Karen has kindly provided the worksheet from the session which can be seen below. These are general notes on why and how to stretch.

Another session for club members with Karen has been proposed, details will appear on the ERC website when it is arranged.

If you would like to get in touch with Karen to arrange a sports therapy session her details can be found below:

Karen Simpson – Sports Massage Therapist
Back 2 Health
back2healthuk@gmail.com

Why Stretch?

• Helps to prevent muscle aches, pains and cramping.
• Reduces the possibility of muscular soreness/fatigue over the next day(s), known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
• Decreases the possibility of causing a muscle injury.
• Increases the muscles efficiency/effectiveness of movement (improving your overall flexibility, speed, stamina, and form).
• Increases the possibility of lengthening stride.
• Good for relaxation.

Reasons Not to Stretch?

• When you have a lack of joint stability (e.g. because of a recent sprain or fracture).
• If you have infection or inflammation in or around the structures being stretched.
• During an acute injury.
• If you have any diseases that affect the condition of the tissue targeted to be stretched or taking drugs (like anticoagulants) that alter vascular structure.
• Excessive pain or other negative reaction to stretching.

How to Stretch:

Static stretching is best for increasing static or passive flexibility (without movement). For most, static stretching involves a “holding” position however, “holding” prevents clients making progress because the rigid holding position requires effort and is counter-productive for a relaxation response. Furthermore, often clients “hold” their breath while holding, therefore increasing tension in the muscles. So try to release body tension, undulate the stretch (like a wave) with each slow breath to get maximal tissue elongation.

Stretch Basics for Static Stretching:

1. You should you stretch before hitting the road? TRUE/FALSE

   FALSE: If you feel you must stretch before a run always warm up by having a jog for 5 or 10 minutes before doing so. Only stretch when muscles are warm with blood flowing through them.

2. You are most receptive to the benefits of stretching immediately after your run? TRUE/FALSE

   TRUE: As part of your warm down process stretch gently and slowly. Do not wait until later after you are fatigued and cold.

3. Should stretching be A) painful or B) uncomfortable?

   NEITHER: You should take the muscle to its full range of movement and feel minimal discomfort not pain. If you feel more sore after stretching you have stretched too intensively.

4. Synchronising your breathing with your stretching movement helps to relax the muscle? TRUE/FALSE

   TRUE: The rhythmical action of inhaling and exhaling revs up or calms down your nervous system and heart rate, slowing your breathing down promotes relaxation.

5. You should hold and control the stretch for a minimum of 30 seconds? TRUE/FALSE

   FALSE: You should not put an arbitrary time constraint on the stretch. Instead of counting, synchronise breathing with movement. An individuals muscles and tissues have their own biological time clock for responding.

6. You should bounce when stretching to progress your stretch further? TRUE/FALSE

   FALSE: A sudden quick stretch activates a reflex, which causes a sudden contraction or spasm in the muscle, which is counter-productive.

7. You should adjust stretching to your goals as a runner? TRUE/FALSE

   TRUE: Modify your frequency, intensity and duration of stretching to accomplish individual goal for your stretching programme.

Location: Lee Valley Park (just off Station Road, Waltham Cross)
Time: Please arrive before 9am in order to get to your marshal point for the start of the race.

The following people were on the list to marshal: Brian Collison, Chris Hack, Derek Weedon, Gary Collins, Magda Guzy, M-C Ahnien, Marc Bibaud, Pat Rhodes, Pauline Edmunds, Peter Kessler, Rajiv Ratan, Randolph Gumbs, Sonay Suavi, and Val Hahn.

Apologies if you volunteered and your name is not in the list above, please do come along and help out if you are free on Sunday morning, support your club and the runners taking part in the race.

Further details can be found here: Marshal Points and Instructions.

The organisers will be providing lunch!

The course starts in Cassiobury Park through the park across the Grand Union Canal and into Whippendell Woods, crossing West Herts Golf Course.  Onwards through Whippendell Woods and along the border of Whippendell and Cartpath Woods carrying on through Whippendell where you are greeted by a steep uphill climb back towards West Herts Golf Club and the Grand Union Canal back into Cassiobury Park to the finish.

