How’s the training going?

Top 2 mistakes I’ve made last month:

Mistake 1:  I got some serious cramping recently during the Wicklow Adventure Race (Sport) while training for the Connemara Adventure Challenge and Gaelforce West. No prizes for guessing why it all happened, I slacked off the training schedule leading up to it.. stuff came up, not life changing important stuff,.. just sheer laziness.  It was a rude awakening.

After a 9k hill run/15k bike/2k kayak I thought my legs felt unusually sore – all over. I stood up, straightened my knees as you would do and both legs immediately cramped, I had to get to my bike for the second 15k without straightening my legs to avoid the dreaded cramp. Looking back it was hilarious, at the time it was a nuisance and painful.

A few quad stretches later and everything sorted itself out. I realised I wasn’t the only one.. there were people in the ditches along the route in the same situation, bad as it was I had to laugh. How could we all have avoided that!? Good old electrolyte hydration, yes. Stretches yes, but when!? Next time I’ll stretch quads/calves before getting into the kayak and immediately when I get out.

There are some tips and information available on the Gaelforce website here from the SSC race right night.

Mistake 2: My upper body was weak as expected; definitely time to get working on this area. Only one answer for this, need to strengthen. I’ve made the effort to get out in a kayak a couple of times and like any exercise it’s getting easier with practise, but obviously not as easy to train for as the bike/run. If you can’t get out on a kayak, hit the rowing machine or get into the pool and do some front crawl. A basic upper body circuit of press ups, tricep dips, planks should also get you started.

Otherwise ‘training’ is going ok, never getting out as much as I’d like but doing what I can. During the week am finding it difficult to balance work and training, i.e. the last thing I want to do is go for a cycle when I get home from work. If I arrange to meet someone I’m not going to let them down so I guess that’s the oldest trick in the book.. plan to meet someone and you’ll have to go.

Our next free Run right Night in the SSC is on date 10th May. We will be picking out the top 5 running injuries and providing advice on how to avoid them in the first place and self treat if you already have them. Essential DIY. 

Next up is the Connemara Adventure Challenge. SSC will be onsite during registration day Friday 11th May – come say hello!

Orla

Devizes to Westminster 24hr kayak challenge (22 hr 40 min)

Where do you start something like this? Almost 23 hours of paddling through the English countryside with 70 lock gates thrown in for fun. What kind of person pays hard earned money to take part in such a sadistic event? However despite how I felt during the race and the days after, when I couldn’t lift my hands above my head, it is amazing how quickly you forget the pain. Instead one begins to look back with fondness on paddling down the Thames at 3 o’clock in the morning, rejoicing that you only have another 5 hours left before the end.

The Devizes to Westminster Canoe marathon or DW for short is a non-stop 125 mile race down from Devizes to Westminster. It is made even more difficult because there is over 70 Lock gates that you must portage during the race, this involves getting out of your boat lifting it up and running around the lock before putting it back in again. The route incorporates 50 miles along the Kenneth and Avon canal from Devizes to Reading, whereupon it joins the river Thames for the next 75 mile into the houses of Parliament in Westminster. 150 teams set of this year with me (Shane Young) and Kevin O’Callaghan sitting among the competitors. After 3 months of 5 day a week training the start line felt like blessed relief. How wrong we were! DW is essentially a 3 part race, 1. Down the Kenneth and Avon canal until Reading with about 50 locks thrown in for good measure. 2. Down the Thames until a place called Teddington where you must time your run to meet the tide. 3. From Teddington to the finish line hopefully aided and abetted by the tide. Get your predicted time to reach Teddington wrong and you will have to wait for the next tide which is soul destroying.
 

