fitness equipment

How Long do Running Shoes Last? And is It Time to Replace Yours?

Over time, running shoes lose shock absorption and stability, which can result in painful injuries like shin splints, stress fractures, runner's knee, IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis, to name but a few!

This makes your running shoes one of the most important pieces of kit that you own, so don’t take them for granted! Shoes are unquestionably cheaper and easier to replace than new joints!

Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules as to when you should retire your old favourites, and spend a bit of cash on a new pair. However, here are a few tips to help you know when it’s finally time to make that trade-in.

The Number of Miles You’ve Pounded Together

The general rule of thumb is to replace your running shoes after every 300-500 miles. However, this figure will depend on your body weight, running style and the type of surface you run on.

Heavier runners will inevitably give their shoes a harder time and wear them out quicker than their lighter counterparts (a good reason to loose a few pounds!). Similarly, runners who strike the ground hard when they run will cause greater damage and deterioration to their shoes.

Soft surfaces like tracks and grass are best for preserving the life-span of your shoes. Conversely, if you run mostly on concrete pavements, you’ll inevitably need to invest in a new pair sooner.

Also, don’t be fooled by those pristine looking treadmill trainers tucked into your gym bag. Although they may still look spanking new and clean (as they’ve never seen the light of day or an ounce of mud!), they will still have endured compression damage and deterioration to parts of the shoe you can’t see. They may also have had to put up with living in a damp and smelly gym bag, and not given the chance to fully dry out after each workout. These poor conditions will inevitably contribute to premature deterioration!

Do They Still Satisfy All of Your Needs?

Looks can be deceiving, and it's difficult to tell when to replace your running shoes just by their appearance. Don’t let a tidy exterior and good tread fool you, these cosmetic looks can be misleading. 

The bit you should be concerned about is the midsole (the spongy layer between the upper part of the shoe and the sole). This portion of the shoe is largely invisible, but has the most function.

Take no chances with your midsoles, as damage will cause loss of stability and cushioning to the shoe, which will almost inevitably lead to increased injury risk. Here are some tips on how to give your midsole a quick MOT:

1) The Twist Test: A worn out midsole will allow the shoe to twist more easily than a new shoe.

2) The Crease Test: Look for creases, cracks or wrinkles in the midsole, especially under the heel or ball of the foot.  These are all signs of deterioration.

3) The Lean Test: Place your shoes on a table and looking at them from behind. If they lean to one-side, the midsole cushioning is probably worn.

4) The Colour Test: Check for discoloration of the midsole. If it’s turning yellow, brown, or grey, the running career of your shoes is near to an end.

Are They Giving You a Hard Time?

Aches, pains, tightness, shin splints, unusual muscle fatigue, sudden blisters and a lack of bounce in your step are all telltale signs that your shoes are past their sell-by-date.

Ideally, however, you owe it to your hard-working feet and legs to replace your shoes well before you start to notice these things!

Would a Newer Version Give You More Pleasure?

Try out a new version of your old shoe. If the cushioning, spring and structure in your old pair feels dead in comparison, you should exchange them for nice new shiny ones immediately. Remember, this isn’t a time for sentimental value, even if you did run your first marathon or a personal best together!

Tips on Knowing When to Finally Give Them the Elbow

1) Record your first date together: Write the date underneath the tongue flap of your shoe, so that you know when you first took them out.

2) Track your mileage: From your very first run together, to the bitter end, log every run so that you’ve got an accurate record of how far each pair of shoes have taken you.

3) Have another pair in reserve: Invest in a second pair about halfway through the life of your first. Use your newer pair as a point of reference to identify when you should ditch the older ones. You could also take them out on alternate runs, giving each pair time to dry out and decompress (they’ll appreciate the rest and it’ll also increase their lifespan!).

Your Running Shoes Are Made for One Thing, and One Thing Only!

Only wear your running shoes when you’re out running. Take them off when you're done, and have another pair of trainers for walking around town, cycling, weight training etc.

