Run Well Juliet McGrattan (microsoft ebook reader TXT) 📖

I’m a fair-weather runner. I hate being cold, but this year I have to run through the winter because I have a spring marathon. How can I keep warm?

A Tempting though it is to head out in a down jacket, dressed for the Arctic, you’ll end up overheating. Running will make you warm, so dress for the second mile rather than the first. Check the outside temperature. It’s often warmer than you think and you’ll soon figure out how many layers you need for each temperature and wind chill. Base layers are really important for keeping your core temperature warm, so it’s worth investing in a really good one. On the coldest days, a woollen base such as merino wool will provide warmth, but also wick away sweat and dry quickly. Layers are great. They trap air which provides insulation. You can also take layers on and off, and tie them around your waist if you need to.

Your body temperature may feel hotter and colder at different points on a long run, particularly if the weather changes or you find yourself running into the wind. Tops and jackets with long zips up the front mean you can unzip when you want to let air in to cool you down or zip up if you’re feeling chilly. Windproof jackets are a good idea too. Look for thermal running tights – some have a fleecy lining. These can make a big difference if you’re someone (like me) who ends up with freezing thighs and buttocks.

For the coldest days, a hat with a thermal lining is a great addition to keep you toasty – a lot of heat is lost through your head. A light scarf stops the cold air going down your neck and you can cover your nose and mouth with it too. Having freezing cold fingers can be miserable so gloves are essential, particularly for those suffering with Raynaud’s disease (see here). Pre-warm your hat, scarf and gloves on the radiator.

Don’t forget, though, as soon as you stop running, your body temperature will fall quickly. In combination with the wet sweat on you, you’ll soon feel really cold. Do a cool-down run and walk to bring your body temperature gradually back to normal. Make sure you have plenty of warm layers to put on if you’re away from home, and hop in a warm shower and have a hot drink as soon as you can. Don’t let the winter weather put you off. It’s a great time to be running. A spring running goal will keep you going out on the worst of days. You’ll soon get used to it, and find out what and how much you need to wear.

Q I don’t have much time to go running, so I don’t usually bother warming up.

A I think lots of runners are guilty of this and either skip a warm-up completely or just go a bit more slowly for their first mile. It is worth knowing what the benefits of warming up are so you can make up your own mind as to whether it’s something you want to make time for or not. While warming up won’t completely get rid of those ‘toxic ten minutes’ that you experience at the start of a run, it will introduce your body to the idea that it’s about to work hard, improve elasticity of connective tissues, elevate your heart rate and prepare the lungs for what’s to come. There’s a phenomenon called post activation potentiation which means that when you have asked a muscle to contract once, it will contract with a greater force the next time. So, if performance is important to you, then warming up is vital. A warm-up can be beneficial to joints too. Synovial fluid circulates in your joints to lubricate and cushion them, and this is stimulated by activity, so beginning gently and gradually building up intensity will allow time for this to happen.

Something that you may be unaware of is how warming up benefits your nervous system. Taking time to fire up the pathways between your brain and your muscles and joints can help to lower your risk of injury. Activating muscles, sending feedback about joint position and fine-tuning co-ordination will reduce your risk of tripping and falling.

Finally, don’t forget that warming up your mind is important too. Think about what you want to achieve, how far you have come and the tone you want to set for your run. You might need positive thoughts and imagery for a race, or deep breaths and thought blocking if you’re running away from a busy day. Either way a bit of time to focus your mind can help you get the most out of your run.

Warm-ups don’t need to be complicated and you don’t have to do them before you go out or on the doorstep. Ten minutes to walk briskly and run slowly followed by some dynamic stretches is enough. You might find it’s ten minutes well spent.

Did you know?

Dynamic stretches are stretches that take a joint through its whole range of movement. They include arm and leg swings, hip rotations and trunk twists.

Q I run three times a week. Is this enough to keep me healthy?

A The Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines for physical activity state that 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity is the recommended amount for good health. Running is vigorous activity so three 25-minute runs a week will tick that box. However, you shouldn’t spend the rest of your week being inactive. Your three runs a week don’t cancel out the need to do anything else.

The guidelines now have a new emphasis on muscle-strengthening activities, which should be done on at least two days a week. Running helps to build muscular endurance and strength, particularly in the legs. However, including a couple of specific muscle-building sessions a week will ensure that you maintain muscle and bone mass as you age. This can be