tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86038658597978408942024-02-07T05:05:03.868+00:00RunchaserJohn Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-45774224026053632632012-10-26T13:33:00.000+01:002012-10-29T22:02:51.217+00:00Size as a Factor in Running Injuries<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does size make a difference in whether you will get a running injury? Just to set the scene I am quite big for a runner (or even a person) being six feet two inches tall and around fourteen and half stone (203 lbs). In most people’s minds I </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">don't</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> think I fit into the category of the standard sized runner, as you can see from the picture below:</span></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.02681374433450401" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2g01LXtkzAO-oDpibeGk67ys1mxL4KsNHejJNndXYikYOgENs0VPkAjpGGSssoZhG211ByiRKI8aLdcWuOgcG8FtJmaCjGPr_J2X5_qMYLqGDlW7kK0RwtzvmB-mP3A07fdNl7n1If2L/s1600/Kielder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU2g01LXtkzAO-oDpibeGk67ys1mxL4KsNHejJNndXYikYOgENs0VPkAjpGGSssoZhG211ByiRKI8aLdcWuOgcG8FtJmaCjGPr_J2X5_qMYLqGDlW7kK0RwtzvmB-mP3A07fdNl7n1If2L/s320/Kielder.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have often wondered whether my size will make a difference as to the likelihood of sustaining running injuries. Surely the bigger a person is then the more stress they will put on their body and the more often they will get injured. I have lost count over the years of the people that have told me that they are too big to take up running. Is this a myth or is there some truth in this theory?</span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.02681374433450401"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When reading <a href="http://www.runchaser.com/2012/08/tread-lightly-book-review.html" target="_blank">Tread Lightly</a> recently I noticed a comment that stated that when you run for each time your foot contacts the ground the forces that are applied are between 2.2 to 2.7 times your own body weight. For me then that is between 447 to 548 lbs which according to the net is greater than the weight of a <b>baby elephant!</b> Weight is an important factor in force so the heavier you are then the higher the force and as such you are probably at a greater risk of a running injury.</span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.02681374433450401"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was also interesting to read a </span></span>study on the <a href="http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/45/4/338.1.abstract" target="_blank">links between weight and <span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">injuries</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> carried out on 848 novice runners preparing for a 4 mile (6.7 km) race. The study found that of those who were overweight (BMI of over 25) 25% suffered an injury to their back or legs causing a restriction in running for a week whereas for those who were classed as having a normal weight only 15% suffered the same type of injuries.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">However weight is not the only factor that needs to be considered when evaluating the risk of contracting a running injury. An interesting study looked at the</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> factors that affect the <a href="http://bjsportmed.com/content/41/8/469.full.pdf" target="_blank">risk of lower extremity injuries</a> in runners. The study found that <b>increased</b></span><b style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> training distances</b><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><b style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">history of past injuries</b><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are the key risk factors for injury. The study even goes to suggest that overweight individuals are less prone to running injuries, although this is more likely to be linked to the fact that a heavier runner will undertake less training than those who are lighter.</span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.02681374433450401"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does Runner size make a difference?</span> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I think what we can take from the above is that <b>yes</b> as bigger runner you have a slightly higher risk of injury than a smaller runner. However the key factors that will mean that you get hurt or not are the amount of miles that you run and whether you have had past injuries. What should also be considered is that as you increase your running, as long as you don’t eat more calories than you are burning, you will lose weight so reducing the significance of weight as a factor. So all but the very big should <b>not get worried about size</b> when it comes to injuries and running. I received an inspirational tweet the other day from @teamrunner4life which is a good place to finish:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i> "There are no age, size, or speed requirements to be a runner. You are as fit & fast as you feel. The only excuses are the ones you create”</i></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How about you what are your views do you think your size makes a difference to injuries?</span><br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-21521710923029455092012-10-17T09:18:00.001+01:002012-10-18T09:22:05.291+01:00New Balance MT1010 Coming to the UK<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901974206324667"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The New Balance </span>MT1010<span style="font-weight: normal;"> is a shoe that seems to fill a niche that is not adequately filled by other running shoes: it is relatively light (224g for US 9) and provides adequate protection for rougher trails.</span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The protection comes from a rock plate that runs from the front of the shoe to the midfoot.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The</span><b> rock plate </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">will prevent rocks, tree roots etc from impacting on the sole of the foot. The MT1010 also provides a little cushioning which is likely to make it ideal for longer trail runs. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ComahJiselCjK6lirECNix-SjqWtdDVHPy58PQmiAEPil2Ch1IccfG0xWqdk4ixTll0BKpw49t1hSUQv5P1LhYbkz7ykPHDO4CsLd4Y9fzbg0x-Aq5PnWmNjDaGkemSPoKk7P_2dGYyE/s1600/Minimus+1010+Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ComahJiselCjK6lirECNix-SjqWtdDVHPy58PQmiAEPil2Ch1IccfG0xWqdk4ixTll0BKpw49t1hSUQv5P1LhYbkz7ykPHDO4CsLd4Y9fzbg0x-Aq5PnWmNjDaGkemSPoKk7P_2dGYyE/s320/Minimus+1010+Trail.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901974206324667" style="font-weight: normal;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.7901974206324667" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b></b></b><b><b><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">I decided to </span>contact New Balance UK<span style="font-weight: normal;"> today to find out if they had any plans to release the shoes here (they have been available in the US since July 2012). I have always been impressed by the level of customer service from New Balance and this query was no different. Half an hour later I received the </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reply </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was looking for:</span></b></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“<i>The 1010 minimus will be released next season in the UK and will be available in green/yellow. The estimated arrival will be <b>end of January</b> in stores and will be available from <b>Sweatshop</b></i>.”