This year seems to be flying and I’m sure it won’t be long until July 9th is upon us. That’s this year’s date for Salisbury’s Race for Life 5 and 10k races.
If your planning on doing either of these races this date is probably imprinted in your diary and mind 🙂
If you’ve never done anything like this before or are relatively new to running I’ve put some handy hints here to help you prepare. Hopefully these hints will also make the journey as pain-free, enjoyable and rewarding as possible too.
Trainers
Before you get going I’d suggest investing in a good pair of trainers that are comfortable and suitable for you. In Salisbury, Sole Obsession in Fisherton Street is the go-to place. Simon has a wealth of experience and will make sure you have the right trainers for your feet.
Gait Analysis
Next stop I would check in to have your gait looked at. Your gait is the way you walk and run. This may seem like a luxury but making sure you’ve got the right muscles working for the job is really important as it can not just limit problems but can also help to improve your time :-).
This is where I can help. I’ve spent many years doing gait analysis and treating aches and pains for all levels of runners with great results. As part of the analysis I would look at how you move, assess your leg range of movement and muscles as well as your ‘core’. Based on the findings of the assessment I can then offer advice and can give specific exercises to help target any areas that need help.
So, what’s it going to cost? Race for Life competitors will get £12 off the usual price bringing the total of the assessment to just £30.
Pilates?
Next, if you know your core isn’t the best, perhaps you’ve had back pain in the past but have never done any specific exercises for it, you may wish to check into some pilates classes. Pilates can be on a one-to-one basis or as part of a small or larger class. If you’ve never done Pilates before I would opt for either one-to-one or a small class to make sure the instructor has time to check how you’re doing things. Once you’re confident you know what you’re trying to achieve you may wish to join a larger class or even get a DVD. For this I’d recommend the Australian Institute of Pilates.
Training timetable
Finally, a preparation timetable. There are loads of different timetables to follow including 3 options on the Race for Life website all of which will help get you ready for the big day. Just make sure that if you start to feel any niggles, aches or pains especially those that don’t completely recover in a day or so I’m just a phone call away and am happy to help.