<p>The 2019 World Trail Running Championships silver medallist Ruth Croft is among the very best in her craft. Here the 32-year-old New Zealander offers her top tips for the trail running beginner.</p>
<h3>Wear the correct footwear</h3>
<p>The trails can present a multitude of varying terrains, making the choice of footwear critical, according to Croft.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Make sure you select a shoe with the right traction and for the longer races having the right support is important, because there is an increased chance of picking up blisters,&rdquo; she says.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If the race includes slippery rock underfoot, make sure you wear shoes with a good grip. On more technical terrain select footwear with bigger lugs but on smoother trails chose shoes with smaller lugs. Depending on the terrain and length of the race you may also be able to get away with wearing racing flats.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Be prepared</h3>
<p>The demands of running the trails can present varying challenges compared to road races. Conditions and terrain can change markedly, meaning selecting the right equipment is of the utmost importance.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Make sure you invest in a good hydration pack, so it doesn&rsquo;t bounce around. Many races require compulsory equipment and it is always good to invest in a waterproof seam-sealed jacket, waterproof pants, survival blanket, a hat and gloves.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Croft also explains how various trail races can serve up extremes in weather conditions and it is important pre-race to become accustomed with what you might face.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Whether it is a race run in freezing temperatures or in the heat, make sure you are acclimatised to the conditions, which will help you massively on the day.&rdquo;</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/84815766-b489-4cb0-b857-5cff0ef2fda8.jpeg" alt="" width="950" height="713" /><br /><em>World Trail Running Championships women's podium, from left: runner-up Ruth Croft, winner Blandine L&rsquo;Hirondel and third place finisher Sheila Aviles&nbsp;(&copy;&nbsp;Mayayo-Carrerasdemontana.com)</em></p>
<h3>Don&rsquo;t step up the distance too quickly</h3>
<p>In the early days of a trail runner&rsquo;s career, Croft insists the temptation is to quickly move up the distance but she suggests a more cautious approach.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Many people will first step into trail running a distance of around 20km and the next minute many will want to run 100km,&rdquo; she explains.</p>
<p>&ldquo;However, a more gradual approach is better. Remember, a 20km trail race can take longer than 20km on the roads. There are many more factors that come into play when running over longer distances such as weather conditions, terrain, gear and nutrition. After running 20km get used to running 50km and then slowly step up to 75km or 80km. Don&rsquo;t bite off more than you can chew.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Also, in the trail running world there is a lot of hype around running 100 miles. I got caught up in that hype, but when I stepped up to that distance I found I didn&rsquo;t enjoy it, so I stepped back down to races in the 50km range.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Practise on the terrain</h3>
<p>Getting familiar with the terrain you plan to race on can enhance co-ordination and technical running skill.&nbsp;</p>
<p>However, one area Croft believes is often overlooked is running downhill in training.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A lot of emphasis is on running uphill in training yet many beginners don&rsquo;t have much confidence running downhill and this is a skill which should be practised, too.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I understand running downhill can be tricky because there is an injury risk but to learn to run properly downhill can help avoid any accidents. There are many YouTube videos to check out how to run downhill more efficiently.&rdquo;</p>
<h3>Nutrition</h3>
<p>The extra distance of trail races compared to many road races means a careful approach to nutrition is vital, according to the New Zealand endurance athlete.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Taking a very general approach, I&rsquo;d suggest eating and drinking something every hour,&rdquo; adds Croft. &ldquo;Although, the amount will depend on the type and length of event you are racing.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Remember, practise your nutrition. Try different approaches using gels and solid foods to see what works, but no size fits all.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for World Athletics</strong></p>

The 2019 World Trail Running Championships silver medallist Ruth Croft is among the very best in her craft. Here the 32-year-old New Zealander offers her top tips for the trail running beginner.

World medallist Croft's top trail running tips

<p><img style="width: 200px; height: 200px; border-radius: 50%; margin-left: 20px;" src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Square/7292fdae-0010-44ce-8de7-2801e19fad78.jpg?cachebuster=36d9895b-365f-4c7a-b5f8-6f082ae4b35f" alt="Mara Yamauchi" align="right" />Of all the injuries that are common in distance running, plantar fasciitis may be the most frustrating and debilitating.</p>
<p>A disorder of the plantar fascia &ndash; the thick connective tissue along the bottom of the foot &ndash; it often manifests as heel pain and is usually worst with the first few steps out of bed in the morning. It is frustrating because it often starts gradually, and your feet are the hardest part of your body to rest because staying off them disrupts daily life.</p>
<p>The pain is often relieved with warming up and exercise, so it frequently goes away while running. This can make you think the injury is less serious than it is, leading to more running on it which might make it worse. Like all tendon injuries, finding what makes it recover can be hit-and-miss, and can take time.</p>
<p>While training and competing as an elite athlete, I had plantar fasciitis several times. Sometimes it cleared up quickly; at other times it took many months. The positive outcome from this experience was that I learned a lot about treating, curing, and preventing it.</p>
<p>My top tips for managing plantar fasciitis are below. I am not a qualified practitioner, so always seek professional help if necessary. My tips are based on my experience of having it several times, and experimenting with various remedial measures.<br /><br /></p>
<h3>1 Treat acute pain quickly</h3>
<p>If plantar fasciitis is severe, the pain can be acute to the point of not being able to put your foot down. In these circumstances, I always iced it to reduce inflammation, and rested it as much as possible. I also used silicon heel cups in my shoes to cushion the painful area. The best form of icing I found was creating a barrel of ice by freezing water in a small bottle, and then rolling my foot over it.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6071a213432f06ebf86a2940.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="713" /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6071a242432f06ebf86a2943.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="677" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h3>2 Load tendons</h3>
<p>Like all tendons, the plantar fascia needs loading with specific exercises to stimulate repair. I was often prescribed eccentric exercises &ndash; loading the tendon while stretching it. An example of this is the downward movement of calf raises; I did these slowly and with extra weight to add resistance. I was also given isometric exercises &ndash; loading the tendon while keeping it still. I used a leg press machine in the gym for this, holding the plate with my forefoot for six seconds before switching sides, and repeating for several minutes.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/601e6169b16d67be0f845a2a.JPG" alt="" width="950" height="713" /></p>
<h3><br />3 Rear chain conditioning</h3>
<p>This sounds technical but it is simple. Rear chain refers to the muscles on the back of your legs which work together in a chain &ndash; calves, hamstrings and glutes. Excessive stiffness in these muscle groups led to plantar fasciitis for me at least once. Therefore, I made sure to keep all these muscles well-conditioned through stretches, strength &amp; conditioning and massage. I also used a night splint to keep my calves stretched over night. Sleeping with a night splint takes a little time to get used to, but it drastically reduces morning heel pain.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6071a1cc432f06ebf86a293d.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="698" /></p>
<h3><br />4 Look elsewhere for causes</h3>
<p>It is easy to assume the cause of plantar fasciitis is in your feet since that is where the pain is. But injuries can easily arise because of dysfunction elsewhere. Glutes are always top of my list for possible causes of injuries because our modern lifestyles don&rsquo;t help our glutes to work well. My right glutes have always been lazy and contributed to plantar fasciitis. So keeping them strong and activating well is essential.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/601e60997a0df311165daccd.JPG" alt="" width="950" height="713" /></p>
<h3><br />5 Work at prevention</h3>
<p>Avoiding the frustration of plantar fasciitis is always worth the effort. This means well-fitting footwear, for running and everyday wear. Be vigilant about sandals in summer and other very flat shoes. Keeping your feet robust and well-conditioned is a must. My article on foot and lower limb care has useful tips on how to do this. Foot massage with, for example, a golf ball, can help to reduce stiffness and improve mobility in your feet.</p>
<p><img src="https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/Original/99743922-84e8-4e7d-9d0c-f5cbce982739.jpg" alt="" width="950" height="680" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>These relatively simple measures can work wonders to fix the dreaded plantar fasciitis. Sometimes, more specialist treatment may be necessary, such as shock wave therapy, an injection or even surgery. In my experience, the tips above can go a long way to curing and preventing it without the need for medical treatment.</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