</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So great news I can’t wait for the shoe to be released on this side of the pond. Generally I am a big fan of the New Balance minimus range being the owner of the New Balance 730 (US version), New Balance MR00 (road) and New Balance MT00(trail). I am sure the MT1010 will live upto the high standards these shoes have set.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Below is the official MT1010 promotional film just to get our British(and others countries in the world where the MT1010 has not been released) juices flowing!</span> </span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7P2aeZT1AYA" width="560"></iframe><br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-85836456669277787282012-10-15T18:02:00.000+01:002012-10-16T09:17:04.211+01:00Part 1: My Quest to Become a Better Runner - The Baseline<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This will be the first post in a series considering changes that can be made to become a better runner. To set the scene </span><span id="internal-source-marker_0.021705651422962546"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I wanted to post about what </span><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have tried already and how I plan to identify further improvements.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">First of all what is a </span>‘better’ runner<span style="font-weight: normal;">? I think from my perspective it includes the following factors, all of which in one way or another are closely linked:</span></span><br />
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<li><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reduced amount of running injuries,</span></b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">greater enjoyment of the running experience,</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">a more efficient runner, and</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">improved race times.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The more of the above that can be achieved then obviously the better.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What have I done so far?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember reading about minimalist shoes in Runner’s World a few years back and didn't really take much notice at the time. To be honest I thought how odd it was to not run in heavily cushioned shoes, surely all that cushioning would protect against injury? How wrong could I be!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After suffering with a few niggly injuries in 2011 I decided to significantly change my approach to running in 2012. It was my running new year’s resolution! So more on a whim than any long term thought process I went and bought a pair of Nike Free V3s one weekend in January.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've got admit they felt odd at first and made the soles of my feet hurt (a sort of a dull pain across the arches of both feet). Prior to wearing the Frees I had run in support shoes and in hindsight I guess by using the Nike I was exercising muscles in my foot that had not be used in a major way for many years. Anyway I persevered, phasing in the use of the shoes over a month or so.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've got to admit as I got used to the Frees I really enjoyed running in them. I think this was a lot to do with their reduced weight and the liberating feeling of running in a shoe that doesn't constrict the foot like conventional shoes tend to. Since then I have bought three other pairs of minimalist running shoes (I have not run in my conventional running shoes since April 2012):</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Balance 730 (US version)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Balance MR00 (road)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">New Balance MT00(trail).</span></span></li>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Nike Free V3 Running Shoes</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">During this time I also started to do lots of research on the web as to how to improve my running technique. So I started to phase in some improvements this included:</span><br />
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<li style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">landing on the mid foot rather than heel,</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">keeping my arms at a 90 degree angle,</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">not overstriding by keeping my feet behind the knee when they hit the ground,</span></span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">making sure my head is looking into the distance not at my feet, and</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">keeping my back relatively straight and not leaning forward from my hips.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you interested take a look at a short film on <a href="http://www.runchaser.com/2012/08/the-basics-of-natural-running.html" target="_blank">good running technique</a> by Daniel Leiberman as it sums up the changes I made quite well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What have been the problems?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The changes I have made haven't been without problems. I am a bit of an all or nothing type of a guy and as such my transition to a better running technique was in hindsight far too quick.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the first injuries I experienced was very sore calf muscles for the first few months. Both my Achilles tendons were also taking a battering. These are apparently common complaints of those changing from a heel strike to a mid-foot strike as previously when heel striking a significant amount of the impact is taken through the skeletal system. With a forefoot or mid-foot strike however the muscle and tendons tend to absorb most of the shock. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this stage in my transition my calf muscles and Achilles tendons were not up to this task and so felt strained. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Both Achilles are also likely to have been quite short due to previously wearing shoes with a significant heel rise. By wearing low drop minimalist shoes both Achilles will have been suddenly stretched. About a month or so after the change my calves and Achilles started to slowly feel less sore and at present they are back to feeling relatively pain free.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another injury I noticed was pain along the top of my metatarsal joints</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">(connecting the foot to the toe)</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on both feet. At first it wasn't particularly painful, but I could definitely feel a dull ache. This pain started to occur about four months following the transition when I had just begun to train for a marathon, so I had increased weekly mileage by quite a lot at this stage. After about a month or so later the pain seemed to subside.