Parkrun got the whole family running

How parkrun introduced a whole family to the joy of running

One runner launched his local parkrun and it wasn't long before his extended family followed suit.

by Sam Murphy, Lindsay Blair

Photography by Ben Knight

When Andy Fisher launched the Albert parkrun in Middlesbrough, eight years ago, the whole family was dragged along to help out. ‘We had 26 runners at the first event,’ says Andy, a keen runner, who stumbled upon parkrun while on a work trip to London. The Middlesbrough event soon became a weekly ritual for the extended family. Tracey Quinn, Andy’s sister-in-law, was there on day one to volunteer. ‘I never thought I’d end up actually running,’ says the 49-year-old. ‘But 5K seemed achievable. Initially my sister June and I would run a minute, walk a minute, but it went from there and we soon got the bug!’
It took Tracey’s niece, Louise (June’s daughter) a little longer to be convinced. ‘At first I and my two cousins Alice and Lily just didn't understand why anyone would want to put themselves through the pain,’ she laughs. It was her mum’s diagnosis with breast cancer in 2009 that led to Louise run. She took part in a Race for Life with her aunt and cousins to support June, who cheered them on from the sidelines.
Running also helped June regain her strength after the cancer treatment. ‘Going down to parkrun, even when I couldn’t run, raised my spirits and gave us a chance to spend time together as a family,’ she says.
The family’s running exploits have gone far beyond the 5K mark. ‘In 2012 I, mum, Tracey and Alice signed up for the Great North Run,’ says Louise. ‘It was on the date that would have been our late nanna’s birthday, so it felt just right. We trained together, which was brilliant.
It was very emotional when we crossed the finish line – the four of us broke down in a sobbing mess.’
Tracey has taken over from Andy as parkrun event director. ‘I just love the many friends I have met through running and parkrun,’ she says. ‘I’m a believer in completing, not competing, and I encourage runners of all abilities and ages.’ Even her 16-year-old daughter, Lily, has succumbed, completing her first half marathon in May this year.

This October, Tracey will clock up her seventh marathon, in York. And earlier this year she, Louise and June took on the London Marathon. ‘Mum was plagued by injuries and struggled with the longer runs in training, but we were the three musketeers and we were going to do this!’ says Louise. ‘Race morning was the most surreal morning of my life! There I was with my 58-year-old “marathon virgin” mum, about to run the world’s best marathon. We ran the whole way together and crossed the line holding hands, in tears. We found the rest of the family waiting with champagne and as we stood there I thought about how far we’d all come together. I can’t imagine our lives without running.’

The Trouble With The Treadmill

The treadmill is a tempting option when the cold weather begins to bite, but it shouldn’t completely replace your outdoor running

As the cold weather and longer nights set in, we all tend to hibernate a little.
Moving our training to indoor sessions on the treadmill is one of the easiest switches people frequently make.
Is this potentially a recipe for muscle imbalances and injuries? It’s certainly worth thinking of the implications of training exclusively on treadmills before you embark on a winter indoors.
When we run outside, the ground beneath us does not move; it provides a solid surface that opposes the forces placed upon it by the sole of your foot. Running outside, we use our hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles to push off against the ground.
When we run on a treadmill, however, the ground underneath us moves freely away from the foot. The problem here is that when the foot has nothing to push against, it just flows away from the body effortlessly. The hamstrings, glutes and lower back are no longer required to produce large amounts of effort, so they activate far less.
“Why is that a problem?” I hear you ask.
Well, your glutes are one of the major stabilisers of your spine. If they are not firing, then you are creating a situation where your quads and hip flexors are doing all the work.
If you spend an entire winter indoors, then start moving outside in the spring, you have created a big risk factor for injury by over-recruiting your front muscle groups and under-recruiting your rear muscles.
I see a lot of hamstring tendon problems in March and April due to hamstrings suddenly being asked to switch from doing 10K indoors to 10K outdoors. Your cardiovascular system will cope, but your muscular system will not.

