Since launching its first race in the UK in 2015, Breca has become a leading name in the Swimrun industry, establishing itself as a one of the largest Swimrun events companies in the world.

Having competed in many different Swimrun events over the years, Jonathan has been a podium finisher, both as a solo athlete and as part of a proud and winning team.

Like Breca’s growing Swimrun community of 14,000 plus participants, Jonathan was saddened by the news of its liquidation in December 2022, and since decided to acquire the Breca brand to rebuild its reputation and help shape the future of Swimrun.

With the first Breca race for this year scheduled for September 2023 in Princes’ Dock Liverpool, Jonathan plans to not only make the Breca brand bigger and better than before but to also attract more people to the sport.

Discussing the relaunch of Breca, Jonathan said: “Ever since I competed in my first Swimrun event, I completely fell in love with the sport and have since enjoyed being part of a vibrant, passionate, and growing community of people both UK and worldwide.

As like all other Breca race participants, I was gutted to hear that the brand had folded in late 2022, but having owned and built multiple businesses, I felt as though I could not only save but also rebuild the brand. I am delighted to unveil the relaunch of Breca and as a dedicated Swimrun super fan, want to reassure the Swimrun community that I am 100% committed to the future of the sport and cannot wait to host our first race this September – particularly as it will be in an entirely new and exciting format, so watch this space.”

To be held at Princes’ Dock Liverpool, the first Breca Swimrun race of 2023 will enable participants to compete over a 2-kilometre course, with two swims totalling 400m and three runs totalling 1.6km. The race should appeal to anyone who wants to try Swimrun for the first time or those competitive types who like the idea of a fast and furious event.

Participants can also expect a number of heats and a final, plus a parent and child team event, together with plenty of action for spectators.

Jonathan added: “I believe we’ve created a race format that’s high-energy and exciting for participants and spectators alike, while also being a great introduction to Swimrun for first timers of almost any age. What’s more, any free or discounted race passes issued to participants as prizes by Breca in the past that haven’t been used, will be honoured for this event.”

Originally founded in Sweden in 2002, SwimRunning is fast becoming a popular sport for both amateur and elite athletes both UK and worldwide.

For more information, visit: https://www.brecaswimrun.com

The post Swimrun superfan relaunches Breca brand appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

Kinvara 14
£125

The original Kinvara came out at the height of the barefoot running boom and, here, 14 iterations later it has outlived and outlasted many of its competitors launched at the same time. With its standard 4mm offset and a new, beefed up geometry, the Kinvara 14 is built for speed but with enough cushioning to make it a versatile option. With its PWRRUN midsole, it’s a responsive ride that’s great for fast summer reps or a speedy 5K race.

Category: Neutral

Weight: 200g

Drop: 4mm

Use: Fast-paced running

BUY HERE NOW

Cumulus 25
£145

Version 24 of the long-standing Cumulus was a marked improvement but this version is a significant jump forward again. ASICS has rolled out its new PureGEL technology into the Cumulus 25, which is embedded in to the FF BLAST+ midsole to give the shoe its most cushioned version to date – completed with an additional 2mm of cushioning. A great summer road shoe for knocking out those sunnier miles.

Category: Neutral

Weight: 266g

Drop: 8mm

Use: Summer distance

BUY HERE NOW

Hoka Torrent 3
£120

Hoka has built its reputation on high stack height, pillowy-cushioned off-road shoes but not all of its shoes follow the same dynamic: the Torrent 3 is a lower-stack height off-road shoe with plenty of ground-contact feel. Perfect for those summer trails, the Torrent 3 has a 4mm-lugged outsole which is grippy enough for anything the UK can throw at it. The rear meta rocker helps you maintain a quick cadence and the shoe rides well on road or hard-packed trail.

Category: Off-road

Weight: 248g

Drop: 5mm

Use: Fast trail running

BUY HERE NOW

Brooks Ghost 15
£130

The Brooks Ghost 15 combines comfort and versatility, making it an excellent choice for summer running. With its lightweight design and breathable upper, this shoe keeps your feet cool and comfortable even on the hottest days. The plush cushioning and responsive midsole offer a smooth and energetic ride, absorbing impact and providing a spring in your step. The 12mm drop strikes a balance between support and a natural gait. Whether you’re logging miles on the road or hitting the trails, the Brooks Ghost 15 is a reliable companion for your summer runs. 

