The Boot Camp

Boot Camps, they’re everywhere, often with a military theme. Prior to becoming a PT I’d never been to one, I was a runner and all my training time was spent running. A few of my running mates went to BMF and seemed to enjoy it, but I was focused on running so I didn’t join them. As a runner I did tend to concentrate on the running side of things, I tried circuits, I tried drills, I never tried weights but I used other cardio machines, mainly though I ran, I ran fast and I ran long, occasionally I also ran slow. Things have changed and it’s probably my understanding of alternative exercises that has helped me to adapt my training methodology, that and the fact that I can’t do the mileage I used to do without breaking down. However I still believe, as an endurance runner, your primary focus for training has to be running.

During my PT training one of the modules was about creating a boot camp. It was fairly common sense and all it really taught us was to use your knowledge to be creative with your environment. I enjoyed the module, particularly as it was run predominantly as a number of boot camp sessions, both in and outside, and I passed the exam. I was now free to set myself onto the exercising public.

But I waited, I was still working at the time, that coupled with my own training and preparing for a move down to England meant I had no time to put into the boot camp experience and anyway it would have been short lived, with the move.

Once in Cheshire I tried initially to establish myself as a gym based PT. Alongside that I established running group training, I figured that any PT could do a boot camp and I needed time to find my own training theme before I could hope to excel at that, but, although any PT could have an understanding of running, I figured my understanding of how to develop running training plus knowing what it took to improve from jogger to International standard would set me aside. Then after a while I started to run a boot camp after my Saturday morning run group.

As time went on and I became more established I decided it was time to free up my weekends for family time and races and with the 1:1 PT going well there was less time to do the boot camps. So I took a break from running them.

Last year I was contacted by the Sandbach Round Table, to organise a one off training session before they tackled the three peaks challenge. They enjoyed it so much they asked if I could do it as a regular boot camp. So all summer we did a once a week boot camp in the Sandbach area. It worked well and you could see the group getting fitter but also exercising better as I explained movements to them. Winter came and we couldn’t find a suitable indoor venue so we let it drop and I used the time to increase my 1:1 PT. But this summer we’re back in Sandbach with a bigger and better boot camp experience. The group comprises of both male and female members and we’ve opened it up to non members of the Round Table at £5 for the hour long session.

With all the training I do for my own goals (twice a day minimum) I’d always thought my own involvement at the boot camps should be one of demonstration, observation and encouragement. However I think the group wanted me to show them that I could do what I was asking them to do so we made an agreement. If I didn’t break 17:15 for 5k at the BMAF champs then I would do the next week’s boot camp alongside them. Now that may seem like a weak goal, considering what times I’ve run in the past, but I’d been struggling to get under 17:30 all year. As it turned out I ran 17:11 so I was saved! But come the next boot camp I decided to join in anyway, and I enjoyed it so much I decided to join them regular and count that as my second session of that day.

The benefits are clear, my involvement allows me to push the group harder because I can feel their pain, I tell them if I’m finding an exercise hard so they know I’m suffering like them but at the same time I’m grunting encouragement. The other benefit, to me, is that I no longer have to find the time for that second session of the day, plus I really enjoy the boot camp, it gives me everything I need to help my running, strength, endurance, core exercises and plyometric movements, and we have a laugh. So I’m going to continue going and work to make them harder each week, why not come and join us.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk

Northwich Five-O

I’ve been a little quiet lately, it’s been a busy period workwise so I’ve cut down on my social and social media activity. But I’ve also been doing some self analysis of where I am with my running and where I’m going with it.

To recap (for any new readers, regular readers feel free to ignore this paragraph); When I turned 45 I was running great, highly ranked in the UK, in my age group, and running times I hadn’t seen since before I turned 40, I had some good results in national competitions and even took a medal in the European champs (the one for old people). Injury took it’s toll and I dropped some form but was still performing well until I hit 48 and had the worst injury of my running life. It’s been a long time getting over that, and various other associated problems with my legs, glutes and back, but these last couple of months I’ve been pretty much able to train without associated muscle injury pain.

So what has this meant to me: For starters it means I can take part in races without the fear of breaking down. It means I can train at 100% and, more importantly I can train at a ‘relatively’ high pace, I’m also able to start quickly in races (for a long time I had to let others go whilst my legs got warmed up, even after a lengthy warm up the standing around at the start was enough to stiffen the muscles). However for two years I’ve missed a lot of training and what training I’ve been doing has been of a far lesser intensity and quality to that I would like to achieve, so, understandably, my form has deserted me and my results pale into insignificance compared to where I was before the big injury.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to be running and running sub 18 minutes for a 5k is still pretty good, but being an ambitious runner it just isn’t good enough for me. But I’m also pragmatic, I’ve been here, relatively, before and I know it’s just a matter of persevering with the training, that I know works well, and being patient. Yes I’d like to be running faster now and I’d like to be contributing more to the Salford squad, but I’ve accepted that now is not my time and I’m happy to see my friends and fellow team members have successful runs whilst I persevere with my training programme.

So I’m looking forwards. Next year I turn 50, It’s hard to visualise it myself, particularly as I keep seeing postings of my results and pictures of me running in the 1990s, but yes I will be a quinquagenarian. I’ll be ranked against a load of people older than me rather than younger than me, although there are some extremely good runners turning, or recently turned 50, so I’ll still need to be running well. The main point is that instead of trying hard to find my fitness over the next few weeks I can concentrate my training so that I come into form next year, assuming I stay injury free.

So that’s what I’ve been doing/will continue to do over the next few months. My running continues to be focussed around improving speed and endurance but I’ve incorporated specific cross training sessions into my training as the 2^nd session of the day; Boot camp, kettlebells, weights, other cardio work and core activities. Yes I know I’ve done all that before but because of my injuries I wasn’t able to keep it as regular as I wanted to. Now I feel I’m back on track, though, as results show, I’m a long way off recovering my best form. Here’s hoping to a long sustained period of training that will see Rog back to his best form.

Written by Roger Alsop

www.rogeralsop.co.uk