<p>As many parts of the world start to see the first signs of summer and the outdoor season gets under way, many will see it as a perfect time to make their own introduction to track running.</p>
<p>Taking those first steps can be a daunting task but there are some steps you can take to make the process easier.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>How to find a club, coach and track races</h2>
<p>Finding an athletics club can be an intimidating prospect but most clubs throughout the world are eager to increase their membership so you will likely be far more welcome than you first think.</p>
<p>Finding local athletics clubs can often be done by going on to the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/structure/member-federations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website of your national athletics federation</a></strong></span> where information is often contained about affiliated clubs as well as the registered coaches who train the athletes.</p>
<p>This is a good way of ensuring the club you are joining is properly trained, qualified and monitored.</p>
<p>Qualifications alone, however, may not show exactly what you&rsquo;re looking for from a club and coach. Nowadays most clubs (and many coaches) will have various social media channels. Check them out and these may well provide a good idea of whether that club would be a good fit for you.</p>
<p>These pages will also often highlight any changes to training times or the right people to get in touch with to ask some questions. These channels are often much more regularly updated than websites so may be the best place to start.</p>
<p>While it is possible to find athletics competitions online, coaches at these clubs will be able to match your level to the appropriate competition. This means when you first decide to compete, you will be competing against people of a similar standard, making the whole experience more enjoyable and getting those competitive juices flowing.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Getting the right footwear</h2>
<p>Athletics spikes are generally lighter than those you would use on the road, with a lower stack height and less support. That said, there do exist variances with some models offering more support than others.</p>
<p>The first times you wear spikes can cause a lot of pressure on your legs, especially the calves which are normally more cushioned by less aggressive road shoes.</p>
<p>When training on the track, many will choose to train in lighter road shoes, gradually introducing the spikes when their legs start to get used to the different impact of the track.</p>
<p>Speak to your coach and footwear specialists to decide what&rsquo;s right for you and take time to introduce track spikes into your shoe rotation.</p>
<p>When taking part in competitions, it is important to note that many federations have adopted <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/technical-information" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics' guidance on what shoes are eligible for competitions</a></strong></span>.</p>
<p>Whether your federation has adopted different rules will be something you should be able to find out from your coaches or the federation website.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Track etiquette</h2>
<p>Often it can be intimidating knowing what to do on the track and you may feel self-conscious at the start but it is not as complicated as you might think.</p>
<p>The rules may vary from one facility to the next, but generally speaking if you are doing a workout on a track, you have just as much right as anyone else to use the inside lane (lane one) when carrying out your efforts.</p>
<p>If you are passed by someone, don&rsquo;t feel the need to step into an outside lane as this may confuse the person running behind. Instead, stay on your line and the person approaching behind will normally run outside to overtake.</p>
<p>Equally, if overtaking someone, try not to undercut them and if you feel you might surprise them going past, a gentle call of &ldquo;track&rdquo; may alert them to your presence.</p>
<p>When warming up, it is generally good etiquette not to use the inside lane, instead using the outer lanes and paying attention to anyone else who may be using the track. When you&rsquo;ve finished your session, try to find a spot outside the track to change your shoes or clothing, making sure that if it is on the inside that it does not interfere with anyone practicing their field events.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Basic strength and conditioning exercise to avoid injuries associated with first stepping on a track</h2>
<p>As discussed, the less support provided by lighter track spikes can increase the pressure on your calves and other leg muscles. As well as building up gradually, ways of increasing the strength in your calves can include calf raises.</p>
<p>This exercise involves finding something for your hand to hold for balance and then slowly rising to the tips of your toes, and then slowly back down to the ground. This can start with both legs together and when you start to get stronger you can move to a single leg. Try four sets of 10-16 repetitions and build up the volume as and when you begin to get more comfortable.</p>
<p>Some athletes choose to use a calf raise machine, which can be found in some gyms, or alternatively carry weights in their hands to add difficulty and build further strength. With both of these make sure you don&rsquo;t increase the weights too quickly and ensure this is at a weight you can manage.</p>
<p>There are many other exercises that can help get your body used to the extra demands of track running. Speak to a coach or a physiotherapist for more detailed information.</p>
<p><strong>George Mallett for World Athletics</strong></p>

The first move can be daunting, but there are some steps you can take to make the process easier.

How to get into track running

<p>A global study has shown a direct positive link between exercise and mental health, but it also uncovers the worrying potential impact of lower levels of activity in younger generations across the world.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.asics.com/smsb-state-of-mind-index" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Global State of Mind Index</a></strong></span>, which was undertaken by ASICS and tracks the mental state of 37,000 people from 16 countries around the world, found that people who move the most have a higher state of mind score. Active individuals have an average state of mind score of 68/100, in relation to just 56/100 for those that are inactive.</p>
<p>The study also highlights dramatic differences in physical activity between generations, with older generations (those aged 57+) moving on average for almost one hour (53 minutes) more than Gen Z a week. This in turn is shown to be having a big impact on each group&rsquo;s collective state of mind score.</p>
<p>The study found that 54% of the global older population are active and feel the uplifting benefits, reporting an average state of mind score of 67/100. In contrast, just 45% of the global Gen Z (aged 18-24) population are currently active and, as a result, have a considerably lower average state of mind score than their older counterparts of 59/100.</p>
<p>And while the global population perceives 30 minutes as the minimum amount of exercise required to experience the uplifting impact of movement, new research by ASICS proves that just 15 minutes and nine seconds of movement is all it can take to begin feeling the mood-boosting effects.</p>
<p>Dr Brendon Stubbs, a leading exercise and mental health researcher from King&rsquo;s College London who led the study, said: &ldquo;There is a common perception that you need to move for a long time to experience the uplifting benefit. However, our new research proves this is not the case &ndash; just over 15 minutes of movement is actually all it can take to experience the positive impact. Coinciding with the state of mind index, which demonstrates the positive link between movement and mental health on a global scale like never before, we hope it will be inspiring for many to see the impact that such a small amount of movement can have.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4g8RXCIrM40" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><br />Inspired by its 15:09 finding, ASICS now aims to get the world moving with the launch of a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.asics.com/nl/en-nl/mk/1509-uplift-challenge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15:09 Uplift Challenge</a></strong></span>, which will be kicked off by the 15:09 Uplift Ambassadors &ndash; ASICS&rsquo; latest athlete signings with a difference. The club&rsquo;s founding members &ndash; including Britain&rsquo;s 1991 world 10,000m champion Liz McColgan, Japan&rsquo;s 2004 Olympic marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi, and USA&rsquo;s 2004 Olympic marathon bronze medallist Deena Kastor &ndash; are a celebration of the uplifted older generation&rsquo;s approach to movement and exercise, as revealed by the state of mind index study results.</p>
<p>Tomoko Koda, Managing Executive Officer, Senior General Manager, Marketing at ASICS, said: &ldquo;At ASICS, it has long been our belief that sport has the power to uplift both an individual and the world like nothing else. While the results of our global State of Mind Index prove just how intrinsic the link between regular movement and positive mental health is, they also show the potential impact a small amount of movement could have in raising the world&rsquo;s collective state of mind. Our 15:09 Challenge sets out to do just that, calling on everyone to move and in doing so experience those all-important benefits first-hand. We&rsquo;re delighted that our inspiring new ASICS 15:09 Uplift Ambassadors are going to be joining us in taking part in and sharing this challenge too.&rdquo;</p>
<p>ASICS is inviting everyone to get involved by taking part in their own 15:09 challenge throughout June by moving for 15:09 minutes and sharing how they get on using #LiveUplifted.</p>

Study shows direct positive link between exercise and mental health, but also highlights impact of lower levels of activity in younger generations

