Resistance bands are fabulous tools to have in your runner’s kit. Warming up with resistance bands will help you improve your performance. How? By not only building your strength but your flexibility and sense of balance too.

It’s essential to warm up before every run to avoid injury and help you run with better form. You want to warm up with exercises that mimic the movements you do when you run.

And when we say warm-up, we don’t mean static stretching! Static stretching is what you want to do after a run, as it relaxes the muscles. Doing static stretching before a run can actually slow you down.

The best kind of warm-up before running is a dynamic one. You want to increase your joints’ range of movement, which is where resistance bands come into their own. Doing a dynamic warm-up also increases your heart rate and literally gets you ready to run!

Here are the exercises to ensure you are properly warmed up before running.

1.Leg swings

For this exercise, you can use a long resistance band. Leg swings stretch your hamstrings and open up your hip flexors.

• Stand on one leg with the resistance band underneath the middle of your foot. Both hands should be holding the ends of the band.
• Raise your hands as high as you wish to get the optimum level of resistance.
• Balance on the other foot while swinging the banded leg from side to side in front of you.
• Keep your back straight. Tuck in your pelvis.
• Do 15 reps on each leg.

Note: If balancing is difficult for you, hold one hand on a fence or swing.

2.Lateral band walks

To do this exercise, you’ll need a hip circle resistance band.

• Put the hip circle band around your ankles and stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Keep your back straight at all times. You can rest your hands on your hips.
• Now walk crab-style to the right, bringing your far foot to meet the other foot each time.
• When you’ve taken enough steps, repeat on the other side.

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3.Squats

• Put the hip circle band around your thighs and sink into a low squat while you exhale. Ensure your back is straight and that you are leaning slightly forward with your pelvis tucked in.

Variation: You can do lateral squats if you wish, moving to the right for ten steps and then back across to the left.

4.Forward lunges

• Use a longer resistance band, wrapping it around your thighs.
• Put one foot far forward and sink into a low lunge so that the back knee is almost touching the ground.
• Come up and put the other foot forward.
• Work your way across for at least 20 reps total.

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5.Hip flexor marches

• For this exercise, wrap the resistance band around the middle of both feet and stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
• March in place while working against the resistance of the band.
• Your knees need to be bent at a 90-degree angle and your back should stay straight.
• Start with ten reps for each leg and work your way up to 15-20 reps per leg.

Variation: You can play with the speed of this exercise. Try marching very slowly and pausing at the top each time.

6.Sumo squat walks

This exercise will work your adductors.

• Put the resistance band around your thighs and stand in a sumo stance.
• The sumo stance is a squat but with your feet turned slightly outward.
• Sink into a low squat and take ten steps forward while in the squat position.
• Take ten steps back to start. You should feel the burn!

7.Banded dead bug

This exercise doesn’t sound very nice, but it’s excellent for your legs and back. The banded dead bug exercise also really works your abs.

• Lying on your back, raise your legs. Both knees need to be bent at a 90-degree angle and lifted in the air.
• Lift your arms straight up in the air (this is being a dead bug). You want both arms to be perpendicular to your body on the ground.
• Now kick your right leg out and down so that your foot is one inch off the ground.
• Reach out your left arm behind you at the same time. Hold for a few seconds, then return to start. That’s one rep.
• Repeat on the left side, and do as many reps as needed.

I hope you enjoy this resistance band warm-up for runners!

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive form of payment or compensation for sharing this guest post. All photographs were purchased by the PR company and downloaded from Shutterstock using a standard licence that allows unlimited web distribution **

I had always found running long distances hard, even as a young person playing lots of different sports. I just never had that extra bit in my lungs and felt that my energy levels just dropped away, although my body itself felt like it could go on.

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As a result of this, I concentrated on staying fit in more a sport-specific way. For squash, I would do court sprints and play as many matches as I could, the same for tennis and I learned how to stay fit for cricket by doing short sharp bits of work rather than long runs.

So over the years, long distance running or even jogging never featured in my fitness routine. As I got older I started lifting weights and trying to pack on a bit more size, and to me, when every calorie was precious, long bouts of cardio were off-limits.

Why I needed to run

It wasn’t until my mid-30s that I decided to try and play tennis competitively again. Not professionally of course, but county standard and generally trying to play at the highest level I could. My technique was there, and I added strength in the right places in order to prevent niggling injuries I had picked up in the past. But the issue became my stamina.

The old issue came up again, 25 years after the last time it had become a problem.

Cycling didn’t tax my lungs enough but it did burn out my legs and back. Skipping was great but again, my lower back didn’t appreciate loads of it, and just playing over and over again was not practical in terms of getting into a place where my lungs were working overtime.

So, I decided to try running again… and here is what I found problematic, and how I remedied it where possible.

Shin Splints

It wasn’t long after I started to try and run a bit more that the shin splints started kicking in. It normally started within about 2-3 minutes of running but was very much worse when waking up in the mornings.

If you have ever had this annoying condition, you will know there is no fast cure. It is normally rest to get rid of them, and then finding out what causes them and attempting to address that. Mentally I don’t deal well with being injured, but being injured as a runner is even more mentally challenging.

In my case, I dealt with it in part by going to a running shop, had my gait analysed, and tried the running shoes recommended for my foot size, shape etc. Even on the machine in the shop, I felt about 15 stone lighter and had a real spring through my toes.

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Since wearing them I have not had shin splints at all. All down to the way my instep landed with different shoes I believe.

