Tuesday, 17 March 2009

Jobs

Taken from email from Ellen at WRN:
"We are at an exciting time in the WRN as we are about to embark on a partnership with England Athletics with the launch of Run in England. In order for us to expand and facilitate the setup of Run in England we are seeking to employ 2 Area Development Officers, one for the North and one for the South and East of the country. The Area Development Officers will be responsible for overall leadership and management of the Run in England programme along with promotion and expansion of the WRN in the Region. More information can be obtained from our website by logging onto www.womensrunningnetwork.co.uk/vacancies.htm The closing date for applications is Monday23rd March at 12pm. Please could you inform your group members of the positions. There will also be County Activator roles available which will be phased in over the next 6 months. We will inform you as and when these posts become available."

Monday, 16 March 2009

Change to Week 10's Beginners Programme

Just to confirm what we agreed tonight - next Monday (23rd March) we'll be running 15 mins, taking a 1 min walking break, then running another 15 minutes. Then on the 30th, we'll try 30 mins without a break.
Gin

Thursday, 12 March 2009

Beginners Programme – Week 9

2 walk breaks tonight. We will be focusing on pace – ensuring we start off at a sustainable speed.
· Warm up
· Run 9 mins, Walk 1 min
· Run 10 mins, Walk 1 min - repeat to 31 minsCool down
· Stretching
I also want to emphasise (again!) that taking more walk breaks than I'm showing here is completely acceptable.

A bit more about... shoes

Like most people, I started running wearing my (only) trainers – not running ones. As my distances went up, I found that at 3km, my toes went numb – and at 5km, I was getting blisters on the inside of my arches. So after my first Race for Life, I went to a proper running store, discovered that I overpronate, and was bought my first running shoes as a birthday present – no more blisters!

The right kind of shoes can increase comfort levels – making your run more pleasant. They can also help to prevent injury.

There are 3 types of running gait:
· Normal: your heel rolls a little when it hits the ground. Look for “stability” shoes.
· Overpronating: your heel rolls excessively when it hits the ground. Look for “motion control” shoes that can help to control this.
· Supinated/Underpronating: your heel doesn’t roll enough when it hits the ground. Look for “cushioned” or “neutral” shoes with lots of flexibility to encourage your heels to roll more.

Specialist running store staff will be able to check your gait for you on a treadmill in store, looking at your worn trainers or by simply watching you run a little! Try to visit at a quiet trading time so you get plenty of attention.

Wet Footprint Test
This article on the Runners World website explains how you can work out what kind of running gait you have – from looking at wet footprints – but I still recommend going to a specialist store.
http://www.runnersworld.co.uk/news/article.asp?UAN=481

Women-specific trainers are designed for narrower feet – as we tend to have narrower feet than men.

Break you new shoes in gently. It will be a couple of runs before they reach maximum comfort. Replace your shoes after approx 100miles of running.

Friday, 6 March 2009

Week 8 Beginners Programme

Just 3 walk breaks tonight – but I’m confident we’ll all be OK! You can take more walk breaks if necessary.

  • Warm up
  • Run 7 mins, Walk 1 min
  • Run 8 mins, Walk 1 min - repeat to 34 mins
  • Cool down
  • Stretching

A bit more about... things we may not always feel comfortable talking about!

That’s not to say that talking about going to the loo, periods and bras is off limits – just that you might prefer to have this information in written rather than spoken form!

Bras
A supportive sports bra is a must-have piece of kit! Too much movement may result in more problems than discomfort and pain – it has been linked to neck and back problems.
Replace regularly – worn sports bras may chafe as well as lack support. Try on the bra before purchasing to ensure that it fits well, minimising bounce. Cupped bras (encapsulating) have been shown to be much more supportive than compression bras.

Stress Incontinence
Many people find that a small amount of urine escapes when they are running – if this happens to you, you’re not alone! It’s not exclusive to women who’ve had children. If you do experience this problem, try to ensure that you go to the loo just before running. Wearing black running shorts or running tights may help your confidence as may wearing a pantyliner. However, it’s worth talking to your GP – especially if it’s a frequent problem – as they will be able to suggest some exercises and remedies to help.


Periods
Apparently, it’s the week before your period when you may notice that your running performance dips the most. You may find that running actually alleviates period pain as endorphins are released.

Pregnancy
If you already run, you may be able to continue running through the first trimester – and possibly into the second. Talk to your GP and midwife.
After giving birth, talk to your GP and midwife about when it will be OK to start running again.

Eastleigh Group Survey - Times

I've had a few requests to review the times of the Monday Training Sessions as some of the Beginners are finding that the later start time suits them better. This won't be an issue for a while because even after the Beginners Programme completes in a couple of weeks, I intend to keep it going as an intermediate group for a bit.

However, I'd like to consolidate the 2 groups into one at some point because I'd like to get another Beginners Group underway - probably in July.

Can you complete the linked survey (click here to get to it)? This way, I can ensure that I reflect your views and requirements on timing?

Thanks.
Gin