12 WEEKS TO GO RELAX AND ENJOY. RELAX Hard and hilly training sessions can wait, for now just relax into running and enjoy every step.

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1 12 WEEKS TO GO RELAX AND ENJOY RELAX Hard and hilly training sessions can wait, for now just relax into running and enjoy every step. GADGET OF THE WEEK Heart rate monitors are not just for serious runners. They re fantastic for novices too. VITAMIN C If you only take one supplement, vitamin C is the one should you consider taking.

2 Aim of the week Welcome the first of 12 weekly Newsletters to help you with your Half Marathon preparations. Although the thought that just 3 months from now you ll be running non-stop for 13.1 miles might seem a little daunting, there is no need to panic. Whether you have already started your training, or you have procrastinated and until now before embarking on your first training run, use this week to just head out of the front door with the sole purpose of enjoying your first training run. Strap your ipod to your arm, listen to your favourite playlist and don t over exert yourself. Relax and Enjoy This is the start of a long road ahead, so the importance of this week is to get your confidence up and enjoy the sensation of running without needing to gasp for air or collapse in a heap after your training runs. The aim for the next 12 weeks of training is to look forward to your training sessions and use them to not only build up your running fitness, but also as a way to help you escape the stresses of everyday life. We all need time to ourselves once in a while, so why not make your training sessions over the next 12 weeks you time and use them to refresh you mind and revitalise you.

3 Running Gadget of the week If you ve got some money to spare on some running kit, then a heart rate monitor should be at the top of your list Don t worry if the thought of monitoring your heart rate during a run sounds highly scientific and too technical for you this is a common myth and in my opinion everyone training for a half marathon, whatever your ability, should invest in a heart monitor. Before you start thinking that a heart monitor is going to cost you the earth think again. These days, all you need is a heart rate strap which you can buy from Amazon and you can link it up to your smart phone. Run Appy With the help of a running app such as Runtastic or Runkeeper, you can now use your phone to track your running speed using GPS as well as your heart rate with the app even talking to your every few minutes telling you your heart rate. If you wish to buy a dedicated heart monitor with extra features, it s certainly worth choosing a monitor which can perform the following functions: Calculate average heart rate for every training run / workout Give you a reading of your heart rate as percentage of maximum heart rate (optional) Stopwatch / timer functionality (only the very basic/cheap models will not have this) One which can be used with a running pod, which can measure running distance, speed and pace (more pricey but worth getting if you can afford it) Any Garmin or Polar heart monitor will serve you well so if you are tempted to get one, either brand is certainly worth considering, Of course, for many runners monitors like this a little over the top and a little too pricey, but you can pick up far simpler models for less than 40 which will still serve you well throughout your training.

4 Nutrition Tip of the week - Vitamin C The subject of vitamin and mineral supplementation in general is a very contentious issue. Some experts claim they are a must have and others dismiss their benefits altogether. There is unlikely to ever be a unanimous decision, so ultimately it is up to you which side of the argument you lie. Vitamin C is perhaps the most popular nutritional supplement and for good reason. Vitamin C plays a vital role in a number of physiological processes including: Keeping the immune system healthy The synthesis of collagen (the protein that makes tendons and ligaments) Helping with the absorption of iron Its role as an antioxidant - essential for the athlete. The suggested daily requirements of vitamin C are again continuously under debate. Some argue that the amount consumed in our diets is sufficient but others maintain that large doses are needed to help ward off infection, strengthen the immune system and even help to fight cancer. If you had to choose one vitamin supplement to take as part of your endurance training, my tip would be to choose vitamin C. Doses of 1000mg- 2000mg may seem excessive when the recommended daily allowance is just 60mg but evidence suggests that this is the optimum level for a positive effect on your health. Due to the regularity of an endurance runners training, the body s immune system is depressed slightly after a run. It is for this reason that many top runners are vulnerable to colds and upper respiratory tract infections. By supplementing your diet with Vitamin C, your immune system is strengthened helping to ward off any unwanted viruses.

5 Pre-Hab Tip of the week When you first begin training - when your legs are fresh and the weekly miles are fairly low - injuries are often the last thing on your mind. The trouble is, now that you are in training for a long distance event, small muscular weaknesses and / or imbalances that you have (but don t realise) will sooner or later begin to cause you problems. They will start out as minor niggles, which a bit of rest and ice will fix, but as the miles clock up, unless those weaknesses and imbalances are corrected, what start out as minor niggles can quickly turn into seriously painful injuries. To illustrate this point and to explain in a little more detail about the importance of pre hab exercises, click on the image above to watch a short video on how simple exercises that you can do at home, can help prevent a range of injuries. Pre-hab Exercises Once you understand the reasons why you should do regular pre-hab exercises, login into the Video Library. Here you ll find a range of videos on injury prevention, foam rolling and stretching.