Week 2 Newsletter
How are you going to improve?
Consistency
This week's sessions have been great, it is so good seeing you back. We all know the key to improvement is getting to the group consistently so how do you make that happen?
Communicating your training with your world so the people around you can help support you with getting to the sessions.
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Planning your week so you can fit your training in around your work and/or family commitments is key - as is having warm gear at the ready if needed!
This week's Facebook question
Week 2 Sessions
MORNING GROUP
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Monday 3 August, 6.10am
Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
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Wednesday 5 August, 6.10am
Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
EVENING GROUP
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Tuesday 4 August, 5.40pm
Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
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Thursday 6 August, 5.40pm
Meeting Point: South Hagley Park
Map of Meeting Point: Netball Courts
BOTH GROUPS
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Saturday 8 August 7.30am
Meeting Point: Centennial Park, Corner of Lyttelton and Rose Sts
Map of Run: Click here
This map is for all of our running groups, you will be doing a portion of this course.
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Course Description:
Please run on the path at all times and keep left. Please don't run any more than 2 abreast and be responsible for your own safety.
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Run up Lyttelton Street to Sparks Road, turn left. Follow along Sparks Road until the pathway that leads behind Centennial Park (on your left). Follow this pathway.
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Continue along this pathway coming out onto Rose St. Cross over Rose St where we have indicated with cones. Turn right.
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Run up to Hoonhay Road, turn left.
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Continue along Hoonhay Road to Cashmere Rd, turn left. Run past the shops and towards Princess Margaret Hospital.
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At Ferniehurst St, turn left and take first right into Ashgrove Tce. You are now running beside the river (river is on your right).
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Follow the river, crossing over Barrington St carefully. Follow Ashgrove Tce to Colombo St.
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At Colombo St turn right then take first right into Ernlea Tce. The river is still on your right - you arrow on the opposite side of the river. Run through Ernlea Clark Reserve (stay on the pathway closest to the river) coming out to Barrington St.
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Turn left (do not cross over Barrington St).
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The 6km marker will be on Cashmere Road.
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KM Markers out: 3.75km, 5.5km, 6km
Saturday's Course: Click on image to enlarge
This weeks quick tip:
’Listen to your body, don't be afraid to stop and stretch.'
- Anna
Your Task:
This week, time yourself running for 1 minute and count the number of steps you take (or count for 30secs and then double it!). You then have your current cadence.
If you are sitting around the 140-160 steps per minute range you want to start to focus on take more steps and shortening your stride length. A good way to practice this is to download a playlist that has a beat per minute rate of around +10 above your current cadence (ie: if you are sitting at 150, download a playlist with a 160bpm) and try running in time to that beat.
Runners of all abilities, from beginner to advanced, can benefit from working on their cadence. While adjusting your stride might feel a little awkward and unnatural at first, if you stick with it, you’ll be on your way to becoming a faster, less-injury risk runner.
Education
Cadence
Cadence, or your turnover rate is how many steps you take when you run. Cadence has a massive effect on your efficiency and is something we want you to focus on in the coming weeks.
The shorter your stride length and the quicker your stride rate, the faster and better you run. If you have a low cadence, you likely also have a long stride. Runners who overstride tend to lock their knees and slam their heels to the ground on every step. This slows you down, creates a choppy, bouncy gait, and puts extra pressure on muscles and bones, making you more susceptible to injury.
By increasing your cadence, you’re doing more than moving your feet faster; you’re changing the positioning of where your foot lands. Rather than having your foot land in front of your hips, with a higher cadence, it lands underneath you – in your centre of gravity. This naturally decreases your stride length and increases your turnover, which means you’re wasting less energy moving up and down (from the ground to the air and vice versa). Rather, your body is focused on moving forward, making you faster.
The optimum cadence is 180 steps per minute. This is quite quick! Have a listen to this metronome that is set at 180 beats per minute:
Inspiration
Body care is important! If you haven't checked the Yoga Centre out on the Runners World website - check it out now. They also have some excellent foam foller workouts too. Click on the image below to be taken there:
Other News
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Remember, prevention is better than cure - if you feel a niggle coming on make sure you chat to us at the sessions and get to a physio asap if you have soreness that you feel is serious. If you need a recommendation of physio, just ask us.
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Remember to bring a headlamp and your watch to every session.
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If you aren't on our private Facebook page yet make sure you get on there. This way you guys can keep in touch with each other, click here to request access.
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Four Paws Marathon 2020​
The second edition of the 4 Paws Marathon is on Sunday the 20th of September at Bottle Lake Forest. With the choice of 2.4km (children), 5km, 10km, 15km, half marathon, and marathon distances, the 4 Paws is designed to cater for all levels of fitness.
The focus of the event is on participation rather than winning and the event also hopes to promote ‘exercise as medicine’. This is a unique event as dogs are welcome to participate. However, participation without a dog is also welcome.
The team at Four Paws Marathon would love for Extra Mile Runners to participate and have offered our team a 10% discount if you register before 5 August.
Use the code EXTRAMILE when you register to receive 10% discount off your entry fee: