The Kiwi Runner

I'm still here!

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 11:12:00 +0000

Just in case any one was wondering, I am still here, just haven't been doing any running (or much of any exercise during 2010) so felt I had nothing much to contribute.

Since January I have been back in exercise mode and have been maintaining a steady diet of rowing, cycling and some swimming. I'm still posting all my training on Daily mile and it can also be seen in the link at the side.

Just a quick update on the last year; the family is all well, my gorgeous daughter is nearly two already, while my boys are almost 8 and 10. The three of them certainly keep us busy.

At home we've spent much of the year working on renovating our house and getting it ready to sell (now too small) and now have it on the market.

Work wise I picked up a new role which is challenging me professionally also.

I still harbour a dream to take up regular running again and hopefully by maintaining other forms of training I'll maintain some fitness and control my weight while some outstanding issues hopefully resolve themselves over time.

Meantime while I haven't been visiting many blogs over the past year I've popped into a few over the last week or so as my interest in training has been re kindled over the past few months.

Not sure that I'll have much to blog about but will try to say hi every now and again.

Back riding

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 10:28:00 +0000

Well apart from a weeks holiday at Mt Maunganui late last month, I now been for a half dozen or so rides over the last few weeks.

I've gradually picked up the distances and today rode my longest yet of 21 km, in 64 minutes.

The plan at the moment is to keep riding 3- 4 times a week at least through to early April when we lose our day light savings hour. This is due to be riding after work usually between 6 & 7 pm.

You can follow my training on dailymile which i've also got a link to in the side bar at right.

In need to get back into some strength training also , just a matter of finding time. That will probably need to be an early morning thing as I just can't see where else I would fit that in. Problem there is its difficult to throw weights around in the garage while the rest of the household is sleeping. Will just have to use nice slow movements i guess. There's plenty of exercises where you can just use your own body weight as resistance anyway so there are always options.

Not sure about running yet, still seem to have a niggle in the ankle which would likely flare up again once i started running again.

I'll close with some holiday snaps from beautiful Mt Maunganui.

Sam and I on our way to the summit.

Just started the climb and already worked up a sweat

View from the top

Then its time to relax on the beach - sorry to those suffering under winter snows.

Yes, I'm back!

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:22:00 +0000

Well after four months of inactivity I'm back on the exercise band wagon.

As you may have guessed my brief flirtation with running was quickly curtailed due to an ankle injury which only now seems to be coming right. Maybe my body is just not cut out for running??

So cycling it is again and in the last week I've eased back into the saddle with four short 30 minute rides.

I've actually been cycling most days since mid December due to the fact that I've sold my car and am yet to get a replacement. That means I have a short 5-10 minute ride to the bus station and back each work day.

With Christmas and New Year holidays out of the way I thought as I'm on my bike most days I should really take the opportunity to get some decent rides in. With that in mind I'm going to 'take the long way home' 3 or 4 nights a week.

This should help keep the weight under control and keep my fitness at an acceptable level. No grander plans yet other than getting back into some regular exercise.

Call me mad but I still want to run, something in me just makes me want to persevere with trying to get fit and injury free again so I can again enjoy some regular running.

Maybe 2010 will be the year I succeed in doing that?

2010 Training Log

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:17:00 +0000

This page records all my training for 2010;

Week 5

Thur - Bike ride, 15 km, 49 minutes
Wed - Bike ride 7 miles, 33 minutes

Week 4

No training, away on holiday at Mt Maunganui.

Week 3

Wednesday, Bike ride, 7.9 miles. 41 minutes. Very windy, put in a good effort today.
Tuesday, Bike ride, 6.7 miles, 35 minutes
Monday, Bike ride , 6.7 miles, 35 minutes

Week 2

Thursday, Bike ride 5 miles, 30 minutes
Tuesday, Bike ride 5 miles, 30 minutes

The 7 in 7 is on.

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:01:00 +0000

Hi there, not much of anything happening around here at present. An ankle issue has curtailed any running for now unfortunately.

So this post is just a bit of a plug for Aucklander Mal Law, who is this week running New Zealand's seven great walks in seven days. The walks span much of the country from the Central North Island to Milford near the foot of the South Island and total 360 km, the longest being the Heaphy Track at 78 km.

Mal Law , photo from 7in7.org.nz

Mal is doing this challenge to raise awareness and funds for a charity close to his heart, the Leukaemia and Blood foundation of NZ.

Check out his website to read about his stunning adventure, and if you feel so inclined you can also donate to his worthy cause.

Jack Lovelock - Athlete and Doctor

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:48:00 +0000

Jack Lovelock, it remains a legendary name in New Zealand's sporting history. Until recently all I really new of him was that he was famous for winning Gold Medal at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The footage of that race is now almost folklore stuff and is unforgettable for the highly parochial commentator losing his composure as he calls the finish of the race.

photo courtesy Jacklovelock.com where you can also buy the book.

