Achill Blog 2: How to avoid last minute mistakes and use low intensity exercise to recover..

At this point in your training you may be recovering from an injury or ‘niggle’ or perhaps you have left it a bit late in the day to finish your ideal training for the Achill 1/2 Marathon on 7th July. Either way, don’t panic, here are a few options to help you to build up your fitness (and your confidence in your fitness) without overtraining.

Now is the time to treat your body gently. You probably still have a long run or two to squeeze in which is all the more reason to take great care of yourself through nutrition, massage, physiotherapy and/or active recovery which we are going to focus on today.

 

The big mistake to avoid at this stage:

The biggest mistake I see people make when it comes to training before an event is to succumb to fear that they aren’t prepared enough. I’ve see too many people to try to overcompensate at the last minute by doing huge runs. The danger is that you end up burned out or injured before the event even starts.

(Above: Fresh fruit and veg to pre-hydrate in a natural, nutritious way!)

In the final weeks before a race very few people feel like they’ve prepared enough. That is natural so don’t worry and let’s focus on what you can do! With three weeks to go then you can probably get two to a three long runs in before the event (assuming you are a runner/jogger of course!) I would personally, in an ideal world, take a full week of rest from running before a half marathon so I’d suggest doing your last run no later than Friday 29th June or Saturday 1st July. If you feel pain in the joints during the last long run then note it and get treatment if necessary but don’t keep running on it. What can I do with less than three weeks to go before the Achill 1/2 Marathon?  

 

3 low impact, low intensity forms of exercise

You can still build up your base levels of fitness around your long runs by engaging in low impact, low intensity training. This flushes out lactic acid from your muscles, strengthens the heart and prepares the body for a long day on 7th. Lactic acid is is a byproduct of exercising at a high intensity and it causes pain in the muscles. Lactic acid can be flushed out of the system by cooling down and eating healthily post exercise. 

I sugggest any of these activities as a form of ‘active recovery’ to loosen out the muscles, flush out lactic acid and improve your confidence in your fitness on days between your long runs.

• Walking a long distance at a slow pace (wearing appropriate footwear). This can loosen out the muscles, build your base level of fitness and at the same time build your confidence that you can cover the half marathon distance.

• Walking lengths (or widths if more practical) of your swimming pool helps improve fitness. It sounds easy but it is quite tiring. If you choose this option then make sureyou are hydrating properly before and afterwards.
  
• Cycling is a wonderful way to improve your run. It is low impact, it can activate the hamstrings (especially when using bike shoes) and if you don’t let yourself get out of breath then it burns stored fat and flushes out the lactic acid created from a hard run.

Posted via email from The Energy Coach Blog

Achill Half Marathon: With 3 weeks to go - What should I be focusing on?

Achill 1/2 Marathon Tip: Don't panic - You can do this! 

Congratulations on Signing up for the Achill 1/2 Marathon. It is a spectacular part of the world and we're looking forward to a fun day of comraderie and gorgeous scenery. 

I'm delighted to be the official coach for the Achill Half Marathon. If you want details on my background please have a look at my website. 

Most people running an event like this start to feel 'butterflies in their tummies' with only a few weeks to go - that is natural - no need for healthy concern to turn to panic!  

We are aiming to post a tip each day to help you to stay relaxed and on top of everything. You can read along and tick a few things off your half marathon to do list each day. You'll know what to expect and be ready for it whatever your fitness level. 

If your nerves are really playing up then focus on the worst scenario logically for a moment.  Can you walk 21k slowly?  If so then let's celebrate that and stick to the plan, make sure you are there on 7th July wheter you are running walking or jogging. Let's get the distance complete and then you can use that time as a benchmark if you like. Enjoy the scenery and just get that medal!

 

Leave a comment below if you have any specific questions or concerns and I will try to answer them in the coming three weeks. Subscribe to the blog if you want to be emailed the tip every day. 

Tomorrow's Tip is about active rest days to give the joints a break but keep the fitness high. 

