Concrete x Jungle

24th August 20207th September 2020
by ClaudiS

CONCRETE x JUNGLE

How lockdown helped me to discover the hidden green spaces in London and ignited my love for trail running.

by May Edmondson

On 23rd March 2020 – the ‘one outdoor activity per day’ rule was introduced as part of the UK-wide lockdown in the fight against coronavirus. You were permitted to run or walk within the local area, alone or only with members of your own household – spending your one ‘token’ of exercise per day meant we had to make every run count. Trudging the tarmac worked for a while, but after a few days of pounding the same few pavements I became restless for something more adventurous – yet the public transport ban made the North Downs Way just a tad too far to be accessible, let alone the idea of beginning to tick a few peaks off the Bob Graham round, so I instead turned all my attention to searching for the best trails on my doorstep. Here is a roundup of my 5 favourite trails in London and the lessons I have learned in the process as I took my first few tentative steps in the world of trail-running.

1. Parkland Walk

Situated on the old railway line between Alexandra Palace and Highgate woods (Parkland Walk North – 750m) and Highgate Woods and Finsbury Park (Parkland Walk South – 3km), this 5km total stretch of protected green-space provides a very different kind of rush-hour commute. Look out for the bat sanctuary in the old Holmsdale road tunnels, the scary Spriggan sculpture which is said to have inspired Stephen King’s horror novel, ‘Crouch End’ and the old platforms which used to belong to a station of the same name.

Difficulty level: 1/5 – a great beginner trail
Optional add-ons: Combine with the New River Path, extending to Hackney and Islington in the South or as far as Hertfordshire in the North
Lessons learned: Avoid between 9-10am (dog-walkers’ rush hour)
Find out more about the Parkland Walk here

2. Beverley Brook Trail

Did you know that just beyond the bars and boating houses of Putney riverside there is a gentle stream stretching 10 km south of the Thames? Nope, neither did I until Lockdown! This picturesque trail takes you from New Malden, through Wimbledon common, across Richmond Park and Barnes Common, closely hugging the Beverley Brook, all the way to meet the Thames. The trail is mostly within green spaces, with a few crossings in between (including level crossings at Barnes, which is an added bonus if you are a train geek like me!) and is mostly flat, making it suitable for beginners. The route is way-marked with a red circle with a deer inside, which are mostly easy enough to follow and is particularly beautiful now the autumn leaves are beginning to shed. Since the trail encompasses so many green spaces, there is plenty of room for optional extra exploration, such as the Tamsin trail in Richmond park or the Thames path itself, where the brook empties out into the river at Putney.

Difficulty level: 2/5 – easy trails, mostly flat, some turnings difficult to spot when overgrown
Optional add-ons: The Tamsin Trail in Richmond Park, the Thames Path at Putney
Lessons learned: Take a moment to stop and enjoy the views – my favourite reading tree was found here.
Find out more about the Beverly Brook Trail here

3. Capital Ring

Ever spotted signposts with those little green circles with the big ben symbol in the middle? If you have, chances are the mega 75 mile (120km) Capital Ring orbital route passes through your local area. The route is divided into 15 sections, meaning it is possible to complete 1 or 2 sections in a day (although there is a popular ultrarunning challenge which involves completing the entire loop in one go!). Since it is owned by TFL, the route is well-maintained and sign-posted, meaning it’s hard to get lost. My favourite sections of the Capital Ring are section 12 (Highgate to Stoke Newington), which features the beautiful Abney Park Cemetery, and section 4 (Crystal Palace to Streatham). You can even download a certificate once you have completed all 15 sections (and it looks pretty on your Strava Heatmap!)

Difficulty level: 2/5 – mostly flat trails with some hillier sections
Optional add-ons: Richmond Park after section 6, or the South East London Green Chain Walk after section 3. Alternatively, follow the Lea Valley Walk north from Springfield Park, instead of south towards Hackney Wick as part of section 13.
Lessons learned: The same trails look completely different depending on the season, which is all the more motivation to come back!
Find all GPX files of the Capital Ring here

4. London Loop

The big brother of the Capital Ring, this second orbital route is larger (at 150 miles, 242km) and surrounds the outskirts of London, encompassing some of the most beautiful green spaces and historical sites of interest in the capital. Divided into 24 slightly longer sections, you could easily complete a section in a couple of hours, or spend a whole day on the trails. My favourite section so far is the stretch between Elstree and Cockfosters, which took me through the stunning ancient Scratchwood in Barnet and Monken Hadley Common in Hadley Wood. Be prepared for some slightly more technical trails and hidden wayfinder symbols – I have been caught out a couple of times after climbing over the wrong stile, traversing a farmer’s field in the middle of nowhere when the heavens have opened and I have had to abort mission. However, the rain, the cowpat mishaps and the getting lost are all part of the trail running adventure!

