Getting Fit: Great North Run training - part three

Sep 27 2008 The Journal

NO doubt you will have tapped into the many resources across the region in regards to building your training programme for the Great North Run.

Even with final preparations under way, there are certain key factors that should be the basis of everyone’s conditioning: quality eating, sleeping and movement.

Eat, Sleep and Move

Considering these factors will ensure you are in your best condition to train and beat that personal best.

Restful Sleep

Do you feel fresh when you get out of bed in the morning? Good quality, restful sleep is a foundation of good health and one to embrace if you want to perform well in next week’s GNR.

Many people’s answer to the above question is "no" and this may be a major cause of dysfunction and disease.

Alarmingly, this below-par feeling is considered the norm. It seems strange that after several hours of lying down doing nothing, we would get up and actually feel tired, sluggish and possibly worse than when we went to bed.

Let’s consider the ideal situation. Your body follows a natural circadian (daily) rhythm that dictates when you should go to sleep and wake up.

Ideally you will be asleep by 10.30pm and rise at around 6.30am. While this may vary slightly, these times are important as they coincide with hormonal levels that control what happens in your body.

Given our culture (working hours, shift patterns, socialising, late-night TV etc) we experience a lot of disruption to this natural rhythm. Disruption will most likely cause a breakdown in your function in some way (energy, performance, concentration, mood, injury).

Solutions take many forms. Practically we have some control of the factors that may be disrupting our natural rhythm. Encouragingly, there are many further actions you can take to restore your sleep, including nutritional timing and content, relaxation methods, breathing techniques, stress management and herbal and nutritional supplements.

The approach taken depends on the causes that are specific to you and you will benefit from investigating these further.

Restful sleep is essential for your body to deal with what’s gone before and prepare for what’s to come. Good luck for the run and please send me some feedback.

‘Functional Trainer’ provides Health and Performance training: 07792 761324, jack@functionaltrainer.co.uk, www.functionaltrainer.co.uk