Symptom: A burning sensation in your chest or throat

The diagnosis: Acid reflux – or heartburn – is the bubbling up of stomach acid into the esophagus. “Vigorous exercise can cause reflux even in people who don’t normally have a problem with it,” says Jeukendrup. “Running jostles the contents of the stomach, and in certain people the pressure relaxes the valve that normally keeps acid in its place – the oesophageal sphincter – allowing acid to come up.”

The fix: Avoid common trigger foods – caffeine, chocolate, mint, onions and citrus fruits – at least two hours before you run. “I have noticed that red fruits and vegetables in particular can be a common cause in some runners,” says Jeukendrup. Also, loosen your waistband and fuel belt: if they’re too snug, they can squeeze open the valve that keeps stomach acid down.

Symptom: You finish a race and your head is pounding

The diagnosis: An exertion headache, which is essentially a tension headache. “This occurs when the upper back and neck muscles tighten, with this tension transferring to the head and face,” says Greg Whyte, from the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Science at Liverpool John Moores University.

The fix: Warm up your neck and upper back with self-massage, as well as doing neck and shoulder rolls. This will help prevent the fatigue and cramping in those areas that can lead to headaches, says Whyte. Also, keep your shoulders relaxed throughout your run – once per mile, shake out your arms.

Symptom: You feel sluggish and drained during runs

The diagnosis: If sleep deprivation or overtraining isn’t to blame, your iron stores may be low. Iron is necessary for the production of hemoglobin, the protein of red blood cells that carries oxygen to your muscles. Low iron means less hemoglobin – and less energy to run.

The fix: If you think you might have an iron deficiency, your first stop should be your GP for a blood test. “What’s normal for a non-runner might be too low for runners,” says Jeukendrup. “Even a relatively mild deficiency can cause symptoms.” The best nutritional sources of iron are beef, fish and poultry, which your body absorbs better than the plant-based iron found in fortified cereals, soya beans and kale, says Jeukendrup. “For optimum absorption, include some vitamin C in your meal,” he adds. Your doctor may also recommend an iron supplement.

Symptom: Post-run coughing

The diagnosis: Exercise-induced asthma, a condition brought on by the constriction of the muscles surrounding bronchial tubes. At rest, you breathe more through your nose, which warms and humidifies air. “When you’re running and breathing through your mouth, the air that hits your lungs is colder and drier,” says Andy Jones, chair of Applied Physiology at University of Exeter‘s School of Sport and Health Sciences. This causes coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.

The fix: “Walk for five minutes before picking up your pace to give your lungs time to adjust to the effort of running,” says Jones. When your lungs are warmed up gradually, they can handle a heavier breathing rate. “Wearing a face mask or scarf can increase the humidity and warming of the air before you breathe it,” adds Jones. A vitamin C supplement may help, too. An Indiana University study found that participants who took 1,500mg of vitamin C for two weeks cut their asthma symptoms in half.

Symptom: Itchy bumps, wheezing, feeling flushed or tingly

The diagnosis: Exercise-induced urticaria (hives) is a mild allergic response (to food, medication, clothing, detergent or pollen) that’s set off by physical activity. “It’s the combination of the allergen and exercise that causes the reaction – although we’re not sure why,” says Whyte.

The fix: Seek medical attention if you have these symptoms. Anaphylaxis, a more severe – and frankly, rare – reaction can cause facial swelling and difficulty breathing, says Whyte. To help your doctor pinpoint the cause, keep a log of where you ran, what you were wearing and what you ate beforehand. Once you identify your allergen, limit your exposure to it within two hours of running. Taking an antihistamine like Claritin before running can also help.

Symptom: Abdominal pain, bloating

The diagnosis: Gas. During an intense bout of exercise, blood moves from the digestive tract to the legs, leaving less blood to help with digestion.

