#10 The final topic! PACING
You can do everything right in your training, fuel properly, plan the race out, get the kit you need and then screw it all up by racing off too fast at the start trying to keep up with others (who are possibly going too fast also)
It's a painful way to run.... Exhaust yourself early on then struggle it in for the second half. Grim. We've all done it. Us blokes tend to be worse... Ladies are sometimes guilty too though.
In my eyes the ideal pacing is that where you are just beginning to fade at the end but can just about hold it together. IF you do a massive 'negative split' eg run the second half loads faster than the first, you probably weren't running hard enough initially. If you get to halfway or 80% through then crash and burn, enjoy the rest ;)
A couple of examples.... first from myself.... I ran 47 miles in 6 hours 6 mins back in 2012 on a trail. The 10km was 42 mins pretty much dead on.... My final 10km was about 55 mins
My eventual average was 7 min 51 mile.
I was psyched up and flying early on it felt easy, relatively comfortable for 4 hours but... Battling a bit of a head wind and just generally running a bit too hard the final 2 hours was very tough. Looking back I probably needed more fuel too and should have had a more detailed look at the route towards the end.
I can think of plenty of examples of others too, I don't like to use positions as a measure of a good performance because you just don't know who is going to turn up, if you go and 'win' an LDWA event it might not be as good of a performance as coming 30th in a competitive race.
In a 40 mile race I did a couple of years ago, the 2nd place runner was sticking with me up until about 18 miles then in the final 22 miles lost over 1 hour on me and barely hung on to 2nd position. You have to run your own race. There's an element of mental games and psyching out opponents in the later stages or in shorter races but when we're talking longer races especially ultras.
Let's suppose we're battling for the 1st and 2nd positions in a race, we're neck and neck for the first half of the race but you are pushing at an unsustainable pace, where as I am just keeping it steady and matching your pace, when we get to the final climb and a few miles to go, I've not been working as hard and can therefore push the pace and keep the intensity whereas you've burnt out and just can't answer to the injection of pace at the end.
Play to your strengths by all means, just to start with, be sensible with your pacing, your overall time will be better and usually that means your position will be higher too! After you've won a few races it might not feel the same, but that feeling you get when you run your hardest and achieve more than you ever thought possible.... That never gets old ;)
Hope you have loved the last 10 articles! Stay tuned for a bonus one tomorrow ;
Happy trail slaying folks ;)
Following on from earlier in the series of articles we talked about specificity and training planning along with mileage. Let's jump straight to it....
Initially, your ultra running performance will probably NOT be limited by your speed, you'll be busy making mistakes with nutrition and getting lost along with having a picnic at each checkpoint like I did. There are a couple of factors that come in to play, your running economy, your conditioning, your stamina, mental toughness etc.
Once you've built a bit of experience making some mistakes and practicing different strategies (or learned from someone else's mistakes) you'll be able to keep your body fueled and you'll be finishing some ultras mid pack perhaps in the top half. You'll eventually hit a plateau from just running more. To really make a difference in your ultra running times let's consider this
What are the chances of running at your 10k pb pace for a 30 mile ultra? Much less 50 mile or 100! Exactly....Nobody in an ultra race is 'sprinting' EVEN the 'fast ones'. Every runner is running this at a relatively low intensity compared to their 10k pb pace.
So you do get some variances, some people can maintain a higher % of their maximum effort or heart rate for longer than others but, if someone can run flat out for 10k and it takes them 60 mins they are going to be going a lot slower than this when they run 30 miles.
If this runner improves their speed though, so that they can run 10k now in 50 mins instead of 1 hour then slowing down to run a 60 min 10km pace (or 10 min mile roughly) is going to be much more comfortable and therefore be able to go much further at this pace.
When I started running I couldn't run 10k but I built up to it and then eventually I managed to run quicker than 1 hour. So that was a 10 min mile pace.... Now I can run 10km at about 5.30 min mile pace sooooooo..... Slowing down to 7 minute miles for me feels fairly comfortable. With a proper training plan I'm now able to run under 7 min miles for 50 miles. If I never improved my speed much from starting running this would be impossible as I couldn't even run 1 mile this quick when I first started.
If we take someone who can run a 30 min 10k which is about 5 minute mile.... a 6 minute mile is going to feel fairly comfortable, a 10 minute mile is going to feel like an uncomfortable shuffle.
Bottom line, speed is still a factor in ultra running and shouldn't be neglected, it might not be a prime focus year round every single week but it should certainly feature during some of your training phases.
Often overlooked but as we talked about in the previous article you have different phases of training and there is no magic number of miles per week or training method.
After you goal race where you've trained hard and tapered down before pushing yourself to your limit for hours (and hours and hours in a long ultra) your body is probably going to need a bit of a rest. I've heard all kinds of wild ideas, from having a day of rest per mile you raced (I could basically never run again if that had any truth to it) to saying you should only do 1 race per year or per month or whatever. The real answer.... It depends...
If you have trained well and ran with good form and have finished the race simply with fatigued muscles then you might need a day or two to a week or two before you can get back to easy running or at least some cross training.
If you've finished the race and were hobbling a bit because your legs were dead before half way then everything stiffened up and you got a blister and were running 'funny' you might have been straining one of those knees more than the other and also got an achey calf or Achilles or whatever on one side more than the other... In this case you might have caused a bit of damage that's in excess of the usual fatigue. Similar to if you're running with poor movement like tightness in the hip flexors and rounded shoulders from hunching over a desk and a smart phone too much. If you've actually got an injury then you'll need to go and see a relevant professional and wait for it to heal before beginning some rehab work.
If you're dragging yourself out the day after a race and your legs are hurting simply for the sake of continuing a run streak etc then it's risky... Would you be better doing something with less impact like an easy spin on the bike if anything?
Honestly I feel better having done some light activity than done nothing at all. I wouldn't run if my legs felt bad or injured, I'd do something more gentle like I just mentioned. To me recovery is active and takes me the way I want to go not the opposite... How many people consider recovery to be going to the pub and eating junk food for 2 weeks? Going off Facebook newsfeed, quite a few. Whilst that's fine if that's what they want to do, it depends on your goals and what you want to achieve. Whilst I don't think sharing inspirational quotes on Instagram helps ones fitness much, remember that you get what others don't by doing what others wont.
I get a few questions about how frequently I race and get back into training after a long ultra. It depends how hard you're running also.... I run my legs off in a couple of races per year not every weekend, I do a lot of events purely for my training as it's easier when there's checkpoints and a nice route and nice to meet new people and bump into old friends too. To meas I write I've a marathon pb of 2hr 41 which isn't anything special but I can happily run sub 3 on the flat without much effort, I maintain a good mileage year round, consistently. Based on that, in something like a 2 marathons in 2 day weekend, my body isn't going to be so worn out compared to someone who has just smashed themselves to hit 3 hours on the first day and begins the 2nd day with legs that are in bits.
After my first marathon and a 6 hour drive home my legs weren't good for much, a couple of years ago I ran the Berghaus Dragon's Back Race 200 miles in the Welsh mountains before heading over to Spain for Al Andalus Ultimate Trail another 5 days and 140 miles the week later. For me it was more like my summer holiday and a good block of training than my goal events for the year, it just depends on how you train, all those daily choices you make are either helping you with your fitness or they're hindering you.
Key points listen to your body and keep safe so you can enjoy more days out on the trails and less days at the physio :)
HOW many miles should I run each week? Everyone has wondered this at some point.... It's not a simple answer again. There's no magic amount and it's going to depend on how long you have been training/running for and what your goal is.
A lot of people say the elites are running 100 miles per week, you've got to be doing that if you're serious... Is your body really going to know the difference between 90 miles and 100 miles per week? Maybe... Maybe not... It's difficult to prove it with a scientific study what the optimal mileage is for anyone, there are so many variables, and then is that optimal for marathon runners or 100 mile runners or what?
Whatever position you're in at the moment, you will likely benefit from different 'phases' of training, briefly you might have a block say 8 weeks where you are running higher mileage before having a block of shorter but faster running say another 8 weeks before a taper and then a recovery period. In each of these phases your mileage will be different.
Let me give you an example from my own training. AUG 2016. 100 mile race then 2 weeks @ 30 mile per week easy running with some additional easy cross training SEPT-FEB 16. Avg 75/85 mile per week few races, couple of faster sessions per week focus on speed rather than ascent FEB - APR Avg 90-95 mile per week including 2 marathons on weekends, long speed sessions MAY - 2 weeks @ 55 mpw taper End of may 100 mile in 13 hour 58 mins.
Key thing... If you're trying to race everything every weekend you'll likely be limiting yourself, worth considering the ultimate goal and what you're working towards, by all means use other events in your training, just don't smash yourself to bits on long slogs all the time if you want to build your speed and improve your half marathon time.
I'm surprised how often I have conversations like this Runner 'Ohhh I wish I was faster' me, 'Right I see, when did you last do a faster run/ speed session?' Runner 'Ohhh I went to the track once last year, I don't like running fast'
If the thoughts of pain/ suffering/effort etc a runner has associated with doing intervals are outweighing their desire to be a faster runner then they will probably never get faster until they decide to change.
Sure, if you are running at a challenging pace then it's going to feel challenging, maybe a bit uncomfortable at times. If you are struggling here, go back to #1 Mindset. And also focus...
For a bit more insight head to this webinar recording it's the bottom video on this page here Webinar where I walk you through step by step how I build a plan from the ground up.