Difficulty level: 3/5 – Some more technical trails and wayfinders not always easy to spot.
Optional add ons: The Pymmes Brook Trail at Monken Hadley Common, which travels through Arnos Grove and Southgate, before finally merging with the River Lea Navigation at Tottenham
Lessons learned: Plan for things not to go to plan. You never know when you will get caught out on a run. Even the most seasoned trail runners get lost sometimes, or become injured off the beaten track. In the event that you do need the emergency services, giving your current location as ‘a big green field off the M25’ isn’t particularly helpful, so I cannot stress enough the importance of downloading the ‘what3words’ app, which has divided the world into 3m x 3m squares, all given a unique 3 word address, to help the emergency services find you faster when you dial 999.
Find all GPX files of the London Loop here

5. Dollis Valley Greenwalk

If you want fields, hills, cows, dipping your toes in a stream, jumping over stiles, wading through long grass, this trail has it all. The Dollis Brook (a tributary of the River Brent), stretches 10 miles from Moat Mount Open space in the north all the way down through Totteridge and Woodside park towards Finchley and Hampstead Heath. It is virtually untouched by civilisation in sections, and you have to pinch yourself to remember you are in London. Sights include Barnet Gate Woods, Totteridge Fields Nature Reserve, and the towering Dollis Brook viaduct near Mill Hill. Because of its location in the North London greenbelt, there are dozens of smaller trails spanning off from the brook, including local Totteridge Village Heritage walks and the newly landscaped Folly Brook trail, meaning you could easily continue your exploration on the trails for an entire day, all within easy reach of the high streets of Whetstone and Mill Hill (and 2km from my house!). The well-trodden paths can become boggy after it has rained, so trail shoes are recommended, but the route is well demarcated and not too steep, making it suitable for beginners and veteran trail-runners alike.

Difficulty level: 2.5/5 – Some more technical and slippery trails, particularly in Winter
Optional add-ons: Folly Brook Trail (at Woodside park), London Loop (at Moat Mount), Capital Ring (at Falloden way) Brent River Path (at Henley’s corner), Mutton Brook (also at Henley’s corner), Totteridge Village Heritage Walks (at various points along the Dollis ascending to Totteridge Common).
Lessons learned: I have absolutely fallen in love with trail running! There is always something new to discover, even on your doorstep.
Find more info on the Dollis Valley Greenwalk here

May is a ball of energy and has been running with us for some time now. She’s only taken her first steps off-road at the beginning of the year and has carried that initial spark all the way to this. When she’s not running she’s a healthcare assistant (HCA) at Great Ormond Street Hospital working for the wonderful NHS here in London.
Follow her on Instagram and Strava.

Join our community. No matter where you start – new to running or trail running, looking for likeminded people to run with or ask questions. Or are you a mountain goat legend and long distance runner?
We’re looking forward to meeting you!

WE ARE ONLINE

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23rd March 202030th June 2020
by ClaudiS

Finding motivation when the going gets tough

Words by Fiona.

Motivation is a funny thing. It seems to come and go like the wind and I tend to find I’m motivated at really useless times (think 11pm at night I’m dreaming of that long run or stuck at my desk I’m fantasising about a core workout I want to nail).

Home working can be tough and being constricted by external limitations can really cause motivation to run away scared. Here are some tips of how to stay motivated when times get tough:

1 Plan

Sit down at the start of week and make a plan of when you’re going to workout and what you are hoping to do. Planning in advance helps you prioritise the time and forces you to think through when things won’t work (planning a 3 hour long run the same day as you’re due to be working a long day – probably unrealistic).

As well as simply planning I really recommend you write it down – this makes it more likely to happen. Personally I use a journal and go old-school but you could do this online or on a calendar app if that works better for you.

2 Be Accountable

Community is so useful in helping us get through the hard sessions. I also have found my running transformed since being coached by someone as this has enabled me be accountable for the sessions I’m going to attempt and how they did or didn’t go.

Text a friend and ask if they fancy doing a session with you remotely this week – you could both commit to doing an interval session on Tuesday say or to doing the Tempo Thursday set. Check in with that person afterwards, share what you found hard and what you’re proud of for yourself for.

Accountability is such a powerful tool in helping get a session in when motivation is waning.

3 Find Positive Inspiration

Inspiration is everywhere around us from those we find positive influences on social media (note positive influences: if they’re not uplifting – unfollow!) to stories you can read from heroes of the running community (now is a great time to read that book you’ve always wanted to) through to documentaries and short films and of course from those around us. I particularly find the people in my everyday life really inspire me: the colleague who did her first 5km run in the park yesterday, my parents getting out for a daily walk, my We Are Daybreak friends committing to their workouts and finding strength and resilience.

Channel that positivity and let it fuel your workout.

