It has been a very busy last few weeks.

The main news is that I have been appointed as the Sports and Remedial Massage Therapist at Shepperton Chiropractic Clinic and join the team at the practice with immediate affect. I am replacing Lesley Bryant who is a very experienced massage therapist with a CV most therapists can only dream of. It is a big challenge for me and one I am relishing.
I am working at the Shepperton practice on Saturday mornings and Monday afternoons and evenings.
I will still be available at the Battersea and Woking practices Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – so if you want to book in for an appointment at Battersea or Woking give me a call.

My training has stepped up with Challenge Henley not too far away now. I’m racing before that event in a few time trials on the bike – the first being the Southern Counties Cycling Union 100 mile in just under a fortnights time. I feel prepared for what is going to be a tough morning in the saddle after a good training ride of 90 miles on a hilly course in the Brecon Beacons last weekend – it was tough and I had to dig deep at mile 75 (in truth I wanted to climb off of the bike and call my girlfriend to see if she would come and pick me up but I carried on!!!).

My recovery time has obviously been spent watching this years edition of the Tour de France and what a race it has been so far – some great racing but a real shame to see some of the race favourites crashing on various stages and retiring from the race – including recently crowned British Road Race Champion, Bradley Wiggins who was hoping to finish the race on the podium.
It hasn’t even got to any of the mountain stages yet and the excitement has been great, normally the first week is decided with a bunch sprint and apart from the occasional break-away not that exciting, not this year though. Hopefully the rest of the race will continue to be as gripping.

Some fantastic ironman-distance triathlon performances over the last two weekends. Marino Vanhoenacker set a worlds best ironman distance time at Ironman Austria finishing in a staggering 7 hours, 45 minutes, 49 seconds only to see it beaten this weekend at Challenge Roth. Andreas Raelert finished in 7:41:33. The previous record held by Luc Van Lierde, also set in Roth had stood since 1997.
The amazing Chrissie Wellington broke her own world record (set the previous year at Challenge Roth) finishing in 8 hours, 18 minutes, 13 seconds. Chrissie has raced 12 ironman distance races and has won all 12 setting a new benchmark for women’s racing along the way – remarkable achievement.

For those of you racing Ironman Wales this year get yourself a copy of Cycling Weekly (dated 7^th July) – there is a course report on the Wales Sportive ride which was held on the same course as the Ironman Wales bike course – well worth a read. If you can’t get hold of a copy it may be up on the Cycling Weekly website.

It has been very encouraging to hear from some of my clients over the last month who have put in some fine performances in the races/events/competitions they have entered – a few personal bests as well. Keep up the good work as it encourages me as both an athlete and therapist.

Cheers

Rich

 

A few weekends ago I went along to the National 24hour Time Trial Championships being held on the roads of Sussex to help one of my Bec CC clubmates, James Hughes, whilst he rode in the event.

I was part of his night support crew on an 18 mile circuit making sure he had enough food and drink, help sort out mechanical issues, and anything else required. It also gave one of the other members of his support crew (Peter Hammond) a chance to get some sleep as he’d been helping out when James started his race hours earlier. There was also Russ Becket, Shaun Kennedy, Keith Butler from Bec CC helping James out, as well as my girlfriend Steph (who was only going to drop me off but decided to stay and help out in the end).

The following morning when I returned home a number of things dawned upon me and I suddenly had a new found enthusiasm for my own training and racing.

The National 24 hour Time Trial Championships is a tough event – basically how far can you cycle in 24 hours. The course seemed tough from what I saw of it – undulating in many places.

The winner, Andy Wilkinson, managed an unbelievable 540 miles (in the process beating his own national record). James, my clubmate, finished 8^th overall with 449 miles.

George Berwick is 70 years of age – he was competing in his 50^th 24 hour race!

I was speaking to another support crew member who was telling me about their rider, Ann Bath (Kingston Phoenix). Ann took up cycling when she was 50, had never really cycled that much before, joined her local club and eventually started doing shorter distance time trials eventually moving up to riding 24 hour races. Ann is 62 years of age.

I took great inspiration not only from the winners achievements but also all the other competitors who battled their way through this tough event – I’ve only mentioned 4 riders out of 96 who had entered the event.

It has now led me to think about my training a lot more and has helped me with my motivation – if someone in their 70′s can still get out there and give it a shot then why can’t I and why shouldn’t I – my longest race this year is an ironman distance triathlon with a cut-off time of 16 hours, I should be finished well within that cut-off – I’ll have a much shorter day out there than the likes of George, Ann and the other riders who were doing the race for personal achievement. Some riders had a break for a little while during the night to have some food, have a short sleep but still had to get back in the saddle to ride to the finish.

The other aspect of the race that really stood out for me was the volunteers at the race – the timekeepers, marshals, and support crews. Time-trialling is fairly spartan and doesn’t have the razzmatazz associated with an ironman distance triathlon – at the finish of a time-trial you pass a small chequered flag not a carpeted finishing chute with cheerleaders and enthusiastic supporters. There are no finishers medals, event t-shirts or goodie bags. You finish an event and just have that personal satisfaction of your effort and achievement. You hand your race number in at the race HQ after you’ve finished, get a cup of tea and wait for your result to be put on the results board.

