Tag: mohsin salya

Learning to breathe – techniques for running

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

I freely admit that for many years – probably like most runners – I didn’t give too much thought to my breathing. Breathing was just something you did without thinking – a necessary function of getting the oxygen you need into your body in order to get to the finish line.

But in recent years I’ve become much more interested in watching my breathing – not least through the breathing techniques that are at the heart of a lot of meditation practice. Having an increased awareness of how I’m breathing, and simply focusing on my in breaths and out breaths, has really helped me to clear my head when I’m out on the road.

Reducing injury

There are also ways in which, unlikely as it may seem, breathing can help to reduce your chances of injury. Impact stress – in other words the stress your landing foot is suffering each time it hits the ground – is at its greatest at the beginning of an exhalation. This is because as you breath out, your muscles – in particular your diaphragm – relax, making it more likely that you’ll injure yourself at this point. Do this repeatedly – by landing on the same foot at the beginning of an exhalation – and you’re storing up trouble. The answer is rhythmic breathing.

Odd-even

This involves having a longer inhale than exhale, breaking the pattern of inhaling and exhaling on the same foot strike. Another important step is to practice breathing from your belly rather than your chest – allowing your lungs to fill with as much oxygen as possible. I’d recommend a pattern of inhaling for three steps and exhaling for two – a good tip is to start by practicing the floor, then walk, and then gradually speed up.

Breathing properly is central to our wellbeing – and a fundamental part of becoming a better runner – so I’d recommend giving the rhythmic technique a go.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Running: How to warm up properly

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

I’ve lost count of the number of times that I’ve told the same thing by experienced runners: ‘just make sure you warm up properly’. It’s probably the number one rule that we should all follow – but how many of us can honestly say we actually do it? And I don’t mean do it half-heartedly (for years I used to jog on the spot for ten seconds, windmill my arms and take a few big breaths and think I was ready for a marathon). I mean really warm up. Just as with any aspect of running, doing it properly is a skill that you need to learn, and then apply consistently in order to see any benefit.

And believe me, it is worth it – here are just a few good reasons why warming up properly so essential:

  • It reduces the risk of setting off too fast, burning out and not getting through your run
  • It warms up your muscles and your joints, reducing the chance of injury.
  • It gets your heart beating, but in a gradual way that will prepare your body properly for a sustained effort.

My personal warm up

So what’s my warm up routine? Here’s what I always recommend whenever people ask me how I get ready for a run:

Do some dynamic stretches (10 each):

  1. Hip Flexor Stretch

Stand up straight and flex your hip and knee – bringing your right knee towards your chest and swinging your left arm forward. Lower and repeat on the other leg.

  1. Plantar Flexor Stretch

Hands on hips, raise your right foot up slightly, keeping your knee straight. Flex your foot with your toes pointing upwards. Repeat with the other foot.

Then just walk.

Yes, walk. Taking a five-minute walk can make the perfect transition between relative inactivity and running. It will get the blood pumping to all of the same places you’ll need on your run, and also provides you with some vital headspace before your get going.

So next time park 5 minutes away from the start line, and build a walk into your pre-run routine.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Brendan Foster retires as the BBC’s voice of running

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

As a child sporting heroes can have a huge impact. And for me, Brendan Foster – who is retiring this year as the voice of athletics for the BBC – was mine. Not as an Olympic athlete – I sadly never saw him run – but as the voice that described many of athletics’ greatest moments over the years.

Olympic standard

Before he became a commentator, Foster was a highly accomplished runner in his own right. He won 5,000m gold in the 1974 European Championships and set a new world record for the 3,000m. Once he retired from the track in 1980 he proved himself to be equally comfortable behind the microphone, and has commentated on pretty much every major athletics event ever since. This year’s World Championships in London – in which he saw Mo Farah win the 10,000m and end his own track career with silver in the 5,000m – was his last.

Great North Run

There is one thing however that Brendan Foster will always be remembered for, and it is a legacy possibly even more lasting than all of his success on the track or as a commentator. The Great North Run was created by Foster in 1981 and is now the largest half marathon in the world. 12,000 runners took part in that first event, and today it is as popular as ever. It’s one of my favourite races to take part in and is an event that always has a completely unique atmosphere – I’d highly recommend you give it a go if you’ve never experienced it.

So, goodbye Brendan Foster – the world of running will never be quite the same again.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Running with a disability – getting started

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

One of the most inspiring aspects of taking part in an organised race is seeing the huge diversity of people taking part – you’ll find yourself running alongside competitors of all ages and abilities. Running is a sport that open to all – and the options for athletes with disabilities are varied.