I recently learned a lot more about the Lovelock having read Dr Graeme Woodfield's biography on New Zealand's original Olympic track gold medalist.

The book is an in depth look at Lovelock's life from his early years growing up in Timaru, and at Otago Medical School, through to his time at Oxford University in Britain where he was a Rhodes Scholar and his early years as a trainee doctor St Mary's Hospital.

A talented sportsman in his younger days he finally settled on running, which he had always shown a special aptitude for. His move to Britain in 1931 led to numerous opportunities to further his running over the ensuing period. Races against Cambridge university and the top United States universities were common.

Lovelock attended the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics as a young 22 year old. Short on big meet experience, and prone to nervousness on big occasions, he faded to 7th in the 1500 meters. Shortly afterwards however he went to set a world mile record of 4:07.6 while representing the British universities at a meet against a Princeton/ Cornell team. That remained his personal best for the mile.

Further success followed at the 1934 Empire games in London where he won the mile and in 1935 he won a race dubbed 'The mile of the Century' where he beat home some of the best middle distance runners of his day in a time of 4:11.2 in what was a very tactical race.

By the time the 1936 Olympics arrived Lovelock was the hot favorite to win the 1500meters gold and this time he showed his class with a superbly timed run in the last 300 meters to win by 10 meters in another world record time of 3:47.8.

Lovelock retired from competitive running after the Olympics to concentrate on his medical career. He was now well regarded doctor with an interest in physiotherapy.

During the war years he enlisted in the British Army where he put his medical skills to fine use overseeing the treatment and rehabilitation of wounded soldiers. After the war Lovelock continued his distinguished career in medicine, eventually taking up a role in a New York hospital in 1948 where he settled with his American wife and two daughters.

The book also deals in depth with the mystery surrounding Lovelock's untimely death in 1949 when he tragically fell in front of a train at a New York subway station. Some have claimed that this was a suicide bought on by a depression. Woodfield attributes a fair bit of the blame for this unfortunate accident to a series of head injuries and concussions Lovelock suffered in the early 40's after which his eye sight and balance suffered as did his personality which is also said to have altered somewhat.

Though Lovelock went on to fulfil a distinguished army and medical career, he was evidently plagued by eye problems for the rest of his life which undoubtedly effected him. On the day of his death he was suffering from flu and had left work to return home. It is said that he had taken some new drug and that the effect of this combined with his bad eye sight and tendency for dizzy spells is thought to be the chief reason for his fall into the path of a train.

Jack Lovelock, long may we remember him as a fine athlete and a fine New Zealander.

Best leave your ipod at home next time

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:20:00 +0000

If you rate yourself a good chance of scoring a top result in your local marathon, you best leave your ipod at home it seems.

In the US a female runner named Jennifer Goebel, who had been awarded the title of first female in the Milwaukee marathon last week, was later disqualified apparently because she was found to have been listening to her Ipod for just a few miles late in the race.

The story gets even more intriguing however because Goebel was initially promoted to first place after the actual first place getter was also disqualified for accepting a water bottle from a supporter outside of an official drinks station.

Sounds like the officials were certainly kept busy in that race.

Click here for the full story.

Slight hiccup

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 09:01:00 +0000

Its been a quiet week.

I noticed early on in the month a slight twinge in my ankle and after a few weeks this was not improving - in fact was probably worsening slightly as I increased the distance of runs.

I thought therefore I'm best to rest and let it recover rather than ignore it and do more damage and prolong any recovery.

Thinking back to a cause the only thing I have really been able to point to as a possible cause was some ankle and shin strengthening exercises I had been doing. Perhaps I over did these a little?

I'm hoping with a weeks rest, some icing and some anti- inflammatory pills I will be able to recommence the running again soon.

Feel a bit guilty though as I've used this as a bit of an excuse to back off all my cross training which is not good.

Baby steps - The run walk run build up method

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +0000

Well after a year off running this week I've taken my first, 'baby steps', back to hopefully some regular running.

The goal at this stage is to get through a ten week run / walk / run programme that gradually increases the time spent running and gets my body use to running again hopefully without stressing it too quickly.

The 10 week plan goes like this;

Week 1, walk 1 minute, run 1 minutes, 7 reps, total 14 minutes
Week 2, walk 1 minute, run 2 minutes, 5 reps, total 15 minutes
Week 3, walk 1 minute, run 3 minutes, 4 reps, total 16 minutes
Week 4, walk 1 minute, run 4 minutes, 4 reps, total 20 minutes
Week 5, Walk 1 minute, run 5 minutes, 4 reps, total 24 minutes
Week 6, walk 1 minute, run 6 minutes, 4 reps, total 28 minutes
Week 7, walk 1 minute, run 7 minutes, 4 reps, total 32 minutes
Week 8, Walk 1 minute, run 8 minutes, 4 reps, total 36 minutes
Week 9, walk 1 minute, run 9 minutes, 4 reps, total 40 minutes
Week 10,walk 1 minute, run 10 minutes, 4 reps, total 44 minutes

I'll be running three times a week in addition to also keeping up my swimming, biking, stretching and strengthening.

