really wanted a new challenge. I wanted to get my body fitter, to look at running in a different way, without being obsessed with times.”

She’s in no doubt that she’ll have to make use of some of the peaks that give her area its name, though. “The hills will be the most challenging aspect of this for me,” she says. “The first time [she took up running] I did quite a few runs on road hills, but I must admit the Trans Pennine Trail is lovely and flat. Hills will be my challenge, but they will make me so much fitter.”

And there is no doubt she’s up for that challenge. “I know some people have different experiences with different types of cancer, but I thought, ‘Do you know what – my body isn’t broken any more, I need to get it back to normal.’ ”

THE COACH’S VIEW “Vicki is a regular runner but is lacking strength training in her weekly routine. I will be adding regular strength training workouts to her programme. Her normal running sessions will also be tailored to prepare her for the Welsh hills. Once Vicki starts running in trail shoes off road, I’m sure that she will quickly build confidence running downhill. The biggest challenge for Vicki will be to adjust her programme during weeks when she feels really tired without feeling guilty about the changes.”

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Louise

WILKS

A RELATIVE NEWBIE TO RUNNING, LOUISE, 30, WAS INSPIRED TO TAKE IT UP BY HER HERO, MELANIE “SPORTY SPICE” CHISHOLM AND DID HER FIRST RACE IN THE SPRING OF 2014. HOWEVER, THIS LONDON-BASED TRAIL WANNABE ADMITS SHE’LL HAVE TO WORK HARD TO EARN HER OFF-ROAD STRIPES, TRAINING REGULARLY NEAR HER OFFICE ON THE CITY’S SOUTH BANK

et’s get one thing straight – being a lifelong fan of Sporty Spice doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a lifelong fan of sport. “I’d always just loved Sporty, because she was the coolest Spice Girl and she had the best voice, and I still love her now for those reasons,” says Louise Wilks. “I did used to dress up as her when I was 12, but in the 90s it was cool to wear sportswear whether or not you were doing sports so I tended to get away with it. The sports aspect wasn’t the reason I was a fan of her, but eventually that’s the reason I got into running.”

In fact, Louise couldn’t have been less sporty herself.

“I was on the cross-country team at school when I was ten and probably did about five races. It was really because no-one else wanted to do it! I hated PE when I was in high school – the showers were horrible, the teachers weren’t very encouraging if you were rubbish, and it always seemed to be raining when we were doing it because I’m from Manchester.”

Little did she realise at the time that her Sporty Spice following would eventually turn around that reluctance.

A regular at Mel C’s gigs, Louise had extended her support to some of Mel’s sporting challenges, including running races and triathlons, and she and a friend Leo even got to chat to their idol at one of her sporting events. “She was like, ‘You’re getting quite good at supporting, but have you ever considered taking part in any of this?’ To be honest, we had said ‘It would be great to do this’, but not in any serious way.”

Then last January, Leo messaged Louise to say the race at the Olympic Park had opened for entries again, and suggested they enter. By the end of the day they had signed up.

Louise’s first run didn’t do much to turn around her earlier impressions of taking part in sport, though. “I’d worked out where there was quite a big park near us, but I couldn’t find the entrance and ended up running in a cemetery which was near the park. It was really cold and throwing it down. I set off and, feeling exhausted very quickly, dared to look at my watch, thinking I must have been going for a good 10 minutes. Nope… One minute 56 seconds and I was knackered already!”

But she trained seriously for the three-mile race and,

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THE COACH’S VIEW “Louise is still a new runner and is only used to road running. She will need to gain confidence running off road. Wearing the Salomon Speedcross 3 shoes will give her a lot of grip on the trails and should prevent slips and falls. Her current training is lacking strength exercise so I will incorporate it into her weekly plan. Lou’s biggest challenge would be to gain confidence on trails, so that she can use her road speed on the trails.

By improving her uphill and downhill running technique she will be able to enjoy the views and the excitement which comes from running on trails.”

by the time the big day came around, she knew she could complete the distance. She and Leo finished in under 30 minutes. “We celebrated as if we’d run a marathon!

I could really see why people did it, because it’s really exciting once you’ve done your first race.”

Louise’s second race – a five miler – wasn’t quite as successful. “I’d seen a warning the day before saying it was going to be a really hot day, so I drank so much water that I was bursting for a wee, I hated every second of it.

After that I was like, ‘Do I really want to carry on?’”

But she did, and gradually began to start enjoying her running – and found that she might be able to live up to being a true Sporty Spice fan after all, with an impressive 10K PB of under 50 minutes at the Women’s Running 10K in Finsbury Park, and a half-marathon best of 1:47:09.

“Melanie tweeted me saying she was proud of me after my first half-marathon, which was a really special moment!”

Now Louise truly loves running and says that, despite the crowds, she relishes sightseeing training sessions down London’s South Bank – but realises there could be

“Melanie tweeted me saying she was proud of me after my first half-marathon, which was a really special moment” something missing from her usual training spots. “Trail running intimidates me,” she says. “The couple of times I’ve encountered a few metres of grass in a race, I’ve silently cursed the organisers!

“Whenever I see articles on off-road running, I’m so tempted by the sensational views and the opportunity to really engage with nature – I get excited if I run past a garden with nice plants in it on my current routes!”

The appeal of training with a coach like Anne-Marie was also a draw when Louise entered Project Trail. “I’m always reading about the speedwork I should be doing, and the strengthening exercises and fartleks and all that jazz, but it all goes out the window the minute I start running as I don’t know where to start. I think a training plan would massively help with this!”

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“I’m rubbish at uphills.

If I can crack hills I can do anything”

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Anne

AKERS

ANNE, 56, IS NO STRANGER TO DIFFICULT OFF-ROAD COURSES, EVEN THOUGH SHE ONLY HAS “A RUNNING AGE OF EIGHT.” SHE’S AN OUTDOOR ENTHUSIAST WITH A HEAD FOR HEIGHTS BUT PERHAPS NOT THE LEGS FOR THEM (YET!) – HILLS AND A TENDENCY TOWARDS HAPHAZARD TRAINING ARE THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES SHE’LL HAVE TO HURDLE ON THE WAY TO THE GOWER

ou might wonder what a woman with years of circuit training, trekking, rock climbing and skiing experience could possibly find daunting about a mere jog. But for Anne Akers, our final Project Trail team member, running was once a far more frightening prospect than scaling a crag. “It sounds silly but I didn’t think I could do it,” she says. “In my head it was beyond me. My feet aren’t very good – a legacy of too many high-heeled shoes when I was younger. We’ve a saying in Yorkshire: ‘Ooh, I’m a martyr to my feet’ – and I think that was it.

Anyway, I thought, ‘I’m too old.’”

But when her friend Ruth, a marathon runner, wanted to return to running after having a baby, and singled out Anne as her new training partner, she wasn’t going to take no for an answer. “We live in a village called Calverley, just outside Leeds, and we have woods here which are great for running, as I now know. I ran from the woods to my house, which is not far at all really, and thought I was going to die. Obviously, I did what everyone does, which is set off as fast as you can go.”

They persevered and it wasn’t long before Ruth suggested they run the Dewsbury 10K. The experience sealed the deal for Anne.

“I thought I’d conquered the world at the end of the 10K. I was 49 years old, I’d run my first 10K, and I never thought I could run. I found that I could – and I found that I loved it.

In her eight years of running, Anne has built up an impressive CV including more than 100 parkruns, eventually becoming a Run Director at her local event. “Parkrun was kind of instrumental in getting me into structured running,” she says. “I’d already done the 10K and somebody mentioned parkrun, so I went along and saw that it was anyone, from people who would walk it, to those who were elite athletes. They are always looking for volunteers so I did that a couple of times, then said to the guy who runs it that I’d quite like to be run director, which you do once every six weeks or so. It’s a wonderful experience. I just love to see people realise their potential and have a go.”

She’s since joined a running club and qualified as a run leader, and is the only one of our team to have already completed an offroad half, at the brutal Yorkshireman – technically, a fell race. “I’ve done a number of fell runs,” says Anne. “I can even say I’ve raced against Olympic athletes Alistair and Jonny Brownlee, well when I say I raced against them, we started at the same time, the fact that they were back home having their Sunday dinner by the time I finished is neither here nor there.”

Having once finished last in a race, Anne is determined that won’t happen again, but says that finishing times are not her focus.

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“My idea of running heaven is being in the open air, on the tops, breathing in the air, feeling that I’m running well and looking around to see the beautiful scenery, smell the wonderful smells and enjoy being with people who I know or am getting to know – because I’ve met many people on runs who have become friends.”

Luckily, Anne’s husband Noel shares her passion for running, and exhorts her to “Attack the hills!” – something she acknowledges she’ll need to learn to do before the EnduranceLife race. “I’m really good at downhills,” she says. “I’m rubbish at uphills. If I can crack hills I can do anything.”

A woman with considerable energy, when she’s not running or helping others run, Anne is a self-employed communications consultant, chair of governors at the local school, photographer, allotment keeper, climber and skier. So it’s perhaps no wonder that what appealed most about joining the Project Trail team was the opportunity to have someone to help her focus her efforts.

“I can be very vague,” she says. “Having something to focus on will just remind me how good I feel after I train properly, and can do it without puffing and panting and wishing I hadn’t entered. It’s silly really – in my head I know that I need to get things structured but I’m not naturally a structured person.”

“When I saw Project Trail, I just saw my name on it,” she says, “because I’d love to have somebody who knows what they’re talking about and somebody who I will absolutely listen to, tell me how to get myself sorted. I want to learn with the other women, learn lessons that others can learn from and have a great time.”

THE COACH’S VIEW “Anne is an experienced trail runner and loves all outdoor sport. Her enthusiasm to learn and improve will be to her benefit for the programme. She is already doing a variety of strength training and running so I only need to tweak her programme. The weakest part of her running stride is her arm swing.

Improving this will help her to climb the hills faster. Anne’s biggest challenge will be not to over analyse everything. She is a very talented downhill runner so she should enjoy the Gower course.”

Follow the team!

Keep track of the team’s progress on Twitter at #ProjectTrail @womensrunninguk and on our website womensrunninguk.co.uk

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DO THE DOUBLE Gunning for a 5K or 10K PB? Get in race-ready shape with our four-week plan

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BACK TO SCHOOL Tina Chantrey heads to the Running School for a confidence-boosting technique masterclass

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VOLUME CONTROL Upping the mileage isn’t the only way to improve. Liz Hufton tells you how to beat your plateau, injury free

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ompleting a 5K or a 10K race is a brilliant achievement that you should be proud of. But what if you’ve already ticked that off and you want to improve on your race finish time?

Even if you’ve just raced last weekend, you can surf your wave of fitness to improve on your personal best in as little as four weeks’ time.

This isn’t something you can do with marathons or even half-marathons, as your body needs a good three or four weeks to recover from longer races – so although you could well complete the course again a month later, your chances of improving on your time would be pretty limited. Shorter events lend themselves to this approach though, as you just need a base of endurance fitness and good conditioning for speedwork; you can then use faster sessions to fine-tune your speed in just a few weeks. As you’re reading this, you’re just four weeks away from the final race in our Women’s Running 10K Series, in Finsbury Park, London on 27 September – where there’s also a 5K option. If you’ve already raced this summer, why not use this plan to end the season on a high with a new PB?

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DOUBLING UP RULES Planning to run two hard races just a few weeks apart?

Follow these rules so you don’t come a cropper, then turn the page for our four-week speed plans.

1. Give it four weeks As long as you can comfortably cover the distance of your race and beyond, you could enter events two or three weeks apart and have a good time at both. However, we’d suggest at least four weeks (as per our plans) or ideally six to allow a little bit of recovery time from race one, and a chance to add speed for race two.

2. Review your performance The easiest way to make gains in a short space of time is to go over your first event and look at where you could improve. This could come down to tactical practice, such as changing where you start in the pack; to racing skills – did you start too fast last time, or feel you had too much left in the bank at the end of your race? Or it could be something as simple as adding a shot of coffee half an hour before the start to pep you up more. Review your race as soon as possible afterwards, while it’s fresh in your mind, and talk it over with your training partners or supporters to make sure you don’t forget anything – the tiniest detail could give you a 20-second gain next time round.

3. Do a mini taper For shorter races you don’t need to wind down too much anyway, but for your second 5K or 10K in a few weeks, it’s really just a case of having a couple of easier days before your event. Follow the other taper rules though: no shopping marathons, FIND OUT HOW TO DIY projects or Wainwright-bagging TAPER attempts in the week before your race, PAGE 36 and make sure you eat well.

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4. Pay attention to pacing Precision is key when it comes to improving over a shorter race distance without much extra training. In fact, getting better at pacing could be all you need to race faster at your second event than your first – even if you change nothing about your training in the interim. If you usually train by feel, use a watch or heart-rate monitor for speed sessions in training for your second race. You don’t have to use it during the event, but it might help you to push yourself harder in these precious few weeks of prep.

5. Don’t do it with long races However good you feel and however much you enjoyed your last 10-miler, half or marathon, don’t be tempted to double up on these longer races within a three-month period, especially if you’ve been running for less than year. Longer races cause glycogen depletion (low fuel stores), minor muscle damage and lowered immunity that takes your body time to recover from – so even if you feel back on form a couple of weeks later, you’ll soon suffer if you toe the line of another long race too soon.

“The easiest way to make gains in a short space of time is to go over your first event and look at where you could improve” 6. Don’t do it every month Unless you’re a very experienced runner, don’t try to race every single month for six months.

You can get away with doubling up every now and then but your peak fitness period can only extend so far – after that, just as you need a rest day every week, you’ll need a good long rest period.

