Running

How to stick to your running routine

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You might find yourself dropping off your running routine after a few weeks, the motivation might have gone down, or you are starting to become tired and are skipping days.

Here are a 6 tips to help you to keep on track:

  1. Follow a training plan, get a coach so you are held accountable. Make your run a priority and aim go for your run at the same time each day so it becomes a routine.
  2. Plan to run with a friend or group to keep yourself committed.
  3. You don’t have to push hard on every run, you can go slower or shorten the run if you are feeling tired. If you are really tired you could swap your rest day to a different day, but try not to make it a habit of skipping run days.
  4. Make your runs interesting by choosing different routes, maybe one day could be a hilly run or a run where you add some pick ups.
  5. Set a challenging but realistic goal for maybe, in 4 weeks time, such as a 5km or 10km race or a time trial to keep you motivated.
  6. Add some strength training and cross training to your program to add variety to your training and to also strengthen key muscles and improve your endurance without too much impact from running.

Tips to get back running after a break

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If it has been a while since you last ran due to injury, illness or maybe you just lost your motivation, don’t suddenly rush back into full training or you could risk re-injuring yourself and setting your self back even further.

Try these tips to start back running and to keep motivated:

  1. Join a running group and find people of a similar level.
  2. Follow a training plan so you build up your running gradually and also to keep you motivated with a goal. Choose short term targets along the way. Maybe you want to start with aiming for a 5 km race in 8 weeks or even a time trial to see where you are at.
  3. Spend the first month building up your stamina and gradually increase the length of your runs. Don’t increase your runs by more than 10 percent each week to avoid the risk of injury.
  4. Cross train by cycling or swimming to increase your fitness and strengthen key areas such as your glutes, hips, back and core.
  5. Add stretching to your training program and maybe try Yoga to stretch and strengthen.
  6. Enjoy seeing your times improve but don’t try to rush it.
  7. After 4 to 6 weeks gradually add interval sessions, hill work outs and tempo runs to improve your strength and speed.
  8. Aim to run 4 to 5 days each week to start with then as your fitness improves you can add an extra day.
  9. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t improve very fast, there is plenty time to reach your goals, aim to be healthy and try to enjoy your training. If you are enjoying your running then you will notice that you start running better and stat to improve.
  10. Make sure you eat well to repair quicker after runs with a good balance of protein’s, carb’s and fats such as avocado on Toast, scrambled egg on toast, salmon and potatoes or beans on toast. A few nuts after a run or some chocolate milk are good, quick snacks to eat straight after your run to help your body repair.

Enjoy your come back!

 

 

 

Running Through the Dubai Summer

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Despite the temperatures in Dubai reaching nearly 50 degrees over the summer months with incredibly high humidity levels, it’s still possible to train through the summer, you just need to be careful and sensible with how you do it.  I have been living in Dubai for 10 years and I mostly run outside during the summer months. It can get quite horrible at times but with some simple adjustments it’s still possible to run and you do adapt to the weather to a certain degree.

Indoor running at the Dubai World Trade Centre

Dubai World Trade Centre has an indoor running track in Dubai Sports World, where there are many other sports and facilities inside including a gym. The track has got shorter this year at only 350m long but with music or a companion to chat to, it isn’t so bad and the cool air inside brings a welcome relief from the outdoor heat. It’s not so easy to do interval training on the track but easy and long runs are ok.

Lower you body temperature before you start running

By lowering your body temperature before you go outside, you can keep going for longer and faster in the heat. Keep cool using the air conditioning, use ice over your head on the pulse points on your wrists. Sip cold drinks and add ice to your cap to keep your head cool. The ice cubes last for about 15 minutes. I tend to do short loops of 20 to 30 minutes then go back inside to grab more ice and cool off slightly. I find it’s possible to complete a run this way at your usual speed and it’s not so uncomfortable. I have done up to 90 minute runs like this and you can also keep longer intervals going better this way.

Concentrate on shorter intervals

You can aim to work on your speed with shorter intervals, maybe focus on training for a 5 km race or if you need to do longer intervals stay close to home, use ice in your cap and go inside to cool off during the recovery part of your session. Up to 10 minute intervals are possible this way so you can still get some decent interval training done during the summer months.

Try hill running sessions

The summer months are a great time to work on your strength with some hill running intervals, even if you’re not going particularly fast because it’s too hot you can still gain strength from running up to the hills. Try 6 x 2 minute intervals up the hill, you can slowly jog back down the hill to recover.

