Abingdon Marathon 2015

Running season lasts from November until October. It always starts with cross country running and finishes with on or off road races of different distances. The most recognised distance for road running events are 10 kilometres, 10 miles, half marathons and marathons. 

This season I wanted to complete an ultra marathon, but I chose to run 3 marathons within 7 months instead. My personal best (PB) was 3hours 58 minutes and 54 seconds, which I accomplished at London Marathon. I wanted to improve my time so I signed up for a local event Abingdon Marathon. I started to train, but I found it hard to motivate myself because it didn't feel as challenging as the Ironman triathlon which I have considered as the biggest physical challenge. 

The Abingdon Marathon was first held in 1982 in Oxfordshire. The race date was 18th October 2015. That morning my boyfriend and I, we drove to Abingdon and around half way through we got a puncture. I was worried that I'm going to miss the race. My boyfriend changed the tyre very quickly and we carried on. Luckily we got there just in time. 

The race started at Tilsley Park athletic track and continued through the town centre, heading out on a two lap route through villages of Drayton, Milton and Sutton Courtenay and back through the town up to Tilsley Park and finished with a lap on the track. The course was flat and fast, ideal for achieving a personal best. The drink station was at every 4 miles and on every 8 miles they provided some sweets and bananas. 

The weather was perfect for running, dry and cloudy around 10 degrees. We set off at 9 am. There was around 1200 runners and a few of them were from Datchet Dashers running club. As I was approaching 5th mile, Rebecca from Datchet Dashers caught up with me and we ran along together. We have similar pace so it was good to support each other. I also spotted my boyfriend which was really nice. Rebecca was looking strong all the way. I tried to keep up with her but I couldn't. I started to loose her on 21st mile. I was pushing myself and felt exhausted and I couldn't wait to the finish. I was thinking to myself just last push and it will be over soon. I did it in 3 hours 57 minutes and 43 seconds which was my new personal best. I felt much better afterwards when I found out that with this race I won Berkshire County Championship in my age group. The hard work has definitely paid off!

Thank you to my boyfriend, my sister, family, relatives and Datchet Dashers for their support. 

Yoga

Yoga has become very popular and it increasing in popularity. For those who have never tried it yet I will explain what it is all about. One thing's for sure, it takes a long time to completely understand Yoga.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is a very old form of exercise originating in India about 5,000 years ago that focus on strength, flexibility, breathing and meditation practice of well being. The main factor are poses or postures called asanas which have specific physical benefits and create balance in the body. The poses can be done quickly to build heat in the body or more slowly to build stamina. 

There are so many different forms of yoga. Some are intense and fast, others are relaxing and gentle. 


A few examples of yoga forms:

Hatha - combines a series of basic movements with breathing

Vinyasa - a series of poses that flow smoothly into one another (also called Yoga Flow)

Power - fast and higher intensity practice that builds muscles 

Ashtanga - a series of poses combined with breathing techniques 

Bikram - a series of challenging poses performed in a heated room with high temperature (also known as Hot Yoga)

Iyengar - a type of yoga which uses props like blocks, straps or chairs to help your body to move into proper alignment 


Physical benefits of Yoga are:

- Flexibility
- Strength 
- Muscle tone
- Balance 
- Pain prevention 
- Joint health 
- Better breathing 


Mental benefits of yoga:

- Stress reduction (helping relieve stress)
- Mental calmness
- Body awareness (building self-confidence and improving posture)

Is yoga good for me?

Yoga is for everyone and you can tailor it to your individual needs. The good thing about yoga is that there are classes for every age group. You don't have to be fit to do yoga. You only need to be able to get up and down from the floor. 


How long does a yoga class last? 

Classes can have different durations. Typically a class lasts between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. If it's a longer class then you will have more time for learning breathing and relaxation techniques. It's worth speaking to a teacher about their approach before you sign up for a class. 


Enjoy! 

Tennis and golf ball self massage

Tennis and golf ball self massage

I've been running for a few years now and sometimes I got some pain and aches especially in my legs. Self massage could take care of the tightness that comes with day to day training or working more likely for people who sit a lot.