3 ways to avoid muscular imbalances

1. Train smart: do shorter sessions outdoors to avoid the worst of the bad weather
2. Cross-train: use bad weather as an excuse to go and work on your deficiencies (weak core, poor flexibility, etc)
3. Mix’n’match: try to limit your treadmill sessions to 50% of your total running time

8 ways to be a more positive runner

Approach a run with a positive outlook – you’ll improve your health and your performance.

by Diane Stopyra

Getty Images

We run to release the tension of a bad day. We run when we feel down and need a pick-me-up. We run to silence the inner critic who tells us we aren’t clever, talented or slim enough. And it works. Thanks to those wondrous morphine-like chemicals called endorphins, running is a surefire way to lift your mood when you feel stressed, sad or insecure. But if you use running only as a coping mechanism to escape negativity, you’re missing out.  ‘Exercise doesn’t just improve happiness; happiness can improve exercise performance,’ says Alfred Bove, professor emeritus of medicine at Temple University in Philadelphia, US. Sure, not every day can be rainbows and butterflies, but by making an effort to approach your workouts with a positive, upbeat attitude, you’ll run better than if you set out feeling dark. ‘We tend to think of being joyful as a personality trait, but it’s actually a skill you can acquire,’ says sociologist Dr Christine Carter, author of The Sweet Spot: How to Find Your Groove at Home and Work (Ballantine Books). Here’s how to set yourself up for a good run.
Eat well
You’re used to thinking of food as muscle fuel. But good nutrition is also important for feeding your brain, says Dr Drew Ramsey, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University in New York City and co-author of The Happiness Diet (Rodale). ‘It’s impossible to feel positive in a sustained way if you’re low on nutrients such as magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, iron and vitamin D.’ Mood-boosting foods include kale, oysters, mussels, pumpkin seeds, Greek yoghurt and dark chocolate.
Sleep
It’s hard to feel excited to run when you’re exhausted. Although sleep needs vary, consistently getting less than your optimal amount (usually six to eight hours) can affect how you process a positive experience. In one study, people who were sleep-deprived did not feel happy or proud after an achievement compared with the experience of a group that had had more sleep.
Belly breathe
Activating the vagus nerve – which runs from the brain to the abdomen – produces a calming effect. Deep, controlled ‘belly breathing’ can help stimulate it. Inhale deeply while counting to five, then exhale very slowly while pursing your lips.
Press play
It’s well documented that music can distract athletes from pain and fatigue. In fact, Costas Karageorghis, of Brunel University, who has studied the exercise and music connection extensively, wrote in a review of the research that music could be considered a ‘legal performance-enhancing drug’.
Mantra up
Negative thoughts (such as ‘This is boring’, ‘I don’t want to do this’ and ‘I’m just not fit enough’) will increase muscle tightness and this, in turn, intensifies the sensation of pain, says Jim Afremow, author of The Champion’s Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive (Rodale). At the start of a run or race – or whenever you hit a rough patch – repeat a positive phrase over and over, such as, ‘Stay strong’, ‘Light and quick’ or ‘Relax and roll’.
Be social
Pre-race jitters can sap you of energy and hurt your performance. Afremow says it’s a good idea to chat to other runners at the starting area about their training and what they hope to accomplish in the race. ‘It gets you out of your head and distracts you by focusing on them,’ he says. Plus, research shows that offering encouragement to others improves your own mood and well-being.
Buy a good time
Experiential purchases – but, sadly, not materialistic ones – have been shown to boost happiness levels. Booking a running or fitness holiday in an exciting place, signing up for a fun run with a group of buddies or treating yourself to a relaxing massage after a hard period of training can help you feel more positive about your running life.
Explore nature
Trade your time on the treadmill for the trails whenever you can. Being in the great outdoors improves cognition, mood and health. One study found that simply looking at a lake or a river can induce feelings of calmness. Plus, increasing vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) by absorbing the sun’s rays helps produce a happier disposition. And you don’t even have to be outside to feel the benefits of nature. A study at Rutgers University, US, found that receiving flowers produced heartfelt smiles in study subjects, and they also reported greater levels of happiness for the following three days.

TIPS FOR RUNNING IN FANCY DRESS

9 tips for running in fancy dress

We spoke to two Supermans and a rhino to get the lowdown on how to run in costume.

Gorilla Steve takes on his local trails. Getty Images

1/ Practise in your outfit before the big day

You know the rules - nothing new on race day, hilarious costumes included. Take your fancy dress out for a test run before your goal race – maybe a local 10K if you’re aiming for a half marathon. ‘This will bring to light all manner of awfulness such as how animals respond to you, where it rubs, chafes and generally mashes up tender bits of your body,’ says Jim Mowatt, who horns his way through Parkruns in a rhino costume to fundraise for Save the Rhino International.

2/ Adapt your costume

Once you’ve undertaken your test run, make tweaks to your fancy dress if necessary. ‘Though I had to lose a little cuteness, the tail of my rhino costume made me want to massacre everyone within a five mile radius after only about 5 minutes! I had to unfortunately tuck it up and out of the way,’ Mowatt says.

