Runners go through cycles in their training and racing. Sometimes, running feels like the most effortless thing in the world; and this is reflected in results from racing and training. However, other times running seems extraordinarily difficult, and motivation stoops to a low. This is a phenomenon referred to as runner’s burn out. Experiencing a burn out can have a profoundly negative impact on an athlete’s physical running performance, and also their mental health and motivation. As such, it is not a situation athletes want to find themselves in. Here are some ways in which runners can avoid burning out.

Accept that not every workout/race will be perfect

All runners develop training plans in accordance to a goal they are working towards, whether it be a particular race, or aiming towards a pb. While this is important to achieve success, placing too much pressure on oneself to achieve a goal, and following a strict training plan can increase stress levels and contribute to burn out. Take a step back and realise that not every single workout or race will be perfect. Working towards a goal involves both steps back and forward on your way to that new pb. Accepting that there will be training sessions and races that are not perfect will allow you to decrease your stress levels and reduce the chance of burn out. This will help you to be able to achieve your running goals in the long run.

Cross Training

Another way to avoid runners burn out is to participate in other types of training besides running. There are several different types of activities that runners can take part in which will benefit their training. For example, cycling and swimming are both good forms of cardio that utilise different muscles and help enhance performance. Additionally, strength workouts at the gym, and also yoga can help increase a runner’s strength and flexibility. Participating in activities besides running can help alleviate boredom and break up a routine, reducing the chance of burn out. Also, doing exercise that does not place the same pressure on muscles and bones as running does, can help to reduce fatigue and muscle soreness, allowing runners to feel fresher.

Run with other people

A lot of runners (including myself) enjoy running on their own. While there are benefits to solo running, including clearing your head and being able to focus on going at your own pace, running with a partner or a squad can help to reduce burn out. For slower paced runs, chatting with a friend or group whilst running can help make the time go faster and alleviate boredom. Also, having an encouraging and supporting group around you while you run can help improve motivation and make running more enjoyable, reducing the possibility of burning out.

Mix up your running

Many runners often repeat the same runs and workouts, on the same routes, and at the same times. This can become monotonous and tedious, increasing the chance of burnout. Changing the location and route of your run switches things up and helps decrease the monotony of running. Try running at a different time of day; if you usually run in the morning try running at night, and vice versa. Also, listening to music during runs can help distract you from the repetitive nature of running, helping to reduce the possibility of burn out.

Take time off running

Most runners hate the idea of taking time off running because they fear it will negatively affect their performance in the long run. While extended time off running may make runners slow in the short-term, in the longer term it may help to increase motivation. Taking a break from running, whether it is a day, a week or a few months, can help runners get out of the rut they are in, and allow them to be reminded of how much they love running and why they do it. Taking time off running helps to reduce both physical and mental fatigue, allowing runners to return to training feeling more energised and committed.

Finally, it is important to remember that burning out happens to all runners at some point in their lives. Even though running can be enjoyable and rewarding, it can also become tedious and disheartening. When experiencing a burn out, just remember that it won’t last forever, and soon you will be back to running effortlessly.  

Research:

https://www.runtothefinish.com/12-ways-to-avoid-marathon-training-burnout/

https://www.active.com/running/articles/4-rules-to-avoid-runner-burnout?page=1

https://runnersconnect.net/marathon-burnout-help/

The post How to Avoid Runner’s Burn Out appeared first on Runner's Tribe.

Balancing an elite-level training program with a job that enables athletes to support themselves and their running career is a difficult task. Most regular full-time workers who aren’t even athletes find it difficult to fit in an exercise regime, let alone elite athletes who require extensive hours to complete their training programs. Full-time work and training are both exhausting tasks, running the risk of burning out athletes both mentally and physically. In the particular case of distance runners, they often do not receive enough funding or sponsorship to allow them to pay for living expenses without a full-time/part-time job, therefore forcing them to maintain a difficult work-life-training balance.

However, whilst it is a difficult task, there are many elite-level athletes that juggle both full-time work and an extensive training program, and have recorded impressive successes in elite-level races. Lisa Weightman works full time and balances a marathon training load and family life highly effectively. Jessica Trengove (read Jess’s latest RT feature here) Nick Symmonds (read Nick’s latest interview with RT here), Alexi Pappas (read Alexi’s interview with RT here) and Ben St Lawrence (Run Crew) are some successful examples of elite-level athletes founding their own business. The above interviews are well worth a read and explore their successes in depth.

