Month: April 2017

Marathon Pace Shown to Decline with Age

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Running a marathon is a massive feat of endurance. It’s hardly surprising that completing this 26.22 mile race is easier when you’re younger and fitter, than when you’re older. Well the results of a new study have confirmed this obvious conclusion, and have also shown us the ideal age to run marathons.

Crossing the finishing line

There are some incredible people who can cross that finishing line at lightning speed. The record for the fastest marathon time is held by Kenyan Dennis Kimetto, who ran the Berlin Marathon in 2 hours, 2 minutes and 57 seconds in 2014. Now some people are even saying that we’re close to seeing the dream of a sub-two hour marathon finish become a reality, showing just how quick some runners are.

Of course most of us could never dream of doing a marathon in less than two hours – we’re not professional athletes! The average finishing time is actually 4 hours, 19 minutes and 27 seconds for men and 4 hours, 44 minutes and 19 seconds for women. We also have to consider that there are a lot of moving parts here, and various factors (with age just being one) can impact marathon times.

Declining marathon paces

We know, therefore, that your marathon pace will go down as you age, but a new study has shown by how much it will decline by. According to Athletics Weekly, an industry publication, a study from Georgia State University – led by Dr Gerald Zavorsky, an Associate Professor in its Department of Respiratory Therapy, shows that your marathon pace starts tailing off when you reach 50 years of age.

If you’re a serious i.e. professional, marathon runner however, your pace will start going down much earlier, and your sex is also a determine factor here. Explaining, Gerald, who published his findings in the PLOS ONE journal, said: “For top runners, we determined the slowdown is about two minutes per year, beginning at age 35 for men… For women it’s actually a little bit statistically faster of a slowdown, around two minutes and 30 seconds per year beginning at the age of 35.”

Shedding further light

These gender differences were further highlighted by the fact that according to the research, women experience a 27 second greater marathon pace drop per year than men, between the ages of 35 and 74. Also the University noted that the average age of marathon winners is 28.3 years old for men and 30.8 years old for women respectively and in general, 25 to 34 year olds record the quickest times.

However if you’re an average runner, you don’t have to be quite as worried about your pace dropping off. Going on, Gerald said: “If you’re an average runner finishing in the middle of your age group, statistically the slowdown starts at age 50… It’s similar if you’re a man or woman. The decline with ageing in average runners is around two minutes and 45 seconds per year beginning at age 50.”

Running in later life

This study has basically reminded us of something that we already know – if you’re going to go running in your golden years, you should manage your expectations, to make sure you get the most out of it. Running later in life can be incredibly rewarding – especially if you choose to do a marathon, as it can really increase your physical fitness, but remember – it doesn’t have to be a race if you don’t want!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

How to Start Running In Your Golden Years

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

It’s never too late to change your life and start running. But if you’re going to run in your later years, be extra careful, so you can stay active without damaging your physical health. Helping you on your journey to peak physical fitness, Mohsin Salya explains how to start running in your golden years.

Serious benefits

There’s so many reasons you should strap those running shoes on. You can get a lot of health benefits from running – it can do everything from help you lose weight, to strengthen your heart, making it easier for you to ward off conditions such as heart disease. There’s also evidence to suggest that inactivity speeds up aging, so by staying active through running, you can maintain physical fitness.

Slow and steady

It’s a good idea, when you begin running, to start slow and steady, only increasing your speed and running mileage once your body has adjusted to the strain. As a beginner runner, you should know that your body will adapt with time – no matter how old you are, but if you do too much, too fast, it’ll take a toll on your body. Start by running short distances three times a week and go from there!

Prepare your body

It’s important to warm up and cool down your body before running, so it can bear the strain of physical activity, but it’s especially vital when you’re older, so you don’t do any permanent damage. Warm ups, such as stretching, will raise your muscle elasticity and reduce joint friction, allowing you to pound the pavement with ease, while cooling down will help you ward off any running-related aches and pains.

Eat healthily

Diet is a key consideration for any runner, but it’s essential that as an older person, you follow a healthy diet full of leafy greens and oily fish. As an older runner, your knees and joints will be weaker – you need to support them, so you can run safely. This diet will give you the essential fatty acids, calcium and magnesium that are critical for bone and joint nutrition, making it easier for you to run.

New flexible you

An older runner needs to be a flexible runner, as this physical activity places a lot of strain on your already weak joints. If you make yourself flexible, you’ll be able to run without asking too much of your joints. It’s a good idea to take up activities which promote flexibility, such as yoga and Pilates – you could even take part in classes for these activities, so you can meet like-minded people too!

Always stay safe

There’s nothing stopping you from running in your golden years. But remember that your body isn’t quite what it used to be, so you should do more prep as an older runner, giving you the ability to run safely. Also if you have any doubts, speak to your doctor before you start running and if you injure yourself, make sure you rest up for a while, so you can get the benefits of running no matter your age!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Can I Still Run With Athletes Foot?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

It’s wise not to overdo it as a runner, or you could do more harm than good. If you have a running injury, it’s often best to take a break from pounding the pavement. This gives your body a chance to recover, but is it true that you sometimes don’t need to? Athlete’s foot is one of the most common injuries for runners. In this article I’ll be looking at whether or not it’s a good idea to carry on running with the condition.

