Running for Charity

Following on from our last post on New Years Resolutions, we thought we would catch up with you and see how you're doing. If you're like us then your motivation probably has it's high's and lows, but by now you should have your running schedule and progress chart up and running!
So here comes the hard part - making sure you stick to those runs (even through our unusually bad weather!)
We often find that we are more likely to keep up the hard work when we have something to work towards. So what better way to motivate yourself than with a charity run? They come in all shapes and sizes but you can get a better idea of which one best suits you on our website. You don't have to sign up for a full blown marathon straight away, there are lots of fun runs and charity walks to choose from.

Keep Motivated
Not only is taking part in a charity run great for raising money, but it also gives you a purpose or goal to work towards.
Having secured a place in a charity run you will then feel compelled to brave those dark dreary evenings, and get those running trainers on!
You will also know the route of the run which means you can have as many practise laps as you want, and get to know the course.

Buddy Up
Some find it helpful to run with a friend or member of family,
or sometimes you may even make friends with other taking part in the
race! You will be able to motivate each other and offer support to be
ready for that starting line.
You can also share tips and tricks such as training plans.

Broadcast your plan
So you've signed up for the race and secured your spot. Now the best thing you can do is tell absolutely
everyone about it! Not only to raise money but to ensure you have a great support network behind you, to help encourage you through to the
finish line. Also share it on your social media pages, it is much harder to
back out now that you've told the world about your target!

Before the Race 
Make sure you get at least 8 hours sleep the night before the race, and that you are well hydrated. Also the morning of the race you may not want to have a heavy breakfast, stick to something light and nutritious. Also visit a trusted sports shop where they can advise you on appropriate footwear to prevent injury.
Warming up before the race will also prevent any unwanted aches or
pains during the run.

After the Race
Make sure you re-hydrate and eat to allow your body to recover.
It's easy to forget and not always the first thing you want to do after a run, but stretching is an important part of keeping fit. You can also plunge your legs into some iced water or do some light exercise to loosen them up later in the day.

And last but not least.. Well done! A charity run is a great achievement and you should reward yourself accordingly. Whether you get that new pair of trainers or simply go for a massage, do something that you will find rewarding.

New Years Resolutions

Like the majority of the population, one of your New Year's resolutions is most likely related to health and fitness. So we thought we would share a few tips on making sure you reach your running goals for 2014.

They say to start how you mean to go on, and setting realistic goals is the best way to ensure you stick to your resolutions.

The resolution - Start running regularly

Step 1.

OK, firstly swap the TV remote for a pen and paper (or tablet for those tech addicts out there). A great way to plan your runs is to create a schedule. You may want to start with 3 or 4, 15- to 20- minute runs per week. This will quickly build up your fitness, but won't be too strenuous, meaning that you are more likely to stick to your schedule. 

Step 2.

So now you have your weekly running schedule your ready to brave that first run. You may wish to start off with a brisk walk to warm up. Remember that its not a race and more about achieving your personal goals. Also some people find running with a friend can be motivating, but that is personal preference. If you a relatively new to running you can start off running for one minute and walking for 3 and so on until you reach the full 20 minutes. 

Step 3.

Once you have completed your first run you can map your achievement on a progress chart. This will fuel motivation as you see your abilities broaden. Make sure you stick it to a wall, door or fridge where you can easily see all of your hard work. You should also reward your hard work with some new running gear, a pedicure, or any other treat you would enjoy.

Step 4.

After the first week or two you will start to learn more about yourself and your running preferences. You may notice that certain factors trigger you off times, such as bad weather, darker evenings or not having a particular race to work towards. It is important to recognise this and to actively work on over coming it, or finding something else to motivate you when you are tempted to skip a run. 

So remember these points to allow you to reach your running goals in 2014

• Write down your goals and weekly schedule
• Make sure you don't take on too much, and that your goals a realistic
• Make your goals known to your family and friends to encourage you to stick to them
• Keep a running journal or progress chart
• Keep organised
• Reward yourself each week
• Find support that works for you

Good Form? Think Tall

Running form - The basics

Whether you are a regular running enthusiast, or are just starting out we all know that running is a great form of exercise.

You don't need an expensive gym membership, or even any equipment. Just you and your favourite running shoes will suffice!

One thing you may want to consider however, is your running form which is all about how you run. Keeping good running form can increase your stats and also decrease your chance of injury.

The first and quite easy point to remember is to ‘run tall’. This alone will usually fix up to 90% of any form issues you might currently have.

You begin by ensuring that your head is balanced over your shoulders, your shoulders are balanced over your hips and your hips are balanced over your legs. And you want to take special care that you avoid slouching your shoulders and insured that both your abs and glutes are tucked in.

Running tall isn't about running stiff however, it is about maintaining a relaxed and well balanced position, you may find it useful to have a look at your position in a mirror, or asking a friend to take a look. You could even have a look in a shop window or bus stop as your out on your run!

