Gateshead Trail 10K

To double check you are on the GT10 2019 start list.
Have a look here:
https://www.sientries.co.uk/list.php?even t_id=5512
... Good to see solid representation from:
Alnwick Harriers Ashington Hirst Running Club Blackhill Bounders Blaydon Harriers & Athletics Club Blyth Running Club Claremont Road Runners (And sometimes trail 😜) Derwent Valley Trail Runners Derwentside Athletic Club DH Runners Elswick Harriers Elvet Striders Gateshead Harriers and Athletics Club Heaton Harriers Jarrow & Hebburn AC Lonely Goat Running Club Low Fell Running Club Monkey Runners Newcastle Frontrunners North Shields Polytechnic Club Ponteland Runners Prudhoe Plodders Running Club Red kite Runners supporters page Riverside Striders Saltwell Harriers South Shields Harriers & AC TGCR These Girls Can Run Tyne Bridge Harriers Washington Running Club & Weardale Flyers!
The race is now over 85% full, so not too long left before we reach capacity!
Enjoy the Sunshine! ☀️
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Z is for Zzzzzzzz 😁
The A-Z journey is complete.
Zzzzzz is because you are probably bored of the 26 posts we've subjected you to. But we had to make it through to the finish!
... Thats what its all about. 😎
Click through the images if you missed them.
Hopefully you find some nuggets and a few pearls of wisdom in there that you can implement into what you do.
Zzzzzzz is really for Sleep!
Something that many of us don't get enough of.
Sleep is crucial to good recovery after a training session, this is time that the body tends to rebuild itself after you have effectively broken it down when training.
Often you might need an extra hour after a hard session.
So 9 hours sleep right! :-)
When was the last time you had 9 hours sleep.
Another tip that the Spanish employ pretty well is the mid-afternoon siesta or power-nap.
Especially after a long Sunday run, this can be a great way to recharge the batteries and supercharge those energy levels.
Have a great weekend!
Hopefully catching up on a bit of sleep!
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Y is for You!
YOU have the power to set the goals that you would like to accomplish.
YOU have control over how you go about achieving those goals.
... YOU can achieve more than you probably think
YOU are amazing!
YOU are a runner!
Hiding behind those excuses is easy. Kick them to the curb! 😄
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X is for "X marks the spot........... in your calendar!" 😁
Have you got the GT10 in your calendar yet?
Taking some time away from the hustle and bustle and chaos of the daily routine can be a great way to work out a bit of a training plan.
... Figure out how many weeks you have to get into "prime" shape.
Figure out ways to make the "journey" leading up to race day exciting and interesting.
Keep track of what you are doing so you can look back and be proud!
Who does this already?
Link in the comments for the event so you have it on your fb calendar too 😁
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W is for Walking!
There is absolutely no shame in walking if you have to walk!
Infact its a great way to start the training off.
... Get out there with no pressure, and start walking, then pick an object, a bench, a lamp post and aim to run to that object, start walking again to recover.
Rinse and Repeat.
Gradually as you get used to it you will find naturally that you can run for longer and with less walks inbetween.
Before you know it you might even beable to run 10k without stopping.
Its all about starting small, and working up gradually.
Literally anyone is capable.
Sometimes people need a helping hand, a guide of someone who has done it before, and the encouragement to help with the confidence that it is possible.
Looking to inspire a friend to get into running. Take them out for a walk (In running gear 😁)
In addition to this there is no shame in running a race like the GT10 with a walk / run strategy in mind.
Run 500m / walk 500m etc........ or a strategy based on the terrain.
Walk the hills, jog the flats, skip down the downs 😄
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V is for VLM!
The Virgin London Marathon is something pretty special!
Hard not to become inspired by it.
... Running is the winner!
Some many stories, so many achievements, a pure demonstration of what humans are capable of.
Who has run the VLM? And who aims to in the future?
Btw the ballot for next year in 2020 is open already!
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U for Undulations!
We runners have a love / hate relationship with them undulations.
BUT
... The fact of the matter is that undulations aren't such a bad thing.
Here are a few reasons why:
1) The views at the top can be pretty nice. Well worth the effort to get up them.
