Race For Life

Yesterday evening I did my second charity event in a month the Race for Life raising funds for cancers that affect women.

I have taken part in this cause on and off for the last 18 years. The last time being a couple of years ago.

The course was held on the cliff tops at Sewerby near Bridlington in East Yorkshire. 

It had been raining most of the day and the wind was howling. Not the best of weather to be running 5k on the cliff tops, but it was all for a good cause. 

I got there 45 minutes before the 7pm start as parking is often busy. It was a bit of a walk to the start line and as I walked the wind was blowing and the temperature was around 10 degress bbbrrrr. Once at the start there were already a number of ladies congregating around the stage area. The local radio station were on stage trying to keep everyone motivated and hudled together to keep warm. A couple of local ladies came on stage and gave a tearful quick few words as to why the race for life was important to them (survivors of cancer themselves). It was very touching.

As the start time got closer another woman came on stage and had everyone dancing around to a quick warm up session. Then we moved into start positions. Fast runners at the front, then joggers and then walkers.

I joined the joggers section and we were off. I was running with my sister and we took up a steady pace. I have to admit that I am not the best of runners, I prefer walking or cycling but seeing so many women and supporters turn out on such a dreadful evening spurred me on.

As we turned to continue on our path the wind didn't feel too bad.

Ten minutes in to the run I began to warm up and took my hoodie off to tie around my waist. The course took me down a steep slope and along the sea front. Once at the end I went around a marshall and back in the same direction. 

My calves were getting tight and as I approached the steep slope I had to stop and walk up it. Once at the top I continued to run. Running back in the same direction but closer to the cliff edge was tough going. It was uneven with small inclines and the wind was head on. This continued for the next mile, then it was a turn around and heading back to the finish. 

My calf tightness had eased and I could see the crowd and finish line. I crossed over the finsh to encouragement from the crowd and a sense of achievement. It took me 32 minutes overall.

Once stopped I very quickly cooled down and with my hoodie back on watched a few more cross the line before coldness over took and I headed back to my car to warm up!

The support from the crowds and seeing how many females, from the very young to the more mature, all take part is very humbling to see. I will continue to do this run and I am sure other charity events as we never know when a breakthrough for these diseases will come or when we or our loved ones may need the support they offer x

How To Stretch After A Run

Performing stretching exercises after a run will help you cool down gradually and improve your flexibility.

These stretches from physiotherapist Sammy Margo are best done after exercising, when your muscles are warm and more elastic.

Breathe deeply and regularly during the stretches. Aim to stretch to the point of feeling tightness or slight discomfort.

You should not feel any pain when doing these exercises. If you do, stop and seek medical advice.

Hip flexor stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Step your left leg forward, keeping both feet pointing straight ahead. Keeping your back leg straight and avoiding sticking your buttock out and arching your back, slowly bend your front leg and push your right buttock forward until you feel a stretch across the front of your right hip joint. Repeat with the other leg.

Thigh stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Grab the top of your left foot behind you and gently pull your heel towards your left buttock to stretch the front of the thigh, keeping the knees touching. Avoid leaning forwards or to the side. Repeat with the other leg.

Tip: place a hand on a wall or bench for balance

Hamstring stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Stand with your right leg just in front of the other and your hands on your hips. Keeping your right leg straight and toes pointing up, bend your left leg. Bend towards your right leg, keeping your back straight. Repeat with the other leg.

ITB (iliotibial band) stretch – hold for 15 seconds

To stretch your right ITB, cross your right leg behind your left leg. Keeping both feet on the ground, lean to your left side and push you right hip outwards. Don’t bend forwards or stick your buttocks out. You should feel the stretch along your outer right thigh and hip. Repeat with the other leg.

Calf stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Step your right leg forward. Bend your front leg and keep your back leg straight. Both feet should point forwards. Push your left heel into the ground, keeping your left leg straight. You should feel the stretch at the back of your left leg, below the knee. Repeat with the other leg.

Lower back stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Lie on your back with both feet flat. Pull your right knee to your chest until you feel a stretch in your lower back. Hold for up to 15 seconds and repeat with the left leg. Then pull both knees to your chest and hold for up to 15 seconds. 