Little change up in our Wednesday gym program ?? #hangcleans @asicsaustralia #ASICS

A post shared by Melissa Breen (@melissa_breen) on Jun 27, 2017 at 5:33pm PDT

There are also other elite athletes who work part-time, to supplement sponsorship funds. For example, Melissa Breen works part-time as a coach whilst simultaneously completing a full training program each week.

Some businesses such as Athletes Biz and Runner’s Tribe are constantly finding ways to help supplement athletes income.

roses are red i crushed my workout . . . ?by @sarahattar

A post shared by @alexipappas on Nov 17, 2017 at 7:41pm PST

Being an ‘athletepreneur’ is a difficult task for runners because more often than not training needs to be the main focus. This necessary focus on training and competition means that athletes struggle to find the time and motivation to carry out full-time work effectively. If the athlete is in a typical job, this means that they can either sacrifice advances in their working career, or their athletics career by trying to juggle both tasks. If you’re looking for tips on how to use this approach, www.discovery.uk.com have come up with a handy guide that can help you get the most exercise during your daily working life – check it out at the bottom of this page. For most everyday people, training takes the outside focus to work, whereas elite athletes need to make training their priority.

In terms of entrepreneurial business, athletes can use social media to boost their profiles and attract attention. Social media is an effective marketing tool which can garner a greater fan base, and allow the business to succeed. Also, maintaining good relationships with employers and the company athletes work at can help distance runners to foster a flexible working schedule which can allow more time to fit in training.

If you want something……go chase after it. #sundaymotivation

A post shared by Shalane Flanagan (@shalaneflanagan) on Nov 19, 2017 at 2:46pm PST

Juggling training and full-time work as an ‘athletepreneur’ can be an exhausting task. Most people in full-time work struggle to balance work, life, family and exercise, let alone an extensive training program. For most athletes, this lifestyle requires getting up early before work, perhaps as early as 4 or 5am and also sometimes adding in extra mileage or other types of training after the 9-5 workday. This is incredibly draining on athletes who already require more sleep than the average person to ensure effective recovery and optimal performance. It also makes it more difficult for athletes to maintain a social life and sustain other activities/hobbies outside of training and work.

Unfortunately, for most training and racing in running does not pay the bills. This requires many elite runners to be ‘athletepreneurs’. Many athletes are now creating their own successful careers in entrepreneurial businesses and are currently inspiring others to follow.

Click here to visit the Runner’s Tribe ‘Athletepreneur’ section ‘HELPING ATHLETES GET PAID’ by doing what they love.

Article sources:

https://www.flexiworkforce.com/5-sports-professionals-who-work-flexibly-while-training

https://www.triathlonmag.com.au/training/36-training/7810-how-to-manage-a-triathlon-career-and-a-full-time-job

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The question remains “why do men and women not race the same distances?” From ages 16 and upwards, men consistently race at least 2km further than women do. The argument that shorter distances encourage increased participation is discriminatory against female cross-country runners who want to excel at the national level.

As a former competitive distance runner, I continuously encountered frustration throughout the latter of my teenage years at my inability to compete as far a distance as the boys did. Cross-country is a sport designed for long-distance runners. Up until 16 years of age women and men compete the same distances so why was it that once I turned 16 I could no longer compete at the same distances as men?

It is argued that shorter distances for women’s cross-country races foster greater participation in the sport. However, cross-country is a long-distance event. It isn’t designed for participation from people who are not distance runners. During the track season, there are several events, particularly the 800m and the 1500m which are perfectly suitable for middle-distance runners. There is no reason why cross-country races should be shortened to extend participation to a group of athletes that are involved in a different sphere of the sport of running.

Keeping cross-country races at a shorter distance hampers the ability of distance runners to excel in the sport they are training for. Cross-country provides long-distance runners with a chance to race the same distances as track but across a more interesting and potentially challenging terrain. By shortening the distance, female long-distance runners are disadvantaged and forced to compete against middle-distance athletes who may have greater speed over the shorter distances. Whilst participation may decrease as a whole if the distance is increased, female cross-country runners will be able to be competitive in their desired event. The benefits to this group of runners outweighs the negative effects of reduced participation.

The fact that this argument is not directed at men’s cross-country races, which continue to remain at longer distances, is evident of the underlying sexism that still exists in sport today. This sexism can be seen in other sports. In tennis, women continue to only compete in three sets versus men competing in five. But in races such as the City to Surf and the Olympic marathon, men and women compete in the same distances – 14km for the City to Surf or 42km in the marathon. It has been physiologically proven time and time again that women are as capable as men at competing at the same distances in running. A study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information demonstrates that women may actually have an advantage over men in sports such as distance running and tennis because their typically lower body mass allows them to withstand heat for longer. So why is there still a disparity in the distances run?

It’s time for any excuses of participation, exclusion and physiological incapability to be placed aside. It’s time to equalise the distance.

References

Chive. (October 6 2016). Why Do Women Still Run Shorter Distances in Cross Country?. Salty Running. Retrieved from: https://www.saltyrunning.com/why-women-run-shorter-distances-cross-country/

Estes, S. (October 21, 2015). Tennis: Why don’t grand slams introduce best of five sets matches for women too?. Quora. Retrieved from: https://www.quora.com/Tennis-Why-dont-grand-slams-introduce-best-of-five-sets-matches-for-women-too

Marino, FE., Mbambo, Z., Kortekaas, E., Wilson, G., Lambert MI., Noakes, TD., Dennis, SC. (December 2000). Advantages of smaller body mass during distance running in warm, humid environments. National Center for Biotechnology Information, 441 (2-3), pp. 359-67. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11211124?dopt=Abstract

Senne, J. (February 26, 2016). Examination of Gender Equity and Female Participation in Sport. The Sport Journal, 19. Retrieved from: http://thesportjournal.org/article/examination-of-gender-equity-and-female-participation-in-sport/

School Sport Australia. (April 2016). School Sport Australia Cross Country Rules and Guidelines (pp. 1-16). Retrieved from: http://www.schoolsport.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Cross-Country-Rules-and-Guidlines-Updated-April-2016.pdf

School Sport Australia. (2017). Cross Country. Accessed 10/4/17, from http://www.schoolsport.edu.au/home-2/sports-information/cross-country/

More from the author

How Important is Your Coach?

Depression and Running

Legends of Athletics: A look at the career of Cathy Freeman

The post It’s Time to Equalise the Distance in Cross-Country appeared first on Runner's Tribe.

Cathy Freeman is one of Australia’s most successful runners. She was also one of Australia’s most decorated Indigenous athletes. She was significant, both in terms of her athletic accomplishments, and also for the achievements she garnered as an Indigenous athlete. I watched her achieve her most prolific medal when I was just five years old when she won the 400m at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

She began athletics when she was just two years old. She was coached by her step-father, and under his guidance, she won a host of regional and national titles as a junior in events such as the 100m, 200m, high jump and long jump.

In 1987 she moved to Kooralbyn International School to be coached by Mike Danila. By 1989 she had run a personal best of 11.67 seconds in the 100m event. She was a member of the impressive Australian 4 x 100m relay team that won gold at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland. This performance made Freeman the first Australian Indigenous person to achieve a medal at the Commonwealth Games. She also won this Commonwealth Games medal when she was just sixteen years old.

As a junior, she represented Australia at numerous World Junior Championship events. At the 1990 Championships in Bulgaria, she reached the semi-finals of the 100m and placed 5^th in the 400m. At her second World Junior Championships in South Korea in 1992, she won a silver medal in the 200m.

At the 1992 Olympic Games, she reached the second round of the 400m. At the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Canada, she won gold in both the 200m and the 400m. She also placed second in the 4 x 100m relay and placed first but was disqualified in the 4 x 400m relay. As of the year 1994, she had a personal best of 50.04 seconds in the 400m, 11.24 seconds in the 100m and 22.25 seconds in the 200m.

https://youtu.be/Xoiv1h7Z-00

The 1996 Olympic Games 400m race was one of Freeman’s most spectacular races of her career. She set an Australian record, running a time of 48.63 seconds. This time is still the sixth fastest time ever and the second fastest since the world record was set in Canberra in 1985. She finished in second place behind Marie-Jose Perec, who won in a time of 48.25 seconds. This is the current Olympic Record and the third fastest time ever.

https://youtu.be/MpG6GIsUy4I

She also achieved great success at World Championship events throughout the years. Freeman reached the semi-final of the 200m at the 1993 World Championships. At the 1995 World Championships, she finished fourth place in the 400m and once again reached the semi-final of the 200m. She came first in the 400m at the 1997 World Championships in Athens in a time of 49.77 seconds. During 1997 Freeman only lost one 400m the entire year. She again won the 400m at the 1999 World Championships, after taking an injury break the previous year. She didn’t lose a single race in 1999 after returning from injury.

https://youtu.be/dNIUk9Kju9s

The highlight of Freeman’s career was, of course, the 400m Olympic Title she won at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. It was the race that stopped the nation. Despite all the pressures and expectations placed upon Freeman, she rose to the challenge and won the gold medal. She won in a time of 49.11 seconds, becoming only the second Australian Aboriginal Olympic champion. Due to this success, she carried the Olympic flag for Oceania at the next Olympics.

