Training Wednesday 1st April

No fooling, it's home circuits Wednesday! Follow the circuits and demo videos published last week in this blog post.

Each circuit consists of 15 exercises. Do the same number of circuits as you did last week (1, 2 or 3). It will take a few weeks to condition the muscles to these exercises if they are new to you so don't overdo it.

Before doing the circuits warm up with on the spot running, arm swings, etc. If you are able to go out for a run earlier in the day then do 5 to 10k steady.

Alan

Training Monday 30th March

A minor progression from last Monday. The objective is to gradually increase your conditioning towards the 10k pace that this session is to be completed at over a number of weeks and months.

1 x 800m, 30 second recovery, 6 x 400m with 30 second recovery. Warm up and cool down.

Please use whatever 400m circuit or route you have been using in previous weeks to get an accurate comparison of pace. As usual the pace or time to complete each rep should be consistent with previous weeks and also consistent between each rep. The 800m should take exactly twice as long as the 400m, i.e. run at the same pace, despite the U-turn for those using a 400m straight road for the session.

It would help greatly to see how well the reps are being paced if the "Auto Lap" function is switched off on your watch (particularly the more basic model of Garmin). Many of the Harriers have this auto lap set at 1 mile which means that the 400m splits are not recorded so there is no way of determining if they are being run consistently. Instead use the "Manual Laps" button to record the start and end of each rep and recovery (the lap button is the bottom right button on most Garmin watches; every time it is pressed, a split is recorded).

Alan

A bit of escapism - Cliff Top Run

Something to inspire positive visualisations during your solo runs. This is the cliff top part of my Saturday run (28th March 2020). This isn't one for the serial trippers in the club or those with vertigo. Note that I am holding the phone out in front of me and focusing on where I am putting my feet; not on the screen so there are a few ground shots and some jaunty camera angles. Taking it fairly easy for the same reason. Note also that my nose always runs when I run so there is a constant background sniff; there is nothing wrong with my health! Still going at a reasonable rate given the severity of the terrain. Does he get round without falling........

Alan

Training - Friday 27th March

In the current lock down situation with no races on the horizon, this is an opportunity to work on all the basics of our fitness without having to worry about peaking or saving energy for races. We can work towards a race peak when we know when the races will be.

So for some of us, Fridays are usually a Friday evening intense circuit day preceded some hours earlier in the day with a fairly brisk run of around 10k (always do your running session before any strength sessions to prevent impact injuries from running on weakened legs).

The Friday intense circuit session is only 5 exercises per circuit but the aim is to do them at a rhythm similar to your running stride rate, so fast movements. Do 2 to 4 circuits depending on experience. 30 seconds each exercise, 10 seconds between each to move to the next position (set your watch to interval mode, 30 second interval, 10 second recovery and then 10, 15 or 20 repetitions depending on how many circuits you are doing). Warm up beforehand with running on the spot or around the garden if you have space. Take it a bit easy on the first circuit to ensure all muscles are warm and activated. 

Friday Evening Intense Circuit (on video here)

01 Step Ups - low step, fast cadence

02 Press Ups

03 Sit Ups

04 Alternating Side Planks - won't be possible at running cadence but fast and smooth transitions. 

05 Burpees - can also do as star jumps if you have enough space. Do on a soft surface and try to land as lightly as possible. 

I may post some videos later to illustrate if the film crew is up for it. In the meantime, you may wish to follow this video as an example of a home warm up :-).

Alan

Training - Thursday 26th March

Well done all for completing your solo 400's on Monday. Today it is just an easy to steady 8 miler whenever and wherever you can.

Alan

Circuit Training at Home (Videos added)

The full set of circuits has been added to this Harriers' Wednesday Home Circuits Set playlist which will automatically play through all the exercises in order. 

For those who usually do the Wednesday evening circuits, it's mainly bodyweight exercises, so why not do it at home. So it's 30 seconds on each exercise, 10 seconds between exercises, 1 to 3 complete circuits depending on how familiar you are with the 15 exercises.

1. Press ups 

2. Sit ups

3. Squats

4. Tricep Dips (use a low, stable chair or similar)

5. Back extensions

6. Reverse lunges 

7. Pull ups (may struggle to find something to do this on unless you have a low, strong branch in the garden or a door frame mounted pull up bar. Do more press ups if you can't do this one safely)

8. Trunk curls

9. Squat thrusts

10. Bicep curls (hold heavy carrier bags in each hand or similar up to a few kg per hand)

11. Plank

12.  Single leg squats (alternating after each 5 on one leg) 

13. Medicine ball trunk rotations (hold a 5 to 10 kg object out at arms length} 

14. Twisting trunk curls

15. Step ups (to a step or chair about knee height). 

May post some photos or videos of each exercise later when I do the session myself.
Videos of each of the exercises (except number 7) are now in this link. This is the director's cut and needs a little bit of further editing but hopefully brings a little bit of sunshine to those back home. Further instructions on each exercise are in the "info" button at the top of each video clip.

Alan

West Highland Way Relay

As we expected, Frances has just heard from the Strathmore Hotel Group who own the hotel we use for the WHW that in line with government advice, they are cancelling all leisure bookings for the near future (they continue to provide service for their staff and other critical workers).

Therefore the WHW relay is cancelled for this year. Frances will arrange to return deposits in the coming weeks. 

Alan