I am pleased to announce that from today, all my Personal Training clients booking 6 or more sessions will receive 10% of all non-sale items (excluding watches) at the Hatfield Branch of Sweatshop.

Sweatshop is the UK’s largest specialist running shop and provides everything from kit and sports nutrition packs to professional gait analysis to ensure that you have the perfect shoes for your foot size, shape and striking position. If you intend to do any sort of running it is imperative that you invest in the right pair of trainers or it can lead to all sorts of foot, knee and leg injuries.

This weekend I will be running the anchor-leg for Team Fetcheveryone.com at the Round Norfolk Relay. This is a truly remarkable event, my favourite race of the year. The premise is simple, teams of 17 runners each run one leg of a relay to pass a baton around the circumference of Norfolk, about 192 miles.
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This week I really wanted to up the mileage to get my body in condition for the rigours of the Round Norfolk Relay at the weekend. Following a steady 5 miles on Tuesday night with Nick, I added 8 miles on the treadmill at the gym on Thursday morning. Nothing strenuous, just under 9:00 pace. That evening though I ran with Stotfold Runners, as some of our beginners wanted to try the upcoming Standalone 10k course.

We completed the course at 11:00 pace which felt nice and easy but took the days total to 14 miles quite easily. The following morning I added another 7 miles or so on the treadmill, a little slower than before due to the intensity of the week, 9:27 pace.

Sunday am ran with Mrs L the Standalone 10k course again, 11min miles or thereabouts, and then 10 miles in the evening. Mainly at 9:20′s but with 2 miles at 8:00 pace for a challenge. The result was 43 miles run with no ill effects on the legs, but plenty of fat burning and cardio benefits

A new running club Stotfold Runners has just started, with special emphasis on beginners. If you found the prospect of joining a running club was a bit daunting then this informal running club is for you.

The idea behind the club is very much to make running open to all, not just the speed demons and marathon runners. They have runners of all abilities and even cater for the run/walker. So if you are hoping to run your first 5k, or simply looking for someone to run with as the winter nights start drawing in and safety in the dark is an issue then this is the club for you.

If you’re looking for a running club in Stotfold click here!

One of the simplest ways to maintain an exercise programme is to join with someone else. It’s very easy to ditch a planned run on your own, but a lot harder when you have to let someone else down.

A lot of aerobic running training calls for running at ‘conversation pace’, and let’s face it – it’s a lot easier to do if there is someone to have that conversation with. Otherwise you WILL get some strange looks as you run along. The distance will often fly by when you run with others as well.

I will even go as far to say that in MY experience running alongside a buddy not only seems easier – it IS easier. Looking at my heart rate readings from the past year i can see that for a number of runs I did, at the same time of day, same distance and same route, my Heart Rate was often 5 or more bpm lower when I ran with a friend.

So why not check out the Stotfold Runners Running Club, they cater for ALL abilities, from beginner to marathoners and beyond.