JogBlog

I’d only had the vague notion of going to the parkrun this morning but, after being awake from 4am to 5:30am (luckily then falling into a sleep deep enough for me to sleep through the 6am kitty-puke-o’clock), I didn’t wake up until 8:50. That was that vague notion unvagued then. But, as the parkrun organisers still haven’t sorted out my time from last week – they’ve got me 90 seconds faster than I actually was, which I wouldn’t mind so much but it’s flagged up as a PB and I’d prefer my PB to actually be my PB – I don’t want to go back until my time is corrected anyway.

So, where to run? As it was a beautiful morning, I decided I needed to see some greenery and water, so I told Shaun I was going to do my six mile route up to the lake and back. He said ‘you can’t do six miles, you’ll break, you’ve only been doing three miles’ but I reminded him I wasn’t famous for overdoing things and most of it would be walking.

When I got to the lake, I decided to carry on and continue through the park then go back past the local-ish shops. When I got round the park though, I changed my mind and went back past the lake and back the way I came. This turned out to be a 7.63 mile run.

Yay.

I have blisters now though.

Bah.

And because tomorrow’s supposed to be another beautiful, sunny day, tomorrow I’m cycling to the beach and back – a twenty mile round trip.

Your back is a very important part of the body, as it carries a great deal of weight in your day to day life. Back pain and back injuries are very common, and once you’ve injured your spine in some way it can have negative implications for the rest of your life. However, there are things that you can do to reduce the likelihood of injury and keep your back limber and healthy.

Why Do I Have Back Pain?

Back pain usually occurs because you’ve put too much pressure on your spine. This includes lifting and moving heavy objects and sitting in an awkward or hunched position for long periods of time. Some back injuries are the result of heavy exercise, but it’s becoming more and more common for those who spend long hours in front of the computer to experience back pain. Poor posture is a major contributing factor and slouching will exaggerate the natural curves in your back and cause muscle fatigue. Those with a high-stress lifestyle will find that their muscles are generally more tense and tight, and will therefore be more susceptible to back pain. If you’re experiencing back pain, it’s important to visit your GP and get it checked out. They may then refer you to a specialist practitioner like Black Swan Osteopathy.

Add Some Light Exercise

If your back hurts, exercising is often the last thing you feel like doing. However, leaving the muscles dormant is not a good idea and light exercise is encouraged to keep your back fit and healthy. Consider adding some stretches in the morning to warm up the back and increase the flow of blood. This will make you less susceptible to strains and pulls. If you spend most of your working day in a sedentary position, make sure you get up and move around periodically. Walk to the printer or the water cooler and stretch your legs during your lunch break.

Adjust the Seat

When you’re driving, it’s definitely worth adjusting the driver’s seat so that you are supported and fully upright. This will reduce the strain on your back. Try not to slump your shoulders and keep your buttocks at the back of the car seat. If your office chair isn’t correctly supporting your back, raise it at work. It’s likely that your Human Resources department will be able to replace the chair with something more supportive.

If you’re thinking about joining the gym this year, (or in fact any year), choosing the right one for you is important. You don’t want to pay for a membership and then not go back again after about visit number four. Look at all the ones that are on offer in the area that you live in and see which one suits you best. Here are some things that you might want to consider:

Think about the kind of gym that you want to go to, and what you want to use it for

While it can be tempting to simply sign yourself up at the facility that is closest to your house, but that shouldn’t be all that you take into account before you sign your membership forms. Think about the kind of workout that you want to use the gym to get. Do you want to go purely for weightlifting or cardio, or would you rather go to a gym that also offers loads of classes and facilities for all kinds of exercise?

Look at what equipment they offer

When you’re having a look around the gym; pay attention to the equipment that they have there. If you’re not really sure what these might be, or what they can be used for, make sure that you ask. You could also do your research beforehand by looking at websites like Fitness Warehouse to get an idea of the things that a gym might have in it before you go.