Common issue

Athlete’s foot is something that as a runner, you’ll probably have to deal with at some point. This is because athlete’s foot is a common infection that grows when your foot is subjected to warm, moist dark environments for long-periods of time.  So obviously if you run – especially if you’re the kind of person who likes long-distance running, you’re going to run the risk of getting this condition.

If you get athlete’s foot it’s hardly going to be life threatening, but you should go to a doctor and get it treated, before this irritating condition spreads to other parts of your body and becomes a real issue. You’ll know you’ve got athlete’s foot if your feet have become dry, red, scaly, flaky, soggy, cracked or covered in small blisters, and usually your doctor will prescribe you a special cream to treat it.

Should you run?

So should you keep running while you’re recovering from athlete’s foot? It pretty much depends on how severe the condition is. Obviously if your athlete’s foot is so bad you can’t put pressure on your feet, then it’d be a really bad idea to go for a jogging session. It’s wise to ask your doctor to be sure, but for milder cases of athlete’s foot, you may be ok to keep running while you’re in recovery.

Preventative measures

It’s a good idea, however, to make sure that you never get to this stage, by using preventative measures to stop athlete’s foot. Here it’s all about picking the right running shoes, as your shoes are breeding grounds for the kinds of bacteria that cause athlete’s foot – this is why it’s a more common problem for runners. The best thing you can do is to choose some appropriate running shoes made of breathable materials.

You should also make sure you wear good running socks, so you can really knock athlete’s foot on the head before it develops. There are actually special running socks you can get that are made of technical fabrics – unlike cotton, which is the most common material for socks, these fabrics are known to wick away sweat which will prevent athlete’s foot before it has a chance to develop.

There are a few other things you can do to stop athlete’s foot in its tracks. Wash your feet immediately after you run, so any bacteria doesn’t get time to build up. You can also buy special products for your shoes, which can help ensure they don’t become breeding grounds for the condition. A great one is the SteriShoe UV shoe sanitizer, available online, which claims to kill around 99% of bacteria in shoes.

Give it a rest

So yes, you probably can run in some cases, when you have athlete’s foot. However it might be best to give it a rest for a little bit, so your feet have some time to recover. That way you can get back to running as soon as possible, knowing that you can get the most out of your favourite activity!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Does Sleep Affect Running Performance?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

It’s essential that as a runner, you take care of your body, as without a healthy body, you literally won’t be able to get very far. There’s lots of considerations here, but is sleep one of them? Mohsin Salya asks whether sleep has an impact on running performance.

Care for your body

A runner is only as good as their body, because you need strong limbs, as well as a robust core, to push yourself to perform properly as a runner. It’s key for example, that you feed it well by following a good diet, filled with fruit and vegetables, so your body can get the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

It stands to reason that as a runner you need sleep, if you want to keep your body in top shape. As you sleep, your body has the time it needs to rejuvenate itself, getting tasks such as growing muscle and repairing tissue done while you’re out of action. Obviously yes, sleep effects running performance, as when you sleep, your body can build itself into a tool that will help you run harder, for longer.

Sleeping schedule   

But how much sleep do you need? Can you get by with a few hours here and there, which is all some people can do if they’ve got busy schedules, or is a whole night’s sleep critical? It generally depends on what kind of runner you are. If you’re a beginner, sleep isn’t as important because you’re not pushing your body that hard but if you’re an endurance runner, you need as much as possible.

We’re all different – there’s no one size fits all option for the amount of sleep you need as a long distance runner. But if you’re looking for a baseline, the National Sleep Foundation is a good place to start, as they really know their stuff on this subject. The Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and eight hours of sleep every night, to give their bodies the time needed to recharge.

Sleep management ideas   

This brings us to the question, how can you sleep effectively to maximise your running abilities? Sometimes it’s as simple as being consistent, going to bed at about the same time every night, so you can get into a pattern. It’s also handy to devote more time to sleeping – even hitting the hay half an hour earlier than you have before can do the world of good, by giving your body more time to recover.

You should also tailor your sleep to your running schedule, so you don’t put too much strain on your body. If you’re running at night, for example, ensure you have enough time for a lie in during the mornings, allowing yourself the time in bed you need for your body to bounce back. Quick note – if you have problems sleeping and it’s serious go to a doctor, as it’s likely you need medical guidance.

Rest your way to success

It seems like a bit of a paradox doesn’t it, the idea that rest can lead to running success. You should remember however, that while the human body is an amazing thing, it does have its limitations, and one of those is that it can only take so much physical activity in a day. If you make sure you get plenty of sleep, your body will recover from the rigours of the day, ready for to propel you on as a runner!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.