It’s race day morning which means I can write about race day rituals such as breakfast options, toilet habits and shoe choices. There’s lots of them.

But I’m going to strip it all back to basics and talk about the virtues of the safety pin.

If you are running an organised race the chances are it’s been advertised as a ‘chipped’ race which means your time will be tracked from your race bib via some clever GPS technology. The race bib also has your race number on it, possibly your name and maybe even the size of a finishers tee shirt ( if that’s part of the goodies on offer at the finish.

And now the tricky decisions begin – how to attach your race bib to your person. Many race organisers supply you with safety pins for this purpose, and for beginners this reduces race day stress a little by removing one (of many) key decisions you’ll be expected to make.

However, if you just purchased a new ‘go faster’ running vest do you really want to pierce the garment and leave tiny little holes in your top. Probably not.

So Ive gone off in search of better solutions.

I’ve tried press studs – they tend to ‘un-press’ too easily as it’s damn hard to press through your shirt and your race bib without destroying your thumbs.

I’ve tried magnets – but they tend to stick to anything and any one and I’ve found that after a quick ‘hello hug’ I’m a magnet down with a flappy bib.

So after trial and many errors I’m back with the safety pins – keeping it simple. Ideally with 4 safety pins in each corner but solid options exist for 3 pins, and it’s also possible to get to away with just 2 without too much flap.

Decisions don’t end there on race day because where is the best place to pin your bib. The obvious choice says chest ( and 90% of runners go for this option) because it’s how the race day photographers capture your efforts.

Some cool kids go for on your shorts. I quite like this ( but I’m now wearing shorts that are more expensive than my tops and it’s back to the pin hole problem). And finally, and very rarely, you may see a bib pinned on the back. This option needs careful planning as it cannot be a last minute thing, waiting on the start line, unless you have very long arms and can contort your body through 180 degrees.

So there you have it – who would’ve thought a simple safety pin could hold the key to a successful race day.

Cool Runnings

Alan

It’s Saturday morning . It’s not even 6am so I guess I’m gonna have to write about parkrun each week on this day ( especially as I vlog about my parkrun adventures too – check out The Essex Plodder on YouTube).

It’s fair to say that over the last few months I’ve had a love / hate relationship with parkrun. Towards the back of 2022 I feel out of love with running. But parkrun each week kept me running and for that I’m grateful.

Since then I’ve worked hard to be consistent and found other ways to enjoy running, for example, every run is an opportunity to learn by listening to some of my favourite podcasts.

But now come Saturday the tension and anxiety returns. Stupid I know because parkrun is not a race but parkrun, in my early days of running, was a measure of my progress. First sub 30 mins, first top 100 finish, new course record , etc, etc.

And in the last few months, as I’ve tried to ‘get back on the horse’ parkrun has been an opportunity to again measure that progress.

However, this time those little wins seem few and far between, and getting to the end of 5K has become a mental battle. All those previous successes now feel like a mill stone when I can’t quite hit the time and or deliver against expectations. Maybe it’s Father Time, maybe it’s the effects of covid ( and running a marathon 10 days after testing positive), maybe it’s none of those things. But too me the result matters and I know that’s not how to view things.

Please don’t get me wrong. The last 12 months or so have been an absolute parkrun blast. I’ve visited nearly 60 different locations, travelled and run parkrun in 5 other countries, ‘invented’ extreme parkrun and most importantly of all, made new running friends. So using The Balanced Scorecard approach, parkrun has been and will continue to be a huge positive in my life.

And it’s a cliche but so true, you know your a runner when you get up earlier on a Saturday than you do for work.

Time to find that postcode, Thames Pathway Parkrun here I come.

Cool Runnings

Alan

If you run you are a runner. If you walk you are a runner. It’s not the act of actually running that makes you a runner – it’s attitude, it’s action, it’s accountability.

I’m sure lots of us have come across runners and running clubs where your actual mile per minute pace labels you as either a runner or a non-runner.

8 minute miles seems to be the cut off 🤣

Anything slower and your a shuffler, verging on a non-runner. And to be honest if you aspire to be in that club good luck to you. I’m not seeking to denigrate faster runners, it’s probably in your DNA or your genes or something.

But a lot of BS is written, especially in ‘marathon season’ about whether it’s ok to walk. Worse still , have you really run a marathon if you stopped to walk in places. And I say how ridiculous is that kind of statement.

