This week has been another busy one for the runners!
On Monday the Fit Club Monday Madness session was held at the Bar End track. Mike had organised Finn Kellow-Webb from Natural Running to speak about the Alexander technique. The technique is a method for "teaching people how to use their mind and body together to achieve a more natural, effortless and balanced co-ordination in activity by increasing their all-round awareness.".
Although only half an hour in length the session was a fantastic eye-opener into the technique and really made us think about how we run and how we can improve. I have taken key snippets from Finn's website below.
Following the talk and demonstration a few of decided to hit the track to try out the technique. We decided to do a simple session of 5 x 200m with 200m recovery. This was an excellent short session which gave us plenty of opportunity to practice what we had learned. After this a small group of us decided to do another couple of miles on the track. It was an excellent evening of running and coaching.
This week saw the runners head out around St Catherines, the Hockley Viaduct and St Cross on a 4 mile Fartlek (speed play) session. It was another tough but fun session which balanced speed and endurance. The atmosphere amongst the team was great and there was lots of fun and laughter en route. Most importantly though...there was cake at the end! Thanks Catherine!
Read all about it here: http://wfcrunners.blogspot.Next week's session will also be starting at Garnier Road and will most likely be a 4 mile social run as we have a large number of runners doing either the Eastleigh 10km or Alresford 10km.
This week was also another fantastic week for our amazing parkrunners. We had 13 runners at 4 events (Winchester, Alice Holt, Swansea Bay and Clapham Common). Of those 13 runners we had a whopping 6 PBs at Winchester Jake (20:56), Tom (21:28), Rachel (26:45), Philippa D (26:53), Jo M (28:05) and Felicity (28:19). Olivia also ran a course PB at Alice Holt (34:02).
The consolidated parkrun report can be found here: http://www.parkrun.com/results/consolidatedclub/?clubNum=26888&eventdate=2018-06-09
In addition both Rueben and Olivia broke their Junior parkrun PBs at Winchester in Sunday with 8:08 and 10:12 respectively! Well done both of you!!
You can see a write-up of my visit to Alice Holt parkrun below.
The big running event of the weekend was Endure 24 where we had Mike and Anne both competing in the team event. Endure 24 takes place at Wasing Park near Reading and is known as the Glastonbury of running. It is run over a 5 mile, mixed terrain loop. The aim is for you or your team to run as many laps in 24 hours as you can. There is an event village where most teams camp, socialise, eat and drink. There is an amazing atmosphere and everyone is super supportive.
This year Anne ran 3 laps for 15 miles and Mike ran an amazing 10 laps or 50 miles!! Absolutely astonishing running!
Next year I would like to submit at least one Winchester Fit Club team. Entries open soon, so I'll be looking for interest shortly. Next year's is on the 15/16th June.
The link to the Endure 24 website is here: http://www.endure24.co.uk
Alice Holt parkrun
This week saw Olivia, Elsie and I make the 40 minute trip over to Alice Holt parkrun. My sister, brother-in-law and their two kids as well as a colleague of mine were also running there so we thought we would join them. Alice Holt is set in a Forestry Commission park and is seriously undulating trail course. It starts outside the visitors centre and cafe and consists of one short lap followed by one long. Shortly after the start the route goes downhill for about half a mile, before it heads back uphill and loops back past the start/finish.
The second, longer loop, once again drops downhill before you turn and head up one beast of a hill to the highest point of the run. Here you run along part of the Gruffalo trail, past the Owl, Gruffalo and Stickman before the route drops back down hill for a god half a mile. Unfortunately there is a sting in the tail with the final half a kilometre all being uphill.
It is a cracking route and the cafe afterwards serves an excellent breakfast and superb cakes. Olivia ran superbly and managed to take her course PB down from over 47mins to 34mins, which rounded off a lovely morning.
Natural Running – The Alexander Technique
When we
were young children we all used to run naturally with a forefoot strike as
opposed to a heel strike. We also used to run with freedom and ease using the
minimum of effort and strain. Consequently our breathing was freer and we loved
the joyful experience of running. For many this is no longer the case and
running has become something we do to ourselves. We try hard to run often with
superfluous effort resulting in impact injuries. Consequently we spend lots of
money on getting the right equipment and fixing ourselves in order to continue
running. So what has happened?