Posted via email from The Energy Coach Blog

The 3 Free iPhone Apps I used daily to lose 3 stone (42 lbs) in 3 Months

There are three great iPhone apps which I’ve found excellent to help keep my clients (and myself) accountable, conscious and motivated around weight loss. I check my heart rate first thing in the morning (before getting out of bed is the optimal time to check), weight loss app before I eat anything and I check Mapmyfitness before breakfast so that I can plan my breakfast around my training that day.

 

 

1. Mapmyfitness 

One is Mapmyfitness which is also known as Mapmyrun, Mapmyride, Mapmywalk etc. You only need to download one of these apps and the basic versions are free as far as I know. On the laptop version of Mapmyfitness you can view your statistics in more detail which I find very useful. (See image below) 

 

The app works in your pocket as you exercise and tracks you using GPS. There are some cool features like playlists and the ability to save photos to workouts which I rarely use to be honest! 

• Target Weight by Tactio

Target weight is a very simple app which helps you to visually monitor your weight on charts etc. You update it every time you weigh in (I do so daily). A little red button shows up on the corner of the app on your home screen which tells you how many pounds or kilograms you still have to lose. 

 

This app is a little reminder to do the right thing - every time you use your iPhone. I love tracking my progress over the last week, 2 weeks, six months etc which is rewarding emotionally when you are working hard. 

 

• Instant Heart Rate by Azumio

 

I love this app for its ingenuity but most ingenious apps are useless - this one is fantastic. Your resting heart rate is the simplest way to monitor the strength of your heart (cardio-vascular fitness test). It uses the iPhone’s camera and light to take your pulse and it saves the result so that you can see your resting heart reduce as your fitness improves. On a very practical note, if my heart rate is elevated (like in the photo below) then I know that I’m tired or need to recovery time. If it is nice and low then I know I can do a good strong training session that day. 

 

Do you have any favourite marathon and/or weight loss apps? I’d love to hear from you if you do. 

 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

3 Weight Loss & Marathon Apps I use daily before breakfast on iPhone

There are three great iPhone apps which I’ve found excellent to help keep my clients (and myself) accountable, conscious and motivated around weight loss. I check my heart rate first thing in the morning (before getting out of bed is the optimal time to check), weight loss app before I eat anything and I check Mapmyfitness before breakfast so that I can plan my breakfast around my training that day. 

1. Mapmyfitness 

One is Mapmyfitness which is also known as Mapmyrun, Mapmyride, Mapmywalk etc. You only need to download one of these apps and the basic versions are free as far as I know. On the laptop version of Mapmyfitness you can view your statistics in more detail which I find very useful. (See image below) 

 

The app works in your pocket as you exercise and tracks you using GPS. There are some cool features like playlists and the ability to save photos to workouts which I rarely use to be honest! 

• Target Weight by Tactio

Target weight is a very simple app which helps you to visually monitor your weight on charts etc. You update it every time you weigh in (I do so daily). A little red button shows up on the corner of the app on your home screen which tells you how many pounds or kilograms you still have to lose. 

 

This app is a little reminder to do the right thing - every time you use your iPhone. I love tracking my progress over the last week, 2 weeks, six months etc which is rewarding emotionally when you are working hard. (Screenshot below)

• Instant Heart Rate by Azumio

I love this app for its ingenuity but most ingenious apps are useless - this one is fantastic. Your resting heart rate is the simplest way to monitor the strength of your heart (cardio-vascular fitness test). It uses the iPhone’s camera and light to take your pulse and it saves the result so that you can see your resting heart reduce as your fitness improves. On a very practical note, if my heart rate is elevated (like in the photo below) then I know that I’m tired or need to recovery time. If it is nice and low then I know I can do a good strong training session that day. 

 

Do you have any favourite marathon and/or weight loss apps? I’d love to hear from you if you do. 

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Part 3/3: Mini marathon tips for tomorrow: Drag queens, underwear and a definitive answer to the shorts versus track-suit bottoms debate!

The simple rule for a comfortable and safe 10k (or any other fitness event) is to never try anything new on race day.  Race day should be an exact replica of your last few training sessions in terms of what you wear, drink, eat, how you stretch and how you exercise. 

