Don’t let yourself get dragged into other people’s goals. I know what you’re thinking, what the heck are you talking about Sara? I’m talking about reaching your own goals and seeking the things you desire, not someone else’s.

Some people like challenges, I think we all do, but some people REALLY like challenges. And it’s important that you find a challenge you’ll enjoy and be proud of.

In this day and age, the challenges are getting longer, harder and crazier. There is a market for these things as many people like to push themselves to the absolute limit.

Finding a running style and distance is a personal thing. I think the natural assumption is that if you run you must at some point do a marathon. But this isn’t true. Some people like 5k’s, 10k’s or half’s and have no desire to run a marathon. Good for them!

Some people like to run really fast, and others just want to plod along merrily.

As athletes, we like to push each other, which is excellent, but we need to know when to stop pushing someone. I see it a lot on the internet, someone get’s super excited about their new challenge and try to get others to join in. This is not a bad thing, but when someone says ‘no’ we need to listen. Just because you want to run a marathon backwards doesn’t mean everyone else wants to join you.

If you’re new to running I highly recommend joining a friendly couch to 5k running club (I hear the Beginners to Runners is nice) and finding like-minded people. If you already know you like a challenge joining an athletics club might be more appropriate. If you like being alone, run alone, just be safe about it and keep phone and ID on you for emergencies.

If you’re already a seasoned athlete, then please just respect everyone’s choices. We are all individuals and all run for various reasons so let’s keep it pleasant and support everyone.

How can I reduce fatigue?

Fatigue is both a physiological and psychological response to exercise, so how can we help prevent it? Fatigue comes in two forms central and peripheral. Central starts in the central nervous system and works to reduce bodily harm and peripheral is the failure to maintain output such as a depletion in glycogen and occurs in the muscle itself. However, the exact chain of events leading to both is not determined. For most athletes’ fatigue is fatigue no matter where it originates and will affect performance if not managed properly.

How to we prevent fatigue?

First, having a good training program with appropriate periodization is a good start. Factoring in the individual, prep phase, specific prep, competition, travel, injury and personal beliefs. If you are an athlete who has a “season” this is fairly simple. If you’re an athlete with various events throughout the year, it’s a little more complicated. My advice with training is to seek the advice of a coach. This doesn’t always have to be in person, there are many coaches online (especially running ones) who can put together training plans and help you reach your goals.

Second, make the most of your post exercise routine. This is where things can get complicated. With regards to fatigue there are a variety of ways to help from active recovery, massage, cryotherapy, compression garments etc. In this systematic review it was found that all of those reduced perceived fatigue. Inflammation was best combat with massage and cold exposure.  Note, please, that there have also been studies stating the opposite. For instance in this study it notes that cryotherapy is no better than active recovery for reducing inflammation, this could save you a few quid in the long run.

As a note, it has been found that active recovery at a moderate intensity is likely better than just resting. This is due to better blood flow and lactate distribution.

In my opinion, active recovery is the best place to start, for instance, after a long run or hard session have a brisk walk or brisk bike ride. No pressure, no clocks, nothing. Just you and the open air. This also works after a difficult event as well, I find if I walk after a marathon I’m not as sore as I am when I don’t. If that doesn’t help, sit in a cool tub (10C) for ten minutes, another cheap option to try.

If you still feel sore or tired book in for a massage. Obviously, prices range on location and experience, but booking in for a one-hour session will at least help you decide if it’s for you. Compression garments may also be a good investment. I won’t lie, I use mine after long runs and after marathons. Yes, this is likely only reducing perceived fatigue and therefor may not work for everyone.

Fatigue can also stem from stress or a lack of sleep, so if you’re not sleeping properly, you’re not going to recover from training properly. If you are having trouble sleeping you can try a variety of  methods to see if they help. If not, speak to your GP and get appropriate advice. 

And don't forget the importance of nutrition. If you are not eating enough to eat you will not have the energy to compete. This has been a focus recently in the news, so make sure you are eating appropriately and if you are not sure, seek the advice of a dietician.

Recovery can be a very personal thing for each athlete and it is important to find what works for you.

It's almost January, here we go again!