During the night of the event I was based outside a village hall on the night circuit. The village hall was open all night to provide riders (and supporters) with a place to rest up, have some food, and in some cases have a quick sleep. Kingston Phoenix Road Club took charge of the kitchen area providing tea, coffee, food and soup for the riders, supporters, marshals and timekeepers – from what I heard no one had asked them to do this, they just got on with it. Congrats to Kingston Phoenix for doing so – I’m sure the many riders that stopped really appreciated your efforts.

During the night I spoke to quite a few people – some whom have been involved in the sport for many years. Most had given up their weekends to help out their clubmates at the event. Some, who have retired from racing, just help out at events nowadays. I spoke to Frank Cubis (Kingston Phoenix) – he is a timekeeper at many time-trials in the London South region, many I have ridden in myself, and he gives up his time – rain or shine, week in, week out – to do this. One thing that I noticed about Frank when he is the starting timekeeper at an event is his cheerful nature – always good when about to put yourself through a couple of hours of cycling pain.
I’d heard that Robin Johnson (Brighton Mitre CC) had spent many hours driving around the different circuits of the course putting direction and warning signs out. Robin also organises time trials in the Brighton region during the season – I’ve ridden a few of them over the years and they are great events and Robin is a really nice, friendly chap.

Both of these volunteers are in their 70′s now.

Without people like Robin or Frank or the many others that gave up their time over that weekend these events would not go ahead.

I’ve marshalled at many events over the years as well as working as a massage therapist or a member of a support crew. I really enjoy it because you get to see the racing from a different perspective – not only do you get to watch the event but you also see what goes into organising and running an event (the recent National 24 hour time trial championships took around 2 years to organise I believe) and more importantly you are put of a larger picture hoping to ensure that those who have entered have a great race experience – something that you expect as an athlete at the events you pay to enter.

When I race now I always try and thank the marshals as I pass (sometimes when you are putting in a lot of effort it is tough and sometimes doesn’t happen) because I know these people have given up their spare time to help out.
I find that it gives me a bit of a motivational kick up the backside concerning training and racing – you see others race, you see the effort they are putting in, you see them pushing themselves. Of the races or events we enter how many are we capable of winning ourselves? I know I’ve never entered a race that I was capable of winning or am on the start line as race favourite but that doesn’t stop me going for a personal best or giving it my all – I’m at the event for my own personal reasons.

I know that if I’m racing in an event and after I have finished the marshals and timekeepers are still out on the course in all weather conditions making sure the other competitors finish – in a way I feel I’ve got the easier end of the deal when racing which is why I will go and marshal or help out at events – I know I’ll get a different perspective on the sport and hopefully come away with some inspiration to help me with my training and racing.

As much as we celebrate the champions in our sport it sometimes important to celebrate the efforts of those that help organise the events, who give their time freely and selflessly, which in turn give the oppurtunity for these champions to be crowned in the first place.

 

Happy training

 

Rich

 

Welcome to another blog entry.
Summer is here at long last and so far the weather has been fantastic.
I’ve been getting in quite a bit of training for the Challenge Henley ironman distance race in September.
I’ve completed two races already this season – both 25 mile time trials for my club Bec CC.

Both were on the same course (and weren’t on the usual course due to roadworks) – slightly disappointed with my first outing at the SCCU 25 finishing in a time of 1:05:21. A week later on Easter Sunday saw an improvement with a time of 1:03:10. It was good to get those time trials under my belt and gave me a good indication of where my fitness was and what I need to focus on in training.
With an ironman looming the focus is more on distance at the moment and getting those miles in. Recovery is important as well and my next blog entry will be about the best and most effective ways to recover from training and competing.

With summer here , the weather getting warmer, and many people competing and training in their chosen sports I have been asked by a number of clients how they can avoid muscle cramps during training or competition, so here is some advice and tips.

 

Muscles Cramps

Firstly, what are muscle cramps and what causes them?

Muscle cramps can be described as a painful muscular spasm which lasts from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. The muscle contracts and it is hard to relax it.
Muscle cramps usually happen during exercise but can also happen during rest and sometime whilst sleeping.
The exact reason for muscle cramps is not known but a number of factors are believed to cause them.
The most common cause is overexertion – due to either not being properly trained for the activity, or, due to the length of the activity (such as leg cramps towards the end of a marathon).

Not warming up or stretching properly before an activity can also lead to cramps. It is believed that muscle cramps can occur when the muscles are shortened and being used without being stretched beforehand.

Fatigued muscles are prone to muscle cramps due to a lack of oxygen getting to the muscles and a build up of waste in them.

Dehydration and a loss of electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, and sodium) can also cause cramps. This is also affected by training or competing in hot conditions where fluid levels are not being replaced properly.
Low blood sugar levels can also contribute to muscle cramps – the muscles are not adequately replacing glycogen stores.

