Filed under: Born to Run - Book Review — Terri @ 3:01 pm

This story is quite incredible.  In his quest to find the answer to a simple question “Why does my foot hurt?” author and avid runner, Christopher McDougall, contributing Editor of America’s Men’s Health Magazine and a former war correspondent, among other notable jobs of work, goes in search of the Tarahumara tribe in Mexico’s Copper Canyon.

These seemingly extraordinary people, who run distances in  excess of 50 miles, for the fun of it and with apparent ease, do so in thin soled lace up sandals, and on a diet of berries, seeds and their own home brewed alcohol.  Indeed they seem to be several hundred years behind the rest of civilisation.

The book brings into question everything we have always believed about running, that it is damaging to the joints, that the emergence of more cushioned trainers, with all sorts of fancy air pockets and lugs etc., are the only thing that can save us from injuries, thus prolonging our running careers.  It also makes us question the need for gels and energy drinks, when some of the world’s best ultra marathon runners can be out on the beer the night before a big race, and still win it!

The book takes you on a journey of discovery and culminates in a 50 mile race that brings the author head to head with the Tarahumara runners, and some of the world’s goofiest characters, who run miles and miles in places like Death Valley, as well as those who run in Vibram Five Fingers shoes (as close to bare foot as you can probably get), and the result is fascinating.

I urge you to give it a read, I loved it.

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Filed under: Run Around the World - book review, Uncategorized — Terri @ 2:09 pm

On holiday recently, I was lucky enough to have time to read two really good books about running.

This is the second –  Rosie Swale Pope’s book “Just a Little Run Around the World” is the remarkable story of a woman who, on the death of her husband, to cancer, decided to literally run 20,000 miles around the world.  It took her 5 years, and in that time she suffered frostbite, and double pneumonia, was chased by a naked man with a gun, came face to face with a bear and even got knocked down by a bus.

She made her journey with the minimum of creature comforts, melting snow to make tea on her tiny stove in her equally tiny cart, which she pulled along containing all her belongings.  The whole adventure funded by renting out her little cottage in Wales.

But through it all, she raised thousands of pounds for a number of charities, and rediscovered a real passion for living.

It is well worth reading, so well written, she is a real inspiration.

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Filed under: Scottish Half marathon — Terri @ 1:22 pm

I ran this half marathon last Sunday (23rd May), the first time this event has been staged, forming part of the Edinburgh Running Festival, being closely followed by the full Edinburgh Marathon and Hairy Haggis Relay event.

Personally I thought it was fantastic.  The course is flat and fast, perfect for a PB, the start time of 8am was a God send, bearing in mind the scorching weather that weekend, and the brave marathoners who had to start at 9.30am, and the scenery was great, as are the people up there.  I loved every minute of it and will be entering again next year.

Id love to hear from anyone who also ran it, or indeed the full marathon (I take my hat off to you), with your thoughts on the event.

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Filed under: Update on Newtons — Terri @ 1:17 pm

I havent written a blog for some time, which is actually a good thing, as it is because I have had a lot of work on, and not enough time to write one.

I did want to let you know, though, that I have persevered with the Newton shoes and, although, I have found it nigh on impossible to change my running style to run more on the forefoot, I can see by the wear of the soles that I am running much more on the midfoot, which is good.

I can honestly say that they are also the most comfortable running shoe I have owned, so I will be replacing them with another pair when they wear out.

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Filed under: Fat or thin? — Terri @ 11:12 am

Surely being fit is the important thing, isnt it?

I once went to yoga classes, where the teacher wasn’t what I would have expected, in terms of body shape and size, she was actually quite a chunky lady.  But she was strong and flexible and, as it turns out, was a great advert for yoga.  She once said to us, “Just because I am not skinny, doesnt mean I am not fit, I just choose to keep a covering over my muscles.”

Who could argue against her ability to get into all sorts of positions the rest of us tied ourselves up in knots to achieve ,and never could?  She was also delivering these classes several times a week, so was clearly very active. 

Equally, it does not always follow that a slim or thin person will be fit, I have worked with many who were not, when we started.  So, having what we perceive as the “ideal” body image, whilst aesthetically pleasing , isnt necessarily an indicator of fitness.

However, unlike my” fit for purpose” yoga teacher, people who carry excessive weight, and live sedentary lifestyles, are at an increased risk of suffering coronary heart disease or developing type 2 diabetes, we all know that. 

But if everyone, small or large, were to increase their levels of physical activity, doing something that not only suits their abilities, but fits in with their daily routines, and makes them feel good about themselves and life in general,  then we would be a healthier and happier nation, she says, stating the obvious.

One pleasing thing I have realised lately, is that some gyms have made efforts not to necessarily recruit all instructors with the “ideal body image” but to actively seek more realistically shaped people, who more gym members can relate to and dont feel intimidated by.

