JEMMA REEKIE understandably stole all the headlines when she beat training partner Laura Muir over 800m at the Emirates Arena and broke Jenny Meadows’ British indoor record in the process at the beginning the month.
Just like the top two, however, the athlete finishing in third place had never run quicker over the distance indoors.
Adelle Tracey admits she had, first and foremost, been delighted simply to arrive on the start line of a race feeling happy and healthy. Her journey to Glasgow had not been straightforward – and not just because her bags had been lost on the way home to Twickenham from a training camp in Kenya 24 hours before she then jumped on another plane to Scotland.
It had been her first track appearance since August and, in truth, the 26-year-old admits she should have closed her 2019 season down much sooner than when she finished seventh at the British Championships in Birmingham.
Various injury and illness problems, coupled with a run of plain old bad luck, had resulted in a year to forget for Tracey as the progress of 2018 which had brought the British indoor title and a fourth place in the European Championships final was halted.
Fuelled by the enjoyment of what she does and aware that feeling was being lost, she eventually stopped and gave her body the chance to heal. The comeback began with a parkrun or two, while an 18th place finish at the British Athletics Cross Challenge at Liverpool in November confirmed growing endurance strength ahead of what was a positive training stint in Africa.
Opening 2020 with an indoor PB of 2:00.23 still came of something of a surprise, however.
Denne historien er fra February 13, 2020-utgaven av Athletics Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra February 13, 2020-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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English Schools Survival At Stake
Covid-19 could lead to ESAA losing thousands this summer
Covid-19: Athletics Events Are Wiped Out
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