Word Viewer. Excel. Chairperson's Comments. March saw our club winning Luton Sports Network Best Sports Club in Luton and Rob Barnes winning Luton Sports person of the year! This is awesome news and something we should all be very proud of well done all! The celebrations continued the following evening with our annual awards. Thank you all who came, it was fantastic to celebrate so many successes and achievements over 2. Well done all those members who have already achieved some fantastic PBs and those who have run their first 1.
K this month - well done, there is no turning back now! Good luck to all those with races coming up we are looking forward to hearing all about how you get on.
Annual Sports Investment Scheme 2017 launched. Mayo Sports Partnership launches Annual Sport Investment Scheme. Mayo Sports Partnership is pleased to launch details. Use this handy calculator to learn the optimal training paces for each of your runs. It will also predict your race times - both what you can run now and what you can. This is what happens to the ultra-marathon man as he tackles 89km. Click through these 16 Comrades Marathon facts. Exercise Health Myths About Running, Jogging, Biking, Marathons, and Triathlons. Click here to read the "Medical Disclaimer." Guidelines for Healthy Exercise.
The best advice I ever received was from Nick Crane to trust your training, wise words I think. Zena Ellis. Chairperson Beginners Course NEWOur 1. Dates: Every Thursday from 4th May - 2. July Time: 7: 1. 5pm Location: Inspire Luton Sports Village, Stopsley Cost: . For infomation email Mark newmembers@stopsleystriders. To download leaflet click here.
Bank Holidays NEWThere will be no club on the following days due to Inspire being closed. Monday 1. 7th April. Monday 1st May. Monday 2. May. Annual subscription DUE NOWWe will start collecting fees in March. Please make cheques payable to Stopsley Striders and remember to bring your membership card. Affiliated to EA Not affiliated to EAExisting Member .
Club Treasurer. Are you interested in being Club Treasurer? See Zena Ellis or another club committee member for details. The role does not mean that you have to be at every club night. Stopsley Striders Stockingstone Challenge. May at 1. 9: 3. 0 Approx 5 mile Social run.
Further news will be released on future club nights. Awards Evening. Click here for photos and citations. More photo's here. Ken Abbott XC Handicap Results 2. Go to crosscounty page to see rules Position Final Score. Handicap. 2. 01. 7- 1. Karen. Ashby. 10.
Pam Abbitt. 10. 18. Carly. Eaves. 88 Christine. Lathwell. 83. 4 Maria. Petts. 65 Paula. Nicol. Zena. Ellis. 61 1. Martin. Fallon. 90.
Andy Durrant. 91. Derek. Christopher. Pat. Blessing. 97. Phil. Abbitt. 97. Daniel. Mann. 99.
Danny. Kelly. 10. Gez. Fallon. 10. 27. Andy Reid. 10. 34.
Paul. Keech. 10. 43. Adrian Copp 7. 66 Alan. Barry. 80. 4 Daniel. Lewis. 60. 0 John Chapman. Robert. Barnes. 99. Willie. Ellingham. Striders Social Night.
April 8- 1. 1pm Stopsley Working Mens Club. Our monthly get together to enjoy a sausage roll or two and chat about our latest PB. Come and see the 2. Mile Champions receiving their awards tonight. As always please contribute food to the buffet or make a contribution to the club charity. Running Report for March 2. Phil Nitchen. It’s the time of the year when the spring marathon build up races come thick and fast and so do the shiny new PB’s.
There has been lot’s of fantastic running and Striders vests have been plentiful at the local races and beyond. Firstly I would like to add a run that was missed from last month’s report.
Kieran Fitzpatrick visited the land of the rising sun and ran a negative split at the Tokyo marathon in a brilliant time of 4. February. 5th March.
I start the March races at the very windy Mk festival of running, where Liz Rollinson set a new female V4. Liz. Also in the 2. PB’s for Alan Barry 2. Martin Smith 3. 2. Special mention goes to Tony Riley who although he didn’t manage a PB, he did finish 1st in the V7.
In the half marathon Ellie Ballinger managed to get a PB of 2. March. On the 1. 1th, our new women’s captain Christine Lathwell led by example at the British masters championship, by winning gold in the 1. V4. 0 category, in a rapid time of 5. At Luton Parkrun there were PB’s for Pat Blessing in 1.
Christian Bredenkamp in 2. Donna Wigget in 3. Robert Barnes broke the sound barrier, finishing in 1.