It might seem pretty tedious, and for some the thought of taking a walking break just wouldn't bare thinking about, but as far as I'm concerned I'm in no rush and is this is what I have to do to get back to regular running then I'm fine with it.

I imagine the first few weeks will be pretty slow in terms of speed while I just concentrate on getting my running form right.

Don't expect to see a lot of posts here detailing every run. Other than updating my training log (check out the link at top of page) I'm going to keep things pretty low key until I'm confident with how things are progressing.

Thanks to the team at Complete Running for the Run Walk Run programme.

Arrivial of the Newton Running trainers

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 10:34:00 +0000

My new (well not exactly as they are a trial pair which have done about 30 miles, nice price though) Newton trainers arrived during the week.

It is early days and we are still getting to know each other but initial thoughts are that they feel comfortable and they are considerably lighter than my Adidas trainers. The forefoot cushioning is actually firmer that I was expecting. I was a little surprized that the shoes have very little flex through the toe box though. Overall they have considerably less cushioning through the heel when compared with my Adidas. That's obviously intended as the shoe is specifically to accommodate a mid foot striking runner.

So far I have done one short run (with regular walk breaks) in them on Saturday which was on grass. I expect once I experience running on pavement I may notice the cushioning some more.

Will keep you posted how these shoes go.

Dean Karnazes - Ultramarathon man

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:25:00 +0000

l recently obtained from our public library Dean Karnazes' original book, Ultra marathon Man.

This was another fascinating read from the man who has really taken the sport of ultra running to another level both in terms of the challenges he has dreamt up to continue testing the limits of his endurance but also for the profile of ultra running which he has been able to lift through smart marketing of himself and the sport.

I'll admit to being feeling a bit short changed when I first met Dean at one of his public speaking engagements while on a down-under tour some three years ago. He came across as a bit of a smart alec who seemed happy cracking jokes rather that enlightening us on how and why he runs the distances he's famous for.

In reality though I new very little about the man at that time and now having read two of his books its clear that as much as he is a runner devoted to pushing his limits and discovering new extremes of physical endurance, he is also a devoted husband and father. He is an extraordinarily driven person who has unbelievable willpower and courage to fight through the toughest of conditions to achieve his goals. He has also raised countless dollars for needy children through his running.

This book takes us back to his childhood, growing up in Los Angeles and gives an insight into the athlete he would one day become when as a twelve year old he cycled for ten hours across LA to his grandparents' house. He was a gifted cross country athlete at high school, competing against and beating kids several years his senior.

After falling out with a college coach he turned away from running until, as if suffering from a mid life crisis, on his 30th birthday he laced up some old running shoes and promptly ran a marathon in the dead of night after returning home from some birthday drinks. He had not run mile for over ten years.

One thing led to another and within a few short years he found himself at the start line of the famed Western States 100 mile endurance run.

The book goes on to explain in detail, and in very entertaining fashion, the nitty gritty of the life of an endurance athlete. The ups and downs, highs and lows that he has faced while putting himself through the pain and suffering of the Badwater Ultra marathon, attempting to run a marathon to the South Pole (yes that's the South Pole in Antarctica!), and running a 199 mile endurance race solo, in which every other competitor was doing so as part of a relay team.

If Dean ever gives up running he could quite easily become a writer as the book was a very easy read which kept me interested the whole way through. There were several 'laugh out loud' moments as I pictured the scenes of suffering that Dean was so accurately describing. The chapter on 'soiling the Lexus' just had me in stitches.

If you haven't read this book yet, I can highly recommend it as an entertaining and inspirational read.

The hunt is over - a decision has been made

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:54:00 +0000

My hunt for a new pair of running shoes has taken me to three separate running shoe stores in search of the perfect shoe. Not all shoe stores are created equal though as I found out, and as posted about here.

Two stores did however stand out, giving quality customer service, having excellent knowledge and making good use of video running gait technology were. These stores were Shoe Clinic and Shoe Science. I visited the Albany branch of both stores and was equally impressed with the sales persons knowledge and friendliness and could easily have purchased shoes from either store.

It was interesting though the running shoe recommendations they came up with.

In the case of Shoe Clinic I was recommended the Brooks Adrenaline GTS9. A structured stability shoe that adequately kept my not too excessive pronation in check.