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">My change to a midfoot strike is also not perfect. As can be seen in more detail in a post where I compared </span><a href="http://www.runchaser.com/2012/08/running-shoe-wear.html" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank">running shoe wear</a><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before and after the transition, I still tend to heel strike lightly on my left foot.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Relatively speaking the two transition injuries have been minor. But one the take home point for me is to gradually make change in running form rather than throw yourself into it like I did. The same I suppose goes for other changes that you make whether it is introducing speed or hill work or running long distances slowly phase them in as your body will adopt to the changes and you are less likely to get hurt as a result.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What about the benefits?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The positives of my transition definitely outweigh the negatives. These include:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">no pain in my right hip when previously I would have a general soreness,</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a big reduction in Achilles pain (eventually!),</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a frequent back muscle strain that would normally strike about twice a year has not as yet reappeared,</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it has been enjoyable to try something new that will hopefully lead to me being a healthy runner for many years to come.</span></li>
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<b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">What next?</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So at the time of writing that is where I am currently at. Although I am reasonably happy with the changes I have made I still feel I have a long way to go. There are still a lot of improvements I can make to be a better runner. In the next post in the series I plan to identify where I could improve further in comparison to current best practice and set out an action plan to plug any gaps I find. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">How have you found the transition to becoming a better runner?</span></span><br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-19714022998149758452012-10-07T13:36:00.001+01:002012-10-10T21:46:31.633+01:00Choosing a Running Route<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.912411144701764" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.912411144701764" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choosing a good route for a run is important; it can ensure a run is more enjoyable and reduce the risk of injury. I have identified six key factors that you might want to consider when choosing a running route, these are identified in the following graphic and described further in the text below.</span></b></b></div>
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.912411144701764"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running Terrain</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 19px; font-weight: normal; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px;">I personally enjoy a mix of running surfaces, one of my favourite runs is around half minor road and half bridleway. There is some evidence to suggest that a different type of running terrain will result in a different type of stress on muscle, tendons and ligaments. Running on one type of terrain all the time places the same type of stress on the body in the same areas resulting in an increased risk of an overuse injury. A change in running surface can also make the running experience more varied and help reduce boredom.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The elevation of the route can be important. A range of ascents, descents and flat areas on a running route will mean that the same muscles etc are not stressed in exactly the same way as if the route was entirely flat or hilly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also I think boredom comes into again, I tend to get bored if the route is entirely flat, particularly when it is a long run, so a few ups and downs here and there helps to keep a run interesting. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running hills will also help stress your cardiovascular system and as such make you generally fitter. This will help endurance particularly if you are training for a race, even a flat one.</span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running hills can however be physically and mentally demanding, in order to finish a run on a high note it might be best to complete the tougher sections in the early part of the run and the easier, flatter or downhill sections at the end. Take a look at the elevation profile below which takes into account the run elevation factors discussed above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Weather </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the weather is very wet, windy or conversely very hot then you might want to consider a more sheltered route. When I encounter such conditions I tend to go for a run along a well surfaced bridleway down a valley near where I live. The majority of this route is surrounded by trees on both sides which keep out the wind, rain and sun. Buildings in urban areas can also have the same effect. Windspeed and wind chill can reduce the temperature markedly, it make sense therefore to not run more elevated routes during extremes of weather.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running Safety</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running safety is of paramount importance and should be an important factor when choosing a running route. Try to choose a road that has a footpath. However for more rural roads this is not always possible, so don’t let the lack of a footpath put you off running the route. In such situations make sure that you run on the side of the road that faces oncoming traffic so that drivers can see you. You might also want to consider avoiding areas that are less populated or poorly lit, particularly where you get a feeling of being more vulnerable or even just a bit uncomfortable.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pollution</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two key factors when selecting a good route include noise and air pollution. Noise is often defined as ‘unwanted sound’. Transport noise is perhaps the main noise source of concern, running next to a busy road at rush hour with all the associated noise certainly decreases the enjoyment of a run for me, a nice quite footpath or minor road is much more pleasant. Noise may also be a distraction which can mean that a runner is more open to a loss of concentration causing a loss of footing etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As a runner there are numerous air pollutants you may be exposed to such as ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Many of these pollutants are emitted from vehicles so you might want to consider choosing a route away from busy roads particularly during the morning and evening rush hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purpose</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every run should have a purpose, this becomes of even greater importance when you are training for a race. For example a long slow run helps to build endurance or a slow short run assists in recovery after a harder run before. The purpose of the run will obviously be an important factor when choosing a route for example if you are doing hill repeats then you will need to find a hilly route if you are doing speed work a flat route will be more appropriate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Running is a great activity, if you want to increase your enjoyment and reduce the risk of injury when selecting a route you should consider the following:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choose a running route that has a variety of elevations and terrains - this will make the run more enjoyable and will also help reduce the risk of overuse injuries.