Issue 3 - Running Domain

Transcription

SUMMER
2016
RUNZINE SUMMER ISSUE 3
STORIES TO
CALENDAR
INSPIRE YOU
HEALTH
STRENGTH
BLOG
PROGRAMS
TRAINING
© 2016 RUNZINE IS A RUNNING DOMAIN PUBLICATION
Issue 3
TRAINING
REVIEWS
EDITOR’S NOTE
WELCOME
ISSUE 3 OF
RUNZINE
It’s been a while. With Christmas,
the New Year and the holiday
season having been and gone, it’s
time to get back to routine and
start to look at what 2016 might
mean for you in terms of running.
There is so much happening in
the local running scene and in
this issue of RUNZINE we’ve tried
to put together some items that
should help to inspire and get you
underway.
We have a feature on country
runners who do it tough, with
limited local support doing all
their training alone. We have
one mans journey from runner
to triathlete and eventually to
ironman.
We have tales from local
runners who share their running
experiences through blogs and
one runner who was so inspired
by his running passion that he
created a software app to help
bring runners together in groups
and communities.
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Alongside all of these inspirational
stories from local runners we
feature some great information
on nutrition and exercise to
complement your running.
And there are product reviews
including an article on an
innovative Australian “running
bike” plus news from some of the
local running based organisations.
We hope you enjoy this issue
of RUNZINE and we hope it
encourages you get your shoes
on and get out there and join with
others and run
If you enjoy the read please share
it with your friends and colleagues
and together let’s build a bigger
stronger South Australian running
community.
Whether its on the road or on the
trails, we’ll see you out there in
2016!
Happy Running!
Chris Taylor
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RUNZINE).
For more information about
Running Domain see our website:
www.runningdomain.com.au
CONTENTS
: PAGE 3 :
SA’S RACE AND EVENTS
CALENDAR
4
SPROUT HEALTH STUDIO
STRUGGLING TO GET THROUGH THE
SUMMER AND STAY RUNNING?
5
RUNNING DOMAIN
PLANNING YOUR RUNNING YEAR
8
RUN GROUP
RUNNING APP
11
SCUBA DEE - BLOGGER
13
IT’S OK TO BE SLOW
14
COUNTRY RUNNER
15
NEW YORK MARATHON
20
STRENGTH TRAINING
21
IRONMAN STEPHEN CORNS
23
JANE LUKE - BLOGGER
25
REVIEW - BIONIC RUNNER
26
YUMIGO 2016 EVENTS
29
REVIEW - ASICS
30
ROGAINING
31
LAST PAGE STUFF
33
2016
SA’S RACE AND EVENTS
FEBRUARY
CALENDAR
DATE
EVENT
21 Feb
Dolphin Run
5K & 10K
21 Feb
Salisbury Runs
2K, 5K & 10K
28 Feb
Hot Lap Fun Run
3K
28 Feb
Coastal Marathon
10K, 21.1K & 42.2K
MARCH
DATE
EVENT
4 Mar
Beach Bash
6 Mar
Summer Trail Series
6 Mar
Tour De Murray
6 Mar
DISTANCE
4K
12K & 19K
Semaphore, SARRC
Carisbrooke Park, Salisbury
Clipsal 500 Circuit
Semaphore
Newland Head, Yumigo
5K & 10K
Seacliff
10 Mar
State 10,000m Championships
10,000m
SA Athletics Stadium
13 Mar
Salisbury Runs
13 Mar
Victor Harbor Tri Fun Run / Walk
20 Mar
Bay-City
20 Mar
Orroroo Half Marathon
5K, 10K & 21.1K
20 Mar
SA Coastal Challenge
65K
Aldinga to North Haven
27 Mar
Easter Bun Run
10K
Athlestone
4.5K & 12K
EVENT
3 Apr
Clare Valley Half Marathon
3 Apr
Run for Autism
10 Apr
Granite Island Fun Run
10 Apr
Salisbury Runs
10 Apr
Conquer the Summit
17 Apr
River Trail Fun Run
19 Apr
AMA National Championships Cross
24 Apr
Cleland Trails (inc. SA Trail Running
DISTANCE
5K, 10K & 21.1K
We also have a multisport calendar
for all things swim, bike, run. If track or triathlon is not your
cup of tea there is always parkrun for a free timed 5K run or
walk every Saturday morning, now at 6 locations across South
Australia.
Glenelg to the City
SA MASTERS
TRACK
AND FIELD
PROGRAM
Orroroo
FOR OVER 30s s
EVERY
WEDNESDAY
EVENING
LOCATION/ORGANISER
SARRC
5K & 10K
Victor Harbor
5K & 11K
Mount Barker
3K, 5K, 10K & 21.1K
Murray Bridge
6K, 12K & 25K
AT 8.00AM
6 LOCATIONS
ACROSS SA
Victor Harbor
Victor Harbor
Distance & venue
EVERY
SATURDAY
2K
2K, 5K,10K & 21K
with a comprehensive listing of all Athletics SA, SA Athletic
League, SA Masters Athletics and Little Athletics SA events and
more! Henley Beach, SARRC
Running to Open a Door
5K
runSArun has a dedicated track and field calendar
LOCATION/ORGANISER
Mildura
2K, 5K & 10K
SUMMER IS A LITTLE QUIETER ON THE
ROAD RUNNING SCENE AS THE FOCUS
SHIFTS A LITTLE MORE TOWARDS
TRACK AND FIELD AND MULTISPORT. LOCATION/ORGANISER
5K, 10K & 21.1K
DATE
APRIL
DISTANCE
runSArun.com is a comprehensive calendar of all running
races and related events, such as race walking, multisport
and orienteering, created for south australian runners and
athletes. If you are looking for a one-off event to train towards
or are planning your race season you will find everything you
need at runSArun.com, saving yourself hours of trawling the
web. If it’s on in South Australia, it’ll be on runSArun.com.
Park 25, West Terrace
VISIT WWW.RUNSARUN.COM
FOR LINKS TO FULL EVENT DETAILS, A DIRECTORY OF CLUBS,
TRAINING GROUPS AND COACHING SERVICES,
RACE RESULTS AND MORE.
Trail Running SA
: PAGE 4 :
Those long Summer runs can be punishing on our body
and its energy systems. We need to ensure that we
recover properly so that we continue to enjoy running
while managing the hustle and bustle of our busy lives.
STRUGGLING
TO GET
THROUGH
THE SUMMER
AND STAY
RUNNING?
RUNZINE SPRING SUMMER ISSUE 2
nutrition recover well
Sprout Health Studio Dietitians:
Themis Chryssidis and Cian Mashei
{3}
{1}
RECOVERY MEAL
Always eat a recovery
meal within 30-60 minutes
of your run, even if you don’t
feel hungry. For runs over
30 minutes in duration aim
for around 20-30g of protein
(i.e 100-150g of fish) and 1g of
carbohydrate per every minute or
two of exercise.
{2}
PLAN
Always plan ahead – know what
you are going to eat and drink
and where it is coming from.
Don’t get home from a long
run and think “what is there
to eat”.
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STAY HYDRATED
Hydration is underestimated.
Being poorly hydrated means
your perceptions of how hard
your body is working are much
more heightened, your heart
rate increases and the risk of
gastrointestinal discomfort
increases. Weigh yourself before
and after your run and ensure
you drink 150% of your weight
difference. Water is great, but if you
need to rapidly rehydrate sports
drinks work best as they are well
absorbed and provide a source of
carbohydrate to assist recovery.
{5}
ENSURE YOUR
MEALS ARE
BALANCED
Recovery isn’t just about
protein and carbohydrate.
Don’t forget about vitamins,
minerals and fibre. Consume a
variety of fruits and vegetables,
wholegrains, legumes, lean meats
and dairy. Don’t miss a run
because you’re sick or unwell.
{4}
USE YOUR NORMAL MEAL
TIMES AS RECOVERY
MEALS
Recovery meals don’t always need
to be extra meals – if the timing
works out you can structure your
dinner (or any meal) to be your
recovery meal. In fact if you are
trying to lose a few kilograms
and feel that the recovery meal is
resulting in you eating a few extra
calories change the time of your
run so that it ends just before a
mealtime.
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{3}
PLYOMETRIC
{1}
PROPER ARM SWING
Using your arms when running increases
efficiency. Try keeping your arms at a 90
degree angle and pushing back with your elbows
throughout your stride. This ensures you are using
your entire body mechanics when running. Keep
the shoulders relaxed and resist the urge to lift your
shoulders when running. Good posture through running
will also assist oxygen flow into and out of the lungs.
