Let's talk about shoes ...

For years – I mean literally since I started running I have run in Mizuno Wave Riders – I ran my first marathon in Wave Riders and over the years I must have had about 20 pairs all of which have served me very well – well apart from the one dodgy pair that I just couldn’t get on with!!  Usually I would have one lovely clean pair for road running and a slightly older pair for off-road and each time the old pair became too old I would buy a new pair and road pair would be relegated to offroad and so it went on.

Then last year I bought myself a pair of Nike Wildhorses to wear offroad – and immediately loved them – I loved the wide toe-box and I loved that they felt a lot lighter than the Mizunos and gave me a lot of stability offroad.  I stuck with Mizunos on the road through last year but by the height of my training cycle for the Prague Marathon this year I was injured and had to admit that both pairs of shoes had more than enough miles on them and needed replacing.

Whilst I was away on yet another business trip my running buddy bought us each a pair of Hoka One One Challenger ATR4’s to replace my Wildhorses and on my return we went out for an easy 7 miles and I was instantly hooked on my new Hokas.  With every pair of Mizunos I have felt like I have had to run them in a bit and at least put a few miles on them before they felt really good – not so with the Hokas, they felt amazing straight away and I love the weight, the fit and the support that they give me.  So much so that I bought a pair of Clifton 5’s to replace my aging Mizunos.  To be honest I have taken a little longer to fall in love with the Cliftons!!

But here is the important thing, just because they fit me and I love them, doesn’t mean you will love them.  There is no one size fits all and so whilst I will happily tell you what I am wearing and why I love them you really need to find the shoe that is right for you.  Badly fitting shoes or shoes that don’t offer you the right kind of support can cause a whole host of problems as can wearing shoes that have too many miles on them.

We are really lucky to have two really good specialist running stores locally – the staff in both stores are extremely knowledgeable about the shoes they stock, offer great advice and both stores carry a really good range of shoes to try on and choose from.  Both stores have treadmills so you can try before you buy.  So in short my advice when looking for new running shoes is whilst it is great to find out what your friends are wearing and why they like them it really is a good idea to visit a specialist running store to make sure that you are getting the right shoe for you.

In the meantime I am totally in love with my Hokas!!

Much love xx

P.S. for local people the two stores are Runners Need in Hampton Wick and Up and Running in Surbiton!

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho it’s off to Prague we go …

2 days to go to the Prague Marathon and the nerves and excitement are setting in, I have laid out piles of clothes, put them all away and laid out different piles instead.  I have packed and re-packed and I think it is safe to say I have kit to cover all weather eventualities!!

Travelling with hand luggage only comes with it’s own problems of trying to squeeze all the gels and toiletries into that tiny wee airport issued plastic bag – there have been many iterations of what I need to fit into that bag – suffice to say the absolute essentials of gels and Biofreeze have secured their place and I will need to buy deodorant, shampoo and conditioner after security at the airport.  Seems I am less worried about clean hair than having the right nutrition during the race!!!

I cannot wait to get to Prague and to pick up my number at the Expo tomorrow.  I am feeling strangely calm at the moment and am sure this is a side effect of missing so much training through injury.  I know that whilst I have missed so much training there is nothing I can do to change that, I cannot literally cram a month’s worth of training in now.  I know that the important thing is to arrive uninjured – a month ago I was convinced I would not make the start line but here I am ready to go so that is a positive.

I read an article in which Paula Radcliffe talked about having a flexible race plan – this really struck a chord with me as I am one for having a plan and then getting a bit hung up when it doesn’t all go exactly according to plan.  For example at the Liverpool Marathon last year the first gel station was not quite where we expected it to be AND it was at the bottom of a hill, by the time I got to the gel station I was so panicked about being late taking my gel that I forced it down as I ran uphill – think it took me about 5 miles to get over that physically but mentally I was still thinking about it even when I finished the race!

This year I have taken Paula’s advice to heart – having been injured this is already a very different race than I anticipated or hoped for and I am not out to get a PB on Sunday.  No, this race is very definitely not about a PB.  My plan is to take it as it comes - no getting hung up on gels and splits and pace and times I promise.  Plan B - just enjoy the race and the atmosphere and celebrate the fact that I am uninjured and I get to run – that sounds like a good plan right?

Must dash – got to go pack and repack some more and see if I can squeak a couple more things into that tiny liquids bag.

Much love xx

The 2 pieces of kit you need when you start running

So last week my friend and I made our annual trip to Lululemon with our hard-earned vouchers for completing their January Strava Challenge. As usual I spent ages gazing at the row upon row of kit in a dazzling array of colours, shapes and sizes and as usual everything I bought was black!. If you know me that will come as no surprise - there is nothing wrong with black kit ok!

Anyway the trip got me thinking how daunting it can be to work out what, amongst all this kit, you actually need if you are just starting out - there is so much choice out there, so many gadgets and so many bits and bobs that people will tell you are must-haves - compression tights, underlayers, specialist socks, gloves, hats, headbands, technical shirts, and let’s not even start on all the wearable tech - that is a whole new post right there!

So what do you really need to get started? I honestly think there are really only two things worth investing time and money in when you are just starting out - and by that I mean if you invest a bit of time into doing some research you can save yourself a load of money. So here you go my top two bits of kit are:

1. A good sports bra - (if you are a guy you can probably skip this one!) - seriously getting the right bra will make your whole running experience much more comfortable - even if you are small you will need some level of support.
   
   Do a bit of internet research to work out what kind of support you need - most bras are categorized in terms of size, level of support and the sport for which they are intended.
   
   Once you have worked out what type of bra you need have a look at websites like www.SportShoes.com for deals and check out TKMaxx - they always have great choices at good prices if you don’t mind a little rummage!
   

2. Shoes - badly fitting/old/unsupportive shoes can land you in a world of trouble and put you out of action before you even get started.
   
   If you are unsure where to start it may be worth visiting a good retailer to get a gait analysis done. Runners Need is a really good place to start - the stores are always very friendly, have a great range of shoes in stock and are able to offer sound advice on what you should be wearing.
   
   Right now Runners Need will swap your dodgy old trainers for a sparkly £20 voucher off a new pair!
   

   Stores will usually offset the cost of the analysis against any shoes you buy instore but you may end up paying top dollar for your shoes. Instead don’t be afraid to pay for the analysis and then go shop around for a good price - again www.sportshoes.com have great deals and if you are not fussy about having your shoes in the latest colours (they are just going to get muddy anyway right?!) you can usually get last season’s shoes online for around 30 - 50% off the full price!

So a good bra and good shoes and everything else can wait, hope this helps. Shout if you have any questions!

Much love xx