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President’s Tan Talk – October 2024
A perfect morning for running saw a good attendance for the October Tan Time Trail. Three ’newbies’ ran their first Tan Time Trial, including Graham Edwards’ grandson Chris. Welcome to all.
Two members celebrated their 100th Tan Time Trial, Doug Adeney and Chris Grafen. Congratulations to Doug and Chris on achieving that great milestone. Chris’s was a while back, we missed it, apologies to Chris.
Next month is our most significant milestone ever, with Doug Stokes notching up a historic 450 Tan Time Trials!!
This month’s running article is The six mistakes most new runners make byTalya Minsberg
Best of luck wishes were extended to all VRR members running the Melbourne Marathon, see report and photos below.
VRR runners at Melbourne Marathon
Congratulations to all the VRR members who completed this year’s Melbourne Marathon. It’s a challenge capturing photos as runners go past in large numbers, and doubtless I missed some. These photos are taken at various locations, some by me, by experienced VRR marathoners Syd Bone, and by others, many thanks.
Running marathons has long been a focus for many VRR members, not only at Melbourne, but all around the world, as evidenced by this year’s participants. |
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| Steve Miller was the youngest VRR member I saw yesterday running the marathon. |
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| Tanya Fiore-Yatomi (Jimmy’s daughter), Spartan, 17 marathons, including Yokohama, Berlin, Chicago and New York, plus some ultras. |
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| Patrick Herft, Spartan, 84 marathons, including Paris and Honolulu |
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| Chris Grafen, Spartan, has run 31 marathons, including in China, Boston (and Sydney) |
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| Phil Urquhart, Spartan, a young 80yo, has run 13 marathons, including 2 at Alice Springs |
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| Merle Want, Spartan, has run an amazing 70 marathons, including two in New Zealand, one in Washington and New York |
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| James Yatomi-Clarke (father of Tanya) Spartan, a young 81yo, has completed 82 marathons, including Hawaii, New Zealand and two in Japan |
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| Stephen Barker, Spartan, another young 81yo, has completed 92 marathons, including in US, South Africa, England, Finland, Spain, Brazil, New Zealand. (And Tasmania!) |
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| One long-time runner, and close observer of running commented to me yesterday on VRR’s long and very significant contribution to marathon running in Melbourne. Back before mobile phones, VRR for many years produced and distributed the only (paper-based!) running calendar in Melbourne, detailing every known fun run, half-marathon etc, so runners could plan their marathon training.
We also conducted half-marathons at Princes Park and Westerfolds, timed for marathoners to use as warm-up training events. Courtesy of Kevin Browne we also ran specific marathon training runs, supplemented with expert marathon training advice, which many of us (including me) benefited from.
All that is of course in addition to the discipline and friendly rivalry of an accurately measured and recorded Tan Time Trial, to measure and monitor progress.
A very big congratulations and well done to all of yesterday’ s marathoners, good job, well done.
Michael Kennedy
VRR President |
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October 2024 Achievement Award
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Chris Grafen reached the 100 TTT mark a few months ago.
Somewhere along the lines he fell through the cracks, for which we humbly offer many apologies.
Luckily, Chris followed it up!
A huge belated congratulations, Chris |
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Doug Adeney, actually DID reach his 100th TTT this month.
Phew, luckily we got that one right!
Many congratulations to you too, Doug. |
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| Here’s a few of the photos posted on facebook by the club photographer, Helen Myall (thanks heaps, Helen) |
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| An enthusiastic start to the October TTT. |
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| Henry Reith was the first 4km runner to finish – closely followed by Aiden Whitfort. |
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Andrew & Julius (the shorter one) Dyer, finished in equal third position in the 4km run.
Considering that Julius’ stride length must be about half that of his father’s that was an incredibly good effort. |
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VRR Life Member, Graham Edwards brought his GRANDSON !, Chris Edwards, along to the tan.
He ran the 8km course and said afterwards that he had missed seeing the photographer on the first lap – he made up for it the second time around! |
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It was great to see VRR regular, Grant Padula back at the Tan.
Grant has been on the injured list for a couple of months with a torn hamstring.
After an operation to reattach it, and a bit of physio, he’s making a welcome comeback. |
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| This article appeared in The Age newspaper on Monday 7th October 2024 and we have reproduced it here for those members who don’t get to read that paper. |
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The six mistakes most new runners make
ByTalya MinsbergRunning can be remarkably simple and impressively complex.
It’s perhaps the most intuitive form of exercise, but taking the first step can be intimidating. The pandemic birthed a running boom that is still going strong: run clubs are becoming more popular, and many major races are setting registration records. If you’re thinking about joining the crowd, there’s a lot you can learn from the missteps of runners who came before you.
We asked running experts and coaches about the most common mistakes they see in new runners and their advice for combating them to build a sustainable running routine. |
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| New runners should start out running two or three times a week.Credit:iStock |
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Pace yourself, don’t race yourself
Becs Gentry, a Peloton running instructor, has seen the glow of beginner runners time and time again. That newfound energy can be infectious and addicting |
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Beginner runners, she says, can “get really enamoured by this buzz and the high that running gives them, and they jump into it and they want to get that feeling every day”, Gentry says. (She gets it. In November, she’ll attempt to run seven marathons in seven days across seven continents.)