7. If it ain’t broke…

We’ve given some short, sweet training plans over the page to help you train for your second event, but if you have a plan that you’re happy with and it’s worked really well, don’t abandon it now. This is certainly not the time to suddenly double your distance or experiment with whether pogo stick training can make you faster. If you had a good race first time round, continue with the same type of training and you should see results.

8. Add some extras That said, there’s no harm in putting a bit of extra effort in for your second race. As well as adding more intense speedwork to your routine, you can build running speed with tailored strength and conditioning work. Try the eight-move programme put together by our fitness editor Anne-Marie Lategan on page 66.

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DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

20-30mins easy running + strength circuit (page 66)

Rest

30mins crosstraining with fast intervals

Rest

20mins easy running

Rest

RACE 1

Rest

30-35mins crosstraining (nonimpact such as swimming) + strength circuit

Rest

Run 2025mins with 3x1min fast thrown in as you feel like it

30-40mins crosstraining

Rest

Run 3035mins steady

Rest

25-30mins easy running, with 5x1min as fast as you can, 2min recoveries

40-45mins crosstraining, easy

20mins easy running + strength circuit

30mins crosstraining with fast intervals

Rest

35-40mins steady run with 10mins at 5K race pace

WEEK 4

DAY 1

Rest

30-35mins crosstraining with 10mins at 7-8/10 effort + strength circuit

Rest

25-30mins running with 6x1min as fast as you can, 2min recoveries

40mins crosstraining, steady

Rest

35-40mins steady run with 2x7mins at 5K race pace

30mins crosstraining, easy

Rest

20mins easy running

Rest

20mins easy running with a few 30-second sprints

Rest

5K RACE

WEEK 3

WEEK 2

WEEK 1

DAY 2

WEEK 5

5K DOUBLE-UP PLAN

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WEEK 5

WEEK 4

WEEK 3

WEEK 2

WEEK 1

10K DOUBLE-UP PLAN

DAY 1

DAY 2

Rest

30mins easy running + strength circuit

Rest

45mins crosstraining (swimming or nonimact) + strength circuit

DAY 3

DAY 4

DAY 5

DAY 6

DAY 7

Rest

30mins crosstraining: swimming, gym or bike

20mins easy running

Rest

RACE 1

Rest

30-35mins running with 4-6 hill intervals (up to 2mins each), jog recoveries

40-45mins crosstraining with fast intervals

Rest

45mins running with 20mins at race pace

Run 30-35 mins with 6-8 x 400m (or 2mins) at 5K pace

40-45mins crosstraining

Rest

50mins run with 2x15mins at race pace.

Practise gauging effort

Rest

50-60mins inc 2025mins at race pace

Rest

10K RACE

Rest

Run 30mins steady + strength circuit

40-45mins crosstraining at 6-7/10 effort

Rest

Run 40mins with 4-6 hill reps (2-4mins each), jog down to recover

40-45mins crosstraining, easy, plus strength circuit

Rest

Run 3540mins inc 2x sets of 200m, 400m, 800m with 2mins recovery

Rest

30mins steady running + strength circuit

45mins crosstraining with some harder intervals

Rest

20mins easy running

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Think your running technique is beyond hel nning Think again. Tina Chantrey heads to The Ru ait School for a lesson in how to improve her g

efore I started my six sessions, I talked to Mike Antoniades, the founder and performance director of The Running School.

He told me how most recreational runners run without a thought for their technique.

“Running posture becomes a leaning, mechanical shuffle rather than an elastic movement,” says Mike.

“Most runners haven’t been taught, so they run how they think they should. To change [that], they have to go through a retraining process.”

This is what The Running School does. It aims to teach you the correct, and most efficient running motion. “This means the body has very little up and down movement (minimal bouncing), the arms are relaxed as they move, like mini pistons backwards and forwards, and the legs are cycling with the heel coming up above the knee when it is off the ground,” says Paul Bartlett, my coach at The Running School, Southampton.

I signed up for their six-week course, with the hope of transforming my technique, and the dream of ending my

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annoying niggles (and maybe even getting back into PB shape). I’ve suffered from recurrent niggles and injuries in my left leg for several years. The opportunity to get some expert insight into this was too good to miss.

WHAT TO EXPECT After a few minutes of easy jogging on a treadmill, Paul videoed me from the rear and the side. When we looked at the footage I could see my left shoulder was sloping down more than my right. Paul was able to instantly tell me exactly what the cause was – my glutes (the muscles around your bottom), and especially my left ones, weren’t firing. Paul told me 95% of the people he sees have poor glute activation. My right glutes were overcompensating for this, as was my whole right side; my right arm was coming forward and across my body; my right foot was further forward when it struck the ground than my left.

Next I tried a few functional exercises to make my glutes fire. I then hopped back on the treadmill to try out the correct running posture (your heels kicking upwards

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THE EXPERIENCE Running Technique Coaching, six sessions, The Running School, Southampton RUNNER Tina Chantrey, 44 PBs 20:55 (5K), 43:06 (10K), 70:10 (10 miles), 1:40:44 (half marathon), 3:39:05 (marathon) CURRENT GOALS Sub-3:30 marathon in October COST £260 EXPECTED OUTCOME “A detailed biomechanical analysis of running technique and movement screening, five coaching sessions, a handbook (including beginner/intermediate running programmes and a strength programme) and ‘before’ and ‘after’ clips of your running,” Paul Bartlett, Southampton Running School.

CONTACT Visit the Running School website (runningschool.co.uk) to find your nearest Running School (there are nine franchises around the country, as well as one in Germany). For Southampton Running School Call 02380 653707 or email southampton@runningschool.co.uk

towards your bottom, your arms pumping forwards with the elbows at a 90-degree angle), which I found really hard. Within 20 seconds I was out of breath. After a brief rest, I tried again. Each time Paul shouted at me to adjust my hands (higher towards my chin), my elbows (drive back so that my hand comes as far back as my hip) and my heels (higher!). The first session was harder than I had expected, but I’d been equipped with the basics. It was up to me to go away and do the work.

Over the next week I did my glute activation exercises every day, and every time I ran I did some of the exaggerated technique. After about 30 seconds I would be exhausted though. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do what Paul expected me to!

RUNNING FASTER, GETTING STRONGER Session two was even tougher. I went over my functional exercises and I felt so much stronger than the previous week. Then it was straight onto the treadmill to practise the exaggerated ‘correct’ technique after a warm up; we did this session over and over again as I added in new elements (or tried to take out more bad habits). We also went outside and I practised the exaggerated technique further – and surprisingly it felt quite natural (though still an effort; I knew I couldn’t maintain it in a race situation).