Energy

As you may know Dear Reader, movement gets harder and less inviting as the years advance. In my case I really noticed a change in my energy levels, often affected by stress, worry, and all the other things that come with greater responsibility, I battled non-stop (and still do) with finding the energy to run.

Somehow sport is different, I can get up for playing a game and find energy in competition or trying a new technique. With running I just couldn’t visualise having enough energy to get enough miles in.

So, I decided the only way was to artificially produce the vision, by spiking my nutrition and convincing my mind I was building up to a run, and fuelling my body to achieve it. A bit of a ritual if you will.

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The ritual involved planning roughly when I would run, and deciding to eat something carb-heavy about 2-3 hours beforehand. I would then try and squeeze in some nap time directly after eating, before rising and drinking something with glucose and a dash of salt in it. Not pleasant but the simple sugars felt like they were starting to kick in.

I then pounded something high in sugars about 10 minutes before running, normally my favourite pre-workout of a can of Coke (I know, I know) but I prefer that to pre-workouts and it is all I need.

This little routine had me amped and certainly tweaking a little from the sugar, but it blasted me into the run, and the slower acting carbs I had eaten earlier felt like they were fuelling me for the long haul.

The road was not my friend

I quickly discovered that my back and hips did not love pounding the pavements. They would both start screaming at me after a certain amount of time on the roads, especially where I live, which is uneven and slightly up and down in places.

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I tried running trails but the wonder shoes I referenced above were not designed to go anywhere wet, muddy, or even slightly uneven.

So, I admit I had to start using the treadmill. This may not sound that exciting, but it was a way of getting in the miles without hurting myself, plus I was in the dry and could watch something on my phone at the same time.

This for me was a game-changer as watching something really helped me pass the time and I made sure I watched things that motivated me to help me go that little bit further. I always need a push, and these videos became a shove, so I solved two problems at once.

Starting to run in middle age was not easy, and it is not perfect or indeed anything like what I thought it would be. It is not the scenic, beautiful open-air experience I imagined but as they say, it is what it is, and at the moment, it works for me.

So, thanks for sharing your running experiences Oli, I could personally relate to a lot of your experiences. If you want to check out Oli’s blog, please head to The Sporting Blog, if fitness and training is your thing, the blog has a whole section dedicated to fitness and training.

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive any payment for sharing this guest post. All photographs were obtained from Pexels**

If you, like most of us, have been unable to miss the resurrection of cycling over recent months, you may be wishing to join the new ranks of cyclists flooding our roads, parks, and cycle routes.

If you don’t know where to start, here are five top tips I believe you need to know to get yourself saddle ready and back on your bike:

Tip 1: Get the right bike

You don’t have to buy a brand new bike from the kickoff. If you have an old bike, dust it off, check the brakes and the gears are working properly, and enjoy it. Getting on the bike is the only way to know what kind of cycling you enjoy. If you do decide to buy, consider second hand for both the financial and environmental benefits.

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If you are buying a bike, first consider the kind of riding you want to do and the typical route. If it is hilly – make sure you get a bike with enough gears to handle it, if you are commuting then 3-6 gears should be enough to get you up and down most town and city hills. If you are looking to road or mountain bike you will want to consider more than 10 gears to manage the rougher terrain.

Secondly, take into consideration the weight of the bike. Modern road bikes are all designed to be very light so even the heaviest will do you well – but aim to go as light as possible. For commuter bikes, the weight can be an issue. The heavier Dutch-style bikes often look very beautiful but they are hard work if you are peddling uphill, lifting it up canal path stairs, or storing it in your flat.  As a guide 10-12 kgs is pretty heavy, still easy to cycle especially if the route is quite flat but you will notice it on an incline. So factor in the weight of the bike if you have a lot of hills to conquer or you need to store it inside.

There are some great commuting bikes available, which are beautifully made, pretty light, and have real style. For a British made bike with some serious looks check out Temple Cycles and there is also the ever chic Tokyo Bike and Crème Cycles.

If you don’t have much space, the Brompton bike is always a great solution.

Tip 2: Get in position

Too often, I see cyclists with a bad seat position set up – usually, it’s far too low so they’re overworking and are putting unnecessary strain on their knees.  To set up your bike properly, this is the simplest way: The Heel to Pedal method. It might not be what cyclists in the Tour de France use but it will get you close to the perfect position. Here’s how:

1. Sit on the bike whilst holding onto a wall or chair for stability.
2. Place your heel on the pedal and pedal back to 6 o’clock position. Your knee should be completely straight.
3. Increase the height of your saddle until it is straight; that is your perfect position.
4. If you are just cycling around town the first time and aren’t 100% confident on the bike, it’s a good idea to lower it from this position ever so slightly. This will make it is easier to put your foot on the ground when you want to stop. This will give you confidence on the bike from the get go. Once you are happy in the saddle you can lift the saddle back up to the correct height.

Tip 3: Ease your back

Taking the bag from your back and onto the bike is a real joy. It takes the strain off your spine and also reduces back sweat – something a backpack seems to create in very un-natural quantities.

The solution is a pannier rack. They attach over the back wheel of your bike and you can attach pannier bags and baskets on them to carry whatever you need. As the rack is on the back of your bike, not the front, and is low on the bike, it doesn’t affect your steering or stability, so they will help you feel more secure on your bike.

Hill & Ellis has a range of stylish bike bags that all attach securely to your pannier bike rack. They are also designed to look smart so are the perfect accessory for the work commute.

Tip 4: Plan ahead

Your route is crucial to an enjoyable ride on your bike. The main roads might be the most direct path but they won’t be the most pleasant. Always take the backstreets; they are quieter, safer, and much more interesting as you get to discover parts of your town/city you would never have seen before.

