Lesson Learnt Part Deux: Ouch, That Hurt...

Don't ignore the Niggle...

Picture the scene, I am warmed up after a 2 mile jog,  stretching and drills and have set off on my first 800m rep on the track. Then after around 20m something in my right leg snaps and I am left hobbling the 2 miles home in excruciating pain. A simple muscle pull you might say. No. Lesson learnt the hard way.... I ignored the cardinal rule of all runners; I had a niggle in my right knee and instead of resting I took it upon myself to ignore and soldier on, thinking I knew best. Big mistake.

This happened almost a fortnight ago and after a few days of the ritual of ice, heat, elevation and rest, it was no better. I was getting both worried and increasingly fed up through not being able to train. My weekend was spent cooped up, not leaving the house with my leg propped up on a cushion resting on the coffee table . I have single handly increased sales of Voltaren through the application of heat patches and massaging the gel religiously into my aching joint.

The pain itself appeared to move and was not isolated in one area alone. It ranged from a shooting pain up my quadricep to an ache deep in my knee, the side of my knee and when I did venture out on a recon short trip, the back of my knee. It is pretty much the most frustrating injury to happen to me in a while, but also the most worrying. At the age of 14 I had a lot of scar tissue removed from the same joint due to running competitively at club and county level since the age of 11. My biggest fear was that this old injury had reared its ugly head and would possibly put me out of action for good.

Cabin fever had well and truly set in. I needed a professional. I found Dr Pierre Huwiler on an Expat Chatroom for Sports Specialists in Geneva. I explained my history and he ran some quick exercise and joint tests before promptly sending me down for a number of X rays. He examined these for what felt like hours but in reality was probably 10 seconds before concluding it was not a bone injury. I have never felt happier in my life, nor was it ligament damage. OMGGGGG, I have never felt so relieved. My diagnosis was severe acute inflammation and I was ordered further rest, a 10 day course of industrial stength anti inflammatories, of which I am only allowed 1 per day and a follow up appointment. If I wasn't in so much pain I would have skipped out of the clinic, such was my joy.

Let this be a warning to all of you....If you have a niggle or an ache that does not feel quite right, DO NOT ignore it, just take a rest day. I should have known better really as I did a 20 mile bike on Saturday with some steep hills thrown in, 11 mile hilly trail run on the Sunday then a 6 mile tempo run on the Monday. The previous week I set a PB at the Lausanne Half Marathon. I clearly did too many strenuous work outs and too little rest, when I could have probably done without going to the track on Tuesday. But no, I chose to ignore and am now writing this blog as a cautionary tale.

Take heed of my advice readers....The odd rest day when you feel a little out of sorts is not going to make a difference, if anything it will probably make you stronger. And 1 day is better than the enforced 2 weeks I am currently suffering...

Hit the Trails Jack

Season of Mists and Mellow Fruitfulness.....

Autumn is, without doubt my favourite season. The leaves turing a myriad of colours, roasted chestnuts, Halloween, Bonfire night, chunky jumpers, comfort food, curling up against a log fire and.....trail running. I love nothing more than running out on a crisp cool Autumn morning and hitting the trails, getting dirty, breathing in the clean cool air and taking in the changes of the seasons around me.

My golden rule is that I leave my IPod at home. It is one of the few occasions where I prefer the autumnal chorus of the leaves crunching beneath each footstep, the birds in the trees and the sound of the cowbells in the fields, having made the journey down from the mountains. I know it sounds incredibly corny but nothing beats being alone with your thoughts running through a forest or open field. Sometimes I find myself having run a couple of miles not thinking of anything or worrying about problems back in the real world. It is pure escapism for the duration.

At school I absolutely adored cross country and was probably one of the few who did not use my time attempting to find shortcuts on the course in the hope Mrs Baker, the PE teacher would still see you on the course as she made her way on the trail in a counter clockwise direction.

Wind, rain or snow, I am happy on the trails. To be honest, alongside general enjoyment I find it gives me a pscychological edge. When the going gets tough in a race, I cast my mind back to a particularly hilly trail run or being battered by the cold wind on an open field, and it helps me push through the pain as I know I have faced far tougher conditions.

Although I don't take my IPod, I simply have to take my IPhone with GPS. Purely because I have zero sense of direction and I like the feeling of just running, not knowing your destination and exploring new surroundings. Taking my GPS enables me to do this without the worry that I will get lost.

Another piece of kit I cannot do without is my Salomon XA trail shoes. I find these indispensable as they are tough and able to cope with slippery terrain such as wet leaves or mud slides and are waterproof. This is particularly important as if you are heading out onto trails with normal trainers you may aswell be wearing wellies, as they become heavy and cumbersome pretty quickly.