{2}
GET STRONG THROUGH THE PELVIS
A solid foundation of pelvic stability is crucial for correct
loading of lower limb forces. Practice single legged
loading exercises such as step ups, hopping and single
legged squats to ensure you are correctly loading the
lower limbs efficiently.
The body has some great
mechanisms for absorbing force
and, just like muscles, they need to be
trained. Use plyometric exercises as a
tool to generate sound tendon health and
help with force absorption and propulsion
throughout gait. Skipping, box jumps and stair
runs are good examples of ways to enhance your
body’s stretch shortening cycle – crucial for running.
{4}
GET INTO YOUR CALVES
Tight, knotty calves are no fun for any runner. They can
leave you feeling lethargic and lacking spring in your step.
I recommend massage sticks over foam rollers for this one,
as it is easier to fine those tight little spots. And yes, dry
needling can be very effective for getting right into those
annoying trigger points!
{5}
KEEP POSITIVE ABOUT IT ALL
You run because you enjoy it, so let’s try and keep
it that way. A Swedish study revealed that the
majority of running injuries are due to overuse.
Interestingly it was concluded that runners
that use ‘self-blame’ or negative talk are
more likely to get injuries or ‘niggles’
than others.
form and function
Sprout Health Studio Physiotherapist:
Peter Kipreou
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RUNZINE SUMMER
SPRING SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
: PAGE 1
6:
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learn to love running
Sprout Chiropractors:
Sam Millard and Sophie Dean
Some people love running. Some people love the idea
of running. And some people fear even the thought of
running! Here are five reasons you should start or keep
running!
{1}
IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR
JOINTS
A recent review highlighted the lack
of evidence to suggest that running is
bad for your joints. Indeed, they suggest
that, “the preponderance of data seems to
indicate that moderate levels of running do
not increase the risk of osteoarthritis of the
knees and hips for healthy people and that this
activity might even have a protective effect.”
{2}
IMPROVED MEMORY
A study found that running improves the
growth of nervous tissue and could potentially
improve short term and long term memory.
{3}
STRONGER BACK
A recent study looked at lumbar
discs in rats that ran on a treadmill
and noted that the intervertebral disc
demonstrated an increase in cellularity
and an increase in the expression of the
building blocks for discs.
{4}
MOVE IT OR LOSE IT
Joints are meant to move. Running helps
preserve this movement, just ensure your body’s
joints are working effectively and efficiently.
Chiropractic can assess the joints in your body to
make sure they are moving well and controlled
to minimise overload.
{5} EASE IN AND PROGRESS
SLOWLY
Rome wasn’t built in a day and
neither are runners! Overloading
too early or progressing too
quickly can increase your
risk of injury.
RUNZINE SUMMER
SPRING SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
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To discuss whether an appointment
could be good for you please call
08 8443 4343 or check out
www.sprout.edu.au
for more information.
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PLANNINGYOUR
RUNNING YEAR
Training Programs
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Training
Programs
Be inspiRD!
Introducing Running Domain’s
new inspiRD training programs.
to run
inspiRD training programs
provide you with the resources
and support you need to make
you the best runner you can be.
As well as a well proven training
plan, you’ll have coach support
every step of the way. Coaches
attend every training run and
you can contact them via phone
or email to get advice and
support at any time throughout
your program.
You’ll also receive weekly emails
with program updates, details
of upcoming runs as well as
educational events.
Meet and share your journey
with your fellow runners at
social events as well as through
online forums.
Regular support webinars
answer your questions and a
growing vault of video clips on
a variety of topics are available
through the members only
website.
To make the most of your
running and keep you healthy,
Running Domain partners with
a number of organisations and
Sports Medical Professionals
across Adelaide to ensure you
have access to the best advice
and services.
inspiRD training programs cover
a wide and growing range of
events and distances and are
available as part of membership
through Running Domain.
For more information and to
be InspiRD visit
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Maybe you’ve run the City Bay
previously and want a new challenge?
If you can
already run
8kms...
then you’re well on the way
to running your first
half-marathon before
the middle of
the year.
Half marathon programs start with a 9km run in week 1 and gradually build
you up week by week until you have the strength fitness and confidence to
tackle your first half marathon. It’s a very manageable 3 run a week program
that’s easy to fit in around your other commitments.
Once you’ve completed your half marathon in the first half of the year you
can of course continue on to run a marathon towards the end of 2016.
21.1 KM
g
YOUR FIRST YOUR FIRST
HALF
MARATHON?
MARATHON?
g
TRAINING PROGRAMS
Is it time to get a bit more serious with your running? Want to finally tick the box for that
half-marathon or marathon? Want to improve on your personal bests?
If you can
already run
the
half-marathon
distance...
then you’re well placed to
run your first marathon
by the middle of
the year.
The marathon programs continue to build on the half-marathon distance
week by week to get you the required endurance for you to feel confident
on the start line. As you would expect, the marathon program involves more
running and longer distances than the half-marathon programs but it is
designed to be flexible enough to make it manageable alongside work and
family commitments.
42.2 KM
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Running Domain inspiRD
programs are supported
by coached group runs,
information, education and
a raft of resources. If you
can’t make it to the group
runs you can still take part
in the programs, access
resources and receive coach
support by phone, email
and internet.
Coming back for a PB?
Maybe you’re a regular
runner who has completed
one or more marathons
or half-marathons in the
past. Running Domain’s
inspiRD programs, support
and community of runners
can help take your running
to the next level. Run with
others who will support your
ambitions and share their
experiences to help you
achieve your goals.
For more information and to
be inspiRD visit
to run
RUNNING APP
Adelaide is home to many world class
things in the area of both running and
software.
It can now claim to be home to RunGroup,
a software app designed to help runners
connect with each other, and for running
groups to manage and communicate with
participants. RunGroup was the brainchild of
Vic Pisani…
My Story...
15 years ago I was playing gigs and touring around the country
in an Adelaide Rock pop punk band (Lazaro’s dog). It was a pretty
unhealthy lifestyle of late nights, partying and dubious nutrition (ie.
booze, late night falafels and other stuff). It was pretty much the polar
opposite to the 9pm bedtime, 5am wake ups and booze-free weeks
that are my new ‘normal’.
I always enjoyed playing sport but never enjoyed running. So if
someone told me that I’d grow to love running so much in my 40s
that I’d become a ‘marathoner’ and create an app to help increase
participation in running I’d have replied there was more chance of me
becoming a Tibetan Monk.
But thanks to a series or ‘fortunate’ events I’m proud to say that
it actually happened and I’m now both (that is I’m a marathoning
runtrepeneur not a marathoning monk,). And I couldn’t be happier.
What I want to achieve with
RunGroup ...
Creating RunGroup has been a labour of love for the last 2 years
around my day job working in PR, Programming and Marketing the
Arts , Artists and major festivals like WOMAD, Leigh Warren Dance
and Festivals Adelaide. As corny as it sounds I created the RunGroup
app because I was inspired to connect and encourage more people
to experience the same life-changing benefits that I have personally
experienced running with groups.
RUNZINE SUMMER
SPRING SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
Training for my first Marathon...
The catalyst for the app came after I lost my long-term running partner to an
injury culminating in a doctor diagnosis advising him to immediately give
up running forever or face a permanent disability. We had developed a real
running ‘bromance’ and built up training from a zero km base to running a
couple of half marathons and at the time of his injury we were in the middle
of our first marathon training program so this news was devastating.
Losing my running partner - who I relied on for friendship, motivation and
accountability - was like being told by a long-term girlfriend she was moving
to the other side of the world. We would still be friends of course but not
“running friends”! I unsuccessfully tried to find new running partners because
as a relatively new distance runner I was intimidated by the prospect of
joining a running group. At the time I wrongly assumed running groups were
‘out of my league’ and only for high-level runners.
Running alone...thinking alone….
I completed the rest of my first marathon training alone all the while thinking
that would it be great if there was an app I could use to find another person
training for that same event with the same abilities and timetable,– kind of
like tinder for running groups and running partners. But alas, there was no
app like it in 2013 so completed my marathon training solo and quickly
discovered how much harder training alone is. The long runs on my own did
however give me the headspace and time to arrange all the pieces of the
RunGroup app idea before I employed a developer to bring the idea to life.
I’m proud to say that I did also complete my first Marathon (the Gold Coast
Marathon) with tears of joy appearing near the finish line and it was one of
the greatest experiences of my life.
I joined a group! All the confirmation I needed...
