…but can you DO Easter without chocolate? Well yes you can, which if you are trying to cut down on your sugar intake must be welcome news.

The key to Easter is eggs. It’s the symbol of a new beginning and a new life.  But they don’t have to be made from or filled with chocolate. Anyone remember colouring hard boiled eggs as a child? I do – if you are going for an Easter picnic that would certainly add an injection of colour. Forgotten how? Well you could try this method.

There are a whole host of customs associated with eggs at Easter – Project Britain has some interesting examples. How about holding an egg rolling competition?

You could bake a Simnel Cake (if you are making it yourself, you can control what goes into it, especially the sweetness). As with most traditions there are many variations across the country but as Mary Berry is the Queen of cakes you can find one of her versions here. If you really want to go sugar free you could start here.

If you must have chocolate, the best way to make it as low sugar as you can is to go as dark as you can. 85% cocoa solids chocolate from Lindt puts the sugar content down to 11%. (Milk chocolate could be  over 50% sugar.) Get melting and make your own treats with your favourite! Lakeland has some great gear to help.

If you’d rather not follow the food route to enjoyment, try your local craft shop for a wide range of eggy ideas to cross your path. If the weather decides to intervene and discourage outdoor actitivies, these could keep you amused indoors for hours.

However you choose to celebrate Easter, enjoy!

Smart ideas for rest days

Having convinced yourself that your rest days are worth honouring, what to do on a day you are not running? After all, you want to make even the down time count, right? Well you could try…

• Take a long walk – take the dog, take the kids, borrow one or the other or just take yourself off for a hike. Active recovery is by far the most effecting and hiking fits the bill perfectly. It is a great low intensity, moving activity that will help release some of the stiffness generated by running.
• Go do something really different – get yourself to the climbing wall, take to the pool, jump on the bike. Any activity that keeps your body moving but in a different way to your running will aid your recovery. That said, a 100 mile bike ride might be pushing that boundary a touch too far.
• Go yogi – make the most of the opportunity to get a good stretch, a yoga session or some pilates. They will all contribute to your overall conditioning and increase the ability of the soft tissues to cope with the stresses and strains that you accumulate through training.
• Volunteer at a race – well none of them happen without a team of voluteers and the atmosphere on the support side of the equation can be as invigorating and inspiring as actually running. It’s great mental reset.
• Get a massage – following a hard running day or a following a signigicant block of training, a massage is a great way to assist your recovery. You’ll feel the benefit in both mind and body and it will help to mobilise your lymphatic system (which needs muscle movement to circulate the lymph). If you schedule one on the day before a hard run or a race, let your therapist know so the massage can be devised accordingly.

Keep eating well and drinking your fluids so you are well prepared to step back into the next stage of the training programme and you should find you are running stronger in both mind and body. Go team you!

Training for spring marathons is reaching that critical station. The long runs are reaching their peak just as the days are getting longer. It might be tempting to skip on the rest days, to make the most of your increasing fitness. You’ll be missing a trick.

Most training plans work on the basis of progressive overload. Rest days are scheduled into the programme to enable the body to capitalise on the gradual increase in the effort. Recovery days are when the body deals with the metabolic consequences of your training efforts. This includes managing the inflammation and fibre damage within the muscle tissue and enabling the immune system to maintain its operational capacity.

Whilst taking some downtime may feel completely against the grain, it is the time that your training gains are consolidated, l time to reduce the effects of stress that the training sessions have generated. In the grand scheme of things, recovery days improve the overall quality of the programme overall.

This is especially the case if you have a niggling ache or pain that you have tried to pass off as nothing to worry about. Taking a rest day when you are feeling slightly run down could prevent something developing into a much more serious situation that would need far more down time to rectify.

Why you need those rest days…

Muscles take a pounding when running – that’s obvious. As you progress through each training block in your plan, you will be accumulating inflammation and cellular damage both of which reduce your capacity to generate power and stamina. Pile further training on top and you will notice a point at which your performance falls away. Beyond this point, you are into overtraining territory – in fact, further training will be counterproductive. Acknowledging the rest days in your programme and giving yourself permission to take them will allow your body to capitalise on your training effort and enable you to train again, stronger than before.

Even if you don’t feel sore, the cellular damage that training wreaks on your body will still be present in your system. The markers of skeletal and cardiac tissue damage will be present in the blood stream; this is what you body’s lymphatic and other waste processing systems are designed to handle. Continuing to heap further need on those systems by not taking those rest days where indicated, will only backfire, particularly as they are also integral to you immune system.

By overloading the lymphatic system, the capacity of this key component of your immune system to perform all it’s roles becomes compromised. This leads to one of the key indicators of overtraining, the common cold or similar viral infection. Suddenly a skipped rest day has turned into a far longer layoff.

So let yourself take those rest days. They are as important as your training days in the overall scheme of things. What to do on a rest day? That’s the next post.

… Run Clothing

Choosing what to wear for running can be extremely easy or as troublesome as any wardrobe moment. It’s up to you and, as with most things, can be as complicated or straightforward as you care to make it. There are some points to bear in mind.

Fabric

Avoid anything cotton for running. No matter the season, cotton is not your friend when it comes to running. It holds moisture (ie sweat), clings like a limpet and chafes like crazy. (The effect of wet cotton t-shirts on nipples has to been seen to be bellieved. The consequences are only fully appreciated in the shower later.)

Wet clothing is extremely chilling if you have to stop running or slow down. Cotton dries very slowly and so contributes to even more rapid chilling. Even if the cotton layer is well away from your skin, its ability to extract heat from you remains powerful.

Let’s avoid cotton. And yes that applies to your underwear as well.

Wicking fabrics like wool or polyester will serve you much better and keep you smiling much longer. (Yes you will be smiling I promise!) Wool retains its warming powers even when damp. Polyester fabrics don’t hold onto the moisture and so remain warmer longer.

Upper body

As we are talking about starting a programme in January, you may need a long sleeve top until the weather warms up. Depending on where you are in the country, you may need a heavy and a mid-weight slong sleeved top to cope with winter. A good rule of thumb is to dress like it’s 15 to 20 degrees warmer than it actually is. As you are standing around at the start of a session, you should feel somewhat uncomfortable. If you are quite happy standing in the car park, you will be overheating on your run.

If it is a breezy, a windproof jacket will make quite a difference – if it is raining reasonably hard, upgrade to a lightweight waterproof instead. The more you can keep dry and out of the wind, the warmer you will feel.

Lower body

On you lower body, you have a choice shorts, ¾ or full length tights as you prefer/as the weather dictates. Avoid “bottoms” that have seams through the crotch if you can – chafing in that area is never a good thing. This is another aspect of wardrobe malfunction that is only revealed in the post run shower.

Many cheaper leggings or those designed for non-running activities can be constructed with a seam in this area so it is worth inspection. Initially you will probably get away with such garments on the very short runs, but as you progress, running specific bottoms will be more comfortable.

Accessories

If it is really cold or you tend to get cold hands for any reason, a pair of gloves may keep your fingers from turning to a bunch of bananas (or worse) during your runs. If you really suffer with cold hands/Reynauds, mitts are warmer than gloves and ensuring that your wrists are kept warm will help. Wrist warmers are helpful here (although you may find they interfer with your watch if you are using one).

If you are likely to be running in the dark, some reflective gear (e.g. a vest) and a headtorch will also be advisable. Fluo colours are great in day light but after dark, reflective is by far the most effective. It is possible to get jackets that are reflective in a 360 degree arc; no excuse for not being seen wearing one of those.

A hat will help keep heat in your body when the air is very cold. If you run with a hot head, a head band that will keep your ears out of the cold can be very useful. Neck tubes like Buffs are multifunctional but you may need several if the conditions are likely to deteriorate. They are especially useful for keeping your neck warm – one of the key areas to keep covered to keep warmth in the body.

Shopping

If you don’t want to spend a fortune on run clothing there are plenty of good value retailers both on the high street and online. Running is particularly well served by smaller local retailers and they are always worth seeking out. But even Aldi and Lidl will have running weeks which are worth keeping an eye out for.

Above all, whatever you choose to wear, you need to ensure that you are comfortable before and especially during your run. It mkes the difference between a good run and a ruined run.

Whatever happens, AVOID COTTON! (I may have mentioned that before.)

…sports bras.

Now then, for us ladies, this is potentially more important than any other item of clothing. If it wasn’t for the universality of shoes and socks, it would have been the first post in this series.

