fiveways Local personal trainer Liz Fulford gets a new client ready for a half marathon...
MONTH FIVE
TRAINING FOR A HALF MARATHON
To set the scene it was over 10 years ago when a new local personal trainer contacted us at the Fiveways Directory wanting to promote her fledging business. What transpired was a series of articles culminating in the editor running the New Forest Half Marathon. Now 10 years on the challenge is whether the same can be done again with no running since and another 10 years on the clock!! It’s been a challenging time for Tim who is suffering from an injury which is currently preventing him from running and therefore achieving his set goal. However, this month we have focused on an alternative form 23 of exercise, cycling and strength training. As an alternative to running, cross training such as cycling or swimming has so many benefits; it can improve fitness, promote recovery, rehabilitate injuries and most of all keep you focused and motivated during a break from training. Running injuries are most often caused by inadequate recovery time between runs, biomechanical regularities (which Tim is suffering from), muscular imbalances and poor footwear. Cycling and swimming will give ankles, knees and lower back a rest from the repetitive impact of running and protect your most vulnerable joints, muscles and connective tissues. When injured and doing an alternative form of exercise, workouts should match your intended runs in intensity and duration. The majority of Tim’s training runs for the next two months would have been long, slow and steady
Liz Fulford Personal Trainer For all ages, shapes, sizes and fitness levels
07782 264066 www.fulfordfitness.co.uk
Tim’s body fat index
to improve his aerobic fitness, strengthen his muscles and his ligaments and tendon. He will instead replicate this on his bike. These workouts will increase his aerobic energy system which breaks down carbohydrate and fat with oxygen, producing energy to fuel the muscles. Tim will also be doing ‘interval’ training on his bike, i.e. cycling for set periods at his hardest pace, alternated with an easier/steady pace. Interval training is used to develop aerobic capacity and as a consequence, he will be increasing his body’s capacity to take in oxygen, get oxygenated blood to his muscles and utilise more of the muscle fibres that work quickly (‘fast twitch fibres’). We have been developing his aerobic capacity in order to allow him to use this energy system for longer. When exercise intensity reaches a certain point, such as running/cycling up a hill, the anaerobic or lactic acid energy system is utilized to provide the required muscle fuel. The waste product of this energy system is lactic acid which causes muscle ‘burn’ and is less efficient and uses more glycogen (the stored form of carbohydrate). The higher the aerobic fitness, the greater the exercise intensity that can be sustained without fatigue (i.e. one can run faster for longer). Thus Tim is improving his strength and endurance – all factors that will help him with his training when he resumes running again. fiveways directory March 2019
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