Well, here we are. The big C is over and we can finally get back to normal, whatever that may be for you. For many of you that is setting next years goals (personally I do that throughout the year, but everyone is different). If January goal setting is your thing, here are a few tips to help you make the most of it.

1) Buy a diary. Not joking at all about this. I bought a diary/journal to track goals, appointments, fitness - everything! And it has helped me no end. It has helped me to decide which goals are actually important and ones that maybe aren't so important. The one I bought I got on Amazon here. It's handy for tracking specific goals and also helps me reflect on the day, week, month.

2) Keep your goals simple and realistic. It's so easy for us to think we can lose 20 pounds in a month or run a marathon in 4 weeks. Start small, you want to be able to reach your goal.

3) Have long and short term goals. The short term goals need to be attainable, that way you can get to the long term ones. For instance if you need to run 5k  before you can run 10k. Or, if it is career goals decide on what steps you want to take before making the jump. Maybe you want to learn a new skill, think about what you need to do, get, or buy first.

4) Don't worry if you don't reach it on the exact day you wanted. Sometimes lift does get in the way. Just don't lose complete focus and get back on track once you realise you've got off it. It's pointless to beat yourself up about it.

5) Get help. If it's a fitness goal or a career goal, seek advice. Personal trainers or a career coach can help you find out what you really want and start you on the path to get there.

In no time at all you'll be planning, working towards and reaching your goals!

If you have any questions about sports injuries or rehabilitation please email me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Get ready for the cold weather!

It might not seem cold now with all the mild weather we’ve had , but it will be getting cold soon and being prepared is better than being caught out in the cold.

When it comes to spring marathons winter training is a necessity. There’s no way around it, you will have to run in the cold, wind, rain, snow and ice if you’re going to run a spring marathon. But it doesn’t have to be horrible. If you’re prepared clothing-wise and mentally you can train without pain (metaphorically, you will feel pain while training).

Layering will be your best friend, I promise. Temperatures below 10C only require tights or shorts, a long sleeve top and a light jacket to pack away in case it rains.

As temperatures dip below 5C start with a synthetic thin base layer, this will keep you dry when you sweat helping to keep you warm. Next layer it with a thin long sleeve top then light jacket, if it’s windy a windproof one is good, if it’s raining waterproof is better. A pair of tights will keep your legs warm.

When temperatures dip below 0C thermal tight with the above top layers will keep you warm but not hot. A warm hat and gloves will be required to protect your hands.

If you’re dedicated and run in -2C be sure to wear winter tights or track bottoms over your tights, along with the above kit.

You don’t want to be too hot, remember when you’re running it will feel 10C warmer than the actual temperature. And don’t forget to take windchill into account.

If you’re running in the dark wear reflective clothing and a torch so that others can see you. Safety is important in the dark.

If you have any questions about sports injuries, injury prevention and rehabilitation please email sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Strength training is for more than just weightlifters!

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I’m amazed at how many runners still do not have strength training included in their training plan. I’ve written about strength training before, but maybe the benefits have not been advertised enough.

I embarked on a strength training program in June after I completed Dorchester Marathon. I started with doing HIIT training and strength training throughout the week. At first it was hard, bloody hard! But after four weeks I already felt stronger. After the initial four weeks I began running again. I used a simple training plan that included two strength training sessions a week and three runs (3 miles easy, 3 miles tempo and a long run starting at four miles). I started out at a 10:49 minute mile and four weeks later I was running a 9:58 minute mile.

Taking out the slightly faster 5k time what I did notice was how much easier it felt when I was out running. This is where many of the benefits lie. Yes, performance will get better (especially the longer you do it for) and this is often due to the perception of an easier run. More strength in your legs will help you feel better while running.

So, what exercises are best for runners?

This is the question I am most asked. My advice is to choose posterior strength exercises like deadlifts, Bulgarian squats, calf raises, lat pulls and superman’s. Hip strength and mobility exercises such as monster squats, x-walks and side-lying abduction. And finally, glute strengthening like hip bridges, hip hitches and step ups.

If you’re unsure where to start you can also seek the help of a personal trainer who specialises in running. If you live in the Maidstone area Bjorn Fitness is PT who specialises in running and is well worth it if you’re looking to up your game and keep injuries at bay.