2) Allows you to figure out where the heck you are if you've got lost. Running to the highest view point and looking for landmarks could be a good way to figure things out. (Or just use your phone 😂)
3) Running uphill is great for training, and makes you stronger all round as it recruits different muscles to running on the flat. The same applies to running downhill. Running downhill in training can be great for the quad muscles and strength that is often forgotten about.
4) They give you a sense of reward and satisfaction when you make it to the top
5) They are are good talking point in the bar after a race!
6) Ideal for setting up Strava segments and challenging your running friends
Hills do you love them or hate them?
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T is for TRAINING!
Make sure you do some 😁
What does your training look like?
... By sharing a bit about your training you might help others on their journey.
Let us know:
A) Workouts B) Locations C) Who with?
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R is for RACE!
If you enter a race its amazing how much more motivated you suddenly become with your training.
Every time you lace up your shoes you have a purpose, and something to think about, or a justification when your inner voice asks: why am I doing this again!? :-)
... Having a clear goal is a really good way to get out there and achieve some stuff.
This applies not only to running but anything you wish to set your mind to.
This years GT10 is filling up by the day. Now 80% full.
If you need a boost of motivation today, and you haven't done already. You know what to do!
www.gatesheadtrail10k.com
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S is for SUN!
Quite apt considering the weather blessing we are getting for the Bank Holiday weekend!
Hope you are having a good one making the most of the outdoors!
... When the Sun comes out, it makes it so much easier to get out and go for a little run.
Less kit is required, the sun makes you feel good, and everyone smiles more. Generally more people out and about to keep things interesting compared to those cold winter mornings where only the truly dedicated are out.
Having a Run for Fun in the Sun is there anything better?
Suns out Guns out 💪🏻
Anyone managed to get a decent vest tan already? 😁😎
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R is for RICE!
Ok not the white grainy stuff that goes well with your favourite curry.
BUT
... R.I.C.E
RICE stands for:
REST ICE COMPRESSION ELEVATION
A pretty good way to deal with injury and niggles in the first instance
Rest to prevent the injury from progressing and becoming worse. Leave the stubbornness at home for a few days.
A few days off won't affect your newly found fitness.
Ice applied to the injury site for 10 or minutes every hour can be a great way to reduce inflammation. However do make sure the ice is wrapped in a towel, bag etc as direct contact with ICE can cause the skin to burn which isn't pretty!
Compression of the site can help to stem any bleeding, compression tights can also aid recovery AND they feel quite nice 😁
Elevating the site of the injury can also assist with the healing by reducing the blood pressure to the area.
So putting your feet up and kicking back on the Sofa can be a great strategic training move on occasion.
Remember the acronym RICE, and it'll put you in good stead as a first port of call.
Beyond this its a great idea to seek out your recommended physiotherapist, preferably someone with a running background who can give you some great advice and give you a plan to get you strong and moving well again!
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Q for QUESTIONS! ???
Ask the team a question about anything you like!

... Any questions we receive in the next 24 hours we will provide a detailed answer to.
The more questions people ask, the more people have the opportunity to learn some cool stuff from what others ask, and HOPEFULLY from the answers provided too.
Lets make this fun, exciting and mildly interesting!
GO! (Anything)
😆
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P is for PB!
Personal Best!
One of the great things about running is that everyone has their own personal challenges.
... Their own benchmarks.
Their own set of "special numbers"
Their own set of PBs that they have as goals or targets.
Breaking a Personal Best is often the icing on the cake for many as part of a great race experience.
This is an opportunity to "flex" a little and drop your PBs into the comments.
Let us know what your numbers are for:
5k 10k HM Marathon 😄
And any other distances or achievements you are proud of.
And if you have any specific targets for 2019 then let us know too.
Putting them down in the comments is an extra commitment to achieving them, and takes you that little step closer 😁
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O is for Over Training!
Mainly due to O being a really tricky letter to find a running topic to discuss 😆
Can you think of one?
... Having said that Over Training is something that many of us runners experience at some point or another.
Especially when we get a niggle, but stubborness gets in the way and we try and complete our training program for the week despite logic whispering in the ear to tell us to rest and recover!
Sometimes a couple of days of rest can pay dividends in the long run.
Risking a niggle becoming a full blown injury is indeed a risky strategy.
