While some love this early start in the morning, other’s hate it or don’t have time, and wait until the evening when they feel more awake and energised. Starting the day with a run or exercise can result in many positives, including; boosting your fitness, burning body fat, and many psychological benefits that will positively impact the rest of your day.

One runner shares their approach to running early in the morning.

What gets me up everyday at 5.30am?
For me nothing quiet beats the peacefulness and tranquility of running at this time of the day. The roads are clear, the air is cleaner, and it is just me with my thoughts. If you are lucky enough to have a running route close to a river, try it in the AM, the sounds of the river and wildlife at this time of the day are something else.

Even going to the gym at this time of the morning brings its own peacefulness. It is definitely a lot quieter for one, and you get to avoid the 8am-9am rush before work. Going to the gym at 6am gives me the time and space to focus on my drills / workouts, without feeling rushed to vacate a space on the mat or bench.

In a way, I suppose I am lucky that getting up early and feeling alert enough to get on with my tasks now comes naturally to me. This wasn’t always the case though, it does take self discipline and some getting used to initially, especially in the first few weeks, but if you keep it up, I promise it will soon become second nature. As an added benefit you will have a achieved something before 9am, leaving you more focused and productive for the rest of the day.

Below are some tips I have found that will help you start training in the morning.

1. Picture waking up early, running — and enjoying it. So for just a few minutes before bed, think about waking up to your alarm and feeling energised. Then, imagine getting ready and having a great run. If you can do that regularly, it’ll only help you see yourself as someone who likes running in the morning. And then you can make it a reality!

2. Ensure your morning routine is simple. Running in the morning has to be as painless as possible, and you want it to be as easy as possible to get out the door. So have your running kit ready to go the night before, in the morning brush your teeth, get a quick bite, lace up your running shoes and get going. Do nothing but the bare minimum. Ideally, it should only take you 5 to 10 minutes to get ready.

3. Do what’s necessary to wake up. Set your alarm across the room so you have to get up and out of bed to turn it off. Then, once you’re up, flip on the lights. And, of course, be sure to warm up before working out in the morning.

4. Have a few bites to eat and water. Eating too much before a run isn’t great, but you will feel better if you eat something.  Try a banana or a slice of toast with peanut butter, and then drink a cup or two of cold water. This will get your metabolism going, and give your body fuel for running in the morning.

5. Make it a non-negotiable. While we all like to hit the snooze button, you need to be strict with yourself and avoid it at all costs. Getting up and out of bed is the hardest part of running in the morning, so hitting the snooze button and procrastinating doesn’t do anything but make it more likely that you’ll go back to bed.

6. Ease into running in the morning. If you’re not used to running in the morning getting up a couple of hours earlier than you’re used to is not going to be easy. Try gradually waking up earlier and earlier, and don’t be afraid to get up for early morning runs every other day, just so that you have some sleep recovery time in the beginning.

The post 6 tips to running in the morning appeared first on Fast Running.

Running form develops in time, and by focusing on the basics first, you’ll improve without being completely overwhelmed. When we try to focus on everything before it is time, confusion wins out and a lack of progress follows.

Perform a Head-to-Toe Inventory one or two times per run.

Understanding what your body is doing by performing an inventory, head to toe, will allow you to learn how your body is moving forward and bring awareness to your running style. Perform this inventory a few times during your run and let this simmer for several weeks.

Your head should be over your shoulders, eyes looking forward.

Neck and shoulders should be relaxed—tightness here is a huge energy suck.

Arms bent (don’t worry about the exact degree just yet) and swinging like a pendulum from your shoulder. Still confused? Stand with your feet hip width apart and arms long and start swinging them. You’ll notice they follow a natural arc from your hip to your center line. Now bend your arms and keep swinging with relaxed shoulders—this is it!

Relax your hands—you’re not getting ready for a fight! If it helps, think of something delicate in your palm (bird, chip…)

Hips should be under the shoulders. Think of natural alignment from head to toes. Watch other runners for this one and you’ll see what I mean. If they are bent or slouched forward, they are out of alignment.

Your feet should land with short, quick strides under your hips.

Next—Focus on your feet.

Once you learn how to run in alignment and with less tension with the head-to-toe inventory, the next step is to dial in your tempo, or the number of strides per minute. During the heart of your run, count the number of strides (or steps) your right foot takes in one minute.

According to Coach Jack Daniels, the general rule of thumb for efficient running is 90 strides per minute for one foot, or 180 for both, but there is variance based on leg length. The key is in knowing what your tempo is, and if you’re in the 70s to low-80s, you’re likely trying to cover too much ground with each step—a common newbie mistake.

If this is the case, practice running with shorter, quicker steps. One fun way is to run to a fast-paced song, you can also learn via gadgets like a Garmin. Like proper alignment, being aware of your tempo will have a profound effect on your energy management and efficiency down the road, but it will take time to learn.

Warm Up and Build Your Running Game Slowly.

This may not seem like a running form tip, but it certainly is, especially if you sit during the day and head out for your run post-work with your hips and hamstrings so tight you could play a tune on them. Invest at least three to five minutes in walking briskly and with purpose.

Try backwards walking to open your hips (be careful) and foam rolling if you are particularly tight in areas (hips, ITB, hamstrings). Also have a look at our article on the benefits yoga can bring to your running. A warmup is the gateway to better running form, as it prepares your body to run optimally.

