Training For The Run 09

• The 5k (3.1 mile) event is the ideal distance for the beginner and is an excellent
  goal for your first venture into the world of running.
• The 10k (6.2 miles) race distance has risen to the top of the charts and usurped all other races over recent years. The 10k is so popular because if offers a meaningful challenge; it often requires an ideal blend of speed and endurance; the training can be easily fitted into your lifestyle and going from non-runner to 10k finisher is always a real success story – and one that is genuinely achievable by following a correctly structured training plan.

• How do I get started?
• What should I wear?
• What should I eat and drink?
• How much training do I need to do?
• How to prevent running muscle aches and pains?

• Step 1 - Check that it’s safe for you to begin exercising. If you’ve not exercised for some time, it might be advisable to have a check-up with your GP before you begin.
• Step 2 - Evaluate your fitness levels. You need to know where you are before you can progress – so sit down and honestly assess where your running and general fitness levels currently are.
• Step 3 - Select a training plan. Trying to prepare for the event without a training plan is like trying to find your way to a new town without a map and signposts. To take you on your journey to success, you need to follow a structured training plan that is right for you and your fitness level.

10k Training Programme
(Click the link above to download in PDF format)

• A guide to buying running shoes
  Running shoes are vital to any runner hoping to embark upon a successful training programme. However, the sheer volume of running shoes available can seem bewildering at first, especially if you’re new to running. Before you buy your shoes you might like to consider some important points that can help you to get the running shoes that will work best for you.
• Do you need new running shoes?
  We use a very simple, scientifically proven, kitchen bench inspection method! If we can make the shoe rock with one finger on the heel counter, that is usually a sign that it’s time to get a new pair. If the shoe sole is noticeably worn more in one part than another don’t wait until you get injured. If you can see that the midsole has compressed, replace your shoes. Generally you should replace a pair after 500 to 600 miles. To avoid risk of injury close to an event, make sure that, if you need new shoes, you have replaced them at least four weeks before a race.
• Shoes to prevent injury
  Purchase your shoes when you are building up the volume, but before you get into the serious mileage in the two months before an event. If you have been injured, or think you are likely to get injured while running, and you have tried a gradual build up of your training volumes, visiting a foot doctor (podiatrist) could be very valuable. They can look at your foot function and determine if there is any need for an orthotic (shaped shoe insert). The orthotic may function better in a particular shoe, so it pays to do this prior to purchasing. Your running technique and body size are going to determine the best type of shoe. If you are a heavier runner don’t expect to get four months out of a lightweight trainer/racer. Also, the event and the amount of running you are going to do will influence shoe choice, as will your training terrain and where you run; whether off-road or not. Make sure you take these points into consideration when making your selection.
• Where to buy your new running shoes?
  It’s always a good idea to ask other runners where they shop and what their experience has been. Did they feel like they got pushed into a pair of shoes rather then getting advice on the options? Does the store carry all the major brands or just one or two? Are the staff runners themselves? Can the store video you in a shoe at training pace? Resist the temptation to buy shoes just because they are in a sale. There’s nothing wrong with buying a pair of shoes at full price and then later, when you see them on special offer, picking up a couple of extra pairs.

• Keeping hydrated when running
  Keeping your body well hydrated is a vital requirement for any runner. A lack of water in the body can badly affect your running performance but can also lead to serious health problems and fainting. Water fuels the muscles during a run and is not to be under-estimated.
• Why is water so important?
  Water plays a crucial role in our well-being; it reduces the impact of toxins through dilution and excretion via the kidneys, carries vital nutrients, regulates body temperature and feeds the organs, including the largest of them all, the skin. We lose half a litre a day through normal body functions like sweating and evaporation and the more we exercise the more we need to replace.

  When we exercise, our muscles only use about 25% of the energy for work, with the rest released as heat – which is why exercise makes you hot. The main way the body is kept cool is by sweating. Heat from the working muscles is transferred to the blood. The blood flow to the skin is increased, and heat is lost by evaporation – sweating. Sweat comes from the water in blood, so we need to replace this vital fluid to prevent dehydration. If we run or exercise while dehydrated, our temperature can rise quickly and cause heatstroke, which is potentially fatal.

  In general, we need to drink about two litres of fluid a day to be properly hydrated. However, it’s quite likely that exercise will increase our fluid needs. The more you sweat, the more you need to drink to replace the lost fluid. Some people naturally sweat heavily, but even small losses can cause fatigue. Plus, the fitter you are, the more effectively you keep your body cool. Training harder, running longer or exercising in hot and humid surroundings will also make you sweat more.

  During exercise we lose on average 500-1000ml of fluid an hour. The easiest way to get a better estimate of how much fluid you lose is to weigh yourself before and after exercising – preferably naked so as not to include the sweat absorbed within your clothing. Each kg of weight loss is equivalent to a litre of fluid loss. However, you will lose more fluid as urine, so you should drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid for every kg of weight lost. The colour of your urine is also a good indicator of fluid loss – if it’s pale and plentiful, you’re well hydrated, but if it’s dark and sparse, you need more fluid. A loss of just 2% in your body weight may affect your ability to exercise; a 4% loss can cause exhaustion. If you’re competing, for every 1% drop in body weight there’s about a 5% drop in performance, which could mean the difference between coming first and last in a running race.

• Training for the 5k
  Follow these guidelines for when you’re planning how far in advance you need to begin your preparations:

  > If you’re new to running or exercise – the longer you train the better, but a period of three months’ running-specific training is essential.

  > If you’re already running or carrying out cardiovascular exercise – less than three months’ preparation is needed, but the longer your lead-in period is, the fitter you can get – and hence the easier your race will be.