For my second marathon, I took the plunge and joined Running Domain and
I have never looked back. It was the best running decision I ever made for the
many physical, psychological and social reasons you are all well aware of. But
moreover, as a card-carrying running group convert it confirmed everything I
needed know to put my money where my mouth is and create the RunGroup
app to help more people give running groups a try and better connect the
worldwide running community.
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www.rungroup.net
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RUNNING APP
Connect to the world-wide
running community
Discover and meet new
running friends.
Sharing the journey with
others
Training for a running goal can be like a
metaphor for life sometimes. And just like life,
running is so much better and happier when you
share it with someone else. And that’s where the
RunGroup app comes in to hopefully help more
people try running by joining a running group.
My hope is that RunGroup can break down some
of the barriers and excuses that people make
that stop them from joining running groups. And
I hope it will help them discover the incredibly
supportive worldwide running community for
their own fun, fitness and friendships.
RUNZINE
RUNZINE SPRING
SUMMER
SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
Join or create your own
RunGroup
So how does RunGroup
work?
In short, the RunGroup app helps anyone of
any ability find and join running groups in their
area or create their own bespoke running group
matching their goals and ability or create their
own running groups.
RunGroup users can match their specific needs,
(timetable / pace / ability) to others in their local
area or anywhere in the world. If they can’t find
a group matching their needs they can simply
create their own new group for other RunGroup
app users to find and join them.
Once connected to running partners or a
running group, all members of that group can
communicate, update and motivate others within
their running group via a free closed messaging
service for each running group.
Use RunGroup to
‘Communicate & Motivate’
In addition to their regular running club’s
timetable group members can organize other
runs between themselves to supplement their
training or make up for missed runs.
RunGroup can also be used when travelling to
find a local group at your destination city or town.
It’s like a free pass to an international runners
travel network. Imagine turning up in New York,
Sydney, London, Toronto, Bali (anywhere) and
hooking up the next day with a local group that
fits your abilities and timetable on their safe ‘local
route’. AirB&B for your running shoes!
RunGroup can also be used to create oneoff group runs for special events and unique
occasions. Maybe a running social gathering like
an impromptu Christmas party run, New Years
Day run, midnight halloween run or an out and
back beer run at the local pub. You can even use
it to organise and promote informal running tours
around town or your favourite trail.
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Run with the locals on
your travels
How to get RunGroup
RunGroup can by downloaded for free on the
Apple App Store and Google Play for all apple
and android phones and tablets.
What’s next?
More exciting things are planned for the app in
the first year so make sure you join the RunGroup
conversation on facebook at RunGroupApp and
twitter @RunGroup_App.
RunGroup is also looking for a
instagrammer to take charge of
running pics so if you’re interested
conatct me on
rungroupenquiries@gmail.com
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BLOGGER
SCUBA DEE
RUNZINE
RUNZINE
SPRING
SUMMER
SUMMER
ISSUEISSUE
3
2
www.custardtart.net
All runner’s have their
reason for running .....
mine started out not
that many year’s ago
after realising I was not
quite the fit healthy fun
loving person I used
to be. In fact I was
heading the other way,
getting fat, unhealthy
and miserable. After a visit to the optician and the doctor
I had to wage a personal war against an
increasing cholesterol score and cut back
on custard tarts! I had witnessed my wife
(Chantal) become a runner after many
year’s of fitness and it hit me that I would
be seeing less of her unless I jumped on
board. It took a few weeks of hard work and
determination but then it suddenly all
kicked in, I realised I was obsessed by it
all. That so, I started to write it all down,
about what I was feeling, experiencing,
learning. This evolved in to what amounts
to a books worth of running enthusiasm
and an eventual foray in to Triathlon. Custard Tart, isn’t a blog as such, more
a book that I am putting out there on
the internet for want of a better place to
enthuse about what we all do together in
our amazing running community. : PAGE
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2 :13 :
www.facebook/custardtartrunner
Instagram custardtartrunner
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At Running Domain we recognise that not everyone is an elite
runner, not everyone is fast.
“But I’m
too slow
to run with
a group!”
And more to point we recognise that for many people they’re not interested in
being fast or getting faster they just want to run and they just want to finish.
Running Domain will support you in that. For us - it’s ok if you’re a bit slow!
It’s one the most common
reasons why people run alone
rather than with a group…
“I don’t want to
hold people up.
I don’t want to
keep people
waiting for me.”
To help manage the different speeds within the groups Running Domain recently
appointed an assistant Coach, John Norris to look after the ‘back of the pack’
runners.
Each Running Domain group run has two coaches, one looking after the faster
runners and the other specifically designated to look after the slower runners.
That way, no-one gets left behind or abandoned and no-one needs to feel bad for
holding people up.
It’s important to me that we meet our charter of
being non-elitist and open to ALL recreational
runners regardless of speed or ability. We want to
support people in their running to get
enjoyment out of it and to help them achieve their
goals, whatever they are.”
Running Domain founder and head coach,
Chris Taylor
“I’m too
slow.”
“I don’t want to
run fast, I just
want to finish.”
JOHN
NORRIS
‘BACK OF THE PACK’
RUNNING COACH
In any group of runners some people will be quicker than others and not everyone
will run at the same speed.
John has been a runner since
about 2000 and over the years has
run a dozen or so City to Bays. In
2010 John took up running more
regularly and completed his first
half marathon in Adelaide in 2011.
Since then John has enjoyed
participating in numerous events
ranging from 5 to 30 kilometres and
has completed nine marathons.
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If you consider yourself a ‘slow’ runner, you’re not alone.
There are lots of people just like you out there all feeling
the same way.
Join Running Domain, run with others, be part of our
community. Achieve your goals.
For more info visit www.runningdomain.com.au
or info@runningdomain.com.au
Country Runner
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COUNTRY RUNNER
Sharyn Hansen
Country Runner
Sharyn lives in country SA and has a busy
life as mother, wife and business owner and
she took up running to maintain her fitness.
What started as an occasional activity took
on a new dimension when she decided to
“tick the box” and complete a marathon,
this is her story.
The start of the journey
My marathon journey was a couple of years in the making.
Originally I signed up for the Gold Coast Marathon in 2014
with a friend. I called her my virtual training buddy, I live
in the south east of South Australia while she is lives in
Adelaide, occasionally we would catch up for a run through
the city with breakfast as the reward at the finish. I had no
idea whether our training was effective, but it was fun. As
race day arrived I decided I was not ready, so changed to the
half marathon event, a decision I am happy with. So with halfmarathon box ticked the task was only half completed and I
set out to have another go at the marathon.
On the start line...
This time with different training I made it to the start of the
2015 Adelaide Marathon. Standing amongst the crowd
of runners I felt like a bit like a fraud. There were so many
incredibly athletic people, but looking around I was reassured to see that there were competitors in all shapes and
sizes. With training complete and nerves under control and
the thought running through my mind “I can do this” I took
my place among the crowd.
The start gun went off and I started to cry, floods of emotion
welled up from deep inside and all my fears bubbled to the
surface. I am not supposed to cry yet I thought as I fought to
regain the composure that had carried me through months
of training. I remembered a quote I had seen and decided I
would make it mine! ‘Eat the elephant one bite at a time’.
How I got to the start line...
During 2014 I had struggled with hamstring injuries, first
one side then the other, with the help of a physio, massage
and some serious strength training the quest for a marathon
was back on the table. This time I wanted to know that the
training plan was good and by following it to the letter I
would have a very real chance of finishing it. A race finish
was my only goal. Time was unimportant.
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COUNTRY RUNNER
Nutrition on the long run….
A coach, a plan and
confidence...
As the distances increase so did the need to consider some sort of nutrition
to keep my energy levels up. This was one of my bigger challenges. The
idea of consuming gels with ingredients that I could not pronounce did not
sit well with my lifestyle, that is to keep it simple and if the flies don’t eat it
then neither should I. Through trial and error I came up with an alternative
to commercial gels and although the taste was questionable to start with
I was not to be deterred, I continued to adjust the ingredients (dates, chia
seeds, molasses, salt and lemon juice) until I was happy enough to eat my
‘goop’ each weekend. However I couldn’t convince anyone else to try my
homemade version; even a taste was out of the question.
Through word of mouth (that’s how things work in the country)
I found a coach who was willing to take me seriously, this was
important to me at 54, I may not get another opportunity. I met
with Chris the coach to talk about training plans and the reality of
the task ahead. Armed with practical advice, renewed confidence
and a plan that looked quite daunting I began.
Fitting in the training
Friends and work colleagues kept me going when I started to doubt that
I could run this race. A lunch date with a friend for an encouraging chat
about running always resulted in an excellent training session next time
out. Kudos would have to go to one of my work colleagues who would
listen patiently each Monday morning to the minute detail of the weekend
run and offer a wise or funny comment that kept me grounded and
believing that I could keep running.