3/ Get lubed up

As with any running attire, costume material rubbing repeatedly can result in nasty chafing. After probably finding out the hard way where this is likely to occur during your practise race, you can safeguard your skin by lubing up with Vaseline or a specialist anti-chafe product such as BodyGlide. Make sure you use plenty while you’re at it – ‘Better to be safe than chafe!’ says marathoner Tim Jones, who's taken on 20 events in full Superman attire.

4/ Set your sights low

Let’s be honest, if you’re dragging round a hefty costume for miles and miles, it’s not the day to be aiming for a PB. ‘If your costume weighs a lot, you will have to allow extra time when competing,’ says John Wallace, who’s undertaken 297 marathons since 1986 dressed in his very own Superman ensemble.

5/ Think practical

Take into account practical issues such as how you’ll get to the toilet – easier said than done in an all-in-one get-up. If your costume covers your head or includes a mask, make sure you can drink in it without it causing you major bother. If they obscure your vision (for example, a Big Ben outfit), get a running buddy to accompany you. ‘Having a friend that can help prevent you ploughing through the crowd and causing a major incident is not a bad idea!’, Mowatt recommends.
Bear in mind that if your costume if particularly hot or heavy, that can bring its own issues. ‘Take care not to overhydrate, but remember you might sweat more and thus need to drink more,’ advises Jones.

6/ Prepare for form to take a hit

If you’re in a particularly heavy or bulky costume, it may be very difficult to maintain your usual running form. Until you’re confident you can get through a long distance without compromising technique and risking injury, stick to shorter races or, dare we say, less outrageous costumes. To give yourself the best chance out there, get in relevant training – Jones suggests running with a weighted backpack.

7/ Include activewear

Most fancy dress costumes are designed for no more activity than swanning from party to party, so they aren’t made from optimal running materials. Mowatt suggests wearing a dry-fit or similar short-sleeved technical running top underneath to help reduce sweat saturation, plus a headband to keep sweat out your eyes.

8/ Choose your race

While it’s not uncommon to see a multitude of costumed runners at any big race, some events go all out on the fancy dress vibes. Surrey Bacchus Half Marathon and France’s Medoc Marathon are both fancy dress extravaganzas (with a little wine added for good measure).

9/ Enjoy!

In amongst a sea of sweaty, tired runners, you are a dazzling mermaid (figuratively, and perhaps literally). ‘Crowds love the effort you have put in to run in fancy dress and engage with you,’ says Jones. If you can get past the physical effort of running in full costume, soak up the atmosphere, high five the spectators and enjoy the experience!

I though this was a  great blog, found on the runners world.  YOU COULD ALWAYS TRY A VIRTUAL RUN IN FANCY DRESS AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE PHOTOS.

7 ways to fix your post-run recovery

If your body is dragging, consider making these changes to your process.

by Susan Paul

Getty Images

I have returned to running after a long hiatus, so I feel like a beginner again. Of course, many things have changed, but I am definitely noticing that my legs are not bouncing back from my runs as well as they used to. Any suggestions for aiding recovery?
What’s most important is that you are listening to your body and noticing these differences. There are a variety of factors that can contribute to slow recovery. Regardless of the cause, there are several things you can do to assist the recovery process.
Runners typically have a “training” plan, but rarely a “recovery” plan. Be proactive and make a post-run recovery plan to follow after every run.
1/ ​Include a cooldown phase after every workout
Jog very easy or walk for half a mile (or even 10 minutes) to facilitate the return to “normal” status. This also helps you avoid letting blood pool in your legs. Cooling down assists the body in redistributing blood flow, lowers heart and breathing rate gradually, allows your body temperature to drop and flushes metabolic waste products, which helps reduce muscle soreness. The main thing is don’t just stop running and head home for the couch.
2/ ​Change out of wet clothes immediately
Wet clothing can cool you down too quickly after a run. By putting on dry garments you keep your muscles warm, which promotes circulation that aids recovery. Good blood flow brings much needed nutrients to depleted muscles and carries metabolic waste away, exactly what you want following a run.
3/ ​Bring a towel or mat with you
After your cooldown, sit down and stretch before heading inside or getting in your car to drive home. Or, foam roll when you get home after a shower when your muscles are relaxed. This self-massage tool can help you work out kinks and increase your flexibility.
4/ Plan your post-run nutrition/hydration
Drink and/or eat within 20 minutes of finishing your hard run. You need water, carbohydrates and protein. Recovery drinks, protein shakes or chocolate milk all make good post-run drinks. Grab them from the fridge when you get back, or keep them in a cooler on ice if you’re out on the road.
5/ Look at your training plan
Is it appropriate for your current fitness level? Make sure you have recovery time between hard workouts. For example, training plans should alternate hard and easy days, vary weekly mileage, build long miles in gradual increments and have one or more days off from running. If you are bunching up hard workouts or not getting adequate rest, consider scaling back.​
6/ Check your recommended training paces
Be sure you are not running too fast on some of your runs. This is a very common mistake that enthusiastic runners often make because they think this will make them faster quicker, but it usually just creates unnecessary fatigue and possibly leads to injury.
7/ Consider the weather
Summer weather means higher heart rates - making runs more intense - and this may be taking a heavier toll on you. Know that you will have to dial back your pace when you’re running in the heat. Extended recovery time between long runs or hard runs may be necessary. Heat and humidity also means more sweating, which means greater fluid and electrolyte loss, so make a conscious effort to replace lost fluids and replenish electrolytes with supplements should you need it.
Lastly, if you are really dragging, consider running fewer days a week. Whereas, running five or six days a week may have worked for you in the past, perhaps running three or four days a week may be a better option now.