Finally, running shoes don't last forever, so make sure you get your money’s worth and take them out regularly. They will still age and deteriorate over time, even if they are abandoned in the bottom of your wardrobe, feeling unloved.

Remember that nothing beats that virgin run in a new pair of shoes!

Posted by Heather Waghorn.

How Can You Make Running More Fun?

Every runner needs some help to stay motivated from time to time. Here are a few ideas to help keep you on your toes and off the sofa!

1) Run Free

Ditch your schedule, route plan and stopwatch. Head out the door and, once you’re warmed up, literally run like a child. Don’t worry about form, how fast you’re running, where you’re going or how far. Just go for it. Let everything go. Feel the wind in your hair. Enjoy the exhilarating thrill of running fast. It feels good. Feels like you’re flying. Nothing can hold you back…

2) Head for the Hills

Hill training is great for creating “buns of steel”! Not only that but your whole body will get a good workout, including your arms and chest. It’s also enormously beneficial for building strength, endurance and speed.

Try not to approach a hill with a feeling of doom, though. Hills are only hard if you make them hard. Instead, see it as an opportunity to vary your pace and leg stride. Change down a gear and lessen your speed as the gradient increases.  Use your arms to help power you up to the summit.

When you get to the top, allow yourself to revel in that sense of elation. Hurrah you’ve made it! Let the endorphins flow!

Then, liberate your legs and arms as you enjoy some effortless speed on the way back down. This requires a different style and attitude. Relax your whole body, chill out and enjoy the ride!

3) Push the Boundaries

Be progressive. Challenge yourself on your regular run, be it 2 miles or 10. You can do it faster, can’t you?

Time it. Record it. Beat it!!!!!

4) Run to the Beat

Would you go on a long car journey without a radio or music?

Depending on the type of run, music can give you that extra boost when you hit a slump, take your mind off the pain or just put an extra spring in your step.

Invest some time into creating the right playlist for the type of run you’re doing. If you’re going for speedwork, try having a fast beat song, followed by a slower song. Run hard to the fast beat, and then recover listening to something more chilled out.

Make sure you stay safe. Never have headphones on after dark or in unpopulated areas, and be aware of your surroundings.

5) Cool Running Gadgets & Gismos

Although spending your hard-earned cash on the latest running gadget won’t necessarily transform you from a red-faced, wheezing jogger into a finely honed, lean-machine athlete, it can be a good way to help inspire and motivate you.  

Heart rate monitors are great for understanding how hard you’re running, help you track your progress, keep you running at the right intensity and stop you from under or over training.

GPS watches, such as the Garmin, can tell you how fast and how far you’re running including your elevation. They work in a similar way to the Sat Nav in your car. You can even impress your friends and family with how far you’ve run by downloading your routes onto Google Maps!

Similarly, you can use footpods, like those made by Polar, Nike and Suunto. These ingenious gadgets work by monitoring the movement of your foot and transmitting this data back to your watch. You’ll get all the information you need on your running distance, speed, cadence and much more!

Finally…

So now you know that hills don’t have to be horrendous, running like a child and testing yourself can be fun, and music can make your runs rock!  What's more, you no longer need to waste time measuring your routes using a bit of string and a map.  There are plenty of swanky toys on the market that’ll do a much better job, and offer far more entertainment! 

All you need to do now is get out running, and enjoy it!

Posted by Heather Waghorn.

Don’t Hibernate this Winter, Train Outside!

The weather at this time of year is often used as an excuse not to exercise outside; it’s too cold, too wet, too windy, and/or too dark. All excuses I’ve heard and, I have to admit, occasionally used myself. But all it takes is some planning and a bit of extra kit, and you’ll get a huge sense of satisfaction and generally feel great and smug for doing it.

Copious benefits to the mind, body and soul!