Fortunately, picking your route has never been easier. There are lots of cycle routes now across the country and they are definitely worth taking advantage of. Most city and the country routes are in cycle maps that are easy to follow. For your local paths have a look on your council’s website – most of the maps are available there.

Here are some examples:

• For Birmingham
• For London – check out TFL for their map of the cross London cycle lanes.
• For Manchester

And if you are getting out of the city,  the best resource is Sustrans which has cycle-friendly, and cycle-only routes across the UK.

Give yourself an extra 15 minutes to cycle, take the slightly longer, quieter route, get yourself lost, and, most importantly of all, enjoy it.

Tip 5: Build confidence

If you’ve followed the tips above but still feel a bit wobbly about cycling on your own, then you need your own personal peloton (cycling group). Cycling is really friendly, with lots of groups keen to help other cyclists get started with advice, buddies, and supported rides. There are groups all over the country, so you’ll definitely find one in your local area.

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The Breeze network offers women’s only rides and commuting training rides to help build confidence for cycling to work, they will even arrange a group to cycle with you to your office for the first couple of rides.

British Cycling also has a beginners’ guide on their website for the A-Z of what you need to know before taking to the saddle.

Most importantly, don’t rush your cycling journey. Enjoy it. Life from the saddle will always make you smile.

About the author

Catherine Ellis is the founder of Hill & Ellis, which produces a range of high quality, stylish cycle bags. Each bag, designed in the UK, is created to transition perfectly from home to bike to boardroom to bar. They are functional, fashionable and hard wearing.  There’s plenty of space inside for a laptop and other essentials, and each bag comes with patented pannier clips that fit almost any bike, allowing you to clip the bag on and off quickly and easily.

If you’d like more information about Hill & Ellis please check out the following social media links.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive monetary payment for sharing this guest post. I’m looking to buy myself a bike with the aim of commuting to work by bike so I found the top tips really useful. All photographs were provided by Hill & Ellis and obtained from Pexels**

I think it’s fair to say that I’m an injury-prone runner. I’ve struggled with my knees and feet a lot. I sometimes wonder if all my recent injuries are linked to the metatarsal stress fracture I experienced in 2014. My knees and feet haven’t been the same since and my recent Run3D gait analysis highlighted several issues with my running technique. I’ve been spending more time completing the evidence-based strength and conditioning exercises I was provided following the gait analysis and if I’m honest, was a little disappointed I picked up another knee injury.

I’ve worn customised insoles in my trainers for several years, so I was thrilled when I was recently offered the opportunity to test out and review a pair of Superfeet insoles. I was actually sent two pairs of Superfeet insoles to review; this review focuses on the Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles.

Although I haven’t been able to run for a couple of weeks, I wore the Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles during the majority of my Couch to 5k interval sessions, so I feel that I’m in a position to write a hopefully useful product review. Before I launch into my review, here’s some information about the Superfeet brand.

An introduction to Superfeet

Superfeet have been making insoles for over 40 years, making them the experts in underfoot support and alleviating foot pain. They are the go-to insole choice for many professional shoe fitters and offer four types of insoles as part of their ‘Run Insole’ collection.

Professional trail runner Ricky Lightfoot uses Superfeet insoles in his trainers:

“When you begin to have problems with your feet it can have an impact on your whole body. It is essential to look after yourself from the bottom up, so for me using a footbed is the first step in looking after your body when you run. My Superfeet insoles support my feet as well as providing comfort, something which normal insoles don’t offer. I would never go back to not using them – they are invaluable for my long off-road runs.”

All Superfeet insoles are sculpted for comfort and pain relief by cradling heels, hugging arches, and giving all-round extra support. They enhance the way the foot is intended to move, dispersing impact and decreasing stress and strain on the foot and body. Superfeet have looked at the podiatric science and combined innovative materials and cutting-edge technology to create insoles, which have proven to relieve foot pain and enhance the comfort of footwear for sportspeople.

I completed the ‘insole fit finder’ questionnaire on the Superfeet website. This identified the RUN Comfort insoles as my best match and the RUN Pain Relief insoles as a great match.

Superfeet very kindly sent me a pair of each to test out and review. Thanks to my knee injury, I’ve only been able to run in the RUN Pain Relief insoles, so this review will focus on these. I’ll be sure to review the RUN Comfort insoles as soon as I’m back up and running.

Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles

According to the Superfeet website, designed specifically for running, Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles help stabilise the foot to minimize repetitive stress. The Superfeet shape personalises the fit of the shoe, while the independent Heel Stabilizer keeps the pain relieving-shape closer to the foot.

Product features

1. EVOLyte carbon fibre stabiliser cap provides weight-defying support
2. Therapeutic foam cushions the foot while reducing friction and hot spots
3. Superfeet pain-relieving shape helps minimise repetitive stress
4. Heel cup positions soft tissue to help absorb impact
5. Independent heel stabiliser personalises the support to keep pain relieving-shape closer to the foot
6. MoistureWick for improved wicking and breathability, plus odour control

As a runner with fragile feet, the Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles sounded pretty much perfect and as my existing insoles needed replacing, I couldn’t wait to try them out.

The review process

When the two pairs of Superfeet insoles arrived they looked quite a lot larger than I was expecting. Let’s just say that for a moment I was worried I’d somehow managed to order the wrong size. I’d forgotten that my Size 9 Brooks trainers are like boats and that I’d need to trim the insoles down to size. The insoles came with trimming instructions:

1. Remove
2. Line up and trace
3. Trim
4. Insert and test

I’m not the best at cutting things out so I found Step 3 a tad stressful. Fortunately, I managed to avoid the embarrassment of having to ask for a replacement pair of insoles due to a scissor-related disaster. This has happened to me before.

