Tralee Running Groups 2017

I hope you had a great Christmas and, like myself, ate too much, had a few drinks, and got to spend time with family and friends. 

As we all get back into our more normal routines, I just wanted to let you know about my running groups starting January 10th. 

Tuesdays @ 6:30 is an intermediate to advanced level group, if you can jog for 30 minutes, you're able for this. 

Wednesdays @ 5:30 is beginner to intermediate level, if you can jog for 10 minutes you'll be able for this. 

Thursdays @ 6:30 is a total beginners group, with the goal of going from walking to running. If you're willing to try jogging for 1 minute at a time, this is for you. 

Thursdays @ 7:30 is a more advanced group. If you can jog for 45 minutes, and are looking to do a fast 5K or increase to 10K runs, this is going to be more your cup of tea. 

All groups are for 45 minutes, and will go for 6 weeks on with 1 week off between blocks. 

So if you'd like to book your place in one of these groups, or would like any more information, just drop me a line.

If none of these times suit, I may be launching a morning group as well, fill in this form and I'll keep you posted.
I'm here to help. 

How to overcome the voice in your head that says you can't

Wise words from the legend himself! The little voice in my head was something I used to struggle with a lot when running; you know the one.. the voice that says "you've run far enough, you can take a rest now" before you're even halfway through your run (or maybe it's just me???). That voice used to sound so serious and authoritative, I had a tough time blocking it out. 

Eventually, I found a better way to deal with it.. Now, instead of that stern voice, my inner doubts may only be spoken by Micky Mouse, and only after he has been sucking the helium from balloons. The only problem I have now, is trying to not trip from laughing so hard at my inner doubts! it's got me some strange looks when I randomly burst out laughing while running, but I'm used to that already!

Introduction to using heart Rate Monitors with your phone pt-1

What is a Heart Rate Monitor (HRM)?

Previously expensive devices that were only practical for elite athletes, they have come down so much in price that they’re accessible to everyone, and are an essential piece of kit for anyone who is serious about their training, and using exercise science to train smarter, not just smarter.

They are basically an elasticated strap with sensors that detect the electrical activity of your heart and send that information to a receiver, usually a watch. However, there are also several varieties that will connect to mobile phones (iphone 4s and newer, and most other BTsmart enabled phones). Each particular model will have its own pro’s and con’s, so figure out what you need before you buy.

I’m going to focus on using a HRM in combination with your phone for tracking fitness. This is done by using an app on your phone to connect to the HRM. There are even more apps than there are monitors, so I’ll take you through a few of them here.

Runkeeper on iPhone

First off there’s runkeeper, which comes in 3 versions; free, paid, and subscription.

Runkeeper is geared more towards outdoor exercisers, and will automatically track distance, height gained, speed, heartrate, calories burned while you walk run or cycle outside.  It also has the ability to give you feedback along the way, telling you any combination of the info above. Runkeeper is much more than just an app though, it provides an entire ecosystem for health and fitness tracking.

Wahoo Fitness on iPhone

Next up, and my personal favourite for gym based exercise sessions, is Wahoo fitness. This has a nice clear display of heart rate zones which makes it easy to use without having to fiddle with it. As with runkeeper, you can set up and save predefined workout types, and compare sessions as you get fitter. It can also send data to the runkeeper ecosystem, so you can keep everything in one place. It can, of course also be used for outdoor activities, and has a similar feature set to runkeeper.

iSmoothRun on iPhone

If running is your thing, I highly recommend iSmoothRun. This is a paid for app which costs less than a fiver. As well as the usual speed, distance, HR etc, this app also picks up your cadence (foot strikes per minute) and features a metronome to help you stick to your desired pace. It also features a ‘ghost’ setting, allowing you to race against your previous runs, and giving you feedback along the way. It can also send data to the runkeeper ecosystem.

All of these apps allow you to export your HR data in a format that can be used in spreadsheets such as excel to enable more detailed analysis if required. I use all 3 apps regularly, the exact app will depend on what the goal of that training session is.

Enough about the apps, on to the monitors themselves.

Cardiosport and Wahoo both make BTsmart compatible monitors.

