marathon - PageSuite

RunningINJURIESEXPLAINEDThis month our expert advice on strengthand conditioning.OUR EXPERTJonathan Lewis is a chartered physiotherapist atBalance Performance Physiotherapy with over twentyyears experience in performance strength andconditioning and over fifteen years in advancedphysiotherapy and rehabilitation.Problems and causesMuch has been written about strength and conditioning(S&C) and running. In spite of the attention it seems mostrunners still don’t quite understand the need for it. Theintention of S&C for runners should be to build strengthand resilience sufficient to offset the repetitive nature ofrunning and to counter the sedentary nature of everydaylife. Without fluid and controlled movement all the strengthand endurance you gain cannot be used.What to doFirst, practice movement; learn how to move on the groundand in standing: fluidly coordinate and link shoulders, trunk,pelvis, hips, knees and feet. Secondly add intensity.Exercise twice a week to increase core, hip and leg strength:1Kettlebell swing - double hand hold, or hand to hand foradditional rotational control. Simple and easy to learndynamic strength endurance drill, moderate reps of 100 orfor times 1-3 minutes.2Single leg dead lifts using kettlebell or dumbell.Strength, control and stability - low reps 5-8.3Step back lunge - kettlebell or barbell for hip and legstrength - low reps 5-8.4Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat (Bulgarian splitSquat) Strength - low reps 5-8.5T-push up - if you’re unable to do press-ups be patient.Hold positions: press up, T-holds (1 hand sidesupported). When you have better control lower yourselfto the floor. Reps moderate 8-12 (each side)6Dynamic plank/bridge variations. Maintain load oncore whilst moving through variations. Moderatedurations, 60-120 seconds.7Mountain Climbers or grasshoppers (On spot runningin a press up position). Moderate to sprint durations. Eg.20 run: 20 sec rest x 3. Vary duration/speed.Most runners are aiming to improve and progress to eithergreater mileage or increase speed or varied terrain. Toachieve this with a lower risk of injury relies not only oneffective strength and conditioning but adequate recoverypractices: sleep, hydration, diet and soft tissue (muscle andfascia) health.Balance Performance Physiotherapy: 113 Gauden Road, Clapham,London, SW4 6LE Tel: 020 7627 2308 Web: www.balancephysio.comOnline shop: www.shop.balancephysio.com Facebook: @www.facebook.com/BalancePerformanceLondon Twitter: @BalancePhysioRUNNING TO LEARNAll of us are on a lifeadventure and in truth wedo not truly know what liesahead, even though we cankid ourselves by ‘planningfor the future’!Perhaps then the racesthat ask us to beadventurous and trysomething that we havenever done have before,access our spirit ofadventure, that at somelevel courses through us alland to some then calls us toset off on ‘unusualendeavours’; seeminglyimpossible too, like racinga train or a horse! Anythingthat asks that we stripourselves bare and set offon a journey can keep usmore present to what is infront of us; This is theultimate ‘meditation onthe move’, and maybeeven more so when thepressure of racing yourpersonal best and somehowcoming up short, isn’t therein the same way as itmight be over say a 10Kor marathon.Any race, of course, hasthe power to keep uspresent to what is, to stay inthe step, to make your effortwhere it counts – right now.Through abandoning anattachment to outcome wecan find the joy within thepleasure of taking part; Inraces where the emphasisis not on times, maybe itcan mean that every effortcan be made in the sameway as a traditionalfootrace, but somehoweveryone is a winner in anA MEDITATION ON THE MOVEJulia Armstrong is a lifelongrunner and all-round runningphilosopher. She’s run a 2.36marathon and ranks second inthe UK for V50. Every month sheshares her thoughts. Catch up atwww.runningtolearn.comWhat is the appeal of the unusual race?even more profound way.Of course when thisattitude is applied in all ofour racing, the enjoymentlevel inevitably rises as thestress drops and the takingpart becomes paramount.Through letting go of anyattachment to outcome thenany blocks of fear within us,that inhibit performance,can melt away.I haven’t personally takenpart in any such races –although I did enjoy pubraces on a bank holidayand one that springs tomind in particular was theYorkly gallop. This racetook place on a May bankholiday, it was anunspecified distancearound the lanes, startingand finishing at a pub. Themain aim was to racearound as fast as possibleand then to enjoy the pintsand the pub foodafterwards. I was about 24when I ran this race and Inoticed that I ran with farmore relaxation in thisenvironment, where therewas a race for sure and weall were trying our hardest,but somehow without thespecified and recogniseddistance and with a differentemphasis, I felt different -and so I began a lifelongchallenge to race that freelywhen the stop watch isticking. The main joy inraces is the gathering ofpeople, the spirit ofpositivity of friendship ofsupport or striving forexcellence, of fun andfriendship, of childlike play.RUNNERSwww.runningfreemag.co.uk 45