Category: Neutral

Weight: 286g

Drop: 12mm

Use: Road miles every day

BUY HERE NOW

Altra Paradigm 6
£145

Weighing in at 292g, the Altra Paradigm 6 offers a surprisingly lightweight experience without compromising on support or protection. With its zero-drop platform, the Paradigm 6 promotes a natural and balanced stride, encouraging a midfoot or forefoot landing. The generous cushioning provides exceptional shock absorption, making it ideal for long-distance running and high-impact workouts. The shoe’s roomy toe box allows for natural toe splay and enhanced stability, preventing discomfort and promoting a more efficient toe-off.   

Category: Support

Weight: 292g

Drop: 0mm

Use: Supportive road shoe

 BUY HERE NOW

The post 5 summer running shoes appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

But for most parkrunners one 5km a day is enough. Not for George Bullard and Nat Long.

In an effort to highlight how many local parkruns are available and how training to run one is easy through apps like Coopah; they set off on a challenge. A challenge to see how many parkrun routes they could complete in a 24 hour period. The rules were simple; they’d both start at Bushy Park – the OG parkrun, at 9.30am on Friday and they’d meet ready for the Clapham Common pakrun at 9am on Saturday. They could go between as many other parks as they could between those hours and using whatever transport they liked. At each one they’d need to run the 5km parkrun route. George, the adventurer, decided he’d opt to cycle between each park – showing that sustainable travel always wins. Nat, the sensible one, opted for the speed and comfort of a car driven by Coopah cofounder Pete.

After being provided with a list of parkruns in south London, some all-weather kit from Janji and access to the Coopah app for training, George and Nat spent the last month working out their route and training their minds and bodies for 24 gruelling hours on the road. The race was on.

So, at 9.30am on Friday morning last week in the cold, drizzle of South West London Nat and George began the challenge. A brisk lap of Bushy Park completed and they were off to Kingston Park. By 4pm they’d knocked off Richmond, Old Deer Park, Fulham Palace, Wimbledon and Tooting Common and Nat had a slender lead on George. But then the challenge hit a steeplechase-sized hurdle. Pete, Nat’s driver and Coopah’s cofounder got a call from his wife to say that she was going into labour early. With only the slightest hesitation, Pete headed off to support, leaving Nat without a driver. With the night runs approaching we needed to make sure that there was no risk to Nat or anyone’s safety. Without Pete, Nat would have been running alone, so George offered a truce in the battle and a plan to work together to make sure they both could make Clapham at 9am.

With a few brief food and nap stops the team both managed to grind out South Norwood, Crystal Palace, Catford, Sutcliffe, Greenwich, Charlton and Southwark before 1 am. Nat and George had recruited some dedicated friends and family to help them through the long night shift so equipped with a bit of company, high bright head torches, Sudocrem and sweets they powered their way through Burgess, Hilly Fields, Peckham, Dulwich and Brockwell parks. George with an hour to spare thought he’d not done enough running or cycling for the day decided to head to Battersea Park to add an unofficial 5km, bringing him to 21 x 5km run in 24 hours!

At 9am, at the start of Clapham Common parkrun, hundreds of runners had dragged themselves out of bed for their 5km ritual but alongside them were Nat and George who had spent the last 23 and a half hours running 20 parkruns. There was a mention at the start of their heroic effort, but as they started the race they slotted in amongst the other runners. They chatted to a few competitors and dragged their tired bodies over the line. The beauty of it all is that ParkRun doesn’t differentiate. You can be racing for a sub-16-minute run, doing your first ever 5km, taking your whole family along with you or racing your 20th parkrun of the last 24 hours and you’re welcomed in with open arms. Nat said at the end of the challenge ‘I’m not going to lie; I’m exhausted, but running with George and everyone was an amazing, happy ending to such an incredibly fun experience. I got to meet so many amazing people and now I want to do it all again to get 24 in 24 hours!’