Wahoo make an entry level strap which costs about €50-60. This will not record HRV*.

Cardiosport make a higher level strap which costs about the same, but will also allow you to track HRV.

 I’ve tested both extensively, and I’ve found the WahooBLUE to be more consistently reliable. In my experience, the cardiosport monitor has been more prone to loss of signal, both in the gym and when out running. As I train almost entirely with work/rest intervals guided by heartrate, this is very annoying for me.

*HRV is the variability in the time between beats, and is a good indicator of how much stress your nervous system is under. Too much stress on the nervous system and your heart could be in trouble. Both physical and psychological stress will affect HRV. The higher the variability between beats, the harder you can push yourself in your training. HRV is measured first thing in the morning while at rest. When HRV is low, it’s time to take a day off or do a light recovery session. When HRV is high, thats a sign you can safely give it your all and push yourself to the limit.

If you already own one of the older style polar T31 HRM’s you can use this with a dongle that plugs into your phone, either the headphone socket or the dock connector.

Challenge yourself

It's essential to break out of your comfort zone in life and do something that you don't particularly enjoy, but you know in your heart and soul you should be doing more of anyway. For me recently, this has been running.

Whaaaaat??? I hear you cry!

Yep. As many of you already know, I absolutely detest running, purely as a matter of personal preference. Yes, it's a great form of cardiovascular exercise; yes, it's something that anyone can do without needing any expensive or specialised equipement; That doesn't mean I have to like doing it. I'd much rather be surfing, or slacklining, or juggling, or being set on fire. Well, maybe not that last one, but you see what I'm getting at. 

"But Mal, you look like a long distance runner, and you're a fitness instructor, you must love running.." 

I have clients who like to run, and they enjoy it, and thats great, but that doesn't mean their hobby has to be my hobby! However, it is foreseeable part of the job that i will have to run a few Km on occasion. I can accept that and get on with it, much the same as a cab driver realises that sometimes getting stuck in traffic comes with the job. So I've been getting out and doing some running, and *shudder* increasing my distance and the length of time I spend out on a run. And it's going well. By which I mean I haven't dropped dead, gotten injured or suddenly lost the will to live.

It ain't glamourous, at least not when I'm doing it; it ain't pretty, or at least I'm not when I'm finished. I'm a red faced sweaty salty wreck by the time I'm ready for my cooldown. And thats how you should be too, if you're truly challenging yourself. If you still look pretty at the end, chances are you could have pushed a lot harder.

Raisins Vs Energy Bars

An article published recently in the Journal of The International Society of Sports Nutrition examined the effects of carbohydrate supplements on 5K running time trial. But instead of just comparing man-made supplements against each other, this randomised, controlled trial used 3 trials comparing the effects of a man made supplement against raisins and water.

When the groups used raisins or manufactured carb supplements, they finished about a minute faster than when they used water only. The researchers also found that raisins and sports chews promoted higher carbohydrate oxidation than water.

So what’s in a raisin?
By weight, raisins consist of about 67%-72% fructose and glucose (sugars), 3.5% dietary fibre and 3% protein. Although high in certain antioxidants, raisins have less vitamin C than fresh grapes. Raisins contain no cholesterol and are low in sodium (salt).

Raisins, along with most other dried fruits, also have the added benefit of being strongly alkalising in the body, and so can be used to balance the acidifying effects of a diet rich in meat or dairy products.

Need another reason to eat them? Data presented earlier this year suggest that, among individuals with mild increases in blood pressure, the routine consumption of raisins (three times a day) may significantly lower blood pressure.

Running: Benefits, Basics & 8 Week Beginners Guide

Maybe you've decided to take up running recently, or are thinking about it, but are unsure where to begin. Running is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, and almost everyone has experience of it from childhood.

The benefits of running regularly:

• improves overall cardiovascular (heart and circulation) health and fitness

Fascinating video about running, injuries, compassion, evolution and ultra marathons

I came across this little presentation on running by Christopher McDougall. It's only 15 minutes long and for me one of the highlights was the idea that Usain Bolt would get his ass kicked by a squirrel. Definitely worth a look.