DAMIAN HALL: ADVICE FOR RUNNERS ADAPTING TO LIFE DURING COVID-19

Top ultra-runner and coach Damian Hall offers some innovative at-home training advice and discusses how his plans are changing amid the uncertainty times of the coronavirus pandemic.

Due to the COVID-19 virus, here in UK the Prime Minister last night (March 23) told us all to stay at home, except for key workers, to shop for necessities, and for one exercise activity a day. We’re lucky – and should be thankful – to get that last bit, some people in some other countries aren’t even allowed that at present.

I have a coaching client in lockdown in Spain, who’s making the most of the stairs in his block of flats – he hasn’t missed a session yet. My 10-step staircase may soon take one hell of a pounding.

Before last night, though my two kids had been at home for a week, in practical terms life wasn’t much different to normal. I usually do my coaching work and occasional journalism from home, and do most of my running solo. Having the kids about just felt like half-term.

I’ve done some of the ‘home schooling’, but my first PE lesson in the back garden, starting with football, wasn’t very popular (VAR wasn’t available to check my five-year-old son’s repeated intentional-looking hand balls). Running is scheduled for several PE lessons this week. Call it a sixth sense if you like, but I have a feeling the garden hill reps aren’t going to be popular either.

WORK ON YOUR RUNNING TECHNIQUE

Like most runners, I’ve had races cancelled. I was really excited about visiting Japan for Ultra-Trail Mt Fuji. I doubt Ultra-Trail Snowdonia 50 will go ahead in June, while Wendover Woods Night 50k in August is a doubt. It must be horrifying to be a race director right now. I won’t be asking for my money back if those races can’t go ahead. If we all do that, they may not exist next year. I still have UTMB (Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc) in the calendar, but it’s hard to be motivated when you don’t know if it’ll happen.

Races aren’t everything though and this is a great time to train, uninterrupted by leg-smashing races. It’s a good to work on those neglected parts of training, such as the much overlooked importance of technique (remote workshops will soon be available from technique guru Shane Benzie.

More time at home gives us all an opportunity to catch up on the strength and mobility work most of us neglect, too. There are plenty of resources online, but for bespoke remote strength work for endurance athletes, I recommend Strength For Endurance.

For a runner, nothing beats squats. Press-ups are ace, as are pull-ups. Reverse lunges are great too, as they get the muscles to work one-leg at a time, as they do when running. Weak ankles? Try this. When working at home, try, if possible, to use a standing desk – practise standing on one leg as you type. Do one-legged calf raises. If you’re seated, get up and do 5-10 squats every hour.

SET STRAVA SEGMENT RECORDS…. IN YOUR GARDEN!

Don’t forget Strava. Everyone’s favourite sporting app is brilliant at times like these… you could create KOM/QOM (King of the Mountains / Queen of the Mountains) segments in your garden, so no one else can beat them.

Whatever you do and how you use your daily exercise allowance, please stay safe, keep your distance from others and be responsible. Follow the guidelines set by the Government and heed the advice issued by local authorities. Be really careful about gates and stiles too – they’re a good place for a virus to be passed along.

KEEP DREAMING… AND REMEMBER YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

This is an anxious time for everyone. Running feels both paradoxically trivial and yet so important too – not least for our mental health. If you are meant to do hill reps and the idea is adding to your stress levels, just do whatever type of run makes you feel happy instead. When it comes to longer runs, don’t be a hero though. We don’t want to give emergency services extra work right now – plus we don’t want to run our immune system down too low either (fuel well on and especially after longer efforts).

Be kind to others, but also yourself. To me that means rationing social media, a little more chocolate, red wine and getting a run in.

Though the new guidelines mean I won’t be getting to mountains as soon as I’d like, dreaming up big running plans may help get us through anxious times. For now, UTMB is still on and I’ve got ideas (hopefully) for a busy autumn and winter. My mind also can’t help but drift towards some enticing domestic challenges. I’d love to do some more projects in the style of my recent Winter Paddy Buckley Round: solo and unsupported, fuelling without plastic waste or animal products, and using public transport. For now I might have to sit tight and pour over maps.

*Lead image by Summit Fever Media. Watch their films about Damian – Wrath | Underdog