Coopah created this challenge to show two things; the availability and accessibility of parkrun as a way of inspiring runners. It’s free, it’s local and it’s open to all. When George crossed the line at Clapham he said ‘one of the most inspiring things about this challenge was mixing with the other runners like Nat. It was a huge test of endurance, which I love, but I learned so much and got inspired myself by Nat and the other runners I met along the way. Running really does bring people from all walks of life together.’ The second thing was to show that with the right training any challenge is possible. Nat and George trained for the 24 hours of running with the Coopah app. George said ’the app made training fun and simple, as an adventurer I can be all over the world doing different things. The Coopah app is so flexible, I can tell it when I will have time to train and when I won’t and it sets the schedule around me.’

Coopah was built to reverse the mental health crisis. Pete, our founder, nearly took his own life after his Mum and best friend died in quick succession. Running turned his life around for him and now the team are building a business that can help do this for others. About the challenge, Pete said ‘The 24 hour ParkRun challenge epitomises what Coopah is trying to do in building awareness of running. I hope we’ve inspired at least one person to take up running, train using an app like Coopah and run their first parkrun  . Nat and George are just incredible people, they pushed themselves to the limit but did it with a smile on their faces and kept on telling the world about the benefits of running’.

The post How many parkruns can you run in 24 hours? appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

As the alarm sounded at 5:45, bleary eyed I stowed my suitcase in the boot of mum’s car and after one last check of all the paperwork we were off to Gatwick. Bag drop was smooth and despite a small delay at security (I forgot to take my energy gels out of my carry-on before the x-ray scanner), it was a relaxed journey. I had a momentary panic at Belfast International Airport when I realised, I didn’t know how the transfer was going to work. Fortunately, someone appeared clutching a clipboard with Antrim Coast Half Marathon on it. There were a few others who’d come in on a flight from Birmingham on the minibus as well. The ‘elite’ elites were staying at the main event hotel in Larne itself, while the rest of us were in the Ulster University Jordanstown student accommodation. After collecting my keys and dumping my bags, I headed out for an easy 6-mile shakeout run. Strava’s auto route function picked a decent loop through the town and back along the coastal path. I did a few strides after; the legs didn’t feel too bad from the travel.

The next key event was the technical meeting. As this was at the main hotel in Larne, a shuttle bus had been put on for those at Jordanstown. The technical meeting was relaxed as the race organiser outlined the procedure for the following morning as well as the on-course setup. The lead pacemaker would be going out at 58:30 pace. Something that only affected about 5 people in the room. The meeting wasn’t essential, but it was a chance to collect my number and wristband, one less thing to do on the morning of the race. When we got back to Jordanstown, it was time for some dinner, a simple margherita pizza and a premade pesto pasta salad. I hadn’t expected self-catering to mean I had to bring my own crockery as well. Fortunately, pizza boxes also double as a handy plate. About 9pm I headed to bed as another early start awaited me.

Race day

I was surprised to wake before my alarm. The bird outside my window insisted I wake up though. It was 5:20, about 15 minutes earlier than planned. The race started at 9am and the shuttlebus left at 7am. Breakfast was an instant porridge pot and a bottle of Maurten drink 320. After checking my rucksack for the essentials of race shoes, vest, and gels, I headed out. It was a crisp morning but not cold as I climbed onto the bus.

A 30-minute drive through the Irish countryside gave a chance for me to run the massage gun over my legs and eat my usual pre-race banana and cereal bar. The elite warm up area was in a local park about 300m up the road from the start line and consisted of an outside basketball court with a few gazebos up. There were excellent views across to Scotland and the other side of the harbour. As everyone started carrying out their own individual pre run routine I got the opportunity for a quick chat with Callum Hawkins. He was glad to be back racing after a torrid time with injury; many others in the running world are also pleased to see him back as well. I headed out for a quick jog about 50 minutes before the start and was amazed how slow the Ethiopian contingent was jogging.