Buttock stretch – hold for 15 seconds

Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. Cross your right leg over your left thigh. Grasp the back of your left thigh with both hands and pull the left leg toward your chest. Repeat with the other leg.

Source:nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/how-to-stretch-after-a-run.aspx

Knee Exercises For Runners

These knee strengthening exercises will help with your running, strengthen the muscles around the knee and prevent knee pain.

The exercises from physiotherapist Sammy Margo strengthen all the muscles supporting the knee, including the vastus medialis (also known as the teardrop muscle) and stretch out the iliotibial band, known as the ITB.

These exercises for the knee can be done as part of your warm-up before a run or as a cool-down routine after a run, outside or indoors, or whenever is most convenient.

Typically, you should start to see some benefits after two weeks of doing these knee exercises every day.

You should not feel any pain when doing these exercises. If you do, stop immediately and seek medical advice. These exercises are not suitable for people with an existing knee injury.

Knee bends – 3 sets of 10 repetitions (reps)

Stand a foot away from a wall with your knees hip-width apart and your feet pointing slightly outwards. Slide your back down the wall by slowly bending your knees. Let the knees point in the same direction as your toes. As you come up, focus on tensing the teardrop muscle and your buttocks.

Tip: place a Swiss ball between your back and the wall for smooth movement

Thigh contraction – three sets of 15 seconds with each leg

Sit up straight on a chair. Slowly straighten and raise your right leg until straight with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Squeeze your right thigh muscles and hold this position for 10 seconds. For the exercise to be effective, you should keep tensing the teardrop muscle. Repeat with the other leg.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform with an ankle weight

Straight leg raises – 3 sets of 10 reps with each leg

Sit up straight on a chair. Straighten and raise your right leg until straight, with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Keeping your leg raised, move your leg up and down while maintaining the contraction in the teardrop muscle. Repeat with the other leg.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform with an ankle weight

Hamstring stretch with thigh contraction – 3 sets of 15 seconds with each leg

Sit on the edge of a chair. Keep your left leg bent and straighten your right leg, placing the right heel on the ground with your foot pointing slightly outwards. Bend towards your right leg to stretch your hamstring while tensing your teardrop muscle at the same time. 

Tip: keep your back straight and bend from the hips – you can do the move looking straight ahead or looking straight down

ITB (iliotibial band) – 3 sets of 15 seconds with each leg

To stretch your right ITB, cross your right leg behind your left leg. Keeping both feet on the ground, lean to your left side and push you right hip outwards. Don’t bend forwards or stick your buttocks out. You should feel the stretch along your outer right thigh and hip.

Tip: lean forwards onto a table to help with balance, or to increase the stretch 

Squats – three sets of 10 reps

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, feet pointing slightly outwards and your hands down by your sides or stretched out in front for extra balance. Lower yourself by bending your knees to no more than a right angle. Keep your back straight and don't let your knees go past your toes.

Single leg squat – 3 sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand with both feet pointing forwards, hip-width apart. Lift your left foot off the ground and balance on your right foot. Now bend your right leg and slowly lower yourself, making sure your knee doesn’t go past your foot or lean inwards. Push back up slowly to your starting position.

Tip: if you can perform these with good form, you can progress on to the wide stance single leg squat

Wide stance single leg squat – 3 sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand with your feet pointing slightly outwards. Shift your weight onto your right leg and lift your left foot off the ground. Now bend your right leg and slowly lower yourself, making sure your right knee points in the same direction as your right foot. Push back up slowly to your starting position, keeping your thigh and buttock muscles tight.

Lunges – three sets of 5 reps with each leg

Stand in a split stance with your right leg forward and left leg back. Slowly bend the knees, lowering into a lunge until the right leg is nearly at a right angle. Keeping the weight on your heels, push back up to the starting position. Keep your back straight and don't let your knees extend over your toes.

Tip: for more of a challenge, perform these lunges while walking

Source: nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/knee-exercises.aspx

How To Run Correctly

Running should be as easy as putting one foot in front of the other, right? Anyone can run, but having proper technique can make a huge difference.

Good running technique will help make your runs feel less tiring, reduce your risk of injury and ultimately be more enjoyable.

Mitchell Phillips, director of running experts StrideUK, shares his basic tips to help you run relaxed and efficiently.