Session three was… you’ve guessed it, hard! I now realised the course was going to be more demanding than I thought. We warmed up with my functional exercises to get my glutes firing, and then hopped onto the treadmill to practise in full. An intense 10 minutes, doing co-ordination exercises on the mat, had me tapping back and forth with each foot onto a marker, as fast as possible. Then it was hopping forward, to the side, back and to the other side – all fast, all trying to keep your feet in the circle you start from. “These fast co-ordination exercises, that you do on both sides and to the back and front, re-teach your body to use all of the muscles in the legs at the right time,” Paul told me as I was sweating all over the place. “In just 15 minutes you can start to re-fire the correct sensory pathways to ensure you are using each leg properly.”

I can’t lie – I was relieved when the hard work was over! We went outside to practise my exaggerated technique halfway across a football pitch, and it was surprising how I felt as if I was skipping along. Still, with the South Downs Trail Half Marathon that weekend,

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I was worried I would revert to my old hunched-back habits as my body got tired running the hills.

POWERED BY FAIRY DUST The race was a big turning point for me. I expected to struggle, so I couldn’t believe how I felt like a completely different runner. The sensation was of being ‘open’; my shoulders were back, even when I got tired towards the end. I was engaging my core much more than usual. With each new hill I did exactly what Paul suggested – used my arms to power up and kept my thumbs pointing forwards.

It seemed to keep my gait in check, and I felt relaxed, comfortable, I even had a spring in my step all the way round. Was this a new me? I hadn’t been expecting that!

Sessions four and five also involved more functional and coordination exercises (jumping back and forth to different points on the mat), plus running on the treadmill at gradient 15! This felt so hard, even just 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off. But it really worked. When I went back to running with no gradient it felt like I was a child; like fairy dust had been sprinkled into my trainers. I was amazed at how quickly my body had adapted.

During the last session I repeated the functional movement analysis I did in the first; my score went up from 60 out of 100, to 90. Being a competitive soul, I was duly proud. And in the first week post-course I ran a 5K PB. When you’re in your mid-40s any PB feels like 10 Christmases rolled into one.

I feel like my running style is incredibly different – and better for it. I’ve not quite done the speed training to complement it, but every time I run now I am adopting the style without concentrating. Paul gave me a sheet of strength exercises, which I’m even going to take on holiday with me.

If I need a follow-up session, to check my technique is correct, I will pop along. Keep up with the exercises you are given and this, hopefully, shouldn’t be necessary.

If you are struggling with injury or niggles, lacking the speed you seek, or just feel you have lost your way with running, then a course with The Running School may be perfect for you. I almost feel love towards Paul.

He’s my running doctor. Not only has he unlocked my biomechanical issues, the changes he suggested seemed to have traversed my energy systems and I feel as if I am so much more confident within, mind body and soul. The hunched, depressed-looking runner is gone. Forever!

EXCLUSIVE OFFER ■ Southampton Running School is offering half price biomechanical analysis, at just £15, exclusively to Women’s Running readers.

■ The sessions involves a 1:1 session with one of their Running School coaches who will analyse your running technique to identify your strengths and weaknesses. This session will be tailored to your fitness level and running experience, they will show you where injuries come from and to stop new injuries occurring, and how to improve your PBs. This is available to both children and adults.

■ The 30-minute session is by appointment only. To book please call 02380 653707 or email southampton@ runningschool.co.uk, quoting Women’s Running magazine.

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rom the first step of our running journey, we know that further is probably better, and our first measure of improvement is how far and how often we’re able to run. As a rule of thumb, running three times per week, for 30 minutes at a time, is considered a good level for fitness.

But what about when you’re managing that comfortably? What happens when your idea of “better running” starts to be measured not just in terms of non-stop jogs or 10,000 steps per day, and starts to be about improving your speed or racing longer distances? At this point the temptation is to do more of the same. To keep adding runs to your week until you’re hopping out of bed and straight into your trainers on a daily basis without even thinking.

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MORE IS BETTER There’s no doubt about it, running more is a good idea if you want to improve your race performance – up to a point. Running three times per week, especially if you’re not fitting in any other training, will only get you so far. So your first step to getting better at any distance is to build up to running five or even six days per week. That not only gives you a better foundation in terms of your aerobic fitness, but also allows you to vary your sessions from day to day so that you’re training every aspect of your fitness, from hill strength to outand-out speed and longer runs.

THE HARD/EASY PRINCIPLE In fact, that variety is essential to making your higher volume training work.

If you are just running the same 30-minute route, at the same “fairly hard”

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T U R N I N G U P YO U R M I L E AG E C A N O N LY B E G O O D F O R Y O U R R U N N I N G – R I G H T ? N O T A LWAY S , S AY S E L I Z A B E T H H U F T O N intensity five or six times per week, you’ll quickly find that your fitness starts to plateau. When that happens, it’s easy to become demoralised: your pace starts to drop, you feel sluggish, and you just don’t want to go out and run any more. There’s also a risk that you’ll become panicky and start doing every run harder, or every run further – and that’s a shortcut to injury.

So as soon as you’re comfortably running five or six times per week, make sure you think about the function

HILL REPS

COMFORT ZONE

SHORT LIGHT RU

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of each of your runs. Even if you’re not training for a particular event, it’s worth mixing up your runs so that your fitness doesn’t stagnate. So instead of just mindlessly building up your volume, add faster sections to one or two of your runs, take one run off-road or throw in some hills.

Just make sure you follow the hard/easy principle: after every day with a hard run (intervals, hills or a long run), have a day with an easy run.

REST IS BEST There’s one more rule you need to know if you’re building up your overall mileage: you still need rest days. No matter how good you’re feeling, no matter how much you want to keep training for that race, your body needs at least one day of total rest to recover from the training you’ve put in. Try to go without this and it will only take a few weeks to see why it’s so essential. People who don’t rest are likely to suffer from over-use injuries, such as shin splints or runner’s knee. And even if you escape those niggles, you will begin to notice you’re not as energetic as you used to be. You might feel fatigued all day long, but struggle to sleep. You’ll constantly feel as though you’re coming down with something – in fact, you probably will come down with something. Your mood will suffer (and with it the people around you) and your love for running

SHORT LIGHT RUN

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will wane. Collectively, these symptoms are known as overtraining syndrome – common in elite athletes, and possibly even more common among everyday runners like us, because we don’t have a coach or physio on hand to tell us when to stop.

However, there is no golden rule that says your training week has to be seven days. If you’re really keen to run more and improve your times, then you could follow the example of elite runners and use an eight to ten-day training cycle, with one day off. Be very careful if you plan to try this though, and only do it if you’re still consistently seeing improvements in fitness with a weekly cycle.

TWICE AS NICE? The pinnacle of volume building in running is to train twice a day. It may sound excessive, but most of the very best runners in the world use this tactic.

One of the daily runs will always be at a low intensity level, with the other session devoted to building speed, strength or working on running technique.

Doubling up might not happen every day of the week – a good way to start would be to do an easy run one day; double up the next day with one short, easy run and one speedwork session; go easy the next day; then double up the day after that with another short light run and some hill reps. Again, this is not for inexperienced runners. You need to have built up to it over the course of a couple of years. And for many of us, there are plenty of easier wins that will improve our running before we need to start double dosing: strength and core training, regular physio checks and targeted speedwork are all likely to be more beneficial for most of us.