As I was elite category B I had to head to the call room at 8:40. I made sure I had my gels in my pocket and laced up my racing shoes. I’d decided to wear the Saucony Endorphin Pro 3. I handed my bag over to the van drivers who’d be taking them down to the finish area and jogged over to the start. This is where I realised having a disposable bottle of water to sip on would have been a good idea. The marshals were fantastic and happy to take the rubbish from my Maurten CAF100 gel that I took about 5 minutes before the start. They called us up and began to introduce the main contenders in the race. At 9:00 on the dot the hooter went and the race headed off. I’d found a guy who was aiming for 68:30 and we’d agreed to work together for a bit.

After the first kilometre, we were spot on at 3:15. It was amazing how quickly the race had spread out and a group of about 12 was about 20m up the road. Annoyingly my watch decided this was a perfect time to glitch out and restart. Now running ‘blind’, I was able to rely on the generosity of the other guy as he read the splits each kilometre to me. As the route wiggled through Larne town, I went to take another CAF100 gel just as the other guy put in a little surge and he got a small gap on me, one that I never managed to close. We were on the coast road by this point, and I just focused on trying to keep the larger group in my sights with the intention of picking a few off. I went through 10km in 33:03 so had lost a bit of time.

Fast start

About 12km in, the large group had broken up and I’d caught one or two. The leaders were past the turn point and flying back past me on the other side of the road back. The leading Brits looked like they were paying the price for going with the 58:30 pace at the front. A few others looked to be going well still and I hurled a bit of encouragement their way. I hit 13km and the pre-race plan had been to push hard between 13km and 16km and then hang on over the last 5km. I made the decision not to take my final gel at 14.5km as I didn’t want to faff around with it. I started to slowly close the gap to a few in front and caught a few more guys.

At 17km one of the pacemakers was just finishing up his cool down and pulled over to the side of the road. He gave me a small cheer as I went past. At this point I knew it wasn’t going to be the dream scenario, but a PB might still be possible. As each kilometre marker came and went, I tried to push again. About 3km to go I could feel my hips start to tighten and I was having to follow the camber of the road instead of taking the tangents. About 2km to go a steep bank took us down onto the coastal path. The ramp finished me off and the last 7 minutes of running was very unpleasant. I can’t really describe the movement of running without using your hips, but I was trying to do it. I hobbled across the line in 71:23. After a slurp of water and grabbing my bag I sat down and tried to change my shoes. I had to ask for help from a fellow runner with my right shoe as my hip flexor had completely cramped up.

It hadn’t been the best race but after seven weeks back after a plantar tear it hadn’t been a complete disaster. The course itself was great and, as the winner proved, can be incredibly quick. It was well organised and judging by the setup in the hub for the mass race, that looked incredibly well organised too. It was a perfect race for a nice mix of athletes and an opportunity for those building up for an autumn marathon or coming off the back of a track season. It’s rare to see a race in the UK that has this level of depth. Many of the big city halves will have a small elite field and then a gap to those running 75 minutes. The elite race at Antrim was open to men who’d run under 70 or women under 75. As an opportunity for top level club athletes, there’s very few competitions that offer anything similar.

The after party that night was relatively sedate but I got to try my first Guinness, not an unpleasant experience. After a very slow 5 miles on Monday morning the shuttle dropped me back at Belfast International Airport and, despite a few delays, I was back home by 5pm. While the result hadn’t been fantastic, the weekend was great and I’m very appreciative of James, the Race Director, for giving us club athletes an opportunity.

The post RACE REPORT: The Antrim Half Marathon appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

Author: Helen Gaunt

Before every run or workout, we all know it’s important to warm up. But what’s the science behind it and what is the recommended way to prepare our body to its best advantage? Have you heard of the RAMP approach? This is a progressive, dynamic warm up whereby you Raise (the heart rate), Activate (the muscles), Mobilise (the joints) and Potentiate (the body’s neuromuscular system).

By spending 10-15 mins preparing the body before you run, you will get the best out of it and help guard against injury. And it not only prepares the body but also helps get the mind in gear for the task ahead.

