Running in winter

It’s nearly winter time guys! Which means for the runners it’s nearly time for the final races of the year.

When racing and working out at this time of year, the temperature is a concern for runners all over the country. Not only do many runners think running in the cold is bad for you, but it’s not an appealing thought to be standing on the starting line shivering in your spandex.

So I thought I’d give a brief run through of the effects of cold weather on your performance. 

1. You rely on carbohydrates more than fat and protein. Which means this will drain your energy quicker, this could mean trouble on a winter run.
2. Your lactate production is higher for a given intensity.
3. Your muscle contractions are less powerful. 

Higher lactate production, and less efficient muscle contractions are also problematic for shorter races. However these points can be controlled by wearing warm clothes and moderate activate like jogging. This means it is best to use a continuous workout rather than short bouts of exercise as once you cool down you will struggle to warm back up during a race or workout!

So our final conclusion about running in the cold is:

Running in the cold can impact your performance. However for those that still want to run we do have some helpful tips. 

1. It is important to stay warm before and during a workout or a race in the cold. Because it is much harder to bring it back up once it has dropped
2. Maintaining your carbohydrate and fluid intake levels are also important, as you’re more likely to “hit the wall” in training or in a long race during cold weather. 
3. Layering is always a good idea in the cold; it is easier to calibrate your optimal clothing level when you have several thinner layers versus one thick one.
4. For the cold and rainy runs, buy Latex gloves because its water proof. You can wear the latex gloves under or over your mittens. This will keep your hands dry.

• Wear tight clothing. Loose clothes will sag more and weight you down, plus you will feel more comfortable.
• Put Vaseline on exposed parts of your skin. Vaseline is water-resistant and it will help keep you warm if it’s windy.

So if you love to run and the cold weather isn’t going to stop you, then try these useful tips!

Sweat through the Stress

Hands up how many people get home after a stressful day at work and think; I just want to sit down with my chocolates and cuppa/wine and chill out?

You’re not likely going to think, I've had a very stressful day I know lets go do a workout to release this stress. Am I RIGHT?

WELL IT’S SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN THAT’S THE WAY YOU SHOULD THINK…

See your body wasn't made to sit down all day, it was made to exercise. So when you don’t exercise, your body is not working to its full potential.  Meaning the hormones and chemicals that need to be released in to your body are not being released... so therefore your stress levels are high and will stay high.

Whereas if you work out then your hormones and chemicals are being released so then your stress will start to disappear!

So don’t go to the Sugar and sweets or the cheeky drink, go to your gym or do your workout at home!

SWEAT YOUR STRESS OUT :)