If you have any specific questions get in touch, I also include various tips in my Instagram stories which you can see by following me @charliethatruns on Instagram
When it comes to your long runs, whilst in ultra training.... My top tip here is specificity... Try to replicate the terrain and ascent that you plan to race on. For an extreme example, say you enter one of the hilliest 100 milers going Andorra Ultra Trail with 13500m in the 100 mile route (about 45000ft) and your mountain running experience stretches as far as canal paths around London, it's going to be a shock to the system.
So first, find out a bit about the ultra in question, what's the maximum and minimum altitudes? What's the total ascent? Is it a few big climbs or a load of small climbs? What is the terrain like? Sandy, rocky, hard, soft, wet, dry? Find out these numbers, you could take the total ascent and divide it by the distance to give you a rough comparable figure.
Eg IF
Lakeland 100 mile has 6000m over 100 mile =600m per 10 mile
Andorra Ultra Trail has 13500m over 100 mile =1350m per 10 mile (more than twice as hilly based on this)
OR L2M Ultra 100 mile has about 650m = 65m per 10 mile! Aka flat
Equally, training specificity goes the other way around too... When I was training for the 13 hr 58 min 100 mile in 2017 I did a lot (for me) of my long runs on fairly flat or slightly undulating trails and canal paths, cycle tracks etc Most of the previous year I spent in the mountains so initially these flat runs felt a bit strange on the legs. It doesn't mean you can't do a hilly run if you live somewhere flat, but just consider it and try to prepare as best as you can.
If you only have small hills to work with then you might need to do multiple reps during a longer run to build up some ascent, you might have to drive further afield.
To clarify the flatter runs aren't pointless but you'll soon feel those quads after a nice 1000m long descent if you're not used to it.
Specificity can extend further than just the terrain though, think about the time of day, weather conditions, whether or not you'll be carrying a lot of kit, is it multi day? Get clear on the goal and these questions are easily answered.
L2M 50 mile takes place in April and runs between Liverpool and Manchester, this year 2018 the start had moved to the Albert Dock in Liverpool and the finish at a slightly less famous, Didsbury Rugby Club. 237 new, soon to be and experienced ultra runners (and one wheel chair athlete, Steve) would begin on a wet morning at 6am
The L2M 50 mile ultra route begins with a couple of miles along the River Mersey, which if you have ever done Liverpool Half Marathon or Liverbird Double Marathon, you'll have run along this before. Then it diverts off through the depths of Liverpool following a national cycle trail (I think it is number 56?) to pick up the Trans Pennine Trail at Childwall and checkpoint 1 which is about 8 miles.
I had set out at just below 7 minute mile pace having recced this part of the route I knew where I was going but in addition the course had been marked with GB Ultras signage so it would have been difficult to get lost if you were paying attention. Just before Penny Lane the rain turned to snow which was actually nicer to run in although short lived and the rain resumed which stayed with me for almost 6 hours. Having run the race in 2017 (see the video here) on the slightly different course and in good conditions I ran 5 hours 58 minutes for the 50 mile route with little fuss so I had planned a similar time this year.
Things didn't turn out quite to plan as I'd been aware my stomach was feeling a bit strange, I think I'd just eaten a bit too late in the evening after registration on the Sunday night, this basically lead to having about 6 or 7 toilet stops between CP 1 and Widnes at CP3 where I could just see time slipping away. The early lead I'd built up was easily pulled back by a runner in a yellow jacket who caught and passed me just near the Runcorn bridge. Conditions over head weren't improving either although earlier on I'd grabbed myself a couple of empty crisp packets that were littered on the trail and used them over my hands to keep them toasty and warm despite the conditions
After leaving Widnes things were looking up on the stomach front, the only thing (other than the conditions - which were the same for us all anyway) that I was aware might affect me, was the fact I'd not eaten or drunk anything yet. Before arriving in Warrington for CP 4 at Sankey Bridges and the approximate half way point I had a gel as my stomach seemed to have settled over the last few miles. I also had caught up with the guy in the yellow jacket who'd passed me quite easily earlier on and as I passed by he didn't respond in terms of any change in pace. Between here and the Latchford Locks checkpoint on Bradshaw Lane I swapped to my spare jacket and was now moving relatively well again. I didn't stop for food or drink at any checkpoints, literally ran through calling my number and shouting a few thank you's.
After CP5 there was a small diversion around Lymm which was off the trail but then the route is the same all the way to the finish as last year. It's a long straight section through there to the next cp and a passing walker informed me there was 'nobody behind'. I had another gel and a 3rd before the finish. The trail was becoming wetter under foot but the great thing about the TPT is that it's firm and well surfaced so even in the rain there wasn't really any mud or slippery areas (like the opposite to Chester 50 mile) just puddles.