4 If you’re struggling

Sometimes life can be quite overwhelming. At times when I’ve been really struggling I’ve committed to the simple tool of completing three things a day. Just three things. When I’ve been in a really tough place that might be as simple as shower, eat one proper meal and get outside once today. When I’m doing well it might be bigger things: laundry, a running session, pay that nagging bill. Write it down. Celebrate each thing you complete but remember if things are tough that you can do small things. Sticking to just three helps keep it manageable and gives you create a positive outlook to approaching tasks throughout the rest of the week.

5 Set goals

My recent coaching qualifications focused on the importance of goal setting but not perhaps in the way that social media has led us to believe. Firstly don’t worry about medals or even times. And while it’s great to have something big to aim for (I’ve been working towards a race in August for over a year now), it is also really important that we set bitesized smaller goals and review our progress. So try setting a fitness based goal of where you would like to be in 8 weeks time and then benchmark your current ability. That could be improving your balance by 20% (try standing on one leg with your eyes shut and time yourself). Or how about improving your core strength through completing regular strength training (try holding a plank for as long as you can).

Goals don’t need to be about races or medals and smaller fitness goals will have long term impacts on your running that you will reap for years to come.

6 The ‘zero to hero’ fallacy

With so many opportunities to take part in exercise at the minute don’t overcommit and try and do everything. What does your current average week of exercising look like? We would always encourage that you don’t step up by more than 20% in a week so that might mean if you regularly take part in 5 running sessions a week adding in an additional yoga class. Start slowly and remember that the phrase ‘zero to hero’ is a lie. Zero to “Ouch what is that sharp pain?!” more like. There is power in rest days. Since I’ve introduced two rest days a week, I’ve got 15 minutes faster at the marathon. Fifteen minutes. Just by resting! Get stronger, stay fit and sane yet move mindfully and allow your body time to recover.

Finally: remember the power of the simple things. Eat mindfully, get some time outdoors, reduce your screen time, exercise, call your friends and family, don’t overdo the caffeine.

Follow Fiona

WE ARE ONLINE

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19th March 202030th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WE ARE ONLINE
– how to access session content and community support:

Head over to our FACEBOOK Community group

Tap into what our team has been up to on INSTAGRAM and our STORIES, where we share snippets and community content too. Why not join our STRAVA group so share workouts, see leaderboards, join our segment challenges? You can also access video content, technique sessions and strength & conditioning workouts via our YOUTUBE channel. We’ll be adding more week by week, sometimes day by day!

Are you ready? Let’s go!

WE ARE ONLINE

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16th March 202030th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WE ARE ONLINE

In light of the recent pandemic COVID19 / CoronaVirus –

Until further notice we are pausing our weekly sessions and special events, effectively from March 16th 2020.

The Government has today issued updated guidance for clubs, businesses and individuals to:

avoid any unnecessary and non-essential social contact or gatherings – big or small, the size doesn’t matter.
avoid all unnecessary travel, with work from home recommended wherever possible.
London is further along the pandemic curve, and should expect further preventative steps in the near future to reduce the risk of contracting and spreading the virus.
For more information or if you have concerns, please go to: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to our community and fellow Londoners (and beyond) to take these critical steps, however much it saddens us to do so!

However, we are still allowed outside as individuals! 🍃 We have started working on an online programme ‘WE ARE ONLINE‘ for you last week and will help you to keep active and get outside. We aim to keep you all connected, and we will continue to support each other as we always do, even if that is solely online for the time being.

We further encourage you to follow the latest Government advice, which includes exercising individually to avoid non-essential social contact and be prepared for the advice to evolve, particularly in London.

We understand this is not going to be easy but we are a strong and dynamic community, so let’s keep our channels open. Share your sessions, share your learnings, share your questions, also share your challenges. Speak up if you struggle – we are as much about your emotional and mental wellbeing as we are about your physical conditioning.

The trails remain and we will run further and farther together when the situation improves. Watch this space. And wash your hands!

Much love and light from your DB Team x

ABC OF LIFE

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7th October 201930th June 2020
by ClaudiS

Asking better questions for better results. Learning by doing. Empowering through journeys and experiences.

This week we’re taking a close look at ATTITUDE.

Read what our community has to share. If you want to be featured and get inspired head over to our brainstorm area:
DB / ABC of Life – topics you would like to see featured or contribute to.
DB / ABC of LIFE – A – your thoughts on ADVENTURE and ATTITUDE.