A RAMP warm up works through some dynamic stretches and multidirectional movements, before progressing to more explosive activation exercises. Go-to drills for runners include walking lunges, walking hamstring stretches and multidirectional movements like alternating side squats, etc. These multidirectional movements help sharpen up foot speed, lower-body power and coordination, so you’re ready to move fast.

More active drills would come next such as high knee pick-ups, heel pick-ups, high skips, long skips, sideways gallops and karaokes. A RAMP warm up would typically finish with short bursts of strides / accelerations, where you over-exaggerate your running for 20-30 seconds, building up the pace across 4-5 efforts. By drilling down and focusing on your running movement pattern in a progressive warm up like this, you’ll hit go with your neuromuscular system fully switched on!

The RAMP warm up can be adapted depending on the intensity of your planned activity. If you’re just going out for a steady run, begin with some of the dynamic warm up drills to loosen up, and then ease into your run with a few easy miles. If you’re preparing for an interval session or race, aim to arrive early and run a couple of steady miles to raise the heart rate followed by some drills and strides just before you start.

After training, it’s important to build in time for a proper cool down. We know we should be doing this, but what’s the best approach and what’s the science to support it? Well, it helps the body to reset – by returning the heart rate to its normal level, bringing your temperature back down, and flushing out any lactic acid build up. If you’re out for a steady run, try finishing with the last 5 minutes at a gentler pace. After a hard session or race, a longer cool down is needed – you’re ideally looking at 10-15 minutes of running at an easier pace.

Once you’ve finished your run, always take the time to stretch. By working through a series of 15-second static stretches, you will reduce tightness in your muscles and work on your flexibility, which improves over time with regular attention. Stretching not only prepares the body for its next workout by resetting, but it helps reduce the risk of injury by loosening up any areas of tension. You can target any problem areas with longer developmental stretches of 45 seconds, where you extend the stretch and relax into it every 15 seconds for a period of 45 seconds.

Stretch straight after exercising when your muscles are warm and more elastic. Breathe deeply and regularly and aim to stretch to the point of feeling tightness or slight discomfort. Target areas for runners are: quads, hamstrings, ITB, calfs (gastrocnemius at the top and soleus at the base), glutes/piriformis, hip flexors and lower back. Other effective ways to treat areas of muscular tension include foam rollers, massage guns or sports massage – remember that recovery is all-important for sustaining the training!

The post The best running warm up ever! appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

The sports Bluetooth headphones market is a competitive space with brands like Bose and Sennheiser all producing quality products. But, at the top of the tree for us, is Jabra – and when the brand asked us to test its new Elite Active 65t wireless earbuds, we jumped at the chance.

Jabra’s research shows that the daily usage of headphones by frequent users focuses on calls (58% of users each day), music (53%) and voice control (35%). The Elite franchise is designed to meet the needs of these users who want great sound quality while listening to music and voice quality when making calls.

In addition to excellent sound quality, the 65t is packed full of nifty features. It includes one-touch access to Siri®, and Google Now, new integration for Amazon Alexa on-the-go and has up to 15 hours of battery life (with cradle).

The earbuds have enhanced grip, through special coating, integrated accelerometer for tracking features and IP56 sweat, water and dust certification.

This is what our tester thought:

Out of the box

Initial impressions that they were a bit bulkier than expected. However, once on, they fitted perfectly inside the ear.

Sound quality 

Truly excellent. The sound quality is brilliant but, at the same time, you don’t feel that they block out ambient noise, which is important when you’re running.

Wearability

Used for a mix of running, gym workouts and general walking. Really liked the fact that they are intuitive to the extent that they control music or programmes (when connected to an iPad) when you put the bud back in to the ear.

Performance

They charge within the unit and automatically disconnect when you put them back which means don’t have to keep connecting – or accidentally leave them on. Almost always connect to multiple devices within a few seconds.

Overall

A great set of headphones that deservedly gets our Editor’s Choice badge of approval.

