Mel and Daves Top Running Tips

Below are some hint and tips to help you make the most of your run at the Hendy Eastleigh 10k. They’ve have been prepared for you by two of the Hendy Eastleigh pacing team – Mel and Big Dave – who are also both members of the mighty Eastleigh Running Club.

Hopefully their tips will help you be well prepared before, and at your best, during the race!!!

  1. Make sure you have a proper pair of running shoes that have been fitted correctly following gait analysis. Visit a running shop that has a treadmill and trained staff. Importantly, wear the shoes in well before race day.
  1. Make sure you have comfortable clothes to wear that you and your body are familiar with. Do not wear something for the first time on race day – or you may have sore bits in places you did not know you had!
  1. Practice running at your potential race pace 9.00 am on a Sunday morning – race time. The more familiar your body is with exercise at the set time, the better. This will help you plan what time to get up, what time to travel, how long you need to warm up and what time to eat breakfast.
  1. Prepare yourself for the race by warming up thoroughly for at least 10 minutes just before lining up for the start. The warm-up should start slowly and build in intensity finishing with some fifty metre running efforts somewhere near full speed.
  1. Include a parkrun on a Saturday morning as part of your training. They start at 9 are 5k and you have loads to choose from across the country. Great race preparation and friendly too.
  1. Love the hill at 3k. Practice hills – both up and down as part of your weekly routine. The more you practice running up, the easier it becomes and then you can free wheel down between kilometres 4 to 6.
  1. In training, do not just concentrate on the legs to propel you. You have two arms as well – 30% of drive can come from these… so use them.
  1. Try to be realistic. What is your target? To get around or to aim for a particular time? Train accordingly. Would running with a pacer help?
  1. If you live locally, run the course…. several times. Get used to the layout. Start/finish, key points, hills, corners, water stations. If you do not live locally, look up the route on Google maps and check the detail from all angles.
  1. Think about your race bag. Prepare it well in advance – do not leave it to the last minute. You would not be the first runner to leave their shoes at home.
  1. On race day, stand in the right place at the start – if your target time is 60 minutes, do not be over optimistic and stand at the front. If you start running at 6 min per km and those around you are running at 3 min per km and you fall as the surge pushes past you…. it will hurt.
  1. Run with a smile on your face – there will be plenty of photographers about.
  1. Aim to enjoy it. You have prepared for it, you are wearing comfortable clothes and shoes, and you know the course so make yourself proud.

..and finally have a GREAT RUN you might just get a PB!!