In an age of obesity, Type 2 diabetes in the young and modern conveniences taking all the hard work out of life, let’s celebrate everyone that takes action.

THIS is why I love parkrun. It is a celebration of action, it’s a celebration of community. Run it , walk it , skip it – who cares!

Your welcome 🤣

Cool Runnings

Alan

Wow, that looks good – only 2 years and 269 days to go..

It’s Mental Health Awareness week here in the UK. So let’s discusss the benefits of running naked.

No, not that kind of naked. I mean ‘tech free’. If you’re like me data, metrics and ratios are the fruits of your daily labour. A 30 minute run can produce enough numbers to fill up the rest of your day with analysis.

When those numbers look good that can be truly satisfying. But if you’re like me and you have rubbish runs too, that same data can drive anxiety.

Why was I slower today? Why was my heart rate faster? Why did my relative effort seem too high?

But why does that matter?

Being outside, topping up your vitamin D, experiencing nature, and just being on your feet and moving sometimes is just enough. Let your brain produce and consume those ‘happy hormones’. It will feel good and you won’t be worrying about your average mile pace.

Try it and tell me what you think.

Cool Runnings

Alan

Good start I’m back for day 2. Now the pressure of what to write. Socks, gotta be about socks.

Running is not a cheap sport despite what commentators may say. It starts with new trainers and ends up with the six world majors and a flight itinerary that beggars belief.

So if you take just one piece of advice from this blog (hopefully across 1001 posts there may be a few nuggets) it is to invest in some decent socks. Supermarket sports socks have there place but not on a 12 mile long slow run in the middle of summer.

Compression if you can because it’s all about the blood flow. Your bank account will not thank you but your toes will.

Bright, bold color ways are a must. For us male runners who have the choice of black or blue for our running shorts, the choice of socks is an area where we can express our emotions and creativity.

If it helps the brand CEP are a favorite – expensive but never let me down.

Cool Runnings

Alan

So I’ve tried writing carefully crafted, thoughtful pieces that engage thought and discussion. The problem with this approach is that it requires thought and discussion from me.

I’m also inherently lazy and the idea of crafting 500 words or more is just the reason to procrastinate. Hence my blog posts have been few and far between.

So time to try a different approach.

This time a short daily post. Aimed at providing simple advice. Consistent, every day and effortless ( I hope).

So here goes.

Parkrun is your friend. It connects you, it engages you, it fulfils you and it means you’ve been awesome all before 10am on a Saturday morning.

Look up your nearest parkrun at http://www.parkrun.org and be bold and head to the park ready for your ‘first timers’ briefing. Not too many rules – basically follow the person in front. And don’t take home the finisher tokens.

Run, enjoy and join thousands of disciples – because you will get hooked. Parkrun tourism is a post for another day.

Cool Runnings

Alan

I’ve just booked my airport parking which can only mean one thing. I’m off for another round of international parkrun.

Tourism normally invokes thoughts and images of exotic travel. And this weekend I will travel to a new country ( albeit for barely 36 hours). But more importantly this kind of tourism is all about the parkrun. Nearly 40 parkruns in total and counting as we reach the month of December. And it all started on the salt flats of Maldon, Essex on a cold and misty January morning.

2023 has all been about a spot of tourism. Not your usual sort of tourism – no airport lounges, interesting food choices, or long bus journeys across windswept tundra.

11 months on and parkrun ( which is a free 5k run on a Saturday morning) has taken me to new places, to meet new faces, all sharing the same experience of running for fun.

I’ve yet to tot up the total miles travelled in pursuit of the alphabet challenge, becoming a Bee Gee, nailing stopwatch bingo and making progress against Namely. But every Saturday when the alarm goes off ( the earliest being 1.30am) I know I’m about to embark on a little adventure.

It’s not David Attenborough stylee but finding the car park, searching for the toilets and sniffing out the post run coffee are the simple joys that make parkrun tourism so enjoyable.

It’s not about your best performances, instead it’s about finding your tribe and being part of the community – even if that’s only for 30 minutes ( give or take a few).

So why is parkrun tourism so compelling.

Because it’s about the people first and foremost. It’s about exploring new towns and villages you would not normally consider worthy of a visit. It’s about the anticipation of the parkrun ‘ping’ ( this is how you get your weekly result).

I’ve been lucky enough to run in some awesome places across Europe and American and if that all has to end because of age or injury I know I can still look forward to my Saturday mornings and the chance to grab first place in my age category.