Of all the injuries that are common in distance running, plantar fasciitis may be the most frustrating and debilitating.

Five tips for coping with plantar fasciitis

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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Hungarian 1500m champion Istvan&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Szogi</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;set a national indoor record of 3:37.55&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">en</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;route to victory in Vienna in January. But it was actually the sport of competitive kayaking which sowed the early seed</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">s</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;of the 25-year-old&rsquo;s future running success.</span></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"I grew up around kayaking from the age of five," he explains. "My mother,&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Magdolma</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">, represented the national team in the sport and my four older siblings also kayaked</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">,</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto"> so I guess it was inevitable that I too would start the sport.</span></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"I also played football, basketball, handball and did track and field at elementary school but my main focus was kayaking &ndash; a big sport in Hungary, where we achieve lots of success at the Olympic level."</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/605c5997a71aa90e49f126f9.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="552" /><br /></span><em><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Istvan Szogi believes his start in kayaking helped his future running career<br /><br /></span></em></p>
<h3><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Starting out</span></h3>
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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"I first competed from the age of six or seven, although back then I just enjoyed practise and I remember going out&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">for</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;warm-up runs happy to talk the other kayakers at the back,"&nbsp;</span>Szogi adds.</p>
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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"It was only from the age of about eight or nine when I started to become more serious and competitive about the sport.</span>&nbsp;</p>
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<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"As I was still quite young there was little opportunity to compete internationally but I was competing in national events and made the podium on a number of occasions. I enjoyed the longer races&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">from distances of&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">4km to 10km and the competitions were typically on a lake.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</p>
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<div>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"I really enjoyed being out on the water, competing with others and having fun. I always loved competition and&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">pushing my limits &ndash; especially as my older siblings also competed as well."</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto"><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/605c5926a71aa90e49f126f6.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="596" /><br /><em>Istvan Szogi on the podium during his days as a junior kayaker<br /></em><br /></span></p>
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<h3><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">A sporting switch</span></h3>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"I quit kayaking to focus on running at the age of 13," he says. "The reason why I made that decision was I was so skinny and short compared to the other guys who were so tall and big. I thought: 'I just can&rsquo;t compete with these bigger athletes!'</span>&nbsp;</p>
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<div>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"By that point, I was also enjoying quite a lot of success as a runner. My mum always encouraged me to compete in road races and I often placed in the top three for my age-group.</span>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"But a key moment for me came when I finished second in a local cross country. I remember I beat all of the older guys except one.&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Th</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">e</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">coach of the local club</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;spoke to me after the race and asked if I wanted to compete for their track club because&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">he thought I could be</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">&nbsp;very good.&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">His name was Ferenc&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Reichnach</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">, a former 1:46 800m runner, who became my first coach.</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"Looking back, I think kayaking set me up well in many ways for my future career in running. The discipline, determination and competitiveness in kayaking were all important elements I took away from my time in the sport. Meanwhile, training almost every day from the age of five gave me a great overall conditioning. I feel this gives me a little edge on other athletes who perhaps only started training at the age of 15.&nbsp;</span>&nbsp;</p>
</div>
<div>
<p><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">"E</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">ven when training for kayak we ran most days. We&rsquo;d often warm up with a run or on a weekend go for a longer run and I think this definitely helped my overall fitness</span><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">."</span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p><strong><span lang="EN-AU" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Steve Landells for World Athletics</span>&nbsp;</strong></p>
</div>

Hungarian 1500m champion Istvan Szogi set a national indoor record of 3:37.55 en route to victory in Vienna in January. But it was actually the sport of competitive kayaking which sowed the early seeds of the 25-year-old’s future running success.