RECOVERY

VARIETY

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paleo diet

TEMPTED TO TRY THE ‘CAVEMAN’ DIET BUT WONDERING HOW WELL IT WILL FUEL YOUR TRAINING? CHRISTINA MACDONALD FINDS OUT IF PALEO AND RUNNING ARE COMPATIBLE

f you initially took up running for weight loss, then you may have also been tempted to try a diet or eating plan to help shed unwanted pounds. And you may have been enticed by the Paleo Diet. It’s reported to be a favourite of many high profile celebrities, including Uma Thurman, Jessica Biel, Megan Fox and Matthew McConaughey. Although mainly promoted to help people become healthy and live longer, many people who follow the diet also lose weight and reduce body fat.

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WHAT IS THE DIET? The Paleo Diet (also known as the ‘Caveman Diet’) is named after the Paleolithic Period, which ended approximately 10,000 years ago. The premise of the diet is that we should eat as our caveman ancestors would have eaten, and avoid processed foods that wouldn’t have existed thousands of years ago. The diet entails eating more protein, fewer carbs, more fibre and moderate to high consumption of healthy fats.

“The diet consists of foods and nutrients we would have eaten prior to the agricultural revolution, dating back thousands of years when we began to settle, growing and cultivating crops and animals,” explains personal trainer Ben Walsh, who has a BSc (Hons) in Foods Science. “This means that grains, cereals, pulses and dairy products are eliminated from the diet, along with processed foods, including preservatives, dyes, sugars and salts.

“In essence, the idea of eating clean and well is something that should be promoted,” Ben adds.

“Although as with any diet, we can lose the health benefits if we do not eat a balanced diet.”

More information thepaleodiet.com Contains recipes, information and Paleo products, including bars and drinks.

A comprehensive list of Paleo foods can be found on the website: desertcrossfit. typepad.com/Paleo_ Food_List.pdf

Paleo breakfast: sweet potato pancakes paleoandprimalliving.com Contains recipes, diet tips, lifestyle ideas.

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WHAT CAN YOU EAT? Foods you can eat include meat like beef, lamb, chicken and turkey, and fish such as salmon, trout, mackerel, shrimp and shellfish. You can also eat free-range eggs, while vegetable choices include broccoli, kale, peppers, onions, carrots and tomatoes. Healthy fats are fine, such as coconut oil, olive oil and avocado, along with some nuts and seeds. You can eat fruit including apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries and blueberries.

WHAT CAN’T YOU EAT? As the diet eliminates processed foods, salty foods and sugars, it means cutting out grains such as porridge, breads, pastas and wheat, most dairy, vegetable oils, trans fats (found in margarines and processed foods) and artificial sweeteners like aspartame, found in diet drinks.

Simply cutting out sugar can help with weight loss.

While it’s true that your body burns sugar for energy, excessive sugar consumption means your liver will reach a limit in terms of how much it can store. When the liver is full, the excess is converted into fatty acids. These fats are returned to your bloodstream and stored as fat. So an eating plan that promotes eliminating sugar can be effective for losing pounds.

IS THE DIET SUITABLE FOR RUNNERS? Yes it is, though it may take you a while to adapt to a new way of eating. Caroline Watson, Paleo Diet expert from Pure Healthy Way (purehealthyway.com) says: “Unfortunately from birth we are fed refined carbs at regular intervals throughout the day. From baby rice and breakfast cereals to sandwiches and pasta dishes – our bodies have been trained to use ingested carbs for energy.”

Paleo for Beginners, John The Paleo Diet for Chatham, £5.99, Athletes, Loren amazon.co.uk Cordain and Joe Friel, Shows you how to adopt a £11.38, Paleo lifestyle to feel healthy, amazon.co.uk lose weight and increase energy. Contains Specifically targets runners, 117 foods you can eat and 99 recipes. triathletes and amateur athletes.

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paleo diet

WHAT ABOUT CARBOHYDRATES? If you’re running very long distances like marathons or ultras then you may be concerned about trying the Paleo Diet, as you are cutting out carbohydrates, like pasta, that many runners typically use for energy.

“Although it eliminates carbohydrates from grains and legumes it does allow you to eat fruit and unlimited vegetables, which will give you some good, slow releasing carbs,” says Shona Wilkinson, Head Nutritionist at the Nutricentre (nutricentre.com). “This makes it a more balanced and sustainable diet than others that exclude grains such as the old style Atkins Diet.”

Ben Walsh says: “It’s important to make sure you’re eating a balanced diet with sufficient carbohydrates, especially if you’re training very hard.”

So what is a sufficient carbohydrate intake? By way of example, if you are running five to six times per

“although the Paleo Diet is lower in carbohydrates than some eating plans, it isn’t low-carb as such” week for an hour each time, nutritionist Christine Bailey advises consuming around 6g per kg of body weight of carbohydrates. This means if you weigh 9 stones (just over 57kg), you would need to consume around 340g of carbs per day (57 x 6). Monitor your energy levels and see how you feel. As you start building up some serious mileage, Christine recommends increasing carb intake to 7-8g per kg of bodyweight.

“Many serious athletes get great results while following the diet,’ says Caroline Watson. She also points out that, although the Paleo Diet is lower in carbohydrates than some eating plans, it isn’t a low-carb diet as such. “Paleo is often considered a low-carb diet but it is more about getting your carbs from vegetables and fruits so that your blood sugar becomes more balanced,” she says.

OTHER BENEFITS In addition, there are various other benefits to the Paleo

Diet that many runners may not have considered. These include…

■ More stable blood sugar levels The more stable your blood sugar, the more likely you are to have a steady release of energy. “Being low in carbohydrates and high in fibre, the Paleo Diet is excellent for regulating the amount of sugar that is in your blood stream at any one time,” says Shona Wilkinson.

“Regulating your blood sugar levels can help with energy throughout the day, as well as helping with weight loss.”

■ Stronger immune system The Paleo Diet can also strengthen your immune system due to high doses of vitamins and antioxidants consumed.

“Eating clean and healthy, nutrient-rich, unprocessed meats, fish, vegetables and healthy fats will lead to improved muscle recovery after training,” says Ben Walsh.

“Remember that exercise places the body under greater stress. The cleaner you eat, the greater the body’s ability to become stronger and healthier, which can help with athletic performance.”

■ Reduced inflammation Eating healthy, unprocessed meats, fish and vegetables will help to reduce inflammation after a run. It will also improve digestion and absorption of nutrients.

