Rhythm Running

When I talk about rhythm running I’m not talking about listening to an ipod during your run, or trying to keep up with the beat of the stuff they pump out down at the gym. I’m referring to a term I use to illustrate that feeling of running when everything is in synch, your legs move fluently with your arms and your breathing, and your mind is totally focused on where you are going. Others may well call it something else but this is how I describe it to my clients, because it’s how I feel when I’m running well, I run rhythmically.

I have a number of clients that I run with, in order to make them better runners I don’t just take them out for a run I talk them through how to run better and I put them through various tests to get them to practice what I tell them. I try to teach them how to move their body better, how to relax and how to pick up the pace and push without causing stress to the cardio-vascular system. What I’m aiming to do is to get them to run to a rhythm that suits them. 

It sounds like it should be simple, and it is, but lots of people don’t appear to run rhythmically. I do and I’ve been very successful with it. Naturally I never used to think about it being rhythmical until I tried to find the best way to describe it to my clients. The only time I really struggle to run with rhythm is during cross country races, with all the twists turns and thick mud it’s difficult to get into a rhythm which is probably why this still proves to be my weakest discipline. Even so, I have had successful races over the country, so there are obviously some occasions I’ve managed to use it.

I was recently trying to help a client pass the bleep test but as we rehearsed we kept falling short of the required mark. As I was running alongside her I was observing her and it was clear that she wasn’t getting the rhythm, we were running at the same pace but she wasn’t relaxed and she wasn’t moving her legs properly plus at every turnaround I was pulling away by about half a metre. I spent some time trying to coach her into using the rhythm and there was some improvement, but by the end of the last session we were still just short of the required mark. There wasn’t much more I could do so I gave her one last run through of how I wanted her to run and told her to rest over the weekend. Come the Monday morning, the day of the test, she smashed it. Sometimes it takes a while for teaching to sink in but if you persevere you get there in the end.

Last week I realised that my Achilles was flaring up, I’d been doing a lot of client running up tough hills with uneven surfaces. Probably not the best thing to do whilst I’m still in recovery mode but sometimes you don’t know until it’s too late and I don’t like to let people down. Luckily it wasn’t too late to react, I took a sight seeing week in the hope things would improve. It took a long time but eventually things did improve and I was ready to start my quality runs last Saturday, not really ready for a parkrun at Delamere, but some faster intervals. I also ordered a McDavid ankle support, suggested by one of my Surrey based running friends. I wasn’t altogether convinced that would be the answer but nothing ventured…. This arrived just after my quality run on Saturday, once again Amazon set their expectations low (delivery was actually due today) to exceed your expectations, and I’ve been wearing it ever since (obviously only for runs, I don’t sleep or shower in it. Still not sure if it’s going to help, though the Achilles is not as sore as last week and I’ve done some good running.

My quest is now on to run a 10k, I finally feel ready and realise, with the lack of speed work (or rather my inability to do speed work fast), I’m not going to make huge inroads into my 5k times this year. I’ve been working on my sustained pace, using my rhythm running method. I’ve accepted that I will never have moves like Jagger nor a sprint finish like Tudor so my best bet to beat my mate Rob is to lure him into a 10k and make my move when he’s least expecting it, mind I might have to get him drunk the night before too. Anyway Rob it’s on my ‘Too Do’ list and it’s going to happen so you might as well start accepting it now.

Here’s two pictures of me from last season’s cross country season, can you tell which one has more rhythm? And a picture of me totally concentrated on bringing Herne Hill home first in a relay.  

The chasing pack sensing a damaged man at Stockport

Well clear of 30th place at Wythenshaw

My kind of surface and a 1st leg winner in a road relay championship. Eyes totally focused on the prize and keeping some of Britain's best Masters behind me.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk

The Great British Summer

As a nation we’re known for the fact that we like to queue and we talk a lot about the weather. Neither of which are strictly true, we don’t like to queue, in fact we hate it, but we do have this genuine feeling that if everybody takes their turn things will be more efficient and everyone will ultimately benefit, rather than the opposite of a free for all where the loudest, strongest or biggest suppress the quiet, weak or small and take all the goodies. We don’t talk about the weather we moan about it, how damp, cold or windy it is. We’re blasé about our summers, believing we’ve had it after one sunny day. But no one can deny that summer has finally arrived in Britain, it may have taken a few years but it’s well and truly here and what fabulous sunny warm days we’re having, could almost take me back to 1976.

Not only are we having a great summer for weather but we’re not doing too bad on the sporting front; Andy Murray wins Wimbledon, Chris Froome leads the Tour de France, The British Lions win in Australia and England currently hold the upper edge in the Ashes. Lots of other stuff too, including some great performances from British athletes, most notably for me the running of Mo Farah.

Whilst the hot weather gives us a great opportunity to get out and fill up with vitamin D it also encourages us to get out and enjoy team sport; rounders, football, Frisbee, anything that gets us out there and active. At the same time it does stop a few people from getting out there and running; yes it’s harder running in the heat, but if running’s easy it’s not sport, it’s sightseeing. To run successfully through hot weather you can do a number of things; ensure you keep hydrated, use suncream and upf clothing, I use a hat all the time, and hold back a little in your efforts, if they’re long, or make your runs shorter. You don’t need to run long runs all the year round, four weeks of shorter long runs won’t hurt anyone, unless you’re in the middle of marathon training.