Keep your head straight

Look straight ahead of you, about 30 to 40 metres out in front, and avoid looking down at your feet. Looking down will create tension in your neck and shoulders. Keep your jaw and neck relaxed.

Don't hunch your shoulders

Your shoulders should be back and down. Keep them relaxed and avoid tensing them. Don't hunch over as this restricts breathing, allowing less oxygen to get to the muscles.

Keep your hands relaxed

Your hands should be relaxed, but don’t let them flop. Tight hands can cause tension all the way up to the back and shoulders.

Keep your arms at 90 degrees

Your arms should be bent at a 90-degree angle. Try to swing them forward and back, not across your body. The arm movement helps to propel you forward, so swinging them sideways is a waste of energy.

Lean forward while running

Don’t bend forward or backward from the waist as this places pressure on the hips. Some experts advise running in an upright position, but Phillips believes using your body weight to lean forward a bit while running can reduce heel strike and help you land on the middle of your foot.

Keep your hips stable

Your hips should remain stable and forward-facing. Don’t stick your bottom out or rock your hips from side to side. Keeping this position in your hips can help prevent low back and hip pain.

Don't lift your knees too high

Land with a slight bend in the knee. This helps to absorb the impact of running on hard surfaces. Don’t lift your knees too high and avoid bouncing up and down. Your knees should be lifting forwards rather than upwards.

Aim for a mid-foot strike

Landing on the middle of your foot is the safest way to land for most recreational runners. Avoid striking the ground with your heel or your forefoot first. Your foot should land below your hips – not out in front of you.

Don't strike the ground heavily

Aim for short light steps. Good running is light and quiet. Whatever your weight, your feet should not slap loudly as they hit the ground. Light steps are more efficient and cause less stress to the body.

Breathe deeply and rhythmically

Whether you breathe through your nose or mouth, try to breathe deeply and rhythmically. Avoid shallow and quick breaths. Try to aim for one breath for every two strides, but don’t be afraid to try longer breathing.

Source:nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/how-to-run.aspx

Easy Exercise Ideas

Inadequate physical activity can lead to serious health problems. Start now - make exercise part of your daily routine. At any age, increasing your daily activity can make a difference.

Our bodies are designed to be active and all activity / exercise will develop and firm the muscles of the body. Exercise doesn't have to be a chore. Read on to find ways you can become more active, lose that fat and have some fun…

Walking

Make a determined effort to walk throughout the day. Get off the bus or train a stop or two before your destination and walk the rest of the way; park your car in the furthest space in the car park; walk up and down stairs (no lifts); walk the children to school; walk to the local corner shop for your newspaper or milk, etc.

15 min moderate walking will burn 52 extra kcal* 

Housework Can Do the Trick!

Turn those tiresome chores into healthy positive ones! Turn on the music and clean the windows, hoover, dust, wash up, iron and burn off those calories. 

15 min hoovering / dusting will burn 38 extra kcal*

Get Out In the Garden

Mowing the lawn, weeding and digging all count. 

15 min weeding will burn 52 extra kcal*

Clean Your Car

Time you ran your car through the wash? Why not wash it by hand? It's cheaper, better for the environment and a great form of exercise. Put your back into it and you'll get a better result!
15 min moderate car washing will burn 43 extra kcal*

Play Actively With the Kids / Get Some Friends Together

How about heading for the park for some football, rounders, catch the ball... or dusting off the bike for a leisurely ride? Exercise at a pace where you can still talk.
15 min recreational cycling will burn 45 extra kcal*

Try A Sport

Dip into our try a sport section for more information on a variety of exercise - walking,cycling, swimming, skipping, yoga ... and more.

The important thing is to become active so that your heart is pumping blood at a slightly increased rate and you are burning calories in empowering your muscles! Go for it...

*Based on a 40 year old female of 5’5" tall who weighs 12st 7lb and is moderately sedentary. Extra calories are those you burn on top of the calories you use for basic day-to-day living. Inputting your exercise into your exercise diary will calculate the number of calories you will burn based on your weight.

Source:weightlossresources.co.uk/logout/sport/easy_exercise.htm

Running Tips For Women

Ace your next race with these top tips

Going for a run is probably one of the most popular ways to get your workout on, whether it's hitting the roads or jumping on a treadmill when the weather's gross outside. If you sometimes find running a little tedious, why not challenge yourself to go faster or further?