It is great to see so many people, especially us girls, getting up and running. Being a bit of an empath, I come over all pained on behalf of any lady I see running who clearly has not got the girls under control; I feel your pain in sympathy. It is not necessary to endure the discomfort of inadequately supported boobs. So please, please take some time to investigate your options.

Why wear a sports bra when running?

Your body moves in many different directions when you exercise. As your breasts do not contain any muscle or other structural tissue, they move too. That movement is driven by your upper body but your breasts move in their own pattern. Controlling that movement is the goal of your sports bra (and any other support clothing). Achieving that control can reduce your discomfort and, in some cases, pain.

A good, well fitted sports bra will:

• Reduce bounce (by up to 80%)
• Keep your Coopers Ligaments in good shape (these hold your boobs up; let them go and your boobs will only head south)
• Reduce the chance of neck strain

The bigger the breast the greater the demands placed upon the sports bra. However, the loads exerted by larger breasts upon the rest of the upper body also increase. Any increase in load in front of you (be that carrying a heavy box or bigger boobs) stresses the muscles down the back of the body that work hard to keep your posture upright. Add the forces generated by running and you will want to keep as much control over this particular part of your body.

What makes a sports bra?

Your average, everyday bra is not going to cut the mustard when you start pounding the streets and trails. A good sports bra has:

• Wider straps for security; this will disperse weight and be more comfortable compared to narrow straps. They should stretch only a little to reduce up and down movement. Ideally they should not dig in or slip off
• A supportive band to give the bra a solid foundation. It should be snug but not too tight; the wider the band the more support than a narrow band.
• Moisture wicking fabric; as with all running kit, cotton is not your friend. Wicking fabrics will more moisture away from the skin making you more comfortable. However, the more supportive the bra, the less wicking it may be due to the more sturdy construction.
• Fuller cup coverage to fully enclose and centre the breast. Wrinkles or creases in the fabric may indicate the cup size is too big. Breast tissue over spilling the cup indicates either the cup size is too small, or the design isn’t the right one for you.

Trying on

There are many designs available. Some require a degree of contortionism to get on. Others have some amazing fabrics. Which to choose? That is a matter for personal preference but there are a few key watchpoints to bear in mind.

• Band – should be slightly more close-fitting than an everyday bra but not so tight that it restricts breathing!
• Chafing – the armholes, shoulder straps and any seams should be checked for potential chaffing. Any hooks or adjusters should also be checked.
• Straps – should be secure and comfortable. Too tight and they will dig in, too loose and they will not support enough, may move or even slip off.
• Support – run or jump in place with the bra on. The breasts should feel secure and supported. If it feels like they are moving up and down or side-to-side more than you would like, try another size or an alternative design.

A great place to start would be Boobydoo. They have a very wide range for all shapes and sizes alongside some great advice about your sports need, sizing, fitting and putting them on. Bravissimo has some fantastic designs for larger breasts

There are plenty of other retailers from running/sports shops to lingerie specialists – it really is a case of try before you buy.

But please, DO GET A DECENT, SUPPORTIVE SPORTS BRA TO RUN IN.

part 1 …the feet.

If you have decided to start a couch to 5k programme as part of your New Year’s resolutions, congratulations! It’s a great way to introduce yourself to running in a gentle and structured way. But we need to have a chat. Rather than bombard you with everything at once, let’s break it down over a number of posts.

First, let’s talk feet, starting with shoes.

You might get away for the first couple of weeks with your old trainers that you have dragged out of the cupboard under the stairs, but very soon you will realise that it is worth investing in a pair of dedicated running shoes. There is no short answer to the “best running shoe” question except to say, the one that suits you best. Going to a store that can assess your body type, running style and gait is the best way to assess which shoe is best for you. If they have video analysis you should be able to see how different shoes perform when you run in them; there is often quite a difference.

If you are running with a group, ask around for some pointers to local sources. Personal recommendation is always a great place to start and smaller retailers often provide a very high quality service that major chains can’t necessarily match. Be ready to invest some time in your decision – you’ll be wearing your purchase for a while and in some conditions you might not have anticipated.

While we are talking feet, let’s not forget socks.