I hadn't been on this part of the course since last year at the L2M 100 mile except for a bit around Chorlton Water Park on the trail marathon they had during the summer (not my favourite of courses, loops and loops around the area) so I was just thinking my way through the route ahead. By now I was aware that the pace I'd been struggling along at early on had hampered my time quite substantially and so I was just cruising along around 7.30 min per mile pace to get to the finish.
Nothing really eventful over the final miles as I watched 6 hours tick over on the watch and rolled in eventually in 6 hours and a few minutes. If I'd have run that time in good conditions minus the stomach issues I'd have been totally disappointed but I'm glad that everything happened in this race and not my main target for the moment (L2M 100 mile at the end of April). Last year I ran 13 hours 58 minutes for the 100 mile event and my half way split was about 6 hours 27 minutes. Looking at the results I'd been gaining about 1 minute per mile over the eventual 2nd place during the second half and the guy in the yellow jacket had blown up in what must have been a very tough 2nd half for him coming in about 80 minutes behind which was all lost during the 2nd half. Always think about your pacing, whilst everyone will slow down a little, being disciplined early on can really pay off later. A big well done to some of my clients running, one managing to bag 1st lady covering the 50 mile in 6 hours 55 minutes and also another client for knocking over 1 hour from the previous year coming in 9 hr 47 minutes. some huge improvements there!
Overall the race was well organised and the marshals were fantastic, must have been a tough day for them out there for so long waiting for all the runners. The finish venue was ideal, with lots of showers and easy access to transport to get home, The only issue with the A to B linear style of the race is getting back home and to the start. You'd either have to stay in Liverpool the night before the race and hope you finish early enough on the race to get home afterwards if using public transport, or drive super early to the start, park there and either stay near the finish or finish quick enough to get to the car that evening, unless you have any friends who you could persuade to shuttle you about. Other than that I do personally prefer the original start from near Aintree as it's straight on the trail and you get to pass some of the more exciting parts of the trail like the big sandstone walls that the trail is cut into and many tunnels and bridges from the old railway line.
It's a perfect first ultra but might also suit those more experienced who want to see how quickly they can cover the distance. You can watch the video version below
It's a weekly question I get especially this time of year...
I've written a couple of articles and done a video or two that you can find on my blog, website and Youtube if you want more details but basically I have 2 Waterproof jackets I use for running.I also have a few that aren't waterproof but let's focus on waterproof for now. Why two? One is ultra lightweight so I would personally choose this one on a race where the forecast is good and the duration is short. Eg a flat trail marathon in the summer with no rain forecast anywhere. In the winter or on a long event out in the hills or when there's a chance of rain, I'd take a more substantial jacket.
First up, any waterproof jacket for running should really have a hood and taped seams (sometimes called seam sealed) I'll assume you know what a hood is, a good one will have two adjustments, one to close it around your face and keep the weather out, another adjustment to tighten the hood around the top of your head to stop it sliding off or over your eyes (where your halo would be if you were an angel)
As for taped seams they are found inside the jacket, so where material is joined on the seams, a special tape is used on top of the stitching to keep water from seeping through.
The jackets themselves will be ideally breathable (so that you don't feel like you're wrapped in cling film) but not let the water in. Usually there's a measurement on the manufacturers website or the shops detail that you're buying from, eg 5000 or 10000m/m. Occasionally race organisers specify a jacket should meet a certain rating but really you want to make sure the jacket of choice is going to be adequate for keeping you dry, warm and alive.
The weight of the ultra light ones like my Berghaus Hyper Smock are about 100g although this one is discontinued I have found a similar jacket by Inov8 and it's cheaper on Sportshoes website than their own Inov8 Jacket (sportshoes) at the time of writing Inov8s own website Also similar Montane Minimus here Montane Minimus
For the more extreme conditions I have a Berghaus Vapour Storm HERE which has been replaced this year by newer models. I'd go for the 'Extrem' range and probably choose between the 'Paclite' 'Fellmaster' or 'Hagshu' jacket depending on your preferences.
There are a huge range of brands and jackets but as long as you stick to these guidelines you should come up good. Have a look here for ideas If you're lucky enough to have a local running shop, pop in there and have a chat, you can try a few on and see them in the flesh. Check out my video on here https://youtu.be/DIaoWIcB-BY
I've been running in the Saucony Ride 10 road shoes since July 2017. I have used a few pairs of previous editions which were great and so when the new model came out I grabbed a pair. You can see the video review below and also an update below that. If you are a runner that needs support shoes for over pronation then check out the Guide which is the same with added support. I haven't run in those as I don't use a support shoe.
So the shoe for me has been great. Typically I destroy a pair of shoes in approximately 1 month to 6 weeks depending on the training phase. What I like about Saucony, ever since my first pair of running shoes in 2010 which were Saucony Triumph.... Is the fact that the upper is solid enough that it doesn't fall to bits within the first few runs and usually it's the sole that eventually wears out that brings the time where I decide to get a new pair. I used the particular pair of Ride 10s for all my summer races and trail running which was well over 600 miles.