Muscle cramps may also be caused by certain medical conditions. If you are experiencing muscle cramps on a regular basis make an appointment to see your GP as it may be something other than the usual reasons for exercise-induced muscular cramp. Compressed nerves in the spine can also be a cause of muscular cramps in the legs.

So what can you do if you do experience cramp?

The best thing to do is gently stretch the area out and lightly massage it. The most common areas for muscle cramps are the quadriceps (the front of the thigh), the hamstrings (the back back of the thigh) and the calf muscles.
Ice can be applied to the area to help alleviate any pain to the muscle.
Start taking in fluids to replace energy and electrolytes.

If cramps occur after exercise or during sleep stretch out the affected area and drink some water.

What are the best ways of preventing cramp then?

Avoid doing too much whilst training – the general rule is not to increase distances to quickly (especially when running – no more than 10% per week), or the number of training sessions you do each week. Allow your body time to adapt to your training. Make sure you get adequate rest.

Stretching before and after exercise helps as this makes the muscles more flexible. Regular massage can also help out a lot as this can assist in making the muscles more flexible, help get rid of waste products from them, and help prevent injuries.
Compression wear has become more popular and more wide stream amongst athletes over the last couple of years and can help with recovery. I have a number of clients who swear by using compression wear as part of their recovery process and I have recently started using compression socks after long run sessions (and I feel they have worked well). Though there is no substantive evidence suggesting that compression wear does actually work those I have spoken to have said that is has aided in their post-workout/competition recovery – if it works for you then do it.

Diet and hydration are important. Fuel your muscles properly with a diet of complex carbohydrates – such as pasta. Bananas are also ideal before, during and after exercising (they also contain potassium which is an important electrolyte). It is also suggested that you add half a teaspoon of salt to your food per day if you suffer from muscle cramps regularly.
Make sure you are adequately hydrated before exercising, especially when training or competing in hot conditions. In hot conditions use an energy replacement drink and an electrolyte replacement drink. Sometimes we are not fully aware of how much we are sweating – for example, when riding in windy conditions or when swimming. Therefore, it is just as important to keep hydrated in these conditions even though you are not fully aware of your sweat rate.
After exercising make sure you replace both glycogen stores in the muscles and fluid to keep yourself properly hydrated.

If you are experiencing muscles cramps despite following the above tips speak to your GP as it may be some other issue.
Happy Training

Rich

The marathon season is here once again.
For those of you running one of the many marathons this spring be sure to check out my marathon prep blog entry on here as there are loads of helpful hints and tips.
Also, don’t forget to book in for your pre and post marathon massage – your legs will thank you for it.

I’ve been quite busy over the last month or so.
I was a teaching assistant on the Postural Assessment course run by the London Massage Company – it was good to be able to work with other therapists and pass on some of my experience.
More teaching is planned for the rest of the year.

I’m back into training and loving it – although the ironman distance Challenge Henley is in September and it seems a while off I know that the time will fly by.
I’m back to racing this month on the bike and have two 25 mile time trials – the SCCU 25 and the Addiscombe CC 25 as my first events of the season.
My training bike is broken so I’m having to change everything over onto my old race frame – it has been a while since I used it and I’m looking forward to getting in some long rides on it.

I’ve also set up a Facebook page for Richard Guy Sports Massage – so check that out and join up for more news, updates, and the occassional special offer.

A couple of friends have set up an online running store – check it out for all your running needs, great prices as well.

Check out my latest article on back pain.

Back Pain

Back pain is a major problem at some point in the vast majority of the population. Whether this be short-term or long term back pain it has an affect on work and lifestyle.

So what is back-pain and what are it’s causes.
There is no simple answer to this question. Back pain can manifest in many ways.

Acute pain could be from an occurrence or incident, for example from not lifting something correctly resulting in a muscle strain, sprain or tear. It make take a couple of days to a couple of weeks for the pain to subside.

Chronic pain is on-going over a longer period of time where the pain can be dull, irritating, constant and has an affect on work and lifestyle.

Pain is the bodies way of telling you that something is wrong and action is needed to remedy the situation. It is uncomfortable, persistant and can be either sharp or dull.

The causes of back pain are many.

They could be due to injury from physical work, such as lifting heavy objects, frequent bending, or repetitive work.

Sports injuries from very sudden movements, falls, or impact.

Lifestyle factors such as being overweight/obese, stress, depression, anxiety, poor diet, poor posture, or job satisfaction (stress at work or being unhappy at work).

Other injuries or incidents are also a factor such as falls, whiplash in a car accident, or sleeping in a awkward position.

Back pain can have an affect on quality of life and can affect work, family life and social/leisure activities.

The back is made up of the spine, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and muscles.

The spine is made up of twenty-four vertebrae.

The cervical in the neck is the most mobile.

The Thoracic – which procect the internal organs via the ribs.

The Lumber – the lower back which supports the weight of the upper body.

The Sacrum.

The Coccyx.