Any running had to be completed early before work and family
commitments and most often in the dark. I have come to enjoy
those early mornings, they offer the perfect time to think, plan
and dream. The air is fresh and cool, perfect running conditions,
however there were days when the wind was strong, the rain heavy
and the temperature somewhere near freezing making it so much
harder to get out of a warm bed.
Memorable moments...
To get around the mental struggle of ‘you want me to run how
far?’ I planned each run, especially the long run. By mid week I am
struggling with the thought of the long run, the mind is filled with
‘can I do this?’ and the body is already tired from a couple of runs,
a strength session and a yoga class. I use Map My Run to work out
the route in advance so by the time Sunday arrives I know where
I will run, I know the loop I have planned is exactly the correct
distance and that means when it gets tough out on the road there
will be no excuses to cut the distance…. there is only one way
home.
Two training runs are memorable for opposite reasons. The first was 26kms,
the longest run to date and memorable for a 10 km PB and half marathon
PB, I felt strong and invincible, as though I could take on any challenge. If
this is running I want to run forever.
The other only a couple of weeks later was tough, really tough. The
weather was a contributing factor with icy temperatures; wind gusts up
to 52km/h, wild rain and hail. The run started well, I felt strong and the
weather was beautiful initially, looking across the horizon I could see the
grey clouds rolling towards me and the wind increasing until each time I
lifted my leg it would be blown across my body, I could not maintain my
rhythm, the rain and hail arrived and oh how it stung as it hit my skin. At
the peak of the storm my headphones ran out of life so now there was no
distraction from the pain of being cold and wet. Sing, I will sing. Ten green
bottles was all I could come up with so I sang it out loud until I had finished
that run. When I arrived home how welcome was the warm fire and a hug
from my husband. I was so cold that I needed help to get out of my clothes,
my fingers wouldn’t work and my whole body was shaking.
My running routes…
... are all beautiful, anything from the lake on the back roads of town
at sunrise to the trail that winds through the nature park, a trail set
up by the local Rotary Club and used by locals and visitors alike. If
you are first along here in the morning you will meet the occasional
wallaby or kangaroo and most definitely a family of rabbits.
I run alone most of the time and while I have not missed having
a running buddy there have been times when I think it could
have been helpful in improving my running times. Living in the
country means that you know most people, so on each run I always
welcome a friendly wave from the early morning couriers, the
milkman and even the garbage collector. I try to keep the runs
interesting by any means so listening to radio and music is great
but then I came across audio books, I listened to titles that ranged
from Running like a Girl – Alexandra Heminsley to The Dorito Effect
– Mark Schatzker and the occasional romance saga. I always feel as
though I can’t finish the run until the end of the current chapter!
My favourite runs are those that pass the paddock with the alpaca,
he eyes me suspiciously as I run by, I call out ‘good morning’ and
have a chat. I have named him Alex; his job is to keep the sheep
safe so he follows me along the fence until he thinks I am no longer
a threat.
By the time the program was coming to a close I was so over long runs out
in the cold!
The reward…
I made it through the training and I survived the overwhelming emotion of
the starters guns to finish the marathon within my goal time. Words cannot
describe how I felt seeing my friends and family waiting for me at the
finish line. I am so very grateful for their love, support and most of all their
patience.
With the marathon box ticked, I now have to work out what’s next for me in
2016!
Sharyn followed the training program by Running Domain.
For more details – see www.runningdomain.com.au
: PAGE 17 :
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COUNTRY RUNNER
David Staehr Country Runner
David Staehr is a talented marathoner
and occasional Ultra marathoner and
is usually to be found near the front
of the pack. In 2015 alone, David won
the Barossa, Portland and Phillip Island
marathons.
In 2001 I gave my job as a Structural Engineer away and took up
teaching. I wanted to start my teaching career in the country and in
2002 I accepted a job in Kaniva, a small town of around 700 people,
located on the Western Highway between Melbourne and Adelaide,
just on the Victorian side of the border. It’s the town my father had
grown up in and was home to my grandparents.
I arrived fairly fit in Kaniva, although I had labral tears to both hips that I
had suffered half way through my training for the Melbourne marathon
in 2001. These were a result of a poorly planned training regime
combined with the unforgiving concrete footpaths of Melbourne’s
inner suburbs.
Physical activity of any type was painful and another marathon seemed
out of the question. But living in a country town there wasn’t much
choice and I got involved with the local football team for the next six
football seasons. In 2004 I had surgery on both hips but there was still
pain. When I gave football away completely the pain went away and I
was able to get back to running properly.
In 2008 I made a snap decision to attempt the Melbourne Marathon
which was a mere eight weeks away. In hot and blustery conditions, I
made it to the finish line the MCG sure that this would be my last ever
marathon. But by the time I made it home to Kaniva I was wondering
what I could have achieved in the marathon if I had trained properly.
Soon I was back training with of 2hr 45 mins as my goal for the
following year. In 2009 I achieved that target in Melbourne a year later
and have spent the last six years trying to lower my marathon PB.
Training in Kaniva
Most of the roads surrounding Kaniva are unmade dirt roads that even
a heavy dew can turn into a sticky surface that cakes on to anything that
comes in to contact with it. In a wet year, these roads are out of bounds
for at least six months of the year. My winter training is restricted to
within the town boundaries, or out and back runs on one of the four
long straight bitumen roads leading out of town. Having started out doing
all my running at the end of the day, the heat of the summer and autumn
evenings soon saw me become a morning runner. This certainly adds
another level of boredom to the runs over winter as the roads out of town
are narrow and dangerous in the dark with cars travelling at high speeds.
During the week I am restricted to running laps around the perimeter of
Kaniva under street lights, which is barely 4km, or not much over 10km if
you zig-zag the streets.
Kaniva sits on top of a rise. I say a ‘rise’ rather than a ‘hill’ as the slope out
of town is trivial when compared to hills of any note, such as the Adelaide
Hills. There are no hills of significance nearby other than the Lawloit
Ranges, 20km east of Kaniva, which provides some longer inclines. In 2011
when I decided to attempt the Comrades Marathon I spent many Sundays
leading up to heading to South Africa running countless times back and
forth over the Lawloit Ranges.
Being surrounded by cropping farmland, there are very few trees to
provide any protection from the elements. When the wind picks up or it is
warm, it makes each run that little bit harder.
My training week
A typical week for me is six morning runs, usually around 110km in total,
approaching 130km during peak training. With a young family, I have
stayed true to my rule of having a rest day a week and trying to train
smarter rather than longer. Over the last two and a half years, I have found
myself needing to be more flexible and shuffling runs around to fit around
family commitments. Tuesday is usually an interval/fartlek run, Wednesday
and Friday longer runs of up to 24km, Thursday and Saturday tend to be
recovery runs of 10km, with Sunday being my long run of up to 40km, (or
longer if training for an ultra).
w
: PAGE 18 :
COUNTRY RUNNER
Training alone
There are no running clubs or regularly events within a two hour drive, and
most local events tend to fall at the same time in the spring marathon period. I
probably find myself running more marathons a year as a result of this to help stay
focused. Each year I try to always give myself a four or five month training block
concentrating on one marathon. I will follow that up with a number of marathons
closely spaced together, with a short recovery, small training block and taper
between each where possible.
Pacing at Melbourne
In 2010 I planned the second half of the year around running the Sydney and
Auckland Marathons. Keen to run the Melbourne Marathon, which fell three weeks
after Sydney and three weeks before Auckland, I applied to be a pacer and was
given the three hour group. This gave me a taste of pacing and despite having
my heels trodden one a dozen times or more in the first half, the experience was a
very positive one.
On returning from Comrades in 2011, I ran the Tan Ultra 50km, Adelaide
Marathon and Walhalla 50km trail run in a four week period and was feeling too
burnt out to run the Melbourne Marathon competitively. I contacted Race Director
Tim Crosbie in the hope I could assist by pacing a group but unlike the previous
year he was swamped with pacers. After initially knocking me back he emailed
shortly after proposing the idea of introducing a 2hr 50min pacer for the first time
to the Melbourne Marathon. I took up the challenge and found it to my liking, so
much so that I have now completed the last five Melbourne Marathons as the 2:50
pacer.