As I mention in the second video, they are far better than the lower models such as the Saucony Break thru 2 which didn't handle the abuse very well. The Saucony Jazz I have been impressed with in the past too. In terms of other brands, the Mizuno Wave Rider is similar to the Ride, I'd say the sole feels firmer on the Wave Rider but the sizing is the same for me, I'm a size UK 9 in both brands whereas Adidas I'm a size 10.
The Ride should last you a few months even if you're doing 100 miles plus per week and even using them on rocky trails, the grip is obviously not as good as a trail shoe but for me I'd rather have a little less grip if it's mostly dry and more comfort. In terms of road running there is plenty of cushioning for long road races and a great comfortable fit. I much prefer them to uber lightweight shoes such as the Adidas Boost which for me were too flimsy and didn't offer enough support within the cushioning.
I like the Rides so much I've bought another 4 pairs ready for the first part of 2018 as I train towards the L2M double ultra 100 miler in April.
You can get them here on sale now from their original RRP but please don't buy any UK size 9 ;)
So the dark winter nights and early morning conditions have hit for us runners, maybe you're even one of these crazy ones who runs all night in ultra running events, maybe not yet but that's your plan. Whatever the case I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know about buying a head torch for running.
I've been running ultras for 7 years now and before that I did a lot of climbing and camping and bits of hiking and general outdoor activities so I've always had a use for head torches. Running specific torches are the focus in this article though.
Like anything there are a wide range of specifications and prices for various intentions. If you're going to be running mainly on the pavements but want something just to alert pedestrians or road users of your presence then a smaller one will do. Likewise if it's an emergency or back up torch.
If you are looking to actually run off road or in poorly lit areas, the brighter the better. If you're after some of the more gnarly trail and ultra running events around the world then it's definitely not worth skimping on a torch.You can pay between £10 and £200 plus.
Personally I've used the Petzl Myo Rxp since 2011 which has been great although I'm now looking to upgrade and whilst I'm searching out myself, here's my experience and how I'm choosing.
Head torch brightness is the first thing to think about, if you buy one that's cheap and not bright enough for your intended use then your running in the dark will be greatly impaired.
All About Brightness
The brightness is measured in LUMENS. MORE LUMENS = BRIGHTER
BEWARE when buying torches the manufacturers normally quote the MAXIMUM brightness, not necessarily the useable brightness. Eg my torch has a boost mode for if you want a couple of seconds of really bright light to look into the distance @380 lumens but when you are actually using it in it's normal bright mode, it's 270 lumens. When I bought this it was fairly high end. Now there is a range of more powerful. Some torches now state the distance that they can 'see' again it might help you compare one to another
Roughly the cheaper torches are about 100 lumens or less. Anything much below 100 lumens wont be much use once you get off the pavements.
My torch is about 270 lumens ...which has done most of my big ultras (more than 20x 100 mile races through the night and normally in the mountains) along with countless training runs in the dark on trails
Now you can get torches claiming THOUSANDS of lumens but they are of course going to be a bit bigger and heavier. In summary light use 100 as a minimum but for trail runners aim for 250 plus. If you want the best like for example the Lesnar XE019R you can get 1000 lumens on the normal mode.
Battery Type Pros and Cons
USB or AA/AAAs The issues I have with the USB battery packs is that they aren't easy to replace. If for example mid race your battery pack fails it's unlikely that anyone at a checkpoint will have your specific USB battery pack just lying around. This means you will probably need to buy a spare. If you're going through more than one night especially in 12 -15 hours on a winter night there's an issue becuase the Lesnar one mentioned above, only lasts 8 hours on it's highest useable mode, you could run it at low power mode for 20 hours of course, but then it's only at 200 lumens. They are a little heavier and bulkier than a few AA batteries too although we're talking grams. Some races compulsory equipment says you need a spare battery for your torch, one way around this would be to carry an additional smaller torch perhaps but then again more weight and more expense. If doing something like the Spine Race or a non stop race covering multiple nights you either need a way of charging the battery packs or numerous batteries. Cold weather can drain batteries surprisingly quickly too such as in the mountains at night so expected battery life might not be achieved.
The pros of a USB battery pack... you can sometimes use them to charge other items such as a watch or something else that uses USB power. In theory recharging saves you having to buy batteries all the time. I have seen a couple of races with charging stations at checkpoints but are you really going to hang around for half an hour at a checkpoint to charge up mid race?
Normal batteries are usually cheap and easy to find anywhere in the world, it's easy to carry a few spare sets and change them during races. I prefer this although a lot of the newer torches are edging towards USB integrated battery packs. Either way consider the battery life and your intended use.
