WHILE the physical demands of being an athlete are numerous, with brutal track sessions and hours in the weights room to overcome, the mental side of the sport is something often underappreciated until it affects you.
For Markhim Lonsdale, 2019 has been about fighting psychological battles which have kept him away from the track. An undeniably talented 800m runner, Lonsdale made the final of the World Under-20 Championships in Tampere in 2018, so naturally he expected his upward trajectory to continue this season.
Due to a knee injury hampering his winter training, his outdoor campaign began late. Given his disrupted winter, outsiders would consider 1:49.72 a respectable performance (his PB of 1:46.97 was set when he was 18). However, it left the Crook & District athlete with gnawing feelings of self-doubt.
“It got way on top of me to the point where I didn’t see myself improving although training was going well,” he says. “I went into every race not wanting to be on the start line as I just didn’t believe in myself anymore. I slowly felt very sad and depressed.”
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 21, 2019-Ausgabe von Athletics Weekly.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der November 21, 2019-Ausgabe von Athletics Weekly.
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Carbon Footprint
You'd have had to have been running on a different planet to miss all the recent debate about carbon-plated shoes. The talk of bans and performance enhancement has been so widespread that even non-runners are asking their running friends about the potentially magical footwear.
Trail time
WHEN looking for a trail or off-road running shoe, it’s often all about the grip. However, given that no two paths are the same, careful consideration is required. What’s the terrain like where you’ll wear the shoes the most? If you’ll be negotiating soft, wet and muddy conditions then look for deeper lugs. For tackling gravel tracks and forest trails then more evenly spaced lugs will work better. When it comes to cushioning, consider how hard the ground will be; if it’s soft then you’ll be fine in low-profile shoes, but on those firmer tracks reasonable cushioning will be called for.
Stay neutral
EVOLVING every year, if not month, neutral cushioned shoes are seeing developments in cushioning materials and dynamics at a pace which is nothing short of astonishing. The latest models feature new polymers in the midsoles to give them a cushioned feel while at the same time keeping their weight to a minimum. Give them a spin and choose the most comfortable for mile after mile of shock absorbing running.
Support network
WHEN it comes to ‘over-pronation’, a common question is ‘how much is over?’. With no hard and fast rules, it’s best to choose a shoe that instinctively feels right. Gait analysis can often assist in helping you make this choice and your specialist running store is always a good place to start if in doubt. To help you make that choice, here’s a selection of some of the best ‘support’ shoes around.
Need for speed
THE racing shoe segment of the market is becoming somewhat split. This is partially due to the rise of carbon-plated footwear but also the fact that many shoes are becoming much lighter. Here we take a look at some of the leading contenders to toe the line in.
Gadget show
WITH technological products to enhance every area of life, running is now no different. From headphones to treadmills, the devices to aid performance and recovery are endless. Here we take a look at some of the latest gadgets and gizmos to enhance your training.
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