Avoid trying to run ‘perfect’ initially if you still need to learn how to run or you’re fresh into the running scene. Like all sports, investing the time in building the mechanics, fitness, and stamina will allow you to run stronger more quickly than jumping ahead. In many cases, running form issues stem from a lack of foundation of miles and mechanics and can be easily resolved by a solid running training plan and following steps one and two above.

The post Tips to improve your running form appeared first on Fast Running.

It can be enjoyed after your post morning run to aid recovery, or as a quick nutritional meal to fuel you for your afternoon run. Best of all it is 100% vegan, and it will ensure your body is provided with all the nutrients it needs from plant-based foods.

Ingredients

• Half a cup of porridge oats
• 1 full cup of water
• 2 tea spoon full’s of milled organic flaxseed
• A generous helping of blueberries
• 1 tablespoon full of brown rice protein powder  *recommended
• 1 tablespoon full of pea protein powder  *recommended

*The foods listed above will provide the body with all the nutrients it needs to refuel and aid recovery but for additional protein go for a vegan friendly, plant-based protein supplement.

We recommend adding a brown rice protein isolate, and a pea protein isolate powders. By combing the two protein powders we get all the amino acids whey (milk) protein isolate provides.

Directions
To begin, add half a cup of oats, a great source of slow releasing carbohydrates, not to mention a source of protein.

Add a full cup of water and heat on the cooker until the oats and water thicken.

If you have chosen too (recommended), add and mix in the protein powders.

Once happy add a small handful of walnuts and a generous helping of blueberries, which are full of vitamin C, vitamin B-6, vitamin A, potassium, and magnesium.

To finish with add 2 tea spoon full’s of milled organic flaxseed, which will provide our iron, zinc, calcium, dietary fibre and heart healthy Omega 3 fats.

The post The best plant-based breakfast for runners appeared first on Fast Running.

Most nuts are not only a great protein source, but also provide a wide range of essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, that help aid your recovery after those tough runs.

But what nuts should you eat?
Some nuts have had a bad reputation for their high-fat content and calorie count, prompting weight-conscious runners to avoid adding them to their shopping lists. While we should avoid certain pre-packed salted nuts, the vast majority of nuts are highly nutritious and provide essential nutrients for the body.

Below are five recommended nuts that every runner should try and include in their diet.

Almonds
If you’re looking for a great post-run recovery snack, look no further than almonds. Not only do almonds contain calcium, magnesium and potassium, all of which help keep your bones strong, they are also a great source of protein.

It is important to eat some protein (as well as carbs) after a run, to help with post-run muscle recovery. One handful of almonds (32g) contains 13% of your daily-recommended allowance of protein.

Almonds also play a role in keeping blood sugar levels down when eaten with food that is high in sugar. One study found that when eaten with bread (a high glucose index food), almonds helped reduce the overall glucose index of the meal.

Pistachios
Pistachios contain more potassium and vitamin K than other nuts. Potassium is a vital mineral for runners because it plays a role in keeping the body’s muscle tissue in condition.

Any deficiencies in potassium can lead to fatigue, muscle weakness and cramping. 100 grams of pistachios contains 29% of your daily-recommended allowance of the vital mineral.

Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts contain heart-healthy fats, a high amount of vitamin E and B vitamins, essential for energy metabolism. Vitamin B’s found in Hazelnuts may also lower the risk of heart disease.

Hazelnuts also contain low levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium, all which help lower blood pressure.

Walnuts
Omega-3 fats help to reduce inflammation by producing natural anti-inflammatory compounds that help your body heal and recover faster and reduce post-exercise muscle soreness. The body, unfortunately, cannot manufacture omega-3s so it is important we obtain them from our diet.

Walnuts contain alpha-linolenic acid, a type of omega-3 fat and just one handful (32g) contains around 91% of your daily-recommended allowance of the essential heart-healthy fat.

Cashew Nuts
Cashew nuts are not only low in fat, but they contain high levels of magnesium. 100 grams of cashew contains 82.5mg of magnesium, around 21% of the daily-recommended allowance. The mineral protects against blood pressure, muscle spasms, soreness and fatigue.

Magnesium also plays a role in turning the food we eat into energy, which should help you to run for longer.

The post 5 healthy nuts every runner should eat appeared first on Fast Running.

Ingredients

1/4 cup light olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
3 small mushrooms, stemmed and sliced into thick strips
1 red pepper, sliced into strips
1 large courgette, cut into half crosswise and sliced into thick strips
1 red onion, cut into thick half moons
4 pocketless pittas or flatbread, warmed
Chopped tomatoes, spinach and hummus for serving

Directions

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper in a large baking dish. Place the vegetables in the dish and toss them with the marinade to coat. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat an indoor grill to high or sear. Put the veggies on the grill in a single layer (you might have to do them in 2 batches, depending on the size of your grill). Cook them for 5-7 minutes, until just beginning to char, then flip them over and cook them on the other side until they’re lightly charred and tender, about 5 minutes more.

Divide the veggies onto the pita bread and top them with tomatoes, spinach, and hummus. Fold the bread over and wrap the bottom half tightly with foil.

The post Grilled Vegetarian Gyros Recipe appeared first on Fast Running.