In brief THE BENEFITS OF EATING PALEO FOR RUNNERS ■ More vitamins and antioxidants consumed, which strengthens the immune system ■ Increased fat oxidation, which helps with longterm endurance as the body becomes efficient at using fat as fuel ■ Better balance of blood sugar levels, leading to less cravings and more stable energy levels ■ Better muscle recovery post-run

HOW STRICT SHOULD YOU BE? How strict you are with the Paleo Diet during training is a personal choice (see box out ‘What type of runner can try the Paleo Diet?). During longer training runs, many of us would normally fuel our bodies with energy gels or energy drinks, which of course contain sugar. Alternatives would be to eat natural foods like dates or honey, although these are harder to consume on the move.

During marathon training, you may choose to deviate slightly from the Paleo Diet and consume energy gels or drinks to give you that confidence in your ability to keep going, especially if you’ve tried them beforehand and know they work for you. The occasional deviation is certainly not going to stop you from following the Paleo Diet in general and reaping the benefits in the long term.

WHAT TYPE OF RUNNER CAN TRY THE PALEO DIET?

You want to get faster over shorter distances?

Yes as it improves muscle recovery and growth, which are both essential for sprinters.

You want to train very hard?

Yes, as long as you give your body time to adapt to the diet and you’re patient with the process.

“After a period of a month or so of eating Paleo, your body will become ‘fat adapted’,” says

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Watson (meaning your body will get used to using fat as fuel). “Your energy will be consistent and available whether you need it for a gentle walk or a hard fell run.”

Walsh adds: “You should see increased performance and recovery times, less aches, pains and injuries, as well as less colds and infections.”

You want to want to train for a marathon or ultra?

Nutrition experts believe you can run long distances on Paleo, but it’s a personal choice in terms of how strict you want to be.

“It depends on the individual,” says nutritionist Christine Bailey, who runs and follows the diet

herself. “Many can keep to a strict Paleo Diet but increase the carbs pre- and post-training, such as dried fruits, bananas, yams and sweet potatoes. Other people find they need a little gluten-free grain as well such as rice pudding but it is possible to still train long distances on Paleo. Of course, you may still use energy gels and drinks during the race itself.”

Watson points out that the absence of sugar in the diet makes the body more efficient at using stored fat, which is ideal for endurance events. She says: “146,000 calories (85%) of our energy is stored as fat. By training our bodies to burn fat rather than sugar for fuel, we can tap into this nearly endless supply of energy and achieve unbelievable levels of endurance.”

© THINKSTOCKPHOTOS.CO.UK / PALEOANDPRIMALLIVING.COM

Is Paleo suitable for you if…

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The friendly L I S A J AC K S O N H E A D S TO D O R S E T TO TAC K L E T H E H I L A R I O U S , B U T H O R R E N D O U S LY H I L LY G I A N T ’ S H E A D M A R AT H O N

Fields of gold: The course takes off-road running to new extremes

{Giggles]

t’s the very first time I’ve attended a marathon where a marriage proposal was part of the pre-race briefing. But then, having read this race’s hysterically funny website I should’ve known this is no ordinary event. Attention to detail is the name of the game for the Giant’s Head Marathon, which was voted the UK’s Best Marathon in 2014 – the second year it was run! Everything from the breakfast porridge (slow-cooked overnight by ladies from the local WI to make it extra creamy) to the fabulously festive picnic and barn dance afterwards, was organised with military precision.

I

ENGAGING START We camped the night before in a farmer’s field adjoining the utterly ahh-some village of Sydling St Nicholas (think little thatched cottages and a burbling brook complete with geese). Following the race director’s speech, the microphone was handed over to a man dressed in a striped convict outfit who proceeded to go down on one knee and

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Blow your own trumpet: Finishing the hilly 26.2 miles is no mean feat

© VIXX THOMPSON@KINETIC SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY / ELIZABETH ROBERTS / ALEX LUPTON@RUN & FUN PHOTOGRAPHY

Snowman Marshall

propose to his girlfriend who was kitted out in a very fetching police uniform. Very few eyes remained dry.

A lady on a horse blowing a hunting horn signalled the start and, having run through the village, we encountered our first hill and immediately slowed to a shuffle. “It’s great to get the steepest hill out of the way early on,” I thought naively as I hauled myself up it, hands on knees, gasping for breath. I made an effort to go as fast as possible as I knew there was a seven-and-a-half-hour cut-off and that I had to stay ahead of the sweeper, a kilt-wearing friend of mine called Carolyn who had a broom tied to her back.

An early race highlight was seeing the oftrumoured but seldom spotted Naked Farmer In A Bath. I wasn’t sure if this was just a wind-up on the race website but it wasn’t.

In the middle of nowhere I suddenly heard a clanging sound that, on closer inspection, turned out to be said farmer ringing a bell.

Unlike some of the other runners, I didn’t run right up to him to check if he really was naked, but he sure looked it from where I was standing. Weak with laughter, I pressed on. The scenery was truly out of this world: patchwork-quilt farmland punctuated by purple hollyhocks and meadow flowers.

The next quirky touch came in the form of a cheery marshal dressed as a snowman.

Yes, they do things differently down Dorset way! I encountered the newly-engaged Jason and Jo just after seeing a sign saying

“Look over there – 35 foot phallus.” The sign pointed to the Cerne Giant (aka ‘Rude Man’), after whom the race is named, a 180ft tall ancient naked figure holding a club that’s cut into the hillside above Cerne Abbas.

FEELING THE LOVE At the halfway mark the Not-so-grim Sweeper caught up with me: Carolyn is the most entertaining, encouraging runner you’re ever likely to meet, so why did I hotfoot it away from her as fast as my legs could carry me? Because I knew that if I lingered at the back with her and the marathon-virgin rugby player she was shepherding through the race, I risked falling behind them and hence not getting a medal.

Another reason I was very keen not to be pulled from the race was because I wanted to make it to another legendary course landmark: The Lovestation, which serves all of the fabulous snacks dished out at all the other aid stations (biscuits, cake, crisps,

watermelon, orange segments, sweets etc) but additionally features pink bubbly, cider and cranberry-flavoured vodka. Grabbing a cup of cider and some cake, I made my escape, knowing I’d be tempted to stay there all day otherwise.

Hill after hill after hill followed, and then I was at the final aid station where fairy cakes were served. Grabbing one in each hand I looked up at the horrendous incline ahead of me… and promptly burst into tears.

Once I’d stopped sobbing, I dragged myself onwards and upwards, inspired by the thought that I’d soon be able to add a very rude-looking medal to my collection.

There were more tears at the finish line: tears when I saw Carolyn cross the line with the jubilant first-time marathoner, and tears when I was given my t-shirt and muff (which I’ll wear as a badge of courage for many years to come, even if it does prominently feature multiple depictions of a certain Rude Man!). Yes, I did tell the race director “Never again” at the barn dance afterwards, and yes I couldn’t walk normally for over a week, but I have to admit I’m already itching to do this naughty but nice marathon again next year.

more info

The 2016 Giant’s Head Marathon takes place on 25 June. To enter, visit whitestarrunning.co.uk

“WE DID IT” “I’ve been running for 12 years and this was marathon number 85 for me. I did it last year but missed the famous Cerne Giant… so I just had to come back.”