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If the weather is extremely hot, wet, or windy consider a run that is sheltered from the elements by trees or buildings.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choose roads that have a footpath by the side or if this is not possible then run facing oncoming traffic.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avoid areas that are poorly lit or where you feel vulnerable.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; list-style-type: disc; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noise and air pollution mean that it is likely to be much more pleasant and better for your health to run on minor roads or off-road.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you think could you think of any other factors that affect route choice?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I hope you enjoyed the post, if so please don’t hesitate to share, like or +1 <a href="http://www.runchaser.com/" target="_blank">runchaser</a> using the social media links below.</span></div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-65066351718148780432012-09-29T10:25:00.000+01:002012-10-14T15:38:51.604+01:00The Truth About Sports Products<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The first part of the programme gives a good account of the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of </span>branded sports drinks and supplements<span style="font-weight: normal;">. It certainly got me thinking about simplifying my nutrition for running. </span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second part of the programme talks about the lack of evidence regarding the injury prevention boasts of conventional running shoes (pronation control etc), it even has an appearance by the natural running guru <a href="http://www.runchaser.com/2012/08/the-basics-of-natural-running.html" target="_blank">Daniel Lieberman</a>. </span></b></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.2681922526098788" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;">Y</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ou can find out more about the content of the programme <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></b></div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-53083564630989396172012-09-26T09:05:00.000+01:002012-09-27T13:39:58.182+01:00World's Biggest Half Marathon Great North Run<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's just over a week since this year's Great North Run. This is the sixth time I have run the race and as usual it was an amazing day. For those of you who know little about the race the Great North Run is the world's best attended half marathon, with over 50,000 runners. The race is run in the north east of England - from Newcastle upon Tyne to South Shields as you can see from the route overview below.<br />
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The race is a major event in the UK and receives live coverage on BBC 1, one of the main public access TV channels (this is the only long distance run to achieve this apart from the London Marathon). It is a well established event that has grown from just a few thousand runners in 1981 to the mass participation event that it is now. The race is an urban road race with an elevation of 64 metres ascending and 79 metres descending (all though it feel like more!), the elevation profile recorded on my Garmin Watch can be seen below.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKOKFb-tB2QLf_1V7iVrjdYMX63E1l5htNXC-ZR5EPj5_FtvtkGxVoU-OYEkD8dM3fLI0xGndacX6PF_zvZTykzlT9D7SO1w-j0rEAiTW96iPgm8p8zSpTIkfDEMhINji-s_pnK_kIqYM/s1600/Great+North+Run+Elevation+Profile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKOKFb-tB2QLf_1V7iVrjdYMX63E1l5htNXC-ZR5EPj5_FtvtkGxVoU-OYEkD8dM3fLI0xGndacX6PF_zvZTykzlT9D7SO1w-j0rEAiTW96iPgm8p8zSpTIkfDEMhINji-s_pnK_kIqYM/s320/Great+North+Run+Elevation+Profile.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BUPA Great North Run Elevation Profile</td></tr>
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I am lucky to live about the fifteen miles from the start and being such a great race it is one that I have participated in every year since I began running seriously. It also acts as a good practice to the autumn marathon I usually compete in. For this year's race the weather was pretty bad with heavy rain for all but the first and last ten minutes.<br />
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As the years have progressed and my times have got better I have managed to get a start in the orange zone just behind the elite runners. I remember the first year I ran and had to start from the back - it took me about half an hour just to cross the start line there are so many runners.<br />
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Incidentally after looking around at the start line it was interesting to see that quite a few runners had chosen to wear minimalist shoes for the race, a lot more than I seem to remember from previous years. I ran the race in my Nike Free 3 v3s.<br />
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The race started well for me and the field seem to thin out by about the third mile and I had a clear run from there. I managed to keep a relatively even pace throughout finishing in 1:39, my personal best being 1:31 in the previous years race. This was a reasonable time for me taking into account that my training has been severely disrupted this summer by a neck muscle strain that seemed to take an age to heal.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkenry95okLvLySjTNYGFLmnIIynlam2C-TPx9wqT6CMq1wxlgCAFLL1K4RNjhDY898bC1jg-f5hBGVokKKO-Mkbb5_VgueTWfbl1NqRx8sBGQ_utJS-NDABga-I3_ThBIb4UhNippAUoF/s1600/DSCF1576.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkenry95okLvLySjTNYGFLmnIIynlam2C-TPx9wqT6CMq1wxlgCAFLL1K4RNjhDY898bC1jg-f5hBGVokKKO-Mkbb5_VgueTWfbl1NqRx8sBGQ_utJS-NDABga-I3_ThBIb4UhNippAUoF/s320/DSCF1576.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nearly Finished!</td></tr>
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One thing that always amazes me about the run is the support along the course, there are many thousands of spectators some of whom offer food, drinks and vaseline to the runners. There are plenty of official drink stations as well of course! The last mile of the race was something to behold as the level of support was amazing, even on a very wet day. The spectators were so loud that it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. Take a look at the picture below of part of the final mile to give you an idea.<br />
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All in all a great but very wet race, the Great North Run once again did not fail to disappoint. I will be back next year for my seventh attempt.<br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-7771595426952718982012-09-18T12:57:00.000+01:002012-09-22T20:09:00.842+01:00A Budget Minimalist Running Shoe for Less Than £10<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I just picked up a new pair of running shoe from Decathlon while on holiday in Italy recently that seems to tick all the boxes for a good minimalist running shoe (without actually using them for running at the moment!). The shoe is branded as ‘Newfeel’ according to the label on the side of the shoes.</span></b><br />