The fix: Fruits, beans and vegetables – great foods for runners – contain fibre and sugars that commonly lead to gas. Dairy and wheat can also cause trouble, especially if you’re intolerant or allergic. Eliminate these foods from your diet one at a time for a week to see if your symptoms ease. Then avoid the offenders at least three hours before you run, says Jeukendrup. “This will ensure they are completely absorbed by your intestines.” But you don’t have to miss out on your energy foods forever. “You can train your gut by starting to eat smaller amounts before a run and building this up over time. You’ll find your gut is surprisingly adaptable.”

This should be one after a jog/warm up for at least 10 minutes has taken place.

Numbers 1 to 3 repeated on both legs, as well as 9  and 10 with both right and left arms.

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Well if you hadn’t notice, one of the largest half marathons in the world was run this weekend. The Great north run this year was in its 29^th year. It ran with 42,000 runners and nearly 5 years ago I was lucky to be part of the 55,000 competitors who started when it broke the world record for most number of people in a race. So the question is what drives people on to run these events, well some do it to raise money for charities, some do it for fitness and losing weight, some do it in honor of loved ones they have lost, but most do it for the camaraderie that an event like this creates.

I remember been stood on the start line on a lovely autumnal morning. It was hot weather for England 15 degrees and no rain, which was a nice change from running through muddy forests with rain running down my back. I was doing it for My mums charity, they helped the old people from around our area who couldn’t get out of their houses by buying a mini bus and picking them up and taking them once a week to a local centre so they could meet people and sing songs, even celebrate Christmas as some were completely alone. As there old mini bus was getting old and falling apart, I thought I would try and help them by raising money for a new one and had accumulated over £2000 towards them buying a new mini bus. So I stood there with a good feeling, but the thing is I find it hard to explain what it was like stood there. I was nervous, but with excitement, this was about my 6^th half Marathon, so I was no virgin to this distance and new I could make it to the end. As the swell of people came into the paddock next to me, it was this nervous excitement which had people randomly walking up to you and saying hello, chatting about where they had come from and how much they had or hadn’t trained for the race.

When the gun went everyone was slowly jogging off together, no one was really bothered about the time as we all had chips on and new we would eventually get to the start. The music was booming all around me and me and my friends from the Leeds Dragons were chatting away about how it was going to be and talking about how they were going to celebrate after, mine was obvious as I had made a self imposed ban on fish and chips for over 6 weeks, so had already worked out where I was getting them from.

As the run progressed it was a bit stop start as the people who thought they were good started to puff and pant around me and started walking after 3 miles. This was a little annoying, but I kept telling myself I was here for charity and not for a time. Around the half way stage I suddenly realized the temperature was getting much hotter than earlier and when I noticed a temperature sign it read 23 degrees. It had become very hot over a short time and was rising. Suddenly I noticed that every mile of the course was lined with people and they even was handing people drinks and sweets to help them run. The locals was also out with their hose pipes showering people when they went past, it was great relief.

As the last few kilometers came, it was now baking hot and I slowed to a walk, ‘come on son’, shouted this voice. I looked round and it came from this man dressed as a bumble bee! He looked roasted thought the little air hole he had. This inspired me to push on and as I came up to the last 2 kilometers I suddenly felt I had energy again, so I made a last spurt and crossed over the line in 2 hours 20 minutes.

This was one of my slower times, but all my club colleagues came up and gave me a hug at the end and it was a near tear moment for me as I felt a huge amount of feeling lift up from me.

So I got my fish and chips, Mum’s charity got their new mini bus and I felt good about myself.

This is the same camaraderie I would like to have with our club in Basel and I know we can all have it. We just need to work together more in all aspects as a team and then we will go on from strength to strength in our friendship and in our private lives, in and away from the club.

Keep on running

Martin

Cut out saturated fats

They do nothing for you, so avoid them completely. These are fats found in greasy foods, crisps, chocolates, pastry…

Reduce late carbs

Make it a strict rule not to have any of the following after 5 p.m.

• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Bread
• Fruit

Cut out junk/fast foods

Yes they are convenient but they contain nothing but rubbish. They are ladened full of saturated fat and unhealthy ingredients. Eat crap and your body will look like crap. Why do you think so many people have such deep-rooted fat like cellulite? Stay away from junk food. If you see a fast food place, avoid it. Go to a sandwich shop instead and get a sandwich.

Eat only when hungry

This is really important. Why on earth are we eating constantly? When was the last time you let your body experience that hungry feeling? There is nothing wrong with having an empty stomach for a few hours. Get used to it. Eat only when you feel hungry.

Eat smaller meals

Don’t eat what is put on your plate for you. Fill the plate up only as much as you can eat without stuffing yourself. Eat more frequently but eat smaller portions. This is a good way of speeding your metabolism up.

Drink water

Yes you have heard it a million times. What do you think shifts the fat out of your body? Drink water throughout the day, every day. You must drink at least 2-3 litres a day, more if you are sweating or trying to lose fat.

Make CV a integral part of your every day life

Try and do 45+ minutes, 3-4 times a week on either the stationary bike, rower, stepper or go out fast walking. CV is the only guaranteed way of getting rid of the fat which you already posses.

Eat fibre

It is amazing to see just how many people are constipated. Why? It’s not rocket science you know! If you don’t exercise and you don’t eat fibre, chances are you will be constipated. Fibre ensures a healthy intestinal tract, less toxins and less fat. Eating fibre reduces food passage time and can aid fat loss. If you are confused, then get a packet of prunes and have some during the day.

Drink green tea

The wonder drink for relaxation and fat loss. They drink it in the Orient and you can’t deny that they are slimmer than most others.

Shop only on a full stomach

The classic mistake people make is to go shopping on an empty stomach. All that happens is you end up buying sugary foods to satisfy your hunger. Always always go shopping after you have eaten. You will amazed at just how wise you will be in your choices!

Get more active

Every little bit helps. Stay active. Use the stairs instead of the lift. Walk to the station instead of driving. Go out during your breaks. Make sure you are suing calories at every available opportunity. Remember, winning starts with beginning.

Drink caffeine

Caffeine is without a doubt a good fatburner. A cup of coffee in the morning followed by a cup of grapefruit juice (yeah it sounds disgusting!) can be a very good start to your fat-burning day.

Don’t get stressed – relax!

People who are too desperate to lose fat, usually put their progress back. Stress means the release of cortisol which destroys muscle and stores fat! So don’t get stressed and try to find ways of relaxing.

Lose the “fat” not “weight”!

Don’t get obsessed with the scales. How much you “weigh” is not the issue here. Your weight consists of fat, muscle, bones etc. It is how much “fat” you have which is important. Throw your scales out and make sure the mirror is your guide. How much you “weight” has NOTHING to do with how much fat you have.

Do weight training

Weight training builds muscle tissue. Muscle tissue ensures a steady fat-burning furnace is operating in your body. Don’t neglect bodyparts like the legs, which can burn a great deal of body fat.

Be persistent

Fat doesn’t appear overnight and it most certainly doesn’t disappear overnight. Be persistent and stick to it. The body is not a mystery. Start, stick to it and you will succeed.

Ten reasons you should start running!

Basel Dragons have everyone from Beginners to elite runners and tri-athletes training with us. Here is 10 reasons why you should join us and run.

1, Running is easy to learn.

2. Running s the quickest way to get cardiovascular fitness.

3. Running makes you feel good mentally and physically.

4. Running is one of the best ways of reducing stress.

5. Running is the most flexible way of training your body.

6. Running is good for your heart and helps you be able to run after your kids and not be tired running for that tram.

7 Running and fitness makes you better in bed. * Ask the coaches for more details )

8. Running is the cheapest forms of exercise.

9. Running with a group not only helps motivate yourself to run further and harder, but helps create unbeatable bonds with other like minded people.

10. Running can be not only motivational, but bring great personal satisfaction.

We can help you get your goals, join us!