{"id":1284,"date":"2018-08-11T20:14:45","date_gmt":"2018-08-11T20:14:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersfield-physio-clinic.co.uk\/?p=1284"},"modified":"2021-07-28T16:35:39","modified_gmt":"2021-07-28T16:35:39","slug":"variety-is-the-spice-of-life-how-mixing-your-training-can-help-you-avoid-injury-and-improve-your-pb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersfield-physio-clinic.co.uk\/home-page\/2018\/08\/11\/variety-is-the-spice-of-life-how-mixing-your-training-can-help-you-avoid-injury-and-improve-your-pb\/","title":{"rendered":"Variety is the spice of life: How mixing your training can help you avoid injury and improve your PB"},"content":{"rendered":"\n[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.11″ src=”http:\/\/www.petersfield-physio-clinic.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Marathon.jpg” \/][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\nIf you\u2019re a runner, the only way to improve your performance and Personal Best is to run more; it\u2019s obvious isn\u2019t it?\r\n\r\nWell not necessarily. At Petersfield Physiotherapy and Sports Injury Clinic I advise athlete clients to mix their training for the sake of variety, all round strength and to avoid injuries, but one of my clients really showed the benefits of cross training after she was forced to stop running.\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Case study Header” _builder_version=”3.11″ text_text_color=”#7d78b9″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”30px|||”]\r\n\r\nCase study: a 50-year-old marathon-runner\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\nFrom 2001, my client started running one marathon a year, steadily improving her PB, so that by 2009, and just before her 50th<\/sup>\u00a0birthday, she ran the London Marathon in 3 hours, 13 minutes. In 2011 she ran two marathons, becoming the fastest female club runner\u00a0in Hampshire for her age category.\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Stress Header” _builder_version=”3.11″ text_text_color=”#7d78b9″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”30px|||”]\r\n\r\nStress fracture\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\nShe said: \u201cI felt invincible, but maybe it was a case of pride before a fall. In January 2012 I experienced quite suddenly a severe pain in my left foot; I was unable to run, even with ibuprofen. I took to the exercise\u00a0bike for my daily workout but the pain remained. A stress fracture was detected in the second metatarsal in my left foot.<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u201cMy running diary has an entry for the day of my stress fracture diagnosis \u2013 \u201cBlack Friday\u201d. I was put into a boot and advised\u00a0that even the exercise\u00a0bike was not an option.\u00a0I was going to have to do other things to retain my level of fitness \u2013 and my sanity.\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\nAn initial two-month running interruption eventually stretched to 150 days recovering.\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Programme Header” _builder_version=”3.11″ text_text_color=”#7d78b9″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”30px|||”]\r\n\r\nA new, mixed training programme\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\n\u201cI signed up immediately to a local\u00a0gym. I was advised that I could swim with a float held between my thighs, I used an arm bike exercise machine to get my heart rate up and I was shown how to use some light weights for my legs and my arms. <\/em>\r\n\r\n\u201cI was already\u00a0attending an amazing\u00a0yoga class\u00a0before my injury but my yoga teacher created a personal programme\u00a0that I could\u00a0do by myself in my boot.\u00a0 She also allowed me to remain in my usual class immediately after my injury\u00a0and then adapted me to the normal class regime until I recovered.\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\nShe worked out for 150 days without running,\u00a0combining almost daily gym\/swim\/yoga\u00a0regimes before reintroducing the bike and adding a cross trainer and rowing machine until her boot came off in August 2012.\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Results Header” _builder_version=”3.11″ text_text_color=”#7d78b9″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”30px|||”]\r\n\r\nThe Results\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\n\u201cI had developed, in my opinion, a\u00a0different kind of fitness.\u00a0My plan had been just to try to maintain my level of fitness but I had no idea that the knock-on effect was to reinvent my weekly workouts for the longer term.\u00a0 My core and upper body were stronger than when I\u2019d only been running.\u00a0My yoga regime helped\u00a0strength and flexibility\u00a0and 150 days on, I felt not only as\u00a0fit as before the injury but\u00a0 fit in a different way.<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u201cI wanted to continue to run long distance so I set myself a goal of running the London Marathon in 2014. I continued to mix up my training.\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\n\u201cI still continue with this regime and I\u2019m able to do a marathon with very little notice. In 2015 I ran three marathons Brighton (3 hrs 26mins) a midnight marathon across the South Downs (I was first woman)\u00a0and the Portsmouth Coastal in late December.\u00a0I\u2019d never run three in a year before but just felt like I could.\u201d<\/em>\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Tips Header” _builder_version=”3.11″ text_text_color=”#7d78b9″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”30px|||”]\r\n\r\nTips for mixed training\r\n\r\n[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.11″]\r\n\r\nHere are some ways to add a bit of variety to your training to mix cardio, strength and resistance training:\r\n