Alongside being out in nature, there are many added benefits of trail running:

Upping Mileage Safely
Running along trails or on soft ground helps you up your running mileage without the added stress of constant pounding on the pavements, therefore minimising the impact on your joints. During a 5 mile run, a runner's legs will hit the ground approximately 8,000 times, transmitting a force equivalent to 3-4 times a runner's body weight. This force is reduced when running on softer surfaces such as trails or grass radically reducing the risk of impact related injuries.

Boredom Prevention
Running along the trails will prevent you from becoming bored with your running routine. Even if you run the same trail you can guarantee that there will be slight nuances each time you run it, as dictated by the changing seasons or even being chased by a yappy terrier...

Core Benefits
Your core stability is improved. Running along trails provides a dynamic running envirinment requiring  constant changes of movement and reactions to uneven ground, surface etc. All the time you are shifting your centre of gravity, stimulating and strengthening the core muscles and reducing your risk of injury.


Increased Leg Strength
Leg strength is increased through the varying terrain and inevitability of a few hills being present on any trail run. Sports scientists have shown that the greatest increases in leg strength come from hill running (both up and downhill). This overload causes muscle fibres to increase in diameter creating a stronger muscle.

Your legs get a fantastic workout as the variety of surface challenges your ankles, calves and shins helping to strengthen them. Pushing through soft ground works your calves much harder than taking off from a firm surface. Running downhill also works the muscles down the front of your lower leg, as these provide some of your breaking power.

So what are you waiting for.... Hit those trails!

If you are stuck for ideas or places to go or even worried about getting lost, here are a few ideas:

National Trust marked trails
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/

Parkrun 5k events held throughout the UK and selected countries in local parks. These are free to participate in and a great introduction to running offroad.
http://www.parkrun.com/home


The Northface TrailHead App. This helps you search and find trail runs in your area. http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trailhead/id380841551?mt=8

Talkin' Bout a (Barefoot) Revolution

You better Run Run Run Run Run.....

I am well aware of the massive hype surrounding the so-called barefoot revolution and how we should go back to nature in the way we run etc etc. I have been slightly reticent due to the fact that I am pretty much flat footed and a hideous overpronator due to an old ankle injury picked up at a netball match back in high school. However, like most things, I am willing to give it a try.

Therefore for my birthday, my lovely sister Grace brought me a pretty pair of black and blue Nike Free Run 2's. My first thoughts on pulling them out of the box was that they are an injury waiting to happen due to the seemingly lack of support and also how light they are, almost weightless....Possibly a PB waiting to happen...A double-edged sword if you will.

I love new trainers. Possibly one of the best things ever. Nothing quite beats the feeling of slipping on a brand new pair of trainers and going for that first virgin run. The Nike Free were no different. I have had to ease my way slowly into them, only using them once, twice at the most per week as I will be darned if I get injured after all the hard work I have put in over the summer. Last week I decided to go for it. I never do enough tempo runs and thought I may as well bare the pain; it will only make me faster. I slipped on the Nike Free and off I went on a 6 mile run.

I intended to take it easy-ish with all my mile splits under 9 minutes. There were a few hills and I would just have to allow for a few slower miles. However, this did not seem to happen. For some reason, my feet felt divorced from my body and I was clocking sub 8'30 miles, strange I thought but I felt good. Before I knew it I was going under 8 minute miles and culminating in a 47 minute run. Obviously I broke out into a sweat but I could have gone for longer and / or faster. Hmmmmmmmm.

So as you can see, I am now a convert to this new fad. The shoes definitely make you run in an all together different technique, with more emphasis on the forefoot. However, this economy of technique creates a faster stride. But like most new things, be careful and ease your way into barefoot running, switching between your normal shoes and your new ones or else you risk injury.

A little more info on the Barefoot Phenomenon...

Research has shown that more than  5mm  between the toe and heel of a running shoe will have a negative effect on your biomechanics. Natural running means running as your body was designed to move. The evolution of the running shoe has resulted in heavy, built-up and technology-laden models that prevent your body from functioning as it should. Basically, the heavier your shoes, the more energy you expend.

Minimalist running shoes will let your foot function as closely as possible to the way it should. Wearing them will wake up the muscles in the foot and lower legs, which are pretty much dormant when moving in normal trainers.

The barefoot phenomenon has many guises; minimalist / barefoot / forefoot. This type of running is not for everyone but I definitely feel it is worth investigating. Ease yourself into it. No change in running form is without risk; my Illiotibial band (ITB) on my right leg was pretty sore after my first outing, but this was remedied by my faithful tennis ball. Likewise, my boyfriend complained his calves ached after wearing his - these types of niggles are to be expected with barefoot shoes as the muscles are being wakened up and stretched more than when wearing traditional footwear. The body is just adjusting to the new sensation.

So what are you waiting for....Get on the Barefoot band wagon...

The It List

Go buy...

Apologies for the delay in this blog post, you will be pleased to know that after 9 months of unemployment (not sure dog walking counts?) I am happily working. Must say it was a bit of a shock to the system but I am now happily in my routine of training and working. I thought I would share with you my favourite training and racing products that I simply cannot live without....So without further ado, here is the ‘It List’...

Body Glide

See my blog post ‘chafe much’? for further evidence as to why this handy little product will forever be in my kitbag for all triathlons, running races and longer training runs. Quite simply if I don’t use it or forget to, I know I am in for a rough and rather painful ride. The product helps prevent chafe, rubbing and blisters forming on the most vulnerable parts of your body, for me this was funnily enough my arm pits AKA ‘Poker Pits’. It is also a god send when battling the removal of your wetsuit in transition.

Aquasphere Goggle spray

A pet peeve of mine next to the dreaded ‘Poker Pits’ is goggle steamage. Nothing ruins a good swim session quicker or more exasperatingly than goggles steaming up and  repetitively needing to clear these at the end of each length. Lucky then that I discovered Aquasphere’s goggle spray, just squirt it into the goggles, wait for at least 30 seconds, rinse and go. Easy and indispensable. I would also highly recommend Aquasphere’s range of swimming goggles, especially those designed for open water. I use these in the pool as they are perfect for my eye shape as for some reason, normal goggles tend to sucker to my eyes and stretch them to abnormal proportions, not comfortable.

 Sports Beans

I cannot stomach too many sports gels, my body rejects them and I just cannot stand the consistency, literally choking them down. Gagging on your bike does not make for a professional look and does your speed no favours. I know I am not the only athlete out there to struggle with these heinous and often revolting nutrition aids. My solution is Sports Beans. They are pretty much the same taste and consistency of  jelly beans but with added goodies to fuel sports performance. They contain Carbohydrates to fuel your body during intense activity, Electrolytes which are vital for maintaining fluid balance, Vits B1, B2 & B3 to help burn carbohydrates and fat and Vit C to protect muscles and cells against oxidative damage. I always go for the tropical flavour. I swear by them and consume a packet 30 minutes prior to a race and also one during if it is an endurance event.

Travel Towel

I use a bright pink one as my transition marker. It is far more effective than a conventional towel and is quick drying so when you eventually pack up your transition towel you are not left with a soggy, smelly not to mention heavy towel to pack away and lumber all the way home.

PowerBar Ride

The mother of all sports bars. It is simply delicious, especially the peanut caramel one. Unlike other sports bars it does not have the consistency of cardboard, nor does it take you 5 minutes to chew through one mouthful. It is pure heaven and almost feels a little too indulgent. Without fail one of these is packed in my saddle bag on my long rides and often I may also consume one before a race. The bars have a special carbohydrate mix and energy releasing vitamins and minerals alongside a selected protein mix to support muscle recovery.

 
Pull Buoy

My favourite training tool in the pool by far. I could swim forever with my trusty ‘Pool Boy’ as my friends and I like to call it (cue dirty between the legs jokes...). Quite simply everyone should own one of these, they help stabilise the core muscles while giving your arms and shoulders a thorough workout.....That’s if used properly, I have witnessed many a swimmer using a pull buoy and kicking their legs, which completely defeats the object of any drill performed using this bit of kit. In order to sway temptation I simply cross my feet therefore eliminating the option of ‘cheating’ by kicking.

Elastic Laces

If you are doing triathlons without these then you are seriously missing a trick. Fiddling around tying bows in transition is going to cause you precious seconds. Get a pair of these pronto.

VO5 Hot Oil

I have very long hair and although it would probably benefit me to have a few inches off in order to possess a more manageable mane, quite simply I refuse. Not going to happen. Because of this I have to take extra care of my hair, all that sweat and swimming in the pool or lake plays havoc with my crowning glory. VO5 Hot Oil is my absolute saviour. It’s so eighties, but a classic. Cheap and cheerful. Once a week I will bathe my hair in the oily goodness and it works wonders for easing out knots and injecting some much needed moisture into my hair stack.

Compress Sport R2

See my blog post ‘Compress Yourself’ for more info on compression. I am a complete compression convert after suffering the dreaded shin splints. The use of the Compress Sport R2 helped massively. After every long run or hard session I will don these for a few hours, sometimes sleeping in them if my legs are feeling particularly fatigued. Without doubt, I am ready and raring to go for my next session once I have recovered in these babies.