Long live parkrun – we love you more than you know.

So theory goes to grow you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. And as a PT professionally I’m helping my clients do just that.

However, personally it can be too easy to ignore my own advice – repeat the same run at the same pace, lift the same weights with the same reps.

So I’ve done something stupid/brave/dumb/challenging/life-changing *delete as appropriate. Until last week I didn’t really know what competitive fitness was but I do now.

And the reason is because I went and signed up to take part in my first HYROX race. A race where you run and then do some burpees, you run and then throw a ball against a wall (100 times), you run and then do some squats and about 90 minutes later you die a sweaty mess.

As an experienced runner and running coach I know strength training will make you a faster, more efficient runner. And guess what? I don’t do enough strength training. So after an autumn race calendar where I under-performed it felt right that I needed to do something different.

Remember Einstein’s theory of madness – keep doing the same things and expect different results. I definitely ticked the madness box.

In five months time I will join several thousand other athletes ‘compete’ to prove how fit I am. I describe it loosely as competing because I just want to finish ( and hope no one else in my age category even enters to get an age-related podium finish)

In reality the real aim is to be more consistent in my training, to measure success differently , and to make new friends in a new sport.

I’ve no idea how to go about scoping and planning my training. I’ve no idea how to balance more intense training with life. I’ve no idea whether I will be able to cope with running less and lifting more. I’ve no idea what shorts to wear…. okay this last point is probably not a dealbreaker but if you look sharp it may help impress the judges with my sled push.

I’m nervous and excited in equal measures. But most importantly I will be out of my comfort zone. So I’m going to try and document this journey in writing and visually so I can share the highs and lows, the bumps and barriers , the tears of joy and frustration, and see how I grow in the process.

So watch this space. Just please don’t judge me on my pathetic number of burpees ( for now).

So that’s the long BH weekend done and dusted and packed away until August. Since January my focus has been on churning out those training miles for 2 marathons a month apart so this weekend it was nice to do it all a bit differently ( although it still involved road trips and races 🤣🤦🏻🤣).

First up – a shorter race , the awesome Hatfield Broad Oak 10k . This was one of my first ever races and remains a firm favourite. It’s a picturesque course , just enough of a challenge and a great race day atmosphere becuase it is embedded into the community.

Next up a park run – nothing unusual there. But this weekend ie Jubilee meant a drive to Hampshire Queen Elizabeth Country Park. This year has all been about parkrun tourism , leaving PBs and age ratings at home, and instead getting out and visiting new places and new experiences (but always with post run coffee☕️).

And then on Sunday a brand new experience as shadow Race Director at the Medway 10k. Course set up, traffic marshalling, cheer squad duties and everything else that goes on to make local races happen. I love being able to give something back on days like this.

So in the space of just over 72 hours I had a number of different experiences – all linked to my love of running.

It doesn’t have to be a marathon major to make your day- get out and look in different places and find some new adventures

Continue reading “Look under the bed for new adventures” →

Today is 1st May 2023 and four months into the year is time to reflect ( as I sit by the pool – made it away for a sun-kissed break in Majorca).

In those four months I have landed not one but two new roles in the running / fitness sector. I’ve run over 650 miles in preparation for 2 spring marathons, and been involved in some extreme park run ( day trip to Dublin to run 5k with a load of running buddies from the UK).

Now some things have been neglected – the house is still waiting for a paint, I’ve missed a far few episodes of the weekly running podcast I help co-host ( The Long Run ) and I keep threatening to sit down and write a few more chapters of my book – it’s been nearly 2 years to get to 5000 words.

But the scorecard is definitely in the positive column. New people met, new places visited and new experiences to reflect on.

Got some interesting decisions to make over the coming weeks and months. Freelance has its issues but it also comes with more control and freedoms to drive your own destiny. It’s not the safe option but it’s the more satisfying way, right?

I know I can coach, I know I can motivate, I know I can engage but do I have the drive to be my most important sales person?

It’s a skills set I’ve never really had to acquire or develop. And it feels a place I’m not comfortable in. But having said that 2 years ago I was uncomfortable about starting the journey to become a personal trainer. So I’ve got to give myself the chance to learn ( and fail) . The issue is it becomes another potentially selfish decision – one that puts my needs first, over and above those I love and care about.

But you only have one shot at this life…. Don’t live with regrets for not trying.

So I think I’ve made a decision…..