The 2:50 pacer role certainly brings together an interesting group of runners that
by half way swells to in excess of fifty. From about the 23km mark, the group very
quickly spreads. There are a number of runners who have broken three hours and
think that breaking 2hr 50min is the next progression. There are others that use
the group to try and hang on as long as possible in the hope of breaking three
hours. In both cases, it doesn’t typically end so well for these runners. I usually
find that five or six runners will break away with about 10km to go and finish
well ahead of me and another two or three will finish with me. Over the last five
to six kilometres you pass a lot of runners that have gone too fast early and it is
rewarding to turn their day around and get them over the Domain hill and home
with me.
The 2:50 role is certainly a demanding one and a run that I prepare for in much
the same manner as if I was racing a marathon, with a slightly less tapered lead in.
For me, getting runners over the line in a PB or making a huge difference in the
closing stages is just as satisfying and as running a PB myself.
: PAGE 19 :
Throughout my time in Kaniva, my training has all
been done on my own. Luckily, I don’t require a lot of
motivation to get out and do the necessary training.
Over the last eighteen months, a few locals have
taken up running and completed their first 10km,
half and full marathons. I like to think that I have
helped inspire them to take up running and push
themselves. It has been a nice change to try and catch
up with them on one of my recovery runs. I enjoy the
opportunity to have a change of scenery and run
in Adelaide, Geelong, the Grampians or anywhere
different. But despite all the challenges that training in
such a rural location present, there are so many things
to love about it too. It is hard to beat the hours of not
crossing paths with a single vehicle, the near silence
that is only interrupted by the pounding of feet or
the odd bird, or the unexpected fauna such as a fox,
kangaroo or emu that likes to join in. The challenges
day in and day out only make me more determined
and mentally tougher when I need to find something
extra in a race.
: BACK TO CONTENTS :
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RUNZINE SUMMER
SPRING SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
::PAGE
PAGE20
1 ::
: CONTENTS :
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STRENGTH TRAINING
If you’ve read any running magazine over the years or seen any article on
strength training for runners you’ll have seen photo’s of an exercise called
the Plank.
Why? Because it’s a great exercise for tightening
up the core. The Core is often talked about as
being key to a strong running performance. But
very rarely is there any explanation of why a strong
core is so important to runners.
Essentially the core is the bit of the body between
the bottom of your lungs – the diaphragm and the
pelvic floor. Running through the middle of that
is the spine. The spine is made of of a number of
individual bones held together by muscles and
ligaments. When the core is turned on it puts
pressure on the spine and holds the individual
bones of the spine in place stabilising the pelvis
and giving your arms and legs a solid base to
push against and leverage from.
A comparison might be that running with your
core off is like running through soft sand whereas
running with your core on is like pushing off
against a hard surface. There’s much better grip
and push with your core turned on!
So how do you turn your core on?
Think of the core as a drum. If you squeeze a
drum from any direction you’ll put pressure on the
contents inside. The human core is a drum that
has the diaphragm as the top, the pelvic floor as
the bottom and a corset like set of muscles called
the Transverse Abdominus (TVA) along with your
external obliques as the sides.
COMMON MISTAKE
Chris Taylor. Coach – Running Domain.
So you could squeeze pressure into the core by pushing the lid (the diaphragm)
down. When you hold your breath you push the diaphragm down which puts pressure
into your core. You might do that as you pick up something heavy, do a few push-ups
etc. But how long can you hold your breath? Not long, so holding your breath is not a
great strategy for a runner.
Instead of pushing down by holding your breath, you could pull up your pelvic floor,
and to some extent all of us do this when we run else it would all get very messy very
quickly. But there’s limited movement in the pelvic floor and it takes a bit of training to
learn which muscles are what and how to activate them.
By far the best means for runners to put pressure into the drum of the core is to
squeeze the sides together by pulling in the corset of muscle that is the TVA.
Of course, you could practice this standing up and pulling your belly in. But by adopting a horizontal position such as the plank it exerts a workload that you have to resist
to maintain your posture and by holding the position for a period of time it ensures
that you aren’t cheating by holding your breath.
So that’s why the plank is a good exercise for runners.
Now let’s look at how to do it, it’s really pretty simple.
STANDARD PLANK
Find a piece of floor and lie face down.
Next prop yourself up on your toes and
your elbows.
THE PLANK
BUM TOO HIGH
Brace your abs and hold. There should
always be a straight line between your
shoulders and your heels at all times.
Ideally aim to maintain this position for
30 seconds but if that’s too hard and
you can’t maintain good posture then
do less and build up to it.
COMMON MISTAKE
That’s ok, it’s just your body working out what
it needs to do and which muscles to activate to
become stable.
This means you’re not activating the core
enough and you could hurt your back and
damage your spine.
After practicing for a while you’ll find yourself
becoming more stable and more solid.
SAGGING BACK
This means you’re using the wrong muscles to hold you up.
Your elbows should be vertically below
your shoulders.
You may feel a bit shaky and tremble a bit at first.
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: PAGE 21 :
WHEN THE BASIC PLANK GETS TOO EASY YOU CAN MAKE IT A BIT MORE DIFFICULT WITH...
THE ALTERNATE LEG LIFT PLANK
From the standard plank position lift one foot off the floor so you are
propped on both your elbows but just one foot.
When you take your foot off the floor initially ensure that you don’t shift
your body position or alter the angle of your hips. If you can’t manage
to transition to just one foot without shifting position or moving your
hips go back and practice the basic exercise some more and get
stronger.
When you can do this properly alternate each leg for 15 – 20 seconds.
WHEN THE FLOOR EXERCISES GET TOO EASY YOU CAN INTRODUCE SOME INSTABILITY
USING A FIT-BALL THAT WILL MAKE YOU WORK SO MUCH HARDER...
ARMS ON BALL PLANK
Instead of propping your elbows on the floor in this exercise you’ll prop your
elbows up on a fit-ball.
THE SET UP
Start on the floor kneeling with your hands clasped in the middle of
the ball.
Roll the ball away from you using your arms so that your elbows
start to take your weight then push yourself up into the plank
position with your weight on your toes.
COMMON MISTAKE
Slumping over the ball. Ensure
that your elbows are below your
shoulders and your are raised up
from the ball.
Bum too high – wrong muscles
being used – ensure your back is
straight.
Back sagging. Ensure that your
back is straight. If you feel your
belly sagging towards the floor
you need to pull yourself back
into position.
If you can’t maintain the
correct posture go back
to an easier version of the
exercise.
When you start to do this
you’ll feel very wobbly on
the ball. As you practice
and get stronger you’ll find
the wobbliness subsiding
somewhat. The challenge
of this is to do it while
maintaining the correct
position and remove as
much of the wobble as you
can.
ARMS ON BALL –
RAISING KNEES
PLANK.
When you’ve progressed through
the various stages and need a really
tough challenge there’s a final version
you can try based on the fit-ball plank.
Get yourself into the plank position
with your elbows resting on the fitball.
When you’re stable, lift one foot off
the floor and bring your knee up to
the ball.
Maintain a straight line between your
shoulders and your planted heel.
: PAGE 22 :
As with the single leg plank
you should be able to achieve
the transition between having
both feet on the floor and lifting
one off without having to shift
your weight or change hip
alignment.
When you’ve mastered that
part of it - alternate your legs
bringing each knee up to the
ball in turn.
The key to this exercise is doing
it with control. Doing it slowly
with control will achieve much
more for you and your core
than doing it quickly and badly.
by Stephen Corns
“Let’s do an
Ironman...
...it’ll be fun,”
she said.
Sam, my wife, and I moved to Australia with our daughters in late 2009.
When we arrived I was 25kg overweight and extremely unfit. Moving from
South Africa was a massive change for us so it made sense to make some
other changes at the same time. Being so unfit I was worried that I would
not be able to keep up with my three young daughters or even worse, that
they would follow in my footsteps...
: PAGE 23 :
It started out simply enough. I bought
a cheap mountain bike and every few
days I did a quick ride to the beach and
back. This was a “huge” 10km round
trip and I was very pleased with myself.
Very quickly 10km became 20km which
became 30km. The first time I rode
30km I could barely walk afterward.
Soon enough I added the odd run into
the mix to stop boredom from setting in.
The runs were very slow awkward affairs.
I had been a couch potato and was
never very sporty.
Although I had heard about triathlon,
the thought of participating in one had
never crossed my mind. I heard about
a triathlon series held at West Lakes. It
seemed like a bit of fun so I gave it a go.
My first triathlon was a 100m swim, 6km
bike and 1km run. At the end I could
barely breath but it was very apparent
that the bug had bitten.
Fast forward a few years. After
completing one of these triathlons at
West Lakes we were sitting around
talking about the day while we were
waiting for prize giving. A friend of
mine had a brilliant idea. “Let’s do an
Ironman” she said. Having done some
long course triathlons and enjoying
them I had been thinking about
eventually, one day, maybe giving
Ironman a go. “Why not?” I said while
thinking that my friend had lost her
good sense. “Okay, Busselton 2015
then. Let’s shake on it!” was her reply.