State of mind study proves positive impact of movement on mental health

<h3><em>&bull; One week of physical inactivity has similar impact as week of broken sleep on our state of mind</em></h3>
<h3><em>&bull; Little more than 15 minutes of physical activity a week can trigger a mental uplift</em></h3>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The impact of physical inactivity on our mental state has been revealed for the first time in the Mind Race &ndash; an ASICS experiment in which regular exercisers paused their normal fitness routines for one week.</p>
<p>The impact on their state of mind was found to be similar to a week of broken sleep, with participants reporting a 23% increase in racing thoughts.</p>
<p>Reassuringly, the results of ASICS&rsquo; Uplifting Minds Study , involving thousands of participants from across the world, proves it can take just 15:09 minutes of physical activity to lift our mental state &ndash; even after periods of inactivity.</p>
<p>Professor Brendon Stubbs, a leading researcher in movement and the mind, monitored the State of Mind scores of healthy participants who agreed to pause their regular exercise routines for just one week. The results are significant with both their cognitive and emotional wellbeing being impacted.</p>
<p>When active people stopped moving, their confidence dropped by 20%; positivity fell by 16%, energy levels slumped by 23% and their ability to cope with stress reduced by 22%.<br /><br /></p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gZ67T-IHrmQ" width="100%" height="475" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><br />In fact, after just one week of no exercise, participants&rsquo; overall State of Mind score dropped by an average of 18% &ndash; decreasing from a high 68 out of 100 when physically active to a mediocre 55 out of 100 when they stopped exercising. The effects of this inactivity are captured in the Mind Race experiment film following a group of study participants.</p>
<p>But there is good news: participants were monitored when they returned to their regular exercise regime and all experienced immediate improvements in their state of mind, showing how quickly the negative effects of inactivity can be reversed.</p>
<p>Stubbs also analysed data from thousands of people who participated in ASICS' ongoing Uplifting Minds Study since June 2021. The study uses cutting edge technology to mimic EEG and capture the impact of exercise on people&rsquo;s state of mind. Based on data from across sports and across regions, just 15 minutes and nine seconds of exercise can significantly impact our mental state.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We know that exercise is good for our mental health but the impact of rest and restarting exercise is less clear,&rdquo; said Stubbs. &ldquo;Now, thanks to new technology and the contribution of thousands of people, we&rsquo;ve been able to pinpoint just how much exercise is needed to trigger a positive mental impact. This ASICS study helps to quantify the amount of exercise to improve mental health and make it more tangible. Taking time to rest is very important. This novel study shows that people&rsquo;s wellbeing bounces back very quickly after a period of rest when people resume regular exercise again.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Gary Raucher, EVP, ASICS EMEA said: &ldquo;Our founding philosophy is literally in our name, Anima Sana In Corpore Sano or a Sound Mind in a Sound Body. And we believe our focus on the benefits of sport and movement, not just on the body, but also on the mind, has never been more relevant. We know the last two years have been tough on the mental state of many. And while not the answer for everyone, we know exercise can make a difference. We hope to inspire more people to move with ASICS, even for just 15:09 minutes to feel the benefits on body and mind.&rdquo;</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://minduplifter.asics.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Take part in ASICS&rsquo; ongoing Uplifting Minds Study</a></strong></span> and see the impact of exercise on your own State of Mind.</p>

Little more than 15 minutes of physical activity a week can trigger a mental uplift

Experiment reveals full impact of inactivity on mind and body

<p>For several generations now, Kenya has produced many of the world&rsquo;s greatest distance runners.</p>
<p>Many athletes from elsewhere in the world, meanwhile, have tried to tap into the secrets of Kenya&rsquo;s success as they try to play catch-up &ndash; quite literally &ndash; with the east African nation that continues to churn out global medallists and world record-breakers.</p>
<p>The truth is, there is no one single reason why Kenya is so dominant in distance events. It&rsquo;s more down to a combination of factors, many of which were explained during a recent trip to the NN Running training camp in Kaptagat, about 24km east of Eldoret, where the likes of Eliud Kipchoge trains for 11 months of the year.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>A way of life</h2>
<p>There are few countries where people live and breathe athletics, and where the No.1 Olympic sport can claim to be more popular than football, filling entire stadiums even for age-group championships.</p>
<p>And while Kenya isn&rsquo;t the only country in the world where kids run long distances to get to school, running has a whole different meaning to many people in the country.<br /><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61b34df33d473de56e7743a5.jpg" alt="" width="100%" height="" /><br /><em>Local school children look on while Eliud Kipchoge runs past (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Running is something that comes naturally to us as it&rsquo;s something that has been part of our lifestyle since we were born,&rdquo; says three-time world half marathon champion and two-time New York City Marathon champion Geoffrey Kamworor. &ldquo;As a kid, I used to run from home to my school three kilometres away back and forth each day, so you end up running sometimes 12 kilometres a day as a teen without even realising it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Beyond being a means to an end, there is also a genuine love for running among the Kenyan population.</p>
<p>&ldquo;As a kid, I would always go and watch athletics competitions when not at school and I enjoyed watching people competing,&rdquo; added Kamworor. &ldquo;It awoke my passion for running, especially seeing people cross the finish line and winning a trophy. In high school, it was always a fun and proud moment to represent your class and win a cup. I found it very encouraging.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Having running embedded into day-to-day life sets Kenya apart from many other nations. But it&rsquo;s just one of the many reasons why it is known as being the &lsquo;home of the champions&rsquo;.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Genetics</h2>
<p>Simply running to school each day doesn&rsquo;t automatically turn everyone into a world-class athlete. Genetics, as it does for every elite athlete, likely play a significant part.</p>
<p>Many people in the Rift Valley, where most of Kenya&rsquo;s top distance runners originate, belong to the Kalenjin tribe. When compared to other Kenyan tribes, Kalenjin people are often described as having good natural running attributes: namely lean bodies and long legs.</p>
<p>Kipchoge, for example, isn&rsquo;t particularly tall (1.67m / 5ft 6in), but the muscles on his legs are incredibly lean, his body fat percentage is low, and the strength in his feet make it appear as though he bounces along the grass.</p>
<p>But attributing all of Kenya&rsquo;s success to just their genetics would be a gross over-simplification.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61b34d923d473de56e77439f.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Eliud Kipchoge during a track training session (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Conditions</h2>
<p>Another element that helps Kenyan athletes in their training and preparation is the unique climate and surroundings in this part of the country. It also probably explains why there are so many training camps between Kaptagat and Iten, and why some people refer to it as the &lsquo;Hollywood of elite runners&rsquo;.</p>
<p>This region is located at 2500 metres above sea level, which, given the lack of oxygen, helps athletes produce a higher concentration of red blood cells and haemoglobin when training. This, in turn, gives runners an advantage when they return to lower altitudes to race.</p>
<p>The Eldoret region is also full of endless forests and dirt roads for athletes to use when running, while the area also enjoys a temperate climate with daytime temperatures ranging between 22-26C throughout the year, dropping to 10-12C at night time. That, combined with the good air quality, makes the area something of a distance-running paradise.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61992540fa537ffdbdfda240.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>The NN Running Team on a training run (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>But as Kenya&rsquo;s economy continues to develop, so do the local villages and the wider region, meaning many of the local dirt paths are now being made into proper roads &ndash; which is great for facilitating transport and access from other points of the country, but less so for athletes seeking a run-friendly surface.</p>
<p>Athletes are adapting well to this evolving environment, though, while remaining in close contact with nature. The Kalenjin community, Kipchoge and Kamworor included, are running many tree-planting initiatives. &ldquo;We evolve in a very natural environment which is a great advantage when it comes to training,&rdquo; says Kamworor.</p>
<p>Patrick Sang, the 1992 Olympic silver steeplechase medallist and head coach at the Kaptagat training camp, explains how the new generation of running shoes can help counter the effects of running on harder roads.</p>
<p>&ldquo;New running shoes help a lot because athletes can now do a lot more training on a hard surface and still recover on time to do their next hard session,&rdquo; says Sang. &ldquo;Overall, you can get more work done to help improve performance.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61e30793a450a4c2543ae61d.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Athletes prepare for a training session in Kaptagat (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Sleep, eat, train, repeat</h2>
<p>Most world-class athletes are fully committed to their sport, but the elite runners at the Kaptagat training camp in particular take dedication to a whole new level.</p>
<p>Many of these athletes &ndash; including young mothers such as two-time Olympic 1500m champion Faith Kipyegon &ndash; have children who are at home during the week so that they can entirely focus on their training at the camp.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Of course, it&rsquo;s very hard but that&rsquo;s the only way to be fully dedicated to being the best athlete you can and avoid any distraction,&rdquo; said Kipyegon.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61e30743a450a4c2543ae617.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Faith Kipyegon at the Kaptagat training camp (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>When not running, athletes at the Kaptagat training camp are focused entirely on other elements of their training, namely recovery and nutrition.</p>
<p>&ldquo;When you are at the camp, your sole focus is on running and you are not distracted by anything else,&rdquo; says Kamworor, father to five children, including young triplets. &ldquo;You are away from your family, your wife and your kids during the whole week, and that makes you take your training very seriously as you are making sacrifices to achieve your goals. That&rsquo;s the only way to be focused 100% on running and to give your very best.&rdquo;</p>
<p>As in any walk of life, hard work and having the right mind-set are key to success. Kipchoge might be the most successful athlete at the camp, but Sang says that&rsquo;s not just down to his talent. &ldquo;Eliud isn&rsquo;t the most gifted athlete within his training group but certainly the most dedicated,&rdquo; Sang says of Kipchoge, who is always the first one ready for training and the last one to leave.</p>
<p>In an average week, athletes at the Kaptagat camp do one long run of 30km (once a month it will be 40km), which usually takes place early on a Thursday morning. Typical track sessions, meanwhile, would be something like 8x1600m (each rep completed in 4:40) and 8x400m (at an average of 65 seconds) on their local 380m cinder track.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Have you seen him?&rdquo; Sang says when watching Kipchoge train. &ldquo;This guy is a machine.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Athletes are religious in their approach to punctuality and producing their best effort in training. And other local athletes from outside the NN Running team are welcome to join in the sessions, provided they arrive on time. After all, no one wants to be playing catch-up with the likes of Kipchoge and Kamworor.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/677dd131-ce93-4668-97b8-800943b96418.png" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Patrick Sang (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Community</h2>
<p>The Kaptagat training camp is run entirely by the 25 athletes who live there for 11 months a year from Monday to Saturday morning before going back to spend quality time with their family, often in the big city of Eldoret. In and around the 12 training runs they do in a typical week, the resident athletes to everything at the camp.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If you look at life at the camp, the one making bread is an athlete, the cleaning is done by the athletes, the one doing shopping for the camp is an athlete,&rdquo; says Sang. &ldquo;You don&rsquo;t want athletes to live on another island.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The whole idea is to make sure these athletes become well-rounded people. You wouldn&rsquo;t want to help someone become a great athlete who lacks social skills or is out of touch with society.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61e307a8a450a4c2543ae620.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Life at the Kaptagat training camp (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Kipchoge, whose wife and three children live just 45 minutes away from the training camp, could easily go and spend time with his family during his time off, but instead he chooses to stay at the camp with the rest of the group, monastically isolated from the rest of the world.</p>
<p>Kipchoge is rarely bored, too. When he&rsquo;s not training or resting, he will be reading or working at the camp.</p>
<p>The sense of community extends to caring about the environment. Every athlete at the camp gets a tree planted at the entrance as a welcome gesture and to symbolise their connection to nature. Some special guests to the camp &ndash; including Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie &ndash; have also had a tree planted for them in Kaptagat.</p>
<p>Occasionally, athletes at the camp will give each other lessons, or they will engage in real debates around serious issues, helping them develop holistically as people.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Simplicity</h2>
<p>Far away from the latest technological innovations you often hear about in other parts of the world, daily life at the camp is basic.</p>
<p>Upon entering the gates at the Kaptagat training camp, the 380m cinder track is located on the left. It has a slight incline on the first bend and a couple of cows as spectators, but it meets all their needs.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A synthetic track isn&rsquo;t needed for what we do and the way we train,&rdquo; says Marc Roig, a former international runner from Spain, who now works as a jack of all trades for NN Running, acting as a fitness coach, physio, runner, mentor and pacemaker. &ldquo;If our athletes need a synthetic track, they can go to the one in Eldoret an hour away.&rdquo; In fact, there are just four synthetic tracks in the whole of Kenya, but it&rsquo;s clearly not a barrier to producing top athletes.</p>
<p>The runners at the camp rarely lift weights or spend time stretching, but twice a week they will do core strength sessions. Instead of water, they drink mursik &ndash; a nutritious fermented milk &ndash; in the morning and Kenyan tea in the afternoon. And not a single drop of water during their 30km long run. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s okay,&rdquo; says Sang. &ldquo;They don&rsquo;t need it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Within the camp itself, there is a TV room with a small library corner with a few books there for the athletes, a living room for their meals, the dormitory (one for women and another for men), a basic gym comprising a bike, a treadmill, some elastic bands and a light weightlifting bar (with maximum 40kg available) and a big blue plastic drum outside used for ice baths.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s all quite rudimentary, but they don&rsquo;t need more, and it seems to work.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61e308dba450a4c2543ae626.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Selly Chepyego at the Kaptagat training camp (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The only visible &lsquo;luxury&rsquo; &ndash; aside from the eco-friendly solar panels to get hot water &ndash; is that Kipchoge has his own bedroom. But even the king of the marathon does his fair share of the chores. He prepares tea for other athletes, and there&rsquo;s a strict cleaning schedule that all athletes must stick to.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I think that when you stop leading a simple life, your mind-set loses contact with the outside world and you lose your focus on your actual goals,&rdquo; says Kipchoge. &ldquo;At this point, you run the risk of forgetting about the really important things in life.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Life at the camp is minimalistic, but nobody complains. Indeed, this simplicity is what defines them and enables the athletes to keep their focus and remain humble about who they are, where they come from and what they are here for.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Hollywood of running</h2>
<p>To be the best, you need to surround yourself with the best &ndash; which is another reason why the Rift Valley continues to produce champion athletes.</p>
<p>The likes of Kipchoge, Kamworor and Kipyegon are true A-listers, but Kaptagat is filled with talented athletes who have achieved podium finishes at major championships and big city marathons.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61b34e343d473de56e7743a8.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Eliud Kipchoge and his training partners run through Kaptagat (&copy; Dan Vernon / NN Running Team)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Roig, who has a 2:18:05 marathon PB, moved to Kenya several years ago. &ldquo;When I take my kids to school, I feel ashamed saying I am a runner as many of the dads there have 2:05 marathon PBs,&rdquo; jokes Roig, who is now the race director for the Valencia Marathon. &ldquo;There is even a mother at the school who has a PB similar to mine!&rdquo;</p>
<p>But the Kaptagat camp isn&rsquo;t the only leading training venue in the area. Iten, a small town at 2400 metres above sea level about an hour north of Kaptagat, is often referred to as the &lsquo;home of champions&rsquo; or the &lsquo;Hollywood of distance running&rsquo;.</p>
<p>One of the drivers used for NN Running Team&rsquo;s trip to Kenya, for example, was a former 1:06 half marathon runner. His wife, meanwhile, was a 2:21 marathon runner who finished second at the Rotterdam Marathon a couple of years ago. His neighbour is Emmanuel Korir, the Olympic 800m champion, and he is good friends with Joyciline Jepkosgei, the multiple world record-breaker and 2021 London Marathon champion. Abdi Nageeye, the Olympic marathon silver medallist, also happened to be in Iten at the time of the trip. While ferrying around members of the media, the driver passed by a gas station named &lsquo;Oslo&rsquo;, which is one of many local businesses owned by Vivian Cheruiyot. The 2016 Olympic 5000m champion opened the station after winning at the Oslo Diamond League meeting.</p>
<p>One of the biggest training venues in Iten is the High Altitude Training Centre founded by multiple world half marathon champion Lornah Kiplagat, who herself is part of a highly successful family of runners, including Sylvia Kibet, Hilda Kibet and Susan Sirma. Many international athletes, including the likes of Mo Farah and Paula Radcliffe, have previously stayed there, while former steeplechaser Bob Tahri of France opened his own training centre in Iten a few years ago.</p>
<p>The Rift Valley &ndash; Iten and Kaptagat in particular &ndash; is like nowhere else on earth. Everybody knows a champion who is friends with another champion, who is the neighbour of another champion.</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s yet another way &ndash; and one of the many &ndash; of becoming a great runner.</p>
<p><strong>Loic Malroux for World Athletics</strong></p>

An insight into what makes Kenya such a successful distance-running nation

What it takes to become a Kenyan distance champion

<p>Neeraj Chopra's ambition is to inspire the next generation of javelin stars, and his performances &ndash; including his Olympic title win in Tokyo &ndash; have helped to launch the sport into the spotlight.</p>
<p>Here the 24-year-old, who this year became India&rsquo;s first ever Olympic champion in athletics, shares his top five tips for beginner javelin throwers.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>1 Make the most of the facilities you have</h2>
<p><em>&ldquo;You don&rsquo;t need to have the most fancy facilities to train in. Wherever you are, whatever facility you have, just keep training and keep at it.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>Growing up, no one did athletics in Chopra&rsquo;s home village. For a long time, he didn&rsquo;t even know what a javelin was. That changed when he became a teenager and he would go to the local sports stadium to run and be active.</p>
<p>&ldquo;One day at the stadium, I saw some others throwing the javelin so I tried it out,&rdquo; he told <a href="https://spikes.worldathletics.org/post/neera-chopra-javelin" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Spikes</strong></span></a>. &ldquo;Within 10 days, I was throwing 40-45 metres and others started to tell me I had a natural talent for it.&rdquo;</p>
<h2><br />2 Have patience</h2>
<p><em>&ldquo;In a sport like javelin, you need to give yourself time to make things happen, so be patient.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>About five years after taking up javelin throwing, Chopra broke the world U20 record in Bydgoszcz to win India&rsquo;s first ever gold medal at the World Athletics U20 Championships. Another five years later, Chopra became India&rsquo;s first ever Olympic champion in athletics as he gained gold in Tokyo with a throw of 87.58m.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61c58b5aea29f7fc1ef31561.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<h2><br />3 Work hard</h2>
<p><em>&ldquo;There are no shortcuts to success, as they say. So, keep the grind, keep at it, and put in the hard work.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>Chopra has said it took him at least two years to learn the proper technique for javelin throwing. In the lead up to Tokyo, he would train for six or seven hours some days, with lighter sessions in the morning and heavier work in the evenings. He would have Wednesday and Saturday evenings off, with Sunday being a rest day.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Most of the other times I&rsquo;m working on something, from strength and conditioning to gymnastics to technical training,&rdquo; he explained.</p>
<h2><br />4 Have a good guide</h2>
<p><em>&ldquo;Because javelin is a technical event, make sure you have somebody with you like a good coach or an experienced mentor who can guide you and show you that you are going the right way.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>Chopra was coached by Gary Calvert to his world U20 title and for the past few years has been working with biomechanics expert Klaus Bartonietz.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61c58b1cea29f7fc1ef3155e.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<h2><br />5 Have self belief</h2>
<p><em>&ldquo;Lastly and most importantly, believe in yourself. Have faith in your own ability, and your ability to do well for yourself and for your country.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p>Chopra is passionate about the future of javelin throwing and athletics in his country and hopes his performances, including his major title wins, encourage children to take up the sport.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I see so much potential for Indians with the javelin,&rdquo; he has said. &ldquo;To succeed you need strength and speed, and Indian kids have that. I think, more and more, they'll see what we&rsquo;re achieving and be inspired to pick up a javelin themselves.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

India’s first ever Olympic champion in athletics shares his top tips for beginner javelin throwers.

Chopra's top five javelin tips

<p>Three weeks ago, I wrote about the <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/basics-off-season-winter-training" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>basics of off-season, or winter training</strong></span></a>. From where I am writing this in the UK, days are short, cold and grey &ndash; winter is definitely here! I wrote that article on the basis that the track season takes place during the summer, and the marathon seasons in the spring and autumn, in the northern hemisphere. But what about the southern hemisphere, I hear you ask? Athletics and road running are global sports, but competitions, for example the World Marathon Majors, mostly take place in northern hemisphere countries. If you live in the southern hemisphere and want to compete overseas, planning your preparation becomes a little more complicated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Periodising training and peaking for competitions are two well-known features of being an athlete or runner. There is a wealth of knowledge available about both, including from coaching giants such as Arthur Lydiard. The former involves carefully prioritising elements such as aerobic training, anaerobic training, total training volume, strength and conditioning, and rest at different times, with the goal of arriving at the day of competition optimally prepared.</p>
<p>Whether your goal is completing your first 5km, becoming a world champion or anything in between, periodising your training over time is a valuable way of organising your efforts in the most efficient and productive way. This need not be complicated. Keeping things simple and maintaining a laser-like focus on your priorities is a good rule of thumb. Often less is more &ndash; doing the most you can in a limited amount of training time. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>If you are preparing for a competition far away, suddenly things become more complicated. Long-haul travel, a different time zone and weather you are not used to are all new challenges that you&rsquo;ll have to plan for. While these factors might feel like distractions from the important business of training, they can have a major impact on performance. It is worth spending time and effort getting them right. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Australia&rsquo;s Benita Willis is one athlete who mastered all this impeccably on the biggest stage of all. She won the World Cross Country Championships senior women&rsquo;s race in 2004, which was held in Brussels, Belgium. I caught up with her to find out how she planned for this race half-way round the world from her home near Melbourne, Australia.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61bdb83ff27bb9b50fa08195.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p><br />In the months leading up to the World Cross, Willis mostly trained at 1600m altitude in Falls Creek, Australia. There was no track, proper gym or even a big supermarket back then. &ldquo;<span lang="EN-US">It was all very basic &ndash; hilly trails with some flat running for sessions. I loved this because it allowed me to really focus on training, rest and recovery without other distractions. For &lsquo;ice baths&rsquo; we used cold streams!&rdquo; she explains. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">Willis did three speed sessions and one long run per week, plus easy running. She used two intermediate races, a track 5km in Melbourne, and the Chiba International Cross Country race in Japan, in the weeks before the World Cross to sharpen up. These gave her a lot of confidence as she headed to Brussels. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">&ldquo;I flew into my training base of London, UK, about eight days before race day. I coped best with long haul flights if I arrived in the race time zone at least seven days out. I ran a key session about four to five days out of 4-5 x 1km with 90 seconds slow jog recovery, and flew on to Brussels with three days to go,&rdquo; she says. </span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">&ldquo;My advice for coping with travel before competing is to get on to the new time zone as soon as you arrive, and do some light jogging, rather than hard training, in the first few days.&rdquo;<br /><br /></span></p>
<h2><span lang="EN-US">Top training tips</span></h2>
<p><span lang="EN-US">Willis founded and runs Lace Up Running, a fun and social fitness group based on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane. So I asked Willis what her tips are for recreational runners who are trying to plan their training long-term, for example up to a year ahead.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">&ldquo;My top tip is not to train too hard too soon. Combine walking with running initially until you can run for thirty minutes comfortably before adding in any intensity,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;The key to running long term is to stay injury free in order to progress and stay excited about your running &ndash; small steps at first. Looking ahead six to twelve months, having a goal is great as it gives you something to focus on and structure for your training.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">Willis recommends always starting with a small goal such as to finish your first 5km or 10km before going for something harder, like a half marathon, over the following year. &ldquo;But pick a goal which is meaningful to you &ndash; we are all different and get excited about different races and distances.&rdquo;</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-US">Of course, the southern hemisphere is home to some iconic and historic events, including the Comrades Marathon, Sydney&rsquo;s City2Surf a</span><span lang="EN-US">nd the</span> <span lang="PT">Corrida Internacional de Sao Silvestre</span><span lang="EN-US"> in Sao Paulo. If you live in the northern hemisphere and are looking for a new and exciting challenge, these races could be for you!</span></p>
<p><strong><span lang="EN-US">Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</span></strong></p>

If you live in the southern hemisphere and want to compete overseas, planning your preparation becomes a little more complicated.

Peaking and periodisation for southern hemisphere athletes

<p>Cold temperatures and long, dark nights have arrived in the northern hemisphere. The autumn leaves are just about hanging on in their fiery, vibrant colours but winter feels almost around the corner.</p>
<p>For many athletes, the off-season is the time for consistent, comprehensive training which will form the foundation for the competition season. In some disciplines, such as cross country and road racing, competition continues through the winter, but nevertheless, this time of year is still useful for consolidating the basics. But what does this actually amount to in practice?</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;re new to running, you may be wondering how to structure your winter training and how best to use this time. The key to making significant improvements in performance over time is consistent, specific training, and the winter is as good a time as any to do this.</p>
<p>I often get asked &ldquo;how long should I train for to run a marathon?&rdquo; This is akin to asking how long a piece of string is. You could probably run one off six months&rsquo; training, but to make meaningful, major improvements, you have to do consistent, specific training over a long period of time. So, what is the best way to organise and approach winter training?</p>
<p>I caught up with the coach of arguably the current &lsquo;world&rsquo;s best athlete&rsquo; to hear some answers to this question. That famous phrase is often used to describe the reigning Olympic decathlon champion, as the athlete who has triumphed in that ultimate, all-round test of athleticism. The coach of the current decathlon champion, Canadian Damian Warner, is Gar Leyshon, who has guided him since he was at school.</p>
<p>Warner won Olympic bronze in 2016, and two World Championships silvers and bronzes before finally landing the big one in Tokyo this August. Coaching Warner from a teenager who did no organised sport to Olympic gold at age 31, Leyshon has first-hand experience of producing a champion.</p>
<p>You might assume that Leyshon&rsquo;s regime is complicated, very specialised and reliant on sophisticated sports science, but actually it is relatively straightforward. This is what I gleaned from the world&rsquo;s best athlete&rsquo;s coach about winter training.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>First: variety is important.</h2>
<p>Leyshon uses a range of activities over the winter, in order to include a wide variety of movements and to keep things interesting. This enables development of all the attributes athletes need &ndash; agility, mobility, strength, balance, speed, endurance and so on.</p>
<p>They do gymnastics for two months during the winter, play badminton (which mimics javelin) and basketball, plenty of throwing, medicine ball work, lateral movements and practising spinning. He doesn&rsquo;t prepare too specifically for the actual events that make up a decathlon, but rather builds the athleticism which will enable good performance.</p>
<p>In a nutshell, he is preparing the fundamental physical capacity which will then enable the athlete to perform well in the specific events later.<br /><br /></p>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Second: make the most you possibly can of your warm-ups.</h2>
<p>Leyshon believes full engagement in warm-ups is vital, and laments the lack of it that he often sees. &ldquo;Warm-ups are so important, and can become a key part of your conditioning,&rdquo; he explains.</p>
<p>Warner has been performing the same set of mobility exercises for a decade. This menu serves as a checklist that every joint and part of his body is ready to work. Leyshon likens this to a pilot checking everything in the cockpit before a flight. Warner performs his checklist and warm up as slowly and deliberately as he needs to, until he is fully ready to train. Being a familiar routine, Leyshon says it has a calming effect.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Third: exert yourself!</h2>
<p>Leyshon recommends training which involves full exertion, because this will stimulate adaptation and improvement. But it needs to be in small amounts to enable full recovery and be sustainable over time.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We try to do the least amount of work you can get away with,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;I dislike the idea of athletes grinding out their training. It is important to work hard, but training shouldn&rsquo;t always be a grind &ndash; I prefer specificity and quality over volume and we often find that less is more.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The concept of limiting the amount of training you do is something I&rsquo;ve become particularly interested in as I get older, and is counter-intuitive for many endurance runners. By forcing yourself to do less, it makes you think very carefully about the content, and it motivates you to perform a session to the very best of your ability. &ldquo;Everything we do must have a deliberate reason and purpose,&rdquo; he says. And in one of his best nuggets of wisdom: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t believe in doing anything slowly.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Fourth: make it fun!</h2>
<p>Leyshon strongly believes that training should be fun and engaging. For example, he uses skipping, hopping and bounding exercises which require full concentration as they are technically demanding. Drills, like for many athletes, are a staple but he always makes them engaging by using fast drills and single leg exercises. &ldquo;When you&rsquo;re running, everything is single leg.&rdquo;</p>
<p>He also creates obstacle courses with a variety of equipment such as boxes and hurdles, because they call for varying levels of effort, so the athlete is forced to manage their effort &ndash; a critical skill in all events, but especially for combined events, both in training and competition. Leyshon also uses games: &ldquo;everything we do, we turn it into competition.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In the context of fun, the dreaded 1500m comes up in conversation. The pain of endurance running is often evident as the decathletes battle through their final event. Warner has been quoted as saying: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think I&rsquo;ll ever find love for that event.&rdquo; So Leyshon again tries to make it fun, by drafting in training partners, and breaking down the 1500m into smaller chunks in training. Using fun and innovative approaches to training which an athlete dislikes is really valuable.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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<h2>Leyshon's top tips for recreational athletes to try in addition to their longer runs.</h2>
<p><strong>a) Short accelerations</strong> of up to 30 metres, going into a sprint of up to 100m, repeated ten times with a walk back recovery. This is a great session for practising maximal exertion, he says.</p>
<p><strong>b) Hill repeats</strong> of different lengths with a fast effort uphill followed by a walk or easy jog back down. Running uphill develops power as well as speed and endurance. Leyshon especially recommends this session if you have limited time available, and to do fewer repetitions fast rather than many at a sub-maximal effort.</p>
<p><strong>c) Medicine ball workouts</strong> of up to 20 minutes, including as many different ways of using the ball as you can, for example throwing, bouncing, rolling, kicking and slamming.<br /><br /></p>
</div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Finally, I asked Leyshon how he and Warner cope with the cold through the Canadian winter. During Covid lockdowns, they famously had to use an unheated ice hockey arena for training. &ldquo;Learning to manage your internal temperature is a good skill for athletes,&rdquo; Leyshon explains. &ldquo;We do a lot of training at 100% effort &ndash; you can&rsquo;t pole vault, for example, at less than 100% effort. There is plenty of stop-start in our training, so regulating temperature and not allowing yourself to get cold between efforts are essential.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
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<p><br />Warner trains in multiple layers so that, depending on his activity level, he can put on or remove layers as necessary. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always better to be too hot than too cold, and we sometimes repeat a bit of warm up if we get cold between efforts,&rdquo; says Leyshon.</p>
<p>On top of managing the cold, Leyshon also insists that Warner does the very basics &ndash; food and sleep &ndash; properly to train successfully through winter. &ldquo;Many athletes simply do not eat enough, and if you&rsquo;re not sleeping eight or nine hours a night, you&rsquo;re not doing your job.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Overall, the key message I took away from discussing winter training with Leyshon was this: simple hard work on the basics, performed in a fun and engaging way while looking after yourself, will build the physical attributes you need to perform well and improve. This simple regime over many years has turned Warner into the world&rsquo;s best athlete.</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

Off-season is the time for consistent, comprehensive training which will form the foundation for the competition season

The basics of off-season training

<p>Participants across the sport of athletics will benefit in varying degrees to some form of aerobic fitness, with the importance dependent on what type of events they do. Learning how to increase aerobic fitness in a sustainable manner could be essential for taking your next step in the sport.</p>
<p>In this guide we will provide an introduction to improving aerobic fitness and some tips on pitfalls to avoid.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What is aerobic fitness and how does it differ from anaerobic fitness?</h2>
<p>In simple terms, aerobic activities are those where the body is able to get enough oxygen into the muscles, meaning people can perform them for an extended period of time.</p>
<p>Aerobic fitness is how well your body is able to transfer oxygen throughout the body and therefore how well (or fast) you can go before you start to use more oxygen than your body is able to deliver.</p>
<p>This is opposed to anaerobic activities where the body cannot get enough oxygen to the muscles to enable them to perform. When doing high-power explosive activities such as sprinting, jumping or throwing, your body is forced to use anaerobic respiration to deliver the amount of energy required to perform that activity.</p>
<p>Anaerobic respiration uses stored energy in your body, such as glucose, to transfer energy to your muscles but in doing so produces the by-product lactic acid. This lactic acid stops you from doing the activity indefinitely.</p>
<p>When you slow down or stop the oxygen your body transfers to the muscles through your breathing, it reacts with the lactic acid to create carbon dioxide and water. Much of this you will breathe out and the lactic sensation will start to fade.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6198d5dd5249d407ef4d00cb.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>What events require good aerobic fitness?</h2>
<p>All events can benefit from an increase in aerobic fitness for the simple reason that an improved aerobic system allows you to recover from high-intensity activities quicker. This is because your body is better able to transfer oxygen to your muscles to react with the lactic acid.</p>
<p>That said, there are some events where you use your aerobic system much more. A 2003 study by Rob Duffield and Brian Dawson estimated that an athlete in a 100m race uses their aerobic system for between 20 and 25% of their energy needs. This compares with a 3000m race where athletes receive 86-94% of their energy from the aerobic system <sup>[<a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/download/downloadnsa?filename=6debf2af-bd4d-4323-939f-8bbb69d10161.pdf&amp;urlslug=energy-system-contribution-in-track-running" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ref</a>]</sup>.</p>
<p>Generally speaking, the longer and slower you go, the more likely you are to be using the aerobic system as opposed to the anaerobic system.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>How to improve your aerobic fitness</h2>
<p>Improving aerobic fitness is all about training your body to become more efficient in transporting oxygen with improving the function of your heart a key component.</p>
<p>A common way of doing this is to do low-intensity activities. These are activities where your heart rate doesn&rsquo;t exceed approximately 70% of its maximum.</p>
<p>One way of doing this is running at a pace that could be described as easy. How quick that is will depend on the individual but it is important to ensure that it feels comfortable. This will prove a very important part of all endurance runners&rsquo; training, and running at this speed may constitute up to 80% of their weekly distance.<br /><br /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.asics.com/gb/en-gb/mk/asics-world-ekiden" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6195029fbb3bbc7313bde908.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Alternatives to running</h2>
<p>That said, increasing the amount of running you do does come with potential dangers. Your body will take time to adjust to the increases in distance, with big increases in volume often leading to joint and muscle injuries.</p>
<p>For this reason, many coaches recommend that the weekly distance you run does not increase more than 10% week on week.</p>
<p>But it is important to realise <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/cross-training-runners-cycling-swimming-injury" target="_blank" rel="noopener">there are other ways of increasing your aerobic fitness</a></strong></span> besides just running, with many of these less impactful on your legs, knees, and feet.</p>
<p>Many athletes choose to incorporate low-intensity swimming and cycling into their routine as a low-impact alternative.</p>
<p>Other options include using an elliptical machine in the gym, sometimes referred to as a cross trainer, or even walking. All can serve their purpose and will be appropriate for different people at different stages of their fitness journey.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6198d5c65249d407ef4d00c8.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Dangers to avoid</h2>
<p>Choosing low-impact alternatives does not mean you can exercise limitlessly and it is important that a focus on recovery is maintained.</p>
<p>This means ensuring you maintain a healthy diet and your body gets the sleep it needs. Listening to your body will be the most important step for the simple reason that it is hard to build fitness when you are injured. When muscles start to hurt, rest and seek the advice of a medical professional.</p>
<p>When you need to rest and recover, give your body what it requires. Doing so will be key to a sustainable and happy future in the sport.<br /><br /></p>
<p><strong>George Mallett for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

Athletes from all areas of the sport would benefit from some form of aerobic fitness

How to build aerobic fitness

<p>What is the key to running well and enjoying it as you age?</p>
<p>I imagine this intriguing question is asked and answered often by senior runners all over the world. As we leave our youth and the physical abilities that accompany it behind, how do you keep running in a healthy and enjoyable way?</p>
<p>These days there are so many runners who are in their forties and beyond. Every one of them, of course, is an individual, and what works for them may be different to the next person. Being not far off 50 now, and eight years into retirement from life as an elite athlete, I often ask myself these questions. If anyone has any good answers, I&rsquo;m all ears!</p>
<p>The recent London Marathon on 3 October incorporated the inaugural Abbott World Marathon Majors Wanda Age Group World Championships. This race brought together the world&rsquo;s best marathon runners over the age of 40. The winners of the various categories were deservedly lauded for becoming world champions, and the sheer energy and enthusiasm of all these senior runners was quite something.</p>
<p>After the race, I was fortunate and humbled to meet Koichi Kitabatake (87) from Japan. A relative newcomer to the marathon, having taken it up at age 78, he was a picture of good health. The sight at these championships of fit, healthy and energetic role models left me feeling incredibly inspired.</p>
<p>From coaching senior runners and from my own, admittedly limited experience of ageing, I offer up a few tips which might answer the questions I posed above.</p>
<h3>1 Less is more</h3>
<p>As we age, recovery takes longer and we may be more prone to injuries as our bodies get older. To maintain the cycle of super-compensation, in which training stimulates the adaptation that makes you fitter and faster, less training and more rest is often necessary.</p>
<h3>2 Set new goals</h3>
<p>Looking forwards and creating fresh, exciting challenges is helpful for finding motivation. They need not be outcome goals &ndash; process goals are a practical and useful tool for organising a sustainable training routine.</p>
<h3>3 Leave your young self behind</h3>
<p>Comparing your times and achievements to your younger self risks leaving you feeling disappointed. I spent several years unable to accept the inevitable passage of time &ndash; and none of that was helpful!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>4 Seek out variety and enjoyment</h3>
<p>Making running something you look forward to, a sociable activity with your friends, and overall a positive experience will certainly help with motivation. Trying races you&rsquo;ve never run before, running on a different surface, or in a new place, are all ways to refresh your routine and keep it interesting.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>5 Just keep moving</h3>
<p>During difficult times when you can&rsquo;t or don&rsquo;t want to run, simply doing some physical activity is key. Once you become inactive, it&rsquo;s much more difficult to restart. Walking, or a mixture of running and walking, cycling, hiking, swimming&hellip; any activity will keep your fitness going.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Gordon's story</h2>
<p>One of the winners from the Age Group World Championships was Yuko Gordon (70). Born in Japan, she represented Hong Kong in the historic 1984 inaugural Olympic women&rsquo;s marathon in Los Angeles and now lives in the UK. I caught up with her to hear her nuggets of wisdom about running as you age. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>A talented youngster at school, Gordon took up running again seriously &ndash; almost by accident &ndash; at age 28 in 1979 while working for Cathay Pacific as a member of cabin crew. &ldquo;I was lured into running a company race in exchange for an extra weekend off &ndash; something that was a rarity for cabin crew,&rdquo; she explains.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I loved running on the beautiful trails in Hong Kong, and I discovered that running was relaxed and enjoyable &ndash; quite a contrast from the pressure of my school days. Four summers later I was racing at the LA Olympics.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/61868fbe3b31c41318776d76.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><em>Yuko Gordon (&copy; Chloe Emmerson)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>She stopped running completely in 1998, becoming immersed in raising her family, and supporting her two children with their sporting activities. In 2012 she returned to running, initially sporadically, but more regularly from 2014 when her beloved dog died.</p>
<p>Gordon &ndash; who is a member of the Fairlands Valley Spartans club in Hertfordshire, UK &ndash; admits to being very competitive, and when she resumed running at age 61, she says she still had the same mind and mental strength, but an older body. In other words, her drive and enthusiasm to run fast was not matched by her physical abilities, and this led to injuries. She agrees that less is more, and now always does her speed work on flat surfaces because her cardiovascular capacity can&rsquo;t match her leg strength if she runs on hills.</p>
<p>Another tip she offers is about being the best you can be, now. &ldquo;I am always thinking about how to improve myself, and I read many books about running,&rdquo; Gordon explains.</p>
<p>She also experiments with training, and uses trial and error to discover what works for her. For London, she decided to run about 40 miles per week. &ldquo;I had tried running 70, because I&rsquo;d heard that was what one of my rivals did, but I couldn&rsquo;t do it,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;It was dangerous for me.&rdquo; She has also ruled out running twice a day, because it takes up too much family time.</p>
<p>Gordon has clearly mastered what all runners need to do: looking around at what others are doing and then adapting that to suit your own abilities.&nbsp;</p>
<p>What about pressure of competition? &ldquo;Pressure is all up to you,&rdquo; she says philosophically. &ldquo;I wanted to break records when I turned 70, but if I couldn&rsquo;t do it, that&rsquo;s it. Records come when you&rsquo;re not really trying to break them.&rdquo;</p>
<p>She says that running now is a bonus, because when she stopped running, she thought she would never run again. She doesn&rsquo;t think about what she&rsquo;ll do when she&rsquo;s 75 or 80; she just focuses on the here and now. She loves the club system in the UK and the age group categories which give her something to chase and aim for.<br /><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/618690003b31c41318776d79.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><em>Yuko Gordon (&copy; Chloe Emmerson)</em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Much like her training, Gordon&rsquo;s approach to her diet and nutrition is varied and diverse. &ldquo;I cannot live without Japanese food, but our family diet nowadays is a wide mixture of cuisines, including western and oriental dishes,&rdquo; says Gordon, who left Japan at the age of 23. &ldquo;I love Indian curry, Mexican and Thai food.&rdquo; She prefers savoury foods to sweet, but doesn&rsquo;t have any special rules on diet, apart from no drinking alcohol in the week before a race. She notices that eating too many dairy products and drinking alcohol makes her put on weight, so she keeps on eye on that.</p>
<p>Gordon is from the generation of iconic female marathon pioneers who were racing during the late 1970s and early 1980s, including Joan Benoit Samuelson and Joyce Smith. But despite her 2:38:32 PB and having competed at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games, Gordon has never viewed herself as an elite competitor &ndash; which, fortuitously, has likely helped in her transition to becoming a club runner.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I became an Olympian by accident; I have never been elite,&rdquo; she says.</p>
<p>In the near future, Gordon aims to take up trail walking with her friends, something that will undoubtedly complement her running, keep her active, and bring new challenges. And if Gordon has one piece of advice for older runners, it&rsquo;s to be led by what brings you joy.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If you like running, just go for it. You like it, so do it,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;None of us knows how long we will have good health for, and that is a lot to do with luck.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

What is the key to running well and enjoying it as you age?

Running for life – five tips to stay motivated at an older age

<p>For years, altitude training has formed an important part of the training of many endurance athletes who cite it as a core part of their season. Here we break down the basic theory behind it, the difficulties athletes must overcome and the main spots to do it.</p>
<p>Though different definitions exist of what constitutes altitude training, we will, for the sake of clarity, consider altitudes in the region of 1500m to 3000m above sea level.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>The theory behind altitude training</h2>
<p>In simple terms, the oxygen inhaled from the air people breathe affects the energy their muscles receive to perform physical activities. Oxygen is carried around the body within red blood cells and helps the molecules in muscles perform their functions.</p>
<p>The higher the altitude, the lower the atmospheric pressure, which makes it harder for the body to transfer the oxygen into the blood. This is why people can often feel lethargic at altitude. &nbsp;</p>
<p>In response to this situation, the brain triggers the increased production of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), encouraging the body to make more red blood cells to better transport the oxygen available. This means, over time, the body begins to transport the limited oxygen better than when it first arrived at altitude.</p>
<p>When an athlete then returns to sea level this increased level of red blood cells, coupled with the higher atmospheric pressure, means the body is better able to transport oxygen than it was before and an athlete&rsquo;s aerobic capacity is increased.</p>
<p>The body will, over time, return to normal levels of red blood cell production if the process is not repeated and the time taken for this to happen will vary from one athlete to the next.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>How long do people train at altitude for?</h2>
<p>It takes time for the body to adapt to higher altitude and many of the effects do not occur until after a prolonged period of time. Various studies suggest there is no increase in red blood cell count within the first seven to 10 days, meaning usually athletes choose to spend a minimum of three to four weeks at altitude.</p>
<p>Some athletes choose to be based at high altitude throughout the year (e.g. Boulder in Colorado, Iten in Kenya and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia), coming down to sea level for shorter periods around a racing season.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/617d1d45b43879f0af6dfb3b.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Athletes train in Flagstaff, Arizona (&copy; Getty Images)<br /><br /></em></p>
<h2>The difficulties of living at altitude</h2>
<p>Early on in any stay at altitude individuals will likely find themselves to be lethargic as their body responds to the lower atmospheric pressure. Other side effects can include headaches and difficulty sleeping but these will often wear off as the body slowly adjusts to its new environment.</p>
<p>In extreme cases and at the highest altitudes (usually in excess of 3000m), severe failures to adjust can result in acute mountain sickness (AMS) with a range of possible harmful effects.</p>
<p>Athletes will also find it difficult to replicate the pace they are able to run at sea level because of their body&rsquo;s reduced ability to transport the available oxygen.</p>
<p>Many will therefore choose to head to lower altitude to perform much of their more intense training. This approach is generally referred to as &ldquo;live high, train low&rdquo; but it is an approach only possible where different altitudes exist in close proximity.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Where do people train at altitude?</h2>
<p>There are a number of locations where athletes choose to train across the world but some locations are particularly popular. These include Iten (c. 2400m) in the Rift Valley, home to many famous athletes including Mary Keitany and Lornah Kiplagat.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/617d1dd9b43879f0af6dfb3e.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /><br /><em>Mary Keitany during a training session in Iten, Kenya&nbsp;(&copy; Getty Images)<br /><br /></em></p>
<p>Over the border in Ethiopia, established camps exist in Sululta (c. 2700m) and in the capital Addis Ababa (c. 2355m), with products including Kenenisa Bekele and Haile Gebrselassie.</p>
<p>Europe plays host to a number of Alpine and Pyrenees resorts, including Font Romeu (c. 1850m) in France, and St Moritz (c. 1856m) in Switzerland.</p>
<p>The USA has a number of high altitude hubs, with Boulder (c. 1624m) in Colorado a huge centre of North American running as well as Flagstaff (c. 2106m) in Arizona and&nbsp;Albuquerque&nbsp;(c. 1619m) in New Mexico.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Other locations include Mexico City (c. 2240m), Potchefstroom (c. 1378m) in South Africa, Falls Creek (c. 1600m) in Australia and Ifrane (c. 1660m) in Morocco. All locations come with their various pros and cons so it is important to research properly prior to any trip to altitude.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Are there alternatives to training at altitude?</h2>
<p>Some athletes choose to replicate the experience of living in these locations through an altitude tent. These tents reduce the amount of oxygen within them and can be lived and slept in without the need to move location. Some see this as a less expensive and more pragmatic alternative to long trips away from home.</p>
<p><strong>George Mallett for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

For years, altitude training has formed an important part of the training of many endurance athletes who cite it as a core part of their season.

The basics, benefits and limits of altitude training

<p>The cross country season is underway again. In parks and open spaces across the world, athletes will take on mud, grass, gravel, hills, rain, wind, ice, tree roots, streams &hellip; you name it, cross country has everything the elements and terrain can throw at you.</p>
<p>At elite level, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-cross-country-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Athletics Cross Country Tour</a></strong></span> is in full swing and its next stop, tomorrow, is in Amorebieta-Etxano in northern Spain near Bilbao. But cross country races at all levels will be taking place every weekend now until March. From junior and club level athletes to recreational and masters athletes, cross country is loved by runners of all abilities.</p>
<p>But what makes it so special? And why do runners of all ages keep coming back for more, despite the mud and cold?</p>
<p>The answer to this, for me, is simple: cross country is pure racing in its simplest form &ndash; A to B, whoever gets there first.</p>
<p>As small children, we all love the thrill of spontaneously launching into a little race while we&rsquo;re out and about. There is something very unique and exhilarating about racing against someone else and trying to reach a certain point first. It doesn&rsquo;t matter how far it is, nor how long it takes. The aim is to get there first.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6173d908a46b5b03a8ecbfe9.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p><br />Cross country is the only discipline in athletics which is just sheer racing. All the others have time, a set distance or elevation as central features of the challenge. But none of these matters in cross country; it&rsquo;s just racing, pure and simple.</p>
<p>Another feature of cross country which I love is its connection with nature. Running through fields and green spaces, or up and down hills is what we humans evolved doing &ndash; running in our natural environment. We didn&rsquo;t start off running in stadiums or on tarmac roads. Cross country allows us to fully appreciate exercising out in the fresh air and immersed in beautiful countryside. When I&rsquo;ve raced cross country, I feel connected with nature more than I ever could on a track or on the road.</p>
<p>If you&rsquo;ve never tried cross country before, you may be wondering where to start. Your local club is the obvious place, but if that feels a little overwhelming, here are a few tips to make a start.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Footwear</h2>
<p>Slipping and sliding around are an integral part of cross country, so you need shoes which will minimise this. Cross country spikes, which are more cushioned than track spikes, are ideal. Trail shoes or any footwear which has good grip underneath are alternatives. Trying to run on a muddy, slippery course in trainers is rarely fun.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6173db04e84ca64f37d09063.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Training surface</h2>
<p>The terrain used in cross country can vary enormously from mud baths to occasional sections of road, and everything in between. Simply running on all these types of surfaces, in any amounts, will help you get used to them. So when you go out running, just try running on different surfaces for at least a few minutes on each, to see how they feel.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6173d91ba46b5b03a8ecbfec.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Variable effort</h2>
<p>In cross country, you rarely run with the same level of effort for any prolonged period of time, as you might in a road race. Coping with the surface and ups and downs means your cardiovascular effort will vary and hit peaks and troughs. So practice this in your training by using fartlek sessions, timed intervals, or <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/hill-running-training-variety-speed-sessions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hill training</a></strong></span>. Learning to manage your effort, and using short periods of slightly slower running to recover after a faster burst, are skills all runners should learn.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6173d937a46b5b03a8ecbfef.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Strength training</h2>
<p>Running over difficult terrain, round sharp corners, and up and down hills calls for more robust soft tissue (muscles, tendons, ligaments etc) than predictable running on roads or a track. Therefore, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/strength-and-conditioning-for-beginning-runners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strength training</a></strong></span>, drills and any kind of conditioning (such as my <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/14-running-drills-for-training-on-sand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">drills on sand</a></strong></span>) are always helpful.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/5ff982593066e61bf52a516b.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>My first foray into competitive running was in cross country, and it has served as the foundation for the future illustrious careers of numerous athletics icons who have excelled on all surfaces. If you haven&rsquo;t tried it yet, now is your chance &ndash; I&rsquo;m sure you will love it!</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

Running in its simplest form

Cross country for beginners

<p><img style="width: 180px; height: 180px; border-radius: 50%; margin-left: 20px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Square/7292fdae-0010-44ce-8de7-2801e19fad78.jpg?cachebuster=78d287ae-4976-419b-9e13-17747dba68a5" align="right" />The end-of-year marathon season is nearly upon us. Call me biased but I do love the marathon!</p>
<p>This year it is more packed than ever, with several iconic races, including the London, Paris and Boston marathons, having been rescheduled from earlier in the year due to the pandemic. But along with being a unique and exhilarating challenge, the marathon also brings with it the risk of injuries.</p>
<p>I imagine there are a few runners out there preparing for one of the forthcoming marathons who are nursing injuries. This week I&rsquo;m looking at muscle injuries &ndash; very common but thankfully often easier to resolve than other types of injuries.</p>
<p>If you stop and think about how muscles, directed by our brains, make our skeletons move, it is truly incredible. A large number of muscles, all with different jobs, contracting and relaxing in a finely coordinated sequence to make us run, swim, dance, eat, or perform any other movement &ndash; how does it all happen?!</p>
<p>Our muscles serve us well all our lives, but sometimes things do go wrong, and looking after them is well worth it.</p>
<p>Stiffness and soreness are perhaps the most common muscle problems for endurance runners. Working muscles to excess, or in an unusual way, will often make them complain afterwards. Running on hilly terrain if you&rsquo;re used to flat surfaces, or training on a track in spikes for the first time in a while, may well cause soreness. If you&rsquo;ve ever seen someone walking backwards down a set of stairs, chances are they ran a marathon the day before and their quads are very cross about it!</p>
<p>Delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS for short, is a classic symptom of hard training or racing which typically appears two days, rather than one day, after a big exertion. Muscle tears of varying degrees of seriousness can happen when muscles are loaded beyond their limits.</p>
<h3>So what can you do to prevent and resolve muscle injuries?</h3>
<p>My top tip, as with all injuries, is <span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>good, thorough self-care</strong></span>. A <span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>comprehensive warm-up and cool-down</strong></span> are essential for all training sessions.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>Massage, foam rolling and compression</strong></span> are all useful activities which encourage muscles to function well and recover rapidly.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>Applying creams or gels</strong></span> to the skin which have, for example, anti-inflammatory properties, can help too. Thankfully, muscles have a good blood supply relative to some other soft tissues such as tendons, so the repair process can happen more quickly.</p>
<p><span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>Hot and cold contrast bathing</strong></span> will encourage circulation to an injured muscle and further accelerate recovery. <span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>Icing</strong></span>, too, immediately after an acute muscle injury, will help to relieve inflammation.</p>
<p>As with all injuries, common sense is very helpful with resolving them, but if necessary, <span style="background-color: #ff873c;"><strong>always seek professional medical help with diagnosis and treatment</strong></span>.</p>
<p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/injury-prevention-runners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As I explained in my article on managing injuries, prevention is always the best approach</a></strong></span>, and for me that means strength training. Strong, robust and fully functioning muscles will be better able to cope with the running demands you expect of them. As we age, this becomes ever more important.</p>
<p>If you are preparing for an upcoming marathon and haven&rsquo;t yet tried any strength training, perhaps set yourself a goal, for after the marathon, of giving it a try. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/performance/strength-and-conditioning-for-beginning-runners" target="_blank" rel="noopener">My strength and conditioning for beginners article</a></strong></span> gives some tips on where to start.</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics</strong></p>

Muscle injuries are very common but often easier to resolve than other types of injuries