Szogi's journey - from kayaking to running

<p>Italian 400m record-holder Davide Re is also currently pursuing a medical degree. So who better to ask for advice on post-workout rest and recovery?</p>
<h2>Nutrition<br /><br /></h2>
<p>Taking on board the right nutritional intake after an intense workout is critical. Following an intense workout we create microtraumas in our body which need to be repaired. After an intense effort our muscles require energy (carbohydrates) to be able to initiate these repairs of the damaged tissue (muscle/protein). So, with this in mind carbohydrates and protein are vital to repairing the microtrauma. To also aid this process,&nbsp; nitrates and antioxidants can also be useful.</p>
<p>In general, proper nutrition not only significantly accelerate recovery but also the storage of glycogen&nbsp; within the muscle itself. We have to be careful about what we eat but in terms of sugars and carbs, fruit and bread is fine. However, after training it may be more practical to eat a sandwich. For proteins, I would consume foods with a high biological value such as red meat, eggs or dairy products.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6040b1424a7e98b2c8bfcba4.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<h2>Hydration<br /><br /></h2>
<p>For general well-being hydration is essential for multiple reasons. However, certainly before a workout hydration specifically helps the prevention of muscle cramps as water is an essential component of the muscle contraction and release cycle. After a training session/workout it becomes particularly important, because it facilitates the breakdown into amino acids and absorption. Furthermore, the waste products of protein metabolism increase diuresis, so drinking also becomes important to maintain the correct amount of hydration.</p>
<p>It is fine to drink plain water, but if you sweat a lot I would recommended fluids with salt replacement properties. Also, it is better to drink consistently rather than draining a full bottle in one go. The human body absorbs around 200-300ml at a time, the rest goes into the urinary tract or stays in the digestive tract. Some 20-30 minutes after training, however, I will drink at least half a litre of water.</p>
<h2>Adequate rest<br /><br /></h2>
<p>Getting the right amount of sleep is very important because it is sleep that enables the body to recover from the day. In the so-called REM sleep, there is a total relaxation of the muscles and a reset of the nervous system. Stages three and four are the deepest in which you "cannot" be awakened and also contribute significantly to the recovery of energy expended during the day.</p>
<p>The recommended number of hours for sleep is around eight hours a day. There are some interesting studies that show that with the same calories and training those who sleep eight to nine hours a night develop more lean mass and less fat than those who sleep five or six hours per night, which seems a contradiction. It would be logical to think that if I stay awake for longer I would consume more calories. In reality, the alteration of the cicardian rhythms and the lack of sleep probably leads to hormonal imbalances that cause among other things the accumulation of lipids (fats). I consider myself very lucky. I typically sleep very well and without the need for special rituals.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/6040b05f051849cecc223c71.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
<h2>Massage and jogging<br /><br /></h2>
<p>The most important means to help the muscles recover from a workout remain adequate rest and proper nutrition/supplementation. However, a muscle cooldown that can be achieved either through massage or jogging can help this process.&nbsp; Note, there is no great scientific evidence that massage immediately after training can help recovery, the concept behind this would be to vascularise the muscles by increasing the supply of blood and nutrients, and eliminating the metabolites produced with effort.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>But at the end of the workout the muscles are already extremely vascularised, so massage then is not so effective and could even increase the inflammatory state further.&nbsp; It would be better to leave the massage for at least a few hours to make the most of it.</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for World Athletics</strong></p>

Italian 400m record-holder Davide Re is also pursuing a medical degree. So who better to ask for advice on post-workout rest and recovery?

Davide Re’s rest and recovery tips

The Italian 400m record-holder is also currently pursuing a medical degree. So who better to ask for advice on post-workout rest and recovery?

<p>Strength and conditioning (S&amp;C) is useful for endurance runners of all abilities, for two main reasons.&nbsp;</p>
<p>First, your body needs to be strong and robust enough to withstand the running you ask of it. If it is not, then the risk of injury may increase. Strength and robustness are relative to the amount of running &ndash; the more running you want to do, the stronger you need to be.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Second, it should help you to run more efficiently, and therefore faster. If your muscles function as they should, your performance should improve. The human body is incredibly adaptable. If certain muscles or muscle groups are not fit for purpose, but you want to run, other muscles will take the load.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/601e60c17a0df311165dacd0.JPG" alt="Front plank" width="100%" /></p>
<h6 style="text-align: right;"><em>Front plank<br /><br /></em></h6>
<p>Therefore, many of us can and do run, even while not using our muscles in the most efficient way. Even a little S&amp;C can bring worthwhile gains. And as we age, the need for S&amp;C becomes even greater, as we begin to naturally lose muscle mass.&nbsp;</p>
<p>In my article <a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/news/performance/mara-yamauchi-guide-be-your-own-coach"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Be your own coach</strong></span></a>, I explained some key principles which will enable you to create your own running programme. Today, I will do the same for S&amp;C. With a little understanding of why and how, you can be your own coach on S&amp;C, too. I am not a qualified S&amp;C coach, but the principles that follow are based on what I learned as an elite athlete.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>How much?</strong> If you are new to S&amp;C, I recommend two sessions of about 30 minutes per week as a good starting point. This is often enough to make some gains, while keeping the load manageable. From there, you can build up to three times per week or two longer sessions, eg 40-45 minutes. An alternative is to do a very short session, eg 10 minutes, immediately before every or most runs. The benefit of this is activating muscles so they are ready to use while running. You could also try a combination of the two.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>What?</strong> There is a limitless array of exercises you could do. I narrow it down by focusing on the muscle groups which are most important for endurance running. For me, that means glutes, hamstrings, calves and core. Of course, we use other muscle groups in running too, but it is a question of prioritising. Another way to choose exercises is to ask yourself how specific to running any given exercise is. For example, calf raises are more specific to running than chin pull-ups.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>How hard?</strong> A good rule of thumb is to work a particular muscle group, on a particular exercise, until you reach 8-9 out of 10 of exhaustion. This will ensure you stimulate adaptation, while not over-working the muscles and risking injury or excessive stiffness. The stronger you become, the more you will have to do to reach 8-9 out of 10. For example, you might start with 2 sets of 10 repetitions, but as you improve you might have to do 2 sets of 15, or 3 sets of 10. Load can be increased by numbers of repetitions, increasing resistance, or altering an exercise to make it harder, eg switching from double leg squats to single leg squats.</p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/601e60997a0df311165daccd.JPG" alt="Glute bridge with band" width="100%" /></p>
<p><strong>Strength and recruitment.</strong> Muscles have two main features which determine how well they function &ndash; their overall strength, and how effectively your brain can recruit or activate them on demand. Both are important. A very strong muscle group is not much use to you if your brain cannot effectively recruit it when required. If your brain has been struggling to recruit a particular muscle group for a while, it is worth spending time really concentrating on activating it.</p>
<p><strong>Warm-up and cool-down. </strong>These are absolutely vital. A good warm-up with help to prevent injuries and ensure good muscle function while doing S&amp;C. A thorough cool-down is essential to prevent excessive stiffness in the days after your S&amp;C.&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Write it down.</strong> Drawing up a menu and noting down what you do in each session is a useful way to record your efforts and monitor progress. Changing your menu frequently, eg every 4-6 weeks, is a positive way to keep it interesting and varied.</p>
<p><strong>How difficult?</strong> Sound technique is important in S&amp;C, so it&rsquo;s better to start with relatively simple exercises and perform them well, rather than aim too high and struggle with technique. As you improve, you can progress to more complex or demanding exercises.</p>
<p><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/601e60647a0df311165dacca.jpg" alt="Hamstring lean" width="75%" /></p>
<p><strong><br />Which exercises?</strong> Here are a few examples for each muscle group mentioned above.&nbsp;</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Glutes</strong>: lunges (forward, backwards, sideways), squats (double leg, single leg), glute bridges (double leg, single leg), clam, airplanes.</li>
<li><strong>Hamstrings</strong>: hamstring leans, single leg Romanian dead lifts, glute bridges (with feet further away from body).&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Calves</strong>: calf raises (double leg, single leg, with straight legs, with knees slightly bent).&nbsp;</li>
<li><strong>Core</strong>: planks (front, side), superman. There is a huge variety of exercises to choose from, and videos online showing good technique. But I hope this gives you a few key pointers to make a start with an S&amp;C programme.</li>
</ul>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

Strength and conditioning (S&C) tips and exercises for endurance runners of all abilities by British marathoner and Olympian Mara Yamauchi.

Strength & conditioning for beginners 

Strength and conditioning (S&C) is useful for endurance runners of all abilities, for two main reasons. 

<p>Happy New Year!&nbsp;</p>
<p>The start of a brand new year is often a time of fresh beginnings, setting goals and new year&rsquo;s resolutions. If you are looking to refresh your running routine, I have a quick and fun conditioning routine that you might want to try &ndash; running drills on sand. This short session includes a variety of exercises which are all useful for runners. It starts with working your feet and lower limbs, then builds into more dynamic, full-body exercises.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Why use sand?&nbsp;</h3>
<p>When we think about running and sand, there is a tendency to think immediately of simply running on sand, for example using a beach to do a steady run, intervals, or even hills on sand dunes. But sand is also an excellent surface for drills. The softer surface means your tissues will have to work harder; uneven sand makes it more challenging to keep your balance; and, if you exercise in bare feet, you will stimulate good <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/proprioception#:~:text=Proprioception%20(or%20kinesthesia)%20is%20the,force%20(Jones%2C%202000)." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">proprioception</span></a> in your feet as your skin touches the sand.&nbsp;</p>
<center>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/5ff983f2b34f40b8becd60ea.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
</center>
<p>Naturally, it is more difficult to be springy on sand compared to a hard surface, so save any drills that demand bounce and quick ground contact for other surfaces. This session does not need a large area, so if you are not near the seaside, the long jump pit at your local track or any small area of sand are just as good.</p>
<p>This session is best performed in bare feet. But that means safety is everything, so it&rsquo;s vital to check the sand for any debris before starting. Wet sand and dry sand offer very different surfaces if you have that choice, but to be honest either is fine. If the weather is cold, I always opt for dry sand! The distance over which you perform each drill can be flexible. Aim for six to seven out of ten in terms of effort for each drill. If you want to lengthen the session, I recommend doing each exercise once, then repeating the entire set two or three times.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here is my menu for drills on sand:</p>
<p><strong>1.</strong> Scrunch toes: stand still and scrunch, working your arches<br /><strong>2.</strong> Transfer sand: pick up small amounts of sand with your toes and move it&nbsp;<br /><strong>3.</strong> Walk on tip-toes: this really works your calf muscles<br /><strong>4.</strong> Walk on heels: lift your entire foot except your heels off the ground<br /><strong>5.</strong> Roll heel to toe walk: exaggerated rolling walk from heel plant to toe-off<br /><strong>6.</strong> Flick sand forwards: use your feet to dig a little sand with each step<br /><strong>7. </strong>Flick sand backwards: walk backwards, digging sand with each step<br /><strong>8.</strong> Flick sand sideways: walk sideways, flicking sand with leading foot; repeat in other direction<br /><strong>9.</strong> Trot forwards: maximise movement at your ankles<br /><strong>10.</strong> Trot backwards: again use your ankles as much as possible<br /><strong>11.</strong> Trot sideways: as above but sideways; repeat in other direction<br /><strong>12.</strong> Lunge walk: step into a lunge forwards, repeat with every step<br /><strong>13.</strong> Hops: simple hopping forwards, first on right foot, then on left<br /><strong>14.</strong> Bunny hops: two-legged jumps forwards from standing</p>
<p>This is a basic menu which you could add to and develop, for example: one-leg stands with your eyes closed, skipping (for height and distance), bounding, straight-leg running, running with very small &amp; fast steps, running with folding legs underneath you.&nbsp;</p>
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<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/5ff98391b34f40b8becd60e7.jpg" alt="" width="100%" /></p>
</center>
<p>Variety is everything with drills because it challenges your brain-muscle co-ordination in a multitude of ways. If you find any drills much too difficult, it is more useful to focus on drills you can do and work at them. Having access to sand may be hit-and-miss, so this routine can be performed on an ad hoc basis. If you are lucky enough to be near sand, then I suggest trying this session twice a week. Enjoy!</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for Be Active</strong></p>

14 drills for running and training on sand.

14 drills for training on sand

There are numerous benefits from workouts and runs on the much softer surface.