In more detail...

Arms/ Shoulders

When you think about running you may automatically assume it is a lower body exercise, but your upper body actually controls the tension in your body whilst you run and your arm swing drives your body forward.

Your hands should not be in a clenched fist, but relaxed fingers lightly touching your palms. If it helps you can imagine carrying a potato crisp in each hand without it breaking.

Hips/ Torso

Your hips are your centre of gravity which means that it’s pretty vital you position them right. Keep your chin up and with your back straight and your abs sucked in, your hips should naturally fall into place. If you feel like you are starting to slouch take a in a deep breath to realign yourself, and as you exhale back out, make sure you maintain that upright position.

Legs

The position and movement of your legs will depend on whether you are sprinting or distance running. Sprinters will lift their knees higher in order to achieve more power, but for the benefit of distance running you do not have to exaggerate this movement as much. Distance running is more about fluid movement in order to achieve better endurance.

As your foot hits the ground you should keep your knee slightly flexed to enable it to bend naturally on impact.

Feet

Push off the ground with the maximum power, but ensure that when your feet touch the ground they do so lightly - landing between your heel and mid-foot and rolling forward. As you roll over your toes try to spring back off the ground in a fluid motion. This is the point where you should feel your calf muscles engage which propels you forward.

So that’s the basics to maintaining good running form, and ensuring you don't cause yourself any avoidable injuries.

6 Essential Apps for Runners!

Running is one of the best forms of excersize, and as mentioned in our previous post, can have many other health benefits too! Once embraced, it can be hard to shake off the running bug, but sometimes if it's a gloomy day, or you just don't want to get off the sofa, you may need a little extra motivation.
This is where apps come in. Whether you want to find some new routes, test your agility, or lose a little weight, there is an app out there to help you reach your goals, and get you motivated.

1. RunKeeper Pro

This app is one of the most widely recognised and boasts many handy features such as GPS Tracking, speed monitoring, caloric output and a history of your past activities such as cycling and other sports.
As well as this you are able to sync your progress with the RunKeeper website which enables you to store and share your information. The Pro version does offer more features, but there is also a more basic version available for free.


2. Ghost Race

Many of us find that we become much more driven when faced with a little competition, and who else better to compete with than yourself? Ghost Race allows you to track your past times on various routes which then allows you to monitor your performance day to day.
This app also has an audio function which keeps you updated with your real-time 'Ghost' for comparison.


3. Live Strong Calorie Counter

As well as running it is important to retain a healthy diet and lifestyle. This app boasts 625,000 foods within it's database which lets you monitor caloric/fat/carbohydrate/protein intake. As a result you are able to keep a close eye on your weight loss in order to achieve your goals.

4. Get Running (Couch to 5K)

If you are just starting our running this is the app for you! Get Running offers you a 9 week regime with the goal to be able to run for 30 minutes. With the built in audio it offers you encouragement and support throughout your run.

5. iMapMyRun

This is a great free alternative to some of the GPS Tracked running apps. Like with other paid apps you are able to save your progress on the app's website, and monitor your progress.

6. Interval Run

Interval Training is a great way to introduce a little variety in to your workouts. The programmes include Tabata, Couch to 5K and One Hour Programme.


So if you feel you need that extra little push, take a look at some of the mentioned apps and see which works for you!

The Benefits of Running!

The benefits of running

So we all know that any form of exercise is going to be good for you in both the short and the long term. But did you know that running is actually one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercises? Not only does it maintain your overall health, but it can also improve your body’s physical appearance quite quickly too if you put the effort in!

Most people know that running is a great form of keeping fit, but if you educate yourself with all of the great benefits it can bring, it means you are more likely to feel motivated to make running a part of your day to day life! OK we promise we won’t go into all of the boring details, but here is a quick run down on the primary benefits you will experience from running regularly!

(Please note that if you suffer from any medical conditions, or drastically change your lifestyle, please ensure you consult your doctor before hand).

Improving your health and well-being

Did you know that health and fitness experts say that running can have a drastic impact on your physical health. One big factor of this is that it raises the levels of good cholesterol production in your body, and it also increases your lung function. As well as this, by running regularly you can boost your immune system and decrease your risk of blood clots!

The potential prevention of disease

Running regularly will lower your blood pressure, helps you reach and maintain a healthy weight and as mentioned previously, it can help reduce bad cholesterol. These are all of the major issues associated with heart disease, so by running you are greatly reducing your risk! And what’s even better is that you don’t need to start off by signing up to a lengthy marathon, you can start off with moderate activity and still see the results! For example, research has found that even taking a brisk walk after eating a meal that is high in fat, can help to reverse the damage that may have been caused to your blood vessels.

Furthermore, running is really effective in tackling diabetes and osteoporosis.