Find out more about the new Jabra Elite family at: www.jabra.com/elite

The post Headphones review: Jabra Elite Active 65t appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

Want to get the most from your 10K training and racing? Using a Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition will help you measure and track your progress

Deciding to really go for a 10K is a bold choice. Run it flat out from the start and you’ll have legs like lead by halfway. Yet start off too slow and you won’t have the time to make amends later in the race. To run a great 10K you will need:

• A strong aerobic foundation and base endurance
• A decent turn of top-end speed
• The physical capacity to hold a high percentage of your maximum effort
• An economical and efficient style of running
• The psychological edge and a tough, focused mindset

And you can use a smartwatch like the Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition to measure your training, track your progress and help you run to your target pace on race day.

Training for a 10K

The biggest mistake that many new 10K runners make is failing to include enough training that is of high enough intensity to make a real difference come race day. They either train too slow or too fast. They do plenty of steady and easy running with a little bit of very fast running thrown in for good measure, and not a lot in between.

Training is done to make your 10K race feel easier, so for a better 10K you need to train at paces that match and exceed your target race pace. And to know what paces you’re running at, you’ll need something reliable to measure them on – enter the Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition with its built-in GPS to measure pace and distance and exclusive adidas sessions to take you to the next level.

Easy running all the time won’t help you run 10K faster. Running longer distances won’t make you faster over 10K either. Instead of heading out for another steady plod, properly mix up your miles and include the three golden tickets of 10K racing success: threshold, race pace and speed. Running a fast 10K means being able to push the boundaries of comfort a little further that you might think is possible.

These three training types help you do just that.

1. Threshold
Mastering discomfort is key to running a better 10K. Threshold running is a pace best described as ‘controlled discomfort’. You need to push the boundaries of comfort and run on the edge as effectively and efficiently as you can. In terms of effort, threshold running equates to about an eight out of 10.

2. Race pace
To race a great 10K you should be teaching your body to tolerate anticipated race-day pace, intensity and duration. Interval running at race pace (or faster) is a proven winner for 10K success. Great 10K intervals improve VO2 max, and your cardio fitness score on your Fitbit app. Intervals for 10K might be run at 85-90% effort level.

3. Speed

Speed work is run at faster than target distance race pace. Speed training will definitely get you properly out of breath, send your heart rate into the peak zone and send your muscles into overdrive. That’s the point. Completing a speed workout means running fast. The term ‘fast’ is relative and can change depending on stage of training, fitness, and session goals. What you can control, however, is your effort. To get the most from speed work, your effort/intensity levels have to be very high (90% of you maximum).

Use your Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition to track your heart-rate to help ensure you’re running at the right intensity. For added motivation, try to do these sessions with other runners who can spur you on. 

How to race a 10K

Running a 10K well demands that you quickly get to your limit and stay there until the finish line. Through your training, you will have developed a tolerance for your 10K race pace. Fast 10K running isn’t about suffering for hours like in a marathon. It’s about hurting for less time but more intensely.

Know your race pace per K or mile to the second. You should be able to knock out a set of 5 x 1-mile repeats (or 8 x 1K repeats) at bang on target time, with a little recovery, if you’re going to put yourself in with a chance of stringing them together with no rest on race day. Use your Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition to ensure you’re running at the right pace throughout the race.

Don’t spend the first half of the race gently getting into it. You’ve got to be hitting your target race pace quickly and focusing on holding it for each mile. Mess around for the first two miles and it’s too late to play catch up. Go too hard for the first two and the final two are going to be hell!

Push when it hurts – no letting off. It’s going to hurt. That’s the nature of 10K racing. Your strength comes from knowing that you can mentally master the pain and keep churning out the pace with no let up. Be relentless. You won’t nail your 10K by being easy on yourself.

–

The Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition smartwatch is designed to provide a unique coaching experience for runners and athletes of all levels who want to improve their performance. In addition to all the advanced health and fitness features of Fitbit Ionic, the adidas edition includes exclusive features such as the adidas Train app – six on-screen workouts and step-by-step coaching developed by adidas to help improve your form, power, and speed – a stylish and breathable sport band and unique adidas-designed clock face – all with up to five days of battery life.