That gets to my second point. Injury prevention. Strength training may not stop all injuries, but it will help to prevent overuse and underuse injuries. If you progress your strength training as you would your running, then there will be no negative effect on your running. Strength training will help your muscles cope with the demand place upon them when running and thus reduce the likelihood of injury.

Lastly, two strength training sessions a week will help you see the benefits during your running. Ideally don’t do a heavy session the day before a long run and if you must do both running and strength on the same day, do the running in the morning and strength in the evening.

If you need any advice on sports injuries, injury prevention and rehabilitation please email sara@prestoigesportinjury.co.uk

Are you ready to start your marathon training?

It’s that time of the year again where many of you are waiting to hear if your London Marathon Ballot has been accepted. If you’re one of the lucky ones and it’s your first marathon, or if you’re ready to tackle your first marathon regardless of the ballot, below is some advice to help you along.

Running coach: It is advantageous if you have a specific time as a goal to have a running coach. There are many available in person, online and with a running club. In fact, joining a running club can be very helpful to learn more efficient and economic running styles.

Equipment: You don’t need all the fancy gadgets. A running watch with GPS that can give you distance, speed and pace is great for training. Shoes that fit and are comfortable. Go see a specialist like Runners Need or Podplus in Ashford, Kent. They will not only do gait analysis with a specially trained individual to get you in the right shoe. Always buy socks made from synthetic material, DO NOT USE COTTON! All other clothing should be appropriate for running and comfortable.

Training: You don’t get better running if you don’t run. So, expect to be out there a lot, normally 3-4 times a week. And it’s not just doing the same thing over and over again. Be sure to vary your running from tempo runs, interval runs and long slow runs – this is where a running coach can be helpful. Also, don’t just run. Include strength training to your regime. If you’ve never done any strength training, get a good base going during your early training while the running mileage is lower.

Recovery: Probably the most important thing here. Get a good night’s sleep as much as possible. Sleeping is when a lot of our muscle recovery happens. Get a good diet, don’t eat crap all the time and wonder why your runs all suck. Try and get your five a day, avoid too much alcohol and drink plenty of fluids. All other things like recovery tights, sports massage and foam rolling are less important and helpful than sleep and food.

Have fun: Even if the training plan goes down the toilet, if you don’t have a tight time limit on your marathon, your best plan is to finish and have fun doing it. All of us have bad races, it’s okay and not the end of the world.

If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation, please email me sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk

Are you under-recovering?

We've all been there. Focused on a goal, whether it be a weight, distance or time. So we push ourselves, sometimes too hard.

Symptoms of overtraining/under-recovering can seem mild at first, but they become more prevalent as time goes on. If we ignore the signs, we're heading into a downward spiral. Symptoms often start as an increase of muscle soreness, elevated heart rate, an increase in colds due to reduced immunity, increase occurrence of injuries, irritability, depression, loss of motivation, insomnia, decreased appetited and eventually weight loss. 

If you've ever had this happen then you know all too well that not recovering properly can leave us feeling pretty low. But, there are ways to ensure that you don't put yourself into this position.

Rest, yes, rest is the key. If we don't allow the body time to recover we will suffer. Make sure you take a break after a hard training day, don't force yourself to train 6-7 days a week without rest. You can also reduce the volume and intensity of the exercise. For instance, a runner can reduce effort or distance, a weight lifter can reduce reps or weight.

It is also important to make sure you are eating properly. Often, in search of weight loss, we don't eat enough for the amount of energy we are exerting. Having a balanced diet of carbs, good fats and protein is essential for a good recovery. Avoid fad diets. If you're unsure of where to start with nutrition, seek the advice of a registered dietician. 

A great way to make sure you stay on track is to use the help of a personal trainer to help you make a training plan. There are plenty of folk that can help you produce a running plan that will keep you on track, just make sure you take advantage of rest days!

Always remember that it's okay to take an unscheduled rest day. If you are feeling under the weather or sore from the training from the day before, one day won't hurt you. And if you think you're suffering from a lack of recovery, take a short time off and let your body recover with other types of exercise like swimming, stationary bike or cross training.

If you have any questions about sports injuries and rehabilitation please contact me at sara@prestigesportinjury.co.uk