Due to the nature of this race it requires each team to have a support crew who meet you every 45 minutes along the river where they stuff food into your mouth and give you more water. It is essential part of the race as you can’t bring all your food with you and you use a huge amount of energy paddling non-stop down the river. Our food of choice was boiled potatoes, chicken sandwiches, homemade brack, homemade biscuits and a variety of fruit with some sweets thrown in as treats and all cut into nice mouth sized lumps. Without your support crew you have little chance of crossing the finish line so ours deserve a huge thank you, despite us being a bit grumpy at certain stages.

Kevin and I had been training for this race since the start of January and so we felt reasonably confident and we estimated a relatively fast time of 21 hours which would put us in the top 20. Having done all our training on the Grand Canal in Ireland we were looking forward to a change of scenery. The first stretch of the river is called the ‘’pound’’ with good reason as there is no canals for the first 2 hours giving you a pretty brutal start to the race. It is with relief that you see the first lock gate and get out of the boat to stretch the legs with a bit of a run, some teams don’t look forward to the locks as most paddlers don’t like to run but myself and Kevin actually enjoyed these breaks and made up a lot of ground on these runs. The canal section actually seemed to fly by as the many locks made sure there was always a bit of variety and before we knew it we were paddling through the middle of Reading.

After Reading and as you join the Thames you must do a compulsory portage at Dreadnought reach where we got some hot soup and we are checked over by the marshals to see if we are still functioning. So with a change of clothes and some hot food we set of reinvigorated as the night descended whereupon we promptly almost went over the edge of a weir rather than through the lock. Disaster averted we settled in for a long night as the locks are about 45 minutes apart and each section we spent dreaming about the food we would receive from our support crew at the next stop. It is in the night section that we are passed out by the eventual winners who breeze past us at around 1 o’clock coming past Henley.

As the night wore on and we got tired our speed started to drop and we began to worry about making the tidal window at Teddington. We had to force our tired bodies to go a bit faster as we needed to maintain a 6mph average speed to make it. It was at this stage, we discovered after, that both of us entertained ideas of quitting and going home, however as neither of us could articulate this to the other we never discussed it and thus we averted disaster. The next milestone was arriving at Teddington at 6.30 half an hour late but still in time to catch the tide, we had a slight spray deck malfunction which cost us 15 minutes however we were near the end and so tempers didn’t fray too much. Paddling down through London ended up almost breaking us, as we had only ever thought about getting to Teddington, and had neglected to think about the 17 miles after. We both agreed after that this section was the most soul destroying as we knew we were close but our bodies were breaking down and I was almost asleep in the back as the long day took its toll. Finally after 22hrs and 40 mins we arrived wrecked and a little bit disappointed as we had taken longer than planned and had only come in 22nd out of 87 finishers. We had not achieved our stated time and it didn’t sit well, but it was down to our rookie mistakes which had cost us lots of time when added together. Almost an hour was wasted with wrong turns, taking too long at portages and toilet breaks all added up to stop us hitting our target.

If you complete this you have the pleasure of a fried breakfast and a medal around your neck accompanied by blisters in places there shouldn’t be and an ability to hurt yourself with the smallest effort. Despite all my aches and pains and mental anguish as I paddled down the river I will look back fondly on the trip. In today’s society where we use machines and computers to help us perform almost every available job there is something nice about being able to use your body as it was intended, to strain yourself to achieve something that is so far outside your everyday routine and in doing so learn how hard you can push yourself.

‘’We lose much by fearing to attempt’’
 

Some motivation tips to take that step out the door and training!

Think Positive
The feeling of lethargy sometimes is all in the mind and there are ways of beating it. It would always be easier not to bother going out, but imagine what it feels like when you are out and when you get back, there must be a huge sense of satisfaction. Go with that feeling and once you are out it is easy. Even when you are tired – try it. I find that fresh air can change everything and sometimes when I have felt knackered and gone out I have a great training session.

Go Round in Circles
Make your training rides/runs loops. If they are out and back routes, it is too easy to turn back, and a circuit is less boring.
 

Variety is the Spice of Life
Routes can however get boring so try the other way around or plan something different. Don’t get too obsessed with times. Aim at doing a certain route and try and finish, but don’t be destroyed if you don’t or can’t, it’s not the end of the world.