A… ATTITUDE

“Attitude (over ability) – the mindset you go in to a run or hike or challenge or day out with matters way more than how objectively good you are. The trail doesn’t care about your marathon PB. But it does care how you treat it, the way you step carefully, the way you stop and say hi to the wildlife or pause to pick juicy berries. And years from now, you won’t care about your marathon PB either, but you will care about the runs where you learned something new, where you laughed with your friends or where you found solace from that thing that you might not talk about but that weighs heavy. Not every day out will be fast or easy. But they can still be a good day.”
~ LEAH @poet_on_the_run

“Attitude… means commitment, a lifestyle truly. Be kind, to yourself, others and the World you run in everyday. A mindset. Not every run is great but I think you need to believe in yourself and in the power of going out there and get what you have worked for. Overwhelming days are half empty glasses, but a good run can turn that easily… especially when it’s done with a friendly group of running buddies.”
~ FRANCI @francincbeactive

“When I was a kid, I heard I was “a girl with an attitude” a lot. But that was not something good, most of the times. They were people telling me off for speaking up what I think, defying authorities and being, you know… “difficult”. It always made me mad. So, I love embracing this about myself and flipping it to something positive. I am sooo aware that I wouldn’t be what I am and achieve what I have achieved if I had stayed quiet, replacing my Attitude with another “A” world, acceptance. Attitude is what it takes for us to take charge of our own selves and (another A word) ACT. Attitude is the start of movement. It is personality, it is what makes us stay (another one!) Active. Attitude is what made me persist on long distance running despite a chronic condition and a dodgy ankle. If I hadn’t had the attitude, I would settle for everyone who said I should not do this. Guess what? Here I am, with my attitude, disagreeing again and refusing to settle.”
~ GABI @stripolias

“Attitude is… being fully immersed in the outdoors, forgetting about time, pace or distance records and focus on finding a better rhythm in life.
Attitude is… doing what’s right for you. Knowing when to back off. When to push on. Taking full responsibility for your choices and outcomes. There is no one else to blame and no one else to follow but yourself. Your life, your rules, your rewards. If things don’t go to plan, keep thinking, keep moving. Come up with an alternative solution. Failing is when you stop trying. When you are stuck: get unstuck. Change your thinking. Change your attitude. Change your perspective. Ask for help. Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own battles and reaching out will open more doors than you can ever imagine.
Attitude is… everything.
A flexible mindset will get you a long way. No matter the obstacles or detours, you’ll find a way if you trust yourself and trust the process. Dream with your feet moving. And sometimes just suck it up buttercup!”
~ CLAUDI @claudi8s

“There are many things in life we can’t change – whether the train turns up on time or if there’s a long queue when you’re in a rush – but we can change our attitude to situations we find ourselves in.
For me, the key is to try and adopt an attitude of gratitude. To remember to be grateful for things I take for granted, like my friends and what they teach me, the view from my window, the kindness of strangers, the unexpected smile in the coffee shop and the time others give up, freely, week after week to lead and inspire my running. These are just a few examples of things I’m grateful for today. Even looking at a piece or work, which didn’t work out the way I intended, and taking the learning from the failure, rather than beating myself up about it, is a shift in attitude. Like most things, it requires practice, but it’s worth it.”
~ CATHY @cathywood01

“My biggest slither of learning in recent years is that my attitude is not fixed. It moves around, a bit like the contents of a lava lamp. I am always questioning my attitude heading towards a race, and often trying to rewrite the script. I try and catch myself saying or thinking, I always do this or think that. Where does that attitude come from?”
~ DEREK @tsurumaki2

What are your thoughts on ATTITUDE? Share them here DB / ABC of LIFE – A

ABC OF LIFE

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7th October 201930th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WE ARE DAYBREAK and the ABC of Life. This new series comes straight of our community, a co-created piece of 26 letters and many more thoughts on life, running and the outdoors. Big questions, big goals, big thinkers. Doing our ‘DB thing’ – asking better questions for better results. Learning by doing. Empowering through journeys and experiences.

This week we’re taking a close look at the letter A. So many great suggestions were pouring in and by popular vote we’ve focussed on Adventure and Attitude.

A… ADVENTURE

“Adventure is being disconnected from the city, getting out there in the wild nature and explore its beauty. A Big adventure is waiting in a couple of months: out all day running in the nature with myself and I, exploring a new place. Adventure means adrenaline, positive vibes, rediscovering yourself and what you can find outside your comfort zone…”
~ FRANCI @francincbeactive

“Ha! The adventure of living abroad. I guess adventure can be letting go of the known and trying the unknown. A different commute. A different running route. A different breakfast or a different option in the menu. Even when life limits you, finding the new and fitting in some adventures where you see the opportunity. No money to travel? Gonna take the tube/train somewhere and go for a walk or run there. Not fit to run? Gonna say yes to that friend who invites me to go climbing.”
~ GABI @stripolias

“My favourite Disney films are Pocahontas and Moana. Both bad ass adventurers. Just think what life would be like if it was simply known routine and we were never pushing and testing our boundaries? Let’s hungrily seek adventure, thirsting for knowledge and driving on to see where that shoreline or river leads. Adventure is out there and it’s calling your name!”
~ FIONA @englishruns

“Once I took a glimpse beyond the edges of the valley, I discovered the world. Leaving the comfort of home and learning to create life from scratch.
Adventure is… running an entire race with tape covering my watch screen. Trusting the feel and pacing better.
Adventure is… taking the central line in rush hour.
Adventure is… taking a big group on a night trail run to Epping Forest and navigating us through the maze of trails to draw some Strava art.
Adventure is… to have a plan and ditch it on the run to follow your own compass.
Adventure is… Leaving my running watch at home. Storing memories not data.
Adventure is… Travelling to new countries and exploring on foot.
Adventure is… getting stuck and finding new ways. Physically and mentally.
Adventure is… climbing up a mountain, only discover there are many many more to explore.”
~ CLAUDI @claudi8s

What are your thoughts on ADVENTURE? Share them here DB / ABC of LIFE – A

GOALS

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10th September 201930th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WORDS by Fiona.