Vanessa Thompson ran a fantastic race to gain a new PB of 1. It seemed to be a harrowing experience for Stuart Harries, who commented that he is now . I think his beard gave him magical running powers, time to put the razor back in the cabinet maybe Stuart? Also at Silverstone, the machine that is Tony Riley finished 2nd in his age group. Elsewhere Ellie Ballinger ran her first 2. Lydd in an excellent time of 3.
March. On the 1. 8th Christine Lathwell continued to smash it in the masters, by finishing 2nd in the V4. British Masters cross country championships.
Philip Davies ran a PB of 2. Ashridge boundary run. There was also the 1. Luton Parkrun, I was unable to attend myself, but I have seen the photos and everyone looked fantastic in their costumes and make up. Well done to Dawn Boon who managed a PB of 3. Rob Barnes again smashing out another PB of 1. On the 1. 9th we had a good turnout at the Welwyn Half, everyone had good runs in windy conditions, and on a course that is a lot more testing than the description of .
Running for Beginners provides all the info you need to train to run from the couch to 5k, 10km, a marathon or further. Running programs and more.
Pat Blessing ran a superb time, setting a new PB of 1. Pat just gets better with age. Also on this day we saw Lucinda Philpott run her first 1. Leighton 1. 0k. Well done Lucinda, you have come a long way since the beginner’s course last year. March. On the 2. 5th we saw Mark Layzell scrubbing up well as wonder woman at Bushy Parkrun, where he ran his 5. Parkrun a day before his 5.
Well done Mark. The 2. Sandy 1. 0, at which Christine Lathwell capped off an amazing month by finishing 1st in the V3. PB of 1. 0. 5. 4.
Chris Lamont came 2nd in the V6. Photo's. Rob Barnes ran a PB of 1. Kingston 1. 6. 2 mile breakfast run, finishing in 2nd place. April see's the bulk of the spring marathons take place, good luck to everyone running one, I know how much hard work and dedication goes into the training. We also have a couple of our club championship races, the Oakley 2. Flitwick 1. 0k, hopefully we'll have a good turn out at both these races. Good luck to any one running any race in April.
I myself will be up to me neck in dirty nappies and reflux, so will be running the London marathon for a break. This is me first punt at writing a running report, I hope you have enjoyed reading it and if I have missed anyone out, I apologise. Phil Stopsley Strider Club Member Profile - Martin Smith. Occupation: General sales manager for Volkswagen Bedford Did you do sport at school? I hated sport at school, I have always struggled with my weight, and by the time I was in my early teens I tipped the scales at over 1. When did you start running & why?
Calf Tightness When Running is a common problem in new runners. Here are some simple techniques which have been tried and tested to reduce calf tension.
I started in March 2. Gym in a bid to loose weight. I had always been inspired by the London marathon and decided it was time to do something about my weight. At around the same time, I was offered a bet by a friend that I couldn't run a marathon.
The competitive side of me decided 'I could do this' and I accepted the bet! I was 2. 1 stone, and seriously over weight. I smoked 3. 0 cigarettes a day and drank far too much alcohol in a week. Not really a 'Picture of health' !
I started using the 'couch to 5k' app on the treadmill and over a 6 week period (I missed out some of the walking sessions) I managed my first 5k run! In May 2. 01. 5 I decided to start road running as I was bored of the gym.
The mornings were light by that stage, so I decided to give it a go on the fields outside inspire. I found it totally different, and struggled tremendously.
I was still smoking 3. I decided to give myself a target, and signed up for the luton half marathon ! This spurred me on to complete the 5k app outdoors, and gave me the ambition to keep going. I completed my 1st 1. August 2. 01. 5 and was very proud of myself.
I had lost a lot of weight and tipped the scales at 1. I carried on running and dieting, and very nervously awaited the Luton Half Marathon. Then I took a knock back, and got turned down for the London Marathon 2. I immediately discussed it with my friend that I had a bet with and decided to run the Brighton marathon instead. I ran the Luton half marathon in 2hrs 1.
I was 1. 5st 8lb on race day and proud of my time and achievement. Secretly, I though I could . I thought they looked very organised and thought they could help me. I emailed Nathan (chairman at the time) and asked what I had to do to join.
I went to a Thursday night run, initially very nervous, but put right at ease from the moment I walked in. I loved it - although my 1st session I went out with Nathan's group (the fastest group) to which I regretted . Lorraine helped me run a 1. I fell in love with the club. I gave up smoking full time cold turkey on Boxing Day 2.