One huge variable is the crowd.  It is hard to prepare for running in a group as big as the Dublin mini-marathon.  It’s easy to get caught behind a big group of people who are walking but who start off the race in the jogging section which is desperately frustrating.  

Dealing with the crowd: 

It is easy to start off too fast with the excitement of running in such a big group, the encouragement of the crowd, the music etc.  It really pays off if you can be disciplined and go at your normal pace.  It takes discipline to slow down if you are caught up in the excitement (which is very likely) and have some space in front of you to run (which is much less likely).  If you are planning to jog or run a personal best time then you’ll need to fight to get towards the front of the crowd to avoid getting caught behind thousands walkers who unfortunately often start in the wrong section and slow everyone behind them down.

Footwear:

Don’t get new footwear the day before the event. They will take a while to ‘break in’ to get your body used to wearing them.  If it is a rainy day then bring some blister treatment as runners are more likely to get blisters in the rain. I use liquid compede. 

If you are buying runners then get a pair of cross trainers. This just means that they have lateral support so they support the sides of your feet too. It’s always worth spending money on a good pair of runners if you can.

Socks:

I’ve always found it worthwhile to invest in a pair of socks that are designed for running.  They have extra support and padding in key areas.  Remember the golden rule though - don’t do anything new on race day.  If you’ve a choice between a brand new pair of socks that cost you €20 on race day and your old smelly reliable pair then go with the old reliables! 

Shorts Versus Tracksuit bottoms:

If humanly possible then avoid wearing tracksuit bottoms. This is the one area that I encourage people to break the ‘golden rule’ of not doing anything new on race day. Track suit bottoms are very heavy and when they get wet through rain, perspiration, water from water stations it’ll feel like you are trying to run through a swamp!  

If you’ve never done a 10k before then have a search on google images.  You’ll find that almost everyone wears shorts so there is nothing to be embarrassed about.  If you are self-conscious about wearing shorts then you could buy a pair of leggings.  Running specific leggings are breathable and don’t get heavy if they get wet as they let the moisture through them.  You can get a pair in in Dublin for no more than €15 or you could invest two or three times that amount in a pair from one of the ‘brand names’ which will probably cost twice that but will last ten times longer.

If you are planning to wear a new pair of shorts then try them out a few times first in case they chafe or don’t fit perfectly. Shorts that are designed for running tend to be small, light and gently lined to avoid chafing.  If you are concerned about chafing then put some vaseline in the affected area before the race. 

Underwear: 

This is probably the most important item on race day as the wrong choice can result in a lot of pain and chafing.  Make sure you are wearing underwear that is designed for sport. Cotton tends to get wet and chafe.  The wrong material can cause a lot of pain over an hour.  If you’ve ever experienced ‘joggers nipple’ then you’ll know what I’m talking about. - ouch!  Vaseline will only protect for so long so just buy proper underwear but like everything else it would be ideal do at least one dress rehearsal before the big day.  

PS If you are running in drag as hundreds of men do in the mini-marathon every year then you’ll probably want to avoid doing dress rehearsals (if you’ll pardon the pun!)  Make sure you bring some vaseline as costumes can chafe!!!  If you are wearing a wig and a heavy costume then make sure to read my previous blog on hydration...

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Part 3/3: Mini marathon tips for tomorrow: Drag queens, underwear and a definitive answer to the shorts versus track-suit bottoms debate!

The simple rule for a comfortable and safe 10k (or any other fitness event) is to never try anything new on race day.  Race day should be an exact replica of your last few training sessions in terms of what you wear, drink, eat, how you stretch and how you exercise. 

One huge variable is the crowd.  It is hard to prepare for running in a group as big as the Dublin mini-marathon.  It’s easy to get caught behind a big group of people who are walking but who start off the race in the jogging section which is desperately frustrating.  

Dealing with the crowd: 

It is easy to start off too fast with the excitement of running in such a big group, the encouragement of the crowd, the music etc.  It really pays off if you can be disciplined and go at your normal pace.  It takes discipline to slow down if you are caught up in the excitement (which is very likely) and have some space in front of you to run (which is much less likely).  If you are planning to jog or run a personal best time then you’ll need to fight to get towards the front of the crowd to avoid getting caught behind thousands walkers who unfortunately often start in the wrong section and slow everyone behind them down.