I have no desire to win races. For many, times and medals and instagramable pictures and being competitive is a huge driver to participating in sport. But it just isn’t for me.

I was once told by an incredible ultramarathon runner I know, that if you don’t stand on the startline of a race not knowing if you can finish it or not, it isn’t a challenge. Not because you haven’t trained hard enough, or put in the work, or aren’t healthy but because exploring your own boundaries of possibility and limits is where we discover who we really are.

When I first took up running I remember finding the idea of running for a kilometre without stopping mind blowing. Now I feel confident running for about 8 hours without needing to walk. As I’ve tested my own boundaries and limits I’ve been consistently shocked by just how much further and faster and higher I can go. Months of training, hard work and a huge amount of dogged determination has seen me complete marathons, ultras, mountain races and even Ironman.

Along the way though I’ve realised that I have no desire to stick at one thing and ‘be the best’. My passion and enthusiasm is in my desire to pursue adventure. Relentlessly. With abandon. Passionately. Adventure is calling.

Don’t get me wrong: PBs are amazing. For me personally as a coach, there are two that are particularly joyous to watch: new runners shocked at achieving things they never thought possible and runners who’d counted themselves out for a long time and suddenly surprise themselves. As we all probably have, I’ve been through both of those. I’ve cried my eyes out at finish lines for achieving times that seemed ‘too fast’ for the runner I assumed I was. And yet, when I look back at my favourite memories in running: numbers don’t feature.

There is the moment in my Ironman where my husband, an hour up the race from me, crossed paths with me and we shared a kiss before heading off to finish our respective marathons. There was the time I paced my Mum, who’d promised me she’d never do any sport in her life, to complete her first 10k at the age of 70. There are the miles and miles I’ve spent traipsing up and down some remote mountain in Scotland with my Dad talking about anything and everything.

Fear of missing out and defining yourself by others achievements is a dangerous and unsatisfying pathway. There is a fantastic old tale of King Solomon, the richest man the world had ever seen who no matter how much wealth he had still felt unsatisfied. Will that medal or time or race really give you the fulfilment you are looking for? Or are you stuck on a relentless cycle of the next challenge, and time, and distance? When you achieve the time you’ve been putting so many hours in are you satisfied? Or do you then change the goalposts and look to shave off ever more minutes?

What if we all put aside the relentless marathon cycles and 5k PB hunts and just pursued adventure? Maybe we’d miss our time goals and what our peers might consider ‘good’ times but instead we might find something our hearts had been yearning for.

John Muir, one of the great advocates for the power of the outdoors in the late nineteenth century, famously said ‘The mountains are calling and I must go.’ I feel that call. Trapped in our city lives surrounded by constant noise and busyness and progress it’s easy to feel the overwhelming rise of fear and anxiety that grips so many of us. When I am in nature, I truly feel I am in a space where I remember what matters: not my job title, PBs, finishing position in some random half marathon but connection, love, passion, joy.

Maverick Race (Trail) in Bath, September 2019

So this Autumn what if you put aside traditional goals and instead reconnected with why you run. What if we pursued being outdoors as passionately as some people pursue qualifying for big city marathons? Give yourself fully still: commit, be passionate, work hard, dig deep. But pursue something less black and white. Measure your achievements in emotions and how well you slept rather than times and medals. Run with perseverance wherever your legs will carry you. Just run. And be. And exist.

Adventure in out there and it is most definitely calling. Let’s go.

Follow Fiona

Fiona is working towards her CiRF (Coach in Running & Fitness) qualification with England Athletics and has lead some of our Tuesday DB / FIRST LIGHT sessions, helped guide our trail runs and is an integral part of our community. When she’s not busy running a theatre company in Islington full time, she’s most likely out in the fells hunting trig points #hillbragging with Graeme or her dad. You may see her as RD at Hampstead Heath Parkrun or swimming in the ponds training for her upcoming Ironman 70.3. 2020 is going to be a big year for Fiona, make sure you follow her inspiring journey!

INSPIRATION

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8th April 201930th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WORDS by Matt.

It might be a strange and rare conundrum to have to ever deal with. Fewer people have sailed around the world than summited Everest.

But the concept of how to follow an all consuming challenge which has driven your life – both daily and into the near distant future for so long- is not, akin to marathon blues squared, cubed, or more perhaps.

