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Training Advice
General training tips for everyone
Compiled by Steve Brace
Former Olympic & Commonwealth Marathon
Runner
Equipment
Shoes
The most important piece of equipment
is your running shoes. Always look for a good degree of cushioning and
support to protect your joints from the impact caused by repetitive
shock loading. Take your time, selecting your shoes to make sure they
really fit well and wear them in gradually.
Clothing
In warm weather choose either a nylon
vest and shorts, which allow the sweat to evaporate, or a cotton T-shirt
and shorts. Be sure to apply sun cream and petroleum jelly to any
delicate areas which are likely to rub and chafe on a long run.
In cold weather, long tights or
training bottoms and a long sleeved top are essential. When it gets
really nippy, you’ll need to invest in a hat and a pair of gloves too.
NOTE:
Don’t forget plenty of reflective gear when your evening training runs
are shrouded in darkness.
Warming Up
Before rushing out of the door in a
fit of enthusiasm, take time to thoroughly stretch and loosen up. You
will save hours of recovery from injury later, and the quality of your
running will almost certainly be improved.
A few limbering movements to stretch
the hamstrings and calf’s, rotating the hips and generally gearing
yourself up for sustained physical activity can actually save time if
they precipitate a superior run.
Equally you should not finish your run
by coming to a sudden halt. Gradually wind down by running more slowly
near home and finish by cooling down with a short walk and some
stretching.
Time of Day
Experiment with the time of day when
you run, to see which suits you best. These will probably be dictated by
mealtimes, according to the structure of your day.
-
A morning run and shower can leave
you invigorated for the day ahead
-
Lunchtime depends upon the
availability of a shower and changing facilities
-
An evening run is something to look
forward to, but is most vulnerable to interference or cancellation
Whichever time of day you run,
remember to leave a 2 hour gap before running. Apart from the obvious
discomfort, you won’t have as much energy, as a lot of your blood will
flow to your stomach and less to your muscles. You also heighten the
risk of a dreaded stitch. The reasons it may come on vary from weak or
tense stomach muscles, diet, running too soon after a meal, drinking
very cold water, or too many fizzy drinks, not enough pre-run stretching
and running too fast.
You can usually relieve a stitch by
slowing down, walking or inhaling deeply.
How far at first?
The distance you run in each session
is difficult for a new-comer to running to evaluate. It is probably best
to think in terms of time spent running rather than the distance
covered.
In a 15 minute session one beginner
may run further than another, while still deriving essential
physiological benefits from that quarter of an hour’s effort.
Running should be at a pace where you
can chat comfortably. If you are unable to run continuously for the
recommended length of time, then mix some walking in with your running.
As your fitness improves you will be
able to maintain continuous running for longer.
Perseverance is THE key.
Variety
Your starting line should be your
doorstep. Fortunately the South Wales area is blessed with excellent
running areas, but don’t plod around the same route every day. Instead,
add variety to your training – choose routes with different features –
and include some hills. A regular change of scenery will maintain your
interest and a mixture of hard and soft surfaces will reduce the risk of
injury. Vary your road routes too, so that you’re not always running on
the same camber.
Avoid traffic and people as much as
possible. Treat your longer runs as adventures and once you’ve
established your courses, regularly time yourself over them to monitor
your progress.
Work, Rest and Play
Even the fittest athletes need a
recovery period after hard training and many alternate hard days with
easy days.
If you ran the same distance every
day, you would find it difficult to go much further in a race, and you
would never feel refreshed and lively. Staleness and boredom would also
set in. But this can be avoided if you have an easy day following a hard
one – you then feel refreshed and ready to tackle something more
ambitious again the next day.
It usually takes 48 hours for your
body to recover from hard runs and 72 hours or more from races.
Light running the day after a race,
circulate blood to fatigued muscles, getting them ready to work again.
Log your Progress
Whether you started running yesterday,
or whether you’ve run 20 marathons, keeping a daily record of your
training will prove to be invaluable.
By spending just a few minutes each
day recording details of your days running activities, your training log
will provide you with vital information later on.
Not only will you be able to see how
many miles you have run, but you will also be able to analyse the
quality of your runs. Your training over the preceding weeks will also
reveal why you ran well or badly in your race, so that you could
eliminate mistakes, or tailor your training more accurately for the
races in the future.
Think Positively
Use your training to relax and unwind
from your day-to-day pressures. Many runners find their long run is the
best time for sorting out their problems. They leave the hub-bub of the
town behind them and head off into the countryside for some
uninterrupted time alone.
N.B.
It is important that all runners, especially first timers, check with
their G.P. before embarking on any training programme. |