I have found, myself, that being a “normal” shape and not stick thin and 18 years old, has helped me to be a better personal trainer, someone who my clients can feel comfortable with, and I am happy with that.

Nothing wrong with being 18 and stick thin, of course – I was like that once, honest!

Finally, I have to say that whilst I completely accept that you can be a “normal” shape and size and still be fit, of course it depends on what you are fit to do.  I know that if I were half a stone lighter I would be a faster runner, I know because I used to be lighter and faster. 

But as long as you are actively working on, getting or maintaining, your fitness in order to do either the sport that you enjoy, or just to be fit for life in general, then the job’s a good un!

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Filed under: Marathon Man — Terri @ 3:39 pm

Did any of you see the first of the three programmes about Eddie Izzard’s incredible 43 marathons in 51 days, that he ran last year?

I was in awe, and as much as I really want to write about it, I am not sure how to start, in order to do it justice. It had me totally absorbed.

Much has already been written about the physical side of this remarkable feat, and rightly so, especially for a man who, in his own words, had only ever “Run round the playground” when he was a lad, before he started his meagre five and and half weeks training, in preparation.  How on earth was he going to complete this mammoth task with just five and a half weeks of training, from scratch?  Indeed, on his first training marathon he took so long, while he looked around at the scenery, stopping to take pictures on his mobile, that his trainer had serious doubts about his ability to finish just a fraction of the total 30 mile marathons he had set himself to do each day.  I think we could all be forgiven for believing it was an unreachable goal, at that point, but he defied just about every odd there was, and completed them.

I cant begin to describe how amazing I think that is, but what is so fascinating, and in a way quite sad, is the motivation behind it, which is really my reason for writing this blog.

It seems he is something of a tortured soul, someone who has never been comfortable in his own skin, openly telling everyone that he is a transvestite, and that that is the hand he has been dealt  and he must get on with it.  But you cant help but see that he would wish things had been different. Comically, and in true Eddie Izzard style, he  explains in part of the programme that he changes his trainers regularly, much like he would his high heels, as it brings relief to, and uses different parts of the feet, when they get painful, and Lordy Lordy did they get painful?  Blisters on top of painful blisters, during those endless miles, would have seen any lesser motivated person give up.

As part of his journey, and it was probably the single most important part, Eddie wanted to go back to Skewen in Wales, where he lived with his mother, until she died when he was just six years old.  He explained that he wanted to go back and ‘recapture a time before his mum died.’  He ran there and knocked on the door of his old house. You see him looking around the garden where he used to play, and you couldnt help but hope that it helped him to come to terms with that awfully sad time.

He is seen running a few miles with British distance runner Bruce Tulloh who, in 1969, ran almost 3,000 miles across America, and says simply that to push the body like that is usually the result of some traumatic experience.

This, to me, was a key moment.  I dont believe that everyone who runs distance is trying to deal with a traumatic experience, of course I dont. Millions run for the joy of it, and love every minute, or maybe not sometimes. 

But there are many, and I know from my own experience, that find it does help, it really does…..

Personally, I cant wait until the next episode this week.

What did you think of it?

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Filed under: Uncategorized — Terri @ 1:35 pm

It’s getting towards Spring now, despite this week’s attempt to snow again.  The spring flowers are starting to come through and you have to admit, at least some of you are thinking about your Summer holidays.

I know some of you still w0nt have finished ski-ing for the season – how did it go?  Were your legs strong enough to keep you going on those longer runs, or did you neglect to do any training before you went?  Don’t worry, you wont be the only one, but it is worth thinking about for the future.  The size of our leg muscles and the work we expect them to do on a ski holiday, usually without doing a single squat or lunge before we set foot on the slopes, it’s no wonder they complain and let us down half way through the week.

Ok, I wont lecture, just remember next year! LOL.

So, back to Spring.  I was right in my predictions for the new year, I have had a few enquiries from potential clients who took out gym membership at the start of the year and are already realising they are not getting the full use out of it, and need someone to give them a bit of a kick start.

Think about it, not many more weeks before you will be wanting to lose the jacket and expose the arms to the elements, or maybe you are planning an Easter break to somewhere warm and want to wear those Summer clothes, but you are not quite brave enough yet to show your bodies off to the unsuspecting public in Tenerife or Egypt, or are afraid you wont fit into them this year, after the comfort eating that goes on during the Winter.

Give me a call, or drop me a line and I will get you fit for your holiday, or just fit to be able to face the back breaking digging in the garden this Spring time.

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Filed under: Alzheimer's — Terri @ 1:24 pm

I heard about this on the radio this week, and found an article on Canada.com, about it. It appeared on the website in November of last year.

I have long been interested in learning more about the possible causes of Alzheimer’s and what we can all do to try and prevent falling victim to his most cruel of conditions.

