Pace Perfect Fitness

So you see people out running, or heard a friend gloating in the bar about how far they ran this morning. You wonder to yourself, how did they manage that, and even though you might go to the gym regularly you can barely run five minutes without needing to stop. The trick for all runners is to gradually build up their distance slowly over time.

So here is my list of tips and tricks on how to run further.

1. First things first is gradual progression. Regardless of whether you are starting off as a beginner or progressing from 10k to 20k you need to do so gradually. This is not only important for injury prevention but also to make it easier for you in the long run. There is no benefit of putting your body through hell just to make an additional 5k when you spend the next three days recovering and unable to run again. Patience is key, increase your distance gradually and for beginners it should be no more than 600metres each week. For more experienced runners you should not increase more than 10%.

2. Running consistently is next on the list. Running once a month is not enough and you will struggle to make any progression. Set a plan that allows you to run at least 3 times a week. You don’t need to increase 10% each run, but aim to increase it by 10% each week.

3. Run slowly. Don’t just put your shoes on and take off like a wildcat. Regardless of how fresh you feel, take it slowly, especially for the first 2k. Ease those muscles into it and get warmed up. Slow and stead over longer distances is the key. Try to understand what your steady pace is,and the fitter you get the quicker that pace will be. For most new runners its probably 6 to 6.50 per. kilometre. That will reduce to 5.45 in time. Regardless of how experienced you are, the slower you run, the farther you run. It is as simple as that, then build up your pace over time.

4. Fuel properly and recovery. Try to eat at the right time before your run. If you know you are doing a long run, try to eat 2 hours before you run. That leaves you plenty of time to digest, and not too long so that you are hungry again. Eat food that wont cause you problems whilst you run also. Pasta or rice is great. Stay away from sauces that could repeat on you and keep the meal healthy and simple. If the run is greater than 10k you should consider bringing some water with you, and perhaps some fuel gels just for an extra kick of energy. After the run, don’t for get to stretch and use a rolling matt to loosen those muscles. Drink plenty of water and try to get a good nights sleep. Consider going for a walk the next day, and make sure that your next run is not another long run again. Keep the next run to an easy pace with a nice thick recovery shoe for some support on those sore joints.

5. Last but not least is mindset. You need to want to do it, so try to enjoy it and use it as a time to get some peace and quiet or listen to your favourite music. If you enjoy doing something that’s half the battle. The real enjoyment will come once you are fitter of course, so take your time. Get those kilometres in your legs slowly and build up your confidence and resilience. Resilience is an important skill to have, and its not just for running, you can take this skill to other areas of your life once you have developed it.

If you are asking this question perhaps you are either a beginner or someone who might be feeling burnt out and does not want to overdo it. Either way, you are right to ask and listening to your body is one of the most important tips I would provide any runner.

When you start running at first you will most likely do so by using a couch to 5k running app or similar. Even then, how often you run is up to you, so knowing how much your body can withstand is an important injury prevention method. My personal recommendation for beginners is three times per week. Even now that I am running a couple of years I tend to do most of my running miles in three days, with a very light run/walk once per week.

Build up the miles slowly, and do not run more than 600metres in addition each week. This is the golden rule of advice provided to most runners. It works like this, lets just say you are already running comfortably 5k. That’s your base distance so you should work towards running that distance three times per week, and on one of the runs, increase the distance by 0.5k or 6oo metres. So the next week do one 5k, one 5.6k and one 6.2k. Keep the runs slow to begin with and progress each week. There will be some week where you are just not feeling it, that’s fine , so just keep it light and do not overdo it. This is especially important if you are starting to run again after a brief spell of illness or a holiday.

After awhile you will be running 10k at a slow and comfortable pace with no problems. The gradual increase of distance and slow pace will help to keep injuries away also. Then the fun can begin an you can start to incorporate different types of running into your routine.

For example, Monday is my easy run day. I usually do about 9 or 10k at a slow pace. On Thursdays I do my speed session at my running track. It varies each week, and we usually do something like 12 splits of 400 metres at a very fast pace, and in between a couple of mins rest. Friday is my walk and run session just to loosen the muscles. Saturday I try to do my long run, which varies each week. My maximum distance so far is 18k.

Depending on what level you are running at, how far and often you run will vary. The important thing is to listen to you body, take it slow to begin with and build up the miles in your legs.

Welcome back!

Ok so I cheated a little bit and only ran one of the two weeks whilst on holidays in Italy. We left the area where my wives’ family stayed and headed south towards Rome for three days. The driving, sightseeing, food and wine took its toll, and I did not get out for another run until I arrived home. So, after one week of not running, that lactic acid build up can be serious depending on your fitness levels. Here is my list of tips and tricks to stay injury free when returning to your running routine after your holidays.

