Most sport and fitness clubs and groups wouldn't be able to function without volunteers like these. Their get-up-and-go helps others stay healthy, make friends, enter competitions and more. Read on to find out what inspires them to make it happen for others.

All | Simon | Carrie | Louise | Jane

Tuesday Sep 04, 2007

People are nice

I know I'm in a privileged position as a journalist training for a run, so I've got all sorts of access to people and goods that perhaps the ordinary entrant wouldn't.

That said, it was lovely of the girls at Mercieca (who handle the PR for Puma, who've provided my running shoes, and Yazoo, which are now my new training drink along with the obligatory Lucozade HydroActive) to send me a Good Luck card today.

They've also passed on these tips from Hayley Yelling to help me prepare for the 5k, which I'll do my best to follow, and which you might find helpful if you're also running -

1)  Make sure your training sessions cover at least one under-race distance (say 3k) , one exactly race distance (5k) and one over distance, between 6k and 10k.  Make sure you change the pace of these i.e. the under distance is quicker than race pace, the race distance is done at race pace and the over distance will be done at a slower pace.  You can do these as a run or as intervals.

A good speed session under distance could be 2 sets of 5 x 300m with 90 seconds rest and 2.5 mins between sets. A good race distance session could be 1k, 400m, 1k, 400m, 1k, 200m, 1k with 1min rest throughout.  A good over distance session could be, 800m, 1k, 1200m, 2k, 1200m, 1k, 800m, with the recoveries changing as the distance increases say, 1.5min, 2min, 2.5min, 2.5min, 2min, 1.5min.  Depending on your starting fitness level you may have to build up to these sessions.

2) Run on all types of terrain, road, grass and track.  Just because you’re doing a road 5k everything doesn’t have to be done on the road.  Mix it up - it makes it more exciting and fewer injuries are likely to occur.

Session work needs to be done on good surface i.e. the track, flat short grass (a cricket, polo or football field – just make sure you’re not in the way!).  If on the road make sure is a safe, quiet road with no junctions you have to sprint across.

3) The toughest part of a 5k I find is the fourth km.  Without even realising it I think I am going at the same pace but in fact I have slowed down.  Really make a conscious effort to speed up in the fourth Km as the last Km will be easy!

4) On race day plan your warm-up.  Give yourself enough time to visit the toilet ( a few times!) Adapt your warm-up depending on the weather. If you jog for a set amount of time you don’t need to do that if its boiling hot, or if it’s freezing you might like to do a little more.

5) Pack your kit bag the night before and decide what kit you will race in.  This saves time worrying on race day, and it's amazing how indecisive nerves make you!  Make sure you pack enough fluids, something to eat for after the race, a change of clothes, a towel and a black bin liner always comes in handy if its pouring with rain either to keep your kit dry or you!

6) Most importantly be excited about your race, enjoy it and have fun!  Good luck!

Posted by Carrie ( 5:00 PM )
Link to this post Comments[0]