The staff

Ask if the staff have any qualifications and take into account how approachable and friendly you would find them if you needed to ask them for help or advice.

Choose the gym that works best for you

When choosing your gym, try and avoid just choosing the one that offers the best prices. Look at the types of classes that they offer throughout the day, and check what times they are open so that you know if you will be able to easily fit gym visits into your existing schedule.

What other things does it offer?

Have a look at the other things that the gym might be able to offer you. If it doesn’t have a pool, does your membership include free or discounted access to your local pool as part of your fee so that you can add swimming to your work out?

As a general rule, us Brits are not the best at keeping our New Years’ resolutions.

Part of the reason for this is a fundamental lack of motivation, which can occur even on occasions where you are passionate to succeed and have already invested money into the endeavour. Sometimes your struggles are simply a matter of timing, however, as the so-called ‘winter blues’ and cold weather prevents you from achieving your goals. If your resolution this New Year was to get fit and embrace the art of jogging, for example, you may have found the freezing conditions and continuous rainfall too much to bear.

Retaining Motivation When Jogging

With this in mind, how can you overcome this feeling and retain your motivation to get fit? Consider the following: –

Invest More in Quality Accessories and Clothing

If you work for your money, you are no doubt cautious about how you spend it. If this is the case, this sense of fiscal responsibility can be used as additional motivation, as spending more on high quality clothing and keep-fit accessories can force you to get good value for this investment. Consider purchasing comfortable and branded garments from retailers such as the Regatta Outlet, for example, and ensure that you keep all costs in mind when questioning whether or not to run in the cold light of day.

Visualise your Goals

There are many reasons why you may wish to get fit or take up jogging. Whether you are looking to boost your ailing health or develop a more toned and muscular physique, however, the ability to visualise your end goals may well make the difference between success and failure. By imagining your ideal body and the benefits that it will introduce to your life, you can increase your levels of motivation and push beyond both physical and mental barriers to success.

Set Viable Goals and Schedules

While on the subject of your goals, it is important to note that they must be realistic and achievable within a predetermined period of time. The same principle applies to your exercise regime, as you must be able to set a schedule that is flexible and boasts room for manoeuvre. It is hard enough getting fit without constantly feeling as though you are swimming against the tide, so strive to develop a schedule that fits in with your other priorities and those of your friends and family.

Bored with my Janathon posts? Have a guest post instead:

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Hit The Ground Running in 2014

It’s that time of year again when expectations of a new life are high and resolutions are fearlessly made in the face of an otherwise dreary and indistinct month. Resolutions vary from better time management to eating healthily or getting fit. One of the most common resolutions is to start running, either as part of a club, down the gym or to compete in a specific race like a 10K or even a marathon, gasp!

So how can a new runner stay motivated and ensure that this isn’t just a fad but is a lasting resolution?

Have a Plan

The most crucial part of starting anything new is to have a plan and the best kind of plans are staged and have clear interim and end goals. For example if you are starting running from scratch perhaps your end goal will be to increase the amount of minutes you can run for without getting out of breath. Your interim goals would be how much you expect to do each week and also how much you are aiming for to have met your resolution, twenty minutes or an hour?

Have Support

Having a support network in place is almost as important as having a plan. Who is going to get you out onto those cold, wet streets after a bad day at work? What will encourage you to keep going even if you have a set back? Think of friends or relatives who will motivate you throughout the tough times as well as share your successes. Perhaps consider an app or tracker that records what you have done each session so you can reflect on previous sessions. Seeing that your running sessions have gone from five minutes to twenty five minutes can be quite a boost!

Have the Gear

Luckily you have picked a sport that doesn’t require much equipment but the equipment it does need is essential to ensuring longevity in the field. So spend a bit of money getting some decent trainers that suit your running style or compression gear from specialist shops such as High Octane Sport. At worst, splashing the cash might guilt you into keeping going!

If you don’t know where to begin have a look online and you will find many online articles with top tips on getting started with running. All the best for your 2014 running schedule and see you at the London marathon, yeah?!