Shoe Science on the other hand recommended the Adidas Salvation, another Stability / control shoe which offered a superbly cushioned ride and controlled my pronation well. Of the two the Adidas was my favorite.

Neither store was able to offer me a shoe for mid foot running though Shoe Science suggested the New Balance MR 800 as being a good mid foot shoe . Unfortunately they had little stock and are waiting for the next model, the MR 801, to come out in the next month or two.

As great as the Adidas felt, the one shoe I have been reading about all year but just have not been able to get my hands on, due to New Zealand stores not stocking them, is a pair of Newtons, from Newton Running.

Newton Running produce a shoe specifically designed to accommodate the naturally efficient running gait of a mid foot landing runner. The shoes incorporate a radically different forefoot cushioning technology, termed Action / Reaction Technology by the folk at Newton. The design incorporates four external actuator lugs which upon landing are depressed into hollow chambers inside the shoes mid sole.

The revolutionary sole of a Newton Shoe. photo from runtotri.blogspot.com

These shoes seem to be a perfect fit for the style of running that I'm going to persevere with, and that's a mid foot running gait, specifically the style promoted by Danny Dreyer known as Chi Running .

As I've said these shoes are hard to track down here but I was lucky enough to stumble upon the local importer's website. Evidently the shoes are often on display and available for trial at events around the country. As it happens once these trial shoes have run up a few K's they are then sold off at way less than half price.

Given my history of injury and failed comebacks, I was naturally wary about forking out $260 for a pair of radical shoes that I haven't even been able to try on before. Instead for $110 I can pick up a used pair that may have done 20 or 30 miles at most - and still with plenty of life left in them. So the other night I took the plunge and ordered a pair online.

I am about to join the world of Newton Running - wish me luck.

Smiths Sports Shoes disappoint

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:19:00 +0000

Over the last few weeks I've visited a few running shoe stores keen to try out a few new shoes and hopefully find the right pair for me. I was keen to try out a several stores as a way of getting a second and third opinion from a suitably qualified (hopefully) running shoe expert.

At each store I've been sure to mention to the sales people that I have had about a year off running as I've tried to get over my foot and shin injuries so they were fully aware of my background and thus better informed to fit me with an appropriate shoe.

Of the three stores I had two good experiences but unfortunately my experience at Smiths Sports Shoes at Mt Eden was not so good. I'll get the bad out of the way first and write a post next time about the good.

Smith Sports Shoes is what I would call a bulk sports shoe discounter which tries to be a specialty running shoe store. They are all set up to provide running gait and video siliconcoach analysis but sadly none of this was offered to this customer and it didn't look like this technology was used in the majority of cases while I was there.

I mentioned to the salesperson that I was interested in a shoe which was suited to a forefoot or mid sole striker as this was a style of running that I was interested in moving towards. The salesperson seem confused by this and looked at me like I had just escaped from a mental institution as if to say 'why would you consider such a thing?'

It seemed that he had never heard of such a running style and despite my explaining the potential benefits , IE more natural style of running in keeping with how we run when in bare feet, he still was very dismissive of the idea.

There was no offering to take a look at my stride and trying to match me to a shoe it was basically take your pick of a few models off the shelf and try them on and see how they feel.

I was fast losing interest by this point. This was the last store on my list to visit and I did all ready have an idea in mind of what shoes had felt good previously. I therefore was not particularly fussed about not being offered a video analysis. I quickly tried on a few pairs( Brooks, New Balance & Nike) before thanking the salesperson for his time.

Smiths is after all a 'sports shoe store', catering to many sports so, while they stocked all the main brands of running shoe, sadly for this potential buyer I didn't feel I got an inadequate level of professionalism or quality running shoe advice to enable me to make an informed decision on what shoes to buy.

I am pleased to say that I did get some much better service from two other specialty running shoe stores and I'll post about those stores next.

On the hunt of a new pair of running shoes

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:32:00 +0000

I've been thinking a lot about buying a new pair of running shoes lately.

My current shoes, a pair of Adidas Supernova, would be two and a half to three years old now though they would still have way less than 500 km 'on the clock' due to my on and off running over that time.

Despite their low mileage I still think its a good idea to update the shoes so I'm starting a fresh when I start running again this spring.

So to try and improve my knowledge I've been reading up large on the topic and now I'm well versed with such terms as flat feet, high arch , medial post , motion control, stability etc. Runners are certainly spoilt for choice these days when it comes to shoes. There is literally a shoe to fit everybody (or foot).

Apparently the key to finding the right shoe for you is to know your foot type. Generally there are three types of feet, determined by the height of your arch. A simple test to see which foot type you are is to stand on a surface with wet feet so that it leaves an impression of your foot. If you can see almost your whole foot then you have a low arch , or flat feet. If the middle of your foot narrows to around half of the foots width the you have a normal arch. If you have a distinctive curve to your foot print from ball to heel, such that very little of the mid sole is visible then you have a high arch.

Most runners have a normal arch height which allows them to generally choose from a wide variety of neutral running shoes offering cushioning or some motion control features for those that slightly over pronate.

Runners with flat feet tend to overprotate due to the low arch lacking the shock absorbing qualities of a normal arch. They tend to need a motion control shoe offering firm support on the inside edge of the shoe to try and correct the over protation.

A high arches will also provide inadequate shock absorption often resulting in under pronation (or supination). A flexible, cushioned shoe which encourages pronation is generally recommended for these runners.

So having done my research (ie the 'wet test') I've found that I have normal feet. Well at least something is normal I thought! The next step was to find a shoe.

An interesting exercise is to go to one of the many running shoe websites and use their shoe finder tool. I did that at Roadrunnersports.com and here's what they came up with for me.

Runningshoes.com cam up with this selection for me.

Some interesting choices there with a notable exclusion being Adidas, which has been my shoe of choice for the last two pairs. Most of the recommendations seem to have me in a stability shoe with some additional medial support to guard against over pronation.

I generally like to try before I buy though so over the past few weeks I've visited several specialist running shoe shops in town to see what they can offer me. I'll post further about my findings shortly.

Until then happy running.

Extending your Lactate Threshold

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 +0000

I've said before here that I've been using my spare time recently to learn more about the many various training methods there are out there.

Last month I wrote a piece here about the benefits and reasons for including speed workouts in a runners training programme to improve ones VO2 max. This post is about extending your lactate threshold.

Keep in mind that this is going to be a pretty basic in terms of its detail and if you're looking for a high level analysis on the subject then you're not likely to find that here. If anything I'm just blogging about this as a means on keeping an 'on line diary' if you like to record of what I've learnt. I expect many of you will know this stuff like the back of your hand already.

Firstly I'll mention lactic acid. Lactic acid is a byproduct produced by muscles that builds up in our blood stream during intense exercise. Generally the body is able to remove lactic acid from our systems while we exercise.

The lactate threshold (also known as anaerobic threshold) is the point at which, during intense exercise, lactic acid is being produced at a faster rate than the body can remove it, which in turn quickly leads to muscle fatigue and a drop in performance.

So if your goal is to be able to run faster for longer then you need to work on improving your lactate threshold which can be done by including in your training routine specific workouts where you run at your lactate threshold pace for extended periods.

These are commonly known these days I think as tempo workouts where you might warm up with 15 minutes of jogging before picking up the pace to your LT pace for perhaps 30 minutes before slowing to a jog for the last mile or two of your run. Another approach might be to run several 1 -2 mile repeats at LT pace separated by shorter recovery jogs.

This type of workout is best done at the sharpening stage of a programme after you have built a base. Include a tempo workout once a week in your programme.

A good website for calculating VO2 max and LT threshold paces is runningforfitnes.org. Click the link and you can calculate your VO2 max pace appropriate to your age and 10K time. Then you can go further and find your recommended training paces for LT training, recovery runs, interval training etc.

Sam's Soccer

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:29:00 +0000

My six year old, Sam , has been setting the soccer pitch alight this winter featuring weekly on his team's score sheet, often multiple times per game. I was therefore stoked to be asked by his coach if he was 'available' for a rep team to represent our Albany club in a local tournament. Naturally I confirmed he was.

Sam and his coach celebrating a goal during a club game.

We had the tournament today. The intensity levels were certainly a step or two up from what Sam plays each weekend. Today he came up against opposing teams full of talented youngsters.

Sam's team, the Albany All stars, were looking pretty sharp in the Arsenal replica uniform and it was pleasing to see them win their pool after two wins by 4-1 and 4-2. Sam took little while to adjust to the pace of the games only really finding his feet in the second pool game after a wee pep talk from Dad.

The team were the narrowly beaten 2 -1 in a toughly fought semi final. Sam unfortunately only got a few minutes (the games are only 12 minutes each half) game time in the second half of this game as I guess the coach was opting for the strongest five players for the majority of the game.

It was easy to see that even at this age the sports stars of tomorrow really do stand out head and shoulders above the rest. Some of these kids just hate to lose and there were some tears from a few after the semi final lose. I could tell these were genuine tears bought on by the pain of losing, just as I'm sure a many a World Cup or Premier league player has probably shed after losing a final.

One not so pleasant aspect of following childrens sport is the behaviour of some of the parents on the sidelines. At one stage during one of our pool games, three or four fathers were all marching up and down the sideline just barking orders at their children in the opposing team. The same would happen when a player came off the field after a substitution. Sometimes I think we all need to remember the reason why we play sport and that is to have fun. I'm all for encouraging our kids to be winners but they've got to be having fun at the same time.