Bio ears Ear Plugs

I am extremely susceptible to having water swilling around in my ears after a swim. The last thing I want is dirty lake or sea water in my ear canal, possibly giving me an infection. I use these earplugs as they are amazing. They are soft and mould to your ear shape and no water gets past them. An amazing find, you can also rinse and reuse them although if I have used them in a race I usually lose them...

Quick Recovery Nutrition 1: Smoothie Does It...

Recovery Made Easy....

As mentioned in numerous posts, it is pretty hot here in Geneva and often the last thing I want to consume after a workout is food. I have concocted the following recipes for a quick nutritious recovery snack.


You can give yourself an added recovery protein hit by adding protein powder to either of the recipes. I will often consume the berry shake for breakfast and make it a little more substantial by adding a handful of oats to provide me with slow releasing carbs.

The recipes below make one substantial smoothie and fit in a pint glass.

Recipes

1 Berry Recovery Shake
Banana
6 Strawberries, hulled & quartered
Blueberries, handful
85g Greek Yoghurt
200ml Milk

Put it all in a blender, mix and enjoy.

Nutrition Lowdown
Banana 

A ripe banana contains the ideal carbohydrate formula to replace muscle glycogen before or during exercise. They contain glucose; the most easily digested sugar and is immediatly absorbed into the blood stream for instant energy. They also contain fructose, which is absorbed more slowly providing a steady stream of fuel over time and potassium, which helps keep blood pressure down. Bananas also contain vitamins B3, B5, B6, C, K, beta-carotene, folic acid, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc.

Strawberries

Strawberries contain large amounts of vitamin B3, this helps provide the skin with natural protection from the sun.

Blueberries

One of nature's only blue foods. Some nutritionists believe that if you make only one change to your diet, it should be to add blueberries. They are high in vitamin C and a good source of fibre. They contain a compound called Pterostilbene, which can help protect the heart in much the same way as cholesterol lowering drugs. They also contain flavonoids that can reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and even stimulate the growth of brain cells thus slowing down mental ageing. Alongside all of this they also contain Polyphenols, these combat the effects of free radicals - the key cause of wrinkles and help to keep skin supple.

Greek Yoghurt
Greek yoghurt contains around twice as much protein as normal yoghurt; vital for muscle repair.
Milk
Milk contains many nutrients including calcium to strengthen bones, vitamin E to boost immunity and potassium to protect the heart. Milk is the perfect drink to consume after exercise as the body converts the post-exercise calories into glycogen to deliver carbohydrate straight to fuel-depleted muscles.

2 Cherry Recovery Juice 
12 Cherries, stoned
Kiwi, peeled and sliced
200ml Blood Orange Juice
50ml Coconut Water
1 TSP Agave Nectar

Once again, put it all in a blender, mix and enjoy. Add a few ice cubes for cooling refreshment; I often make this when the weather is hot as the coconut water replaces electrolytes.

Nutrition Lowdown
Cherries
Cherries contain melatonin, a powerful anti-oxidant that is linked to a good nights sleep, restfulness and aiding cell rejuvenation.
Kiwi
Kiwis are hydrating and contain high levels of immune boosting vitamin C and potassium. They apparently contain 10 times more vitamin C than lemons.
Fresh Orange Juice 
This provides a big hit of vitamin C helping to reduce muscle soreness, boost the immune system and haemoglobin levels; important for carrying oxygen around the body in the blood. They are a good source of the antioxidant hesperidin, believed to protect the heart by lowering cholesterol. Oranges also contain vitamins B3, B5, C, E, K, beta-carotene, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is known to be one of the most balanced natural electrolyte sources and is extremely hydrating after an intensive workout.

Enjoy x

Speedy Does It

My new favourite session...

Fartlek, meaning 'Speed Play' in Swedish is by far and away my favourite session for this time of year. In a nutshell it involves injecting fast bursts into a normal slow run. With the heat here in Geneva feeling like Death Valley I have reduced my mileage accordingly and am now focusing my training on 5k / 10k races. Plus I fear I may keel over if I run for over 2 hours...

Why?
Fartleks are the perfect partner to increase your fitness. Through the alternation of fast and slow pace the run enables fast twitch muscle fibres to be recruited, thus ensuring the whole muscle gains a workout.

Fartlek training also helps build speed and strength. I have definitely found this to be the case. My long slow running completed during the winter months to build endurance is perfectly complemented by the fartlek run.

How?
There does not need to be a set structure to a fartlek run. It can be done anywhere whether on a track, trail, park, beach or road. If need be you can run it as a structured session e.g. 10x400m slotted into a longer run. However I find it better to use markers such as bridges, lamp posts, trees etc.