 

Each vertebrae has a hollow centre and the spinal cord passes through this. The spinal cord attaches to the brain and forms the central nervous system.There are nerves which branch off from the spinal cord to the rest of the body.
Each vertebrae is connected by ligaments. Inbetween each vertebrae are intevertebral discs which cushion shock and distribute pressure.
The back also has a number of muscles which are involved in movement – they are connected to bone via tendons.

Some causes of back pain can be:

A muscular sprain, strain or tear.

A disc protusion – where the discs between the vertebrae become weak and bulge out

A prolapsed disc – where a discs bulges out and places pressure on the nerves

A collapsed vertebrae – the vertebrae can become damaged through disease (such as severe oesteoporosis) or injury.

Spinal Stenosis – where the hollow column in the vertebrae narrows and places pressure on the nerves.

 

Neck pain is also a very common cause related with back – such occurrences can happen with poor posture (through work – working at PC for long hours) or through accidents (such as whiplash).

It is estimated that 80% of the population will suffer with some form of back pain during their lives.

For neck pain it is estimated that 25% of the population will suffer with form of associated pain.

In 2003/04 nearly 5 million working days were lost as a result of back pain. It is the number two cause of long term sick absence (the number one cause in manual labour occupations).

The NHS spends £1 billion p/a on back pain related costs. The private healthcare sector costs are £565 million p/a.

 

So what can you do if you are suffering from back pain or what to prevent back pain.

Prevention is certainly better than cure.

Regular exercise will help. If you are suffering from back pain remain as active as possible.

Proper manual handling and lifting.

Good posture.

Work station assessments, along with regular breaks from your desk and stretching at your desk.

Healthy eating and drinking.

Treatments for back pain vary.

Your first port of call should be your GP.

Painkillers will help but may not be an answer to the actual causes and symptoms of back pain.

Talk to your employer if you feel that back pain is work-related or affecting your work.

Consult another specialist and get treatment from them – this could be an osteopath, chiropractor, acupuncturist, remedial massage therapist, or physiotherapist.

 

 

Rich

 

First blog entry for a while and quite a bit of news.
I’ve moved down to leafy Surrey – great area to train in. I’ve been putting a few hilly miles in on the bike over the last couple of weeks which has been fantastic.
I’m still travelling up to London to practice at Battersea & Wandsworth Chiropractors. More details can be found on the website – www.richardguysportsmassage.co.uk
I’ve also found a great practice to work from in the Surrey area – www.bodyandsoulclinic.co.uk
I’ll be treating from here Monday to Saturday. There is also parking available at the practice which is fantastic.

If any of you are training for one of the forthcoming spring marathons (or know someone who is) then don’t forget to book in for a few treatments. Also check out some marathon training advice on the blog from last year – there are some great tips on there.

I’ve a busy year ahead of me.
I’m training for the ironman distance triathlon being held in Henley in September – http://www.challengehenley.com

I’m racing for CR Timber Engineering Ltd (as they have paid my entry fee because I’m coaching one of their employees who is also doing the event) and they are raising funds for the Dogs Trust – http://www.justgiving.com/Paul-Erickson

I’m also doing some event work as a massage therapist – so far confirmed are two sportive rides being organised by Luciano Cycles of Battersea.

The May Flyer Sportive – https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=389

Gran Fondo Luciano – https://www.sientries.co.uk/event.php?elid=Y&event_id=429

 Both look like being fantastic events and I’m pleased to be part of the support team working at the events.

I’ll also being pursuing my development as a massage therapist and will be assistant teacher on some forthcoming courses throughout the year as well as heading back to evening classes to study to become a teacher in the lifelong learning sector.

So don’t forget to check out the website (www.richardguysportsmassage.co.uk) for updates on all that is happening.

 Happy Training

 Rich

The London marathon is almost upon us for another year and all the hard training that you have put it will now carry you to the finish line.

In my previous blog post I talked about pre-marathon preparation and now I’m going to run through some tips for the event itself – hope that they are of help.

Make sure you are in the right pace pen at the start.

Take a large bin liner with you and cut a hole in the top to put your head through and wear this whilst you are waiting for the gun to go off – the bin liner is disposable but will keep the chill off of you at the start whilst you are standing about (fingers crossed it won’t rain on the day but if it does you’ll be dry at least) – when you get close to the start line you can tear it off and dispose of it.

The start is very congested so don’t start you watch until you cross the start line – the first mile or two will be a bit slower than your normal pace – don’t panic – if you need to get over to the right or left hand side as you will be able to progress a little further than if you are in the middle of the pack.

Make sure you are concentrating in the first couple of miles and are aware of runners around you – make sure you don’t trip over or have runners clatter into you.

If you are feeling good in the first 8 miles stick to your target pace, don’t be tempted to push your pace up as you may regret it in the last 8 miles. Set yourself little targets along the way – pick runners out that you can catch, run with for a little bit and then overtake, do this all the way through but stick to your pace as well – don’t over do it.