Socks are an often over looked topic but are crucial to keeping your feet comfortable. There is golden rule in all running clothing: COTTON IS NOT YOUR FRIEND.  This rule applies here too. Cotton socks will get damp and chill your feet more efficiently than anything else. Cold feet are thoroughly unpleasant and are to be prevented at all costs. Wool or synthetic socks are going to be your friends. They will cushion your foot in the shoe whilest at the same time, wicking perspiration and any other water present away from your skin. But whatever happens avoid cotton!

There are plenty of sock choices too – again, what suits you best is down to you, your experience and your preferences. Trial and error with narrow your search down!

Next up – Sports Bras.

It’s the time of year to look back on what 2018 has delivered and to plan ahead to what should be done in 2019. This isn’t something I normally do, but last year was quite a year so here goes.

In 2017 I took courage in my convictions that I wanted to return to life in the north. In a familiar pattern,  I had moved south to work many moons ago; I stayed there far longer than I ever anticipated. I changed jobs, changed career, ran, biked, swam, loved, lost and came out the other side. All the while, in the back of my mind was a smouldering ember, a desire to return to my roots; not back to where it all began but forward to a new location back in the north. It was time to stoke the fire.

So it was that on Jan 2, 2018 I set off for Ingleton with a vague idea that there might be a room available in the iCentre (I’d seen one in August 2017 but couldn’t commit to at that point), with a van load of kit (just in case it came to fruition – positive thinking must be the way forward) and a couple of facebook contacts. There followed bike rides, cake, coffee and talking about bikes, staircases (carrying the so-called portable couch) and some of the most wonderful people you could hope to meet.

By the end of that first week, I had treated my first patients and watched one of them head off onto the Spine race. This told me I was working with my kind of people; slightly bonkers and with a thirst for action. By the end of January I had my clinic room, a base to work from at long last. My love affair with the M6 was developing as only travelling that particular thoroughfare can; love/hate to say the least. (I love my toll tag though. Sailing through the toll booths, past all those that screamed up and passed me on the approach. Small things give great happiness.)

The pattern continued all year – up here one week, down there the next. I’m still yo-yo-ing up and down the country, cheering each time I cross the Thelwall viaduct coming north, trying not to think about it too much as I join the roadworks just after the Thelwall viaduct going south. I am loving riding and running up here – making the most of not driving between appoitnments as is necessary in the south.

Chris Shipley ran the enire coast of Britain in just under 6 months. A new rucsac was delivered in Carlisle. http://www.chriscoastrun.co.uk

I’ve massaged many crazy souls that found themselves passing through the Yorkshire Dales, either riding John O’Groats to Land’s End or circumnavigating the county of Yorkshire. I’ve delivered emergency gear upgrades to someone running the entire coast of Britain. I’ve surprised orienteering friends by turning up at the right place at the right time and then rescuing kit left behind because the cafe fare was just so good.

Meeting the locals on the trail

I took a gamble when I applied to join the Yorkshire Ramblers Club trek to Nepal in October. A month away when trying to establish a new business may have been foolhardy but that opportunity wasn’t likely to come round again any time soon; when you see a chance, you have to take it. Hence I was away in the far east of that beautiful country on the trails to the two base camps for Kanchenjunga, following in the footsteps of my father nearly 30 years earlier. Little did I realise before I left just how beneficial the experieince was to me in ways I could not have anticipated. Nepal and the Nepali people do that to you, by all accounts.

At the turn of the year, the cycle has started again. I’m up in Ingleton for the first working week of the year. I will be back down south at the weekend. Who knows what the future brings but I’m sure it will be increasingly Yorkshire focussed.

Here’s to a healthy, happy and successful 2019!

Dry socks after a rather wet cycling session. Dry shoes are a bonus too. Summer has reverted to its more normal weather pattern. Been chasing youngsters around the buggy track at Bentham golf course as a loosener after circuits this morning. R’n R now. #smartwoolrocks #earnedmyhotchocolate

If Wimbledon has whet your appetite and seen you reaching for the racquet sitting in the corner, good on you! I’m all about keeping active people active and you’ve taken the first step.

Tennis is one of the most popular sports throughout the world, with approximately 75 million participants worldwide. It is a sport that you can play at every age and at every level. Children can start playing from the age of 4, using softer, slower balls and smaller rackets on modified courts to make the game easier and more fun, gradually progressing to regular rackets, balls and courts.