I circumnavigated the world by yacht over the course of 2015-16 as part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, over 50,000 nautical miles, through 11 months away and circa 9 months at sea. Twelve matched yachts racing around the blue.

Taking in Brazil, Australia, Vietnam, China… the Southern Ocean, the North Pacific.

Waves bigger than multi-storey buildings. Hurricanes in places where they are so frequent it’s just ‘weather’. Engineering feats such as the Panama Canal, natural wonders such as Table Mountain, symbols like the Statue of Liberty all coming into, and out of, view as we plied our way around the world.

So it was I came to find myself looking for another relatively extreme – albeit land-based – human powered challenge.

A one time runner. Still perhaps in the mind. But a runner who hadn’t run in over a year of being cooped up in a space measuring no longer than 21 metres in length for extended periods of time. So not in body. Maybe it was the overwhelming desire to stretch y legs and when presented with the Goretex Transalpine Run 2017 by a fellow crew member from the yacht race.

Four countries, two runners, one week – one dream. So goes the tagline for the eastern Alpine crossing.

You had me at adventure.

One comprising over 275 kilometres and 16,000m vertical gain across spectacular mountainscapes, ski stations all but transformed into a lush green summer playground. Snowcapped peaks. Verdant valleys. Populated by spirited people all pulled together by one goal; to cross the Alps on foot in one of the best footraces on earth.

It’s human nature to be curious about the world. Find and push our limits. Asking questions of ourselves that build character, resilience and train us for life. Survival, perhaps, but nowadays so much more. To escape the modern world, its ever increasing pace, pervasive digital connectivity disconnecting humanity.

There is something in being stripped right back, the raw power of nature and human performance. Something about mountains and oceans that connects us through history, and draws us in. Places laced with danger that we seek not to tame but co-exist within, even just for a time, share in the raw power of a world that reminds us we are just a small element of something so much bigger.

Freedom that invigorates the soul.

Calculated risk for unparalleled reward. The reason why sailors have always gone to sea, why mountaineers looked at far off peaks and sought to conquer their summits – and why they always will.

This year’s Transalpine run tackles the western route: three countries and a few less kilometres clocking in on paper at 255km, but I’m warned it is more technical and no less a challenge.

I return to complete the set of east and west crossings, to add to a circumnavigation, which collectively have shaped me as a person.

Inevitably, the question that follows will be both obvious and simple. What next?

Follow Matt

Let us know what you think and want to see more of. We’re keen to bring good content and great experiences to life. Interested?

TRAINING TIPS

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4th July 201830th June 2020
by ClaudiS

COACHING TIPS by Claudi.

Do you train for mountain adventures? Fascinated by the magnitude of majestic mountain ranges? Up in Scotland or in the Alps? If you are living in those areas, you are spoilt for choice. Training grounds for any ability and ambition, views for days.

Well and if you aren’t and are stuck like some of us in a city, the closest you can get to a mountain is to run up stairs in a tower block or do hill rep after hill rep to accumulate a mere hundred meters of elevation. Sounds like fun? Barely. But with the right attitude and some fun workouts we can even turn our concrete jungle into a fantastic training playground.

We’ve written up a few hill sessions and a little bit about the benefits of incorporating hill effort into your swim/ bike/ run and ultra training.

↠ Why should you incorporate hill training sessions?
– Hill training sessions are a great way to increase your power, stamina and form. More muscles get switched on (arm drive, knee drive, working from your glutes and core) compared to running on the flat. And as much as we loathe hills, they surely translate into flat speed. Hill work is speed work in disguise. Hills strengthen your lower body and work your core (stability / posture). Those sessions are perfect to mix things up, especially when you are crunched for time. Incorporate a hill session or run a hillier route once a week. If you train for trail and mountain races – build more of those sessions into your training plan. Some easy runs on a rolling route, a dedicated hill session plus adding 1-2 strength sessions to your running regime. Body weight exercises targeting your legs and core (hips / back / upper body – you’ll need all of this on the trail). If you feel confident in delivering those with good technique, add weights.

↠ TYPES OF HILL SESSIONS ↞
There are many ways to structure a hill session. And even in a relatively flat city like London, you can always find an incline to play with.

• Slopes and inclines
find an incline (bridge / fly over / hill / grassy slope / etc). The shorter the climb, the faster you want to tackle it. The steeper, the shorter your stride becomes, focussing on landing under your hips, upright position, slight forward lean from the ankles. Engage your glutes and core, drive the elbows back. Don’t cross your arms in front of your body. Look ahead / slightly up. Breathe naturally, deep into your belly not at the top of your lungs.

• Stairs
track down a set of stairs and work your way up. Taking every step (short stride / high cadence) and then drive every two (longer more powerful stride / power). As a warm up: dynamic squat jumps upwards, landing wide and light under your hips. Using rebound momentum to drive you up the stairs. Really use your arms for this, coming out of a low squat – drive upwards and forwards. Easy jog down.