If you spend most of your time in an office, and go to work in a car, train or tube, then surely the last thing you’d want to do at the end of the day is to head off to another artificial people container for a workout?

Isn’t it time your body saw the light?

If you head outside, you’ll feel more energised and be more inclined to be active. There’s nothing like a battling against the elements to really focus the mind on what’s important, and help relieve you of the stresses of the day.

Unlike in the gym, you can take in different scenery everyday, providing diverse views and stimulus for your workouts. You’ll get to appreciate the change of seasons, see the colours and shapes of the landscape transforming, and get to meet some interesting people along the way!

Challenge yourself

Training outside can work your body in ways that a gym workout will never achieve. It asks more of your body as a whole. Different surfaces offer different challenges. Grass, gravel, mud, stones and tree roots all intensify the workout, increasing the demand on your core, and the muscles and ligaments that stabilize your body. Your balance, co-ordination and proprioceptive skills will rapidly improve, as you encourage your body to do more complex movements over difficult terrain.

The weather also adds an interesting challenge, and the wind can be both your friend and foe. If you push hard into the wind at the beginning of your run, it will give you a helping hand on the way back!

No more smelly changing rooms!

Outside training also means that you’re likely to come straight back home afterwards. You don’t have to worry about packing a gym bag, remembering change for the locker, forgetting to bring clean underwear, getting verrucas, and sharing grim changing rooms.

You can come back to the comfort of your own bathroom, use as many towels as you like, and not having a stranger’s bum in your face when you’re putting your socks on!

And if that hasn’t convinced you…

Think of all the germs that circulate in the air conditioning at a gym. You’ll be taking in big gulps of them during a tough workout! But when you’re outside, you can fill your lungs with lots of healthy, natural fresh air and get a rosy glow to your cheeks too!

And exercising outside is free!

I’m a Londoner, I live nowhere near the countryside!

Londoners should actually find it easier to access ‘The Great Outdoors’, than anyone else in England. In a recent study published by the Audit Commission*, 92 per cent of footpaths and rights of way in London that are in or lead to open spaces and countryside are considered ‘easy to use’, giving you good access to some amazing green spaces. The overall average for England was 76.3 percent, so no excuses!

*The Best Value Performance Indicator 2006-2007, Audit Commission Local Government Compendium

But what about the cold and rain?

Read my article on There’s no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing! to find out how to protect yourself from the elements. And just think how nice that lovely warm shower will be when you get back, you’ll appreciate it so much more after a challenging run outside!

Safety comes before fashion at night

Make sure you wear bright coloured clothing or reflective gear if you go out in the dark and on a gloomy days. Florescent hats and gloves are a popular option, and are stocked by most running shops.

Share the pleasure & the pain

When it's dark, make your personal safety a priority and don't go out alone. Workout with a friend or trainer, or join an outside exercise class or running club. Stick to well lit, populated areas and be aware of what's happening around you. 

It's also more fun to train with other people, and you're more likely to push yourself further and less likely to wimp out when the weather is really bad!

Warm up first

Finally, you need to look after your body a bit more when you train outside. You're at greater risk of pulling muscle when running in the cold, so warm up slowly. Some people prefer to warm up inside first before they head out.

Posted by Heather Waghorn.

There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, Just Inappropriate Clothing!

Although you don’t need to buy specialised clothing to train outside, a few extra bits of kit can make battling against the elements all the more pleasant. Here are a few things that I’d recommend, especially for those winter months:

For your extremities

Your hands are the usually the first to feel the chill, and a pair of old gloves (you don’t really need to buy a specialist pair) will help prevent numb pinkies.  I find that my hands warm up pretty quickly, unless it’s really cold, so I prefer to wear tops with long sleeves that I can pull down over my hands until I start to warm up, then I don’t have to carry gloves around with me.

On your head

You loose most of your body heat through your head, so a hat can make a huge difference. Again, unless it’s really cold, I prefer to wear a hoodie, so that when I warm up, I can just pull the hood down and don’t have to worry about carrying a hat around.