Cross Train
The beauty of adventure racing is that if you don’t feel like a run then you can ride or work on your core training.

Good Gear
If you are comfortable, i.e. you are wearing the right clothing and riding a bike that works, then you are more likely to use them. Gear is expensive but it usually lasts a long time, so if it is looked after then it is more than likely worth it.
Watch out though, you could get bogged down with the ALL THE GEAR AND NO IDEA SYNDROME and you will find yourself justifying the time spent sorting it all out and not training. There’s no point in having it and not using it.

Go Whatever the Weather
Try and go out what ever the weather, it’s character building! Just wear suitable clothing. Wear too much to start with if you think it will help you get out of the door, you can always take it off.

Make the Most of it
Try and make your efforts of getting out really worth it, try hard without killing yourself. The more you do the easier it gets.

Mix it Up
Try and keep interested and do a duathlon type session, i.e. a ride followed immediately by a run. Your front door can be the transition area where you change your shoes. Don’t go inside if you think you might not be disciplined enough to come back out again.

Don’t Go it Alone
Go out with others as well as on your own. This is a real motivation factor, just set a time and a place, maybe even advertise it in your area. You would be surprised by the number of people taking part in Adventure races and looking for a training partner!

Get organised!
Make it easy to find kit and make sure it is washed. It will annoy you when you can’t find something, or if you do not have your favourite base layer clean.

Plan Ahead
Organise your race entries and calendar well in advance. Receiving race information in the really motivates you and gets you excited. 

Just Enjoy Yourself
Enjoy what you do and feel good about doing it. Think about whether you are getting a lot out of your training and if not ask why not. Also consider everything else in life, if you are happy with that or not this could affect your attitude to training.

Don’t get down about anything there really is little point - things will sort themselves out.

By Siobhan Bennett

Orla is a senior physiotherapist in the Sports Surgery Clinic and over the next 5 months will be sharing with us the ups and downs of training for Gaelforce West.

As the title says I want to track the ups and downs of training for Gaelforce West 2012.  I have spoken to many and trawled the internet looking for the ideal training plan. At my level (1st timer) I don’t think it exists, either that or I’m subconsciously trying not to find it as I don’t want to be tied down to a set plan now, 5 months before the event.  This blog will help me to keep a log of what I do and more importantly, I will highlight what I should be doing coming from a physiotherapist’s point of view.   One of the main targets of the blog is to keep both you and I injury free throughout the training period.

Everybody entering Gaelforce West has a unique level of fitness/athletic abilities, which makes it difficult to standardise a ‘one size fits all’ training program. Personally, I partake in road running but I’d throw my hand to anything sporty. Last major event was the Dublin Marathon 2011, and in the past few weeks have started running for leisure again.  I am the proud owner of a road bike but it functions as a clothes horse most of the time. I am aiming to complete Gaelforce rather than achieve a specific time. I’ll leave that till next year!

I propose a training plan that will be a mixture of various intensity running/cycling/core work. You will notice that there is no swimming/upper body work included in my plan. My advice would be to incorporate this if you want to get through the kayaking section as smoothly as possible. I’ll add it in at a later stage. Appreciate any advice/ideas that might improve my progress.

Early Stage: Current Week Plan

• Day 1 Run – shortish/easy
• Day 2 Cycle - flat
• Day 3 Run – longish/easy
• Day 4 Run – short/fast
• Day 5 Core training
• Day 6 Endurance day – will depend on the weekend! Gaelforce training day/hill walk/hilly cycle+/-run
• Day 7 Rest

I plan on completing the Wicklow Adventure Race Sport on 14/4/12 and also the Connemara Adventure Challenge on the 12/6/12 in preparation.