Once Step 3 was complete, I loosened the laces of my trainers, removed the Brooks insoles, and then inserted the Superfeet insoles inside the trainers. Top tip, be sure to thoroughly loosen your laces, this makes life a lot easier especially when working with brand new trainers. Once I’d managed to insert the Superfeet insoles inside the trainers I was ready to go.

As I wanted to get my feet used to my new trainers and new insoles, I spent a couple of weeks wearing the trainers around the house. Working from home does have some perks. This hopefully gave my feet plenty of time to adapt to the new trainers and insoles. Once I felt reasonably confident my temperamental feet had adapted, I laced up my trainers and headed out the door on a short test run.

How did I find the Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles?

Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles are designed to help stabilise the foot to minimise repetitive stress. While my feet felt quite stable when I was running, during the first run my heels moved around quite a lot, and didn’t feel that supported. When I got home I realised that I hadn’t used the independent heel stabilisers that were provided with the insoles. Once I’d spotted my mistake, I added the heel stabilisers and didn’t look back.

The fact that after that initial run, I didn’t notice the insoles when I was running is a positive. The insoles didn’t create any what I’d call hotspots or blisters on my feet and my feet felt comfortable 99% of the time when I was running. Strangely, the insoles didn’t feel quite so comfortable during my five minute warm-up and cool-down walks.

The insoles didn’t rub when I managed to get my trainers wet less than one minute into a slightly longer run, always a bonus as in the past I’ve had some terrible experiences. However, I think it’s worth me highlighting that due to my knee injury I haven’t been able to test out the insoles on a longer run in wet conditions.

And the negatives?

It would be remiss of me to write this review without mentioning my knee injury.  After all, I picked up this injury while I was running in these insoles. This injury prevented me from completing the Couch to 5k and continues to prevent me from running. I also ended the third week of the Couch to 5k with an unwelcome addition to my right heel in the form of a painful lump. This lump is still causing me issues and unfortunately seems to be with me to stay.

I’ll never know for sure if these injuries were caused by me increasing my mileage too soon, by spending more time on my exercise bike which if I’m honest is slightly too small for me, by my new trainers, or by the insoles. Perhaps it was a combination of the four, I’ll never know for sure.

I have to mention the unwanted ‘bonus’ feature of the left insole; the sound effects. I’m not sure what caused this to start after 50 quiet miles, but I sounded like I was walking across a really creaky wooden floorboard. It was so loud that during my 5am interval sessions I was concerned I’d wake people up. You could definitely hear me approaching and I scared a few local cats. I removed the insole a couple of times and readjusted it to see if it made a difference, it didn’t so I learned to shut out the creaking.

The verdict

So, would I recommend the Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles to other runners? Yes, I would. Although I think the insoles are quite expensive, they provide reliable support and comfort for up to 12 months or 500 miles, whichever comes first. By my dodgy calculations that equates to 9p/mile. I didn’t feel any pain in my feet while I was running, I don’t think the insoles caused my knee injury; I blame the uneven pavements in Four Oaks and a moment of clumsiness. Thanks again to Superfeet for sending me these insoles and for letting me test them thoroughly.

For more information on Superfeet please visit Superfeet. You can also find a list of Superfeet retailers and locate the store closest to you here.

**Full disclosure: I was sent a pair of Superfeet RUN Pain Relief insoles for free in return for an honest review. The insoles have a RRP of £45. I did not receive any payment for this review and as always, all opinions and photographs are my own**

I don’t want to tempt fate, but after almost reaching the halfway stage of the Couch to 5k training plan I’m following, I’m finally starting to feel like a runner again. After what I can only describe as a bit of a false start earlier this year, I’ve tried to be sensible with my latest return to running. After falling out of love with running earlier this year, I’ve focused more on having fun while I’m running and appreciating spending time outside.

I like to think that all of the sessions I completed on my exercise bike helped me to maintain a reasonable level of fitness. I also believe that the strength and conditioning sessions are helping. As for my foam roller, I’m sure that the struggles I’ve been having are worthwhile.

I now trust and believe in what I’m calling the Couch to 5k process. This wasn’t always the case. At times I was guilty of trying to rush through the training plan, not repeating weeks when I needed to.

Füd Vitamin energy drink review

I recently received a press release about a new vitamin energy drink; Füd. As you all know I love testing and reviewing new products, I asked if I could have a taster pack to review.

My samples of Füd arrived a few weeks ago and I put them in the fridge. The recent warm weather combined with the fact that the fridge has become one of my best friends since I started working from home meant that the Füd samples didn’t last long.

Before I go any further, I’m aware that ‘Fud’ features in the Urban Dictionary! I’m not sure that I’d have been brave enough to name my product Füd!

What is Füd?

Launched in May, Füd is a healthy natural alternative to traditional sugar-filled energy drinks. Both its flavours contain 25% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamins B5, B6, and B12. With electrolytes from magnesium, Füd is a clean, natural, and delicious way to help combat tiredness and fatigue. Containing only naturally-occurring sugar from fruit juices, it has zero added sugar and is completely free from artificial flavours and preservatives. Füd contains the equivalent caffeine (80mg) to an Americano coffee (or a Red Bull).

Füd is currently available in two flavours; berry and coconut and pineapple and ginger.

I was sent one 250ml can of each flavour to try. This was just enough to allow me to get an idea of each of the flavours, but not enough to allow me to comment on the effectiveness of Füd as an energy drink. Here are my thoughts on each flavour.