Wait, what? An Ironman? In twelve
months?
w
At this point I still had to break the news
to wife Sam that I had agreed to this.
I knew I would have her support but I
wanted to make sure she was happy to
sign up for this. I knew that this would
be a big commitment for the whole
family. I’m quite sure she thought I had
lost my mind but Sam was supportive
and even quite excited about the idea.
I had decided to stay close to the jetty so that I was
out of the way of any faster swimmers. As we got
further into the swim, the conditions got worse.
Afterward I was told that 47 swimmers withdrew
during the swim. This was a tough day at the office.
What struck me about the swim was that in these
very rough conditions, the visibility was incredible.
At the far turn buoy in 8m deep water you could see
to the bottom. The water was crystal clear.
It was about then that reality set in.
How does one prepare for an Ironman?
There are a lot of very good resources
on the Internet to point you in the
right direction. Fortunately, I am also
blessed with some wonderful friends in
the running and triathlon community.
With a lot of input from triathletes
and runners alike we came up with a
training program. The original training
plan was to ramp up training to 18
hours a week over the 12 months. In
reality I had to alter my plan and ended
with a plan that had me training up to
15 hours a week and covering up to
300km a week across the swim, bike
and run. My friends at the Adelaide
Triathlon Club and The Running
Domain were a continual source of
inspiration and motivation for my
training. This support structure was
critical to getting the training done.
Out of the swim I was very happy to find out that
the shower as you go into the first transition was
warm. At that point I could happily have stayed
there for the rest of the day, but we had a bike and
a run to go. Into transition and I was overwhelmed
by the volunteers who were quite happy to help
you get out of your wetsuit, rub sun cream in or
even offer some advice.
On race morning we woke to a
downpour. It sounded like the skies had
opened. It wasn’t cold but was overcast
and very windy. We were up at 3am to
be at the transition at 4am to do a final
check and to put electrolyte bottles on
the bike.
The Busselton Jetty is 1.8Km long and
is the longest timber-piled jetty in the
Southern Hemisphere. It is a stunning
sight to behold and seems to go out
into the ocean forever. Standing on
the beach with 1700 athletes it was
overwhelming to see. All too soon we
were in the starter’s hands and then the
siren went. Twelve months of training
had come down to this. The water was
rough and angry but with the sound
of the siren 1700 athletes immediately
moved forward.
The bike course started well. We had a 35Km/h
tail wind which was a relief after the swim. The
first 10Km of the course was very open but soon
we were into the more protected areas. The
Busselton bike course is very flat. There are no hills
whatsoever. The course also changes direction
constantly so you never have a head wind for
more than a few kilometres. It is spectacularly
beautiful. The bike was also the first part where I
really needed to focus on nutrition in the race. I had
worked with a dietician and we had worked out
that I needed a bottle of electrolyte an hour plus a
Winners bar to provide 60g of carbohydrates per
hour. Following this plan helps to fight one of the
most difficult parts of the race. The sheer boredom
of hours and hours on the bike.
Onto the run. This was what I had been looking
forward to. The swim and the bike are amazing,
but I particularly enjoy the run. Having spent many
hours training with my friends from The Running
Domain this is the discipline I felt most prepared for.
The run course at Busselton is a four loop course
running up and down the esplanade. Although
you do the same loop four times there was always
something exciting going on. The spectators and
volunteers here were absolutely amazing too. Sam
and the girls had decided to volunteer at one of the
drink stations which was also very special. I reached
a point during the run where everything just hurt.
Having the spectators cheering me on kept me
grinding on. Eventually we had 4Km to go. I met a
fellow athlete who was at about the same point in
his race as I was. We had a chance to talk and keep
each other going.
: PAGE 24 :
With about 1.5Km to go he said to me he was
going to try and pick up the pace. He then promptly
continued at the pace we were running. His body
had simply refused!
Into the run chute with a high-five from one of the
volunteers. The feeling is surreal. Twelve months
of training, of getting up in the dark, of going to
bed earlier than my ten-year-old daughters. The
toughest 3.8Km swim I have ever done, 180Km bike
in 35Km/h winds and finally 42.2Km run along some
spectacular foreshore. This was my reward. To hear
the words “Stephen Corns, you are an Ironman”
made every step along the way worth it!
So, in conclusion, was it tough? I think so. Did it
hurt? Only a lot! Would I do it again? Absolutely!
This was an amazing experience and I can’t wait
to do the next one! Thank you to my very patient
family and to all of my friends in the running and
triathlon communities. Without all of you this would
never have happened.
BLOGGER
Jane LukE
RUNZINE
RUNZINE
SPRING
SUMMER
SUMMER
ISSUEISSUE
3
2
The following week, at a trail race, I had a few
people (who I had never met) tell me how
much they’d enjoyed reading my report. So
I thought, why not start a blog? I love writing
and I hadn’t done a lot of it since school and
uni days. And so my blog was born!
I started blogging after the
2015 Barossa Marathon. I
wrote a (fairly lengthy) race
report which I posted on
my Facebook page as well
as in a few relevant groups.
I love how it has allowed me to connect
with people with whom I wouldn’t have
otherwise had contact. I write about races but
also about random running-related topics
when there are no races. I write once a week
(Monday is Blogday), sometimes with a bonus
midweek post if I’m feeling inspired!
My running journey has taken me to many
places and I’ve met so many people since
taking up running three years ago. I hope
you enjoy reading my ramblings as much as I
enjoy writing them!
https://randomthoughtsandracereports.wordpress.com
Instagram @moon_unit_ultra
: PAGE
: PAGE
2 :25 :
: CONTENTS :
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PRODUCT REVIEW
Weekend with
a Bionic Runner
BY PATRICK FELSTEAD
INTRODUCTION
Over the October long weekend I borrowed a
Bionic Runner (BR), a low impact running trainer
designed in Australia by a company called Run4
(http://run4.com/en/about/). I was really interested
in how this machine could be used to complement my
running training. The Bionic Runners is claimed to reduce
impact load while still using the same muscles as running.
I was interested in the Bionic Runner as a way to keep training
during recovery from a running injury.
RUNZINE SUMMER
SPRING SUMMER
ISSUE 3 ISSUE 2
::PAGE
PAGE26
1 ::
I did two rides/runs before writing this review, 14km at moderate effort pace, and a 37km at
easy pace. So just over 50km in total over 3 hours riding time. I always do my cardio with a heart
rate monitor, and I’ll comment on this in the review.
A weekend review is obviously not enough time to assess its effect on normal running fitness,
so these are my initial observations. I won’t try and answer all the common questions people
have, Run4 have done a good job of that on their FAQ (http://run4.com/en/faq/).
In this article I had to settle on a verb for Bionic Running, I was going to use the word
“brun” (bionic run) but settled on BR (it’s easier to type), so read “I did a BR” as “I did a
bionic run”. But I’ll also use it as a noun too so pay attention!
w
ww
: CONTENTS
:
: BACK
TO CONTENTS
:
The riding/
running
experience
I felt stable almost immediately when I got on the BR for
the first time. First impressions are you feel quite high and
tall. You’re quite a way off the ground, and not sitting like
you do on a bike. As you build a bit of speed, you can start
shifting up through the gears just like you would on a bike.
It has disc brakes which work really well.
In terms of the “no impact” claim, there’s not much to say,
it’s very similar to cycling, although obviously you have your
full body weight on your legs and feet which differs to a
bike. But overall there’s basically very little impact.
The main thing people will want to know is how it compares
to running. Well it’s not exactly like running. It’s hard to
describe, but try and imagine this. You’re running along
a flat road. Take away the foot strike braking and impact
forces and replace them with the feeling you get in your
legs when riding a real bike up a long steady moderate hill.
There’s definitely a greater and more constant load on
your quads (thighs) and a little more in your glutes (butt).
Compared to standing up on a normal bike, you’ll find
that your planted foot and hip extend much further back
just before recovery. You definitely notice that you cover
a lot more distance per stride compared to running, and
this is one of the number of factors that make the BR
quite different to running. In other words, you’re going
faster than running at the same cadence on the BR. The
other thing to note is your arms don’t swing as a counterbalance like they do when running.