<p>Season&rsquo;s Greetings! The holiday season is fast approaching&hellip; whether you will be celebrating Christmas, the arrival of a new year, or the end of 2020, the opportunity to rest and down tools will be welcome for all of us.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Throughout this pandemic, I have always tried to look for the positives. But let&rsquo;s be honest &ndash; it has been a year like no other, and not in a good way! Thankfully, there is a lot to look forward to in the coming year &ndash; vaccines, seeing our friends and families more, travel&hellip; and the Olympics!</p>
<p>The festive season is truly special in many ways, but it can also be a little stressful. Christmas in the UK is famous for family arguments, excessive drinking, and cold, wintry weather. By the time early January arrives, the return to a normal routine often feels very welcome.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So how best to survive the festive season with a positive mindset? The answer, for me, is definitely&hellip; running!&nbsp;</p>
<p>Training out in the fresh air provides the perfect antidote to Christmas excesses of all kinds, and brings a welcome boost to your physical and mental health. But how do you fit it in, on top of all the holiday traditions and celebrations? Decathlon legend Daley Thompson famously trained even on Christmas day &ndash; what further inspiration do we need? If you&rsquo;re not entirely convinced by running during the festive season, here are my five top tips on how to use running to keep your spirits up during the holidays.&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Run early!&nbsp;<br /><br /></h3>
<p>Even without work to do, somehow the days can fly by during the holiday season, with meals to prepare, gifts to wrap, and relatives to help. Therefore, I always try to run early in the morning, making it the first activity I do for the day. Enjoying some quiet time to yourself by running in early morning light, before the day gets going, sets you up nicely for the day ahead.</p>
<h3>Consume in moderation.&nbsp;<br /><br /></h3>
<p>Eating and drinking feature heavily in holiday season activities. Enjoying special festive foods at this time of year is great &ndash; unless you&rsquo;re trying to keep your weight down for your next marathon! Being surrounded by delicious food can be, well, torment! I adopted the rule of moderation &ndash; to enjoy special treats but in modest amounts, so that I could enjoy seasonal delicacies but without any waistline damage!&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<h3>Let&rsquo;s race!&nbsp;<br /><br /></h3>
<p>The end or start of a year is the perfect time to set down a milestone of your progress by doing a race. Because of the pandemic, races are hard to come by this year, so why not run a time trial instead? A distance like 5km is ideal since it does not take too much out of you, and you can repeat it reasonably often. If you haven&rsquo;t yet tried parkrun, why not give it a try, even if it&rsquo;s a (not) parkrun where suspensions are still in place. World Athletics and parkrun announced a new partnership this year.</p>
<h3>Wrap up warm.&nbsp;<br /><br /></h3>
<p>In the northern hemisphere, winter is well and truly here. But despite the cold, running in winter can be delightful &ndash; frosty crisp mornings, misty sunrises, and silhouetted leafless trees make a run in your local park feel like you&rsquo;ve been transported to a magical, imaginary wonderland. There&rsquo;s no escaping those first few minutes which are very chilly, but once you get going and warmed up, winter running feels invigorating!</p>
<h3>Plan ahead.<br /><br /></h3>
<p>At this time of year, it&rsquo;s easy to focus entirely on the festivities&hellip; and forget that time keeps marching relentlessly on. January will arrive in no time, so why not use the holiday season to plan some running goals, for example a training plan for the next few weeks, a race to look forward to, or a revamp of your nutrition using some process goals. Then you can avoid any sadness when the festivities are over, and press on with your new goals.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>Thank you for reading my recipes and performance articles for World Athletics this year. I wish you a safe, healthy and enjoyable festive season! And happy running!</p>
<p><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics Be Active</strong></p>

The best way to survive the festive season with a positive mindset? Running! 

Five ways to use running to survive the festive season

The best way to get through the festive season with a positive mindset? Running! 

<p>Three-time world half marathon champion and two-time world cross country gold medallist Geoffrey Kamworor is among the finest endurance runners of his generation. During lockdown the Kenyan star began using a treadmill at home and has continued to do so as part of his rehabilitation from a recent injury he suffered after a motorbike knocked him to the ground during an early morning run in June.</p>
<p>Here the two-time New York Marathon winner offers his seven top treadmill training tips.</p>
<h2>Take time to practise </h2>
<p><br />Kamworor urges novice treadmill runners to be patient in order to become accustomed to running on the machine before engaging in any intense sessions.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It takes take time for people to adjust and learn how to run on a treadmill,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;I learned pretty quickly how to do so, but for others it can take a little longer.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Warm up properly</h2>
<p><br />When jumping on the treadmill it should be treated no differently to running outside in that it requires a thorough warm up.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Run slowly at first,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The good thing with a treadmill you can easily set the pace. Maybe start at a walking pace, then slowly increasing the speed to running pace.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Embrace its versatility</h2>
<p><br />Kamworor believes the treadmill can be used for many different types of sessions, from tempo runs to fartlek and even speed sessions. A favourite fartlek session of his is three minutes of fast running at a speed of between 20-22kmph followed by one minute of jogging at 10kmph, then repeated.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;I set the calculations into the machine so 10 seconds before I&rsquo;m scheduled to run at full speed again this allows the machine to gradually adjust to full speed.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Speed sessions</h2>
<p><br />While acknowledging it is a little trickier to replicate track speed sessions on the treadmill he insists it is far from impossible.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is not something easy because it requires a lot of calculations but this is something you can learn over time, and, for me, it works perfectly. Normally, I would train on the track in a group but the treadmill allows me to do the speed session alone if necessary.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Flat gradient</h2>
<p><br />Some treadmill users emphasise the importance of always running at a slight gradient but as many of Kamworor&rsquo;s quicker sessions are run on the flat he prefers to replicate this with a 0.0 % gradient during many of his treadmill sessions.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The option is there, though, to run on a slight incline or decline if you want to,&rdquo; he adds.<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Visualise a route</h2>
<p><br />Kamworor personally prefers not to listen to music when treadmill running, because he likes to stay fully concentrated.</p>
<p>He does, however, suggest to any treadmill runners to visualise a running route when on the treadmill.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Whether you are on a speed session or tempo run it is importance to visualise, even if you are visualising a competition. It is important to think positively about running.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h2>Cool down</h2>
<p><br />Like on any run, Geoffrey says it is important not to neglect the cool down on the treadmill.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is important to reduce the speed to 10kmph or less,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Twenty minutes is a nice cool down time.&rdquo;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for Be Active</strong></p>

Five-time world champion Geoffrey Kamworor offers seven tips for a treadmill workout suitable for beginners, novices and professionals alike.

