The Good Friday Run, March 29th, 8.30am

Celebration time come on, it’s a celebration!

Please scan to the post below for Wednesday’s run training

Hurrah! It’s a long weekend and the clocks go back on Sunday, a sign of Spring, even if the weather does continue to let us down!

But to avoid losing the hour of extra sleep and to celebrate an extra day off, this week’s ‘long’ run will take place on Good Friday.

It is a chance for our marathon group, who have been training on long, long runs alone to join up with rest of the Fitbitch run crew as they begin their taper.

Our Bluebell 10mile group will be running 9miles, and the marathon group 8 miles and will join forces for most of this beautiful run out past Rottingdean.

Meanwhile, our 10k training group will be stepping up to 6.5miles, again starting in the same place.

For all those who are interested, we will celebrate with a tea and hot cross bun at one of Rottingdean’s delcious tea houses after the run.

PLEASE COMMENT HERE IF YOU ARE COMING. IF YOU ARE NEW, PLEASE EMAIL info@fitbitchbootcamp.com so we can send you relevant forms.

Running Etiquette – please stay within your group and do not run ahead of your lead runner. If you are faster, we can devise ways to work you harder – but stay with your coach.

If you decide to turn back, please inform your group running leader before you do so.

And please arrive with plenty of time to park, register and pay as we leave for the run at 8.30am.  Ensure you are sufficiently dressed – trail shoes would be advisable, as well as gloves and something to keep your head warm.

Marathon group: Rachael, 07855 742195

9 mile group: Kate

6 mile group: Mel L & Elspeth

Location: Rottingdean car park on the main sea road in front of Tesco. It is Pay and Display

Time:8.30am departure

Drop ins: All runs £7

 

 

Conditioning and the need for speed to improve your running.Wednesday 23rd January.

The reason for speed work is more than a quick dash from the horse.

It’s important to have strong core as a runner to prevent injuries and stabilise the trunk, plus help improve technique when fatigued on an endurance run. Half and full marathon runners you will reap the benefits by including this in your training.

Another important principle as a runner is speedwork. This often gets overlooked when people are training for a long distance run. The body has a natural ability to adapt to physiological demands. Training at the same pace day after day fails to improve running performance. But break out of that comfort zone with speedwork now and then, and the body will learn to deal with the new demands. The heart will get stronger, the cardiovascular system more efficient and the muscles are able to function better at full force. That will all translate to greater strength, faster and easier endurance runs. It is a session that caters for all abilities, even if you think you can only run at one pace, you’ll be surprised at how you can go faster for a short period of time once you have had effective coaching.

MEET: Hove Street, near King Alfred car park and the lifeguard hut. Time: 7.30 – 8.30pm

Coach: Kate 07702983744

Drop in £5.

 

The longer route – run along the river. Sunday 6th January. 10 miles.

A scenic start to 2013.

It’s our first Sunday training session of 2013 and we’re ready to make dreams a reality. Whether it’s to improve general fitness, gain a pb, run your first marathon, enjoy a social run or lose some Christmas pounds, our sessions are a great way to meet your goals and keep you focused.

Half and full marathon training are both 10 miles this Sunday and it’s flat. For those who are training for the full marathon you will be encouraged to work on negative splits, running the second half at a slightly faster pace. If you learn to conserve your resources for the first part of the run, they’ll be available to you in the later stage as you pass the surviving shufflers.

Coach Melissa 07894146016. R/A’s Middle runner Tor. Back up runner Karen Russell.

Location: Meet car park by Lower Beach Road, Shoreham-by-Sea – map here. you will need to pay for parking but it is cheap. If the car park is still closed, there is street parking nearby. Comment if you need a lift. Even if you are a new runner with us, please don’t be afraid to ask. PLEASE NOTE THE 5 MILE ROUTE FOR OUR NEW RUNNER’S ‘CATCH UP’ STARTS AT HOVE SEAFRONT.

Drop in: £7

Time: 8.30am

Pace work: Learn something new, or train for an event. Wednesday 7th March.

Whether you're setting out on a new dream, or training for the next one, doing it the FitBitch way works!

Do you ever set out for a run and feel the need to stop after a few minutes? Or are you currently training for a specific goal, whether it’s a distance or a time?

Pace work is the answer for both and will vary between every individual. It is not a competitive training session, but one where you learn to work with your body to help improve your cardiovascular system, muscular strength and improve endurance before fatigue kicks in.

While your pace is individual to you, it is certainly not easy to do alone which is why training in a group is so important.

This week, we will help you  find a pace that brings you slightly out of your  comfort zone, and help you to understand how you can work towards maintaining that pace.

This is a vital part of training for those in our group who are working towards the BlueBell 10k, Brighton Marathon on Berlin Half Marathon.

We have two Coaches, Melissa who will work with beginners and those training for the 10k, and Kate who will work with the half an marathon runners.

Where: Bottom of Hove Street, near lifeguard hut (Close to King Alfred car park which is free)

Time: 7:30 pm

Contact. Kate 07702983744. Melissa 07894146016

Please call us if any questions or concerns. Alternatively leave a comment to let us know you are joining us.

£5 DROP IN FEE.

FitBitches at the Brighton Half Marathon – are you ready to join?

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Congratulations to all our the incredible FitBitches who ran this weekend’s Brighton Half Marathon. If you’re reading this and thinking, ‘Ooh, yes but they’re proper runners. I couldn’t do that.’

They are all runners, but around half of they started from not being able to run 5k. And they have got to where they are now, not through blood and tears but with laughter and new-found friends.

If you want to train with us and transform your running or experience of running, now is the time to join us. We’re training for 10ks, (BlueBell Run, April 29th), Half Marathon, 25ks and Brighton Full Marathon.

Drop in for training either Wednesday or Sunday, or pay for a package of runs and a training plan. We are a women’s running group but we focus on the individual.

And special mention must be given to Elsbeth Hayde for her genius cut off tights to keep her arms warm. And the attention to detail from Belinda Muir. The new wait listed Chanel nail varnish to match her sunglasses (she said it wasn’t deliberate. Yeah, yeah).

Relaxed and ready to race: arrangements, Sunday 18th Feb

Congratulations, you’ve got to the start line! OK, so you have not actually run the Brighton Half Marathon yet. But for all of you feeling nervous and wondering whether you can do it, remind yourself where you started.

Just a little under four months ago, many of you started training with us having only just completed a 5k. You faced hills with trepidation, and worried about going on long runs in case you got left behind. And now? You may still face hills with a worried face but you do them. And now 5-8miles seem like a relaxing stroll in the park.

So whoever you are, whichever race you are doing, if you worry whether you can do it just remind yourself of all you have achieved and know that you can.

Anyway, enough of the cheese, on to the practical stuff.

This week, all of you should be ensuring you hydrate well every day (don’t wait until 8am on race day to neck 2 litres of water), eating well and crucially, sleeping well too. Make sure you know exactly what you are going to wear on the start line (wear a layer that you can throw a way so that you can keep warm while in the starting pens), what pace you are going to aim for, and where you are going to meet your fellow FitBitches of course.

The arrangements for the day:

Arrive: 8am to drop your bags at the baggage drop which is to be found opposite Peter Pan Playground on Madeira Drive.

Warm up: 8.15am Peter Pan Playground – come and meet us, Rachael, Kate and Melissa for a pre-race warm up and pep talk. If you’re running late text 07855 742195 (if you want to have any pics taken or leave your phone with anyone, I’m not running and so I’m happy to keep hold of stuff for you).

Stretch down (and final finisher’s pictures you know me!) after the race by Peter Pan.

If you are going to join us for the warm up pre-race pep talk PLEASE COMMENT HERE so we know to look out for you. Any pre-race jitters, worries, questions about training or nutrition, comment here and we will answer.