• Time, effort, pace, rest
different inclines, different session. You can work with reps or time based. Effort – the shorter the harder, same effort up or down, hard effort up easy down. Rest can be active: easy jog down, walk or stationary: stop until your heart rate has come down enough to tackle the next rep. Aim to hold your last rep as strong and fast as your first. If you can’t do this, either pace yourself better in the beginning or opt for fewer reps. Build sensibly over time. Adding lots of hill work into your running will work your body differently – watch out for ITB / back / knee / calf issues. Too much too soon will get you into trouble. Give those big muscle groups a good stretch afterwards.

• Hill sprints
short and punchy, these can be anything between 15 to 45 seconds of hard uphill effort. Turn around at the top and recover on the down with a very easy jog. Go again. Start with 5 reps and add 1-2 each week.

• Kenyan hills
as mentioned above: steady to hard sustained effort up AND down. Rest at the bottom. Start with 5 reps and add 1-2 each week.

• Pyramid hills
15, 30, 35, 60 seconds uphill effort (hard). Jog back recovery. Great for working aerobic and anaerobic power. A pyramid means going back down as well: so if you feel good do 15, 30, 45, 60, 45, 30, 15 seconds. Take a good rest after each set. Start with 3 sets. Add one every other week.

• Long hill reps
3-5 minutes of continuous uphill effort. Well that’s going to be a challenge here as we won’t find a hill long enough for this. Find one that you can run up for around 60seconds (steady). Try to continue at the top, you may need to increase your pace once you hit the flat. Carrying over a harder effort. Start with 4 sets, add one every week.

• Progressive hills
Set yourself a set time or distance and with each rep you’re trying to become quicker: either run further in the time you’ve set (15sec to 5minutes), or reach the same distance (half way up the hill / top of hill) faster each time. In order to achieve this, start your first rep(s) easy (6/10 RPE). Build into steady (7/10). Steady into hard (8/10). Into all out (9/10). Opt for 4-5 sets and build more over time.

• Summit attack
Something like getting progressively faster. Find your hill and work 75% upwards at a steady effort (7/10). Attack the final 25% with a sprint. Or if you are lucky and have a hill that kicks steeper at the top: try to keep your legs turning all the way to the summit without slowing much (London: Primrose Hill). Start with 4-5 reps. Add on one when you revisit this set.

• In between heaven and hell
A killer set which will make you see power and endurance come together in no time. This session is particularly fun if you don’t have much of a hill or incline to run. Simulating fatigue in the legs by adding resistance work. Building essential overall strength too. Start at the bottom of a slope and get into a lunge position. 15 controlled repetitions of low, pulsing ones, 15 full range lunges. Swap legs. Then sprint up the slope/ hill as hard as you can. At the top, drop straight into 15 press ups (alternatively on your knees or a few less). Jog back down to the start. Repeat this cycle five times. No rest at any point. Catch your breath during lunges or the easier downhill section. Take a few minutes of standing recovery and go again. Opt for 2 sets (2×5) and build more over time. You could also play with the amount of repetitions (lunges / press ups), alternatively do wall squats (against a tree?), hold for 30-60seconds. Then sprint up. Here’s a little video of a session Claudi has down before work. It won’t take long and will leave you pretty toast.

↠ TRAINING PROGRESS ↞
To see if this is working – record your reps / time / distance of your first session. Any location, any session. As they are all different, note it down each time you do a new session. These ‘first hills’ will become your benchmark session. After some time (weeks / months) – revisit the session and see what’s different. You should become stronger, faster and fitter. Draw from those successes and keep up the good work.

Hills never get easier. But we hopefully we have showed you how to love them a little more. If you want more tips or are looking into getting coached, join us every Tuesday for our First Light sessions in London (free). You can also drop us a line hello@wearedaybreak.org. And follow what our community has to say on Facebook.

Tell us how your hill sessions are going. Or if you have any questions? What do you hate or love about hill work?

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TYPE 1 DIABETES

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13th June 201830th June 2020
by ClaudiS

WORDS by Heidi –

Does Type 1 Diabetes stop you from achieving your goals? The simple answer here is no.

Where it all began
I started running in 2014 when I ran my first 10km race in London. I then decided to challenge myself to train for a Half Marathon at Silverstone in March 2015. Followed by Windsor Half Marathon in September. After getting comfortable with running 10mile / 16km distances on my own quite regularly, I jumped at the opportunity to run the London Marathon in April 2016, to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis to support my niece who suffers from the condition.