Comfort, Fit and Adjustability
Nearly every torch I've seen has some adjustment method, usually an elastic headband around your head and sometimes over the top also like the Hope torch above. My spare backup torch the Petzl Zipka has a tiny wire on a reel which still holds the lightweight head torch in place well but as it's a small light and lower lumen torch it's not great for off road running at any great speed. Usually you can adjust the angle of the torch too to point it either closer to your feet or further away without having to run with your head tilted in an uncomfortable position. Some of the smaller cheaper ones don't have this function meaning you need to lift or lower your head which isn't good.
Modes
Torches have different modes, usually a 'Boost' option for a couple of seconds of extra bright light for when you are looking for a route marker or sign post and perhaps need to scan at a distance
High/Medium/Low mode for normal running, I generally run in high mode all the time if it's technical but if I get to an easier smooth trail for a few miles I might flick into low to conserve battery life.
Red light for map reading, it reduces the glare when you're looking close up, saves you from getting the light reflecting back into your eyes too much like when a car has it's full beam coming toward you.
Flashing mode I have used this when I've been cycling or when I've been trying to signal to someone but a constant light is better for when you're actually using the torch to see where you're going.
Adaptive lighting, some of the more recent releases have an adaptive mode like the Petzl Nao as you look ahead in the distance it senses this and focuses the beam more like a spot light, whereas if you look down and close, it spreads the beam to make a wider area light up, I've tried this one out and it was a bit annoying although most likely due to me not being used to it and perhaps takes a few runs to get used to.
Weight and Size
The bigger brighter torches are usually a little bit bulkier and heavier, in races that start early morning and I'm likely only to be running maybe the final hour or two in the dark, I would rather not carry such a bulky torch all day. The weight range goes from the tiny emergency E light upto nearly 500g maybe more for a bigger torch (including the battery weight) not a massive amount of weight in your backpack but if you're trying to get the weight of your kit down you should consider this too.
Durability and Weather Resistance
Most electronic products are tested and given an IP rating from manufacturers. It stands for Ingress Protection, basically how well sealed and protected the unit is. There are two digits EG IP67
the first digit is protection against solids like dust and dirt and the second is against water. The higher number the better. This Silva torch is given a a 7 in the water resistance meaning it can be immersed in water upto 1m deep for upto 30 mins! The chart for the ratings is here if you are really interested or very bored.
Summary
Best of the best Lesnar XE019R but comes at a cost. 2000 lumens on boost
Best for light use on roads and backup light Petzl Zipka 100 lumens
Best under £30 Silva Ninox (72% off sale at time of writing) 200 lumens
Best lightweight and bright Silva Trail Speed X 500 lumens
My actual torch for the past years Petzl Myo Rxp 270 lumens
Mutli use Hope can be bought with a bike attachment for multi users.
But what about the £10 torches on eBay??!!
Whilst they sound unbelievably powerful... 35000 lumens? They don't include battery packs often and I wouldn't be overly keen on relying on such a torch for durability. I don't fancy it short circuiting and setting fire whilst it's on my head either, if you want to risk it then please do let me know how you get on. I'd personally stick with a reputable brand, as the saying goes you get what you pay for.
Other Ideas?
Why not just use a hand torch?
Not a good plan, keep your hands free for opening gates and the likes, also if you have it in one hand then your running gait will likely be lob sided and un natural. A bit like carrying a water bottle all the time.
Knuckle lights? Really?
I won a pair and gave them a try, your hands are always full though and they were poorly made. Don't bother, get a head torch.
So it might be the
dark nights drawing in, perhaps you prefer the fair weather for
lacing your shoes up and heading outside or maybe you live somewhere
totally flat like I do, and want to be able to get some uphill
training in without having to drive for hours across the country.
Maybe you can’t leave the house for a few reasons – I was
thinking minding the kids or working on call, not suggesting you’re
lying low for any reason! It could be that you’re a bit nervous to
get started and go outside running in public at the moment and you’d
rather build up your fitness in the comfort of your own home, and
let’s be honest, there’s not much room for excuses if you can put
your favourite TV programme on and get on the treadmill to get fit
whilst you’re watching TV.
Whatever your reason
is for looking to buy a treadmill there are of course many benefits
to owning a treadmill. Here in this guide we’re going to look at
all the points you need to consider so you can make the best choice
for your circumstances and hopefully enjoy many miles and a new level
of fitness and motivation!
So let’s start by
saying that there are of course various brands, like with anything,
they range in price from £100s
to £1000s and depending on what
your requirements might be, whether you want one for occasional use
through the winter or you want the best of the best to rival the
nearest commercial gym. Let me list the key considerations for you
right away, then we can go into a bit more detail on each one!
Space available –
Where are you going to put it, does it need to fold up?
Intended user –
Who will be racking up the miles, how tall/fast/fit are they?
Intended usage –
Running/ walking, uphill?
