November 2009
You are browsing the archive for November 2009.
Seminar at the London Running Show
This weekend - November 28th-29th - sees the inaugural ‘London Running Show’, a two-day event at Earls Court dedicated to all things running. Brush up on your technique, check out the latest shoes and kit, sample energy drinks and snacks and learn how to get the most out of your training and racing. As part of [...]
To stretch…or not to stretch
Wasted time, or training essential? I always finish my run coaching sessions with a static stretch, working - at a minimum - through all the lower body muscle groups. Why? I could offer a number of reasons…because stretching is an essential part of the cooldown. It helps restore muscles to their pre-exercise length. It reduces injury [...]
Advice that’s a fat lot of good…
I am still aghast at the recent suggestion by the Scientific Advisory Committee that we, as a nation, may need to increase our calorie intake by 16 per cent because current recommended intakes for men and women ‘may be too low.’ Really? Can they explain why almost two-thirds of the British population are overweight or [...]
Run to the hills
A weekend in North Devon fitted in nicely with my ‘base training’ phase… I could just run long and easy, enjoy the views and not worry about having to move quickly over challenging terrain. But I forgot about the hills. Damn, it’s hilly in North Devon, and even on ‘easy’ runs, my heart rate was [...]
Why warm up?
Starting a run without a warm-up is like getting in your car and driving off in 4th gear - clunky and inefficient. Numerous studies have shown that warming up a) improves performance and b) reduces the risk of injury - the dual aims of most athletes, be they of the elite or weekend warrior variety. [...]