Now this is when I started to really learn about my diabetes and exercise. Half marathons, I managed to control my insulin and blood sugars by just having 1 gel around mile 9 / 14.5km to support me to the end. Marathon training however was a very different ball game…

I personally wish I could provide every Type 1 Diabetic genuine advice to help them manage their blood sugars well throughout a long run. I have learnt that unfortunately insulin is a hormone that decreases your blood sugars, reacting differently to every individual under the circumstances they are going through. For example, this could be being poorly, drinking alcohol, being stressed or upset, for us ladies that “time of the month”, along with different types of sport you complete. Running severely lowers my blood sugars, more than any other sport. I have a very high intolerance to insulin, meaning my body reacts very quickly to it. Unfortunately, this has meant managing my blood sugars well throughout long runs. A challenge I have had to learn over the last four years.

Into the world of Marathon Running
I was not on my insulin pump (known as ‘Penny’) back then so I was injecting slow and fast acting insulin. Slow acting insulin (Levemir) manages my blood sugars throughout the day with no food, to help keep me alive. I would inject this twice a day as it lasts in your body for 12hours. Fast acting insulin (Novo Rapid) is what I would inject myself with when I had any food that included carbs which increase my blood sugar. This would last in my body for around 3-4hours. For my long runs I would decrease my morning Levemir by a unit, and also decrease my Novi Rapid with my breakfast by a unit or two. I would then have a gel from miles 8-9 / 14km, followed by another one after 16miles. This worked for me. I learnt the hard way however that I would need a gel after 20miles also, by running my last long run three weeks before the race which was 22miles / 35.5km. My blood sugars were very low after this run and I knew for Marathon day, I was not going to risk this and I would take one at mile 20 / 32km.

Trial and error. Like everyone, even without diabetes. Just unfortunately Type 1 Diabetes may get you a little more poorly when you don’t get things right.

After my long runs I always experience my blood sugars decrease incredibly during the night when I sleep. Not waking up properly in the morning due to bad low blood sugar hypos. So, I also started to decrease my Levemir by a unit before I went to sleep. Which helped. The same the next morning and day. My body was playing catch up for recovery (your muscles need the food) so I would have to be careful with my blood sugars and insulin intake here. Always learning unfortunately by being ill first. But that is how I have learnt to manage and now prepare myself better.

London Marathon was very successful. Great blood sugars before, throughout and after the race using the strategy above. Breakfast early, an engery bar an hour before my race after testing my bloods, followed by a gel at mile 9 / 14.5km, 16 / 25km and 20 / 32km. Bloods were 4.3 when I finished and I had a snack straight away. Bloods are meant to be between 4 and 7. I finished the race in 3 hours and 51mins and I felt amazing!

I won’t lie, that didn’t mean some races got any better for me unfortunately. The learnings continued.

I ran Manchester Marathon in April 2017. I had trained hard for this race. Strict intervals, tempo runs and cross training every week. I was in good shape for race day, even after suffering with Achilles injuries near the beginning of my training. The downfall came down to the fact that I had trained in cold weather conditions up towards April and when race day came along, the weather was incredibly hot. My blood sugars had not trained how to run long runs (with effort) in the heat. I was doing absolutely fine in the race until around mile 18 / 28km when I started to really feel it. I always carry more gels with me than I need “just in case” but by this stage I had taken 5gels, hitting 22miles / 35km and feeling awful. My pace really slowed down and I was struggling. I am an incredibly stubborn human being however, so I continued to race as I was not letting anything stop me. At mile 25 / 40km my muscles collapsed on me and I fell to the ground. I had to have a friend pick me up, helping me to walk as my body was really struggling. I ran and collapsed on the finish line (literally, the worst finishing race photos ever).

Penny my Insulin Pump
Since then, I went on my Insulin Pump (‘Penny’) in June 2017. It has been a life changer. I still have low blood sugars, they don’t disappear. But I can manage my sugars a lot easier. An insulin pump is only fast acting insulin (Novo Rapid) no slow acting (Levemir) at all. It is a piece of equipment I have placed on my stomach constantly, slowly providing me with little bits of insulin throughout the day. I can decrease this amount of insulin when I do anything active for a certain timescale. It also allows me to carb count a lot more accurately with the food I am eating, linking to my blood sugar machine helping me work out the calculations. It’s a triangle. Food, insulin and activity. All three have to be in balance.

Since Penny the Pump came into my life, I have raced 100miles on my bike, completed my first sprint triathlon and ran Athens Marathon last year 2017 after Manchester. I can happily say I have managed to control my blood sugars with my pump extremely well throughout Athens, even with the heat. I had learnt from my previous race mistakes and I had my pump Penny to support me.

“Life is a rollercoaster” for me personally is a great saying. Along with my mantra “You survive your diabetes, so you can survive what you have to achieve”. Everyone goes through ups and downs in different ways. We all have good and bad days whoever you are. Usain Bolt, Paula Radcliffe, Jo Pavey….. they have all been there even though they are talented athletes.

Does Type 1 Diabetes stop you from achieving your goals? The simple answer is no.

CONCRETE x JUNGLE

1. Parkland Walk

2. Beverley Brook Trail

3. Capital Ring

4. London Loop

5. Dollis Valley Greenwalk

Finding motivation when the going gets tough

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