Footwear:

Don’t get new footwear the day before the event. They will take a while to ‘break in’ to get your body used to wearing them.  If it is a rainy day then bring some blister treatment as runners are more likely to get blisters in the rain. I use liquid compede. 

If you are buying runners then get a pair of cross trainers. This just means that they have lateral support so they support the sides of your feet too. It’s always worth spending money on a good pair of runners if you can.

Socks:

I’ve always found it worthwhile to invest in a pair of socks that are designed for running.  They have extra support and padding in key areas.  Remember the golden rule though - don’t do anything new on race day.  If you’ve a choice between a brand new pair of socks that cost you €20 on race day and your old smelly reliable pair then go with the old reliables! 

Shorts Versus Tracksuit bottoms:

If humanly possible then avoid wearing tracksuit bottoms. This is the one area that I encourage people to break the ‘golden rule’ of not doing anything new on race day. Track suit bottoms are very heavy and when they get wet through rain, perspiration, water from water stations it’ll feel like you are trying to run through a swamp!  

If you’ve never done a 10k before then have a search on google images.  You’ll find that almost everyone wears shorts so there is nothing to be embarrassed about.  If you are self-conscious about wearing shorts then you could buy a pair of leggings.  Running specific leggings are breathable and don’t get heavy if they get wet as they let the moisture through them.  You can get a pair in in Dublin for no more than €15 or you could invest two or three times that amount in a pair from one of the ‘brand names’ which will probably cost twice that but will last ten times longer.

If you are planning to wear a new pair of shorts then try them out a few times first in case they chafe or don’t fit perfectly. Shorts that are designed for running tend to be small, light and gently lined to avoid chafing.  If you are concerned about chafing then put some vaseline in the affected area before the race. 

Underwear: 

This is probably the most important item on race day as the wrong choice can result in a lot of pain and chafing.  Make sure you are wearing underwear that is designed for sport. Cotton tends to get wet and chafe.  The wrong material can cause a lot of pain over an hour.  If you’ve ever experienced ‘joggers nipple’ then you’ll know what I’m talking about. - ouch!  Vaseline will only protect for so long so just buy proper underwear but like everything else it would be ideal do at least one dress rehearsal before the big day.  

PS If you are running in drag as hundreds of men do in the mini-marathon every year then you’ll probably want to avoid doing dress rehearsals (if you’ll pardon the pun!)  Make sure you bring some vaseline as costumes can chafe!!!  If you are wearing a wig and a heavy costume then make sure to read my previous blog on hydration...

Posted via email from michaelrossney's posterous

Length of Ireland Cycle: Day 2: How to suffer for 10 hours by making silly mistakes!

Day 2: Tuesday 3rd April 2012 Killarney - Spanish Point    Approx 112

 

Day two was one of the longest and most difficult days of my life.  Cara and I paid a price for bringing our dog (Fauna) with us as the dog had been sick and woke us up several times during the night.  The rain poured down outside as we ate breakfast and I still didn’t have cycling shoes. My body was exhausted after the chaos and exertion of day one and I was disorganised.  

 

By the time I processed my situation about and decided to go and invest in a new pair of cycling shoes the rest of the team were ready to leave so I told them to go ahead and very optimistically told them I’d catch up with them soon. 

 

 

 

(Very happy with my new cycling shoes and covers)

 

The big lessons of the day were about equipment and a little cycle nerdy so skip this paragraph if you aren't a cyclist!  I wore a waterproof hiking jacket to keep the rain off which would later prove to be a mistake.  I learned that hiking and cycling jackets are not interchangeable and that trying to cycle in a hiking jacket is like trying to cycle in a sauna!  How I wished I’d bought one in The Cycle Superstore before I left.  When I put on my new cycling shoes I also realised how bad my old pair had been.  It turns out that by skimping on costs ten years ago when I bought my triathlon shoes it cost me a lot in terms of cycling technique and therefore speed.