I’ve had a busy time of it lately, hence the lack of a blog for a while, but I have managed a couple of parkruns, at Delamere. Last week I finished in 3^rd place and today I was 1^st, with a new pb around the course. I’m still finding it tough on the rough ground at Delamere and this afternoon my ankle is still throbbing, time for a few days of sightseeing.

Finally, for those who have read through Runner’s World and are confused as to what I look like, here’s one of the pictures taken by Tom Miles (www.tmphoto.co.uk). The shoes they promised me arrived on Thursday, they’re a little bright at the moment but a few runs will sort them out.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk

I’ve Not Lost That Winning Feeling

No blog last week, it’s been a busy time and when I wasn’t working or training I was painting and cleaning. A week of virtually no leisure time which left me drained by the end of the week. I wasn’t even intending doing a parkrun on Saturday but Carole persuaded me as she enjoys getting up early on a Saturday morning and getting physical.

But before we get into the parkrun, some good news. Following my last blog, where I voiced my opinion on the team medal situation at the BMAF 5k, it appears they have now retrospectively added club team medals. This means Salford Harriers have once again won medals in all male categories; gold in the M35-44, M45-54 and M55-64 and bronze in the M65-74. Most importantly, for me, it means I have become a National Champion again, and also means I’ve been part of a National Championship winning team with all my clubs; Salford, Herne Hill and Edinburgh AC, with the exception of Belgrave, where I only picked up National silver. This one’s particularly pleasing as I’d only been back running for a few weeks, after my injury, and I was still having concerns about my achilles when I ran the race. But I’ve come through ok and it’s time to move forward. Mind you it could be a while before I receive my medal.

This Saturday, I could be found lingering around the start area for the Delamere parkrun, this time with my insect repellent covering my legs. I felt buoyant and reasonably confident that I’d get under 18 minutes on the course, despite the tiredness. As we waited for the start I chatted with a couple of Vale Royal athletes, Graham Miles and Steve Caldwell and I could tell that Steve was one to watch out for, he was also intending to break 18 minutes. When we set off I managed to make a faster than normal start but was still unable to give it everything and once again got left in the dust of those able to start faster. That initial 400m is up, down and uneven and always proves painful on my dodgy ankle. Luckily I’ve learnt to cope with the pain but it does slow me down a little. As I watched the lead runners pull away from me I was thinking that I might stay away from Delamere for a while until I build up my ankle. I reached the relative flat of the Mere path in 3^rd place but Steve had already made a determined effort at the front and was pulling away from second place. I settled into my pace and went past second and after Steve. There was nothing between us pace wise and the gap was proving difficult to close. As we got further into the race my strength started to come to the fore and I gradually reeled him in, then went past him to open up a small gap. But the race wasn’t over yet, Steve showed some reserve, he wasn’t going to just roll over and let an old man take his victory, he came back strong to catch me up again. Now it was a battle of minds! Since my comeback I’ve been running to get fit, this was the first time I’d actually been in a situation where I was competing for a win and it felt a bit alien. It would have been so easy to just give in and let Steve take the win, but that’s not what I preach, or practice. The easiest option is always to give in, but take the harder option and it’s a lot more satisfying. With that thought in my mind I focused on getting my first Delamere win. Raising my tempo a little was enough to create another gap but I sensed Steve wasn’t going to give in so I had to keep that tempo going all the way home. It was tough being back at the front and trying to set a pace that would see me stay there to the end, particularly as we went uphill, but I did it, another parkrun win at another venue. But the best thing about that run was that I now feel competitive again. Sure I’m still a little slow and I’d struggle to beat the best in my age group but I’m gradually getting fitter and I’ve got that desire to win again. I realise it’s too late to do much about getting my speed up for the summer so I’ve switched into strength training mode, ready for the cross country, oh dear that means Boggart Hole Clough!

It wasn’t just me in action this weekend, Ray and Sharon were also running, Ray pacing his son round, and Carole ran another consistent time around the course. Onto cycling, nothing to do with the Tour de France, one of my clients was taking part in a time-trial over 52 miles on Sunday. He’d been looking at 2 hours 30 minutes but ended up with 2 hours and 6 minutes. He’s been coming on well for some time but that shows we’ve been focusing on the right things in our sessions.

These past few weeks I’ve been working with a group of lads and lasses from the Round Table. They contacted me to do them a one off session and ideas for activities to help them prepare for their three peaks challenge. The session was successful and they booked me in for a regular once a week session, which recently became twice a week. They’re a great bunch, we have a good laugh and, naturally, I make them work hard. This week they’re off to do their challenge so I wish them luck. Over the weeks I’ve seen them all improve in fitness and strength but it’ll still be a tough challenge for them.

I’ve mentioned previously that I was contacted by a journalist with regards to older people running. The feature he’s written is in this month’s Runners World (UK edition - not sure if it’ll go global). I haven’t seen it yet but friends have told me it’s quite good. The one drawback being that somebody mixed up the pictures and I have the picture of a man in his 60’s attributed to me, whilst he gets to look quite good for his age, having my picture attributed to him. I’m sure it’s no big problem, people may be surprised when they meet me for the first time but mistakes happen and nobody died as a consequence. The magazine have apologised and are even sending me some new trainers to make up for it, so I’m looking forward to them arriving as my step up in mileage is wearing into my current crop of trainers.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk