Yes, you could run the Marathon, too

By HFG fitness writer Hannah Ebelthite

Four words you need to know about the Marathon: you can do it. Injury or illness aside, I truly believe anyone can run 26.2 miles if they want to.

And that’s what I did yesterday, along with 36,000 other runners who lined up to start the 34^th London Marathon. It was my third marathon and I was proud to be representing my running club, Ranelagh Harriers, in my blue vest. Waiting in the warm spring sunshine at the start on Blackheath I felt a flutter of nerves, but was determined to channel them into energy. My goal was to come in under four hours, for which I’d need to run even splits of nine-minute miles.

And, despite the crowds, I managed that comfortably for the first half of the race, passing halfway in 1:58. After that? Things went a little pear-shaped. Running along The Highway from mile 13 is the first chance you get to see the much-speedier runners coming back in the opposite direction. Distracted by looking out for other members of my club, I tripped on a traffic cone and went flying. I quickly picked myself up and styled it out… but I’d badly stubbed my toe and kicked myself in the calf and was a little shaken. Then, at mile 15, I could hold out no longer, and had to stop for a quick wee (at a Portaloo - I didn’t ‘do a Paula’).

It was at this point I realised that my GPS watch, that had been keeping me on pace, had stopped! I’d have to run the remaining 11 miles ‘on feel’ – something many runners do anyhow, but something I wasn’t used to. Too fast and I risked burning out before the end. Too slow and I’d miss my target. Such are the challenges of endurance running.

In the end I ran what I thought was a decent pace, even managing a sprint for the final iconic metres down Birdcage Walk, past Buckingham Palace and into The Mall. As I collected my medal I couldn’t stop grinning. But I had to wait to retrieve my baggage in order to find out my finishing time (the digital number shown over the finish doesn’t include the time it took you to cross the start line).

Did I make it under four hours? Unfortunately not. My time was 4:02:03, which marks a six-minute personal best for me. But I was so desperate for my time to start with a three that I can’t say I’m not annoyed. Would things have been different had I not tripped up, stopped for the loo or had a working watch – or if it hadn’t been quite so hot and sunny? Who knows? But I’m pleased that I finished the race in decent shape, with a smile on my face. 

Today my legs ache and my stubbed toes are sore, but I feel good and I’m planning my next challenge. There’s nothing to regret about taking part in one of the world’s greatest events – it takes in some of the city’s most impressive sights and shows Londoners at their finest. The roar of crowds cheering us round Canary Wharf and along Embankment are still ringing in my ears.

The ballot for next year’s Virgin Money London Marathon opens on 22 April… just in case you’re tempted!

My top Marathon tips:

• Have your name printed on your top – the sound of strangers calling it out in encouragement is really motivating.
• Follow a decent training programme of at least 12 weeks, ideally 16. I got mine from www.runwithkaren.com.
• Practise race day nutrition and hydration on your long runs. I had Weetabix and a banana for breakfast, then topped up my energy during the race with SIS Go Gels – sachets of easy-to-digest carbohydrate fluid to fuel you. 
  

How to get a lean ballerina body

By Rebecca Almond

Thighs burning, abs shaking, face a sweaty mess – working for a toned ballerina body is harder than I thought. I’m at Barrecore in Mayfair, London, road-testing the ballet-inspired workout craze that’s got the nation pirouetting with glee at its body-shaping power. ‘It’ll be fine,’ I convince myself as I walk into the studio, recalling my dance training of days gone by. But this is not the toes-pointed, tutu-wearing Swan Lake style of ballet I remember. Ballet shoes and experience are not required for this exercise class – just a willingness to work your body hard.

‘This will hurt – your muscles will shake, they’re supposed to,’ the instructor warns at the beginning of the session. And she’s not kidding. The 60-minute workout is a blend of high repetition pilates and barre exercises that use your body weight and small equipment (light weights, pilates ball, resistance band) to exhaust every muscle group, alternated with stretching – and boy do you need to stretch! It’s these isometric movements (static holds with small contractions) that shape and hone the muscles, improving your posture and alignment – and burn up to 500 calories.

In spite of the pain, I leave the class feeling a few inches taller, tauter and buzzing with endorphins – I even booked myself in for the same time next week. An exercise class that tones the whole body and burns calories, all under the pretence of gracefulness… I'm hooked.

The next day, I catch up with Barrecore founder Niki Rein and ask her to share her ballet-body tips:

What’s so good about the Barrecore way of exercising?

We work the body like dancers do – targeting every muscle in the body, especially the small stabilisers (the muscles that hold the body in place so a desired movement can be performed) to create long, lean lines.

What’s your favourite exercise?

I love our thigh exercise, V Waterski. Stand at the barre, heels together with toes turned out, then lean back and pulse towards the barre. It’s a thigh killer that shapes the inner and outer muscles, stretching and elongating them at the same time. Plus, it lifts the seat, flattens the abdominal wall and sculpts the back. 