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6 maximum heart rate training myths get busted

Think you know everything about max heart rate and why it’s important? Think again.

by A.C. Shilton

Getty Images

For decades, athletes have used maximum heart rate as a way to figure out which zones they should be training in. The most common wisdom was to subtract your age from 220, and - voilà! - you had your max HR, a figure representing the greatest number of beats per minute your heart can achieve. Then, from that number, you could allegedly calculate your recovery, fat-burning, lactate threshold and anaerobic heart rate training zones.
However, it’s a rudimentary system - like, “might as well use an abacus as a GPS watch” rudimentary.
“It’s been the standard for years but there are a lot of variables that can throw off your max HR," says Cherie Miner, MD, a sports medicine doctor and age-group Ironman athlete at Andrews Sports Medicine and Orthopedic Center. She adds that how fit you are, how hot it is and how much stress you’re under can all affect your max HR at any given time.
Like the 220-minus-age rule, there are a lot of other myths surrounding max HR. Here, we debunk the worst of them.

1/ If you go over your max HR, your heart explodes

You’ve gotta admit, this would be equally horrifying and badass if true. Rest easy, though - it won’t happen.
“Your heart gets to the point where it can’t eject blood effectively enough; where it’s not productive anymore,” says Dean Golich, head performance physiologist for Carmichael Training Systems. When this happens, self-preservation kicks in and you slow down. If you’re in a race, that means you’ll either just get left behind or bring up your lunch.
“Most people have 1 to 2 minutes max at their max HR; highly trained athletes may have more,” says Miner. Expect to see your performance suffer very quickly if you try and maintain your max HR for more than just a short burst.

2/ Your Max HR is the same for everyone your age

That’s what the old-school formulas assume, but Golich says it’s much more nuanced than that. Max HR is largely untrainable, and determined by genetics - some of us have hearts tuned like hummingbirds, while others have the slow and steady type.
“But it’s not an indication of performance," Golich says. “If your max is 200 and someone else’s is 190, it doesn’t mean one of you is the better athlete.” In fact, he’s worked with numerous talented athletes at both ends of the spectrum.
It’s good to remember that everyone’s max HR does drop as they age - but again, that doesn’t mean you’re losing fitness. Regular training and good nutrition will affect performance more than the fact that your max HR is now slightly lower than it was three years ago. In reality, it’s not your max HR that determines your fitness level: being able to hold your max HR for longer and longer sessions is what’s key.

3/ Heart rate is a measurement of how hard you’re working

Heart rate is a reaction to work being done, not a measurement of actual work. On a bike, for example, Golich says that if you ratchet yourself up to 200 watts for three minutes, for the first minute, your heart may tick along at 170 bpm; by minute two it may be at 180; and by minute three you could be pushing 189. But you’re doing the same amount of work the whole time - 200 watts.
If you were to ride for three minutes with the intention of maintaining the same heart rate, things would look different. Say you ramped up to 180bpm to start - you might ride at 200 watts for the first minute, but you’d likely have to drop your watts to sustain that heart rate for minutes two and three.
Golich himself prefers to have his clients train with power meters or using Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) - simply, a personal appraisal of how hard you feel you’re working - rather than HR.
“There are a lot of gray areas,” with heart rate, he says, adding that being overheated, under-fuelled or even just hopped up on caffeine will throw your heart rate numbers off for the day.
Furthermore, the number displayed by your heart rate monitor or the screen on a gym treadmill may not be accurate. Sure, using a computer is certainly more accurate than the 220-age formula, but Golich adds says that since these devices take measurements every few seconds, they’re probably not dead-on. If you really want to know your true max heart rate, an EKG is the best way to go, though Golich believes it’s not an expense worth taking on.