Here are our top tips to smash your run.

To the gym

Weight training could make you a better runner. A Norwegian study found that resistance training three times a week for eight weeks significantly improved running efficiency and endurance in well-trained, long-distance runners.

Uphill battle

Want to conquer the hills? To race uphill, run with a short stride while pushing off the balls of your feet and pumping your arms. Then relax your arms and use a longer stride to go downhill.

Ready, set, splash!

Getting wet could make you a better runner. Swimming increases your upper body strength, making your runs more efficient, while aqua jogging mimics your usual movement sans impact –reducing the risk of injury.

Bright idea

‘Watch your stance when running,’ tips Fitness First trainer Andy Hall. ‘Leaping forward and striding too far will drain your energy fast. Instead, make sure you stand tall and lean slightly forward, so when you feel like you’re going to fall, you step forward just enough to catch yourself. This should be the length of your stride.’

Take five

Listen to your body! If you’re feeling under the weather or if your body is sore and ready for a rest, take a recovery day. Only you know if those aches and pains are from a good run or the sign you need to rest.

Sand storm

Here’s a good excuse to book a beach getaway – running on sand can improve your speed and muscle tone. A study from St Luke’s University Clinic in Belgium found that pounding the sand requires 1.6 times more energy than running on pavements as your body has to work harder to deal with the soft, unstable surface. That adds up to more defined muscles and a swifter run when you get back to solid ground. Neat!

Drink up

Hydration is key for runners, but plain old water is best if you’re only doing short runs. Upgrade to a sports drink if you’re running for longer than an hour to help shuttle glucose to your muscles and combat fatigue.

Source: womensfitness.co.uk/fitness/583/running-tips-women

Ways To Fight A Sedentary Lifestyle

Wash The Dishes

That’s right—instead of (barely) moving from table to couch, get up and clean your kitchen after dinner. You will be standing up and doing the dishes, then engaging in more physical activity as you clean the counter tops, sweep the floor, etc. This will help you continue the increased physical activity you began at work (assuming you begin doing the above), and engaging in physical activity after eating helps lower blood sugar levels as well as the risk of insulin resistance in the long run.

If you’re eating out (which you should do less, especially if trying to lose weight, because eating out tends to lead to overeating), plan to take a nice walk after your dinner. You can continue conversations with companions while walking.

Get Up During Commercial Breaks.

If you watch television at home, you can use commercial breaks as more time for physical activity. Standing up and doing something during commercial breaks—whether it be folding clothes, doing a few push-ups or sit-ups, or any number of other activities—will break up the extra sedentary time that tends to accrue during most, if not all, screen-based activities.

Go for a Run.

You don’t have to be a running guru to reap the benefits of running. A recent study found that running for as little as five to ten minutes per day at slow speeds (less than six miles per hour) was associated with significantly reduced risks of death from all causes and from cardiovascular disease.

Do some gardening.

Any gardener can tell you just how much physical effort is involved in every kind of gardening activity, and the American Heart Association considers general gardening to be one of many forms of exercise that fall under the category of moderate-intensity physical activity. Most gardeners find that gardening is not only mentally and spiritually stimulating, but that it is a fantastic physical activity as well—one that can prevent obesity.

Park Farther Away.

Whenever you can do so safely, make it a point to park a little farther away from your destination so you have to walk a few steps more. Every step counts, and these extra steps will add up throughout the day to increase your overall physical activity. Wondering how many steps you’re taking on a daily basis? A number of pedometers are now on the market in every shape and colour, it seems, and tracking your steps may help you get more active and lose more weight in the long term.

Better yet: Walk, Bike, or Take Public Transport.

Mode of transportation has now been found to be associated with overweight and obesity. Active modes of travel such as walking or cycling have greater health benefits and greater potential to prevent obesity. Even public transit seems to be associated with lower body mass index (BMI) than driving your own car to work.

If you can do many or all of the above, you will be well on your way to staying in motion, which is key for lifelong health.

Source: obesity.about.com/od/Preventing-Obesity/fl/9-Ways-to-Fight-the-Sedentary-Lifestyle.htm