Pineapple and Ginger flavour

I’ve always loved the taste of both pineapple and ginger, so I decided to try the Pineapple and Ginger flavour Füd first.

If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll have probably noticed that I’m completing all of my training sessions first thing in the morning. I didn’t think drinking an energy drink at 6am would be sensible so I drank the Pineapple and Ginger Füd after spending an hour vacuuming my house.

I’ll be honest; I couldn’t really taste the pineapple, all I could taste was ginger. In fact, after the first couple of sips, I found the flavours quite bland. I also found the fizziness of the drink a little lacking. You know when you drink a fizzy drink that has been open for a while and has started to go flat. The Pineapple and Ginger flavour Füd reminded me of that, slightly lacking in fizz.

Berry and Coconut flavour

Although, after a negative first experience, I’ve grown to tolerate the taste of coconut, I’ll be honest and admit that I wasn’t looking forward to drinking the can of Berry and Coconut flavour Füd.

I drank the can of Berry and Coconut flavour Füd several hours after I’d completed the final interval session of Week 3 of my Couch to 5k training plan. I figured that I needed a lunchtime energy boost after all that exercise.

I’m not sure what happened to the berry but all I could taste was coconut. Unfortunately, after a couple of sips, I found the overall flavours quite bland. Once again, the fizziness of the drink was a little lacking, it’s almost like the drink needed more carbonated water.

Would I recommend Füd?

I’m aware that this review has been a tad negative, however, Füd vitamin energy drinks definitely have some positives. I’ll start with the basics, I thought that the design of the packaging was nice and simple and included and clearly displayed all of the information you’d want as a consumer. The Füd energy drinks combine natural caffeine, vitamins, and electrolytes with real fruit juices to deliver a completely natural energy boost, it doesn’t contain added sugar or sweeteners. It’s also vegan friendly.

I’ve already covered the negatives in quite a lot of detail so I’m not going to repeat them here.

So would I recommend Füd vitamin energy drinks? Unfortunately, after trying both flavours, I’m not sure I can recommend Füd vitamin energy drinks. However, as I’m not a huge fan of energy drinks in general I’d say give Füd vitamin a try and see what you think?

Do you have a favourite post-workout drink?

**Full disclosure: I was sent a couple of cans of Füd for free, I wasn’t asked to write a review. The taster pack I was sent has a RRP of £4.99. As always all opinions and dodgy photographs are my own**

When I started senior school, after school activities that included violin, horse riding, running, and stage school meant that my free time was limited. I still made time to read and like my peers can vividly remember reading Forever by Judy Blume for the first time. By the time I was 13, I’d stopped reading books and started reading magazines such as Just Seventeen, More, and Mizz.

Throughout my GCSE and A-level studies and undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses, my reading tended to be limited to set texts and academic books and papers. Although like all students I spent a lot of time in libraries and reading, I wasn’t finding a lot of what I was reading enjoyable, largely because I was being told what to read. I stopped finding reading relaxing.

A year ago I found myself spending three hours a day commuting to and from Solihull. As I wasn’t allowed to work during my commute, I needed something to help make the train journeys to and from Solihull feel less tedious. I started using the time to read.

The recent lockdown meant that I stopped commuting and started working from home. While not having to commute meant that I had an improved work-life balance, the uncertainty surrounding the global pandemic left me feeling anxious and unable to relax. I decided to dedicate time each day to reading and hopefully relaxing.

Below are the books I read during April and May. I’ve also included the books I’m currently reading and the books that I’m aiming to read this month. Knowing me, by the end of June I will have added more books to this list.

Books I Read in April and May

Eat, Drink, Run by Bryony Gordon

This was the first book I read during the lockdown. Although I found the book incredibly easy to read, I felt that there could have been a bit more detail about the actual training and running Bryony did in the lead up to the 2017 London Marathon. There was a bit too much emphasis on the Eat and Drink and not enough on Run. I was actually left feeling slightly envious of Bryony’s exotic-sounding London lifestyle and was reminded that I’m quite possibly one of the dullest people on the planet. At times I also felt that I would have enjoyed reading this book if I’d read Bryony’s first book – Mad Girl – before -reading Eat, Drink, Run.

Run Like Duck by Mark Atkinson

When I started reading Run Like Duck I was a little bit concerned I’d bought yet another from non-runner to runner autobiographical book. I’m sure you all know the type. I knew that I’d enjoy reading Run Like Duck when the author shared his pre-race breakfast of choice, Mc Donald’s. My favourite chapter – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – summarised the author’s experiences at a well organised event and a couple of not quite so well organised events. Run Like Duck reminded me of the importance of building up the miles slowly and of not getting carried away, something I need to keep reminding myself. A really well-written book I’d recommend to runners of all standards. There’s something for everyone.

The Runner* by Markus Torgeby

The publishers, Bloomsbury, sent me a copy of The Runner to read and review last year. I’m a little ashamed to admit that I struggled to get into the book. I don’t think I was in a very good place at the time with my mental health. After reading the same page four times and not actually taking anything in, I gave up and put the book back on my bookshelf. Last month, I decided to give The Runner a second chance. This turned out to be the correct decision as once I’d got used to the author’s slightly unusual style of writing, I found myself engrossed in the story and wishing I was brave enough to head off into a remote forest to live as a recluse. Escaping the modern world and the global pandemic and dedicating myself to something I’m passionate about does sound tempting at the moment. Anyway, if you haven’t already read The Runner I’d recommend it.