Here are some creative tips on using an ordinary tennis and golf ball:


Tennis ball has diameter of 67 mm

- It's good for calves, hamstring, hips & glutes, upper and lower back & neck.

- For hamstrings place the ball on a chair and sit on it. Then roll forward. You can also put the ball on the floor. This movement is good for calfs and lower back too.

- For hips and glutes put your body weight on the top of the tennis ball and knead it in circles.

- For upper back lean against the wall and move your self up and down and side to side.

- For neck you can use a chair that's high enough or the floor. Place the ball into groove between your spine and the side of your neck and work on both sides.

Golf ball has diameter of 42,7 mm

- It's good for hands, forearms and feet

- For hands and forearms this can be done in sitting or standing position. Rub and roll around.

- For feet (loosening up the plantar fascia) place the ball on the floor and roll around the problematic area. You can do this while sitting. If you need a little more pressure just stand up.

How long shall I do self massage for?

I would say not more then 10-15 minutes per day. Focus on spot which required attention then move on. Avoid already inflamed area as that can lead to longer recovery.

How hard I could go?

It's matter of easing up gradually rather then going hard. Build the pressure slowly like you would do a work out with warning up. Don't forget to check with your hands how your muscles are reacting during the massage. If any pain or injury it would be beneficial to see a professional massage therapists. The only way to progress is by listening to your body.

Parkrun

Parkrun

Have you ever heard of or experienced a Parkrun event? If your answer is no, I will tell you more about it.

What it is?

Parkrun is a free running event held in parkland on weekend mornings, organised by a group of local volunteers all over the UK as well as other places around the world. Each event is based in an eccentric location like a park, beach or promenade. Everybody is welcome! Doesn't matter if you are old or young, fit or unfit, male or female. At the end of the day it's all about running and socialising not racing.

How long is Parkrun?

Distance for adults is 5 km on every Saturday and for juniors is 2 km on every Sunday. Park runs are never more than 5 km as it's a distance that anyone can complete even if you are walking by the end of it.


How can I sign up for it?

It's free of charge and you need to register before your first run only once. Then you need to bring a printed copy of your barcode. That means that every time you run your time is measured. You can take part whenever or wherever you want.


Where is my nearest park run?

For more details go to  www.parkrun.org.uk or  www.parkrun.com

Happy running everyone!

Interview with Miami Pro fitness Model competitor Ivana Kozmalova

Interview with Miami Pro fitness Model competitor Ivana Kozmalova


I have known Ivana since a secondary school. She has never been into sports, however she was always determined. In April 2015 Ivana completed her first event Miami Pro and ended up in fifth place.

                                          Ivana with the trophy on the left


Q: What has made you to take up the fitness and why?

About 2 and half years ago I went to support a friend at her first fitness competition and that made me thinking, “If they can do it, I can as well”, so I started to exercise and kept my goal in head. I started to enjoy exercising more and more every day by day, I was more energised and felt great. Then I realised that my goal might become reality.

Q: Why did you choose Miami Pro competition and what does it involve?

Miami pro was one of the choices I had as a first step into the fitness industry. There is a number of federations which do fitness competitions and it is hard to choose one. Miami pro is known as a “fun” competition as it is more relaxed regarding posing and stage presence. You can show your own personality on stage and have fun.

                                                        
                                                    Ivana in the costume                  

Q: How does your week look like in regards to work out and diet?

My week is busy with 6 days of training. I got into a habit to do cardio in the morning before I go to work as it kick starts my day and then I feel fresh and awake all day and weight training in the evening.
Diet is strict but very versatile and balanced. I have to eat 6 times a day so my metabolism is constantly working. Food preparation is a key to success so you need to be organised and plan ahead.

Q: How do you deal with cravings for junk food and sweets?

I have to say I have hardly ever cravings for junk food or sweet. Every week I have one day when I can allow myself to have something “naughty” so if I crave some food it's always only 6 days away.
When I really do crave some sweets, chewing gum is my best friend, different flavours all the time.