You do get that sensation of your legs moving the way
they do running, in fact you have no option but to follow
the path the pedals take which was designed to emulate
a midfoot strike running gait. It does make me wonder
what effect this has on people of different heights, being
forced to take the same stride pattern as a much taller
person. Some runners deliberately reduce their stride
length and increase their cadence while maintaining
the same pace in to achieve various outcomes (mostly
reduced injury rate) - but this isn’t possible either on the
BR. You always have to use the pre-determined stride
length. You obviously don’t get that direct feedback of
foot on ground and push-off either. I also reckon (but
: PAGE 27 :
didn’t measure) that your vertical torso movement is
lower than running. Overall the BR gives a great cardio
workout using a similar motion to running, and using
many of the same muscles. I found it quite easy to keep
my heart rate high without my legs burning like they do
when I cycle.
On the long 37km BR I joined my regular Sunday running
group. As the BR is faster than running, I found that I was
just free wheeling along most of the time, and didn’t get
my heart rate up much at all. It would probably work if
you went with cyclists who were out for a really easy ride
as the BR isn’t as fast as a bike.
My Forearms got a little sore towards the end of the long
BR from gripping handlebars. You don’t need to grip
them hard, unless going uphill, so I had to consciously
relax and treat them more as a means to balance than
something to grip hard. You need to stand tall and
upright with good posture, otherwise your lower back
starts to get sore. There’s a temptation to bend forward
too much as you feel like you’ll be able to generate more
power, or maybe it’s just what I’m used to doing on a
bike. What you need to do is activate your glutes, rotate
the top of your hips back, and pull your butt in.
I had no problems with my calves
touching any part of the crank or
stirrups (see photo above) - if my
calves were ok I reckon it will be
ok for just about anybody!
I noticed if you need to do
something with one hand (e.g.
turn signals, bushman’s hanky!
etc) you can level the pedals and
lean back so your calves touch
and rest firmly on both stirrupcrank joints; this makes you
quite stable and you can coast
along with only one hand on the
handlebars reasonably without
wobbling.
w
Workout
level
compared
to running
As a way of trying to determine how much of a workout
you get on the BR compared to running, let’s use calories
burned as a measure of how much work (as in the physics
definition of it where work = force x distance) we’ve
done in a workout. This running world article (based on a
university study from 2005) says that calorie consumption
has a linear dependence on heart rate and that the same
relationship appears to hold for both running and cycling.
This implies that if you cycle at the same heart rate that you
run, you’re burning roughly the same number of calories,
that is, doing the same amount of work. I see no reason
this doesn’t apply to the BR too as it’s in between running
and cycling as you’ll read in a moment.
I run marathons and always use a heart rate monitor (HRM)
and a GPS watch during training, so I’m very familiar with
how my running speed relates to my HR. Using the two
BRs I did over the weekend and using the average HR and
average speed recorded with the GPS watch, I was able to
determine that my BR speed is about 1.5 times (1.5x) my
running speed. This is a long winded way of saying you
have to BR 1.5x the distance (or 1.5x the time) to get an
equivalent workout to a real run. Compare this with rules
of thumb I’ve seen for cycling where they say the factor is
more like 3x or 3.5x running.
So the 37km BR I did is like doing a 24km (37 / 1.5) real
run. Or if you want to do the equivalent to a 10km run,
then go do a 15km BR. This was for me anyway, and will
vary person to person depending on many factors such as
fitness, weight, age, gender, temperature etc. But the point
is, in general terms, the BR gives you more of a workout
than cycling, but less than running, and I’d say that rather
than being right in the middle of the two, the BR is slightly
closer to running in terms of the workout you get. This
makes sense as you’re standing on the BR and supporting
your full weight with the large muscles of the leg which
requires more energy expenditure than sitting on a bike.
You’re also pushing more weight on the BR at 18kg
compared to the average road bike at around 8 - 10kg.
Things I didn’t like
While I wanted to love the BR completely, in the interest of
balance and honesty, I want to mention some things that I didn’t
like so much about the BR. The main issues for me are:
1. Gears sometimes difficult to shift
2. Being detached from the pedals
3. It’s very heavy and
4. It’s really hard to go up uphill.
I’ll now go into each one of these in more detail:
(1) GEAR SHIFT
(3) heavy and (4) hard uphill
As the BR I used was only about a week old,
I had to adjust the gears like you do any new
bike where you get some initial cable stretch;
on the BR it’s a very quick and easy process. My
problem was that sometimes it wouldn’t shift,
mostly when changing down into an easier gear.
These two are related I think. Because you can only use your
bodyweight to push down on the pedals, and aren’t clipped
in like on a bike, you can’t push back or up during the foot
recovery phase like you do on a road bike. Combine this with
the weight of the BR (18 kg), there are times when I literally
couldn’t get up hills - anything more than a moderate hill (for
the cyclists to relate, I estimate this to be hills steeper than about
6-8% grade) and I had to get off and walk. I tried push/pulling
the handlebars to be able to put more than my bodyweight on
the pedals, and this worked up to a point, but it was a real effort.
I know the way these gears work is you have to
stop pedaling before shifting down. That wasn’t
the issue though. The problem was, say I was
in 4th gear and I started up a very mild incline,
I tried to shift to 3rd but nothing happened.
So I shift to 2nd and it would either shift from
4th to 3rd as you originally wanted, or it would
actually shift from 4th to 2nd and you’d get an
unexpected drop in pedal pressure, and it would
spin really fast, enough to unbalance you. Overall, the shift quality and lack of
feedback takes away from your confidence in the machine and it detracts from the
user experience. Maybe the BR needed more adjustment, or the shift cable was
sticking or maybe they’re all like that.
(2) DETACHED FROM
THE PEDALS
You stand on the pedals and they’re totally
flat with the exception of some little bumps to
provide grip (see photos right). There’s no strap
or clips to hold you in. The small red “clips” at
the front are just to locate your foot, not hold
them in. They were a bit too flimsy and bent
quite easily during a BR.
The pedals don’t have raised edges or a lip
to keep your foot located. I found that my
feet moved around on the pedals and I’d
often have to look down to reposition them.
I guess this was ok and you get used to it
after a while. But what I didn’t like was that
say you’re going downhill at 30km/h, you go
over a bump (for example a tree root under the tarmac) and your feet would lift
off the pedals momentarily. Even if you didn’t actually get airborne, the moment
of weightlessness was enough for your feet to move around on the pedal. I found
this disconcerting and was worried that it could one day cause a foot to slip right
off, which would be pretty painful at 30km/h. It just made me use the brakes
more and discouraged me using gears 6-7-8 or pedaling downhill much at all.
: PAGE 28 :
Conclusion
The BR is a really clever and innovative product and kudos
to the designers for creating it and mass producing it.
At the end of the day, it does not exactly replicate running,
but that’s missing the point. If it did, then you wouldn’t
need it! I think the point is that if you’re looking for a great
cardio workout that is more like running than cycling is, and
doesn’t have the impact forces of running, then the BR has
succeeded at that.
If you’re near a good long stretch of path that is flat or
slightly undulating - along your favourite beach path or like
Adelaide’s linear park alongside the River Torrens - the BR
is a fantastic machine for cross training or to enable injured
runners to keep “running” where the injury allows it.
At time of writing the BR costs A$1495. If they were to
make a BR MkII that was about 5 kg lighter, had a means to
positively locate your feet on the pedal and prevent them
desslipping off, and improve the gear shift, it would be even
better.
VIDEOS
Me on the BR at the Adelaide uni loop - Front view with
slowmo http://youtu.be/-FCJly_0ijI
Me on the BR at the Adelaide uni loop - Rear view
http://youtu.be/UOTRAXy_eYY
Run4’s promo video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rw0XrTwLiPY
2016 Events
Race 1 at Anstey Hill had 270
finishers which was three times
the size of the field for the same
race 12 months earlier. There were
some great results with lots of
new names on the podium. This is
pleasing to see as the overall aim
of the Trail Series is to encourage
new runners into the sport of Trail
Running. Thanks also to the large
numbers Yumigo! has been able
to invest in new features for the
Series, such as electronic timing
and an inflatable arch, to really
create a fun community experience
for the runners.
The Series will conclude with Race 4 at
Newland Head (near Victor Harbor)
on March 6.
