Having been placed 3^rd in 2011, the Sandman has unfinished business with this race and hopes to better his performance this year.

“I’m back in the Blue Mountains, Australia, for the North Face 100 in just over a week’s time. Last year my race did not go according to plan and it ended up being a long day at the office. That said I gained a lot of experience from the race and it has definitely benefited my running,” says Ryan Sandes. “I am super excited to be back in Australia to run the North Face 100 and looking forward to the adventure. The course is really beautiful but tough on the legs in the final 30km, so I will need to save something for that. I’m looking forward to a fun day out and will be using this race to prep for the Western Sates 100 miler in June this year.”

Ryan will be competing against some other top names including UK runner, Jezz Bragg (a previous UTMB winner), and top Australians Mike Donges, Davies Lee, Brendan Davies and Andy Lee.

After winning the 2011 Leadville 100 miler in the 3rd fastest time ever set, all eyes are on the Sandman to prove his magic at this race this year.

For more info on the race please visit http://thenorthface.com.au/100/index.html and to follow the Sandman on his epic adventure please visit www.ryansandes.com  or follow him on twitter @RyanSandes

Bread, bagels, pasta, potatoes and pancakes – you just can’t get enough, right? Wrong, says sports nutritionist Nancy Clark.

Running 4-5km at an easy pace will burn 200 to 300 calories, an amount so modest that it doesn’t demand lumberjack portions of carbs (or anything else) before or after.

Clark advocates eating healthy foods throughout the day, and having a small snack an hour or two before you run.

“Exercisers shouldn’t skip meals early in the day or try to run on fumes,” she says. “But you don’t require special foods after a workout – just a snack that offers a few carbs and a little protein.”

Yes, runners sweat a lot. Yes, they need to consume water, sugar and electrolytes (ionised salts in blood, tissue and cells) when they run for 90 minutes or more, particularly in warm weather.But unless you’re training for a marathon, you don’t need sports drinks and an advanced hydration strategy.

Sip a little water before your workout and a little more after. And skip the extra calories in sweetened drinks.

“Beginner runners don’t need a sports drink, because they’re not running far enough,” notes Clark.

Runners, even beginners, tend to be driven, results-orientated people. When promised short-cuts, miracle cures and unbelievable benefits from supplement and ‘superfood’ manufacturers, they’re easily swayed. However, eating standard, simple, unprocessed natural foods will give you the same end results.

“Every time one of those vitamin or supplement studies produces a negative result, I am reassured that focusing on quality calories is the best advice,” says Clark. “I’ve always believed that the healthiest foods are the real foods – the quality vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean proteins packed with everything runners need.”

Sorry, but you won’t automatically drop five kilos just because you run, says Clark. You also have to reduce your daily food intake. Each kilometre that you run burns roughly 100 calories.

Cut a biscuit or two every day, and you can add another 100 calories to your weight-loss effort.

“Reducing calorie consumption by just 100 calories a day will theoretically give you a 4.5kg weight loss by the end of the year,” Clark says. “Drop 200 calories a day, and you’ll lose 9kg.” Clark suggests cutting calories by eating smaller portions and fewer fried foods.

If you’’re a runner, chances are you’ve fielded those questions more than once. Not from doctors or physiotherapists, but from non-running friends and family members who assume that pavement pounding wreaks havoc on our bodies and that we’ll all eventually need knee replacements and motorised scooters because of our arthritic joints.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of arthritis, occurs when cartilage, the spongy tissue that cushions our joints, breaks down and deteriorates, making weight-bearing activities painful.

Many people believe that running accelerates this process. And while most of us credit our running for keeping our heart, lungs, and soul healthy and happy, a twinge in an ankle or stiffness in a knee makes us wonder if our non-running buddies are perhaps right and our joints are bearing an unreasonable burden.

The fact is, if we run responsibly – wear decent shoes and replace them when worn out, rehab injuries properly, incorporate cross-training and rest days into our schedules as needed , we’re no more susceptible to OA than the general population, say medical experts.

Actually, it’s the doubters on the sidelines who could have a better chance of developing it.

Weighing In on Knee Pain

The number-one risk factor for OA is excess body fat -– a problem most runners don’t have. Sedentary, overweight people are 45 percent more likely to develop OA than those who are active. The more you weigh, the more pressure is placed on the joints, which seems to accelerate the breakdown of cartilage. Since losing weight is one of the best ways to prevent OA (losing five kilograms can take between 20 and 25 kilograms of pressure off the knee), and running is one of the most effective kilojoule-burners, hopping on the treadmill for a tempo session could help.

But running does more than just lighten the body’s load. Aerobic exercise improves most body functions -– including joint health. When you exercise, the cartilage in your hips, knees and ankles compresses and expands. This draws in oxygen and flushes out waste products, nourishing and keeping the cartilage healthy. Without exercise, cartilage cells get weak and sick.

