Sweatshop’s Motorola MotoActv Running Playlist

The very best of the best training songs as chosen by our social media fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter…enjoy!

Survivor: Eye of the Tiger
Miles Kane: Inhaler
U2: Walk On
Fleetwood Mac: You Can Go Your Own Way
Beastie Boys: Make Some Noise
Snap: Rhythm is a Dancer
The Killers: Mr. Brightside
We Might be Giants: Birdhouse in Your Soul
Nine Black Alps: Burn Faster
Maximo Park: Our Velocity
Aerosmith: Walk This Way
Feeder: Pushing the Senses
Kanye West: Good Life
The Automatic: Monster
Paul Stanley: Live to Win
DJ Fresh: Gold Dust
Pendulum: Tarantula
The Stone Roses: This is the One
Chris Brown: Champion
The Clash: I Fought the Law
Robert Tepper: No Easy Way Out
The Prodigy: Voodoo People
Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Good Shoes: 1000 Miles an Hour
Christopher Cross: Ride Like the Wind
Scooter: Back in the UK
Oasis: Let There Be Love
DJ Fresh/Sian Evans: Louder
ACDC: Shoot to Thrill
Queen: We are the Champions
Katy Perry: Firework
Rizzle Kicks: Down with the Trumpets
Nina Simone: Sinner Man
Insomnia: I Can’t Get No Sleep
Nero: Innocence
R. Kelly: World’s Greatest
Metallica: Enter Sandman
Kenny Loggins: Danger Zone
Michael Jackson: Beat It
LMFAO: Party Rock Anthem
Mighty Mighty Bosstones: The Impression That I Get
Underworld: Dirty Epic
The Strokes: Meet Me in the Bathroom
Faithless: God is a DJ
Kaiser Chiefs: I Predict a Riot
Robert Miles: Children
Runner Runner: Unstoppable
Daft Punk: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
Spencer Davis Group: Keep on Running
Paul McCartney and The Wings: Live and Let Die
Queen and David Bowie: Under Pressure
ACDC: That’s the Way I Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll
Bryan Adams: Summer of ‘69
Black Eyed Peas: Boom Boom POW
Cheryl Cole: Promise This
Prince: Fury
Foo Fighters: Everlong
Queen: Don’t Stop Me Now
ACDC: Hell’s Bells
Pendulum: Slam
Billy Ocean: Red Light
Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
The Carter Family: Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow
Foo Fighters: Walk
John Cage: 4:33
Kasabian: Velociraptor
Kele: Rise
The Smiths: This Charming Man
Amy McDonald: Run
Alicia Keys: Empire State of Mind
Darude: Sandstorm
Sugarland: Stick Like Glue
Beyonce: Run the World (Girls)
The Waterboys: The Whole of the Moon
The Wombats: Techno Fan
The The: Soul Mining
Meatloaf: Bat out of Hell
Florence and the Machine: Dog Days are Over
The Editors: Smokers Outside the Hospital Doors
Technotronic: Pump Up The Jam
Snoop Dogg vs David Guetta: Sweat
C&C Music Factory: Everybody Dance Now
Elo: Mr. Blue Sky
Enya: Orinoca Flow
Journey: Don’t Stop Believin’
Daniel Bedingfield: Gotta Get Thru This
Elbow: Station Approach
Meatloaf: Bat out of Hell
Queen: Don’t Stop Me Now
Beatbullyz: Bounce
Fleetwood Mac: The Chain
S Club 7: Don’t Stop Movin’
Kanye West: Stronger
Muse: Knights of Cydonia
Kid Cudi feat. Kanye West: Erase Me
DJ Zinc: Ready or Not
Cast of Grease: We Go Together
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Can’t Stop
Cee Lo Green: Bight Lights Big City
