Month: July 2017

Upcoming running trends to look out for

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

I’m often asked about what I think will be the next big thing in running. Running is a strange sport in this sense – in its purest form, it is just a simple, ancient activity that essentially hasn’t changed much since humans first stood on their hind legs.

But in many other ways it’s hard to think of a sport that has done more to influence so many aspects of our lives – from its impact on fashion, in terms of the latest trainers and the advanced breathable materials we wear, through to the changing obsessions that periodically grip the sport itself – with everything from ultra running to obstacle races like Tough Mudder. It is a sport that is literally always on the move.

So, with that in mind, here are just a few of the new directions that running might be heading in over the coming year.

Time to get social

For those of you who don’t like to run alone – good news. Just like pretty much every other area of our lives, running is getting increasingly social. Runners are great at building a strong community and now it’s becoming easier than ever before to organise and bring together like-minded people for a shared experience.

Retail reality bites

Retailers are using social media in increasingly smart ways to target groups who they know will love their products, and this is a particularly powerful phenomenon in the world of running. Of course fashion has always been important to runners, but now with our increasingly connected digital networks and the distance between customers and retailers getting ever shorter via social media, new styles and sub cultures will multiply rapidly.

It’s all about the shoe

I’ve talked before about the idea of having multiple shoes to suit the running you’re doing – whether they’re trail shoes for off road, winter running shoes, barefoot running shoes or those special shoes that you only put on for competitions. This is another trend that will only increase in the coming years, with retailers and runners creating a perfect storm of supply and demand.

So, running moves on, as it always will. Whether you want to follow the herd – or run your own race – well, that is entirely up to you!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

How to improve your running efficiency

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Running efficiency. It’s a phrase that many of you might well be familiar with – the Kenyans apparently have it in abundance, but for most average runners it’s something that we might think about but not fully understand how to improve. But before we get on to how we can do this, what exactly do we mean by ‘running efficiency’?

Energy and speed

It’s a hard concept to pin down, but one of the best ways to think about it is as ‘economy of motion’. So when we talk about running efficiency, we’re talking about the relationship between how much energy you use and how fast you go – but pinning down what contributes to this is far from straightforward. The answer to how to run faster while using less energy is partly down to how we’re each made – East Africans tend to have lighter and leaner physiques, meaning they can make more economical use of the energy they have available. So, to an extent we have to deal with the bodies we’re born with – but there are also a number of other ways in which we can improve our performance relative to the amount of energy we use.

Watch your steps

Firstly, did you know that their is an optimal number of steps you can take per minute, ensuring that you’re not taking too many little steps or over reaching with your strides? According to research done by Dr Jack Daniels, an exercise physiologist at the Center for High Altitude Training at Northern Arizona University, you should aim for around 180 steps per minute. Cadence is vitally important – so aim for a steady 180 and focus on keeping your strides smooth, relaxed and balanced.

Don’t bounce

Allowing your strides to spring upwards in a big bounce rather than moving forwards is a counter productive use of energy. So engage your core, extend your hips and gently lean into the front part of your foot to drive yourself forward.

Float, don’t run!

Contact with the ground destroys momentum, so try to make sure that every time your foot hits the ground it breaks contact as quickly as possible. (Don’t bounce up though – see the previous tip).

Watch your posture

You’re not at your desk any more – so keep your spine nice and straight and lean forward slightly to improve your running efficiency. Also remember to relax your hands and shoulders – don’t run with clenched fists (it can lead to shoulder tension) and try and open your chest up (though not too far back) in order to relax your shoulders and avoid a hunched running position.

These are all small changes, but together they can make a real difference. Try one or two of them next time you head out for a run and see how you get on.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

The greatest races and routes in the world

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

Getting tired of your local 10k route? Not feeling inspired by the thought of your city’s next half marathon event? Well, maybe it’s time to look further afield and try something different. This post is all about just a few of those iconic events that we should all tackle before we die. So, with that in mind, here are a few ideas for your next big challenge.

Great Ethiopian Run

Where better to start than the home of long distance running itself? No one runs quite like the Ethiopians – the country has produced legends including Haile Gebrselaisse, Kenenisa Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba and Abebe Bikila – and this event is the perfect opportunity to follow in their footsteps. Join 37,000 other people on the streets of Addis Ababa for this celebration of running.

Paris Marathon

Its Paris. In April. Do we need to say any more? Run on the streets of one of the most beautiful cities in the world and get a unique perspective of this very special place.

Siberian Ice Marathon

Siberia in January is a world away from Paris in the springtime – temperatures hit -32C at times on the streets of Omsk. Thick socks are a must for this gruelling half marathon.

Athens Classic Marathon

This the one that started it all. It’s as hot, hilly and punishing as Greek runner Phidippides found it back in 490BC when he ran from Marathon into Athens, so bring a hat and plenty of sun cream. It starts at the old battlefield site in Marathon and finishes in the Olympic stadium – an unmissable experience for any marathon runner.

Great Wall Marathon

Normal marathons are hard enough for most of us – but the Great Wall of China version adds in the extra challenge of 5,164 steps to keep you on your toes.

Marathon du Medoc

The perfect antidote to some of the tougher races we’ve mentioned above – the Marathon du Medoc passes through number of stunning French vineyards, giving you plenty of opportunity to stop and ‘rehydrate’ en route.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.

Is joining a running club right for you?

Posted on by Mohsin Salya

Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

I prefer to run alone. I’m a runner who enjoys the peace and quiet, and the opportunity to step out of daily life for a while as I exercise. And if I’m honest, I also find it difficult to talk while I run – I like to push myself as much as possible, and sometimes the effort often means holding a sensible conversation can be a challenge!

A shared experience

But I know that for many people, running is a social experience – or at least they would like it to be. I’ve been in races and run in charity events before where I’ve passed old friends (and new) chatting together for the whole length of the course, using the event as an opportunity to catch up. I’ve seen families out running together, using the time out on the course as a chance to reconnect and to spend the kind of quality time with each other that isn’t always easy in our modern world.

However, we don’t all have families and friends who are willing (or able) to join us on our runs. So, what are the alternatives?

Is a running club for you?

The first and most obvious option is to join a local running club. There are thousands around the country and you’ll find your nearest with a quick Google search. But why bother? Well, of course you’ll get to meet other runners and have a bit of company out on the road. But you’ll also get more variety built into your training schedule and perhaps begin to see yourself as more serious and committed runner than you did when it was simply a lone pursuit.

A collective approach

The example of a group of runners in New York offers an alternative to joining a formal running club – simply forming your own collective of friends to run with you regularly, with a loose approach to creating routes and the emphasis firmly on seeing the area where you live through different eyes. “It became, ‘let’s run where nobody else does and see things that nobody will’,” says Mike Saes of the New York Bridge Runners collective. “That’s always been my trick to running — the visuals.”

Another option – a kind of halfway house between informally running with friends and joining a running club – is to head along to a Parkrun. I’ll be focusing on these in another post soon.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.