Sam has one more tournament this season in a few weeks and now that we have had a taste for these age group tournaments I cant wait for more.

Leg and core strengthening routine for runners

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 10:01:00 +0000

Weight training as a cross training activity for runners is one subject that splits opinion. I've heard it said by some people that the only possible result that could come from weight training is to add unwanted muscle mass and thus become heavier and slower.

On the other hand there are just as many if not more people who recommended weight training as a way of strengthening your muscles and thus ensuring that they are better equipped to withstand the stresses and strains that can come with running.

I was recalling recently the last time I routinely trained with weights, back in my twenties when I would regularly hit the gym four or five times a week mainly to weight train, though I also would do some some cardio work each week too. I do not ever recall suffering from running related lower leg injuries throughout that period.

Then three years ago when I took up running seriously and soon after the injuries started. Could it be possible that one reason I get injured is that I no longer train my legs with weights?

Well acting on the presumption that it could be, I've decided a twice weekly weight training / strengthening routine for my lower body and core can only benefit my running.

Here's what I'm doing;

1. Start with a five minute warm up on the Exercycle to warm up and loosen those leg muscles.

2. One legged squats. These are great for runners because when we run we are always effectively balancing on one leg. Keep the knee in line with your second or third toe, squat to your limit and stand up. The movement should be steady controlled. Build up to 20 or 25 for each leg.

3. Leg extension. Great for building up the muscles around the knee. Try to open your feet as you extend your legs. Knees should remain in line with the feet. Again build up to 20.

3. Lunges. Standing tall, step forward about three feet, drop the rear knee straight to the floor (don't touch the floor), rise again then step back so your feet are together. A variation would be to step forward and the end of each lunge rather than stepping back. Try for 20 on each leg.

4. Leg curls. It's important to also workout the hamstrings so as to avoid muscle imbalances. Simply lift your feet to your butt. Again aim for 20.

I do those four exercises as one large 'super set' in which each exercise is performed one after the other with no rest. I'll do the super set two or three times.

5. Kickbacks. Great for working the glutes which are important for maintaining an efficient running stride. Standing balanced on one leg, kick the other leg straight back in a steady controlled manner. Go for 20 and repeat on the other leg.

6. Clam. Another good exercise for the glutes. Laying on your side, legs together, knees bent, feet up near your butt. Slowly raise the top knee as far as you can and then lower it . The hips should remain motionless with only the glutes doing the work. Build up to 30 on each side.

I will complete exercises five and six as a super set, two or three times.

7. Calf raises. The final leg exercise is calf raises. Stand on a block of timber or a step with your heels hanging off the edge. Lower the heels and raise to your maximum. Build to 20. Two or three sets. For added difficulty try holding some hand weights.

8. Leg raises. A strong core is essential for good running form and one of my favorite exercises is the leg raise. Lie on your back, legs out stretched, slowly raise your legs to about 90 degrees and the lower your feet again though keep them off the ground. Try to keep your lower back pressed against the floor to really feel the abs working and also protect the back. Build up to 20.

9. Front plank. Lie on your front, use your elbows and your toes to support your body. Try and keep your body as straight as possible and hold the pose for up to a minute.

10. Side plank. As above but lie on your side with your elbow supporting your body. Keep your whole body as straight as possible and hold for as long as you can.

I'll do these core exercises as a super set and repeat two or three times.

That completes my strengthening routine for runners.

As I'm not yet running I'm doing this routine twice a week. Most regular runners should only need to, and would probably only find the time, to do this workout once a week, and that's what I'll be doing when I start running again.

Disclaimer: Please note I have no qualifications or training in the area of personal training so please consult your own gym instructor or health professional if you're unsure on whether any of these exercises are right for you.

Yoga for Runners

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:26:00 +0000

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm now focused on making a return to running in the spring. I'm trying to cover all bases this time and am leaving no stone unturned in order to avoid injury again. So with that in mind I'm now planning at least a month of stretching and strength work before I even lace up my running shoes.

In my last post I outlined a series of stretches and strength exercises that I thought I might do. I've now done a bit more research and decided an actual Yoga routine for runners might be the better way to go in order to get in all the stretches I need to focus on.

I've found a couple of sites so far which offer a range of Yoga poses suitable for runners.

- At the 'Younger Legs for Older Runners' blog there is a great Yoga routine especially for runners, explained by Kelle Taylor. This is the one I'm trying out at the moment.

- At Runners World they have another routine especially for runners. Check it out here. I like a couple of these poses that are not included in the Younger Legs routine which I may also include.

At this stage I will be doing this routine twice a week for the next month.

