0 Running Naked: The Busy Athlete Goes Au Naturel And Loves It

Yesterday I ran naked for the first time in way too long.  Don't worry.  I wasn't jogging nude around the running trails of Melbourne, frightening people.  I did something much more radical, and for a lot of runners and triathletes, even more unimaginable.  I ran without a GPS, heart rate monitor or mp3 player.  I got home and had no data to review.  No split times.  No "time spent in Zone 3".  I have no idea how far I ran, or how fast, and I will never know if I took the Strava CR on Yarra Bend Road.

I realised recently that I, and many people I know have become addicted to data.  We endlessly analyse run or ride data and define a "good" workout as one in which we ran fast or beat a previous record (or another Strava user).  I can't actually remember the last time I went for a run without having some sort of device attached to my arm to record, track and dissect my performance post-workout.

So yesterday I pulled on my trainers, and headed out the door.  I ran the riverside trails around Studley Park, enjoying the morning sun and the beautiful scenery.  The sounds of the Australian bush were a rare treat as normally I run with music, and tend to pound across the landscape in a carefully playlisted musical bubble.  The bird calls and rush of the river were only interrupted by my own breathing and the staccato beat of my feet hitting the trail.  It was peaceful, beautiful and FUN.

I noticed that I was running through the trees with a big grin on my face.  I was happy in the moment, completely connected to my own body and my surrounds, and I hadn't had to pay a spiritual guru or life coach for this moment of revelation.  I felt freed from worry about how fast I was going, or how much further I needed to run.  I was simply enjoying the act of running just like my daughter does.  It was running for the joy of it.  I ran well.  I felt strong, agile and fast and had the feeling that I could run all day. 

My little naked run has reminded me that I love to run.  I will always be a data nerd.  I will always analyse my training to find improvements and I will always compete with myself and others to be the best athlete I can be.  I will also make time to regularly run and ride my bike without all of the modern gadgets.  It's way more fun and I'm pretty sure it'll make me a better athlete in the long run.

Next time you head out the door to train, stop.  Put down your devices and just enjoy your run.  You'll be grateful you did.

0 Mental Toughness: Pushing Yourself Past Your Limits

I recently started to use Strava to track my runs.  Not only does it map my route and give me pace and distance data (like a million other apps), it also allows me to challenge the times of other users my area.  Being a ridiculously over competitive guy who likes winning a LOT, this is right up my alley.  The first thing I did upon downloading the app was to plan a run that took in as many local sectors as possible, in order to break the existing records and claim top spot.

I'm honest enough with myself to know that I am by no means physiologically gifted when it comes to athletic endeavours.  I'm an average, middle of the pack athlete and will never compete at an elite level in any sport.


Going into my run yesterday though, I had no doubt that I would (not could) reach the goals that I'd set myself.  I made a mental pact with myself to push my body to the level that was required to achieve my goal.  I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my body was capable of running as fast as I needed it to, I just needed to convince my mind that it was OK to suffer through the pain that is the unfortunate side-effect of this sort of extreme effort.


If you've ever seen Jens Voigt dishing out pain on the front of the Tour De France peloton, you will have some idea of what I'm talking about.  By his own admission, Jens is not the best, fastest or strongest rider in professional cycling.  His true gift is his ability to transcend the screaming pain in his body to continue to "suffer" until his rivals are beaten or his own strength gives out.  His famous quote "Shut Up Legs!" perfectly encapsulates his disdain for the weakness of the flesh.


Over the years, I've realised that one of my real strengths is in this ability to ignore the physical pain and continue to push myself.  I'm certainly not claiming to be anything like Jensie, but I was lucky enough to come to a startling, and very simple realisation some years ago.  The pain won't kill me, and it is going to go away almost as soon as I stop.  With this in mind, I've found it a lot easier to reach a much higher level of performance than I previously had.

Obviously hard, regular and effective training is the key to go faster and further, but I truly believe that mental toughness is often the difference between winning, or for the majority of us, finishing a hard race or beating a previous PR.


So how do you get mentally tough?  I think there are some people that are just naturally blessed with the ability to put pain aside and push themselves past what should be possible.  For the rest of us, it's something that can be trained and strengthened.  


The first step is to make a deal with yourself not to quit when things get hard.  It sounds simplistic and a bit cheesy, but it really is incredibly effective.  Just making this sort of mental agreement is a very powerful way of avoiding the all too frequent easing off when the lactic acid kicks in and your lungs are screaming.


Distraction is probably the best way to keep going whilst you are actually running, riding or swimming (or whatever else you do).  Listening to music, observing people around you or the scenery you are passing are great ways to take your mind of the suffering you are going through.  I often promise myself that I'll stop when I reach a point ahead, and then just prior to reaching it, set another point.


Visualisation.  Such a fancy sounding concept, but just boils down to imagining how it will feel and look when you achieve your goal.  I almost always imagine myself running down the finishing chute of an Ironman race through the noise of the crowd and Craig Alexander languishing in my wake.


So when I went on my 15km run yesterday, I made an ironclad promise to myself that I would run faster than I had before in order to defeat the current record holders of the segments I was targeting.  I imagined the satisfaction that I would feel when I looked down to see the time I needed on the Strava screen.


And then I ran.  I pushed myself hard from the start, and put my faith in my fitness and my ability to keep going.  When I got to the 12km mark, I knew I still had some strength in my legs, but my lungs were screaming, I had a stitch and my shoulders were tightening up.  I closed my eyes and just told myself that it would all be over in less than 12 minutes.  12 minutes of intense discomfort seems like a long time when you are in the moment, but I tried to put it into perspective.  It was less than 20% of the time I'd already put in and a minuscule amount of time in comparison to the time I'd take gloating over the result on my laptop.  The time passed so slowly that I thought for the last 100 metres that time had stopped.