1. Assess the damage (or fitness levels)

So, I was running for one of the two weeks, three times in fact, and in quiet hot conditions. I was able to see from my Garmin watch that my VO2 max levels were maintained at 49. So, in theory, my levels had not dropped. However, not running for one week can effect your body. Especially when eating and sleeping routines are not at the appropriate levels, shall we say. It is important to listen to your body, understand how it feels and try to anticipate a realistic outcome for your first week back. You might have some added weight to consider depending on how much you ate and drank during the period. Take this into consideration before lacing your boots and thinking you can start exactly where you left off.

2. Set a realistic goal

This will depend on how long you were away of course, but do not underestimate how much the body can get used to just relaxing on sun chairs for a week. You want to ease your muscles back into aerobic stress when returning from holidays. You could start by doing a few fast walks, but I’m going to presume you at least went for some walks on your holiday and focus this advice on a run…

My first run was a slow 6k at an average pace of 6:10 per kilometre. Nice and steady. My joints felt a bit stiff at the start, so I made sure to go even slower for the first 1 or 2k. Where do I want to be by the end of the week? I will avoid any interval training or hill work. My next two runs will consist of another slow-paced run but over a longer distance of 8 or 9k. I will end the week with a slow pace run of 14k next Saturday. In between I will work on some strength training and yoga.

3. Concentrate on running form

Running form is always something that should be taken seriously of course, but even more so after a holiday break. Good running form can help prevent unwanted injuries after a break. So how do I do that exactly you might ask? Well, it’s hard to explain in one paragraph so I might do another post on this. For now, check some videos online and practice. Keep upright, watch how your feet land, keep them pointing forward, and remember to lift those knees whilst not landing too heavy on your joints, The raised foot should land on the ground with the bent kneecap hovering just over the foot. Confused? watch a video and practice before you head out. Trust me, it will be worth it.

4. Re-establish that routine

It’s so easy if you are a beginner to lose that rhythm after a holiday, cut back or even stop all together. Please don’t do that! Try to join a running club before you leave, other people will help to encourage you back to your best again. If you are by yourself, think of all the arduous work you did before you went on holidays. Remember your goal and don’t quit now. I wrote some motivation techniques on earlier posts. If you are an experienced runner, just remember the basics and get back on track again. Sign up to do a run before you leave (that’s what I did), just a park run, or a charity event that you need to commit to. This will make sure you get back into your training soon. Common advice suggests that you will not completely lose fitness levels until after 4 weeks of zero training. That, however, does not mean you can pick up where you left off. Start slowly, remember the basics of creating a plan. Pick three days you will run and just get to it. Start the first week slower than usual (slower running pace) and build momentum.

Thanks for reading!

So I have arrived for my annual holiday in Italy. It wont be the first time I brought my running shoes, but this time I am taking my training more seriously than I have done in previous years. As you may have already read, I am running now consistently for 2 years. My previous running attempts were not very good in hindsight, and certainly not very well planned.

It is now Monday, and my first run was on Sunday the 28th July, from Celle Ligure to Albisola, and back again. It was 5.87k in total, with an average pace of 5.47km, moving timer 34 minutes and an average heart rate on 161bpm. This by all accounts was an easy run in many ways. It was a clear 20degrees, with 86% humidity being the only downside.

Coming from Ireland, this was a hot day for me, and in preparation for this I woke at 6:30am to venture out on my routine. The terrain was relatively flat, and mostly footpath.

Italy is a wonderful place to run, especially in a nice area like this one. I would recommend to run early in the morning and keep an eye on the temperature the evening before. Make sure not to venture out during the day, unless you are an experienced runner who is used to high temperatures. What most people don’t consider in Italy is the humidity levels. 20degrees can feel like 26. During the daytime the average temperature is 28degrees, adding the humidity factor can create a felt temperature of 34degrees. This while running is an issue and one I would rather avoid.

I did not have much time to take in my views on my run. The surface was flat but there were some parts where a step presented itself without much warning. There was also an old train track through a tunnel that was dark, so I had to be mindful not to fall. There was more people out than I imagined there would be at this time. I guess they had a similar idea to me and wanted to avoid running in high temperatures.

After the run, I came straight back for some much needed electrolytes and a shower. I sipped at some water for the remainder of the day, and I did not feel 100% again until after lunch time. This is the effect adverse weather conditions can have on your body.

I avoided alcohol for the remainder of the day and tried to rest as much as possible to avoid injuries and cramps. The pain I was experiencing in my left knee miraculously disappeared and I put it down to the warm weather on my joints. I will continue to take precautions on my next run, as I become familiar with my temporary environment.

Check back for some more stories.

We all go on our summer holidays, the question is to run or not to run?

For me, its running this year as I aim to keep my Vo2 max levels at 49. Getting there took some gruelling work, both at the track, and the added long runs at the weekend. In fact, one might well be forgiven for deciding to take two well earned weeks off. The gain, as you might have heard me mention previously from my other posts, is far too valuable for me to lose this year. I had some untimely set backs in other areas of my working life that caused me to miss some weeks on the track. So with that been said, lets get to another list piece.