Older players can start the sport at any age and can continue playing all their life. Whether you are looking for the competitive club league tennis or a more social game amongst friends, tennis is an excellent sport with loads of health benefits.

As you’re undoubtedly already aware, regular physical activity has been proven to deliver many benefits including reducing the risk of suffering from heart disease, diabetes, many cancers, dementia, Alzheimer’s, depression, ageing, osteoporosis and musculoskeletal disorders like back pain, and arthritis. Tennis is a fun and social (as well as competitive) way to add to your weekly activity goals.

Here are some other benefits of participating in regular activities like tennis.

1.       Increased brain power

From alertness to tactical thinking, tennis enhances the neural connections in your brain. Kids who play tennis regularly get better grades at school.

2.      Better hand–eye coordination

Playing tennis involves regular skills that all contribute to good hand–eye coordination. You can improve your agility, balance, coordination, reaction time and more. This can benefit you in injury prevention where improved balance and agility can help protect against rolling an ankle or tripping and falling often resulting in sprains or Colles fracture of the wrist or worse a hip fracture in older age.

3.       Reduced stress

Tennis involves physical, mental, social and emotional challenges, which increase your capacity to deal with stress. Or simply running around smashing some balls may help you to blow off some stress too!

4.      Strong heart

Compared with other sports, tennis players have the lowest incidence of cardiovascular disease. Playing just 3 hours a week will reduce your risk of heart disease by 56%.

5.      Higher fitness levels

Playing tennis on a regular basis (2–3 times/week), either singles or doubles, meets the global exercise recommendations and leads to increased fitness levels. Tennis is an excellent interval training technique – running, stopping, burst of activity then rest between points or games (which elevates and then lowers heart rate repeatedly through a match) which is proven to be hugely beneficial in improving fitness levels and in cardiovascular conditioning too. The effect is not only seen in elite players but with recreational tennis too.

6.      Leaner body

Tennis is an excellent and fun way to burn calories and lose weight. An hour of singles play can burn 580–870 calories. A lower body weight has immense benefits in preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases including diabetes, and a lighter frame will reduce loading on your back and joints reducing joint pain and possible arthritis in older age.

7.       Strong bones

Playing tennis on a regular basis leads to stronger, healthier bones. This effect is strongest in those who play tennis from an early age, but even if you start playing tennis later in life you can benefit from the positive effect on your bones. This is applicable to both women and men combating the development of osteoporosis a.k.a. brittle bones with ageing.

8.      Strong leg muscles

Playing tennis strengthens your leg muscles, which helps maintain your mobility and independence in old age.

The Secret is Staying Injury Free

But these health benefits won’t be very fruitful is you are sitting side-lined because of injuries and while some injuries are quick to repair, others can take a couple of weeks and others may be more stubborn, taking 6 weeks or more. What’s more frustrating, and unfortunately very common, is the risk of re-injury. One of the greatest risk factors for an ankle sprain or a muscle strain (tear) is having suffered from a previous sprain or strain.

So if you’ve suffered from a tennis injury in the past, you can download our free injury prevention leaflets by clicking here.

Nearly 2/3rds of tennis injuries are chronic overuse injuries, many of which are caused by poor technique, incorrect equipment use and lack of physical conditioning.

Acute injuries, like an ankle sprain or calf strain, although sudden and unpredictable can also be prevented with adequate preparation and appropriate conditioning. Download the leaflets here for more information on how to prevent common tennis injuries and stay in the game longer!

If you need further help, drop me a line and let’s see if we can help keep you active for longer.

Enjoy!

Becca

It’s not just about the sports massage and fixing out of sorts bodies. Sometimes it’s about jumping in the van and re-equipping active people with gear so they can keep going. Today’s mission : meet Chris Shipway in Carlisle to handover a replacement rucsac.

He started running in February and is aiming to circumnavigate Britain’s coast, self supported. http://www.chriscoastrun.co.uk or find him on Facebook

Mission accomplished! Here’s hoping it’s good for the next 4500kms.

By the way, he is loving his Osprey packs.

Go Chris! You are looking in really good shape. Let’s see if we can get some more bods catching up with you.