Essentially
we have been conditioned out of our natural running use or method as a result
of being told to slow down, be careful you are going too fast, try harder, use
more effort and don’t run barefoot but wear cushioned shoes to protect your
feet. As a result we no longer land on our forefoot but our heel because
trainers cushion our heel impact and we over stride by trying to gain more
ground with increased effort. More importantly we become unaware of how to use
our innate natural mechanism, the human body, to walk and run as we become less
aware of what our feet, legs and head are doing in the act of running. We have
lost the essential instant kinaesthetic feedback from our feet. Virtually all
elite distance runners, especially the Africans, run with a forefoot strike.
They also make it look effortless and easy which is what running should be all
about.
The
Alexander Technique teaches people how to use their mind and body together to
achieve a more natural, effortless and balanced co-ordination in activity by
increasing their all-round awareness. Essentially the body and mind is
re-educated to change tension-induced habits, which cause the body to suffer
unnecessary strain and pain and re-establish the natural neural pathways
between the brain and the muscles. This unique and powerful technique can be
used for any activity or sport.
Read more at Finn's website which can be found here: http://www.naturalrunning.org.uk
Tips and Techniques
General
- Smile and enjoy
the experience
- Soften and open
the eyes. Look around and take in surroundings with Peripheral Vision
- Be
very aware of end gaining!!!! It’s all about the process and not the end. Look after
the process and the end will be taken care of. Lose the watch and the
expectations…..takes practice, patience and being conscious
- Running
naturally and freely is a skill and state of mind which needs to be
practised and worked on in order to develop new good habits of running.
- Very
important……Change
of running style/technique will impact on different muscles notably calf
and hamstring. Ensure you warm up properly and stretch well afterwards.
Muscles will take time to change their patterns and need to be re-educated
- Use
the power of thought not physical doing. Run mindfully and you take care
of the body
- Allow the breath
to come in and out on its own volition. Release the ribs and let the air
flow to and from the base of your back.
- Run, walk, run
in order to avoid bad habits returning at the start and gradually build up
the run phase. Mindful walking also reinforces the running processes
Specific
- Allow the head
to lead the body by thinking of the head releasing off
the top of the spine. Importantly you cannot feel this but JUST think
it
- Think of the
spine lengthening beyond the ears and imagine the space between the top of
the spine and the base of the skull.
- Peripheral
vision keeping
the eyes looking 20-30 metres ahead. Use the eyes to look not the head and
neck. Drop the chin a few millimetres every now and then if you feel you
are tightening your neck and straining
- Prepare with
light, quick 2 footed bouncing but heels must touch the ground lightly too
- Running on the
spot, think of releasing the knees away from your back
- Wipe
the poo from the shoe….feet
landing on the doormat under the hips NB careful not to drag/scrape feet
back along the ground. Instead use the image for sending the feet away
from the back and allowing feet to land under hips.
- Let the legs
spin under you while you lengthen away from them, bit like riding a bike
- You can also
play with the idea of falling upwards out of the hips
- Let the
foreground come towards you not you towards it and send
the ground away behind you
- Think of
allowing the legs to spin freely under you with light, small, quick steps
- Remember if it feels tough or hard then stop…..refresh and renew in order to reduce the effort and release the natural runner from within you.
Some of you may have seen the post by Lynn on the WhatsApp group about the Winchester Half Marathon needing volunteers for this year's race. The race is on Sunday 23rd September and needs over 300 volunteers to be successful.
By volunteering you get free entry into next year's race.
If you are interested please follow this link: http://winchesterhalf.co.uk/
Race Calendar
Here is an updated race calendar. If you have any others that you wish to add, please let me know!
Eastleigh 10km – 17th June
Alresford 10km – 17th June
Baccus Marathon and Half – 9th September
The Lake Run, Andover 10km and 5km – 16th Septembver
Winchester Half Marathon – 23rd September
Blenheim Palace Half - 30th September
https://www.bhf.org.uk/get-involved/events/runs/blenheim-palace-half-marathon-10k-and-family-fun-run
Ageas Bowl 10km - 30th September
https://www.fullonsport.com/event/the-ageas-bowl-10k/profile
Clarendon Marathon, Half and relay – 7th October
Cardiff Half – 7th October
Greenham Common 10km, 5km and Mile - 14th October
http://www.stepup4good.co.uk/?page_id=42
Great South Run - 21st October
Gosport Half - 18th November
http://www.gosporthalf.org
As ever, if you have any submissions for the next blog then please send them through to WFCrunners@gmail.com
Happy Running!
Coach James
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Kit pictures and prices
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Kit pictures and prices
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