Lisa Hale, 36, Farnborough

“I wanted to do a race that was a bit different – and this certainly is. I was excited about the Lovestation and seeing the naked farmer!”

Charlotte Carrivick, 38, Sandhurst

“I was very surprised at Jason’s proposal and very happy too!

We met through our mutual love of running so it was the perfect proposal on what was a perfect day.”

Joanne Wright, 33, Eccleston

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Light in the dark: as night fell, luminescent lighting paved the way

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THE WOMEN’S RUNNING AND MEN’S RUNNING MIXED TEAM RACED AROUND T H E C L O C K AT T H E A D I D A S T H U N D E R RUN 24 – AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE Wo r d s : A n n e - M a r i e L a t e g a n

he once-empty fields of Catton Park, Derbyshire were quickly filling up with colourful runners in wellies and raincoats putting up tents, filling up water bottles, preparing food and equipment for the weekend. Not even the (heavy) summer rain could dampen the nervous excitement of the runners and spectators at the annual adidas Thunder Run 24. Runners from all over the country had come together with one goal: to run as many 10K laps in 24 hours as part of a five or eight person team, as a pair or as a solo runner.

Whoever does the most laps wins. Easy!

This year we had a mixed Women’s Running and Men’s Running team, with Gary Dalton and me as team captains and the rest of the team members the competition winners: Jade Booth, Laura Bell, Alexy Dury, Dan Stinton, Paul Simons and Steve Jones. I set up base camp with Jade on the Friday night, patrolling our camping area to ensure that our team-mates would have space to camp.

From 7am on Saturday morning our fellow Thunder Runners started to arrive all smartly dressed in their prized adidas gear. This was the first time we’d met in person. As a veteran to the event, I knew that a friendly handshake from a stranger would soon turn into a hug of friendship that lasts long beyond the 24 hours.

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With a Red Bus Bar who wouldn’t enjoy a weekend of running and chatting to friends old and new?

s noon approached, a combination of nervous and excited tension was filling the air. Event veterans and newbies all lined up. Our team strategy was simply to have an enjoyable weekend with everyone doing what they can, no clipboard timekeepers counting every one of the 86,400 seconds. (Yes, there was a sign on course with this information. Probably not the best motivational quote at 1am when I read it without falling over, but informative nonetheless.)

We decided to run alternating male and female, starting with Speedy Paul who did his first lap in an astonishing 38:50. Jade, our own campsite giraffe (named after her onesie), would have her work cut out to turn up on time.

In between laps, which for the mortals between us were between 50 and 70 minutes, we sat around eating Jade’s homemade flapjacks and my homemade sweet potato and banana muffins getting to know each other. Things fell into place naturally; Paul was very nervous, so to get rid of his nervous tension he had to keep the jerry can full. Dan was the first one to take out a camera so he turned into our team’s official cameraman. The rest of us walked around and supported runners going on course and coming off. Before the event, adidas asked people to tweet motivational quotes which they would put along the course. So you could imagine Laura’s surprise when she got to the top of the Conti Hill to find her own quote: “The sooner you step away from your comfort zone, the sooner you’ll realise it wasn’t really comfortable at all.”

By nightfall we had all completed one lap. The conversation soon changed from discussions about mud drying out, to strategies on how to run in the woodlands in the dark and comparing head torches. When else in life is comparing lumens, beam distance and burn time of head torches a normal or appropriate conversation? And if you thought that was boring, you soon realised the importance of it when a runner approached you from behind lighting up the way just to leave you behind in darkness silently wishing you could run their speed. I’ve been there before and was pleased to say that this year I was one of the night time light bearers. Now, during these events as a team captain, I have come to realise that the night time can be detrimental to team members who are not used to running in darkness. And to tell the truth, I was very concerned about Alexy after she told me that due to her deafness, she struggles to keep her balance if she can’t see. So when I woke up to find that we had no night-time casualties I was ecstatic. I did think Mother Nature was kind to us this year, giving us a dry warm night, but I knew that was too good to be true. On my last lap it started to drizzle. Me and Steve managed to escape the rain but the heavens opened on Alexy and Paul’s last laps. In true Thunder Run spirit, they enjoyed every muddy step and finished their laps with a smile, bringing the team home with an impressive total of 25 laps.

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Thunder buddies (below) from left to right: Dan Stinton, Laura Bell, Steve Jones, Anne-Marie Lategan, Gary Dalton, Jade Booth, Alexy Dury ALEXY DURY, 44

LAURA BELL, 36

How you would describe your team spirit?

I was really nervous at first because of my deafness. I mean, I am basically hardcore deaf and prefer using sign language. However, I was brought up orally so I can speak and lip-read a bit. I am not sure if the other members of my team were more nervous of me than I was of them! But upon arrival we integrated quickly. They did ask me if I was happy to be the last runner of the group – I wanted to observe all of the runners before my turn to gain more confidence. This also ensured that I would have the chance to run in the dark.

I went out and about and supported other members of my team at different places and took photos. I thought I would feel the pressure to run fast to please others in the team. However, I just did my best as always and felt no pressure from others. We praised each other all the time. There were no egos at all, it was fantastic!

Your experiences, good or bad?

The whole experience was amazing. It changed me as a runner and as a person. I didn’t really know what I was capable of or how hard I could push myself until someone woke up me at 4:30am and I immediately (OK, not immediately…) bounced into action as the adrenaline kicked in. Two days after the event and I am still smiling despite suffering with some severe post-event blues. The only bad part of the weekend was the massive queue for the medals in the pouring rain but thankfully Gary (Mens Running team captain) leapt to our rescue and braved the queue to collect them for us – cheers buddy!

© ROB CRAYTON

JADE BOOTH, 24 How would you describe the atmosphere?

The atmosphere was superb; despite fatigue, humidity and rain everyone was smiling. We even made some friends with our camping neighbours. Chatting to people from all over the UK and hearing about each person’s lap; getting tips on how the mud had dried up and how great the forest was as it was getting darker! I loved how we had a little system and role in our team, positioned in various spots around the last 1K to feed back when changeover was about to happen.

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S H O P D I R E C T O R Y FI ND YOUR LOCAL RUNNI NG SPECIAL IST Buckinghamshire Apex Sports 1 Prospect Court, The Broadway, Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Common, Buckinghamshire, SL2 3QQ 01753 647339 // www.apex-sports.co.uk Specialist running and triathlon shop.

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We have everything the runner needs.

Devon Frank Elford Sports 27 Mayflower Street, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 1QJ 01752 265122 // www.Frankelfordsports.co.uk Run by runners for runners. Video gait analysis in-store.

Kent The Running Outlet 54 Palace Street, Canterbury, Kent, CT1 2DY // 01227 379998 www.therunningoutlet.co.uk Offering a premium selection of running footwear, apparel and accessories from Kent’s premier running specialist. We offer a full video gait analysis for all customers.