Stick to your nutrition plan rigidly – whether you are feeling good or bad. Make sure you keep hydrated at all times. When coming into the water/feed stations most runners will go to the tables at the front and it will be congested and chaotic – aim for the middle and end tables, walk through them making sure you drink and eat (and maybe stretch your calfs out) and then get going again.

Keep reminding yourself why you are doing this and that you are going to get to the finish line – lots of positive self-talk – there will be times when you mentally dip and negative thoughts can creep in. If this happens concentrate on something else – look at the cheering crowds, high five some spectators – anything that’ll bring you back into a more positive frame of mind. Also break the marathon down into smaller parts – don’t look at it as a 26.2 mile, look at it as a series of 10k runs – that way it is less mentally daunting.

The body can keep going long after the mind gives up – if you are tempted to walk try to resist (tell yourself you’ll walk through the next water station) because once you have walked once it is hard to get going again and the temptation to walk again and again becomes the norm. Remain mentally strong and focus on something else and let your legs keep running.

The weather will be a major factor – 2007 and 2009 it was quite warm, 2008 it rained. If it is warm and sunny and they have sponges on route use these to cool your head, neck and shoulders – this will also help you relax and also wipe the sponge over your face as it is quite refreshing and will wake you up a bit.

It might be an idea to take a couple of imodium tablets with you just in case you experience stomach problems along the way – the last thing you want is to be suffering from diarrhoea.

Have one of your supporters between mile 18 and mile 20 with half a bottle of flat coke (about 250-300ml), get them to spot you and shout at you to collect it. Flat coke at this point is excellent as it contains both caffeine and sugar and will give you a bit of a mental and physical boost in the final stages – drink half of it straight away and then sip the remainder for the rest of that mile. Make sure the coke is flat – you don’t want fizzy coke at this stage as it will play havoc on your stomach (when you shake up fizzy coke in a bottle look what happens – well the same thing will happen in your stomach!!!!).

If you are feeling good in the last 6 miles pick your pace up slightly and in the last mile just give it your all until you get to the finish line.

When you cross the finish line try to get into some warm clothing as soon as you can. Running 26.2 miles takes its toll on the body and your immune system will have taken a bit of a battering so if you can keep warm after it will help loads.

Get on a massage couch at the finish if you can (or if you are running for a charity they might have post race massage at the post-marathon reception) – a quick massage will just help ease the soreness from the legs – the therapists shouldn’t work to deep into the muscles and if they do just ask them to ease off.

When I finish a long endurance event (or long training session) I usually have a bottle of chocolate milkshake and find it really helps with recovery (and they have conducted studies in this and scientifically it works wonders).

Keep hydrated at the finish as well as your body will be dehydrated. If you are going for a few post marathon drinks make sure you also drink some water as well otherwise you will make up with the mother of all hangovers the following day.

Make sure you also have some food at the finish – they normally have bananas at the finish so have a couple as your body will appreciate it and it will help to up your glycogen supplies and aid with muscle repair. Have your supporters have some food waiting for you if you can or head off to get some food – I normally enjoy pizza and chips after long races.

In the evening have a nice long hot soak in the bath and stretch afterwards.

One of my clients, Mike, has a made an interesting and rather amusing video showing some of his training for the London marathon – well worth checking out – not sure if I agree with some of his training methods though

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnWcMXi0940

Here are also some YouTube clips I watch that help me with motivation before I do a big race – it just helps push my motivation up a little more and reminds me why I am doing the events and why they are important to me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAPz3ZB7kzw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVKqFAPdjIA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHJErrp4eOw

I rode the Brighton Mitre Hilly 25 mile time trial on Easter Monday. The route is partly on the South Downs and is a tough course – I’d forgotten how tough it was.

It was a dry, cold, windy morning. The wind certainly didn’t help as the course is quite exposed in places. The course is also quite technical – lots of corners, fast downhill sections, and a 2.5 mile climb at the end!!

I was a bit tentative on the descents on the early part of the course and lost time. I rode well to the turnaround point and was then met by a headwind for the return!!! The last 2.5 miles was tough and the last part of the course is really steep. I finished in 1:11:51 – my quickest time on the course.

Thanks to my mate Nick for driving down there and helping to sort my front tubular tyre which for some reason had gone completely flat by the time we arrived at the race HQ!!!

If any one is interested in training camps or getting away to get some warm weather training check Nicks site out – www.mallorcaman.co.uk

Happy training and racing

Rich

Easter is almost upon us and gives us an ideal opportunity to get in a bit of extra training.

This is ideal for those of you running the London marathon as it means more time to get that last long run in before heading into the taper phase.

I wrote a bit about the taper phase in my last blog entry so check that out.

The week leading up to the marathon is an important and busy one.

Register and pick up your race pack from the expo as early as you can – it is out of the way then and you can concentrate on resting up for the marathon day. Also if there are any potential problems you have time to get them sorted out without stressing the day before.