Geoffrey Kamworor’s seven treadmill training tips

According to the five-time world champion, patience and proper warm-up are key.

<p>KC Lightfoot has emerged from a varied sporting background to become one of the best pole vaulters in the USA. He competed at last year&rsquo;s World Championships in Doha and started 2020 in superb form, setting PBs of 5.83m indoors and 5.82m outdoors.</p>
<p>Here the 21-year-old explains how three different pursuits played a key part in his athletic development.<br /><br /></p>
<h3>Dirt biking</h3>
<p>Growing up in Lee&rsquo;s Summit, Missouri, Lightfoot was introduced to the sport of dirt biking through his father, who himself was a former 4.95m vaulter.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I got my first four-wheeler when I was three years old,&rdquo; recalls Lightfoot. &ldquo;I loved riding; I rode them in the back yard every day and did so for no other reason than it was fun.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At about the age of six or seven, Lightfoot graduated to riding dirt bikes before moving into the competitive side of the sport.</p>
<p>Competing most weekends, the Baylor University student admits he was no superstar racer but he enjoyed the experience and believes several aspects of the racing have aided his vaulting.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I really enjoyed that sense of exhilaration from racing, and the fact you need to be a little bit crazy,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;I guess that is similar to vaulting, particularly that no sense of fear. When you are out there vaulting, you&rsquo;re out there on your own hoping everything works out. It was a similar situation on the dirt bikes. It was possible a lot could go wrong, but it was also a lot of fun.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Each race involved multiple jumps and Lightfoot says this helped develop his spatial awareness skills, a critical component of vaulting.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The bike can be pretty heavy and if you are going to come up short on a jump, you have to quickly be able to recognise that, move your body and quickly manoeuvre the bike around to lessen the pain on landing,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;Spatial awareness is also hugely important in the pole vault because we have to figure out all the moving parts to the jump and adjust accordingly in order to get our body over the bar.&rdquo;</p>
<p>At the age of 13, Lightfoot quit the sport of dirt biking to focus on baseball.<br /><br /></p>
<h3>Baseball</h3>
<p>For much of his schoolyears, Lightfoot was a passionate and enthusiastic baseball player. He performed to a good standard on a travelling summer team, boasting a batting average of .400 and his versatility saw him play a number of positions including short shop, outfield and catcher.</p>
<p>It may not seem as though there are many transferable skills from baseball to pole vault, but Lightfoot says his reflexes were unquestionably sharpened on the baseball diamond and this has helped his vaulting.<br /><br /></p>
<p><img src="https://assets.aws.worldathletics.org/5fd4944084720395ba78f0f4.png" alt="" width="960" height="500" /></p>
<p><br />&ldquo;When batting, you need to make some quick decisions as you are swinging the bat,&rdquo; he explains. &ldquo;As the ball comes towards you, you have to act quickly. In a similar way when vaulting, you have to make quick decisions on the pole to make sure the jump works out.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Lightfoot, who now describes pole vault as his &ldquo;kryptonite&rdquo; for baseball, quit the sport at the age of 15 or 16 to focus on his rising athletics career. But even today he still enjoys baseball.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I like to play catch with my siblings or go to the batting cages and swing the bat,&rdquo; he adds. &ldquo;I would really like to play a game of baseball, and if someone invited me I would play.&rdquo;<br /><br /></p>
<h3>Cliff and bridge jumping</h3>
<p>Another recreational pursuit the US vaulter enjoys is cliff and bridge jumping with friends.</p>
<p>He carries out the daring act at least a couple of times a year and has done so previously in the Ozarks, Arkansas and Utah.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I love to go out with friends and jump in the water and do some back flips, nothing too insane!&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;The highest height I&rsquo;ve jumped off in a cliff in Arkansas at around 85ft.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rather than learning specific skills for pole vaulting through cliff jumping, he reasons the recreational pursuit is &ldquo;more a reflection of my fearlessness and of wanting to embrace an adrenaline rush.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for World Athletics</strong></p>

How three different sports have helped KC Lightfoot become a top pole vaulter

How three different sports helped Lightfoot become a top pole vaulter

The 21-year-old explains how three different pursuits played a key part in his athletic development

<p>Khaddi Sagnia is among the world&rsquo;s finest long jumpers, soaring out to a personal best of 6.92m in 2020. Yet the charismatic 26-year-old Swede has also suffered her fair share of injuries, including ACL tears that required surgery in 2013 and 2019.</p>
<p>In this interview with Be Active, Sagnia reflects on what she learned from those experiences to offer these tips on healing well - advice that can also help recreational athletes hit by injury.</p>
<h2>Emotionally reset</h2>
<p><br />Following the initial blow of sustaining an injury, Sagnia says it is important to quickly re-evaluate why you pursue the sport.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Sometimes athletics is not always fun and you experience difficult moments but what really helped me was reminding myself why I loved the sport. This acts as a motivation in the healing process. Even when facing a setback you can learn and grow.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Be patient and honest</h2>
<p><br />Throughout the injury rehabilitation process, Sagnia says it is critical to be patient and do whatever to takes to return at 100 per cent.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Take your time and try not let things distress you,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;It is important to do the rehab at your own pace and not rush back to competition too soon. You are only fooling yourself if you return back too quickly to competition. You will quickly be exposed.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Work on your weaknesses</h2>
<p><br />As an older, wiser athlete, Sagnia says there are opportunities which should be seized upon even when sidelined from regular training during injury.</p>
<p>&ldquo;You suddenly find you have so much more time than when you are training regularly,&rdquo; she explains. &ldquo;But this gives you the chance to work on perhaps other small issues which have caused the injuries like strengthening the core.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Set little goals</h2>
<p><br />When recovering from a long-term injury, Sagnia insists it is important not to think too far ahead and instead focus on shorter-term targets to aid motivation.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It may be something as simple as setting a goal of walking without the aid of crutches in ten days,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;You need to reset your brain that way. Similarly other targets might include the first time you can run again or the first time you can jump.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>
<h2>Have someone to lean on</h2>
<p><br />Sagnia says a strong support crew of people is also vital in overcoming any injury. Over the years her coach, physio and medical team have all played an important role in the rehabilitation. However, somebody to offer emotional support is also critical &ndash; and Sagnia has been very fortunate in having older brother, Gibril, (Sagnia is one of eight siblings) to fill this void.</p>
<p>&ldquo;At different times my brother has played the role as both a father and a mother, when they have not been around,&rdquo; explains Sagnia. &ldquo;Gibril is always the one calling me and checking up on me. If I need his help, he will drop everything and come and see me. He has always been at my side.</p>
<p>&ldquo;If I need to offload something he is always such a good listener and amazing problem solver. When I have become tired in the recovery process from past injuries he has always remained calm and explained to me that this is not meant to be my time. Just be patient, continue the rehab and everything will be fine.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Remain positive</h2>
<p><br />For Sagnia, retaining a positive mindset is another important tool in the return from a lengthy injury.</p>
<p>&ldquo;You can always pick the positives out in life, so try and do so each and every day,&rdquo; she adds. &ldquo;Try and take yourself out of the bad to see the good. Surround yourself with positive people and try to do positive things to make you happy.&rdquo;</p>
<h2>Find other distractions</h2>
<p><br />Overcoming injury can be particularly challenging for athletes with very little else in their lives other than athletics. So the Swedish international emphasises the importance of undertaking other pursuits and interests.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It is a good to be able to shift focus to something else like studying or maybe a job,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;I personally love reading and travelling, so for me I used the extra time I had recovering from an injury by reading more books, spending more time with family and friends and seeing more places around Sweden. It can be tough mentally for athletes who are only focused on athletics during the rehab process.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for World Athletics</strong></p>

