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June's Tip from Martin |
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June – Training in hotter conditions
Summer sunshine doesn’t just mean a setting a scorching pace and getting a great tan in your running kit. It’s also about making sure you’re able to train with the effort and intensity you want to. With busy life schedules it’s easy to overlook the importance of maintaining optimal hydration in the summer. The extra degrees warmth means you sweat more during the day, sometimes without even realizing, and before you know it you’re thirsty and partially dehydrated. If you’re thirsty you’ve left it too late and without rehydrating appropriately you’ll be starting any running you do on the back foot. Even being only very slightly dehydrated can leave you feeling tired, lethargic and heavy, more than often not with a headache, before you’ve even started running. Be ready for your summer running by staying on top of your hydration. Every day you should aim to drink little and often to ensure that your urine remains pale/straw in colour. If you’re running that day then pay extra attention to your fluid intake before and during your run. Lucozade Sport Body fuel will help you maintain the fluids and the essential minerals and electrolytes lost in sweat and help you feel ready for you run. During your runs in the summer aim to drink 125-150mls of fluids every 15 to 20mins of run time.
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May's Tip From Liz |
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May – Get out in the summer sun: give your running a boost!
With the weather warming up and the summer really here it’s a great time to really get into your running - especilly with parkrun Run Free around the corner! Nothing beats striding along trails through parks in shorts and vest with the summer sun and your scorching pace warming you up! It really makes you feel alive! Longer days mean you can fit those runs in and get the value of the extra sunlight and a Vitamin D boost. Summer is a great time for some faster running and to improve your 5k spice up your training by including some varied faster paced workouts. Run faster than your target 5k race pace for short periods (2 to 5mins) and then ‘recover’ by jogging or walking before having another speedy run. Don’t forget to slap on the sun cream in the summer months. A sweat resistant high factor (<30) protects you from the suns harmful rays whilst you enjoy your summer running.
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April's Tip from Martin |
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April – Time for hill running – learn how!
Great 5k running involves being able to have enough stamina to keep going for the entire duration of your run. This is developed through building a good aerobic foundation and achieved with steady regular running training. Steady one paced running will certainly build your ability to keep going but after a while just going at the same pace is likely to see you plateau. A vital ingredient of brilliant 5k running is strength. Hills build strength – fact! Your repertoire of training for 5k should include some hill work. Vary the distance and the gradient of the hills as well as the number of repetitions you complete. Try running over different hills on a single run course and running each of the uphill sections faster. This would be called a ‘hill fartlek’ . Alternatively, go for a structured hill session and run hard efforts up the hills (between 15sec and 90sec) and jog back down as a recovery before repeating. Keep your form as you run up the hills. Use your knees to drive hard up the hill, run ‘high’ on the balls of your feet taking slightly smaller steps and drive your arms to keep you balanced and your momentum going.
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March's tip from Liz Yelling |
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Don’t push yourself too hard - have fun!
When we’re really focused on a goal it’s easy to let it consume our running self. Before we know it we loose track of what we’ve done and loose sight of where we’re going. Running, whatever your level, aspirations and targets should be fun. I really enjoy pushing my physical boundaries when I run but it’s not all about hard running. To really get the best out of yourself, your running should be a mixture of easy and hard workouts. One of the great things about parkrun is the fact that no matter what event you turn up to you know you’re going to have some fun. When you roll up for your next parkrun be focused on your reason for wanting to run but also wear a smile on the start line and a bigger one when you cross the finish!
Liz Yelling
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February's Tip from Martin |
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Make the most of your 5K
Whatever your 5K aspirations, whether this weekend is your first and you’re aiming for completion without stopping or you’re preparing for your fiftieth with the hope of a personal best, running a great 5K is about finding your own running boundaries. It takes personal commitment and responsibility to be able to go for your 5k goals, and, relatively speaking, it’s as hard to keep going when it’s all new and physically a real challenge as it is to dig deep and stretch the speed envelope when you’re a more experienced campaigner. Either way, this time of year it’s important to bank some ‘money’ miles in your 5k training. Regular, consistent running over many weeks brings about the best improvements in your fitness and performance. It’s not just about the training though. Better running is about ticking many boxes including rest, sleep, nutrition and psychological ones. Run well in training and racing by making sure you are adequately hydrated. Unless your 5K target time is more than 60mins you won’t need to worry so much about replacing energy during your run so your focus is best spent by making sure you are hydrated in the days leading up to your run and before you start the event.
Martin Yelling
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