Get an early night on the Thursday and Friday night (and have a lie-in on the Saturday morning if possible). You’ll be well rested then and it is not uncommon to have a restless nights sleep the night before a big event – if this happens don’t panic, as long as you are well rested from a couple of early nights before you’ll be more than fine.

If you are going to get a massage (advised) before then get it in no later than Thursday. This will give your body plenty of time to recover.

Keep well hydrated during the week leading up to the marathon.

Do plenty of stretching during the week and spend at least 10-15 minutes per day sitting quietly by yourself going through how your perfect marathon will go – plenty of positive self-talk and mental imagery.

Have all your kit ready on the Friday night, that way if you have something missing you have Saturday to sort it out.

Do not be tempted to use new kit on the day – make sure you are using running kit you’ve worn on your long runs and stick to the nutrition products you’ve used during training.

Get you mp3 player charged and loaded with the tunes you are going to run to.

If you are using a GPS watch then make sure this is fully charged.

I always have a little bag with the following items ready for marathons with essential items – safety pins to pin your number on (take more than you need – someone always forgets theres and you’ll be a complete star if you can save another runner some race morning stress), a small bottle of energy drink and a couple of gels, some toilet paper (with thousands of runners converging on Blackheath for the start and only a limited number of portaloos this is well worth taking), a small tin of Vaseline (so you can apply it to the areas that are prone to chaffing), a big black bin bag (wear it before the start as it will keep you warm and keep the chill off – Blackheath is quite exposed, and, if it is raining will keep you dry – tear it off and dispose of it as you start).

On race morning get up and have breakfast (at least 90 minutes before you head off to the start), get changed into your kit and warm kit you travelling in (and this is the kit you should also be changing into at the finish so make sure it will also keep you warm at the finish). Also put plasters on any areas of your feet that have been prone to blisters during training – don’t take any risks.

Take a bottle of water with you as well so you can keep well hydrated. 30 minutes before leaving just double check you have everything that you need and then check it again – if you forget something you won’t be able to get a replacement.

Give yourself plenty of time to get to the start. When you get to Blackheath make sure you know where you are going in terms of your start pen. If you need the loo go as soon as you can rather than waiting until the last minute – as I said there are a limited number of portaloos and a lot of runners. Hand in your kit bag to the official bag storage or your supporters.

Do a short warm up run of 15 minutes, stretch, do a series of sprints and/or strides, stretch again. 30 minutes before have an energy bar or something that will just top up your energy reserves.

Head to your start pen, have your bottle of water with you and just sip it – little and often, keep warm (walk around if you can, shake your legs out and also your shoulders), smile and chat to other runners, 5 minutes before the start have an energy gel if you are using these.

Next blog entry I’ll write some advice about running the marathon that should prove useful and cover most eventualities on the day. So make sure you check back and read that.

I’ll also be adding some stuff about motivation and inspiration – there will be links to some YouTube videos on stuff that I watch to inspire and motivate me.
I’m not sure if any of you have watched ‘Eddie Izzard: Marathon Man’ – if not do so, (they are repeating it on BBC3 and it is also on the BBC i-player on the website) – unbelievable achievement. Eddie ran 43 marathons across Britain raising money for Sports Relief. Taking into consideration he is not a trained athlete (something he was fully aware of at the start of the challenge) and the magnitude of the challenge it was inspiring to watch – I think he only had 2-3 rest days as well – and his determination was unbelievable.

Catch it if you can, you won’t be disappointed.

When out bike training make sure you wear your cycle helmet – please – it could save your life.

I was returning from a training ride a couple of weeks ago and as I was sprinting up a hill a mile from home my chain slipped from the chain-ring and I fell heavily from the bike. I bounced onto my shoulder and hip initially and then bounced onto my hip, shoulder, elbow and head.

Thankfully my helmet took the impact otherwise I would have been in serious trouble. The helmet is destroyed but did the job it is designed to do – stop the head from being seriously damaged by taking the impact of the fall .

I was a bit sore for a few days after – bruising and road rash to my right shoulder, right elbow, right hip, left knee, and ribs. It put me out of training for a week as I recovered (and the shoulder is still a bit sore even now). The bike needed a little bit of work doing to it and those fine chaps at Stratton Cycles (101 East Hill, Wandsworth) have done a stirling job getting this sorted for me. Thanks also to Dr Ian Orr (Battersea & Wandsworth Chiropractors) for having a look at my shoulder and clicking my back a bit – feels much better.

So remember don’t forget your cycle helmet when out riding – some people don’t wear them because they don’t look good – well it is better than having a serious (or fatal) head injury.

As painful as it was I still managed to carry on with massage treatments that week.

I’m back in training again – plenty of work on the turbo trainer – as I’m racing the Brighton Mitre Hilly 25 mile time trial on Easter Monday. This is my first time trial of the season and this event is normally a good tough test and will give me a good indication of where I am currently at with my bike race fitness.

In a couple of weeks I’m riding the Farnborough & Camberley CC 25, and hopefully, the East Sussex CA 25 the following day.