The long jumper reflects on her own comeback experiences to offer these tips on healing well.

Healing well: Sagnia’s seven tips for recovering from injury

<p class="MsoNormal">The recent, positive news about vaccines which might resolve the Covid-19 pandemic are a fitting way to end 2020, this most difficult of years. Normal life has been turned completely upside-down this year but finally, there is a chink of light that 2021 might, just might, bring happier times. We can certainly have hope for the coming year &ndash; after all, it is Olympic year!</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The passage of one year into the next is often a time for new resolutions and a fresh start. I&rsquo;ve been reflecting on the year gone by and what I&rsquo;ll try to do better, or least differently, in the New Year. Now is the time to be thinking about new running goals for the year ahead.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">But how do you set goals when we are all still adjusting to the new normal? How do we know if races will go ahead, and when? Will we be able to run with friends again?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">In uncertain times like these, &lsquo;outcome goals&rsquo; &ndash; a specific, defined result in a particular timescale &ndash; are not that helpful. How can I commit to running X minutes for 5km by Y when it&rsquo;s not even clear when races will return?</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">My answer to this dilemma is to focus your efforts not on outcome goals but on &lsquo;process goals&rsquo; &ndash; goals related to what you do every day. For example, I will do 30 minutes of strength and conditioning three times per week.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Outcome goals can be inspiring and motivating, but you still have to do all the hard work to make them happen. This is where process goals can be helpful. By being disciplined about your process goals, you are more likely to achieve your outcome goals.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Here are my five top tips for setting process goals:</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><br />Be in control</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">Having control over something makes it easier to achieve. The weather, other people, and the coronavirus are all things we cannot control. So keep it simple! I will run five times per week; I will eat five fruit &amp; veg every day; I will replace my worn-out trainers &ndash; these are all good process goals.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><br />Take it steady</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">It&rsquo;s better to perform at 90% consistently than at 100% with frequent interruptions. So make your goals realistic. When I tried running 110 miles per week, I always had setbacks. But if I ran 90, I could train consistently week after week. Aiming to train, say, five times per week is more achievable than training every day if you have a demanding work and/or home life.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><br />Keep it interesting</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">I enjoy process goals which last a fairly short time, for example four weeks. Then I update them to avoid boredom and boost motivation. Using this approach with a strength and conditioning programme is ideal &ndash; frequently refreshing your menu maintains variety and allows you to target new muscle groups.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><br />Try something new</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">I often set myself this goal with my nutrition. For example, I will eat one new food per week. It doesn&rsquo;t matter if you don&rsquo;t like it &ndash; just bringing new foods into your diet expands the variety in what you&rsquo;re eating and you might find something you like! You could even <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.worldathletics.org/be-active/lifestyle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">try one of my recipes</a></strong></span>.</p>
<h2 class="MsoNormal"><br />Use milestones</h2>
<p class="MsoNormal">This is a hybrid of outcome and process goals. For example, I will run a 5km time trial once per month. It isn&rsquo;t committing to a set time for the 5km, but simply to running it, and your finish time might be a bonus.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Another example: I will review my goals every six weeks. Regardless of how you&rsquo;ve done, the act of reviewing them is a useful, reflective process.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />It&rsquo;s funny how, for so many runners, getting out of the door and taking the first few steps is the hardest part of training. Once you&rsquo;re up and running, you usually feel fine and enjoy yourself. So one of my process goals for the coming year will be &ldquo;when I don&rsquo;t feel like training, just put my shoes on and leave the house!&rdquo; It doesn&rsquo;t matter how I feel, just being out running will, I know, be good for me.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Mara Yamauchi for World Athletics</strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">&nbsp;</p>

How to create and achieve ‘process goals’

Focus your efforts not on outcome goals but on ‘process goals’ 

