Have your eye on May 24th? You’d better start preparing

Running season is well under way now in Bermuda. Most of you runners out there probably ran the Lindos-to-Lindo’s race at the weekend, and are now starting to think about the big one, the Bermuda Half Marathon on May 24th.

That’s right, it’s that time of year again. If you have one eye on the most famous race in Bermuda, then you need to start getting training!

We need to give ourselves at least eight weeks to prepare for a 13.1-mile race. Fail to prepare and prepare to fail. I have run the race three times now, so I know what it takes to run an amazing May 24th.

Over the next few weeks, I will be outlining the most important training aspects when preparing for a half marathon.

We must all start with prehab exercises. 

Prehab is all about strengthening the most vulnerable areas of the body that get stressed during running, mainly our hips, core and shoulders. This is our pillar and strengthening it will improve posture and alignment, allowing the body to run more efficiently.

Prehab exercises will also build up our most injury-prone areas before we’re struck with chronic pain that may, in worst case, require surgery and then eventually rehab. 

These prehab exercises are specifically geared toward strengthening the body to optimise mobility, balance, stability and joint function and to decrease the potential for injuries while improving our running.

These 3 exercises will strengthen our pillar for running:

Prone Cobra

• Lie face down with your arms at your sides.

• As you inhale pick your chest up off the floor with the neck in neutral alignment, simultaneously squeezing your shoulder blades together and rotating your arms out so the palms face away from your body.

• You should feel the muscles between your shoulder blades doing the work. If you feel stress in your low back squeeze your butt cheeks together prior to lifting your torso.

Hold until you need to breathe out and exhale as you lower. Repeat 10-15 times. 

Aim for 2-3 sets.

Floor Bridge

• Lying face up on the ground with your knees, bent feet flat on the ground.

• Lift your hips up so your shoulders, hip and knees are in a straight line.

• Slowly drop your pelvis back to the floor and repeat.

Complete 12-15 times. Aim for 2-3 sets.

Side plank 

• Lying on your side with your body weight on one hand and the side of your foot. Reach upward with the opposite arm.

• Drawing your belly button inwards lift your hips up to form a straight line with your neck sternum belly button and between your knees all aligned.

Hold lower under control then repeat. 

Hold for up to 60 seconds. Complete 2-3 sets.

Colin Ayliffe is a certified personal trainer and holistic lifestyle coach with over 10 years’ experience in training clients. He graduated from the University of Surrey with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sport Science and is also a CHEK practitioner, golf biomechanic and is accredited by the
National Academy of Sports Medicine.

Colin has designed an online training programme specifically for the Bermuda Half Marathon. Find out more at www.BermudaMay24.com He now blogs at CoconutFitness.com