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They are zero drop from heel to toe, and have no arch support whatsoever. The sole is made from plastic and is only about five millimetres in depth, so they don’t offer much cushioning. The shoes do not come with an insole so I decided to fit a thin general flat insole that I bought from a supermarket for about £4 for 6 pairs. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being the sort of person who spends quite a bit of money on running shoes I am intrigued as to how these will perform in comparison to my branded minimalist shoes. I will give them a month or so and report back on the blog how they worked out. </span></b>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Update: I just noticed that these shoes are available from the </span><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1934758838">Decathlon</a></span><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.decathlon.co.uk/many-id_8131659.html" target="_blank"> UK website</a> for just £4.59!</span></span></div>
John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-73042270961534483392012-09-17T12:44:00.000+01:002012-10-16T14:55:05.831+01:00Tread Lightly Book Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tread Lightly is a book by Peter Larson and Bill Katovsky. Pete is well known in running blog circles as being the writer of <a href="http://runblogger.com/">runblogger.com</a>. This and other blogs have been a great help to me in learning how to adopt a more natural running technique over the past year. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Summary</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443"><b id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tread Lightly provides a good introduction to current research on natural running - that is running in a manner that is more akin to running barefoot. It provides a balanced view of the science and anecdotal evidence (where research is lacking) surrounding running injury risk reduction and is likely to be of use to the recreational runner and the more serious runner. I would highly recommend that you read this book. </span></b></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_aowsWvkc-nZ1hdN1o6t6lIogVFhoYbNDdAF8KuzW4-dxQr6WGc_59SBZb0dSUW1CeIUTDuU6ExqON1kOaJ4R24S5xYWfFmUNW-j1blt9_Z_kah3Q3yQMqIeCLOjXXtApIMuuTGg1rjq/s1600/pageAreaFrame+28082012+125102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_aowsWvkc-nZ1hdN1o6t6lIogVFhoYbNDdAF8KuzW4-dxQr6WGc_59SBZb0dSUW1CeIUTDuU6ExqON1kOaJ4R24S5xYWfFmUNW-j1blt9_Z_kah3Q3yQMqIeCLOjXXtApIMuuTGg1rjq/s200/pageAreaFrame+28082012+125102.jpg" title="Tread Lightly Book Front Cover" width="134" /></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Review</span><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></b><br />
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<b><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The book is very balanced. The authors provide a very honest opinion of the relative merits and disadvantages of natural running issues. This is often backed up by summaries of research, where available or anecdotal evidence where it is not. Coming from a science background I liked this aspect of the book as it not based on opinion but is backed up largely by hard facts.</span></b></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tread Lightly is well structured setting the scene as to why humans are evolved to run long distances and why runners should not suffer the types and frequencies of common running injuries. The authors then discuss the merits of various improvements to running that are touted as reducing injury risk (running barefoot/minimal shoes, pronation control in running shoes, foot strike, running stride changes and nutrition). </span></b></div>
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<b style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the key surprises for me was just how much overstriding contributes to increased injury risk - much more than other factors such as heel striking (although the two are quite closely linked). The book finishes with a conclusion that summarises the main points in the book. I could see this section acting as a regular source of reference almost like a task list of improvements to reduce injury risk. One minor improvements is that the chapter on nutrition could have been more detailed - although the subject was little beyond the main focus of the book.</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-weight: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A really good read. Whether you are an experienced or new runner and currently know little about good running technique and injury risk reduction then this book will offer you a one-stop-shop to learn more. The book covers the disadvantages as well as the advantages of making injury reduction changes that are often discussed in the natural running scene. The merits of such changes are based not on opinion but are backed up by fact.</span></b></span></b></div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-10258794542917802302012-09-16T22:47:00.000+01:002012-10-07T15:25:53.319+01:00Top Ten Tips For Running Beginners <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVLtBW-FaBQ3S9j21H_2GCsGfzbabMfaSkKjqqc3rw6DE0QyYrvT_FgK3rF1j6Et8DDO4WIXhItUfamvHn94V-BYf0IJL3bLwJnZOrYNOou65V1Ij82EjyT2DvbluOEK-QtqOHyW8my_y/s1600/New+Picture+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVLtBW-FaBQ3S9j21H_2GCsGfzbabMfaSkKjqqc3rw6DE0QyYrvT_FgK3rF1j6Et8DDO4WIXhItUfamvHn94V-BYf0IJL3bLwJnZOrYNOou65V1Ij82EjyT2DvbluOEK-QtqOHyW8my_y/s200/New+Picture+%25282%2529.jpg" width="198" /></a>I was just thinking the other day about when I started running and how it took me a while to get to grips with some of the basics. Although running is in some ways a relatively simple sport there are a number of things to consider that will make your running experience that little bit easier.<br />
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So from what I have leaned over my running career, my top ten tips (in no particular order) for running success are<u>:</u><br />
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<b>Tip 1 - Running Shoes</b></div>
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Buy a pair of running shoes, that fit you feet well, have plenty of room, feel comfortable and are relatively light (but don't have to be minimalist). Just because a shoe is expensive does not mean that it will perform any better than something cheaper. Don’t worry about pronation control, motion control etc. there is quite a bit of evidence to show that this method of choosing a shoe is outdated. A neutral shoe will suffice. The Natural Running Centre have written a good post on finding the <a href="http://naturalrunningcenter.com/2011/03/27/seven-tips-for-finding-the-right-shoe-fit/" target="_blank">right running shoe</a>.<br />
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<b>Tip 2 - Running Routes</b><br />
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Keep you routes interesting by changing them - you will soon loose interest if you plod the same route all the time. Vary your route and do not stick to just roads - bridleways and footpaths can be fun places to run. Take a look at my post of the factors you should consider when <a href="http://www.runchaser.com/2012/10/choosing-running-route.html" target="_blank">choosing a running route</a> for more information Consider driving to a new spot (possibly in the country) at the weekend for a run. Remember variety is the spice of life!<br />