Congratulations to James Toop who won the National Eaton Fives championships at the weekend. He also won the National Rugby Fives championships earlier in the year and I think he now holds all the titles available- a rare feat I am told. Well done James.

I’ve now put a calendar up on the website that shows what bookings have been taken and what ones are still available (basically anything that is blank). This should make things slightly easier if you want to book in on a specific day and time.

Battersea & Wandsworth Chiropractors – I’m available Monday to Friday, first booking at 8am and last at 6pm (5pm on Fridays).
Yogoloji, Victoria – I’m available Monday to Saturday, first booking at 8am last booking at 8pm, Saturdays first booking 8am, last booking at midday.
Spirohealth, Putney – I’m available all day Monday first booking at 8am, last booking at 6pm.
Yogoloji has an i-pod dock so if you have an i-pod feel free to bring it along and play some tunes during your treatment.
Spirohealth has a mini-stereo so if you want to bring along a cd to listen to again feel free (otherwise I’ll have Xfm on the radio).
I’m hoping to get a mini-stereo for Battersea & Wandsworth Chiropractors and once I do bring along your cds.

I’m pleased to offer you a free starter class with Rebecca Wilson, at Imperial Boat Club (next door to Thames). She is offering anyone that comes to her class through this blog a free session (just send her a message – rebs.wilson@gmail.com) on either Tuesdays 7-8pm and Saturdays 11.30-12.30pm during March and April.
This style of yoga is suited to those wanting a dynamic yoga practice that increases flexibility and core strength allowing bodies to feel light, strong, and free of tension and helping to reduce injuries.
Ideal for any yogi level – check www.yogawillsavetheworld.com for more details or to ask any questions.

I’ve also set up a Twitter account so join up to receive regular updates on what is going on – join up here

Happy Easter and Happy Training

Rich

At last it finally looks like Spring has sprung and the weather forecast for the next week is looking good – dry and sunny – at long last.

Ideal conditions for training and getting those long runs in with the spring marathons around about a month away.

For those training for spring marathons the long runs will be the key session of the week at present (or the weekends to be more accurate) and once these are done it is time to head into the taper phase of training before the big day.

There does seem to be some confusion about tapering for marathons, especially from first timers, and I have treated clients in the past who seem to think that you do not run at all during the taper phase before a marathon (or any endurance event).

So what is the taper phase and what does it achieve?

The taper phase is a period of relative rest before an event which allows the muscles to recover and repair, increases blood volume, and boosts carbohydrate storage.

Taper periods can be anywhere between 2-4 weeks going into a marathon depending on the volume of your training and the importance of the event.

During the taper phase you should be looking to reduce your training volume by 30-40 percent per week of the taper.

Therefore if you were running 100 miles in the week before you taper starts and decided on a 3 week taper you’d reduce your volume down to 60-70 miles in the first week, 36-42 miles in the second week, and finally 28.8-31.2 miles in the last week.

Even though the volume has greatly reduce the intensity of the workouts should not drop and research has shown it is a good idea to do some good quality fast sessions in the taper phase as it will be beneficial to your overall training.

Many athletes struggle during the taper phase as they feel that they are not doing enough and it will affect their performance on race day – the truth is the exact opposite as you will arrive at race day feeling fresh, rested, and raring to go.

Also bear in mind that it takes about two weeks for any training effects to be beneficial therefore putting in large volumes of training 2 weeks before the event are only going to leave you feeling tired and over-trained.

Other factors to consider during the taper phase are to get plenty of sleep/rest as the body repairs and becomes stronger when rested after training as well as boosting the immune system, reduce your stress levels as much as possible (as stress leads to an increase in muscle tension), keep well hydrated, eat well, do plenty of stretching and get in a couple of massage sessions as well.

I’ve now put a calendar up on the website that shows what bookings have been taken and what ones are still available (basically anything that is blank). This should make things slightly easier if you want to book in on a specific day and time. You’ll find the calendar on the ‘make an appointment’ page.

I’m available for treatments 8am-9pm Monday to Friday and 8am to midday on Saturdays.

I’ve also set up a Twitter account so join up to receive regular updates on what is going on.

Here is the link to the Twitter page.

Happy Training

Rich

It looks like spring is finally on the way thankfully. Excellent weather to get those long runs and rides in.

For those running marathons next month I should imagine that you are getting your long runs in consistently now.

I know from experience that these long runs can leave your muscles feeling a little sore and with the odd muscular tweak.

Now would be an ideal time to get some massage treatment to relieve those aching legs, lower back and shoulder muscles.

Even if you haven’t got any aches or pains from the training it would be worth booking in for a pre-marathon MOT so you are fit and ready to go on race day.

A couple of tips for those longer runs. It is the ideal time to test your kit out for the day – use the kit that you plan to run the marathon in on your longer runs. That way you know that it works and that it isn’t going to cause any irritating problems such as chaffing or blisters.

Test your nutrition out for the day as well whether it be drinks, energy gels, jelly babies, wine gums or anything else you plan to use.

