Training Modules

Training Tip

Warming-up - By taking 10 to 15 minutes to thoroughly warm-up your muscles before a workout, you could save yourself from months of time off due to injury. Stretching is important, but never stretch cold muscles. Before you begin your stretching routine jog lightly to warm-up your muscles.

Motivational Tips

Find out what totally motivates you and then surround yourself with it! It could be photos of inspiring runners, running books or magazines, inspiring literature or biographies of successful runners. Place these things where you can see them every day.

Training Tip

Running technique - There are no hard and fast rules as to how to run as everyone has their own style. However, here are a few pointers to help improve your performance: Head - Look straight ahead. Focus on a point 10 - 15 yards in front and try to run in a straight line. Body - Keep you body upright with your back straight. Try not to lean, even when running up hill. Arms - Let your arms swing naturally and in rhythm with your legs while loosely cupping your hands. Feet - Naturally, the ball of the foot lands first, followed by the heel, and the toes push off a fraction after that.

Motivational Tips

Enlist the help of a friend. This is great for companionship or for the rivalry, or both! A running and training partner will keep both of you motivated.

Training Tip

Stay hydrated - On an average day we need to drink about two litres of fluid a day average 500 - 1000 ml of fluid per hour. If you exercise while dehydrated, your temperature can rise quickly and cause heatstroke, which is potentially fatal. The colour of your urine is probably the easiest indicator of fluid loss. If it's pale and plentiful you're well hydrated, whereas if it's dark and sparse, you need more fluid. A loss of just 2% in your body weight may affect your ability to exercise and 4% loss can cause exhaustion. When you are competing, for every drop in body weight there's about a 5% drop in performance.

Motivational Tips

Make it social !! If you are training with a friend you can check each other's performances and use it to motivate each other. Or, if you can't convince people to join you, treat yourself by meeting up with friends for dinner - you deserve it!

Training Tip

Ditch the stitch - Every runner has experienced a stitch - that sudden sharp pain in the side of the upper abdomen at the base of the ribs. The pain is caused by a spasm of the diaphragm. A stitch will usually go away quickly after slowing down or stopping. However, you can often make it go away by brining your breathing into careful control during running. Concentrate on belly breathing, pushing your belly out when you breathe in and relaxing it as you breathe out. Take deep breaths on the intake, and exhale suddenly, even noisily. To get the diaphragm to contract in rhythm with your steps, try to inhale and exhale as you land on your left foot. This can help prevent spasms by encouraging the diaphragm to bounce along in sync with your stride.

Training Tip

Stretching - Don't skimp on your stretching! Stretching is vital and should only be done after a full warm-up. Muscles are susceptible to injury if stretched when cold. Think of them like a cold metal bar. Try and bend it cold and it will crack, splinter or even break. However, if you warm the bar up it bends without too much effort.

Cold ligaments (which stabilize joints) and tendons (which attach muscles to bones) can only be stretched when fully warmed-up.

Motivational Tips

Go to running shops on a regular basis to get running accessories, magazines, books or videos. These are sure to motivate. Also, the shop assistants will be happy to answer your questions, give suggestions and discuss your training.

Training Tip

Think about your running technique - Carry out 'body scans' during your running session. All you need to do is cast your mind's eye from head to toe, looking for any signs of unnecessary tension or tightness, any muscles that could do with a stretch, and any joints that could do with loosening up. You should also try a smile - it's impossible to be tense and smile at the same time! Try to carry out a body scan every ten to 15 minutes, to ensure you are as relaxed as possible and not wasting energy.

Motivational Tips

Focus on your goals! Writing down detailed goals creates your roadmap to success. In fact, just the act of writing them down can set the process in motion. The more focused you are on your running goals the more likely you are to accomplish them.

Training Tip

Plan your route! - Most beginners start off by running around the block or down roads by their home, but ideal places are parks, running tracks or on short cut grass. Beginners may suffer from common aches and pains such as 'shin-splints' as result of running on hard surfaces. If you HAVE :o run on busy roads, make sure you run facing the traffic so you can see cars coming at you.

Motivational Tips

Recording your progress will keep you focused on the tasks in hand and allow you to accurately check your performance. Many runners regularly review their logs to look at the work they've done in the past to provide motivation for the future. A log allows you to learn from your mistakes.

Training Tip

Plan your drinking strategies - so that your body can gradually adapt to increased fluid intakes. Don't leave it to chance; take your beverage choice with you. It is unlikely that you will drink too much water - not drinking enough is usually the problem. The only time drinking plain water may cause a problem is if you're sweating very heavily for a prolonged period of time. In this situation, a sports drink containing sodium would be better that plain water to prevent low blood sodium levels (hyponatraemia).

Motivational Tips

A new innovation for gadget addicts is the ability to record speed and distance and even altitude from your training watch. This can be downloaded to your computer and acts as your training log.These are very accurate and will give you a clear idea of how you are progressing.

Training Tip

Train according to how you feel - If you're having a bad day and feel that another training session would be detrimental then don't go. Training when you're feeling unwell or having a stressful time at work for example, is counterproductive. This is not to be confused with that 'I can't be bothered, because I feel tired' feeling!

Motivational Tips

Adding variety to the week will keep you fresh. Try different times and places to train. How about going off-road? It is gentler on the knees and there is something very satisfying about getting muddy and wet in the name of fitness !For sheer variety, leave your watch at home once in a while and run for the simple pleasure of running without worrying about time goals.

Training Tip

Enter a few races before the big day - If you can, start with a 5 kms and then 8 Kms run. This will help you get used to running in the 'event environment' and help you with things like taking water from drinks stations and the pre-race build up. The bigger the race the better, although the first one should probably be a smaller one of a few hundred runners.

Motivational Tips

Check those trainers - do they need replacing? They could be hampering your running style so have them checked out. Remember, they are like the tyres your car, they won't last forever. Reebok prima is good for change.If you are going to change them, change them now though so they are fully broken in for the rece. Generally, trainers need replacing after around 5-600 miles of running.

Training Tip

Stay Positive. It is important to ease back and rest otherwise you wont get the best out of yourself. Sleep early every night. The Diet should be protein rich. Lots of juices, pastas and soups. No 'fizzy' drinks.

Motivational Tips

Stick to the plan! Tempting as it may be, visualize your success. If you picture yourself achieving your goal, those images will help to motivate you to achieve them. So, best of luck.