I have a drink (I know I know I'll stop !)I ran the Brighton marathon in April 2. I ran a total of 1. I finally got to my target weight of 1.
July 2. 01. 6. As I write this, I am in my tapering period for the Brighton Marathon 2. I hope to achieve a new PB, albeit a stone heavier . I loved it . What is your best run?
The Welwyn half marathon 2. PB of 2: 0. 0hrs. I could kill the 2hr pacer . But I have run a few now and enjoy representing my club. Assuming you have spare time, what are your other hobbies/interests? My youngest plays football for 2 luton teams and is in the 1st division within his league- thus, this means travel all over the county to various matches.
Hence, I don't often get much time spare, apart for the running. How many times a week do you run? Currently 6 days a week with the marathon training - but normally 4 nights a week. What is your average weekly mileage?
Currently 4. 5- 5. Do you do speed work or specialist training? Yes, I attend the track session on a Tuesday when I get home from work in time. Do you follow a diet regime before competing? I don't follow a specific diet, but I do try to watch what I eat.
Shame I don't have the same discipline when Guinness is on offer ? A decent pair of running trainers is essential. I have recently gone over what I should have ran on a single pair of trainers (about 7. I will ensure they are changed at a maximum of 4. Who is your hero?
Richard Branson - He puts his staff first which I think is the right attitude to management. What do you like about the club?
International Stage Race Event Listings. Morocco. 13 Apr 2. Croatia. 19 Apr 2. South Africa. 19 Apr 2.
South Africa - KZN2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 9 days. South Africa - WC2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Portugal. 21 Apr 2. Tunisia. 22 Apr 2.
Morocco. 24 Apr 2. South Africa - WC2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 5 days. South Africa - WC2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - MP2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 4 days.
South Africa. 28 Apr 2. South Africa. 28 Apr 2. South Africa - MP2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Australia. 28 Apr 2. Australia. 29 Apr 2.
South Africa - MP2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - MP2. Apr 2. 01. 7. 3 days. United Kingdom. 29 Apr 2. Namibia. 30 Apr 2. Namibia. 30 Apr 2.
South Africa. 4 May 2. South Africa - WC5 May 2.
South Africa - EC5 May 2. South Africa - WC5 May 2. South Africa - WC6 May 2.
Portugal. 6 May 2. South Africa - KZN9 May 2. South Africa - KZN1. May 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - KZN1. May 2. 01. 7. 3 days.
France. 11 May 2. France. 11 May 2. South Africa - MP1.
May 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Belgium. 15 May 2. Australia. 17 May 2. South Africa - GTN1. May 2. 01. 7. 3 days.
South Africa - KZN1. May 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - EC2. May 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Namibia. 21 May 2. United States of America.
May 2. 01. 7. 7 days. United Kingdom. 22 May 2. Australia. 24 May 2. South Africa - KZN2.
May 2. 01. 7. 6 days. Bhutan. 26 May 2. Luxembourg. 26 May 2. South Africa - EC2. May 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - WC2.
May 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - KZN2. May 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa. 28 May 2. Zambia. 2 Jun 2. 01. Denmark. 3 Jun 2.
Peru. 4 Jun 2. 01. South Africa - KZN6 Jun 2. South Africa - EC8 Jun 2. Austria. 8 Jun 2. Botswana. 9 Jun 2. Canada. 9 Jun 2. 01. Botswana. 9 Jun 2.
South Africa - MP9 Jun 2. South Africa - KZN1. Jun 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - WC1. Jun 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Spain. 10 Jun 2. 01. Spain. 11 Jun 2. 01.
Sri Lanka. 11 Jun 2. Spain. 11 Jun 2. 01. South Africa - NC1.
Jun 2. 01. 7. 5 days. United Kingdom. 12 Jun 2. Poland. 15 Jun 2. South Africa. 16 Jun 2.
South Africa - EC1. Jun 2. 01. 7. 2 days. France. 17 Jun 2. Italy. 17 Jun 2. 01.
Switzerland. 17 Jun 2. South Africa. 17 Jun 2. Greece. 18 Jun 2. United States of America.
Jun 2. 01. 7. 6 days. China. 18 Jun 2. 01. Russian Federation. Jun 2. 01. 7. 5 days. Norway. 23 Jun 2. South Africa - KZN2. Jun 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
Austria. 25 Jun 2. Switzerland. 30 Jun 2. South Africa - WC1 Jul 2.