As far as the strength training is going, I've decided to dust of my weight bench which has been sitting idle in the garage for the last year. I'll detail that routine later.

Time to stretch and strengthen

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:02:00 +0000

In less than six weeks spring will be here and that heralds the start of what I hope will be a come back to running.

I've been maintaining the fitness work over the winter with stationary biking and swimming. Now its time to pick it up a gear and start a more intensive routine of stretching and strengthening to compliment the fitness work and to make sure my body is up to the rigours of running again.

The idea is to try and do each workout at least two times a week. It should take around 30 - 45 minutes. Here's what I've got planned.

Strengthening

Up to 20 reps x two sets each

- Lunge (standing upright, step forward and drop the trailing knee to the floor, rise and bring feet together, repeat on other side)

- Squats (one legged for more difficulty)

- Calf raises

- Toe raise (up to tip toes to strengthen feet muscles)

- Clam (lie on side, bend legs, raise one knee, feet remain together)

- Kick backs ( standing upright and kicking back each leg to work the butt muscles)

- Side plank ( Lie on side, elbow supporting the body, keep body straight, hold for up to a minute the repeat on other side)

- Leg raise (lying on back, keep legs straight and raise them to 90 degrees, slowly)

Stretching / yoga poses

Most of these I got from the Bikram Yoga class I use to attend. I'm still a big fan of Yoga for runners to improve flexibility. While I can not fit a regular Yoga class into my routine at present, hopefully a few key poses a couple times a week will do the trick.

Hold each stretch for up to a minute then repeat the routine. Forgive me for I don't know all the names of these poses so I'm just describing them here;

- Triangle pose - feet apart, arms wide , one foot pointed to side, bend at waist toward that foot, touch toe and stretch to ceiling with other arm.

- Stand with feet two to three feet apart, bend forward , hold heels - Gives a deep hamstring stretch

- Knee to shoulder - lying on back ,hug your left knee to you left shoulder, repeat on the right, then both.

- Airplane - lying on stomach arch the back, lift legs, arms wide.

- Kneeling stretch - kneeling on floor, butt between feet, fall back to stretch quads & improve ankle flexibility.

- Hamstrings stretch - straight leg, head on knee and hold.

- Back twists - sitting on floor, foot to butt, grasp knee with opposite elbow, twist back, look behind.

- Calf stretching

There are some more Yoga poses suited for runner described here. It could be worthwhile including a few of these in the mix also.

Lack of cross training in some of the areas I've mentioned is a common cause of injury due to the muscle imbalances created by running. So why not try to incorporate some of these into your weekly routine if you've been a bit lazy in this area.

VO2 Max pace chart

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:36:00 +0000

Estimated paces for VO2 max training (short speed workouts), lactate threshold(tempo) training and long slow distance training. All paces in minutes /mile.

10K time/ VO2 max pace/ LT pace / LSD pace

40 / 6:00 / 6:50 / 8:30
42 / 6:15 / 7:10 / 8:55
44 / 6:35 / 7:30 / 9:15
46 / 6:50 / 7:50 / 9:40
48 / 7:05 / 8:05 / 10:00
50 / 7:25 / 8:25 / 10:25
52 / 7:40 / 8:45 / 10:50
54 / 7:55 / 9:05 / 11:10

Increasing your VO2 Max

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 09:46:00 +0000

While I haven't been doing much (okay any) running lately, I haven't let that stop from trying to read as much as I can on the subject in order to improve my knowledge. The hope is that when I do start running again I'm going to be a better runner loaded with all sorts of new found knowledge.

One area in which I haven't paid much attention to previously (ie pre injury) is the various forms of training that one needs to undertake if your goal is to really become a stronger and faster runner, and really improve your race times - and who doesn't want that right?

As a beginner runner all I wanted to do was get outside and run, I wasn't concerned too much with such terms as VO2 max and lactate threshold. If I was able to run at a reasonable pace without too much discomfort for anywhere up to 60 minutes I was happy.

I'm now starting to gain more of an understanding about the physiology of running and how having a greater awareness of your own limitations can help a runner to improve and not risk over training and injury.

I'm learning about things like VO2 Max and Lactate Threshold which sound like a foreign language to most beginners, but really they are basic fundamentals of running that all serious runners should have some knowledge of.

What follows a quick synopsis of what I have learned so far - feel free to skip the rest of the post if you know all this stuff.

VO2 max is the highest rate of oxygen consumption that your your body or muscles can attain during hard exercise. Typically once you have reached you VO2 max your performance or training intensity will begin to plateau as your muscles tire. With regular training at your VO2 max pace a runner can increase their VO2 max and thus will become fitter an faster.

A speed workout. Photo by Frankjuarez

That, as far as I have been able to ascertain, is the theory behind the 'Speed' workout. A weekly workout where one runs short fast repeats of anywhere from 200 to 800 meters with jogging spells of two to three minutes in between.