And then it was over.  I was double over gasping for air.  My legs felt like they were on fire and sweat was running off me like a river.  Within five minutes all of this was over.  I felt fine.  Tired, a bit sore, but fine.  The pain had passed, like I knew it would, and I couldn't wait to get home to check my result.


Lance Armstrong once said "Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If i quit, however, it lasts forever."

These are words that I tell myself all too frequently.

0 Injury! What Now?

I'm injured. I pushed too hard, and ignored a couple of small niggles (against my own advice).  A couple of weeks ago I had reached that magical level of fitness where you feel invincible.  You are energised, strong, fast and feel as if you can run all day.  I smashed a half-marathon PR on Saturday and then my 10km PR on the Monday.  A week later, and I couldn't run at all.  Shin splints, and a disturbingly painful left ankle had brought my quest for world domination to a screaming halt.

Faced with my own physical frailty, and robbed of my regular fix of exercise induced euphoria, I've found myself struggling to stay positive, healthy and motivated.  Here are some of the key things that I've been forcefully reminded about managing your fitness whilst injured:

• Nobody is bulletproof - You will be injured at some point in your life.  Accept it now and it will save you a lot of time, pain and frustration when it happens.
• You don't need that chocolate - Initially I struggled to adapt my eating to my new, more sedentary, lifestyle.  I was still wanting to eat lots of carbs and had to be very careful of my weight now that I wasn't burning heaps of calories every day.  Be conscious of your food intake if you activity levels change.
• It's not the end of the world - When I realised I wasn't going to be able to run for a while, I almost immediately found myself feeling a bit depressed.  Without my daily sweatfest, I was really struggling to find motivation to get up and about.  I wasn't depressed in the clinical sense, or in need of medication, but I definitely felt down.  It's really critical that you maintain your positivity.  You will get better.
• Stay active - In 99.9% of cases, there will be plenty of exercises and activities that you'll be able to substitute into your exercise regime.  For me, it was more swimming, pilates and gym weights.  Whilst I couldn't run, or even ride hard, I was able to get plenty of quality fitness work done in place of those more high impact sports.
• See a professional - If you think you've injured yourself, go to a Sports Physio asap.  A good physio, in conjunction with a tailored rehab plan, will get you up to speed again a lot faster than doing it yourself.

Remember, you don't need to go to pieces just because your body does.  Stay positive, see a physio and adapt your training to suit your needs.

0 Shin Splints. What Causes Them and How To Get Rid of Them

Shin splints.  If you run on the road regularly or play high intensity sport, you'll more than likely experience this annoying, pain in the front of your lower leg.  More formally known as Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS), is a common, and potentially debilitating injury that plagues many runners. 

Symptoms vary in intensity, from a vague discomfort or tightness in your shin area, up to sharp, recurring stabbing pains that hit every time you take a step.  Bad cases can even lead to stress fractures that will keep you off your feet completely if not treated properly.

Last week I noticed that I was sore in my right shin after running, and have decided that a few weeks off the unforgiving concrete might be a good idea.  I don't want to spend the next three months trying to overcome a chronic injury, so I've backed off my running and increased my cycling and swimming volume to compensate.

Without going into excessive detail, I'll outline some of the causes and a couple of suggested treatments to get you back on your feet again.

In simple terms, "shin splints" is a bucket term for damage to the connective muscle and tissues surrounding the tibia.  More severe cases are sometimes referred to as "compartments syndrome".  

The main causes of Shin Splints are:

• Overuse: Running a lot on hard surfaces (concrete), or ramping up your volume quickly is a frequent cause.  Your legs just get pounded and due to the short recovery times, they become damaged.
• Shoes: Running with old shoes, or shoes that are not suited to your gait, are a potential trigger for shin splints.  You should be changing your shoes every 500 - 600kms or so, and having them professionally fitted by a reputable running shoe specialist.
• Poor biomechanics: Inefficient running technique, overpronation, or poor core strength can all lead to a higher than normal strain on your lower leg muscles that can cause shin splints.

Some advice on curing Shin Splints:

• Cross-train: Mix up your weekly routine and include more cycling, swimming or even Pilates.  The strengthening of your core, and legs, without the heavy impact of running will make your body more resilient.
• Hit The Track: If you need to keep running, try to find a more forgiving surface like a trail or rubberised track for your workouts.  Running on a track will reduce the amount of shock transmitted to your legs.
• Shoes: Get good quality shoes, fitted by a professional.  It will make the world of difference.  A properly fitted shoe will not only provide you the necessary cushioning, but also help to correct any overpronation that may be causing your muscles to overstretch in the front of your legs.
• Stretch, Stretch, Stretch: You should be warming up properly and making sure you stretch your calves, ankles thoroughly before AND after every run.  Tight calves are a well known cause of shin splints.  Taking the time to stretch will save you a lot of pain in the long run.
• Ice: Icing your shins after every run, or better yet taking an ice bath, will reduce any inflammation and aid your recovery.
• Rest: If you're in pain, your body is telling you that something is wrong.  Give it some time to recover with a well earned rest day every now and then.

Shin splints are a painful, annoying condition that can seriously derail your training.  The good news  is that you can do a lot to prevent the onset of shin splints, and if you're unlucky enough to suffer from them, to get rid of them as quickly as possible!