Books I’m currently reading

Outrunning the Demons* by Phil Hewitt

Bloomsbury also sent me a copy of Outrunning the Demons to read and review. Written by Phil Hewitt, Outrunning the Demons is described as an enriching and celebratory exploration of the transformative power of running, and how it can be the key to unlocking resilience we never knew we had. I shared a few thoughts about the book on Instagram but was left feeling that I needed to read the book again to appreciate it more. I started rereading Outrunning the Demons last week and have been finding some of the real-life stories quite difficult to read. Some of the subjects have been a little too relatable for my liking. In addition, reading about the at times quite frankly horrific experiences of the contributors has left me feeling like a bit of a fraud, I shouldn’t experience anxiety as my life has been straightforward. While this clearly isn’t the aim of Outrunning the Demons, I’m now limiting myself to reading two of the real-life stories at a time.

Cook, Eat, Run by Charlie Watson

People may think that including a cookbook is unusual, hopefully not. I’ve been following Charlie’s blog for years and enjoy trying out the recipes she posts. When Charlie shared the news she’d written a cookbook, I pre-ordered the book and it was delivered at the end of 2019. Anyway, since the beginning of last year I think that it’s reasonable to describe my diet as ‘Emma must try harder’. In an attempt to improve my diet, I’ve followed a range of healthier recipes from different cookbooks and websites with varying degrees of success. Since the start of lockdown, I’ve reduced my alcohol consumption and have started to eat a healthier, more balanced diet. I have a lot more spare time and have used some of this time to prepare and cook a selection of the recipes in Cook, Eat, Run. Most of the recipes I’ve tried so far have been easy to make and don’t need a lot of ingredients, a positive when shopping for food can be quite stressful.

Books I’m aiming to read this month

The Squiggly Career by Helen Tupper and Sarah Ellis

I read a review of The Squiggly Career in Stylist Magazine and as I’m approaching what I’d describe as a crossroads in my own career, decided to see if I could find a copy in Birmingham. While I didn’t realise it at the time, The Squiggly Career ended up being my final purchase from an actual store before lockdown. I definitely miss mooching around bookshops. I’ve read the first couple of pages of The Squiggly Career, and I’m looking forward to working my way through the rest of the book. I can tell it is definitely going to push me out of my substantial comfort zone.

Get Strong, Get Fit, Get Happy* by Stuart Roberts

When I received a press release about a life manual for people aged 40-plus earlier this year, I was a bit cheeky and asked if I could have a copy to read and review. According to the press release the book will give readers the knowledge, confidence and inspiration to reach and maintain a level of health and fitness – for the rest of their life – that many would consider unattainable. The book is described as a practical tool kit so readers can make informed choices about what feels right for them. The final two chapters focus on stress and keeping motivated, I’ve been so lacking in motivation recently, I think I’ll know which chapters I’ll read first.

Do you think I should start a regular ‘Books I’ve Read Recently’ type series of posts? I’m reading such a lot at the moment they could quite easily be a regular addition to this blog.

Have you spent more time reading since the start of lockdown? I’m rapidly turning into a bookworm.  

What books have you read lately that you’ve enjoyed? If you have, please share your recommendations with me.

**Full disclosure: I was gifted all of the books marked * all other books I purchased myself. As always, all opinions are my own**

Reading this press release and research article gave me some serious research #FOMO. I sometimes wish I could go back to university to complete a second PhD.

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology – The psychophysiological effects of different tempo music on endurance versus high-intensity performances – is the first to show that listening to music at a higher tempo reduces the perceived effort involved in exercise and increases its benefits. These effects were greater for endurance exercises, such as walking, than for high-intensity exercises, such as weightlifting. The researchers hope that the findings could help people to increase and improve their exercise habits.

[Source]

Many people listen to music while exercising and previous studies have documented some of the benefits. For instance, music can distract from fatigue and discomfort and increase participation in exercise. However, “how” we experience music is highly subjective, with cultural factors and personal preferences influencing its effects on individuals. Music is multifaceted with various aspects such as lyrics, rhythm, and melody contributing to the experience.

Until now, researchers did not understand the specific properties of music that affect us during exercise, including which types of music are best suited to enhancing certain types of exercise. Understanding these specifics could help to unlock the full potential of music as an exercise enhancer.

The researchers set out to investigate the effect of the tempo of a piece of music on female volunteers performing either an endurance exercise (walking on a treadmill) or a high-intensity exercise (using a leg press).

The volunteers completed exercise sessions in silence, or while listening to pop music at a range of tempos. The researchers recorded a variety of parameters, including the volunteers’ opinions about the effort required to complete the exercises and their heart rate while exercising, as a higher heart rate would mean that the exercise was more beneficial for physical fitness.

“We found that listening to high-tempo music while exercising resulted in the highest heart rate and lowest perceived exertion compared with not listening to music,” explained Professor Ardigò of the University of Verona in Italy. “This means that the exercise seemed like less effort, but it was more beneficial in terms of enhancing physical fitness.”

These effects were more noticeable in volunteers completing the endurance exercise sessions, compared with those performing high-intensity exercises, suggesting that people performing endurance activities such as walking or running may receive the greatest benefit from listening to high-tempo music.

[Source]

The researchers hope that these results will provide a simple way to improve levels of physical activity. While the current study involved a small group of volunteer subjects, larger studies in the future will be needed to continue exploring the nuances of how music affects our training.

“In the current study, we investigated the effect of music tempo in exercise, but in the future we would also like to study the effects of other music features such as genre, melody, or lyrics, on endurance and high intensity exercise,” said Ardigò.

So, you could try playing fast-tempo music next time you hit the gym for a turbo-charged workout. Otherwise, it might at least get your foot tapping while you sit on the couch and eat chocolate.

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive monetary payment for writing this post; I personally found the research paper interesting and wanted to share the main findings on my blog. All photographs were obtained from Pexels **

Do you listen to music while you are running? I don’t tend to listen to music when I’m running as I always run outside and I like to be aware of my surroundings. However, after reading this research I may finally dust off my AfterShokz.

Do you have any favourite running tunes? If you do, please could you share them with my just in case I manage to work out how to use my AfterShokz.

]]> https://thephdrunner.com/2020/02/20/tunes-for-training-high-tempo-music-may-make-exercise-easier-and-more-beneficial/feed/ 2 9149 https://thephdrunner.com/2020/02/04/four-magical-uk-locations-unveiled-for-the-color-run-2020/ https://thephdrunner.com/2020/02/04/four-magical-uk-locations-unveiled-for-the-color-run-2020/#respond Tue, 04 Feb 2020 17:05:10 +0000 https://thephdrunner.com/?p=9052 Good afternoon/evening and Happy Tuesday. I’ve got something a little different on my blog this morning, some information about an event I’ve always wanted to take part in, the Color Run. Hopefully my niggly right knee will allow me to take part in the London event.

The happiest 5km on the planet – The Color Run – is back for 2020. With a theme of Make Magic, the global phenomenon has four dates in the UK for the dreamers, believers, and magic-makers who want to add some real colour to their lives.

The Color Run will be held in Cardiff and Leeds for the very first time, with London and Manchester completing the quartet of events across September. All events start at 11am.

The full schedule is:

• Cardiff (Bute Park) Saturday 5th September
• Manchester (Heaton Park) Saturday 12th September
• London (Crystal Palace Park) Saturday 19th September
• Leeds (Harewood House) Saturday 26th September

Now in its eighth year, The Color Run organisers are guaranteeing participants, whether it’s their first time or not, that they will make magic, make memories, and make more together.

Prepare for a rainbow of fun with family, friends or colleagues as you shake and shimmer your way along the 5km route – with a guaranteed colour explosion at every kilometre – followed by a huge colour throwing party at the finish line where you can dance off any extra energy to some cool DJ tunes.

Race director for The Color Run UK, Alan Brown said: “The Color Run has enormous appeal – more than seven million people across 50 countries have experienced this incredible event – and we can’t wait to bring The Color Run to these four major cities. We’re especially looking forward to the new locations of Cardiff and Leeds.

“The Color Run isn’t about the time you take to complete it or how far it is, it’s about having the most amazing time and getting those pristine whites at the start plastered in colour by the end. Everyone has a huge grin on their face at the finish line, which is where the fun really gets going!

“There is a real party atmosphere from start to finish and you can see it what people wear as well as they really go to town. We see all kinds of crazy outfits while The Color Run has branded wigs, hair dyes, tutus, headbands and socks for those that want to be dressed for the most colourful event of the year.

“There have been many imitations, but this is the original The Color Run, and we really go to town so that it is perfect for everyone who takes part.”

Registration for this year’s events is now open with discounted prices for those who sign up now. For groups of 10 or more prices start from £18, for groups of four-to-nine they start from £20 and individual entries are from £23. Sign up online here.

For more information check out the website or on follow on Facebook or Instagram via @TheColorRunUK.

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive monetary payment for writing this post. All photographs were provided **

Please don’t get your hopes up; I’m not planning on attempting an ultra marathon any time soon. I think 10k is about my limit.

I thought I’d share the results of a recent study carried out by RunRepeat.com in partnership with the International Association of Ultrarunners. The study explored the trends in ultra running over the last 23 years, and analysed 5,010,730 results from 15,451 ultra running events. That’s an impressive amount of number crunching and data analysis.

The State of Ultra Running 2020 is the first ever comprehensive look at the rapidly-growing sport of ultra running. The report shows that participation in ultra running events is on the rise with a 1676% increase in participation since 1996. There were just 34,401 ultra running participations back in 1996 and now there are 611,098.

As a keen parkrunner, one of the most interesting findings to me is that after 2015, the researchers identified a decline in participation in 5k events, and a levelling off in participation in marathons.

This appears to suggest that the most dedicated runners are looking for bigger and bigger challenges as running becomes more and more popular and marathon running is considered more mainstream than extreme.

I don’t want to replicate the full report here, however, I think it’s definitely worth sharing the key findings from the study with you.

Key findings:

Female ultra runners are faster than male ultra runners at distances over 195 miles. The average female pace is 17:19 min/mile, which is 0.6% faster than the average male pace of 17:25 min/mile.

Participation has increased by 1676% in the last 23 years from 34,401 to 611,098 yearly participations and 345% in the last 10 years from 137,234 to 611,098. There have never been more ultra runners.

More ultra runners are competing in multiple events per year. In 1996, only 14% of runners participated in multiple races a year, now 41% of participants run more than one event per year. There is also a significant increase in the % of people who run 2 races a year, 17.2% (from 7.7% to 24.9%) and 3 races, 6.7% (from 2.8% to 9.5%).

Women are as fast as men in long-distance ultras. The longer the distance the shorter the gender pace gap. In 5Ks men run 17.9% faster than women but on a 100-miler the difference is just 0.25%.

There have never been more women in ultra running. 23% of participants are female, compared to just 14% 23 years ago.

Ultra runners have never been slower across distance, gender and age group. The average pace in 1996 was 11:35 min/mile, currently it is 13:16 min/mile. The average runner has added 1:41 min/mile to their average pace, which is a slowdown of 15% since 1996. The authors don’t believe that individual runners have become slower, but that these distances are attracting less prepared runners now because the sport is more mainstream.

Runners improve their pace in their first 20 races and then their pace stabilises. From their first to their second race runners improve by 0:17 min/mile (2%) on average. But by their 20th they improve by 1:45 min/mile (12.3%).

The fastest ultra running nations are South Africa (average pace 10:36 min/mile), Sweden (11:56 min/mile), and Germany (12:01 min/mile).

A record amount of people travel abroad for ultra running events. 10.3% of people travel abroad to run an ultra, for 5k events this percentage is just 0.2%.

Runners in the longer distances have a better pace than the runners in the shorter distances for each age group.

All age groups have a similar pace, around 14:40 min/mile. Which is unusual compared to the past and to other distances.

The average age of ultra runners has decreased by 1 year in the last 10 years. It has changed from 43.3 years to 42.3 years.

You can view the full study and findings on the RunRepeat site here.

**Full disclosure: I didn’t receive monetary payment for writing this post; I personally found the ‘State of Ultra Running report 2020 really interesting and wanted to share the main findings on my blog. All infographics were obtained from the report **

Have you ever completed an ultra distance run? Just thinking about running any further than a marathon makes my fragile right foot twinge.

Did you find any of the main findings of the State of Ultra Running 2020 unexpected? Given how popular parkruns are, I didn’t expect there to have been a decline in participation in 5k events. Perhaps parkruns weren’t included in the assessments are they aren’t officially classed as races.

If you’ve read some of my most recent what I’d describe as non-running related posts, you may have noticed that I’ve been trying to eat more healthily and to lose weight. Since the beginning of the year, my food choices haven’t been as healthy as they could have been…

This combined with a few too many visits to my local pub and a reduction in running has predictably led to me putting on weight.

I’m sure you can imagine that I was intrigued and wanted to find out more when I was sent information about a new nutrition tracker app called Nutritionista and an article containing tips for losing weight while eating what you want.

Lose Weight White Eating What You Want: 5 Easy Tips!

You don’t need to give up your cheese pizza or doughnuts just because you want to lose weight. You can still enjoy your favourite foods without feeling guilty and defeated.

1. Eat calories, don’t drink them!

Liquid calories feel like nothing – they generally won’t fill you up as quickly as solid food. Therefore, even after several lattes, you are more likely to feel hungry. Moreover, some drinks are higher in calories than solid meals – remember this ordering banana milkshake next time. I’ll have to remember this next time I treat myself to a sneaky milkshake.

In addition, people tend to forget to count liquid calories, this makes them underestimate their caloric intake. According to recent surveys, the average American drinks more than 450 calories daily (1 breakfast in the cup!).

Tips for saving liquid calories include reducing the size of your coffee, diluting your juice with water and drinking water with your main meals.

Milkshake or steak it’s always your choice. But if you want to lose weight, the steak will be better for you. As a steak lover, I think I’d prefer steak over milkshake.

2. Cravings are Okay

Always think which food you want to eat. Of course, some people say that the only food you need is the healthy and quite frankly not such fun option. Craving for a cheesecake means that you want cheesecake, not water, apple and several nuts.

But be careful with your cravings! In my case, this means step away from the menu for my local Chinese takeaway. Sometimes we want to grab everything we see just because we are feeling really hungry. In that case, try to have a normal meal and only then treat yourself to something from the not quite so healthy list afterwards.

3. Quality, not quantity

If you want to eat something like chicken fried rice, it is better to cook it at home than ordering it from the local Chinese takeaway. If you are not able to or don’t feel like cooking at home, choose meals which don’t contain Trans-fats. These are artificially created fats used in the manufacture of foods and are often found in fast food, cakes and biscuits.

Furthermore, if you have the option of either one pound of cheap sausages or 100 grams of high-quality prosciutto, chose the prosciutto – it will taste better, believe me.

4. Always count your calories

Counting calories is the basis of the weight loss process. According to recent studies, people who record their meals tend to lose twice as much weight than those that do not count calories. Yes, it may be boring or even irritating at the beginning, but it’s the only way of keeping track of your real caloric intake and the only way to add the food you love into your meal plan.

5. Use applications

And finally, eating out at restaurants no longer has to be a problem. You don’t need to panic each time somebody invites you out to an evening meal. In addition, you don’t need to take your kitchen weights everywhere you go to calculate the macros.

In our digital world, everything is a lot easier – nowadays you just need to install the right application.

For example, if you enjoy eating out with friends more than cooking and eating alone at home, you could use the Nutritionista app. It’s simple, you select the correct restaurant and record the name of your meal to calculate how many calories you have consumed.

If you really want to lose weight, using applications such as Nutritionista is the most effective way of monitoring your daily caloric goals and intake.

With these five tricks can stop feeling guilty every time you choose burger instead of salad. Moreover, you can forget about “cheat meals”, because there is no one to cheat – you just need to eat what you want within your caloric goals.

For more information about the Nutritionista app, please check out this website. At the moment Nutritionista is available in London, Manchester and Liverpool and there are now several thousand restaurants in the UK. The developers of Nutritionista are curious to know which cities their users are from, so they are accepting requests for new cities. The developers are also accepting requests for people’s favourite restaurants. So, please let the developers know which cities and restaurants you’d like to see in the app.

You can install the app on Android and Apple. Nutritionista works in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan.

**Full Disclosure: This blog is in partnership with Nutritionista**