In 2002, she won the 4 x 400m relay at the Commonwealth Games. She announced her retirement from athletics the following year.

Cathy Freeman also achieved success in non-athletic endeavours. In 2007 she founded the Cathy Freeman foundation. This foundation works with four remote Indigenous communities to close the education gap with non-aboriginal Australians. She was an ambassador of the Australian indigenous education foundation until 2012 and was also an ambassador for Cottage by the sea until 2014.

Cathy Freeman was one of Australia’s most prolific athletes. She achieved numerous accolades throughout her career. She is remembered not only for her talent and success as an Australian athlete but also for the success she achieved as an Aboriginal athlete.

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How Important is Your Coach?

Written by Amity Delaney - Runner's Tribe

Coaches are an essential part of any athlete’s journey. Under their guidance and leadership, athletes can either flourish or flounder. But how important are they? Are coaches what determines an athlete’s success, or is it the internal motivation and hard work of the athletes themselves that determines success?

Coaches not only help athletes to train and compete – they allow athletes to realise their full potential. They provide athletes with a structured training and racing program to help them to achieve the greatest success they can. They help to analyse performance and provide advice to allow athletes to improve. In addition, coaches can help instil confidence in athletes through encouragement and constructive criticism which is extremely important in determining the success of athletes. Confidence gives athletes the belief that they can succeed to their maximum potential. The right coach can give athlete’s the self-confidence and mental strength to achieve extraordinary success. On the other hand, the wrong coach can create negativity in the minds of athletes and impede their ability to succeed. Coaches also help to instil a good work ethic and respect for the sport they are participating in. This improves an athlete’s character, whilst simultaneously allowing them to achieve potential in their sport. In particular, coaches can

In particular, coaches can be help to calm nerves pre-competition. I used to get very nervous before competitions, particularly if I wasn’t feeling overly confident in my form. I used to focus on all the possible things that could go wrong on the day, rather than relaxing and thinking of the positives. My coaches helped to ease those nerves by providing me with a warm-up structure and a tactics plan for the race. This gave me a plan and something to focus on, helping to calm my mind. In addition, they used to remind me of all the hard work I had put in before the competition and my talents as a runner. This served to boost my confidence and remind myself that this was something I had trained and prepared for months in advance. Calming nerves was particularly important for me as I always found that I raced the best when I was relaxed.

However, the importance of coaches comes down to the individual athlete themselves and also the relationship they have with their coach. Without intrinsic motivation and hard work, athletes will never thrive, even under the most competent of coaches. Also, the relationship between coaches and athletes is important. Athletes need to have faith in their coaches – they need to believe that their coach will help them to maximise their potential. In addition, coaches need to provide the perfect balance between an instructor and a friend. Too much focus on instructing without building a relationship with the athlete will reduce the athlete’s motivation to perform for their coach. Too much focus on the friendship with the athlete could result in the athlete slacking off and not obeying their coach. Both of these are detrimental to success.

I have had three different running coaches in my life, and all of them helped to shape the athlete and person that I am today. They provided me with training that allowed me to go from a small-time athlete, to a national level athlete. During times when I was struggling, either mentally or physically, they were overwhelmingly supportive. None of my coaches ever gave up on me. They continued to train me, and additionally, they took extra time to check up on me and make sure that I was ok. This unwavering belief in my abilities as an athlete instilled me with a confidence and motivation to succeed that remains with me today, despite not competing anymore. However, although they were important to my success and character as an individual, I would not have achieved what I did without my strong work ethic and intrinsic desire to succeed as a runner.

Therefore, whilst coaches definitely play an important role in the success of athletes, individual athletes and the relationship between coach and athlete can affect their significance. Ultimately, the role of the coach is a complex and multi-layered one, but also it a greatly rewarding one. It takes a very special person to be a good coach.