Don Omar: How We Roll (Fast Five Remix)
College feat. Electric Youth: A Real Hour
Joe Esposito: You’re the Best
Muse: Feeling Good
LES Artistes: Santogold
Faithless: Insomnia
Example: Watch the Sun Come up
The Farm: All Together Now
Pixie Lott: Turn It Up
Daniel Powter: Bad Day
Amy McDonald: Don’t Tell Me That it’s Over
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run
Monuments: Admit Defeat
Example: Changed The Way You Kiss Me
Cast of Oliver: Consider Yourself
Stereo MCs: Creation
Tiffany: I Think We’re Alone Now
Muse: Plug in Baby
John Cafferty: Hearts on Fire
Beastie Boys: Sabotage
Biffy Clyro: Who’s Got a Match?
Grandaddy: Elevate Myself
Deadmau5: I Remember
Ben Folds: Army
Moby: One of These Mornings
Emeli Sande: Heaven
The Jam: Town Called Malice
OK GO: Here it Goes Again
Cut Copy: Where I’m Going
Modest Mouse: Float On
Chemical Brothers: Setting Sun
Dough Ashton: James Bond Theme
Bob Dylan: I Want You
Van Halen: Running with the Devil
Meatloaf: Deadringer for Love
Daft Punk: One More Time
Iggy Pop: Lust for Life
Tinie Tempah: Simply Unstoppable
Ozzy Osbourne: Crazy Train
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack: You Don’t Own Me
Boxer: Gaslight Anthem
The Ting Tings: Great DJ
Tinie Tempah: Pass Out
n-Trance: Set You Free
Mumford and Sons: Little Lion Man
The Understones: Teenage Kicks
Lou Bega: Mambo No. 5
The Automatic: Monster
Dirty Pretty Things: Bang Bang, You’re Dead
Lady Gaga: Poker Face
Chemical Brothers: Hey Boy, Hey Girl
Kaiser Chiefs: Every Day I Love You Less and Less
Rob Dougan: Chateau
Lamb of God: Ruin
Duggie Dug Dug: Oi Oi, We are Gonna Praise the Lord
Michael Jackson: Thriller
DJ Tiesto: Barber’s Adajio for Strings
The Prodigy: Spitfire
Slayer: Chemical Warfare
Vampire Weekend: Cape Code Kwassa Kwassa
My Valentine: The Last Fight
Deadmau5: Strobe
FrankMusic: In Step
The Bee Gees: Run to Me
Kanye West: Power
ELO: Mr. Blue Sky
Lieutenant Pigeon: Mouldy Old Dough
SL2: On a Ragga Tip
The Fratellis: Dagger
Rob Zombie: Demon Speeding
Seasick Steve: Don’t Know Why She Loves Me But She Do
Kelly Ilorenna: Tell It To My Heart
Example: Natural Disaster
The Hives: Black, White and Run
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Look Around
Tim Deluxe: Let the Beats Roll
Bon Jovi: Livin’ on a Prayer
The Who: I’m Free
Manu Chao: Me Gustas Tu
Little Man Tate: House Party at Boothy’s
The Specials: Concrete Jungle
Chumbawamba: Tub Thumping
Noel Gallagher: AKA What a Life
UFC Theme Tune: Bring the Pain
Vato Gonzalez: Badman Riddim
Buraka Som Sistema: Hangover (Bababa)
Muse: Invincible
Wretch 32: Traktor
Bellowhead: London Town
The Editors: All Sparks
Motorhead: Ace of Spades
Arcade Fire: Keep the Car Running
Led Zeppelin: Achilles Last Stand
Ultra Nate: Free
Kenny Loggins: Footloose
Propellerheads: On Her Majesty’s Service
Girls Aloud: Jump
Coldplay: Paradise
Flipsyde: Someday
Machine Head: Imperium
The Byrds: Mr. Tambourine Man
Labrynth: Earthquake
The Saturdays: Higher
Lady Gaga: Judas
Snap: I’ve Got the Power
Steppenwolf: Magic Carpet Ride
Elvis Costello: Pump It Up
Depeche Mode: Just Can’t Get Enough
Green Day: Basket Case


