The Great North Run is a fantastic local event to be part of but running 13.1 miles is a big ask of the body!  Make sure you take good care of yourself in these next two weeks so you arrive at the start line in peak fitness and at the finish line in good shape.

1. Plan, Plan, Plan. The old saying fail to plan and you plan to fail was never more true. Set yourself a good training plan which can be found in any running magazine or on the web and tick off your achievements as you progress. A great way to stay motivated as you complete each target and also to know you are on schedule to finish the event safely.
2. Listen to your body. Increase gradually and adapt slowly, don’t beat yourself up if you have a ‘bad week’. Let it go and get back on target the following week.
3. Have regular scheduled sports massage to assess any potential injury or trouble spot, relieve fatigue and ensure good recovery and training practices.
4. The essential piece of kit – good running shoes. By good shoes I mean ones you are comfortable in whatever the science says!
5. Diet=fuel, don’t run out of steam but ensure you eat the right foods to fuel training and aid recovery. Plan your food intake for the week before and also for your recovery week, don’t leave it to chance.
6. Don’t ignore any niggles or illness. Rest if you need to and see your doctor or sports therapist and get things sorted quickly so you’re not side lined for the big event.
7. Don’t be tempted to over train. Rest is an essential part of your training plan if the most difficult to do.
8. Cross train to build all round strength and stamina and prevent overuse injuries.
9. Stretching is important and something easy to ignore! Try to stretch after each training session and if possible do a separate stretching session to see the benefits.
10. Mental preparation is important, try to schedule training around work and home commitments. Training when you know you should be somewhere else is never easy. So again plan your training and get good at time management.
11. Hot or cold? The general rule is hot for chronic conditions and cold for new injuries and swelling. If in any doubt contact your sports therapist for specific advice.
12. Tapering is always a good idea. You’ve done the mileage in training now rest your body in the days prior to the event so you don’t arrive on the start line already tired.
13. Enjoy – this is an amazing challenge you have set yourself so enjoy the ride!