On this typically wet Bank Holiday Monday a few hardy ERC souls turned up to don their colours and run.  It was a good race, well organised with spectators out even in the dreadful weather and it was great to run a 10k in most part off road.

The results of the Watford 10k are available on the club website, there are a couple of photos in the club gallery and the club championship points table has been updated.

A straw poll was taken and the following summarises the results:

100% of the respondents enjoyed the race.
100% of them thought the course was challenging.
100% thought it had tough hills and enjoyed it being off road in beautiful surroundings

83% said they would run the race again.
0% of them said it was their first 10k race.
100% enjoyed the distance.
0% got PB’s.

Feedback included:

It was good that it was chip timed

The start was a tad crammed for 1000+ runners

The race was well marshaled and attended despite the weather

Our next race is The TPRC Triffic Trail 10k, which is on Sunday 24^th June. Please do enter as it really does make for a better event and is good to support other local clubs. The event information plus online entries are on the Trent Park website: http://www.trentparkrc.org/trif_trail.asp

The next core race is the Triffic Trail on Sunday 24th June.

All results and volunteering efforts have been entered into the system. To save you hunting around the site, here are some quick links to all the result pages:

Latest club championship Table

Latest and searchable member results

Town Park 5K Handicap Table

Championship Core Race List with links for information and race entry

If you’ve competed in an event that hasn’t yet been added to the results then please email the details to results@edmontonrc.co.uk and we’ll get it included for you.

Thanks to Peter Joyce, we now have an online store for ordering club kit directly.

Visit http://www.iffytonstores.co.uk/edmontonrunningclub/ to purchase vests, shirts etc.

Feedback directly to Pete or any member of the Management committee.

As you may be aware the ballot for the Virgin London Marathon opened today (30th April). If you would like a chance to take part in next years race then put your entry in now as the ballot can fill up within a day. Entering the ballot does not guarantee a place, however is always worth a try. Club members who are unsuccessful at the ballot also have a second chance to enter the marathon as Edmonton RC receives a number of guaranteed places for club members.

Good luck!

London Marathon 2013 Entry

Everyone Is timed and then an age graded time is worked out and put into a league table. So even if you are not the fastest you may still win.

So come along and give it a go. Even if you are unable to run please come and support and help marshal.

On Sunday 22nd April 2012 ERC members completed the 2012 London marathon in awe-inspiring fashion.

Mick chanted his way through an incredible time

John ran like the wind and now he is ready for his next marathon this Sunday

Rajiv & Tony exemplified the true spirit of comradeship and courage

Suzie breezed through the whole course and looked totally unfazed

Peter true to his word not only completed well within his expected time and managed to  down  his favourite tipple as soon as he finished

Mark ran an exceptional race for his first marathon

The Volunteers performed a herculean task and the ladies were seduced by the presence of one Prince Harry.

Superman came and went in a blur but his buckets could still be heard rattling.

All in all it was a marvelous effort from all- TEAM ERC

Naresh

We have John Bennett running three marathons in three weeks and London marathon is the second one. He blitzed Brighton and now he is ready to conquer London.

It is rumoured that this will be the last marathon for Tony Lambrou as he wishes to retire from marathon running. He has done absolute sterling work in raising thousands of pounds for charity over the last few years. I am sure that he will run more marathons.

Rajiv Rattan is running the marathon as a training run and those who are not aware he plans to run home to Enfield after the race! He also ran the Brighton marathon last Sunday as an official time pacer.

Susie Dutoit is running the marathon and is on schedule for a PB. She has trained hard through the winter.

We also have Mick O’ Sullivan- he will doubtless burn the course whilst reciting his mantra “every mile long …………..”

Mark Harrison and Peter Joyce are the newbies this year. Both have trained manically and are on course for fantastic times.

Let’s not forget the volunteers providing baggage duties. Their hard work results in ERC receiving two entry places for the marathon each year.

Good luck to team ERC

Naresh