Poland. 1 Jul 2. 01. Czech Republic. 2 Jul 2.
Kenya. 4 Jul 2. 01. Canada. 5 Jul 2. 01. South Africa - MP6 Jul 2. Zambia. 7 Jul 2. 01. Australia. 7 Jul 2. Norway. 7 Jul 2. 01.
South Africa. 7 Jul 2. Italy. 8 Jul 2. 01. Spain. 8 Jul 2. 01. Canada. 10 Jul 2.
Madagascar. 11 Jul 2. Poland. 13 Jul 2. South Africa - MP1. Jul 2. 01. 7. 1: 4. Zimbabwe. 14 Jul 2.
South Africa - MP1. Jul 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Germany. 16 Jul 2. Namibia. 17 Jul 2. France. 19 Jul 2. Italy. 22 Jul 2. 01. Poland. 23 Jul 2.
South Africa - EC2. Jul 2. 01. 7. 4 days. South Africa - WC2.
Jul 2. 01. 7. 6 days. Spain. 28 Jul 2. 01.
Canada. 29 Jul 2. Colombia. 30 Jul 2. Canada. 30 Jul 2. Norway. 1 Aug 2. 01. Norway. 3 Aug 2. 01. South Africa - WC5 Aug 2.
United States of America. Aug 2. 01. 7. 6 days. Madagascar. 5 Aug 2. South Africa - WC5 Aug 2. South Africa. 5 Aug 2.
United States of America. Aug 2. 01. 7. 6 days. Germany. 9 Aug 2. South Africa - LIM1. Aug 2. 01. 7. 4 days.
Australia. 11 Aug 2. Iceland. 11 Aug 2. United Kingdom. 12 Aug 2. Switzerland. 12 Aug 2. Slovakia (Slovak Republic)1. Aug 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Slovakia (Slovak Republic)1.
Aug 2. 01. 7. 1: 1. South Africa - KZN1. Aug 2. 01. 7. 4 days. Australia. 17 Aug 2.
Mongolia. 18 Aug 2. South Africa - KZN1. Aug 2. 01. 7. 6 days. South Africa - GTN1. Aug 2. 01. 7. 7 days. Namibia. 19 Aug 2. South Africa - GTN1.
Aug 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Russian Federation. Aug 2. 01. 7. 6 days. South Africa - NC2.
Aug 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - KZN2. Aug 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
Iceland. 28 Aug 2. South Africa - NC3. Aug 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - EC3. Aug 2. 01. 7. 2. 40 or 3. South Africa - EC3. Aug 2. 01. 7. 3 days.
South Africa - NC3. Aug 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - WC1 Sep 2.
South Africa - EC1 Sep 2. Croatia. 1 Sep 2.
Ireland. 1 Sep 2. China. 1 Sep 2. 01. South Africa - WC2 Sep 2.
Spain. 3 Sep 2. 01. Germany. 3 Sep 2. Iceland. 5 Sep 2. South Africa - EC6 Sep 2. South Africa - WC6 Sep 2. South Africa - EC7 Sep 2.
South Africa - WC8 Sep 2. Denmark. 8 Sep 2. Albania. 8 Sep 2. South Africa - WC9 Sep 2. South Africa - EC1. Sep 2. 01. 7. 5 days. Switzerland. 11 Sep 2.
Australia. 16 Sep 2. Nepal. 16 Sep 2. 01. Bolivia. 18 Sep 2. Italy. 18 Sep 2. 01. South Africa - LIM2.
Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - WC2.
Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Romania. 21 Sep 2.
South Africa - WC2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - WC2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - KZN2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - KZN2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days.
Turkey. 23 Sep 2. South Africa - WC2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days. United States of America. Sep 2. 01. 7. 7 days. Kenya. 26 Sep 2. 01. South Africa - KZN2.
Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Kenya. 28 Sep 2. 01. Israel. 28 Sep 2. Brazil. 28 Sep 2. Brazil. 28 Sep 2.
South Africa. 29 Sep 2. South Africa. 29 Sep 2. South Africa. 29 Sep 2.
South Africa - KZN2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - EC2. Sep 2. 01. 7. 3 days. South Africa - WC3. Sep 2. 01. 7. 5. 0, 2. South Africa - KZN3. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - KZN3. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - WC3. Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - WC3.