  The beauty of preparing for a 5k is that you don’t need to commit endless hours to training – so your training can be easily accommodated into your normal life. Use the ‘training time vs finishing time’ guide below to help you gauge how much time you need to commit per week. Your training plan should consist of a careful blend of long runs, recovery sessions and faster-paced training as you build your 5k-specific endurance – so that you will be able to run for 60 minutes or longer.

  > Training for one hour per week = Your target should simply be to finish your 5k.
  > Training for one to two hours per week = Your target 5k finishing time should be between 30 and 35 minutes.
  > Training for more than two hours per week = Your target 5k finishing time should be between 25 and 30 minutes.

• Training for the 10k
  Training for and completing a 10k running event is the next step up after doing a 5k, and is a manageable distance that can be easily fitted into your life whatever your current fitness and running levels are. If you’ve been thinking about entering a 10k running event, are looking to improve your fitness levels or perhaps just want a focal point for your training to help motivate you to get fitter, a 10k race is an ideal target and is a genuinely achievable running goal.

  Follow these guidelines for when you’re planning how far in advance you need to begin your preparations:

  > If you’re new to running or exercise – the longer you train the better – but a period of four months following a specific 10k running training plan is ideal.

  > If you’re already running or carrying out cardiovascular exercise – less than four months’ preparation is needed before starting your 10k specific training plan. The longer your lead-in period, though, the fitter you can get – and hence the easier your race will be.

  Irrespective of whether you have a running background or not, you will be able to achieve your 10k goal if you build up within a sensible period of training time.

  You should always remember that the most important component of any training plan is rest – so a correct training plan should balance with sufficient recovery. Use the ‘training time vs finishing time’ guide below to help you gauge how much time you need to commit per week. Your training plan should consist of a careful blend of long runs, recovery sessions and faster-paced training as you build your half-marathon-specific endurance – so that you will be able to run for 60 minutes or longer.

  > Training for less than three hours per week = Your target 10k finishing time should be 65 minutes or above.
  > Training for three to four hours per week = Your target 10k finishing time should be between 55 and 65 minutes.
  > Training for four to five hours per week = Your target 10k finishing time should be between 45 and 55 minutes.

• Aching muscles after running
  Even if you’re relatively fit, you will probably experience aching muscles when you begin to run. Runners usually get sore muscles and blisters because:
  > They are not used to exercising regularly and strenuously
  > They are over-exercised
  > They are used to a different type of exercise

  Running soreness starts because of tiny tears in the body’s muscle fibres. The body’s defence mechanism kicks in, white cells come to the rescue and fluid moves to spaces it normally doesn’t occupy, causing swelling. The swelling nudges the nerve endings, causing soreness and partially immobilising them. This swelling and soreness often peaks 48 hours after running exercise which is one reason why your muscles hurt more the second day after a run.

• Blisters through running
  Blisters are caused through a rubbing against the skin, causing fluid to form beneath it. The more friction continues, the more fluid forms, causing pressure and pain to your running. Eventually the blister may burst exposing raw skin and yet more pain.

  New runners usually get blisters because their feet are not toughened or because their running shoes are new and therefore haven’t been broken in. Here are some tips for new runners on taking care of blisters:
  > Ensure feet are dry so they don’t move around the running shoe.
  > Wear insoles in running shoes for a smoother fit and use acrylic or polyester running socks rather than cotton or wool ones.
  > Take time and care when choosing running shoes. Running shoes that are too tight may cramp your feet and too loose can cause your feet to slide.

• Why you might be getting injured whilst running
  Running injuries are painful and frustrating, setting your training programme back by a lengthy period of time. However, avoiding running injury is not difficult to avoid, as long as you stay vigilant. Here’s our guide to overcoming running injuries and staying on the road to run success.
• Taking stock of your running in injury
  The enforced period of reduced training that follows an injury should be viewed as an opportunity to assess how and why you became injured in the first place. There are numerous causative factors for injuries and evaluating the reasons for yours will help in targeting your specific diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation but equally importantly, will also help you to plan ahead so that the injury doesn’t recur once you are back in full running training.
• Beating injuries for runners over-40
  By remaining active and running after we hit 40, we improve the way we look and feel, and actually add years to our life. Running is a great way of keeping in shape. However, runners over-40 should be aware of the greater injury risks posed by their age. Here’s our guide to runners over-40 wanting to get fit through running and take good care of their bodies in the process.

  Of course, we all need to come to grips with the physical realities of getting older. Although you may be trying to train as strenuously as you did at the age of 25 or 30, your body may not be able to perform accordingly. Some runners are able to take this change in their stride, while others attempt to fight Mother Nature, often ending up injured as a result.

• Warming up and cooling down
  A proper warm-up and cool-down becomes increasingly important. Muscle stiffness is thought to be directly related to muscle injury and therefore the warm up should be aimed at reducing muscle stiffness. Also as we get older our muscles become brittle and lose their elasticity as we grow older, so the chances of injury increase dramatically. By taking just ten minutes to thoroughly warm-up your muscles before a workout, you could save yourself months of lost time due to injury.

  Cooling down helps to decrease body temperature and remove waste products from the working muscles and should consist of 5 to 10 minutes of walking/jogging and static stretching exercises.

• Stretching for running
  Stretching and flexibility training will help compensate for the natural loss of flexibility and running stride that comes with age. By remaining flexible, you will substantially decrease your chance of pulling or straining a muscle when running, which could result in a nagging injury.
• Rest between runs
  For some of us, taking time off from running can be difficult. We depend on running to retain a certain level of fitness - not to mention sanity! However, taking time off is also important for performance, as well as avoiding injuries. As we age, our bodies take longer to recover from racing and hard workouts.