How fast should these repeats be run though? Well that depends on the individual but it need not be an all out sprint but rather should be at a speed which is appropriate to your current VO2 max. Run faster than your VO2 max pace and you risk injury or over training.

Your VO2 max can be estimated based upon your time for a 10k race. For example a runner who runs a 40 minute 10K it is estimated would reach their VO2 max if they were to run at 5:59 mile pace for 11 minutes.

It is considered that the best way to improve ones VO2 max is to run intervals at your VO2 max pace and therefore this runner should run their intervals at their VO2 max pace of 5:59 miles.

What does this mean for me? Well I've never races a 10K but I have run a 5k in 23 minutes. Assuming I get back to that level of fitness I presume I could have run a 10K in about 48 minutes which gives me a VO2 max pace of 7:07 mile pace.

Now I'm some way off doing any speed workouts but when the time comes now at least I have some knowledge of what the aim of this workout is.

Next time some thoughts on Lactate Threshold training.

Lisa Tamati in Badwater

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:45:00 +0000

New Zealand ultra runner Lisa Tamati lines up at the Badwater Ultra marathon starting in Death Valley this weekend. It will be Lisa's second appearance at the infamous ultra marathon event, notorious for its scorching temperatures.

Photo by OmarOmar

In 2008 Lisa was the 10th placed female covering the 135 mile course in a time of 38:24 (that's 38 hours, 24 minutes!).

Lisa has been training for the last week in the heat and altitude of Arizona and is hoping for a finish under 28 hours this year.

Follow Lisa at her blog here.

Our new arrival

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 08:31:00 +0000

Our eagerly awaited new arrival joined our family on Monday. Alice Rose was born at around midday weight 2.9kg. She is a beautiful baby.

Mum and baby came home from hospital today. The boys can not get enough of their baby sister, Jack particularly. Any chance to help out and they are there in a second.

Here's a couple of pictures.

A great challenge for a great cause

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 10:52:00 +0000

Its becoming harder and harder to raise funds in these tough economic times, but that hasn't stopped one determined endurance athlete from doing his part to fund raise for a worthwhile charity close to his heart.

Aucklander runner Malcolm Law has dreamt up a challenge all of his own which is sure to test even the toughest of ultra runners plus hopefully some much needed funds for his chose charity, the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation of New Zealand.

Malcolm, or Mal, will be running each of New Zealand's seven 'Great Walks' in seven consecutive days. The Great Walks are a network of hiking trails set in New Zealand's stunning mountains and back country. They are well spread with two in the North Island and five in the South Island and range in length from 32 km to 78 km. The seven walks ( or runs in Mals case) cover a total of almost 360 km.

Aptly named the Mizone 7 in 7, the challenge will take place over seven days from November 29 this year. Mal will be be joined on each run by a number of keen supports but Mal will be the sole runner running all seven Great Walks.

Check out the 7 in 7 website for more info and follow his progress as he gets closer to the big event. He updates is blog regularly with details of his training which has just ticked over 1000 km of training runs. He reckons there's another 1000 in him before the event.

There's also a link on his site where you can sponsor him and you could even win some cool prizes by doing so.

The Pregnancy Marathon

noreply@blogger.com (Bruce) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 10:55:00 +0000

I'm perhaps not qualified to comment on either pregnancies or marathons not having experienced either of these events, however it has struck me while observing Michelle's pregnancy, that pregnancy is a little like running a marathon in many ways.

Like a marathon a pregnancy can be broken up into smaller sections;

From what I have read, the the first ten k or so of a marathon is about settling in to a rhythm. You feel fresh and perhaps a nervous apprehension about what lies ahead.

Usually the first few weeks of a pregnancy will go unnoticed so this is one race that you don't actually know you've started until you're a few weeks into it. The next few weeks can be a breeze for some and tough on others as the body gets use to supporting a baby. Fortunately for Michelle the first ten weeks or so of her pregnancy passed without too much fuss.

Kilometers ten through thirty in a marathon are where you lay the ground work for the latter stages of the race. Maintaining a steady rhythm, looking after yourself, hydrating etc.

It's the same for weeks ten through thirty in the pregnancy. The body (and mind) are over the initial shock to the system and you can set about preparing for the final stages of the race. It's still important to look after yourself through these stages and not make you move too soon.

I've heard many people say the a marathon does not start until the final ten k and again I think the same can almost be said for pregnancies. It seems as each week passes the tension is building as the finish line draws near. The body is tiring and she just wants the race to finish. Sometimes there's a false alarm and you think you can see the finish but then it disappears again into the distance.

We're two days from the finish line. Hopefully the organisers will have measured the course correctly and we wont have to run an extra 'mile'.