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<b>Tip 3</b> - <b>Adaptation</b><br />
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Start slowly and build - start running short distances and build up slowly to avoid injury. There is a rule of thumb that says you should not add more than 10% to the following weeks running distance.<br />
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<b>Tip 4 - Training Plans</b><br />
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Consider a plan - if your are entering a race consider following a training plan. The Internet and running magazines abound with training plans for a range of distances, take a look at <a href="http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/racing/find-a-training-plan/4521.html" target="_blank">Runners World</a> for some good examples.<br />
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<b>Tip 5 - Nutrition </b><br />
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For the beginner a few tweaks to usual eating habits can work wonders. Eat a healthy diet obviously. But you may need to consider adding more slow burn carb to you general diet. Take a look at this <a href="http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/nutritional-advice-for-runners-gb-en/#pagination-top" target="_blank">short guide </a>from the RealBuzz site.<br />
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<b>Tip 6 - Hydration </b><br />
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When running you need to drink more. The best think you can possibly do is set off for your run fully hydrated. It is down to personal choice but for a run of up to an hour I do not bother with a drink while running. The heat, distance, time and intensity of your run will obviously have a large impact on how much you need to drink though. Drink to thirst when you are running.<br />
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<b>Tip 7 - Technical Clothing </b><br />
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Technical clothing is made to take (wick) sweat away from your body and release it to the air. It is not advisable to wear cotton t-shirts etc as they hold sweat and will therefore become very uncomfortable, heavy and rub. Technical clothing is not expensive.<br />
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<b>Tip 8 - Research</b><br />
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Read, read and more reading - there are many running blogs freely available where you can learn more - this blog obviously- but also take a look at the blogroll list at the side of the page.<br />
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<b>Tip 9 - Injuries</b><br />
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Even if you have come from another sport when you first start running it will take a while for your body to become used to the rigours of running. You will find that you get a lot of muscle strains and possibly some muscle soreness. Don't worry too much you should never run with a serious injury obviously but with injuries like muscle strains light activity allows oxygen to get to the damaged area and aids recovery. If you do not move then the longer it will take to heal - so play it by ear a walk or a light run will aid recovery.<br />
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<b>Tip 10 - Running Diary</b><br />
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Keep a history of the runs you have completed e.g. location, distance, time, pace etc. It can be extremely motivating to look through your running diary and see what you have achieved in comparison to when you first started. In its simplest form this can be paper based.<br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-6347495322088253402012-09-15T08:52:00.000+01:002012-09-22T20:07:19.988+01:00Upcoming Salomon Kielder Marathon <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I will also be repeating my Kielder Marathon experience when the race is run again on the 7th October.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salomon Kielder Marathon Elevation Profile</td></tr>
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The marathon is unique in that it follows the Lakeside Tail around <a href="http://www.visitkielder.com/" target="_blank">Kielder Water</a> with one lap of the water equalling the marathon distance. It is a beautiful spot in rural Northumberland in the North of England most of the time you are running through pine trees</div>
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The marathon is not easy, it is the most hilly marathon I have run. As you can see from the elevation profile I recorded on my Garmin GPS watch below, there are no real killer hills just lots of small one - lots of ups and down that slowly sap your strength. </div>
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This is definitely not a flat city marathon! this can make it hard to train for as where I live there are many steep long hills rather than the short sharp shocks at Kielder. It is not a marathon I would recommend for first timers. The general rule of thumb is that you need to add on at least twenty minutes to your usual expected marathon time and that holds true for me.</div>
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This is a trail marathon but the quality of the trail is very good. It is generally a man made path that can be run with road shoes. It rained hard for most of the race last year but the surface held out well and did’nt get muddy. </div>
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The marathon is small marathon by participants (I think around 1000 people entered last year) particularly in comparison to the Edinburgh and London Marathons. This is also a really well organised race, plenty of water/energy drink stops and helpers along the course. Buses are also provided from the car park to the start line as you can’t park at the start.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Start Line Salomon Kielder Marathon 2011</td></tr>
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This years race will be a important one for me as it will be the first marathon I have run since making major changes to my running technique and running in minimalist shoes. So I am really looking forward to it. I will report back how it went after the race.</div>
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If you are looking to compete in an autumn marathon and want to try something a bit different then the Salomon Kielder Marathon might be for you. I would highly recommend it although it is not for the faint hearted!</div>
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For more information on the Kileder Marathon and to book a place <a href="http://www.kieldermarathon.com/" target="_blank">click here</a>.</div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-26608210787919698532012-09-12T08:54:00.000+01:002012-09-22T20:09:26.642+01:00Running Without Socks <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I always ran with socks, right up until about March 2012. I have to admit I have tried being sockless in the past, but not for running, usually on holiday somewhere warm. But my feet would end up sweaty and rub on my shoes causing blisters. </div>