4/ If I’m not working at my max heart rate, I’m not working hard enough

Here’s your license to chill. Max heart rate workouts should be done sparingly, says Miner, since the ultra-high intensity can lead to injuries, extreme fatigue and other symptoms of overtraining. Plus, there’s merit to working in many different heart rate zones - from increasing your base fitness with low-intensity sessions to pushing the boundaries at your lactate threshold, and even tipping into some anaerobic work.
If you only have two speeds - hard and OMG hard - you’re doing yourself a disservice.

5/ As long as you’re working under your max, you don’t have to worry about a cardiac incident

Not true. Heart attacks, while rare, happen to athletes at all different workloads. Even so, cardiologist James Beckerman, MD, says you’re slightly more at risk when working at very high intensities.
“This is likely related to a combination of high heart rate; higher blood pressure with exercise, which is normal; and higher levels of catecholamine [a hormone produced by the adrenal gland]," he says. “For people without heart disease, exercising at higher intensity is generally safe.”
If you’re someone with heart disease or who’s exhibited risk factors, however, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about safe heart rate ranges for exercise and even get a stress test, he says.

6/ Your max HR is the same for all sports

You’re not paranoid: your max for running really may be different to your max for swimming. Again, this is indicative of how variable heart rate is, says Golich. Things that are load bearing - like running - will generally push your heart rate higher, since you have to do more work to overcome gravity. Cycling, because it has the mechanical assist of bike wheels, will generally produce a lower max heart rate. And swimming, which happens in a pool with zero-impact, may be lower still: Since the water is keeping you cool, Golich says, heat will be less of a factor in raising your HR.


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A version of this article originally appeared on Bicycling.

4 nutrition tips to help you race at your best

Follow these tips to get to the start fuelled and hydrated, and finish strong.

by Pamela Nisevich Bede, M.S., R.D

Getty Images

Every runner has a mantra for race day. Most mantras (“don’t give up” or “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”) are uttered to inspire greatness. But no matter how fast you want to go, or how hard you might train to get there, if you don’t have the right fuelling plan, no amount of self-talk will power you over that finish line.
In preparation for your next race, follow these tips and achieve those goals.

1/ Nothing new on race day

Nutrition experts, newbies and elites have all fallen victim to the mistake of trying new foods in the hours leading up to (or during) a race. The mistake is easy to make, especially if you’re travelling to a new city and you want to try the local cuisine. But save the adventure for post-race celebrations.
Be prepared. Pack your tried-and-true snacks and fuel, and don’t change up your nutrition plan during the race. That means same using the same brand and flavour of mid-run fuel you tested during training.
2/ Train with what’s on the course
Similar to not trying anything new on race day, it’s important to train with the nutrition that will be on the course if you’re not bringing your own. Races offer certain brands and flavours of sports drinks and often make that information known beforehand, allowing you to try it out during training.
Why do we keep beating home this fact? If your body tries something new (while in motion!) it can mess with your stomach and send you running for the portable toilets.
Forgot your fuel? There’s a good chance a local running store or the race expo will have it.

3/ Water, water, everywhere

Race weekend can be busy, and before you know it, you’ve spent too much time on your feet sightseeing and not enough time hydrating. Keep a water bottle close at hand and sip on fluids throughout the day. Water alone and with electrolytes, and sports drink are all good choices.
Your urine colour is a simple, effective way to tell how hydrated you are. It should be light yellow; clear means you drank too much and dark means you need to drink more.

4/ You are what you eat

Food consumed in the 12 to 24 hours before a race has a major impact on your fuel status. Your night-before meal should be low in fat, moderate in protein, high in carbs and mimic the types of foods you’ve been eating before long runs.
Breakfast the morning of your race will top-off your glycogen stores and complement the gels and chews you’ll consume later down the road. Aim for familiar foods and do some (simple) maths to have a meal with .5 grams of carb per pound of body weight for every hour before the race. Confused? Here’s an example: If you weigh 130 pounds, you get up at 5 am to eat, and gun time is at 7 am, aim for a breakfast that has 130 grams of carbs (follow this schedule in training a few times to prepare your body).
Try a bagel topped with a small amount of peanut butter and sliced banana with a side of sports drink. Head to the start line prepared with snacks for races that have long waiting times.




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