But training too often at the start of a running habit can be a recipe for burnout or injury.
Instead, exercise patience as you build your endurance and adapt to a running routine. A good guideline for new runners is two to three days a week of walk/jog intervals – for example, three minutes of jogging followed by one minute of walking – which can be adjusted based on your current fitness level.
Many beginners also start out by running too fast, Gentry says. Work on finding your conversational pace (a speed at which you could chat with a friend) and do most of your runs around that pace. If you find yourself gasping for breath on a run, challenge yourself to hold back.Set goals that fit your lifestyle
Before signing up for a race or committing to a training plan, consider what is realistic for you and your lifestyle, Gentry says. How often can you fit in a run every week, and how long can you dedicate to running on those days?
If you think 30 minutes twice a week is manageable, for example, identify goals that fit within that framework. Your goal could be reaching a certain distance within that time, increasing your speed or simply enjoying the movement. Signing up for a race may be a motivating goal for some new runners, but it’s not a prerequisite for beginning a running habit.
Try not to get caught up in other people’s training goals while setting your own, says Mirna Valerio, an ultrarunner and former cross-country coach.Fuel before and after your runs
Meghann Featherstun, a sports dietitian, says she sees runners of all levels who don’t eat before morning runs. That’s a mistake, she says. Your body is fasting overnight and doesn’t have much energy for running at its disposal when you spring out of bed. Over time, failing to eat properly can increase your chances of injury and negatively impact your hormones and metabolism, she says.
Pre-run fuelling may look different for everyone, Featherstun says, but the key is eating simple carbohydrates that can be easily digested: a few crackers, a banana or a slice of bread are all good options.
When you finish a run, focus on protein-heavy foods paired with carbs and healthy fats to help with recovery. Generally speaking, Featherstun recommends eating 25 to 40 grams of protein within an hour of finishing your workout. If you are on the go, try a protein shake, a protein bar or chocolate milk. Better yet, aim for a balanced meal, such as an egg sandwich or overnight oats with protein powder and Greek yoghurt. |
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| A banana or slice of toast is a great pre-run snack.Credit:iStock |
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Find a running crew, and consider a coach
Valerio recommends finding a running group – or a coach, if that’s within your means – to hold you accountable, keep you motivated and connect you with a community.
It’s now common for coaches and clients to find each other through social media, but you should still do your research. Education and foundational knowledge can’t be replaced by a lot of followers, says Emily Abbate, a running coach who primarily works with beginner marathoners.
Don’t be afraid to ask a prospective coach if they have a coaching certification, or to ask the leader of a running group if they have formal coaching experience, Abbate says. You can also ask if a group attracts a certain type of runner (beginners or experienced marathoners, for example) or if a coach specialises in a particular type of training.
“Finding a good running coach using social media like Instagram or TikTok can be just as risky as searching a diagnosis when you’re not feeling well from Google,” Abbate says.Keep your gear simple
It’s surprisingly easy to spend a lot of money on running-related gear, between expensive apparel, fancy GPS watches and ever-evolving racing shoes. But when you’re just starting out, only the basics matter – and the gear will not run the kilometres for you.
Start simple: buy a good pair of training shoes, ideally with the help of an expert at a local running store. The best shoe for you will depend on your stride, foot shape and body type.
Gentry also recommends investing in running-specific socks. Blisters happen, but socks made from sweat-wicking material can help prevent them.Master the art of resting
It may be counterintuitive, but part of running well means taking time away from running. You need rest days, so your body can repair itself as it adapts to more training. Days off also help prevent overuse injuries and mental exhaustion, Gentry says.
Taking rest time comes naturally to some beginner runners. If you are starting a new running routine, alternate rest days and running days.
“Recovery is as much a part of the process of training as the actual movement in the body,” Gentry says. |
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VRR LIFE MEMBERS
Stephen Barker, Kevin Browne (dec), Sally Browne, Tony Doran, Graham Edwards, Jenny Field, Peter Field, Vern Gerlach (dec), Peter Gunn (dec.), Don Hampshire (dec.), Eileen Helmers (dec), Frank Helmers (dec), Betty Horskins, Graeme Horskins, Mike Kennedy, Lynn Kisler, Greig McEwan, Ross Martin (dec), Vin Martin, John Morris, Helen Myall, Peter Nicoll, Bill Noonan, Brian O’Dea, Rod Opie, Graham Prossor, Melissa Groves, Doug Stokes, Brian Toomey (dec.), Stuart White, Robert Wilson, Judy Wines (dec.), Tom Worrell (dec) and Val Worrell. |
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Can you ask your running friends if they are receiving their email copy of Stride Out.
If they aren’t, can you get them to send me an email (gprossor@bigpond.net.au) asking to be put on the distribution list. |
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