 

An hour later I was on the road to Tralee, very happy with myself, with my lovely new shoes and rain covers. I was making great time and thought I could turn the day around!  Approximately twenty minutes from Tralee a text arrived from the gang which let me know that they were only five kilometres ahead of me.  I was delighted at the news and stretched forward onto my tri bars to speed up and catch them.    Then I heard a hissing noise and realised I had a puncture in my back tyre.  Then it dawned on me - I don’t have a pump with me!  Oh no! 

 

 

 

(Feeling a bit silly at this point with no bike pump!)

I replaced the tube with a new one and prayed for a cyclist to pass by to help me.  I rang our back up team and confessed my silly mistake.  They were with me about forty-five minutes later and in the meantime I had become borderline hypothermic.  After almost an hour in total of being stopped I was shaking uncontrollably and sat into the back up car; put the heating on full tilt,  got some warm clothes off the girls and drank a cup of tea.  The Mizen to Malin dream was in jeopardy because of another silly mistake - I couldn’t believe it.  The gang ahead had left McDonalds Tralee so I decided to imagine myself sitting in McDonalds, feeling warm and having made ground on the team.  I needed a new, achievable target and despite how I feel about McDonalds food that one suited just right.  Imagining the heat of the restaurant helped me to keep my focus off feeling so cold. 

 

I eventually made it to the restaurant and quickly re fueled and got back on the road so that I could make an inroad into their lead.  I text them to say I was leaving and a text came back immediately to say they were only ten kilometres ahead.  I was delighted and tried to speed up again but in my haste I got lost leaving Tralee and ended up adding on even more distance to catch up.  The gang must have speeded up because I seemed to get further and further from them as the day went on. We had a ferry crossing to catch at one point so I fueled up on the bike and cycled as fast as my legs would carry me to catch them.  When all hope was lost of me catching the ferry I started to worry about having to finish my cycle in the dark (with no lights and little reflective gear).  

 

(Meanwhile somewhere in Killarney National Park - Fauna finally braves the water but then tries to drink half of it!)

 

I tried calling Cara who was in a backup car to arrange a plan to meet them and get some supplies.  I was soaked, hungry and struggling to stay motivated.  My phone died as I said hello so I was faced with a forty five minute wait for the next ferry, a 50k cycle and the possibility of cycling alone for the rest of the day. 

 

When I arrived at the port I was overjoyed when the sun came out.  I was able to dry out my clothes as I waited for the next ferry.  I used the time to stretch, rehydrate and form a plan to make it home. I was desperately cold. When the ferry arrived I was delighted to find out they had a warm lounge and shop.  I fueled up again and managed to get enough life out of my phone to tell Cara my plan and that I was going to try a shorter route to Spanish Point than originally planned. 

 

 (Above Cara brings Fauna from Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind on her first boat journey)

 

Once off the ferry things started looking up.  The rain stayed off and I made reasonably good time.  The shortcut turned out to be gentle and without too much traffic.  Eventually Cara caught up on me with about fifteen or twenty kilometres to go.  I was able to sit in the car and take some salts and fluids on. It is amazing how much life it gives to be fussed over for a few minutes! I was soon ready to go again and I had to because it was starting to get dark.

 

The last hour was a real battle to keep my mindset positive. With ten kilometres to go I was starting to lose the battle and my mind was drifting toward thoughts of pulling out of the trip. I said a little prayer for inspiration and almost immediately hit a bit of a downhill which I was glad to see.  As I sped up a horse appeared from out of the blue in a field next to me and ran along beside me which really lifted my spirits.  It was one of those magic moments that I’ll really remember from the trip.

 

I was thrilled when one of the guys came back to me and in an act of real sacrifice cycled the last seven kilometres again along side me. I was able to focus on the conversation rather than the fact that I had been on the bike for almost ten hours. I received a round of applause from the gang who were waiting to order their dinner when I arrived at the hotel. I was grateful for the reception and the thought of a meal but when it arrived I was just too tired to eat it.  I think my body just decided that it needed a sleep and couldn’t manage another process! 

 

After 2 very rough first days it was time for a serious debate about whether it was wise to continue with Day 3..

 

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