Sep 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Portugal. 1 Oct 2. Chile. 1 Oct 2. 01. Lesotho. 2 Oct 2. South Africa - EC3 Oct 2.
South Africa - KZN6 Oct 2. United Kingdom. 6 Oct 2. Portugal. 6 Oct 2. South Africa - EC7 Oct 2. South Africa - WC7 Oct 2.
Malaysia. 9 Oct 2. South Africa - KZN1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Mexico. 11 Oct 2. Swaziland. 12 Oct 2. South Africa - WC1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - WC1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Korea. 13 Oct 2. 01. Spain. 13 Oct 2. 01. South Africa - KZN1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Tanzania. 14 Oct 2.
South Africa - KZN1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - KZN1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 2 days.
South Africa - KZN1. Oct 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Brazil. 15 Oct 2. South Africa - WC1.
Oct 2. 01. 7. 7 days. Australia. 18 Oct 2. South Africa - FS2. Oct 2. 01. 7. 3 days.
Italy. 22 Oct 2. 01. India. 22 Oct 2. 01. United States of America. Oct 2. 01. 7. 6 days. South Africa - EC2.
Oct 2. 01. 7. 5 days. South Africa - NC2. Oct 2. 01. 7. 5 days.
Morocco. 27 Oct 2. Ethiopia. 28 Oct 2. South Africa - EC3. Oct 2. 01. 7. 5 days. United Kingdom. 31 Oct 2. Costa Rica. 2 Nov 2.
South Africa - WC3 Nov 2. South Africa - NWP3 Nov 2. South Africa - NWP3 Nov 2. Nepal. 3 Nov 2. 01.
South Africa - WC3 Nov 2. South Africa - WC3 Nov 2. South Africa - WC4 Nov 2. Oman. 4 Nov 2. 01. Nepal. 4 Nov 2. 01. South Africa - WC6 Nov 2.
South Africa - WC1. Nov 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Ecuador. 11 Nov 2. Argentina. 12 Nov 2.
Tunisia. 13 Nov 2. Australia. 15 Nov 2. Brazil. 16 Nov 2.
South Africa - EC1. Nov 2. 01. 7. 3 days. Antarctica. 17 Nov 2. South Africa - WC1. Nov 2. 01. 7. 2 days. South Africa - WC1.
Nov 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Kenya. 19 Nov 2. 01. Namibia. 20 Nov 2. Costa Rica. 22 Nov 2.
Australia. 23 Nov 2. Mauritius. 23 Nov 2. Nepal. 23 Nov 2. 01. Cambodia. 24 Nov 2. South Africa - NWP2.
Nov 2. 01. 7. 2 days. Namibia. 27 Nov 2. South Africa - FS2. Nov 2. 01. 7. 5 days.
South Africa - GTN1 Dec 2. South Africa - WC2 Dec 2.
South Africa - WC2 Dec 2. South Africa - WC2 Dec 2. Philippines. 8 Dec 2. Cambodia. 15 Dec 2.
Switzerland. 18 Jan 2. South Africa - NC1 May 2. Peru. 2 Jun 2. 01.
Peru. 4 Aug 2. 01.
Calf Tightness When Running. Calf tightness when running. For some people, the calf muscles simply feel a bit tight the day after a long or hard run. For others, the tension affects them when running and can be so severe that the aching pain causes them to stop.
This gives us a few clues already. It can be linked to a number of problems which can affect those new to the sport: A lack of flexibility in general. Fatigued calf muscles. Inappropriate footwear.
Wearing high heels daily. Running too much, too soon. Inadequate warm- up / cool- down. Muscle imbalances elsewhere. Running form. Lets start at the beginning.
Reduced flexibility. Some people are just naturally less flexible than others. Especially those that have been relatively sedentary up until they start running. But the good news is that a lack of flexibility can be addressed with a comprehensive stretching program.
Now, this doesn’t mean stretching before and after running. This means stretching at least 3 times a day, if not more, to really see an increase in flexibility. So, if you’re new to running and suffering with tight calf muscles, this is your first course of action.
Stretch, stretch, stretch! Fatigue. If your calves feel like they cramp up when running, but are then fine after, it could be fatigue that’s causing your problem. Just like when you see football matches go into extra time and all the players get cramp in their hamstrings because they are not used to that amount of stress. The same can be said for the calf muscles.