The same applies when we're tired from other work / life related things but plough on ahead regardless to get up for that 6am hard tempo session that we had planned.
Sometimes its actually worth having a bit of a lie in to recover and revitalise.
Listen to your body, and be slightly flexible with your plan and routine.
Whilst it makes alot of sense to have a training program, it also makes sense to have a few feedback loops that you monitor and then tweak your plan accordingly.
Have you suffered from training too much!?
What did you find helped you?
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N for Nutrition!
Its definitely a difficult thing to get right.
So much advice out there, a lot of it conflicting.
... However, one of the simplest things you can do is eat as many different coloured foods as possible to get varied nutrients on your plate.
A diet of yellow food only is not going to be the very best 😁
Whats the benefit of good nutrition?
Making sure we eat well, and hydrate well means that we recover better and faster, which in turns means we can train better at the next session, as well as feeling better with higher levels of energy.
Trying to cut out processed foods is always a good start.
Eating a good source of protein to enhance recovery and repair.
Protein shakes aren't needed and to be honest often cause gastro distress too.
Potentially taking certain supplements such as Vit D during winter as in the UK we can't physically synthethise enough due to limited sunlight.
Eating fresh, the usual advise of fruit and veg, getting the 5 a day isn't a bad daily ritual to undertake.
If you're going to change your diet to eating much cleaner foods, then perhaps allowing yourself a cheat day is also no bad thing too. 😄
Reducing refined sugars is certainly beneficial, there are some runners who think they need lots of sugar for training. Not really the case.
Good fats are actually more beneficial, its the excess of sugar that floats around our blood that is then converted to fat which causes a lot of the issues.
When doing a high intensity session it does make sense to have adequate carbs.
For those running the ultra long distances, many seem to be having alot of success with Keto diets. (Diets with almost no carbs). Sounds crazy right? Our bodies have a clever ability to produce Ketones which are then harvested as a source of energy for the brain and muscles.
The over riding point is that eating well, and a varied range of foods will enhance the profile of nutrients you are consuming. This should help with your training and running!
AND don't eat TOO much CAKE! 😁

🍻🍰
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M is for Mileage!
We've touched on the importance of having a decent training base as part of this series.
The question of mileage often crops up.
... How many miles should I be running a week?
This depends on a few things.
Firstly what your goals are?
Secondly what you can fit around your lifestyle.
Thirdly how experienced a runner you are.
The last thing you want to do is get really enthusiastic and go out and run 50 miles in your first week, and end up on the Physio couch the next week.
One of the rules of thumb is to start at a low mileage and then increase it by no more than 10% a week. (Hard to do, but sometimes discipline is no bad thing)
Listen to your body, if its needs a stretch and a rest, then do rest, or go for a swim, cross train, yoga etc.
Whilst a top 10km runner like Mo Farah might do 100+ miles a week, its probably not something that most people have an appetite for or the time 😄
Some very good results can be achieved at around the 30 miles a week mark.
This may still seem like a lot, and if you are new to running its more about getting out there consistently a few times a week, so that it becomes a habit, and an enjoyable one at that.
Getting 3 to 4 runs of 3-5 miles in a week for example would be a great place to start, breaking up sections with walking and jogging if that helps, until fitness levels increase to the point that the walk breaks are no longer needed.
How many miles do you try to run each week?

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L is for Lazy!
Now you're probably wondering what this one is about! 😁
Time to have a bit of fun......
... Who agrees that there is nothing better than going for a long run on a Sunday for a couple of hours, coming back to an amazing feast (often involving eggs and bacon, and Coffee) .......
And then happily justifying being very lazy for the rest of the day, due to the stupendous calorie expenditure at the beginning of the day.
Its a very important part of the recovery process right? 😁
Its true that many runners are actually fundamentally lazy, as its all about conserving energy for the next session.
Even the Kenyans in the rift valley will train in the morning, eat, have a nice little nap, play some cards and relax, train in the afternoon, eat, sleep, repeat......
The simple lifestyle allows them to focus on what they need to achieve.
Being strategically lazy can help with that! 😆
Have a good week
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K is for KANNY! 🤣
The most frequently used adjective to describe this event 😄
Thats it!
... (Short one - PS do you like our podium?)
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