Here are my five tips for running preparation on your holidays:

1. Plan your route in advance. Make sure you know the area you are going beforehand. Google maps can be great, but do extra research using the internet or by calling the hotel you are staying, or the host. Apps like strava are useful but can be tricky to locate starting points etc. Pay particular care if its a city break and make sure the area is safe. You might need to do some extra research for a city break, by finding out information about the local parks and rivers etc in advance. Make sure the areas are safe and perhaps keep your runs to daylight if that is the case. This year, i’m holidaying in a coastal seaside town of north west Italy. I can see by looking at google maps there is a long foothpath stretching over at least 15k. It looks wide also, and from some reasearch online the area is safe and well used by runners. There are some comments about it not being well lit up at night, so i will keep my runs to daytime.

2. Check the weather. This will depend on the time of year you are going. I was recently on a work trip to Finland and the weather was quiet cold even though it was early June. The trip to Italy on the other hand will be hot, so this means some early morning runs. I will need to prepare for them in advance so as not to wake my wife up leaving the house. My plan is to get up at about 6am and run the coastal pathway. Even early in the morning the weather is expected to be 25degrees celsius. Being from Ireland, this is hot for me so I will be sure to wear appropriate clothing, bring some fluid and wear sun protection. Hydrating as soon as I return with some electrolytes will also be crucial in this type of temperature.

3. Buddy up if possible. This will depend on a variety of situations. For me, i’m not sure I will convince my wife to wake at 6am to run on her holidays. For some people however, you might have options like a friend, spouse, family member, whatever. Try to get them out with you to embrace the holiday fitness routine. It’s safer to run as a pair also in a place you are not familiar with, or in weather conditions not to your typical feel.

4. Be flexible. Remember that its your summer holidays and its not all about fitness, or you for that matter. There will be other people to consider, so don’t create such a strict routine that might be hard to stick to. Just aim to get out two or three times whenever you can. Things will come up, evenings might go on longer than planned. Just run when the time is right. If you don’t feel like wakening up, stay in bed, its your holiday after all. Do try to wake up though, especially if its a hot place.

5. Stay safe. Most important advice. You don’t want the holiday ruined by some silly error that could easily have been avoided by doing more research. This can include running in an unsafe place, or not checking the weather properly. Staying visible is key, and don’t get complacent. Remember you are running in unfamiliar territory. Be careful crossing roads, and remember cars might drive on the oppposite side. Maybe walk the route you want to run for the first time, or do a walk and run session. This way you can scope the surroundings, including the road surface, the sort of people hanging out, or just general areas that may not be safe.

Always carry your phone on you is the last bit of preparation i would advise. Get yourself an arm strap to carry your phone, and wear your watch or gps device. Staying active on holidays can be a challenge but also something very enjoyable if you get to do it. Enjoy the ambience of running in a new location. I will be adding a couple of blogs on my holidays, so you can see how I am getting on.

Keep in touch 🙂

Cramps during or after a run can be quite common, but luckily, they are easily prevented. Here are my top tips:

• Hydration: First on the list for obvious reasons. Dehydration causes electrolyte imbalance. When you sweat you lose electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. These are crucial for muscle function and nerve signalling. An imbalance can disrupt these processes leading to involuntary muscle contractions or cramps. Ensure you are well hydrated before, during and after your run. I don’t drink during a run personally unless I’m going over 10k, but your body might be different, so do whatever is best for you.

• Proper warm-up and cool down: Now, I must be honest, I tend not to stretch before I run. Living in Ireland the temperature is never particularly warm, even in Summer. I usually warm up by very gently jogging or walking fast as stretching when your muscles are cold can cause injuries. Squats and knee raises are also a good option. If I am in a race or aiming for a personal best where I might start quickly, after I complete the above, I will engage in some stretches to make sure my glutes, calves and hamstrings are up to the challenge. Warm down stretches are also important and can prevent a build-up of lactic acid and cramps.

• Gradual Increase in Intensity: Don’t go from 5k, straight to 10k for the first time. Never increase a run by more than 600m each week. Longest run after 5k should be 5.6k. Then, 6.2k and so on. This gives your muscles time to adapt and will prevent injuries and cramps.

• Massage and Foam rolling: I am in favour of the foam roller, but my wife loves the massage gun. The foam roller can be tricky at first, but once you get used to the stretches it provides instant relief to those sore muscles after a run. I use it every night before bed, even on days when I do not run. It keeps the muscles lose and lactic acid free.

• Nutrition: The right nutrition can really help. I know going to a coffee and run club can be great for socialising, but it may not be the best for preventing cramps. Make sure to get some potassium and protein into your body soon after a long run. Supplements can be good, and I use them after long runs. VOW nutrition have some good options and help to replace those lost electrolytes. Balanced diets are key, so try to get some protein, vegetables, carbs, and fruit in after your run. This will help with the recovery process and prevent cramps. Avoid alcohol too soon after running, and at least until you are hydrated (it wouldn’t be an Irish blog, without the mention of alcohol).

Those are my tips, hopefully they are helpful and feel free to comment or subscribe.