<p><strong><br /></strong>Valarie Allman hurled the discus out to a world-leading US record of 70.15m in August, becoming the 25th member of the event&rsquo;s still-exclusive 70-metre club. We chat to the 25-year-old Texas-based athlete about how her background in dance has enabled her to excel in the discus circle.&nbsp;</p>
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<p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDXeMUgn-fQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">⭐️7️⃣0️⃣.1️⃣5️⃣⭐️ ‼️AMERICAN RECORD‼️ &bull; @vallman123 &bull; #ThrowsBySion #Discus #DiscusThrow #USATF #Athletics #TrackAndField #Strength #Fitness #AmericanRecord</a></p>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/coachzsion/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Zebulon Sion</a> (@coachzsion) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2020-08-02T00:30:41+00:00">Aug 1, 2020 at 5:30pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>For as long as she can remember, Valarie Allman danced. She embraced ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap and contemporary dance early on and from the age of&nbsp;10&nbsp;performed competitively.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Dance was my first love,&rdquo; she recalls. &ldquo;Growing up, it was such a fun and challenging sport that&nbsp;had endless opportunities to learn."&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;It was so exciting to try new&nbsp;movements and gain confidence in how my body moved with&nbsp;practice. To see such clear progress was so rewarding.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Identifying her physical attributes&nbsp;of height and coordination,&nbsp;her high school track coach encouraged Allman to give the sport a crack in her early teens.</p>
<p>She agreed and while continuing to dance she tried&nbsp;the high jump, 200m, and 400m. While she enjoyed the sport, Allman did not yet feel she had discovered her athletics calling when she&nbsp;decided to try throwing simply so she could attend the throwers annual spaghetti dinner.</p>
<p>Finding the prospect attractive, Allman, at 14, had her first encounter with the discus. She was instantly hooked.&nbsp;&ldquo;From the get-go,&nbsp;I found I had a weird knack for it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>She quickly set a school record for the event of 100 feet 2 inches, just over 30 metres. &ldquo;Pretty quickly discus became a priority for me. I did both dance and track for a year before fully transitioning to track.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>So, how has dance helped her discus career?</strong> Allman shares four ways.</p>
<h3><br />1. Discipline</h3>
<p>There is little doubt in Allman&rsquo;s mind that performing as a dancer for more than a decade instilled in her good self-discipline, which has served her well as an&nbsp;elite&nbsp;discus thrower.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Dance taught me an incredible level of discipline,&rdquo; explains Allman, a Stanford University graduate. &ldquo;From a young age, dance was a big part of my life.&nbsp;It quickly became a huge commitment of&nbsp;four hours a day, five or six times a week.&rdquo;</p>
<p>"So much of dance is precision. At training, we would do movements over and over to find ways to make them just a&nbsp;little better and more refined. It taught me how important it is to think about the smallest of details and how there are always ways to improve."&nbsp;</p>
<h3><br />2. To perform under pressure</h3>
<p>Performing complex choreographed routines which require&nbsp;precision while the adrenaline flows is what Allman consistently prepared for as a dancer.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Such skills, she feels, have stood in good stead as a thrower.<br /><br /></p>
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Valarie Allman in action at the 2019 World Championships</div>
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<p>&ldquo;Performing to your best when you are feeling so much energy and adrenaline is a skill I&rsquo;m still refining,&rdquo; she says. &ldquo;To control the body I try to&nbsp;keep things simple.&nbsp;My hope is that being intentional about our priorities&nbsp;in training and repeating them thoroughly will make them instinctive carry over in competition. In many ways this was similar to dance in that we prepared a routine and meticulously rehearsed&nbsp;it to ultimately perform at our best on stage.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Allman&rsquo;s coach, Zebulon Sion, agrees with this assessment.&nbsp;</p>
<p>&ldquo;There are clear comparisons you can make between performing in high intensity competition &ndash; whether that is in dance or&nbsp;athletics,&rdquo; Sion says.&nbsp;&ldquo;Over time, we have seen that Valarie generally performs well in high level, pressure-filled competitions and this is absolutely a skill she has developed over time going back to her younger dancing days.&rdquo;</p>
<h3><br />3. Refining the art of body movement</h3>
<p>Allman believes having a deep connection with body movement through dance has been &ldquo;incredibly beneficial&rdquo; during her discus career.</p>
<p>&ldquo;When I first started discus, my brain instinctively&nbsp;thought of the movement as choreography," she explains. "I was able to learn rudimentary discus technique relatively quickly by thinking of the movement through the lens of my dance background.</p>
<p>In their simplest&nbsp;form, both dance and discus are about fluidity and connecting movements."</p>
<p>Sion supports Allman&rsquo;s comments. &ldquo;Similar to dance, crisp lines and angles can be seen when an athlete executes proper technique. Valarie's movement through the ring is fluid, graceful, powerful, and aesthetically pleasing.&nbsp;Learning choreographed routines has helped her posture, lines, and ability to connect movements with speed &ndash; all of which translate to the discus. It's interesting, Valarie does a double pirouette at the end of her throw. The double pirouette is a little stylistic, but definitely functional in terms of decelerating her body after releasing the discus and saving the throw.&rdquo;</p>
<h3><br />4. Coachability</h3>
<p>According to Sion, Allman&rsquo;s coach for the past four years, her body awareness leads to one big advantage as an elite athlete.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Valarie's kinesthetic&nbsp;awareness allows her to make technical adjustments faster than most people,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;Once she makes a change, the new skill becomes engrained&nbsp;quickly allowing us to move on to work on other improvements.</p>
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<p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CENLXy-nZ55/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">✨💫 THANK YOU @RuizNews and @snadshots for the absolutely INCREDIBLE story 💕🎥🥰 it means so much for you to cover how challenging, meaningful, and special these last several months have been. Now looking back, it&rsquo;s so scary to think about how close I was to wanting to throw in the towel at so many points due to COVID complications, closed facilities, and hindered motivation when @CoachzSion and I we were on the brink of something so amazing🏅🙌🏽🇺🇸 I feel so thankful to work with the BEST of the BEST Coach on this wild🎢! #ThrowsBySion #HeadUpWingsOut #DiscusThrow #Sports #AmericanRecord #USATF #Olympics #Tokyo2021</a></p>
<p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/vallman123/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Valarie Allman</a> (@vallman123) on <time style="font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px;" datetime="2020-08-22T21:35:56+00:00">Aug 22, 2020 at 2:35pm PDT</time></p>
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<p>&ldquo;One example is the way she collects her energy in the middle of the throw before transferring that energy out into the sector. She brings her left arm back to her body and also brings her knees together when she lands on her right foot in the middle of the ring. This gives her an efficient axis and allows her to accelerate like a ballerina.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I feel very fortunate that Valarie is so coachable. This is one of the many reasons she has improved so quickly.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Steve Landells for World Athletics</strong></p>

US record-holder Valarie Allman discusses four ways that an early love for dance has helped her evolution as a discus thrower.