The more you run the stronger your calves become, but in the meantime, try some strengthening exercises – single leg calf raises are great and require no equipment. Inappropriate footwear. If you haven’t had a gait analysis – get one done! If you don’t know what this is, check out my page on gait analysis!
It will basically ensure that you are wearing the right running shoes for your foot type. The most common problem in runners is overpronation. Tight calf muscles and overpronation often go hand in hand, so make sure you get this checked and corrected if necessary. Also consider your day- to- day footwear choices.
Wearing high heels on a regular basis can actually shorten the calf muscles too. Training errors. Some more newbie training mistakes can also cause tight calf muscles. Running too much, too soon can do it as your muscles tighten up in response to the increased stress that they are not accustomed to. You can also stretch your calf muscles before running, although research indicates that static stretching before exercise is not effective at reducing injury rates. But it’s really down to personal preference and I still stretch my calf and glute muscles before running as I know these are my problem areas!
Do make sure you finish your run with a walk for 5 minutes and then a thorough stretching session, as this is where stretching really comes into its own to reduce post exercise soreness. Muscle imbalances. Muscle imbalances are responsible for so many running injuries and having tight calf muscles whilst running is no exception. Everyone is different and so it is hard to tell you what may be affecting your particular case, but a really common pattern to look out for is tight hip flexors, leading to weak or mis- firing glutes. This results in a lack of hip extension when running and a bigger reliance on the calf muscles for propulsion.
Remember, we’re like one big chain – so where the pain is isn’t necessarily where the problem is! A sports injury therapist should be able to assess you for muscle imbalances and determine what may be affecting you. Form. Running form is basically the way you run and it is something that we don’t tend to think about when running, especially when we first start out. We just run however feels natural to us. However, your running form could play a big part in your calf muscle tightness and pain. I personally suffered with exactly this problem. Stretching my calf muscles regularly really helped, but it didn’t cure the problem.
But what I have since found to work, is changing the way that I run. Barefoot running is increasing in popularity and its many advocates say that it reduces injury rates amongst runners and it promotes a more natural running pattern, which modern running shoes have altered. In today’s cushioned shoes, most of us have evolved to run with a heel strike – that is the heel hits the ground first.
But before running shoes, this would have been painful and so our predecessors ran with a more mid- foot strike. Whilst I didn’t go the whole hog and start running barefoot, I have adapted the way that I run to land more on my mid and forefoot than on my heel! No calf pain or tightness! Running with a mid foot strike alters the biomechanics of your running cycle, shortens your. It is important however, to avoid landing on just the forefoot alone as this will increase the load on the calf muscles and achilles. If you run entirely on your toes this could actually further increase calf tightness! Try to imagine landing with the foot flat on the ground.
In the majority of people this results in the impact being on the midfoot and then the heel. Also bear in mind that this is different for your body and so as with anything new, you need to build up slowly. Again you may experience some increased calf aching initially.
It is measured in millilitres per kilogramme of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min). As you increase your effort when you exercise, the amount of oxygen you consume to produce energy (and hence the rate at which you exhale carbon dioxide) increases. However, there is a maximum level of oxygen consumption, beyond which increases in exercise intensity don’t lead to further increases in oxygen consumption. Other sports scientists argue that the limits to an athlete’s running performance are determined by a range of factors – such as adaptation of muscles, running efficiency, metabolism – and that VO2 max is simply a measure of the oxygen that the athlete consumes at the maximum level of energy output. On this view, which I find persuasive, VO2 max is not the critical factor which determines maximum performance, but is rather a consequence of a combination of other limiting factors.
Whichever way you look at it there is a measurable level of exercise intensity at which the athlete’s consumption of oxygen reaches a plateau and does not increasefurther. How do I measure VO2 max? You can measure VO2 max by: How do I compare with the general population? Female (ml/kg/min).
You can run using anaerobic metabolism(that means, without using oxygen) for short periods of time; so sprintersrun faster than their v. VO2. The following equation (estimated by me) is used to estimate v. VO2 from VO2max: v. VO2 (metres per second) = 2.
VO2- 2. 9)How much can I increase my VO2 max? Your VO2 max is to a large extent determined by your genes; but it can beincreased by training. Most people can increase their VO2 max by between 5%and 2. How do you estimate VO2 max from race results? The formula used in the calculation is taken from Daniels & Gilbert (seereferences): VO2 Max=(- 4. Note that velocity is in metres per minute; and time is in minutes. What is the VO2 max of elite athletes?
Here is a sample of measured VO2 max for selected athletes.