I have attended one of the Gaelforce training days where we were introduced to hill running and off road biking. It was an excellent day, sufficiently challenging and motivating to get my act together and include off road running in my week. Next training dayis on 7th April where I’ll be hoping to have a go at kayaking.
My core training will be based on the presentation given at the Sports Surgery Clinic – Race Right Night.

It is important to identify why you want to do complete the Gaelforce West. This will keep you motivated.  5 months is a long time to have to stay focused and there will be many distractions. Remind yourself of your goals after an overly indulgent weekend to get you back on track on Monday, no doubt and here’s hoping there’ll be plenty of them before August 18th 2012.

Orla

We often suggest to ours competitors that Trail runners are the best for our events. So here are some reasons why and advice on how to choose the right runner for you.

Trail-running shoes are constructed differently from road-running shoes. They're designed to address 2 needs vital to off-road runners:

Here are the top 10 super foods for endurance athletes that should be staples in your diet to help with your training. Were possible try and buy Irish produce.

Oatmeal
You may have been forced to eat it on a cold morning in the winter when you were young but now it should become your friend! Oatmeal has a high soluble fibre content, is high in complex carbohydrates, is a good source of protein and has a low glycemic index, which provides a sustained release of energy into the bloodstream—imperative for runners. Oatmeal offers your body a regular dose of Vitamin B and is rich in minerals and antioxidants. It's credited for maintaining the good level of cholesterol in the body and is known as one of the most nourishing foods for the body, especially for athletes.

Milk
Milk does actually contain more than Calcium. With all the different types of milk out there today, soy, almond, rice and even hemp, it seems that good old fashioned milk is still number one when it comes to athletes. Milk is loaded with carbohydrates and protein, which makes it an ideal post exercise muscle recovery beverage for endurance athletes. When carbohydrates and proteins are consumed together, muscle tissues are repaired at a faster rate than if consumed separately.

Kale
The last time you ate this you may have been searching for the gold coin or the ring at Halloween but now you should give it another go!
Kale contains high levels of vitamins: A, K, B6, calcium and iron. It's an antioxidant-rich vegetable that helps regulate the body's inflammatory process. Kale has a high fibre content that helps lower cholesterol.

Bananas
Bananas are one of the best pre- and post- workout snacks. Loaded with potassium and vitamin B6, bananas help maintain low blood sugar, regulate digestion and re-stock your body with lost electrolytes after any sort of physical exertion. Vitamin B6 in bananas acts as an anti-inflammatory agent that helps ward of cardiovascular disease.

Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a nutrient dense super food that contains a high amount of fibre, three times the amount of antioxidants than blueberries, and are loaded with calcium, iron and protein. They also contain a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids and hydrophilic properties, which means that the seeds have the ability to absorb more than twelve times their weight in water, thus allowing prolonged hydration. The seeds help in retaining moisture and regulate the body's absorption of nutrients.

Walnuts
Walnuts are a plant-based protein, rich in fibre, B-vitamins and antioxidants, such as vitamin E. They contain the most Omega-3 fatty acids than any other nut and the anti-inflammatory nutrients are great for bone health. Walnuts have also been shown to lower LDL cholesterol, are beneficial for a healthy heart and make a great healthy and energizing snack on-the-go.

Cherries
Now we don’t mean the Glace cherries that put into your Christmas, we mean nice fresh real cherries.
Cherries are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruit and provide a wide range of health benefits, as well as performance and recovery benefits for athletes. Research has shown that runners who consumed tart cherry juice, twice a day for seven days a week, had strikingly less muscle pain following a long distance run. The post-exercise benefits are astonishing because of the fruit's natural anti-inflammatory components.
 

Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are a starchy vegetable, rich in vitamins A and C, which are both powerful antioxidants that work in removing free radicals from your body. They help lower blood pressure and are a powerful food for athletes because of its high vitamin and mineral content. The potassium, iron, manganese and copper are all minerals that many athletes lack; manganese and copper being crucial in healthy muscle function.