Core warmth

A rain and wind-proof outer layer is really important for those wild and wet days. The best ones are breathable, so that you don’t get too sweaty on the inside. I prefer the really lightweight versions, which you don’t actually notice you’re wearing.  These are a lot more expensive compared to a basic pac-a-mac, but are well worth the investment if you’re serious about training outside.

Underneath this, a layering system is the best option. Try to avoid cotton next to your skin as this just soaks up moisture and will leave you feeling cold and damp. Your base layer should be a thin layer of synthetic material such as polypropylene, which wicks sweat away from your body. If it’s really cold, thermal tops (like those made by Helly Hansen) work really well. You can then wear another layer on top of this for added warmth, either a t-shirt or fleece, depending on the weather and intensity of your workout.

Look after those legs

It’s important to keep your legs warm, especially when you set off, as cold muscles can pull.  Running tights or tracksuit bottoms are a good idea (wear both on a really cold day!). Try a few different styles on to see what feels more comfortable, and suits your body shape!

Best foot forward

If you plan on doing lots of off-road running, it’s worth investing in some off-road or trail shoes. These have a much better grip in the mud, are usually waterproof (to a certain level!) and offer much more protection against rocks and rough ground.

Keep your lips kissable

Avoid weather-beaten sore and cracked lips by slapping on some lip balm before you head out.

Experiment to find out what suits you

A lot of this is down to personal choice, and you’ll soon learn what works you, as you get more experienced. The most important thing is to avoid overdressing. You’ll just overheat and sweat a lot, which will in turn, make you cold!

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Posted by Heather Waghorn.

Train Like an Ancient Persian Warrior!

Have you got the balls?

Some bounce, some have handles and some have ropes attached to them. Modern medicine balls now come in an amazing array of sizes, colours and weights.

However, the original prototypes (produced some 3000 years ago) were not so attractive. Made out of animal bladders and stuffed with sand, they’re thought to have been used in training by Persian warriors, Hippocrates, and ancient Chinese martial arts masters, to name but a few. 

So why are they called medicine balls?

Moving forward into the 19th century, ball training became a popular workout feature in the gymnasiums. At this time, the words “health” and “medicine” were synonymous, and the term “medicine ball” is believed to originate from this period.

More recently, hi-tech gadgets and complex machines have taken over in our gyms. However, the humble medicine ball is now making a come back, as the benefits of functional training are seen as being increasingly important.

Time to take your medicine

Medicine ball training is really adaptable and can be used for beginners, weekend warriors and endurance athletes alike.

Using a few differently weighted balls, you can beef-up circuit training sessions and traditional exercises to create tough, stamina-building workouts. It's a really efficient way to develop your speed, strength, balance, and endurance.

They're also perfect for beginners and are a fun tool for those wanting just to get into shape and vary their workouts.  Medicine ball training uses your muscles in a similar way to when you're lifting objects in everyday life (eg children, shopping etc) so it is much more practical than using dumbbells.

Medicine balls can also be a really efficient form of sports specific training. With a bit of imagination, they can be used to simulate and help improve golf and tennis swings, swimming strokes, and football and basketball techniques. Runners can also train with the ball to push their core rotational muscles.

You can work your whole body or just target specific areas, and they're an ideal tool for improving your core power and stability. Practically everything you do with a medicine ball will work your core muscles to some extent. So whether you're lifting, throwing, squatting, crunching, pressing, or twisting with them, your abs should be fired-up too!

Ball practice

Start-off with some lightweight balls and keep the movements slow whilst you focus on your technique.  After a few training sessions, you can speed up the actions, but remember to maintain good control at all times.

Make sure you get proper instruction on technique as even lightweight medicine balls can cause injury.

So whether you're a beginner, seasoned exerciser needing some inspiration or training for the Tough Guy event, it's time you added some balls to your workouts!

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Posted by Heather Waghorn.