Q: Have you ever had any injuries from fitness? If so what was it?

I am a lucky one, as I haven’t had any injury from fitness yet.


Q: Do you use massage therapy?

Occasionally


Q: What has been the toughest part of your journey so far?

It is really hard to say as it isn’t hobby by lifestyle.
I would say that socialising part it tough one as you still want to enjoy time with your friends, but lots of time they don’t understand your choice of living and call you boring because you won't drink with them or party till early morning.


Q: How did you feel after the competition?

It's amazing feeling of achievement and satisfaction and instantly you want to do it again. It's really hard to explain it as there is such a build up to competition day and then suddenly it's over.

                                                      Ivana on the stage

Q: When did you start to train again?

I took about 2 days rest and then started to train straight away. You just miss it so much as training is part of your daily routine so when I don’t train I feel lost and don’t know what to do with my time.


Q: If you could take 3 items on a desert island what would that be?

That’s hard one, kitchen scale (always need to know what it on my plate, haha), posing shoes and book


Q: Would you name 1 supplement that you can't live without?

Protein powder, definitely


Q: What is your favourite motivation quote?

Work until your idol become your Rivals

Think about why you started

Every day is new be beginning so make the most of it



Q: What advice would you give to people starting out?

Believe in yourself and keep going and when you have a bad day or you had take away for dinner, don’t feel bad about yourself, wake up next day and start all over again. We are just humans and life brings lots of obstacles and it's up to you if you let these obstacles to break you or make you.



Q: What are your future plans?

I am hoping to compete for UKBFF later on this year as season normally finishes at the end of October and then work even harder on myself in off season to be ready for the next year.


Good luck Ivana with your competition and all the best for the future!

                                                            Ivana and I

Holiday in different style

You might wonder why I'm writing about holiday. Why not? It's summer here and I would like to share an experience I had in Club La Santa.  

The resort is located on the north west coast of Lanzarote . The weather is pretty good all year round - sunny and hot. It's a great holiday for sports people and families. If you are not sporty there is always something you could do. 

Every morning at 8 am they do 10 minutes of stretching exercise. After that you can choose if you want to run 3.5 or 8 km around the resort and lagoon. The lagoon is very good for learning to do windsurfing, kayaking and other water sports. You can't swim there though but you can use one of the three 50m long swimming pools. Are you competitive and want to race? It's not a problem. Every day there is a triathlon race and single distance races. Socialising is welcome too. You can join people for a bike ride around the Island. There are lots of stunning views and nice country side. 

Classes for all abilities are available too, from yoga to boot camp. If you fancy a ball game you could try tennis or squash. It's outside so you could do sunbathing. For children there is a playing area with many activities as well as a swimming pool with slide. 

After a long day there is a spa area with different types of massages and saunas. If you are hungry there is a place where you can eat and drink or even go shopping. The shop is quite small but with plenty of stuff. 

I'm sure you are not going to miss anything. Everything you need is here.

Anyway Happy Holidays everyone. Whatever you do enjoy the summer! 

Hypermobility

                                                          What is hypermobility?

Hypermobility means some or all of a person's joints move further than normal. I came across with a few people who can bend their knee joints backwards, put their leg behind the head or push their thumbs to touch their forearms. Many people don't have any problems with it and some of them may benefit from it such as ballet dancers, musicians or gymnasts.

What are the symptoms of joint hypermobility?

• pain and stiffness in joints and muscles
• joints that come out of the correct position easily 
• extreme tiredness 
• repeated injuries such as strains and sprains
• digestive problems such as constipation
• stretchy or thin skin

What causes joint hypermobility?

• genetics: colagen (protein found in skin and ligaments)
• bone structure: shape of the ends of your bones
• muscle structure: muscle tone or strength
• injury: this can damage/stretch ligaments

What could I do about it?

Decreasing risk of complication you can try to do some exercise such as swimming and weight training. Yoga is good as well. It will help you to strengthen the muscles around the joints.
Also protection during physical activity by using padding or braces is useful.