Losing weight

Running is widely considered to be one of the most effective ways of losing excess weight. And it is also great for simply maintaining a healthy weight. You may want to try some interval training if you have the use of a treadmill, as this is considered the optimum way to burn calories.

Relieve that tension!

Stress can be the catalyst to many problems in our lives, from lack of sleep, to appetite, and can also have a big impact on our work and home life.

The reason why running is such a great stress buster, is down to the fact that when you run you are forcing your body to produce the hormones and energy needed to give you a little lift!

It has also been found that running may potentially reduce tension related headaches in certain people.

Be a more confident you!

When you run you will see your ability improve over the weeks, and this in itself is a great confidence booster! You are reaching your targets and getting much stronger.

Your body is also producing those happy hormones which means you can’t help but feel a spring in your step!

Ward off depression

Most of us will know that when you feel a little down, the last thing you want to do is get out and about. However, once you take that step and go for that much needed run, you will find that your mood will be naturally improved. You will work out that pent up stress, get some fresh air, burn some energy, and get yourself some more of those ‘happy hormones’.

So now that you know some of the major benefits of running, we hope that you feel motivated and ready to create an exercise plan! Schedule a short run in the morning before work, or in the evening. It doesn't matter when you do it, just make sure it works for you!

Athletes Amazing Act of Sportsmanship Inspires Us...

It seems good news does sometimes travel slowly, because today we have been inspired by an act of sportsmanship that we came across from last year.

Spanish runner Iván Fernández Anaya, a 24 year old long distance runner, trailed Olympic bronze medallist Abel Mutai of Kenya during an event in December 2012.

Mutai mistakenly slowed down near the finish line, because he believed it had already finished, when in fact he was meters from the tape.

Anaya, who was never in contention for first place in the cross-country competition, refused to take advantage of his competitors misadventure. Realizing the error, Anaya approached Mutai from behind and pointed him in the direction of the finish line.

“I didn’t deserve to win it,” Anaya, 24, told El Pais. “I did what I had to do. He was the rightful winner. He created a gap that I couldn’t have closed if he hadn’t made a mistake.”

Abel Mutai. Mutai, who was a bronze medal winner at the London 2012 Olympics stopped just about 10 meters before the finish line, believing he had already won. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, Anaya helped Mutai, guiding him to the actual finish line and letting him take the first place.

Anaya personal trainer, the former Spanish distant runner Martin Fiz, said that Anaya showed grace that very few people would nowadays. What is more, Fiz believes this is an unprecedented sporting gesture.

Anaya said that even if he had the chance to go back, he still would have let Mutai win. His brilliant actions may not have made him a better athlete or a bigger winner, but they have surely made him a better person. And let’s be honest, aren't we all aiming to be better people?

5 Ways to Motivate Yourself to Run…

Going running is one of the best and cheapest ways to start exercising to get yourself in shape. However, breaking old habits and starting new routines can be hard, whenever someone wants to make a change he or she needs to find ways to motivate themselves. Starting to run is no different to starting any other demanding activity.

Here are five ways to motivate yourself and get you out of that front door:

Stop with the Excuses!

If you’re finding it increasingly hard to motivate yourself and finding every excuse going to not go for a run, try telling yourself you’re just going for a walk instead. Once out the door walk for a while, then start to slowly jog. Start to increase the pace a bit as you go and before you know it you’ll be in full flight. Don’t push yourself too hard on the first go, you want to do the best you can do, not hurt yourself.

Get a Running Partner

Nobody wants to stand up a friend and suffer the embarrassment of letting them down. Getting a running partner has several benefits. Knowing you have to meet someone at a specific time and place will help motivate you to get out of bed or off the sofa. It will make your runs more of a social event and enjoyable rather than just something you have to do, plus it will help you to push each other further to go further and faster.

Sleep in your Running Clothes

Make sure they are clean first! But sleeping in your running clothes can provide just enough incentive to get out of your bed in the morning. Not only does it act a remind the moment you wake up, it will harder psychologically to skip your run if you’re already dressed. This could be the difference between hitting snooze and making a real difference to your life.

Have a Race in Mind

Many people work better when working towards a specific target. Signing up for a short race like a 5k or even perhaps a 10k, will give you that goal to aim for. You will know you have to train if you are to complete the race, pushing you harder and further. So sign up today and start getting prepared!

Do it for Charity

This has to be a massive motivation for anyone, especially if you choose a charity that means something to you personally. Many marathons and half marathons have specific entries for people running for charity, there are various shorter races that allow you to run for charity or are specifically aimed at raising money for a charitable cause. If running to make the world a better place and for something you believe in doesn’t motivate you, nothing will.

 These tips should help motivate you and if you keep running for at least six months there is every chance running will not only become one of your passions, but your motivation itself. Exercising regularly can make you feel calmer, more positive and happier. So don’t hesitate start today!