Strength & Conditoning Training, Wed 1st Feb

Conditioning for runners session

This week we are focusing on strength and conditioning, a part that many runners neglect in their training but which is as vital as the running itself (and the flexibility work…ahem!)

We don’t want you to miss out on your pace work though so we will start with a few fast 1k pace runs, building on from our focus at last week’s training.

Please arrive on time – you are late you will have to wait for us at the lifeguards hut where we will be returning (fairly rapidly!).

This session will involve running, kettlebells, biomechanics exercises and more. Wrap up WARM! Layers can be shed for the running session but you will need layers and gloves for the second half (my car will be parked there for things to be left in).

Coach: Rachael
Drop in: £5
Location: Hove Lawns,near Hove Street South and King Alfred Centre. Meet lifeguard hut, same place as last week.
Parking: King Alfred Centre
Time: 7.30pm

Wednesday 18th January. Become a conditioned runner and avoid injuries in your training.

Strength training to stay injury-free

Running injuries can be avoided if you strengthen, condition and stretch during the course of a training schedule. There’s no benefit to overlooking this part of training, or leaving it to days before a big event, such as a half or full marathon. For runners, muscular strength and efficiency are essential for maintaining the posture and joint ranges of motion associated with proper running techniques. This session will give you the opportunity to use equipment such as kettlebells to enhance your conditioning work and challenge your muscles.

As tempting is it may be to put the training in but fail to stretch, you will suffer with muscle soreness which could lead to injury. We will show you how to stretch safely before and after your workout. Combined with the regular conditioning work, your body will be protected from the rigours of the road.

Where: Hove Lawns (opposite the bottom of 3rd and 4th Avenue)

Time: 7:30pm

Trainer: Kate 07702983744

Please comment if you are joining us.

If you have gloves with some grip please wear them for kettlebell work.

Wednesday 11th Jan. Make your running more efficient with speed training.

slow...fast...slow

Even if you are not training for a half or full marathon, speed work has it’s purpose in a runners training plan. Or your ultimate goal may not be to win a Gold in a 2012 Olympic race but speed work will still enhance your running, by increasing your tolerance of lactic acid build up, improving your ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles and making you move more efficiently. A perfect way for every individual to progress their fitness level.

This session is once again suitable for all. We will be covering up to 6 miles (less if you are new to running or have been injured). The route is a mile loop, which is repeated, with the faster pace run on a timed interval, followed by a recovery jog. For the advanced runner, you will be encouraged  to work to a high intensity to maximise performance.

Time:7:30pm

Where: Bottom of Hove Street, to the right of King Alfreds if facing the sea.

Trainer: Kate. 07702983744

Drop in: £5

Please leave a comment if you are attending.

Sunday 8th January. Half and Full Marathon training (or a 5 mile option possible)

Countdown to the big day!

With the Festive season behind us, we are definitely in our Marathon training season. For some of us it may be a case of training about to commence, for others, it’s time to up the intensity. It was vital not to exhaust ourselves before Christmas, but to have  established a good fitness level.

Sundays session is bringing the mileage down from last years last long run.The key emphasis is to combine distance and speed. For those full or half marathon training it is a tempo run, consisting  of 2 miles easy, 3 miles at race pace then 2 miles slightly faster to improve the lactate threshold and condition the body without overtraining.

For anyone who is about to embark on your programme, or not training for a particular event, then this is a perfect start to Sundays training sessions. The distance and terrain will allow you to keep to a steady pace before you start to combine different methods of training.

There will be a 5 mile option if enough people are interested. Please leave a comment so we can provide enough trainers.

 

Meet: The Peace Statue. Kingsway.

Time: 8:30 am

Trainer: Kate. 07702983744

Back up runner: Naomi

Drop in fee: £5

Please comment if you are joining us and whether you are varying your pace or running steady.