Power – Measured
in HP from about 1.5 upto 4
Speed – Will it go
fast enough? Seriously!
Functions – Smart
phone pairing, speakers, built in fan, heart rate monitors etc
First things first,
if you buy a treadmill and it doesn’t fit in your house, garage,
home gym or whatever space you have available then it doesn’t
matter how good it is, if it doesn’t fit, it’s not going to work!
Measure the space you have in case you’re not sure, most
manufacturers will give the dimensions of their treadmills. If you do
have the space but perhaps it’s a shared space, then buying a
treadmill that easily folds away would be a good option. You don’t
want to be dragging a heavy treadmill across your lounge when you’re
knackered from that interval session and hurting yourself because you
were wrestling it behind the couch isn’t cool either.
Next it’d be wise
to think about the main user. If it’s just for you, that should be
easy enough, if you’re sharing it with others, or maybe it’s for
use in a gym or a club then it’s worth just having a quick think.
Treadmills come in different shapes and sizes as do people. Some of
the lower priced treadmills tend
to have smaller spaces to run. If you’ve got long legs, you might
find it difficult to stride out on a small treadmill. Likewise if
you’re running faster on your treadmill, perhaps in intervals,
having a bigger area to run on allows you to relax and run more
naturally than if you’re struggling to balance on a narrow belt and
need to change your stride to stop falling off the back or kicking
the front. Plenty of treadmill fail videos online if you want to know
what happens next!
Also consider how
fast the runners can and will run. You might be struggling to do 5km
in 35 mins at the moment or you might be quite speedy and want
something that can cope with your 30 second sprints up at 18kmh. For
a sustained speed that might sound way too fast but a low 20 minute
5km runner might want something to cope with sub
6 min mile intervals. When I started running I was around 1 hour
for a 10km race whereas now I’m under 36 mins, had I got a cheap
treadmill it would have become limiting. A lot of treadmills are
measured in kilometres rather than miles so as a rough guide…
8 kmh = 5 mph = 12
minute miles
16 kmh = 10 mph = 6
minute miles
Once you know the
user you’ll probably be able to have a good guess at the intended
usage. Would you like an ‘incline’ feature allowing you to
practice running or walking uphill? Apart from the very basic
treadmills most go up to 12-15% incline. There are some which are
more commercial sized ones that get up to 30%. This basically means
that if you go 1000m forwards you would also gain 300m of elevation,
that’s steep for running! A typical road marathon might have about
50m of elevation in the whole 26 miles/42 km. A local gym had a
couple of those installed and they were great for hiking practice or
hill sprints.
A good time to point
out that many treadmills also have a ‘power’ quoted in their
information, This is usually measured in HP, horse power, this is the
power of the motor that will be driving the running surface.
Generally speaking a more powerful treadmill will work better
particularly on inclines or higher speeds, if you have a low powered
treadmill of 1 hp then it will be working a lot harder than a 3 or 4
hp motor at the same speed. It’d be like a small car having to rev
it’s engine harder to keep up with a bigger engined car, so it
could be noisier at high speeds – IF it actually does do higher
speeds.
Finally we want to
look at the juicy functions! Most treadmills will have some sort of
screen to display stats like speed, distance, time, gradient,
incline, calories and perhaps heart rate (if yours has a built in
heart rate monitor such as handles with HR sensors) Many of the newer
models have some sort of pairing ability with a smart phone or an
app so you can track your fitness and improvements and log your
miles. It’s surprising how motivational it can be when you can
easily see your stats without having to scribble everything down on
scraps of paper or trawl through your phones albums and albums of
photos of the treadmill display.
Good sized buttons
are helpful when you’re running fast and want to hit the correct
one, just makes it easier to use and saves you firing yourself off
the back because you hit speed up instead of down. There are some
treadmills that have memory buttons so you could set 2 speeds for
example, if you were doing 1 minute at 6 mph then 1 minute at 8 mph,
you could simply hit the relevant button to resume the speed rather
than having to push speed up and down manually through the speed
ranges. Some of the top range models have a touch screen which is
ideal although costs more so it depends on your budget.
A good treadmill
will also have some programmes for you to follow where it will adjust
the speed and incline automatically for you and display a profile of
the route you’re doing. It might replicate running up and down a
series of hills or have you running between some set heart rates. All
great for enhancing your motivation and giving you a good workout.
So what can you get
in the various price brackets.
You just want the
best, easy to use, all the functions accessible on a touch screen, no
messing about. You shouldn’t be limited by the speeds unless you’re
knocking out a sub 30 minute 10km run, plenty of space to run on the
22 inch wide 60 inch long deck, a good range of incline up to 15% and
a solid unit that feels great to run on and would rival your local
gym.
The
Spirit ST800
treadmill over at Fitness Options
is commercial standard and built to last. You can make the most of
the 20 workout programmes on your fitness journey. With a price tag
of £4999 it will probably be overkill for many home users. If you’re
looking at the other end of the market...