For challenges, running tips, competitions and more about the Fitbit Ionic: adidas edition go to www.fitbitrun.co.uk. If you’re looking for a great 10K in London, check out the adidas City Runs at www.adidascityruns.com

The post How to run a great 10K appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

I have done the Great South Run five times but have never ventured the 350 miles north to tackle the much talked about Simplyhealth Great North Run. My first impressions were that the locals were friendly and the atmosphere filling the city for the Great North City Games was electric.

One of my first sights of the city, was completing my Saturday morning shake out run and noticing the Tyne Bridge being plastered with Great North Run advertisements and it was becoming clear that this great half marathon is very close to the hearts of people from this fantastic city, Newcastle.

Waking up on race day and stepping out of the hotel, hundreds of runners wrapped in bin liners were steadily making their way to the start area. The city was silent, anticipating the sea of runners that were about to tackle the 13.1-mile course, finishing in South Shields.

In the start pen, the number of runners was overwhelming and when I was told there were almost 60,000 runners lining up, I was amazed. There were elite runners set for a showdown for the podium, runners chasing personal bests against the clock, runners raising millions for charities, runners achieving their goals and runners running out of complete enjoyment. Having spoken to several fellow runners on the start line, I could not believe the number of Great North runs that some had completed, 36 one charity runner had recorded.

The gun went and the crowds exploded. There were spectators on every inch of the course, supporting with banners and clappers, the bridges were bustling and the noise was incredible. The adrenaline I had was off the scale and immediately my pacing was excitable. Settling down after mile one, the iconic Tyne bridge was fast approaching and the atmosphere was awesome.

Photographers lined the edges of the bridge, snapping at every runner possible. Adding to the atmosphere, were Samba bands, who played to the rhythm of the runners – I was thoroughly enjoying my run at these early stages. Between miles two and six were a few taxing inclines and already I noticed a few runners beginning to drop off their initial pace, however the abundance of water stations and spectators kindly offering sweets and ice pops helped refuel the tank. Along the course, the whole way were toilets, support from medical teams and stages for charities advertising their causes. I particularly enjoyed the numerous refreshing spray stations, where you could cool off whilst running.

Having reached mile 10 unscathed by any injury niggles I had previously had, my lack of training started to become evident and I had to start digging a little deeper to reach the finish. What helped were the Elvis impersonators standing on the course performing, children encouraging you with high-fives and the spectators now five-deep adding to the concoction of a perfect race atmosphere at mile 12.

Turning the corner onto the seafront, was my favourite part of the race. The noise was now louder than ever and more or less carried runners through to the finish. Runners were creating their own battles and targets of who they would aim to finish ahead of and the competition was fierce. Metaphorically, the noise felt like a Mexican wave and carried you over the line and to the hugely anticipated medal and goody bag that awaited. I have to say the contents of the goody bag is one of the best I have received to date and on its own is enough for me to want to complete the Simplyhealth Great North Run again.

But it must be said, that the course, the organisation, the support and the feeling of finishing the Simplyhealth Great North Run is phenomenal and I would recommend it to anyone, be it their first half marathon or hundredth. It has to be the greatest half marathon I have experienced to date.

• Simplyhealth is title partner of the Great Run Series and is supporting runners every step of the way by helping people make the most of life through better everyday health. For training advice, please visit www.greatrun.org/training-simplyhealth

The post Simplyhealth Great North Run review appeared first on NY Fitness Buzz.

Be Cool In Wool – your chance to win some seriously cool ashmei run gear

ashmei has long been a champion of the incredible performance benefits of Merino wool. This season, premium British run and cycle apparel brand has teamed up with The Woolmark Company to extol the virtues of wool as the ultimate performance fibre across the full range of climates and temperatures.

To celebrate the new Be Cool In Wool campaign, Men’s Running has teamed up with ashmei to offer you a chance of winning a very cool run package worth almost £250.

As featured in the short film, the Classic Short Sleeve Run Jersey boasts the brand’s signature Merino fabric which offers great natural thermo-regulation and enhanced wicking and drying properties. The material was developed to help maintain a constant temperature for runners and therefore includes a larger percentage of superfine Merino wool. After all, this is the best fibre for keeping you cool in the summer yet warm in the winter.

