IF YOUR MOTIVATION YOURMOJO? FOR TRAINING HAS DIPPED THEN CHRISSIE WELLINGTON HAS TIPS TO GET YOU BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK
IT IS RARE to find someone whose enthusiasm doesn’t wane occasionally. If you find yourself in a bit of a motivational hole there are many things you can do. For example, a reliable training partner can provide encouragement – while wet-blankets and naysayers are best ignored, or avoided altogether.
Clubs are great places to meet like-minded people and can offer a cocoon of advice, support and encouragement and are open to people of all abilities, from the novice to the elite. Or perhaps you could head down to your local park run event so you can be part of a wider, supportive local community, instead of exercising on your own.
Remember, too, that your own mind is incredibly powerful. I realised this during my time in Nepal, and specifically when I cycled 1200km across the Himalayas – encountering the biggest highs (literally – Everest Base Camp at 15,000ft!) and lows in the form of snow storms, sand storms, horrendous wind and sickness. I developed a huge amount of physical strength while cycling there. But while this physical strength can be transient and sometimes lost, I believe that the mental strength from encountering and overcoming challenges and hurdles always stays with you.
By that I mean that you carry with you, deep inside, the knowledge that you have faced your fears and conquered challenges, and with that brings confidence, peace of mind and self-belief that you can meet whatever challenges may face you in the future, during training, racing and otherwise.
Denne historien er fra December 14, 2017-utgaven av Athletics Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra December 14, 2017-utgaven av Athletics Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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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.
What's in a shoe?
We bust some of the jargon around footwear
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