Let the training begin for your autumn targets!
Whilst we enjoy the longest days of the year with plenty of daylight and dry weather, it could be said that there is no better time than now to start building your training towards your autumn targets.
At this time of year, you are not as restricted to where you can go in the early mornings or evenings, the temperatrue is warmer and so you can run with less clothes, which means less weight, and so feel faster and more fleet of foot and there are more opportunities to run off-road and enjoy beautiful surroundings!
Not only that but there are plenty of events as summer series kick in as do races in the evenings. Have a look through the calendar, to find an event that excites you and then check with our Training Wizard that you have enough time to train for it. Programmes generally last from six weeks to sixteen weeks and the shorter the event the shorter the training programme so work out how much time you have, find an event and then get on with it!
Logging your training is important. You are more likely to stick to your programme if you are recording your progress. You should have a look at the runbritain handicap scoring system that gives you:
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opportunity to enter the monthly Reward Running 2014 competition
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personal progress graph
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direct comparisons with other runners with a 'head-to-head' function
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weekly mileage logger and graph
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national ladder position showing your ranking amongst all UK runners
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current rankings at each of the major distances (5K, 10K, HM, Mar)
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handicap score updated automatically after each run
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target times to bring score down to the next level
By being a part of this, you will have the incentives you need to keep your running going as you will enjoy seeing your progress. The handicap scoring system is designed to give road runners of all abilities a benchmark of their progress and comparisons of their results across a range of distances and terrains.
Click here to see a sample page - this is the winner of the May Reward Running Competition
Tell your friends, family and work colleagues what you are doing. This does two things. First, it increases the level of commitment in your own mind. And second, it tells those around you what you're doing so they can make allowances for it in their lives.
Summer can bring its unique challenges though, especially if the weather is very hot.
Drinking
The current advice on drinking is to drink when thirsty and with meals. Our bodies can't store extra fluids and if you drink too much you will only need to go to the toilet more! To make sure you are well hydrated you should check the colour of your urine and it should be the same colour as straw.
Unless you are running for longer than one hour you shouldn't need to drink whilst you run and if it is longer than an hour you should drink when required, which generally means 300 - 600ml per hour. An energy drink may be better as it has carbohydrate as well as liquid and sodium that you lose through sweat.
Heat will only be a problem if it is over 33º c or if humidity is high so it shouldn't be a problem unless you are on holiday abroad but below are some simple strategies to manage heat if you feel you really must run in very hot weather. It is better to rest on very hot days or run early in the morning or late at night before it gets too hot.
Try to run in shade and before you start cool the body down by using ice, sponges and water. Key points are the neck and head.
When you have finished you should cool the body down with water, shade etc.
Finally, if you haven't already, you should join a club or running group. There you will benefit from the advice of a coach or a leader, you will have people to run with and you will be socialising with like minded people.
Also check out our Training Zone for advice and programmes.
Keep on loving your summer running!