Entries via www.yumigo.com.au/trail/
S
T
UL
S
E
R
L
IL
H
Y
E
T
S
AN
SHORTCOURSE
8KM
Male
1 Ryan Toolan
34.25
2 Matt Warner
35.58
3 Sean Sweetman
36.02
Female
1 Lisa O’Keefe
45.17
2 Lee Sutherland
45.30
3 Annie Braddon
46.06
LONG COURSE
12.5KM
Male
1 Matthew Fenech
52.50
2 Dion Byas
54.01
3 Kieren Funk
54.52
Female
1 Lauren Gillis
1.03.48
2 Kazu Kuwata
1.04.39
3 Bronwyn Young
1.07.05
ges
n
a
R
rs
e
d
n
Fli
t
n
e
v
E
g
n
i
n
Run
ade two
Hockings m
n
e
B
d
n
a
Ranges to
David Close
the Flinders
to
p
u
s
ip
tr
course to
recent
50km/80km
rt
e
b
u
H
e
ay 1, with
commit th
aged on M
st
e
b
l
il
w
t
ven
ook their
GPS. The e
uraged to b
o
c
n
e
ly
h
ig
Resort
entrants h
ena Pound
p
il
W
t
a
n
o
Start
ati
Station (the
accommod
k
e
re
C
m
u
line), G
rox halfway
(the Finish
tation (app
S
s
g
n
ri
p
S
nsley
line), Willow
ish) or Raw
in
F
d
n
a
rt
e Sta
inish). A
between th
uth of the F
so
m
k
5
(2
ners
Park Station
ansport run
tr
to
d
e
is
n
orga
om those
bus will be
the Finish fr
m
o
fr
d
n
a
to the Start
locations.
at
n be found
urse map ca
co
ry
a
in
/
ia
lim
d
The pre
tent/me
om.au/con
.c
o
ig
m
u
.y
http://www
Shot.JPG
Screen%20
Course%20
Yumigo! will again host the
Adelaide 6/12/24 Hour
(July 9-10)
and the
Heysen 105 (Oct 22-23)
New events for this year include:
Two Flinders Ranges Running Camps
(April 15-17 and Sept 30-Oct 2)
The Hubert 50/80 (May 1)
The full list of events can be found
at http://www.yumigo.com.au/calendar/
All enquiries can be directed to
ben@yumigo.com.au
For more details on all events see www.yumigo.com.au
Photo credits Ben Hockings
: PAGE 29 :
SHOE
VIEW
RE
BY MATT EVANS
As a loyal fan of ASICS shoes,
I was happy to be given the
Feather Glide 3 to put to the
test. I’ve been wearing ASICS
Kayanos as my all-round trainer
for the past couple of years and have recently
taken to wearing a lighter weight trainer for my
interval and threshold sessions on the road. Up
to now I’ve used and have been happy with the
ASICS DS Trainer for this purpose.
THE FEEL….
HOW IT LOOKS...
For a mild over-pronator, such as myself, the
Feather Glide 3 has an arch support to stabilise
my foot position. I’m not sure how effective
this would be for an excessively over pronating
runner, but in the trade-off between support
and weight reduction (and considering I will be
using this shoe for shorter, faster sessions when I
am naturally going to be up on my toes more) it
certainly works for me.
First off, the Feather Glide 3 looks good. It’s
turquoise and yellow upper immediately put me
in mind of the Swedish flag and as the Swedes
invented Fartlek then I knew it would be a decent
shoe from this alone. There is also a retro feel to
the upper with suede trim and old school, flat
laces that you’d expect to see in a pair of Dunlop
Volleys or Adidas Sambas. Whilst the look of a
shoe never influences my choice for running, it
is nice that it’ll still look cool when it has done its
running KMs as is demoted to the “dog walker” in
my hierarchy of trainers.
WEIGHT...
The Feather Glide 3 is light, weighing in at just
261g per shoe. This compares favourably to the
278g of the DS Trainer and I definitely notice
the difference when changing out of the 363g
Kayano from my warm up to get stuck into the
faster part of a run session.
WEAR TESTER:
Matt Evans
Matt runs for the Southern Sharks athletics
club, he is a regular Masters athlete and the
man behind RunSaRun, the only calendar
you need for all Running events in South
Australia. Matt usually wears Asics DS Trainer,
Gel Kayano.
PRODUCT NAME:
Asics Featherglide 3
PRICE:
$180.00
Under foot, the Feather Glide 3 is firm and
responsive. I don’t like soft, spongy soles. When
I (try to) run fast I want to know that all my
energy is being returned in the push off from
the pavement, and is not being dissipated by
the cushioning. Although I think my feet are of
average width in the past I have found some
other shoes to feel narrow and uncomfortable,
but there were no such problems here.
As well as being an over-pronator, according to
the wear patterns on all my old training shoes,
I am also a heel striker (oh, the shame). When I
noticed that the rubber on the heel section of
the sole was a different colour and embossed
with “AHAR+” I suspected that these shoes could
have been specifically designed for my running
gait in mind. AHAR (I had to Google this) stands
for ASICS High Abrasion Rubber which means
that this area of the grippy bit on my sole which
usually wears through to the EVA first is made
of a harder wearing carbon rubber so will last a
bit longer in line with the rest of the shoe. Nice
touch!
Featherglide 3
TYPE OF SHOE:
Tracer (half way between a training shoe
and a racing shoe)
KEY PRODUCT POINTS
•
•
•
DOWNSIDES?
The only downside I could find with this shoe is
that some of the inside seams felt a little rough
compared to the DS Trainer. I’ve not found this to
be a problem when wearing the Feather Glide 3
with socks, but I would think twice before wearing
it for a triathlon without socks.
CONCLUSION...
All in all the Feather Glide 3 is well designed, firm
and responsive and will happily replace the DS
Trainer as my “go to”, light-weight training shoe.
At the end of the day, a shoe is not going to make
you fast - it’s the training you do
while you are wearing it - but this
shoe will certainly not slow you
down.
•
•
Archsustain - medial material for
additional support
Pitch / drop- 10mm - 22m Rearfoot,
12mm Forefoot
Gel - Additonal Rearfoot Gel for initial
impact absorption
Mens Colour Sun/Deep Cobolt/Silver
Wmns Colour Dutch Blue/Silver/Hot Pink
AVAILABILITY
The Asics Featherglide 3 is only available to
Asics Running Expert Club stores nationally,
as such will be available at The Running
Company - Adelaide and South Adelaide
from January 2016 onwards and is at a great
price of $180.00.
ADELAIDE SHOP 3/278A UNLEY ROAD, HYDE PARK, 5061
SOUTH ADELAIDE 18 GAWLER STREET, PORT NOARLUNGA, 5167
WWW.THERUNNINGCOMPANY.COM.AU
: PAGE 30 :
ROGAINING FAST FACTS
w STRATEGY ADVENTURE SPORT
w TEAMS OF 2-5 MEMBERS
w ANY AGE CAN COMPETE OUTDOOR, FOOT NAVIGATION ON A BIG SCALE
w EXPLORE NEW ENVIRONS, BOTH LOCAL AND FURTHER AFIELD
w SET YOUR OWN ROUTE AND PACEPOINTS-BASED RESULTS
w FROM 3 TO 24 HOURS IN LENGTH
IF YOU ARE A RUNNER
WHO ENJOYS THE ‘GREAT
OUTDOORS’ IN THE COMPANY
OF OTHERS NO MATTER WHAT
THE WEATHER AND YOU LIKE
TO EXERCISE YOUR BRAIN AS
WELL THEN CONSIDER GIVING
ROGAINING A GO.
MORE DETAILS:
SA Rogaining Website http://sa.rogaining.com.au
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SARogaining
Twitter https://twitter.com/saRogaining
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/
UCQtof5zUq-xFfjMTefXcWxA/feed
ROGAINING
CALENDAR
2016
YOUR ADVENTURE
STRATEGY SPORT
19 MARCH
TWILIGHT 4 HOUR
9 APRIL
4 HOUR MOUNTAIN BIKE
ROGAINE
21-22 MAY
24 HOUR STATE CHAMPS*
18 JUNE
TRAINING DAY (AND
NIGHT!)
23-24 JULY
WORLD ROGAINING
CHAMPIONSHIPS, NT
6 AUGUST
ASTHMA ‘TAKE A
BREATHER’ CORPORATE
CHALLENGE
5 HOUR
7 AUGUST
BUSH 6 HOUR
10 SEPTEMBER
SPRING 12 HOUR*
I ❤ ROGAINING
* Shorter events available
Need to know more? Log-on to
www.sa.rogaining.com.au
: PAGE 31 :
WWW.RUNNINGDOMAIN.COM.AU
FIND US ON FACEBOOK
: PAGE 32 :
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: PAGE 33 :
IS A FREE
PUBLICATION
PRODUCED FOR
THE BENEFIT OF
THE RUNNING
COMMUNITY
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SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
PRODUCTION
RUNZINE is a Running Domain publication produced using the
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EDITOR
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DESIGN
AND LAYOUT
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PAREE@VERGECREATIVE.COM.AU

Issue 3 - Running Domain

Transcription

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