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There I was working away from home in London and I noticed someone on the train who had just been to the gym not wearing socks with running shoes. I don’t know why but It made something click in my mind. I had always worn socks and not thought much about not wearing them when running. So I decided to give running sockless a try.</div>
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<a name='more'></a>I run sockless all the time now (maximum distance of twenty miles)and would recommend it to everyone. But it’s not all plain sailing, these are the advantages and disadvantages I have discovered.</div>
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<b>Advantages </b></div>
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The thing I like best about sockless running is the ventilation. If I am out running for anything other than a short run particularly in hot weather my feet tend to get hot quickly. By running sockless I have found that my feet feel more comfortable and ventilated.</div>
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I have also noticed that I can feel the ground a little bit better than before, which helps when trying to keep a check on good running technique. </div>
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Hard to put this one into to word but as with minimalist shoes or those who run barefoot you get an increased feeling of ‘freeness’ you feel more natural and in touch with your surroundings.</div>
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<b>Disadvantages</b></div>
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Running without socks makes my running shoes smell bad, then again I suppose that after a period of time when I used to run with socks this would happen, but I am sure it is worse sockless.</div>
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For the first few months it took a while for the skin on my feet to toughen up and I would get a few blisters. This would be particularly worse when breaking in some new running shoes. But my feet seem fine now, although I will still get the odd blister with new running shoes for a while.</div>
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<b>Summary</b></div>
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As with almost any change associated with running, the best strategy is to slowly phase in sockless running over a month or two. I would recommend that you rub a bit of vaseline on parts of you feet that are likely or have in the past formed a blister, at least until the skin on your feet toughens up. I wonder how I will cope when the weather is cold - I may go back to socks in the winter, but I will give it a go first and see if my feet are warm enough. </div>
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Overall, I suppose in comparison with other changes that you can make to improve your running experience, running sockless is probably quite low down on the list. However give it a go, it has worked well for me for all distances.</div>
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What do you think do you run with socks or without?</div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-18733649495750465762012-09-11T12:35:00.000+01:002012-09-27T08:24:59.192+01:00Running Shoe Wear<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since January 2012 I have made some significant changes to the way I run. </span></b><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808" style="font-weight: normal;"></b><br />
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<b id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is generally perceived that a more natural running technique involves a ‘mid-foot’ strike (where pretty much all of the foot hits the ground at the same time) rather than a heel strike (where the heel hits the ground first followed by the forefoot). Being keen to make some quick changes to my running technique this was one of the first things I did to adopt a more natural running style. </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After running with what I </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">perceived</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be a mid foot strike I thought it would be interesting to see what the differences in shoe wear are since I changed the way I run. I have therefore compared wear on two running shoes - one pair that I wore before making running technique changes and ones that I wore after. </span></span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The shoe that I wore before making changes is the Asics 2160 - a conventional shoe with pronation control which according to my Garmin Watch and Sportracks software I wore for 400 miles. The shoes which I wore after the making changes is the Nike Free 3 v3 a semi minimalist shoe which I still use and at the time of writing having clocked up 298 miles. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is 100 miles difference in use and the running shoes are obviously constructed from different materials that will affect wear rates, but it is still worth having a look to compare the pattern of wear between the two.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Asics 2160</b></span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lets take a look at the Asics shoes first. As you can see on the right shoe there is some wear of the outside edge of a small portion of the heal and some minor wear in the forefoot region. On the right shoe there is more wear in the heel this time on the inside. There is also a minor </span></span><b id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amount of wear in the forefoot (about the same as the left shoe).</span></b></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the right shoe the wear is low and it is pretty even across the shoe with perhaps a little more on the forefoot and heel regions. However on the left shoe there is a lot more wear in the heel region particulary the outside part, on the rest of the left shoe there seems to be very little wear.</span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It seems to me in the 2160s that I was quite clearly heel striking possibly harder on the right foot than the left. The wear seems to be located in a small region on both shoes where my heel hit the ground. </span></span></div>
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.8655405205208808"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the Nike Frees the right foot seems to correspond to the changes that I have made to adopt a mid foot strike with pretty even wear across the shoe. With the left shoe however it seems I may still by striking heel first lightly on the outside of the foot as this is the part of the shoe that has worn the most. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In Late 2011 I had a professional gait analysis carried out and I know that I overpronate on my left side and am neutral on my right (due to a functional leg length difference) so I think this has a bearing on the wear on the right shoe as well (overpronators tend to heel strike on the outside of the foot first).</span></div>