END

Main Photo: Galen Rupp and Coach Alberto Salazar before the 2013 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston (photo by Jane Monti for Race Results Weekly)

Photos included by the Editor

More from the author

‘Athletepreneur’ – Balancing Elite-level Running with a Job

By Amity Delaney with Runner’s Tribe Balancing an elite-level training program with a job that enables athletes to support themselves and their running career is a difficult task. Most regular full-time workers who aren’t even athletes find it difficult to fit in an exercise regime, let alone elite athletes who require extensive hours to complete […]

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It’s Time to Equalise the Distance in Cross-Country

Runner’s Tribe Opinion Piece – It’s Time to Equalise the Distance in XC | Written by Amity Delaney  The question remains “why do men and women not race the same distances?” From ages 16 and upwards, men consistently race at least 2km further than women do. The argument that shorter distances encourage increased participation is […]

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Legends of Athletics: A look at the career of Cathy Freeman

Written by Amity Delaney – Runner’s Tribe Cathy Freeman is one of Australia’s most successful runners. She was also one of Australia’s most decorated Indigenous athletes. She was significant, both in terms of her athletic accomplishments, and also for the achievements she garnered as an Indigenous athlete. I watched her achieve her most prolific medal […]

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Depression and Running

Depression and Running: Written by Amity Delaney Mental illnesses do not discriminate. They can affect anyone at any time and athletes are no exception. Depression and running work together in two ways. On the one hand, certain aspects about being an elite athlete and training for running can potentially increase the possibility of being diagnosed […]

Read more

The post How Important is Your Coach? appeared first on Runner's Tribe.

Mental illnesses do not discriminate. They can affect anyone at any time and athletes are no exception. Depression and running work together in two ways. On the one hand, certain aspects about being an elite athlete and training for running can potentially increase the possibility of being diagnosed with depression. The flip side to it is that running can also help to alleviate symptoms of depression through the secretion of endorphins. Attempting to compete at an elite level whilst suffering from depression can be extremely difficult and often people are too afraid to seek help for fear of stigma and various other reasons. It is vital that athletes and coaches work together to facilitate an environment that encourages athletes to speak up if they are struggling. Depression is a horrible experience and in some cases can result in lives being lost.

Approximately 25% of athletes are said to suffer from depression throughout their life time. They are also less likely to report it than the rest of the general population. There are a variety of reasons for this. Firstly, there is enormous pressure for athletes to appear as tough and ‘invincible’ as possible in order to not show vulnerability to other competitors. This can prevent athletes from reaching out for fear of appearing ‘weak’. In addition the constant pressure to perform from both internal and external sources can cause depression. As an athlete, when I was competing I used to place enormous pressure on myself to succeed. This led to increased anxiety and stress and would also cause me to be extremely upset if I did not reach the goals I had set for myself. I also always had a strong desire to please my coaches and family and perform up to their expectations. This pressure that athletes place on themselves can lead to extra stress that can result in depression. Furthermore, injuries and rehabilitation are a further stressor that can be attributed to higher rates of depression amongst athletes. Injuries are devastating for any athlete and rehabilitation is an exhaustingly long process. I had a period of a time stretching over a year in which I was constantly injured every few months. The devastation each time, coupled with crushed hopes, expectations and fear over being unable to perform for myself and my coaches was very difficult to deal with. In addition, as athletes most of our identity is based around running. Therefore, when we get injured, this can lead us to be unsure of who we are without the sport, further contributing to mental stress. Athletes who are retired can often feel like they have nothing left to live for and suffer from identity crises because they do not know who they are without running. Successful and decorated athletes can also sometimes think that they have no reason to be depressed and therefore not seek help. The fact is that depression does not always have to be caused by a particular reason. As stated earlier, mental illness does not discriminate. It is essential that within athletics a culture is created which actively encourages seeking help to deal with mental issues. All of these factors combined which are unique experiences faced by athletes can account for high depression rates.

Being an elite athlete and suffering from depression at the same time can make it excruciatingly difficult to train and race. Depression leads to a severe lack in energy and motivation which can make it difficult for even the most dedicated runners to get out of bed and go and train. The feelings of helplessness and despair associated with depression can make many elite athletes wish to give up because the idea of being able to compete at a high level can seem like an impossibly daunting task. Also, depressed people often experience strong emotions such as anger and sadness which can make it difficult to train. When I was suffering from depression and attempting to train, there would be many runs where I would break down crying and not be able to continue. These uncontrollable emotions can make it difficult to train and compete, especially at a desired level. Finally, depression often results in people engaging in reckless behaviour, e.g. drinking excessive alcohol or consuming drugs. All these factors combined make it very difficult for depressed athletes to train and compete, especially at the level they usually do. For some athletes, this may mean that taking a break from training and recovering fully before returning to competition. For others, they may try and push through training as best as they can until they feel better and are able to train and compete at previous levels.