I have cribbed the article, simply because it says it all much more succinctly than I could.

Older people with stronger muscles are at reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to their weaker peers, a new study shows.

Dr. Patricia A. Boyle of Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago, and her colleagues, found that the greater a person’s muscle strength, the lower their likelihood of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s over a four-year period. The same was true for the loss of mental function that often precedes full-blown Alzheimer’s.

Studies have linked grip strength to Alzheimer’s, while a person’s weight and level of physical activity also influence risk of the disease. To date, however, no one has studied whether muscle strength in  itself might play a role in dementia risk, Boyle and her team note in November’s Annals of Neurology.

“These findings support the link between physical health and cognition in ageing and the importance of maintaining good physical function and strength,” Boyle said.

The researchers measured the strength of nine muscle groups in the arms and legs of 970 dementia-free men and women 54 to 100 years old (their average age was around 80). They also tested the strength of study participants’ breathing muscles.

During follow-up, which lasted about four years, 138 people developed Alzheimer’s. These individuals were older and had worse mental function than the rest of the study participants. They also were weaker.

But even after the researchers adjusted for age and education level – which can influence Alzheimer’s risk – they found that muscle strength had a strong influence on the risk of the disease. People who ranked in the top 10 percent for muscle strength were 61% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s than the weakest 10%. Stronger people also showed a slower decline in their mental abilities over time.

The most likely explanation for the mental function-muscle strength link is that there is something going in the body that causes both muscle weakness and loss of mental ability, Boyle said.

While the study couldn’t show whether keeping one’s muscles strong will keep Alzheimer’s at bay, staying fit is a good idea-and good for the brain-no matter what, according to Boyle.

“We certainly think that it is important to be physically active and to work to keep our muscles strong,” she said. “Good physical health is important for good brain function.”

Article courtesy of www.canada.com

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Filed under: Running improves the memory — Terri @ 7:37 pm

Im sure a lot of you heard on the radio today, or read in the newspapers, that running can help improve memory and grow the brain.

A Cambridge University study has suggested that, and I quote: “ jogging a couple of days a week was shown to stimulate the brain which led to a big impact on mental ability, university neuroscientists discovered.

“The study, conducted with the US National Institute on Ageing in Maryland, found that a few days of running led to the growth of hundreds of thousands of new brain cells in a region that is linked to the formation and recollection of memories.

Running improved the ability to recall memories without confusing them, a skill that is crucial for learning and other cognitive tasks.  It could lead to new ways of potentially slowing down deterioration of mental ability which can affect many people in old age.

“We know exercise can be good for healthy brain function, but this work provides us with a mechanism for the effect,” said Timothy Bussey, a behavioural neuroscientist at Cambridge and the study’s senior author.”

Being a runner, of sorts, I really hope this is the case.  I do worry, sometimes, that my memory isnt so good, especially when I lose my car keys, and I know they can’t be far away, but I just can’t seem to remember where I last had them.

I dont suppose that will ever change, and it does provide a constant source of amusement for my kids, but as long as I keep running I, at least, stand a chance of it  not getting any worse – according to this study, that is.

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Filed under: TrionZ — Terri @ 5:03 pm

The claim is that these bracelets and necklaces, for those of you who havent seen, or heard, of them “Eliminate the stress of modern technology and bring your body back into balance.”

They use Minus Ions – to counteract the positive ions we absorb from the electronic equipment and machinery we are surrounded by, in our lives, which is associated with loss of concentration, muscle and joint pain and even nausea.  It should, therefore, give us a feeling of well-being and increase our concentration levels, and improve our performance generally.

The also use Magnetic Therapy.  Human cells need magnetic fields for health and regeneration.  Modern technology shields us from the earth’s natural magnetic fields. This therapy is said to loosen muscles and increase blood flow to facilitate healing and cell regeneration.

I like to  feel I am open to trying new things, as I mentioned last week, with the Vipr, even if, at first, it doesnt seem like such a good idea, so I bought one of the bracelets.  Now,  although I dont feel particularly energised, as is claimed by England cricketer James Anderson, or refreshed, as top Golf Instructor David Leadbetter claims - you see these things are endorsed by a number of top sports people – I do have better clarity of thinking and my concentration levels have improved.  to me that is fantastic.  It means I dont procrastinate any where near as much as I did, so I get much more done and I dont feel so overwhelmed when there seems a lot to do.  It’s great!

I guess that could, in turn, mean that my performance, say in running, will improve because of it, but it is still early days.  I have only been wearing it for a couple of weeks, and havent trained much in that time.  We’ll see.

I recommend you getting one, if you feel a little out of kilter with the world, or in need of a bit of a boost.  I am pleased I have got mine.

www.trionz.co.uk

If you have one, let me know what you think of it.

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