The V Waterski

When is the best time of day to exercise?

Before 10am is the best time as our cortisol (stress response hormone) levels are highest. The amount of cortisol in our bodies naturally reduces throughout the day so we are relaxed by bedtime, but exercise – a stressor – results in the release of extra cortisol from the adrenal gland. By working out in the morning when cortisol levels are already elevated, it gives the body plenty of time to reach the relaxed state needed for deep restorative sleep. Exercising later in the day may disrupt the natural cortisol rhythm. Plus, studies show people who work out in the morning are more consistent exercisers than those who exercise in the evening. 

How long should you wait after eating before working out?

Two hours after a large meal, but it’s fine to have a light snack just before exercise.  Great light snack choices include a handful of nuts, a raw energy bar such as LoveRaw, or even a couple of bites of chicken will help you burn fat and sustain your energy levels during the workout.

What is your favourite post-workout snack?

I love a green vegetable and apple juice after exercising. Workouts cause acidity in the body, so the greens help increase alkalinity, while the sugar in the apple helps improve insulin uptake after exercise. I always aim to get a little bit of protein shortly after my juice, too, for muscle recovery.

What’s your best piece of fitness advice?

Stay mentally connected to what you are doing – try and visualise your muscles working and changing. This will get you working harder and burning more calories.

Fancy trying it for yourself? Barrecore has studios in London’s Mayfair and Chelsea, or you can download one of the online classes and workout in the comfort of your own home. Visit barrecore.co.uk for class times and prices. 

Tina tries… an aqua class

By Tina Betts

Tina risks getting her face wet in the hope it will do something spectacular to her body…

I'm no mermaid. At the school swimming gala I was always the one having to start in the pool because I couldn't dive in. An underwater wardrobe malfunction aged 14 (in front of the boys – of course!) didn’t help my confidence, but I’ve moved on. And since a friend taught me how to swim the breast stroke correctly, I'm not averse to getting my face wet, just so long as I can still touch the bottom!

I must admit lane swimming sounds as dull to me as running on a treadmill, though, so I'm quite excited by my first aqua class with Cheryl. I've even got the perfect cossie - the websites call it a legsuit, but I prefer to call it my Victoriana. It’s basically an all-in-one with shorts and it’s perfect for holding all the right bits in and making you feel secure when stepping out of the changing rooms (take that, class of ’86!).

So I'm raring to go. I’ve been warned this is not about fancy footwork – it’s a proper workout, but your body and joints are completely supported, ‘like gloves around a hand’, as Cheryl explains. 

The pool is the perfect temperature and once I've got the hang of facing the right direction and minimising my splashing (I did notice the other members of the class giving me a wide berth!), I'm smiling and having fun. The challenge of getting an ‘eddy flow’ is particularly good – that’s where the whole group runs in one direction for a few strides, then abruptly changes direction. A great mix of different exercises means you get a good workout without the pain of not being able to walk the next day.

And I've been back. Unlike my Spanish class, I haven’t had to force myself to join in Cheryl’s aqua class after a rubbish day because the old endorphins kick into action and I always feel loads better afterwards. I’m conscious I need to keep my new exercise regime varied, so I guess that's where Lloyd steps in again. I wonder what he has lined up for me next? Oh, my lord, I do believe I'm getting excited!

Cheryl Stafford is a personal trainer at Nuffield Health (nuffieldhealth.com). For anyone interested in what’s actually happening to your body underwater, here’s what Cheryl told me…

·       Water provides hydrostatic pressure, which basically means pressure all around the body (rather like a glove around a hand). This aids blood circulation and has a massaging effect on the muscles.

·       Water protects the joints from impact, so you’re able to replicate high-impact land moves more safely and for longer periods of time. The cooling effect of water also allows for a quicker recovery.

·       Water provides frontal resistance – basically, the harder you push, the harder the water pushes back! The same movement on land will be approximately 12 times harder in the water, so you use far more energy.

·       Water provides a dual concentric contraction, which means both your front and back muscles have to work concentrically as water exerts force all around the body. In land-based exercises you work against gravity, so one muscle is working eccentrically (ie lengthening), while the other is contracting or shortening. The eccentric contractions are related to DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, ie not being able to walk downstairs the day after a workout!). This is less likely in an aqua class as it’s difficult to work a muscle eccentrically.  

·       The water turbulence requires you to be more balanced and so results in greater postural gains.

·       Working against the eddy flow or turbulence is very difficult and so increases intensity – for example, when you’re running in a circle and are then required to change direction. This principle can be used a lot in aqua exercises. The turbulence is increased when there are more people in the pool, working in opposite directions, and when the pool wall is higher than the water level, as the water rebounds back off the wall.

·       It’s an ideal complement to a weight-based routine as you’re using muscles differently. The body adapts to exercise, so there are diminishing returns if you’re constantly doing the same thing. In addition to a varied exercise regime, you should change your routine every 6–8 weeks to prevent de-training.