If your shoulders feel tight during your longer runs just drop your arms to the side and shake them out a bit – this will help your upper body to relax more.

If you can try to run the last couple of miles faster than the rest of the pace of your longer runs, it is tough but it will certainly help you on the day if you need to dig a bit deeper to keep your pace going.

The website has been updated slightly and now has some products that I recommend – foam roller (essential for stretching your ITB), omni massage roller ball (I’ve been using one of these for a few weeks now and it is brilliant), energy drinks – as well as books that are well worth a read.

My first outing of the season was on Sunday. I ran the Greenwich Meridian 10k in the undulating surroundings of Greenwich Park. I was only using this as a training run to gauge where my current fitness was and what I needed to work on in the coming months. I would have been happy with a finish of around 46 minutes considering the course was hilly.
I started well and felt comfortable so decided that I would stick at the pace I was running. I was shocked to hit the 5k marker in under 20 minutes and the thoughts of a personal best quickly entered my mind but I dismissed this thought as the hillier part of the course was yet to come.
I continued to push myself and at the start of the hill to the finish I looked at my watch and thought I would be very close to a personal best (set in the mid-1990′s at 42:15). I pushed up the hill and picked my pace up again to the finish line and was shocked to have finished in a time of 40:58!!!

To say I was delighted was an understatement. I was also impressed with my 44^th place as well (out of 471 finishers).

My mile splits were 6:29, 6:25, 6:09, 7:08, 6:25, 7:04 (plus just under 1:20 for the last bit).

And to think I was telling my girlfriend Vicky that I didn’t run 10k’s that well or do particularly well on hilly courses!!!!

Stretching before the start

On the last hill before the finish

This weekend I’m riding a 12 mile time-trial organised by my club – Bec CC – be nice to see how I do at that and again I’m just treating it as training.

Happy training

Rich

PS – Thanks to my girlfriend Vicky for supporting me on Sunday morning and taking the pictures at the race.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics well under way I thought I would write about skiing and snowboarding injuries and the benefits that sports massage can have on these sports.

The most common injuries involved in skiing and snowboarding are knee injuries – mainly to the ligaments in the knee joint itself and most commonly the anterior cruciate ligament (which sits behind the kneecap. This is caused by the torsion motions involved in both skiing and snowboarding.

Skiing and snowboarding also places a lot of strain through the leg and gluteal muscles due to the amount of time spent on the skis or snowboard and the movements involved. Tightness is these muscle groups is very common.
Tightness is the lower back is also very common due to the posture involved in both activities.
Ankle injuries are also very common and again this is because of the twisting and turning movements involved in both sports as well as the hard boots worn which restrict excess movement of the joint. Soreness will sometimes be felt in the muscles at the front of the lower leg.
Wrist injuries are caused because of falls and the natural instinct to break the fall using the hands – therefore it is important to learn how to fall correctly to avoid injuries to the wrists. During snowboarding this is even more common as no poles are used to stabilize movement.
Sciatica is also another potential problem due to the strain placed on the lower back, gluteal, and hamstring muscles.
Tightness may also occur in the shoulder muscles and this is due to posture, use of ski poles, and the results of falls.

Regular sports massage treatment is beneficial to both skiers and snowboarders as it will help loosen any tight muscles before, during, and after any activity. It is also beneficial for injury recovery and prevention.
Performance and endurance will be improved due to the recovery benefits that massage can bring, mainly the reduction of muscle soreness and quicker recovery due to fresh blood assisting in the removal of waste products in the muscles. Flexibility will also be improved and this will be beneficial to performance.

I’ve managed to catch some of the Winter Olympics – unfortunately due to the time difference I’m not watching as much as I’d like as most of the coverage is way past my bedtime.
Enjoyed watching the downhill skiing events, especially the ski-cross – how exciting are those races.
Also enjoyed the cross-country skiing events, ice hockey, speed-skating, bobsleigh, and skeleton – congratulations to Amy Williams for winning gold in the women’s event.

I was fortunate enough to be invited along by Clapham Chasers running club last night to talk to club members who are racing triathlon (or thinking about racing) for the first time this year about the benefits of sports massage for triathletes and also offer some general advice on triathlon (I have raced triathlon since 1996 so have a little experience and knowledge). So thank you to all that attended and also to the club for inviting me along.
I will be writing a blog entry on training and racing for triathlon newcomers next month so please be sure to check that out if you are a newbie to the sport or thinking about racing triathlon for the first time.

Congratulations to one of my clients, John Witton, who ran to a personal best time of 3 hours 18 minutes at the Valencia marathon at the weekend. That is a great time for a runner in his 50′s who only started running marathons only a couple of years ago. John has been in fine form over the last couple of months setting personal best times in most of his races and puts his success down to consistent training and regular sports massage treatment.

My training at the moment is focused on the forthcoming Greenwich Meridian 10km run at the start of March. I’ve not run a 10km for a little while (due to concentrating more on half and full marathon distance races). It’ll be nice to see what has been working in training and what I need to focus on in order to improve over the season.

Happy training

Rich