Review of the week w/c 18th February 2019

LUCKILY THE week started on rest days, so I managed to get out and get quite a bit done.

Hybrid Boxing

After a hard week it's good to get out and bash the hell out of something. It kicks those endorphin levels up a notch and gets rid of the pent up frustration.   The session was held at the Dolphin Leisure Centre by personal trainer Mr. Swift.   Five people showed up and it turned into a brilliant one hour session.   Plenty of upper body strength and core exercises as well as the usual combination punches.   The session just wouldn't have been complete without a chicken kebab on the way home with full salad.   Great day.

Haywards Heath Harriers

I wote a blog last week about the benefits of belonging to a running club and Tuesday's session was a really good example.

Started an hour early for 45 minutes of strength and conditioning exercises.   I know that when I go for a run I exercise certain muscle groups.   But what about the muscles behind that support them?   Running groups give you access to top quality coaches that have UK Athletics training to help you with these questions and ensure you are on the right road.

Once done we hit the road with a run from Cuckfield down to Haywards Heath.   We then went into circuits with hills that were quite taxing but I came out of it feeling really good.   Then there was the run back to Cuckfield for the finish.   Really good session with Martin leading the coaching and giving some quality advice along the way.

In total the run turned into 9.4K.   Excellent start to the week, but feeling the burn from Hatton Boxing the day before.

 

Wednesday run

I had some time to myself in the morning as the missus had a theatre trip planned in the evening.   At a loose end I seized the moment and went for a training run with the promise of a shower and hot coffee at the end of it.

The aim of the run was simple, take the long route but detour to cut it down a little bit (due to time constraints).   It was a beautiful sunny day and I wanted to take full advantage of that by getting off road.   It looked a little wet and I knew there could be some issues with mud once I hit the wooded areas.   But hey, it's a beautiful day, and I needed to get out for a little bit.

I took my usual route going towards Lindfield and circling the Bent Arms before heading back to the Heath and round past Sainbury's.   Went up towards Miller and Carter and took a detour through Ashenground Woods.   It was a little damp underfoot but nothing unusual and it turned into a refreshing run which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Brighton Half Marathon

Sunday 24th February is Brighton Half Marathon.   I wanted to do this but I have work commitments and couldn't get the day off.   Talk about frustrated, especially as I am sitting here looking at sun and blue skies, perfect for a run.

My Whatsapp is going mad with news from Brighton as the Haywards Heath Harriers are running a storm down there.   Looks like Brighton is painted beetroot.   We like to call ourselves the Beetroom Army due to the club colours.   In a recent competition the winners won all the ingredients to make Beetroot and Stilton soup.   That's how serious the name is!

I did manage to get a pre work run in before I needed to leave for work, so the day wasn't lost and it ends the week perfectly.   Next week there won't be so much activity as my shifts will stop me from taking part in my usual Monday and Tuesday events.

John Ratey - Exercise and Mental Health

Review of the week w/c 11th February 2019

THERE ARE some people who work Monday to Friday with weekends off,  but that would be far too simple!   My week is 10 days instead of the customary seven.   I work six days and then have four off!   This means that I have to plan my running out in advance fitting it between the gaps of my shifts but still ensuring I am capable of going to work!

Monday

The week kicked off with Hybrid Boxing at The Dolphin Leisure Centre.   This isn't a "get in the ring and batter the hell out of each other" session.  It's more about pad work with a partner.    The session was amazing as five people turned up (its usually just me and the instructor) and it was one of the best aerobic sessions I have had in a long time.

I previously tried Box Fit but it wasn't quite what I was looking for.   I then discovered that one of the personal trainers had just got his licence to train Hatton Boxing.   I decided that as long as I got the same aerobic exercise as Box Fit I was going to switch.   Really pleased that I did beause it has improved my upper body strength and core.   All of which is really positive for running.

Tuesday

The weekly training session with the Haywards Heath Harriers started at Cuckfield with a run towards The Heath town centre.   Once there we started 30 minutes of hill reps.   This wasn't easy because there is a very long and steep hill involved.  To me it was like Everest!   Once completed there was the long run back to Cuckfield completing 9.4K by the end of it.

There are real benefits to including hill reps in your training.   The effects on your running are really positive and the same applies to running in a group (see the blog on "Group Running").

Wednesday

OK, so my great plan was to go for a run on Wednesday, which fits in with my shifts.   After the Monday and Tuesday sessions things were a little tense in the muscle department and I needed to rest up.   So I made the decision to postpone the run for a few days.

This led to the question of when you should run and when should you knock it on the head for a day?    Rest is just as important as running, allowing your muscles time to recover and get ready for the next training session (see the blog on "Should I go for a run?").

Friday

The decision was made and I signed up for Run Gatwick's half marathon.    Luckily it falls on a day off this year so I don't need to book any leave.   Last year was Run Gatwick's inaugural year and at the last minute I decided to give it a go.    I actually got involved in a part of the planning for the event and got a bit carried away!

Run Gatwick was an amazing day, really well organised with a run that went from the middle of Crawley, up to Lowfield Heath and along LGW's Perimeter Road that runs along the length of the runway, into Charlwood before coming back to Crawley again.   This holds special memories for me as it was my very first half marathon!   Looking forward to running it again this year.

Saturday

My muscles are feeling good and so I was up fo a short run.   Due to shifts I couldn't do my regular Park Run this morning, yep didn't finish work until 02:00.   So I did a short run about the same length as Park Run 5K, but did a quick stop half way round and threw in some hill reps.   This also gave me the opportunity to create my last video for the "Choose your Route" page.

The benefits of running in a group

THERE ARE no shocks here but group running is essentially meeting up with others and going for a run!   It doesn't matter if that means catching up with friends, running with a colleague after work or meeting other runners at a local sports centre.   It's that opportunity of joining others to go out for a run that you wouldn't otherwise have done on your own.

 A large part of group running is done through local running clubs.   Clubs typically have designated club nights on certain days of the week.   This is when training events take place and can be anything from group runs on local paths or trails, formal sessions on a running track or hills in the local park.   For most of us putting on our trainers and getting out of the front door is more often than not a solo affair, which during the cold, dark, winter months can test anybody's motivation.

So, what could be better than turning that running experience into a social event?   When your motivation is low knowing that you've committed to run with others can be just what you need.   Making some of your training runs an opportunity to meet up with others and share a common interest also expands your network of friends.

Club events also give you access to professional coaches who cater for people of all ages and abilities.    Having this support can really improve your running, which will help you progress and it takes away the stress of having to plan your own training.   It's what is commonly known as a win win scenario.

Park Run is a good example of group running due to the support and encouragement from fellow runners, whether friends, volunteers or even strangers it creates thousands of communities around the world and keeps people coming back week after week.   If you have experienced Park Run, you will find you can push yourself harder when running with other people.


If you contact your local club you should find they do free taster sessions for you to go and try it out.   If you enjoy it and see the benefits you can join up, if not just leave it for another day.