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The five things that make the difference in the fortnight before a local run, from someone who sees the aftermath.
Whether it's your first one or your tenth, the few weeks before a local fun run are where most of the avoidable problems get made.
The training that's going to help you has already happened. Adding a long run in the final week builds nothing you can use and gives you time to arrive tired or sore.
Keep running, keep it easy, and let the last week be lighter than the ones before it.
New shoes, new socks and new kit on race day is how people finish with blisters and a knee that wasn't complaining last week. If you've bought new trainers, get a couple of runs in them first.
What you eat, when you eat it and how long before you set off all matter more than people expect. Do a run at roughly the same time of day, with the same breakfast, at least once beforehand.
If something has been grumbling for a fortnight, the week before an event is a much better time to get it looked at than the week after. There's usually plenty that can be done at that stage without disrupting your running.
Standing around in the cold and then setting off at a faster pace than you've trained at is a reliable way to strain something. Five to ten minutes of easy jogging and some dynamic movement makes a real difference.
Keep moving in the day or two after. A gentle walk does more for stiffness than the sofa. If something hurts for more than a few days, or you're limping, get it checked rather than waiting to see.
Good luck. We'll probably be somewhere near the finish line.
Give us a call and we will talk you through what we think is best for your recovery.
Perhaps you've been here before. A long wait that went nowhere, or a sheet of exercises and no real plan. If you're unsure whether we're the right fit, you don't have to book anything to find out.
Tell us what's going on and we'll come back to you honestly and let you know how we can help.