Treadmill Running

If it’s really unbearable you can always use the treadmill and complete you sessions and runs as you would outside. If you are doing a long run outside you could complete half of it outside and then finish off the rest of the run inside.

Hydrate well before, during and after the run. Try electrolytes and coconut water is also a good, natural, rehydrating drink to try after the run.

 

Improving Your Running Technique

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Improving your running technique will help you to run more efficiently, help to reduce the risk of injuries and help you to run faster.

Here are some ways to improve your form:

Strengthen

Strengthen your body all over, especially the core areas glutes, hips and back. Try single leg squats, lunges in different directions, the clamshell, the bridge exercise with leg raises and the also doing plank exercises are very good.

Stretching

Stretching can help you to avoid injury and recover more quickly from hard training. If you are more flexible you will also feel more relaxed and you running form will be more efficient.

Using the arms correctly

The arms are really important to help you to run freely and more efficiently, they help to create balance and a forward motion when running. The arms should be bent at 90 degrees and move from the shoulder not from the elbow. You shouldn’t swing your arms across your body as this will twist your torso and could lead to injuries such as IT Band injury. Keep the shoulders relaxed and don’t clench your fists.

Feet

Ideally you should land on your mid foot not on the heel or on your toes as this could lead to injury. It is best to get checked by an expert to help you to land correctly to avoid injuring yourself.

I offer running technique courses and workshops to improve your form and dynamic movement skills drills which help your body to learn the new technique plus strength and flexibility exercises to strengthen the whole body especially the core areas, glutes, hips, back abs.

Contact Emma for more information  – Tel: +971 52 977 9426  Email: [email protected]

 

Strength Training For Runners

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  • Strength training helps you to lose weight, it can boost your metabolism by 15% and will help to maintain your current weight.
  • You will have higher energy levels, increased bone density, better balance and co-ordination, a better posture and a toned body. Along with a good diet, if you do two or three strength sessions a week, after 3 weeks you will start to shape up.
  • You will run faster, by increasing your fast twitch muscles.
  • By doing runner-specific strength exercises two or three times a week you will strengthen your muscles, bones, ligaments and tendons, helping your body to withstand the impact of running and to increase your overall performance.
  • During a race you will feel stronger and hold your form better towards the end of a race and have a even have a final sprint at the end.

I offer running specific strength and flexibility exercises for athletes that are simple to do and don’t take up too much time.

Superfoods For Sports

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Adding Super Foods to your diet is an effective way to increase energy, promote good health and aid recovery from hard training. Here are some foods you should include in your diet:

Bananas

Bananas are great as a pre and post workout snack, containing potassium, magnesium and vitamin B6. They contain carbohydrates, help maintain low blood sugar, regulate digestion and re-fuel your body with electrolytes after exercise. Vitamin B6 in bananas acts as an anti-inflammatory agent

Quinoa

Quinoa is high in both carbohydrates and protein. It is great for vegetarians as it contains 10% of your daily iron needs in one serving. Iron is needed for the production of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Runners tend to lose more iron due to the foot striking the ground (which breaks down red blood cells). If your iron level are low, your running performance is likely to suffer. Quinoa can be used in many dishes, or in salads.

Strawberries

Strawberries contain Vitamin C and anthocyanins – antioxidant flavonoids which help fight inflammation and repair the muscles.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is high in complex carbohydrates, it contains Vitamin B and is rich in minerals and antioxidants. It is a good source of protein and has a low glycemic index, which provides a sustained release of energy into the bloodstream. Oatmeal helps lower cholesterol and keeps you full for longer.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a great multivitamin, it’s natural and increases energy and endurance.  It boosts your immune system, maintains stable blood glucose concentrations and may also help reduce the risk of cancer.

Spirulina contains about 70% Protein (contains all 8 essential amino acids) and this protein is readily digested and absorbed. It is low in fat and contains large amounts of beta-carotene (Vit A), Vitamins C, D, E and B group vitamins, iron, chlorophyll, phytochemicals and essential fatty acids.

Spirulina powder can be added to smoothie’s or yogurts or you can take them in tablet form.

Walnuts and Almonds

Walnuts and almonds are a great source of protein and fiber for runners and contain a high Omega 3 fatty acid content, Antioxidant Vitamin E and anti-inflammatory nutrients which are good for bone health.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are high in carbohydrates, contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which help remove free radicals from your body, all of what runners need.

Salmon

Salmon is high in protein and essential Omega-3 fatty acids which helps to reduce inflammation in the body and it contains vitamins B12 and B6