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What can I take from this is my quest to adopt a more natural running form has worked. I am not too worried about a light heel strike on my right foot. I have subsequently discovered that foot strike is not the be all and end all when it comes to changing running technique (listen to the following podcast by Pete Larsson the the writer of Runnblogger.com website </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for <a href="http://trailrunnernation.com/2012/05/heel-striking/">more on this topic</a>). I think that concentrating on not overstrding is probably more important and is for me at least an area that I now think most about when I am running.</span></span>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-83219744206381489082012-09-09T18:16:00.000+01:002012-09-22T20:08:09.931+01:00My Running Shoe Pile <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have a confession to make I am a shoeaholic, this is my pile of running shoes. I have counted 10 pairs. I got to admit I don't wear quite a number of them since I converted to running in minimalist shoes. Imagine the smell!<br />
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-88795209938732042572012-09-02T18:08:00.000+01:002012-09-22T20:07:19.989+01:005 Reasons Why I Like the Great North Run <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The <a href="http://www.greatrun.org/events/event.aspx?id=1" target="_blank">Great North Run </a>(GNR) is nearly upon again and I can’t wait. Living only about fifteen miles from the start line this is a race I do every year and such this will be my sixth GNR.<br />
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You tend to get some serious runners who get a bit snooty about the GNR as it is a mass participation run with around 50,000 participants every year - apparently the world’s largest half marathon, but who cares it is a great race.<br />
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There are a number of things that I love about the race and I decided to put them into a top five, so here goes:<br />
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<b>1.Start</b><br />
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with the music pumping and fifty thousand runners at the start line it makes for a tremendous atmosphere, when I look back at the start line I cannot see where the runners end - it still make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!</div>
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<b>2.Finish</b><br />
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The finish is spectacular, thousands of people line the last mile of the race, there is even a small grandstand, the spectators make a lot of noise and it really forces you to run the last mile much faster then you would normally. Amazing!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half a mile from the finish GNR 2011</td></tr>
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<b>3. The kindness of the local residents </b></div>
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The race route goes through built up parts of Gateshead and South Shields and the local residents provide drinks (the oddest I saw one year was home brewed beer!), sweets and hose piped water, they also give exceptional support.</div>
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<b>4.Runners </b><br />
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The runners are from all types of backgrounds from elites (Mo Farah will run the race this year) to fun runners. The costumes that people wear amaze me sometimes I think there is a bloke doing completing the run this year with a fridge strapped to his back!<br />
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<b>5. Charity</b><br />
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The race raises many millions of pounds for charity which is the icing on the cake!<br />
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So good luck to all who are participating in this year GNR, I can’t wait!<br />
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What do you like about the Great North Run?</div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-84877110840041170512012-08-31T12:07:00.003+01:002012-09-22T20:10:29.770+01:00The History of the Paralympics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Once in while you find a real gem on the TV, that you weren't expecting and watching <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01m1jqd" target="_blank">‘the best of men’</a> on BBC2 last month was definitely one of those. This was a real inspirational programme for me and is a drama that follows the development of the precursor to the paralympics - the Stoke Mandeville Games. After watching the drama I wanted to tell you about the main character <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Guttmann" target="_blank">Sir Ludwig Guttman.</a><br />
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Dr Guttman arrives in England from Germany in 1939 after life in Nazi Germany becomes intolerable. In 1943 Dr Guttman is asked by the British Government to found the national spinal injuries centre in Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire. As director of the centre he believed that sport could be used as a vehicle for spinal injuries patients to improve there health, aid recovery and gain self respect. This was contrary to the treatment of spinal injury patients at the time which involved keeping them as inactive as possible. <br />
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The first Stoke Mandeville games were founded by Dr Guttman in 1948 on the exact same day the Olympics Games in London began. By 1952 the games had grown massively with competitors attending from around the world. This impressed Olympic officials and lead to the International Stoke Mandeville Games being held alongside the 1960 Olympics in Rome. These are now recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the first ever paralympic games. In 1966 Ludwig Guttman was knighted and received many honours around the world. He died at the age of 80 in 1980.<br />
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One thing struck me was that Guttman was a man who was prepared to do things differently - to try things out that had never been done before. This takes a lot of self belief and courage and is something that we can all apply to our running lives - whether it is entering a first marathon, changing running technique or loosing a few pounds!<br />
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To me as a keen runner we often tend to look towards the feat of other runners for inspiration, to push us through those twenty miles training runs. However don’t forget the feats of other none running people such as Sir Ludwig Guttman.<br />
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What about you who are your inspirations to complete that hard run?</div>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8603865859797840894.post-35832833278499278772012-08-24T12:40:00.000+01:002012-10-14T16:49:17.834+01:00The Basics of Natural Running <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span id="internal-source-marker_0.16363646369427443"><span style="font-family: Arial; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am a big fan of the natural running scene having made some major changes to my running technique and running in minimalist running shoes since </span><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">January</span><span style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2012. This is something I will be discussing more over the coming month. Anyway if you want to make some changes to the way you run to help reduce injury risk take a look at the film below. It features Daniel Lieberman from Harvard University who is a guru on natural running. It is a great introduction to the topic. </span></span></span>
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John Binnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13782984761794842856noreply@blogger.com