RaceRunning

One great option for keen runners who rely on sports aids for mobility and balance is RaceRunning – a new sport that uses a three-wheeled frame to support the athlete. You move forward by pushing against the frame with your feet while steering with your hands or arms. It’s a fantastic way for people with even the most limited movement to be able to experience the joy of running.

Guide Running

If you have a visual impairment you might already have considered taking on the challenge of a run with a guide runner. For totally blind athletes, that first run can sometimes be a disorientating and difficult experience – but your body and brain will soon adjust to the experience and you will learn to work with your guide to let them know how you’re feeling.

Competing with a guide runner is in many ways a real team effort – so talk to them, explain how much sight you have, and also be honest with them about the pace you’re comfortable going at. The only final thing to remember is to make sure you cross the line first – if your guide runner goes before you then you’ll both be disqualified!

A positive effect

Running is also just an incredibly therapeutic activity, whether you have a disability or not – as I’ve discussed in another post, it is a great way to lift your mood, build confidence and just clear the mind.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Finding your ideal running distance

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

I distinctly remember two races I ran as a teenager. The first was an 800m: I recall running harder and faster than I’d ever run before. I also remember people quickly passing me, and I soon trailed in last. The other race was a 5,000m, and I remember the feeling of entering the finishing straight on the shoulder of the runner in first place, certain that I had enough energy to take me across the line as a winner. I did – and I knew I had found my distance at last.

So, how do you find yours? Most of us who have run for a while probably have developed a rough idea of what distance suits us best. This is the gut instinct route – how far do you actually like to run? Here’s what Steve Plasencia, from the University of Minnesota has to say on the matter of picking your optimum distance –

Follow your gut

“Certainly, there is a scientific method involved to some degree, as a 5K runner is genetically different from a marathoner, but there’s not much difference between the 5K and 10K runner. So, to some degree it boils down to what the runner likes. The distance where you feel the most comfortable plays a major factor. Do you like the long runs? Can you stay focused for that long a time or are the shorter runs better suited for you?”

A more scientific approach

If you’re feeling a little short changed by that answer, then you might be pleased to hear that there are also more scientific routes to finding your ideal race. Race time equivalent charts – that predict likely finishing times for longer distance races based on the performance in shorter races (or vice versa) – are a good place to start.

Look as well at how you’re physically put together – ideally, sprinters are tall with a muscular, slim lower legs and narrow hips (think Usain Bolt), middle distance runners have plenty of stamina but are more than capable of high speed, while long distance runners are lean and lightweight with slim bodies and legs.

I believe there’s a perfect distance out there for everyone – so go out and find it!

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya

Upcoming running trends to look out for

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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

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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

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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?

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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.

Back to basics – what do you actually need to run?

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Hi, and welcome back to the Mohsin Salya blog.

In our last blog, we talked about how having a number of different pairs of running shoes can be a real advantage, allowing you to match the footwear you need to the terrain you’re taking on. But there is another approach to running – that of stripping back all of the technology and simply running with as little external baggage as possible. Here are a few things you could try.

Lose your watch

I’d also include your GPS, heart rate monitor and your smartphone in this list of things to leave at home. Just take a look at how a dog runs on a beach – freely and without any inhibition whatsoever. When was the last time that you ran – just ran – with that kind of freedom? Running should be a liberating, exhilarating experience that gives you a break from the technology that dominates so much of modern life.

So, try getting rid of all of the kit that you’ve learned to rely on to judge your pace and your fitness, and re-learn the art of listening to your own body for feedback – you’ll find that it gives you a whole new perspective on what you’re capable of as a runner.

Ditch your headphones

I know that many people – myself included – love to listen to music while running. It can be a great way of getting through those longer workouts, and a real motivator when the going gets tough. But again, try and leave your headphones at home for once. You might find that the long run that you thought was dull is actually packed full of new experiences to notice – you’ll hear the birds, and you’ll soon find that you’re more absorbed in the environment you’re passing through. That kind of mindfulness can be a real refresher for a busy brain – lose yourself in the moment, listen to your breath and stop worrying about the list of jobs you’re going to do when your run is over.

Barefoot running

An extreme one this, but there is a school of thought that suggests getting rid of your running shoes altogether and hitting the road barefoot. In the last few years the running shoe industry went through a phase of producing minimalist footwear, that put more of the responsibility for supporting your feet on the muscles in your feet themselves.

It’s an argument that certainly makes some sense and taking it to its most extreme conclusion – running barefoot – is an interesting option. If you’re concerned that letting your shoes take the strain is actually weakening your muscles in your feet and increasing your risk of injury, then maybe give it a go.

Until the next time,

Mohsin Salya.