Lancashire Foot Traffic 463 Blackburn Road, Bolton, Lancashire, BL1 8NN // 01204 301230 and NOW OPEN IN PRESTON 17 Northway, Broughton, Preston PR3 5JX Just 1 mile from M6/M55 Junction.

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FREE X-SOCKS with all shoe purchases.

The Runners Centre King Street, Lancaster, LA1 1LE 01524 845559 // www.runnerscentre.com The Runners Centre is the North West's premier specialist running retailer.

Daily free in-store video gait analysis, plus regular in-store promotions with lots of free goodies. The Runners Centre, where all runners come first.

Monday–Saturday 09.30 – 17.30

Leicestershire Leicester Running Shop 146a Clarendon Park Road, Leicester, LE2 3AE // 0116 2708447 www.leicesterrunningshop.co.uk We are a friendly specialist running shop run by dedicated runners. Our main strength is our gait analysis

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service to help with shoe selection.

We’re glad to help with questions or enquiries.

Lincolnshire

Metres to Miles Running Specialist 15-17 High Street, Epworth, DN9 1EP 01427 872 323 // info@metrestomiles.co.uk www.metrestomiles.co.uk Wide selection of shoes, apparel and accessories from the leading brands in running. Experienced runners provide the most comprehensive treadmill gait analysis in the region.

London

Kings Road Sporting Club 38-42 Kings Road, London, SW3 4UD 020 7589 5418 // www.krsc.co.uk London’s premier sports store.

Brands include ASICS, Brooks, New Balance, Vivo Barefoot, Gore, Nike, SKINS, Zoca and Casall, to name a few.

Northamptonshire The Running Shop 11 St. Leonards Road, Far Cotton, Northampton, NN4 8DL // 01604 701 961 www.therunningshop.org.uk Personal service, gait analysis, mail order welcome.

01273 675717 Warwickshire Coventry Runner 223 Burnaby Road, Radford, Coventry, CV6 4AX // 024 7666 8498 www.coventryrunner.co.uk Five minutes from J3 M6. See website for details and park outside.

Yorkshire SMK Running Now open at • 16 Temple street, Keighley, BD21 2AD • Westgate, Cleckheaton, BD19 5ET www.smkrunning.co.uk

Scotland Achilles Heel 593 Great Western Road, Glasgow, G12 8HX 0141 342 5722 // www.achillesheel.co.uk RunUrban Ltd 1035 Cathcart Road, Glasgow, G42 9XJ Opening Times: Monday-Saturday 9.30am – 5.30pm Closed on Sunday // 0141 632 9638 www.runurban.co.uk Keeping you streets ahead in style and comfort.

Calling all London Marathon ballot place runners!

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Registered charity no 1060508

Somerset

Running Bath 19 High Street, Bath, BA1 5AJ 01225 462555 www.runningbath.co.uk The best footwear. The very best service.

Staffordshire Bournesports 36-42 Church Street, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 1DJ // 01782 410411 www.bournesports.com Seasoned runner? Want to take up the sport? We have a range of shoes, clothing and accessories to help.

Running Form Physio Form Dallow House, Victoria Street, Burton Upon Trent, Staffs. DE14 2LS 01283 563331 sales@running-form.co.uk www.running-form.co.uk Video gait analysis, footwear, clothing, accessories, watches, HR monitors and GPS, rehab equipment, shop in-store or online, physiotherapy and sports injury clinic.

Surrey Run to Live 200 Barnett Wood Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, KT21 2DB 0845 263 8801 // www.runtolive.co.uk Specialist shop with video gait analysis and bra-fitting service.

Sussex The Jog Shop 39B George Street, Brighton, BN2 1RJ www.jogshop.co.uk //

FOR MORE INFO CONTACT CRISTINA LOPEZ

0208 996 5167

12/08/2015 16:14

Celebrity runner

“Running every day keeps me awake!”

Despite regular early morning starts, Jenni Falconer still manages to clock eight miles most days. Christina Macdonald asks where her energy comes from

You’re currently training for the Royal Parks Half. What do you love about this race?

I love the fact you get to run around London in green areas.

We have so many beautiful parks. I’ve done it four or five times and it’s been gorgeous weather each time. I had to pull out last year due to an injury, as I had an inflamed piriformis and it was too painful to run.

You live in London.

Do you prefer to run on grass or in urban settings?

I don’t ever really run on grass. I work in Leicester Square about eight miles from home, and I run back home from work every day.

It’s all road.

“The only way I can stay awake in the morning is if I exercise after the show”

Do you get recognised when running in London?

I don’t really notice.

I finish work quite early. I’m running by 7am and I tend to be running the opposite way to the London commute.

Do you get very much sleep?

I average about five hours sleep a night. I get up between 2am and 2:30am every day and I get to bed about 9:30pm. I’m fine at getting up but the only way I can stay awake in the morning is if I exercise after the show. So I run home or to go a bootcamp. If I don’t do something it’s a downward spiral for the rest of the day.

How important is it to you to run with music?

I like running with music, but I don’t have to. But if I’m doing a long run like a marathon then sometimes music will take my mind off the pain of the distance. I listen to Spotify quite a lot and you get a constant updated mix of music.

Are running gadgets important to you?

I have a TomTom watch that is brilliant for monitoring distance,

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time and speed. It’s really important during a race as I like to know what pace I’m running at and not go too slow or too fast.

Let’s talk about marathons. You’ve done five now. Has every single one been London?

Yes it has, because I live in London and can get to the start line quite easily. I have sometimes been working on the morning of the marathon so I do my radio show and then go straight to the start line. It’s one of the best marathons in the world.

Tell us about your previous marathon experiences.

I did my first marathon in 2009 and I was pretty clueless. I turned up and ran and got 3:53. I did it the following year and trained with a brilliant running coach called Karen Weir who knocked me down to 3:31. I then had my baby and I have pretty much got a 3:53 ever since. I would love to get 3:30. But my priorities have just had to change.

You’re an ambassador for the P20 Love Our Parks Campaign which encourages people to stay safe in the sun and apply sun cream. Have you ever been sunburned while running a marathon?

The first marathon I did in 2009 I was going straight from the marathon to the BAFTAS and I was paranoid I would get burned so I wore a t-shirt to not get any strap marks. I plastered sun block on my arms and face. The P20 sun protection I use is really good for running because you just put it on once and it doesn’t come off. I make sure I always use sun protection.

Have you become a better runner as you’ve got older?

Maybe you’re more focused and maybe you have more stamina. I know the only way I can improve is by training harder and looking after my diet. I love my food and it’s hard to cut things out!

For more information on P20, the once-a-day sun protection, visit p20.co.uk

© MATT SPRAKE

Scottish born Jenni, 39, is currently training for the Royal Parks Half Marathon, amid juggling her busy life presenting an early morning radio show on Heart and raising her young daughter, Ella.

She lives in London with her husband, James.

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