Maintaining the film’s theme, we have a pair of 2in1 Shorts up for grabs – where style and functionality come together beautifully. Our semi-compressive shorts are so called because they feature a Merino inner liner working in total harmony with a lightweight nylon outer. The interior of the shorts is crafted from Terry looped Merino wool. Ultra-stretchy and comfortably soft, the fabric is a winner as it is so efficient at thermo-regulation.

To complete the look, we are offering the brand’s highly-awarded Dot Merino Socks. At 6″, the Dot Sock is a slightly longer cut than the norm and performs as beautifully as it looks. This is all down to the design detail. The hand-linked toe seam makes for a flush finish, which in turn makes for a more comfortable run. Where it really wins out though is in the choice of fabric. Our signature Merino blend provides the sock with excellent heat management and wicking properties – crucial around the feet where hot spots and blisters can form.

To enter the draw simply enter your name and email address and the closing date is October 1 at 23:59. Good luck!

You can find out more about the campaign here

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MR: How has technology moved on in compression wear?

CL: Muscle support remains a key benefit of all 2XU compression but more recently we have moved to technology that targets key muscle groups used in certain sports and activities with even greater power, yet without making the product significantly heavier or compromising comfort or flexibility – this technology is featured within our MCS (muscle containment stamping) compression range. We’ve also added reflective options to improve runner safety in low-light conditions, and included advanced pocketing options to meet every runner’s needs – a centre pocket for a smart phone, a small open mesh pocket for nutrition and gels, and a zip pocket for keys and cards. Understanding a runner’s needs and supporting these via intelligent design are just as important as continuously advancing our technology.

MR: Has this changed the key benefits? And what are these?

CL: 2XU’s MCS (muscle containment stamping) compression has further enhanced the existing benefits of compression, such as reduced muscle fatigue and soreness, by providing more targeted power and greater support to key muscles.

MR: Is compression wear pre, during or post exercise? Where would runners feel the most benefit?

JB: Most of the benefits of compression are seen during exercise and in the post-workout recovery period. As confirmed by research conducted at the Australian Institute of Sport, compression benefits specific to runners include 19% reduced muscle movement, gains of up to 10.6 seconds over a 5km repeat run performance, 4.8% increased blood lactate removal, 47% reduced muscle soreness, and reduced thigh swelling by more than 1cm when worn during the post-exercise recovery period.

MR: In a nutshell, what’s the theory behind the science? 

JB: A lot of the benefits associated with compression relate to an improvement in blood flow, including both the delivery of blood to the exercising muscle and the return of blood back to the heart. As a result, compression is thought to improve the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle to improve performance, and aid in the removal of waste products after exercise to improve recovery. Other benefits include reduced muscle oscillation (or muscle movement), greater proprioception (or body awareness) and reduced muscle damage and inflammation post-exercise.

MR: How can compression evolve? What are manufacturers looking at in terms of future proofing garments?

JB: From a research perspective, the Australian Institute of Sport will focus on three key areas over the next few years. These relate to the effects of compression on 1) blood flow and the effect this has on exercise performance and muscle recovery, 2) reducing the stress associated with long-haul travel and 3) joint awareness/proprioception and how this relates to foot placement during running. The AIS researches and endorses 2XU compression, and the research we undertake is used by 2XU to advance its compression technology and inform future product development. There’s still a lot we can learn about the benefits of compression in sport, which is really exciting.

MR: Runners are a cynical breed – what’s the elevator pitch that will get them to change their minds on compression wear?

JB: Considering the plethora of garments available on the market, often the science to support the use of sports compression is lost. In the past 25 years, hundreds of research studies have been published regarding the effects of compression. When considering these findings as a whole, there is overwhelming evidence to prove that compression helps athletes both during and after exercise. Additionally, research has shown that compression is beneficial for participants of all abilities across many different sports and activities, from endurance sports such as running to high-intensity training and team sports.

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