On the flip side, running is an activity which can help athletes and other people suffering from depression to alleviate their symptoms. Running releases endorphins which creates the infamous ‘runners high’. This can help people suffering from depression to get a release from their pain. In addition, being able to get outside and go for a run can be seen as an accomplishment. People suffering from depression often struggle to simply get out of bed in the morning so going for a run can help them feel motivated and productive. Running can also be seen as a form of temporary escape from depression. It can help you to clear your mind for a short period of time and getting outside in the fresh air and being surrounded by nature can also help. Running also helps to keep you in shape which can increase self-confidence; something that depressed people often lack. Although running provides many benefits for those suffering from depression, it is important to remember that it is not a cure. Professional help still needs to be sought in order to complete alleviate it.

Depression amongst athletes is a serious problem which needs to be addressed in better ways. It is important for athletes and their support systems including coaches, family and friends to encourage a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to reach out and seek help. This will help to alleviate the number of athletes suffering from depression and could also reduce the number of athletes who commit suicide.

END

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A Column By Amity Delaney

As athletes, our love for running and our desire to succeed can often cause us to keep pushing our body and training when we should perhaps be taking a break to let our bodies and minds properly recover. Although hard training is important, it is also equally as important to ensure that you take adequate breaks in order to aide recovery. Doing this can actually help improve performance in the long term.

Physical Benefits

Contrary to what we might think, taking time off from training can actually have physical benefits for the body. This is particularly the case when you are sick. I know I am guilty of training and pushing myself through a cold and actually prolonging my symptoms. Our desire to run and our fear that if we take any time off that our competitors will gain an advantage over us stops us from taking a break and allowing our body to heal. While some cold symptoms such as a runny nose do not require you to take time off training, symptoms that are below the neck, e.g. a chesty coughs and body aches require a break from training. Taking a break whilst you’re experiencing this allows your body to recover quicker. Trying to train through will just increase the severity and length of the cold, worsening your fitness in the long run. Even with minor cold symptoms, training through can turn a minor cold into a more serious condition such as bronchitis which will be detrimental to your training and fitness into the future. If you are sick you need time to recover just like any muscular or bone injuries do. The trick is to listen to your body. If you are not feeling well enough then don’t train – it is not worth the risk.

Taking time off is also necessary when you are injured or have any niggles. I know I have made the mistake of both training and even racing through what I thought was a niggle, only for it to escalate into a full-blown injury that forced me to take a number of weeks off. My fear of falling behind and my desire and ambition to keep training actually made my condition worse and negatively affected my fitness levels. Although taking time off and/or slowing down training until your condition improves can be frustrating for runners, it is worth it in the long run. If you feel a niggle or injury coming on, it is important to listen to your body and stop. Go and get it checked out and clear yourself of any problems before you start working again. Although this can be disheartening, it is better to take a small amount of time off and clear the injury early rather than overuse it and risk causing extensive damage.

Taking breaks is also just an important and necessary part of a weekly training schedule, even if you are feeling 100% fit and healthy. Recovery is important to help prevent injuries and allow your body to recover as this will allow you to perform at your best. With my training, I usually take one day off running to allow my body to relax and prepare myself for the next week ahead. I find this results in my muscles not being as sore which allows me to push myself through my next week of running. If you feel you must get some work in then another way to do it is to complete a smaller and easier run instead of taking a day off. That way, you still get to run like you want but you will not push your body too hard so that it does not have adequate time to recover. It is also important to take at least one 3-4 week break off per year because it takes a long period of time for your muscles to truly recover. Obviously it is desirable to do this during a down-time in which you are not racing all the time, rather than in peak racing season. Overall, taking breaks can allow your body to recover which prevents injuries, allowing you to train harder and faster for longer periods of time. This allows you to perform at your maximum capacity.

Mental Benefits

Although as athletes we adore running and enjoy training, there are some times when our motivation can wane. I know there have been several points during my running career where I have been stuck in a mental rut and have had no motivation to compete or race. As a result, my performance suffered heavily. Despite the fact that we want to be performing at peak levels, there are times when the monotony of training and/or other life issues can drag us down. It is at this point in time where taking a break can truly make a difference. We worry so much about taking time off because we are so afraid of falling behind and our racing performance decreasing that we fail to see the long-term mental benefits of taking a break. Take some time to do things that you enjoy and don’t normally do whilst running. Allow yourself to relax and stop thinking about running all the time. If you desire it, do other forms of exercise such as swimming or bike riding to provide some variety to your training. From personal experience, taking a break while I had lower levels of motivation allowed me to perform better in the long run. I returned energised and focused and ready to compete and actually ended up recording some personal bests even though I had only been back training for a month. As many people say, distance running is a highly mental sport so if you are not 100% motivated and focused, your performance can suffer greatly. Therefore, taking a break from training can help improve your mental health and motivation and ultimately improve your performance in the long run.

As athletes ‘taking a break’ is not a phrase we want to hear. We are so motivated and focused on our goals and we love running so much that taking any time off is disheartening. However, taking breaks from training every now and then when it is required can have significant physical and mental benefits which can improve performance in the long run.

END

Some more top articles by Amity Delaney bellow.

The post The Importance of Taking Breaks from Training appeared first on Runner's Tribe.

As a former competitive athlete, when I would step up onto the starting line of the race, I knew that I had trained hard and prepared as best as I could. As an athlete, I also assumed that everyone else was in the same boat. However, with nearly half of the Women’s 1500m London Olympics 2012 field now being found guily of doping after the recent positive drug tests of athletes Gamze Bulut and Abeba Aregawi, this proves that that assumption is not always a reality. Doping has many impacts not only on the athletes who administer the drugs, but also the clean athletes who compete against them. Doping also has ethical and legal implications related to the culture of running as a sport and how athletes who are busted for positive drug tests should be punished.

As a clean athlete, a culture of doping in athletics can be demoralising. Clean athletes can feel like they will never be able to win if they are constantly competing against athletes who have an illegal advantage. This can create feelings of doubt within athletes that might even lead to them giving up and quitting the sport. This can also discourage people from entering the sport if they feel that they will not be able to be successful. With a number of Olympic medallists being banned for doping, this can cause athletes who are clean to feel compelled to start doping as they feel that is the only way they will be able to compete on the same level. Imagine stepping up to the start line of an Olympic race, having worked and trained as hard as you can for years, only to discover afterwards that almost half of the athletes you competed against had an unfair advantage. This can be disheartening for many athletes.

Due to the ambition of athletes and the enormous pressure to succeed, many runners may be compelled to use illegal doping methods in order to gain an advantage over their opponents. Doping methods can have disastrous effects on an athlete’s health. Administering EPO thickens the blood which can lead to serious health risks such as heart disease or stroke. Misusing EPO to gain an advantage can also result in autoimmune diseases which can pose severe health problems for athletes. Blood transfusions can lead to an increased risk of contracting infectious diseases such as hepatitis. The pressure for athletes to succeed and the proliferation of doping in athletics, can encourage athletes to use these doping techniques that can have serious consequences for their wellbeing.

With a growing number of athletes being busted for positive drug tests, this raises debate over the punishment for athletes and athletic federations. What is the correct punishment for athletes who have been found guilty of doping? Should they be banned for life after one offense, or should they be given a warning and monitored for any future offences? Many clean athletes, including myself would argue for a zero tolerance policy against doping and demand that athletes should be banned after one offense. Others may argue that one offense should not ruin an athlete’s ability to compete for life and instead, focus should be on rehabilitation and education to ensure they do not do it again.

Questions also arise over who is responsible when an athlete tests positive for an illegal substance. Should the athlete immediately be blamed, or should the blame be placed on the doctor who administered the substance to the athlete? Was the athlete just doing what he or she was told, or was the athlete a knowing participant? There have also been cases where entire athletic federations have been found guilty of helping to facilitate a culture of doping amongst athletes by prescribing them banned substances. All these questions and situations make it difficult to accurately implement legal ramifications for the people and institutions that participate in doping activities.

Overall, doping negatively hurts athletics in many different ways. As an athlete myself, doping particularly hits close to home. It creates a culture that encourages cheating which can demoralise athletes who are clean. Athletes can feel a sense of despair that they will never be good enough and then a sense of desperation which can encourage them to join those athletes who dope. Either way it is a significant problem that is likely to plague the sport for many years to come. Let’s hope a workable solution can be achieved before too long.

END

Watch the Women’s 1500m Final – Full Replay | London 2012 Olympics here

The post The Impact of Doping in Our Sport | A Column by Amity Delaney appeared first on Runner's Tribe.

By Amity Delaney (c) Runner’s Tribe

Being offered a college scholarship to travel abroad is a dream for many athletes. I myself completed three semesters on a college scholarship for athletics and cross country at McNeese State University in Louisiana. Travelling abroad on a college scholarship offers many benefits and opportunities for athletes; however, there are also some cons that need to be taken into consideration.

Pros:

1. Meeting new people

Studying abroad on a scholarship means that you get to meet an amazing array of new people that you would not probably have met if you studied in your home country. Most athletes who study abroad begin by living on campus which allows you to meet lots of new people in your dorms. Also, attending classes and different university events will allow you to meet even more people. These friendships are often eye-opening because they allow you to form bonds with people who are from a different culture and country than you are. In addition, the friendships that you form in your sports team can be some of the most rewarding, close and long lasting. This is because you spend every day with them training, travelling to competitions and competing together. I met some of the most wonderful people from all over the world while I was studying in the US and I still keep in contact with them to this day.

2. Excellent Racing Opportunities

The racing opportunities that are available to you on a college scholarship overseas are unique and challenging. A college scholarship overseas allows you to compete in a variety of different races and conditions that you would not experience in your home town. These different conditions may be different locations, weather conditions or different surfaces. Also, a college scholarship abroad allows you to compete against phenomenal athletes in a different country that you may have never competed against before. This tests you as an athlete and improves your ability to race well and adapt to different environments which will assist you in the long run. It was an eye opening experience for me competing in the US as I raced in numerous different states, across different terrains and against very large and competitive fields. Furthermore, racing overseas on a scholarship is different to racing at home as the main focus is on ensuring that the team as a whole is doing well. This is different from racing at home as often athletes compete individually and are motivated to perform for their own personal gain. Competing overseas switches your mindset and makes you want to compete well for the good of the team as a whole rather than just yourself. Overall, these different racing opportunities help you to grow as an athlete.

3. Living and Experiencing Another Culture

Studying abroad on a college scholarship gives you an opportunity to live in a different country and experience a culture and lifestyle that is completely different from your own. On my scholarship, I was in Louisiana in the US which was a very different environment from Sydney, Australia. It is a very eye-opening experience to be able to learn to live the way other people do. It allows you to view the world and people from a different perspective.

4. Scholarship Perks

As a college athlete on a scholarship, you get to participate in the sport you love and study the degree you want with all accommodation, meals and education paid for. Also, as part of the track team, there are trainers provided for you to help detect and manage any injuries or niggles. MRI’s, x-rays and other scans and tests are covered by the university health insurance. Additionally, as a college athlete you are given free running gear and shoes from the university track team. All of these things are beneficial financially and allow you to avoid debts.

5. Become More Independent

Studying abroad on a scholarship means that you have to live by yourself in a country that you may have never been in before. It forces you to adapt and become more independent and to take care of yourself. Living alone by myself overseas helped me to transition into adulthood and learn basic things to help take care of myself, e.g. washing. It teaches you time management skills and discipline as you have no one else to rely on but yourself to get to classes and training on time and to complete and hand in your university work. Learning this kind of independence and skills are beneficial in the long run for when you return home.

Cons

1. Homesickness

Moving to another country and living by yourself without any of your friends or family around can cause feelings of homesickness. It is hard to adjust to being in a different place with new people and this can cause you to miss home. Feelings of homesickness can be overwhelming at times and can cause anxiety, feelings of sadness and can make it difficult to focus on life overseas. I alleviated my homesickness by maintaining constant contact with friends and family via social media, focusing on and enjoying my life in America and coming back to Australia for holidays.

2. Loneliness

Moving overseas to study on a college scholarship can be very lonesome, especially in the first few months after you arrive. This is because you are the new kid on the block and do not know anyone and also, you are in a completely different environment from what you are used to. Studying abroad also means that you are separated from family and friends back home which can also contribute to feelings of loneliness. Although this loneliness can be overwhelming to begin with, it will improve over time as you begin to establish relationships with new people and begin to familiarise yourself with your new environment.

3. Limited Working Opportunities

Athletes who go overseas to obtain their education will be provided with a student visa. This visa limits your ability to work on campus and only for up to twenty hours a week. In addition, being a college athlete generates a busy schedule which does not allow much left over time to be able to work. This means that many college athletes can be limited in the amount of money they can earn while studying overseas.

4. Adapting to a new Environment

Studying abroad on a college scholarship means that you begin a new life in an environment that is completely different from the one you usually live in. Adjusting to this new environment can be challenging and contribute to feelings of homesickness and loneliness as mentioned earlier. Also, a new environment means that the culture will be different which can be a challenge to get used to. Although adapting to a new environment and culture is difficult in the beginning, eventually you will get used to the new environment and culture and come to appreciate and enjoy it.

Although there are some cons to leaving your home country to study abroad on a scholarship, the people that you meet, the racing opportunities you get and the memories you make are unforgettable.

Amity Delaney

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