Furthermore, running strengthens the ligaments that help support joints, making them more stable and less susceptible to sprains and strains, which can damage cartilage and eventually lead to OA.

Izzard spoke of his plan on Thursday on the sidelines of a reception for donors at Mandela’s foundation and archives in Johannesburg.

He says he will run the marathons in 27 consecutive days in South Africa along routes he will map out himself at sites around the country linked to Mandela’s personal history, such as the area Madiba grew up, university and on Robben Island.

50 year old Izzard said he would try to run as much of the run barefoot, or in “barefoot running shoes”.

He said he came up with the idea after a discussion of the film Invictus, as a way of belatedly honouring those who struggled against apartheid, as he was did little other than observe the boycott of South African products. “I was thinking about what I had done to demonstrate against apartheid and I realised that I did nothing,” he said. “I didn’t eat the fruit, that’s all I did. I did nothing else.”

As yet, Izzard has not done any formal preparation for the initiative. In 2009, Izzard ran 1 770km in seven weeks across Britain for charity.

“I don’t really do training, I just get on with it,” he said. “I have actually only done one marathon since I ran all those marathons three years ago but I’ve been mentally training.”

The challenge will be filmed for a Sky documentary to be screened in the UK this autumn. Mr Izzard will tweet his way around the country and encourage followers to sponsor him by donating to the Nelson Mandela Foundation along with other South African charities.

Source: SAPA, Times Live

Warm up with one to two minutes of brisk walking, then alternate two minutes running with 30 seconds walking. If you feel good, gradually increase the speed of your run segments. Repeat three times. Jog easy for one minute to cool down. If you’re stuck in the house, walk briskly from room to room and up and down stairs. Every minute, jog in place for 20 steps.

Walk gently up and down a flight of stairs two or three times to warm up. Then run up one flight and walk back down. Repeat four times, then take a one-minute walk break on a flat surface and continue the sequence as time allows. If you’re in a stairwell, run up two flights of stairs, walk down, repeat, then take a walk break.

On an out-and-back route, walk for one minute, then alternate 30 seconds walking with 30 seconds running for three minutes. For the next
six minutes, run/walk using any ratio you wish. At the 10-minute mark, turn around. Heading back, run/walk whatever ratio you’d like, but pick up the pace during the run portion. Cool down for one minute.

Walk for two minutes, then alternate 30 seconds walking with 30 seconds running for six minutes. For the next 20 minutes, alternate jogging for one minute, running a faster pace for one minute, jogging one minute, walking one minute. Repeat the sequence five times. Walk or jog two minutes to cool down.

Fiction!

Any running is better than no running.

It’s true that fitness and performance won’t improve much with a single weekly run. However, that single workout can provide a mental boost and keep you in the habit of exercising at least a little bit – which will make it easier to gradually add additional workouts when time allows.

Stay motivated by running with a friend on her easy day or with a group run for beginners – check your local running club for opportunities.

Yet the clash between headphone lovers and haters continues. On the pro side is Dr Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist who has studied music’s positive influence on athletes. His challenger is Dr Jim Denison, a sports sociologist and coach who thinks it is best to run to the sound of your footfalls.

Here the two have it out.

What’s the big deal about running with music?

CARL COURT / AFP / GETTY IMAGES

Claire Lomas became the first person to complete a full marathon: and she is unable to use her legs.

5 years ago, 32 year old Lomas was paralysed from the chest down after she was thrown off the back of a horse. In 2012, she took on the challenge to run the 2012 London Marathon: in a bionic suit.

It took 16 days for Claire Lomas to cross the finish line, covering 3 to 4 kilometres per day, wearing her 20kg ReWalk suit. The $70 000 suit is designed to allow people with lower-limb paralysis to walk and stand.

Lomas didn’t receive the London Marathon medal, nor will her time be entered in the official record books, as she didn’t finish the race on the same day as the race (according to London Marathon rules). A number of outraged marathoners sent their medals to Lomas, and she will receive a special trophy from the race organizers.

Source: Time, BBC

Solve It: Simply aim to complete your first 2km one minute slower than the second. ‘A slow first couple of kays is adequate for a warm-up, which is important to awaken your muscles so you don’t strain them,’ says Roszel.

Solve It: Stick with what you know – it makes it easier to gauge improvements. ‘And you know every blind curve, pothole, and barking dog,’ says Roszel.

Solve It: Add an additional two to three weeks to your plan and scale back your pace. This will give you time to build fitness and speed slowly, so you avoid injury.

Ideally, your three runs should include a short, easy run, a faster run close to goal pace, and a weekend long run.

Solve It: Run an hour in the morning and an hour at night.

To condition your body to the time on your feet required by a half, you need to run for at least two hours at least twice in the final weeks of your training. Doubling up will simulate that demand.

Solve It: Develop an at-home routine.

Do the following routine three times a week:

• 10 push-ups
• Hold a plank for one minute
• Do 30 seconds of bicycle oblique crunches (opposite knee to opposite elbow).
• Rest, then repeat.