It is very simple, start with a 10 minute warm up then look ahead and decide what you are going to run to at a faster pace. During my runs I alternate my faster paces from a full-on sprint to 10k, 5k and HM pace for alternating periods of time. Often I will sprint between trees and then hold my HM pace for say 2 minutes. Basically you can structure this session by feel and you will never get bored as you can use landmarks or time to structure the workout.

If you are a beginner you can also include intervals of walking. The actual length of a run will depend on your fitness, mine are usually between 3-5 miles.

Have fun x

You Tarzan, Me Jane

Dude, You've been Chicked, now move aside...

“In the battle of the sexes, woman gains her greatest victory by surrendering.” Really? ....Really?  A few run-ins with the opposite sex has led to the inspiration for this post. Now don't get me wrong, this is not some 'girl power', feminist rant on how girls are better than boys, yardy yarda...No, it is my first hand observations on how a few males still view women as supposedly the weaker sex harking back to the cave where we were dragged across the floor by our hair in a fit of male domination and superiority.


I have been privy to several amusing episodes...

Scenario 1: In the Park
Picture the scene, I am approaching mile 11 of my 12 mile training run at long, slow distance pace; around 2 minutes slower than half marathon pace. I have been enjoying the scenery and the refreshing spring breeze blowing off the river. I have been pretty consistent in my pacing and am feeling comfortable albeit the legs are starting to tire. I am on the river path approaching a man out for a jog. I think nothing of it as I catch him up and begin my passing. However, I don't seem to be taking over him; I appear to have gained a running buddy as he has suddenly sped up and is running alongside me. I find this annoying and it has put me off my pace. Naturally my overly competitive nature kicks in and something approaching my 800m pace ensues. My legs despise me for this abrupt change in pace but I will be darned if I don't get past and lose this chump. Suddenly there is a bridge in sight and he strategically decides to cross this rather than race me to a finish line that does not exist... He thinks he has left the 'race' with his dignity intact but as I glance round and smirk at him grasping the edge of the bridge, we both know who really won this battle. Yes good sir, you have been 'chicked'.




Scenario 2: On the Track
My good friend Colette and I were midway through a rather tough session of 4x1200m interval reps on the track. Half way through the second we inevitably caught a guy hogging the inside lane going at a slower than leisurely jog. Those of you who train on the track understand how exasperating this can be. As usual, I made my way into the second lane and passed him. Colette, who was hot on my heels also pulled this same manouevre. As she drew level what can only be described as Usain Bolt-like speed was unleashed by the guy. He left us for dead, both of us left running in the second lane staring incredulously at each other. Was this guy for real? Needless to say, this speed did not last long and half way down the finish straight he stepped off the track, hands on knees looking at us as if to say 'ha ha chickies, victory for me'. Dude, come on, we both smirked at him as we carried on with our repetitions whilst he recovered in a heap on the side of the track.


Scenario 3: In the Pool
A very annoying scenario. every single week I can guarantee that I will have an unplanned race day swim in the pool. The most annoying being when a guy actually changed stroke to beat me. I was happily pacing up and down my local 50m pool working on my front crawl endurance. I see a guy swimming breaststroke in front so I pull out into the centre of the lane to move in front of him. However as I draw level he suddenly realises that I am of the fairer sex and abruptly changes to a rather splashy front crawl. I thought he was drowning at first then groaned inside as I realised I was being challenged. Stepping up the pace we were level up to the end of the pool. I turned and began another length, he stayed and caught his breath. Now was that really necessary??


I am fairly sure that I am neither the first nor the last to experience this kind of bravado and unwillingness to lose to a girl. I think maybe this behaviour stems from the playground in childhood and the ribbing a young boy got if 'urgh, you lost to a giiiiiirl'. All I know is that it is extremely exasperating and in this day and age an attitude such as this is pretty antiquated. Women have gained the right to vote and have equality in the workplace and society....But in the physical domain equality will never completely be reached. I have trained with tons of guys who have no problem with superior female athletes or those that give them a good run for their money....It is just a select few that appear to have a complex.


Therefore a message / plea to the select few...Please let the fair lady pass instead of attempting to bar her way, you will be sure to keep your dignity intact. She has clearly come from afar, maybe she has already ran a few miles and has now caught you up...Either way she is clearly keeping a better pace than yourself. I thank you kind sir.....no a race will not ensue as you will surely lose. Just let her breeze past with the wind in her hair, spring in her step and yourself in the clear knowledge that you are eating her dust, yes my friend, you have indeed been chicked. Have a nice day.