Wild Salmon
Salmon is one of the most nutrient dense proteins, full of essential Omega-3 fatty acids, as well as vitamins B12 and B6. Salmon can help reduce inflammation in our bodies through it's high content of Omega-3's, which is valuable for athletes. Salmon is known to be the king of fish because of it's high quality protein. A weekly consumption of this power food has been shown to decrease the risk of numerous cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. The antioxidant in salmon, selenium, has been shown to be beneficial in cardiovascular protection.

Whey
Whey protein isolate is the purest form of whey protein and is a complete protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. It's absorbed quickly and efficiently into the body, making it an athletes dream. It doesn't contain any fat or cholesterol. The protein and array of amino acids are essential in muscle re-building, especially after a strenuous workout or race. For athletes, it's a great fast recovery method because it helps prevent muscle breakdown and is the fastest digesting protein.

Siobhan Bennett

How to choose the best drink during training and events and when to use something stronger like an energy drink.

It has been a tough race for training as the weather has been pretty awful and it has been blowing a gale and raining every night this week.  I am lucky in that I have a little area set up downstairs where I train but this is not as good as being out on the water.  This has meant that I have to make up for it this weekend after a long paddle last weekend I don’t feel too bad.  Last weekend was the first really long paddle that I have done, more for the mental well being than anything else.  50km from Maum bridge down to the middle of Galway. http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151153453  To give you an idea of what it was.

     Last year in about April I decided that I needed a new challenge for 2012.  I decided along with a friend Kevin O’Callaghan that this year we would attempt to complete the Devises to Westminister International canoe challenge( http://www.dwrace.org.uk/ ).  I short it is a 125 mile race along the Devises canal and along the Thames to Westminister with something like 70 portages thrown in for fun.  It is all done in a K2, a very thin and long kayak designed for flat water racing however speed comes with a compromise on stability.  

      The first attempts to get the K2 moving involved a lot of laughing from the support crew on the shore and even more helpful advice.  However we have improved a lot recently, thank god, and are now going out for 3 hour spins at a time which at times I thought would never happen.  One of the hardest things I found was figuring out how to train for a race that is going to last over 20 hours and go non stop.  It means you have to train at all times of the day and night and be as comfortable in the middle of the night as the middle of the day. 

     My training schedule is now in the heavy stage and I am out almost every night in a Kayak and the other nights I am in the Gym or out doing Pilates. My training regime is:
Monday-  Gym to work on lower body as this is a vital part with all the portages
 

Tuesday/ Wednesday / Thursday – Interval training in the Kayak (Pilates also on Wednesday)
 

Friday – Either a rest or if feeling good then a run or cycle
 

Saturday/ Sunday – 2/3 hour paddle to work on long distance paddling and style
 

     So it all leads to a lot of training and a pretty quiet social life as the body needs a lot of rest to enable it to keep going like this.  The plus side is that the race finishes in WEstminister in London so I am looking forward to blowing of a bit of steam , if I can still walk after that long sitting down.  If you are interested and want to join in the fun here is a sneak preview of what to expect. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_LfzBEQ8Hg&feature=related

     I know it looks bad but this last year I have gone from a very basic Kayaker to a stage where I can proficiently sit in a K- boat and I have seen some beautiful places and wildlife where previously I would have driven passed and not even slowed down.  So get out there try something different and who knows where a new skill can take you.  I feel that for me personally to move forward and to keep growing I need to embrace change and try to get out of my comfort zone as often as I can force myself to.

I will keep you updated on how I'm getting on!

My favourite food for long endurance races is home made brown bread with much honey and butter and home made biscuits with whatever I have to hand.  The latter seem to have gone down well with Gerry Duffy (our roving ambassador for Gaelforce Events in 2012) and his guide, Shane Young when they recently completed the Gaelforce West route on a cold but not too wet, Friday morning in February.  So if you are wondering what fuel to put into your body – try this recipe in pounds and ounces (the quantities are large as necessitates a big household but they can be frozen very easily).