Best for BUDGET
There are a few
cheaper treadmills under £250 but they’re more suitable to walkers
due to the speed and size of the belt. For runners. here at the low
end is the Bodytrain Strider
treadmill at £249.99. As the saying goes, you get what you pay
for, whilst this might be ok if you only plan to use your treadmill
occasionally, it’s going to be a bit limiting if you want to be
running fast or getting some interval training in as the max speed is
only 14kmh. Buying a cheaper one to ‘see how you get on’ is a
possibility but if it’s not the best to use then it might put you
off using it. You’ve got a fairly small running area of 121cm
X 42cm but can still
benefit from the incline up to 15%. Personally we’d go for the
Powertech pacemaker plus if you
don’t mind the deck size but want a higher speed at £379.99. You
might also want to consider the JTX treadmills which have 0% finance
too!
Best MID RANGE
You want great
functionality and a good space to run without it costing more than
your car. A great standard for your home use that will allow you to
easily train year round when you just can’t face another cold dark
run on the roads this winter. You’d probably look between either
the JTX Sprint 5 treadmill at
£699 or the evenly priced Powertech
Master 8008b. Whilst most of the spec is the same between the
two, we prefer the display and user interface of the JTX. The
Powertech is marginally wider although if you’re a taller runner
over 6ft and want a longer deck to run on along with a little more
speed the Sprint 7 XL at £999
would be worth a look with a top speed of 20kmh/ 12 mph.
Best SPACE SAVER
This will fold up
and stow away nicely without upsetting your family who’s lounge
you’ve just taken over with your home gym set up. We’re going to
have to go with the JTX Sprint 5
again. The 0% finance and free next day delivery would sway us over
along with that user interface
To summarise;
For a runner it’s
probably not worth looking under £250 unless you stumble across a
second hand deal somewhere, checking the local buy and sell forums
after New Year you might get lucky. Spending between £400 to £700 will cater for most home users although if you want a great experience and perhaps more motivation to use the treadmill, looking £999 and above will get some impressive and long lasting treadmills. Amazon
could be an option, or even eBay
just remember the criteria we’ve talked about above to ensure you
choose a suitable option. Below are a couple of places you might want to try with links to access the relevant page. They've got all the details and even some videos about the various treadmills available.
It's usually only a matter of time before an ultra runner gets to learn about fuelling... One long march to the finish whilst being unable to stomach any fluids or sugars or anything at all for that matter, it can wipe out energy levels in no time and before you know it half the field has passed you and there's nothing you can do about it... I generally don't get many issues in this department as I stick to a couple of sources of calories and it works for me... I did manage to run the first 8 hours or so of Trans Grancanaria without taking in any calories, I was drinking 'Pepsi Max' on the checkpoints thinking it was the same as Coca Cola, loaded with sugars BUT it's actually the sugar free version! Doh! I suspected something was up whilst I was barely able to run or focus and kept going dizzy up hills. After investing some time in getting calories in me I ran the later stages totally fine.
I think the main risks with fuelling are
1 relying on one source of calories then getting sick of it, eg setting out with just gels for 24 hours worth of running and being unable to even look at a gel after 6 hours.
2 trying some food or powder or potion that you have never tried before and it throwing you off
3 not taking in enough calories or fluids early on and then being in a giant energy deficit and unable to maintain any kind of pace
4 perhaps not so drastic but worth noting, fuelling inconsistently and just having a bit of a roller coaster in terms of energy levels.
Which brings me to my top tips...
1 - Practice the foods or drinks you plan to race with, try them in a training run and see how you feel.
2 - When it's very hot (talking 30 -40 plus degrees C) I might consume about 1 l per hour of fluids, you might need more or less so listen to your body, depending on size and acclimatisation, try to practice in conditions similar to what you'll race in
3 - Always have a bit of a back up or emergency calories, if you run low on food or water, maybe a section takes you a long time between checkpoints or you get lost or something and miss a checkpoint, being tired and thirsty and not having anything is a grim feeling.
4 - There aren't any magic foods or diets or pills that will make up for a lack of training, sure eating a healthy balanced diet is going to put you in good stead, but going on a crash diet for 2 weeks to try and compensate for not getting the miles in will probably do more harm than good.
5 - Carbohydrate loading... Could almost be a section on its own, carb loading is where you increase the amount of carbs in your diet for 2-3 days leading up to a race to ensure your glycogen stores are topped up and you're ready for a long race. It doesn't involve gorging on junk food for 10 days before your next 10k and it definitely doesn't mean you need to eat your bodyweight in donuts every time you want to go for a run.
There are other considerations but these should definitely get you started. If you are having issues with your stomach in races or long runs, what you're eating might be playing a part. Worth looking into in more detail if that's you!