Sweatshop Head Office Staff Picks:

Chase and Status: End Credits
James: Upside
Rihanna: We Found Love
LCD Soundsystem: 45:33
Muse: Time is Running Out
The Automatic: Monster
Florence and the Machine: Dog Days are Over
Florence and the Machine: Between Two Lungs
The Killers: Read My Mind
Disturbed:  Ten Thousand Fists

Running Community No Comments

Winter Running Tips

Man running in the snow

With fewer hours of daylight and cold, damp weather running during the winter months is not something that most runners relish. However, with a bit of careful planning and attention to your routes and kit you can still enjoy your running at this time of year.  Here are some to tips to stay safe this winter:

Wear bright coloured, fluorescent and reflective kit to ensure that you are visible to drivers, cyclists and other pedestrians.

Dress appropriately for the weather.  The conditions can change quickly, so make sure you have a waterproof and gloves with you, especially for longer runs.

Your sense of balance and your peripheral vision can be challenged by running in the dark so try to stick to well-lit areas or wear a headlamp and run on even surfaces.

Running off road in winter can be fun and challenging but make sure you have the appropriate footwear; invest in a pair of trail shoes.

Avoid running off-road routes in the dark; It’s more difficult to see the terrain and you are more likely to fall or land awkwardly causing an injury. Consider investing in a runner’s safety wristband.

Run with a buddy or running group; it’s safer and will also motivate you to get out run whatever the weather.

If you have to run alone take your mobile phone with you and think about investing in a personal alarm.

Vary your running routes and make sure you tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.

Here’s to happy and safe winter running in 2012!

Advice No Comments

Andrew’s Updates: SRC Milton Keynes

A bit of a summer reminder, Andrew updates us on his SRC MK run last summer.

SRC Milton Keynes

SRC Milton Keynes

I’ve never been a Summer Runner. Coming from Blackpool, my idea of a summer is grey clouds, heavy rain, strong winds and single digit temperatures.  Another thing we don’t do on the Fylde Coast are Hills.  Those are things we see across Morecambe Bay, somewhere trolls live and called the Lake District?  So with this in mind I decided to get my lethargic summer going again by joining the Milton Keynes SRC group last week.

My first run for almost 29 days.  I always thought MK was flat, how wrong could I be!  The group has swelled in recent weeks and I was lucky to run with 20 runners, the largest group I’ve ran with so far.  Sophie, one of our casual staff took the group and after Pete’s pep talk and decision that I’d be somewhere in the middle with Laurence, one of our regular runners for over 5 years leading the group we were off.  For anyone who knows MK, our store, and therefore group start off at Xscape and then into Campbell Park close by. After my fastest ever kilometre, according to my Nike SportWatch, it all went downhill from there, literally.  The run went up and out through the park and down by the cricket pitch where we could either do one or two laps around it.

As I could see the lead runners, with Dennis setting the pace,  coming back round I stopped to take some pictures, before I went round for my lap.  Although struggling after a month of doing little, I was feeling good, then I saw it, the HILL!  Laurence had pre-warned me, but beware it’s steep, but exactly the challenge that SRC will help you overcome.  I failed!  I had to walk up, then got lost and came back to the start point from around the back just in time to see Sophie bring in one of our newbies, Arleen, who joined us today after being part of the Boot Camp group.  She did far better than me, but it felt good to be back running and I was inspired to go out again over the weekend.

This is what I love about SRC.  The sense of community, achievement, challenge and inspiration.  The MK group are a very friendly bunch and growing.  Despite having to give up I DID manage my best ever kilometre and it was great to see Arleen come home in good shape, that hill, and finally I’m back running regularly again.  That was my 8th run and this week I do my first 2nd run when I join David’s Castleford Community.  Looking forward not back and NEVER uphill!

Andrew's Updates No Comments

Andrew’s Updates: SRC Dundee

Sweatshop Running Community, Dundee

Members of SRC Dundee at their most recent run.

Why do I decide to run on the hilliest routes?

My first SRC run following my first Marathon would be hilly!  It was also my first second run with a group.  Having ran Loch Ness, I thought I’d take it easy by running with the Dundee group.  It has grown considerably since my first outing, but the route has changed and the nights have closed in too.  Glad I brought my tights, but foolishly I forgot my Hi Viz jacket.  Both were needed on this run.

There were 17 of us running tonight, down on previous highs, largely due to the Scotland vs. Spain Euro qualifier (I missed most of the first half, what I give up for running!).  Ben was pace maker and what pace this young man has!  I couldn’t keep up and happily played back marker for the night.  Many thanks to Paul for sweeping, or should I say making sure I was still with the group!  I also met Emma and her canine companion, Milly, needless to say both beat me too!

The route is very good, up and out from the David Lloyd Centre, through and around the grounds of Monifieth High School, following the Seven Arches Viaduct path.  Then the cruel long climb home, aka West Grange Road a 1.1km climb which I made and felt decidedly proud of completing too.  I helped Kathleen and Matt make it up too, each of us motivating the other to keep on running.

Making her 1st run along with the pacy Ben was Judy and I look forward to running with them both again soon.  Fifth run tees were awarded to Brian and Anika.  I think Dundee could be the most visited SRC run outside London, with both myself and Craig (from our Metrocentre store) and family having ran with Lorna’s group.

I’d whole heartedly recommend anyone dropping on them on a Tuesday for a great run with a great group.  Jelly Babies, Fruit and Dog Biscuits available on completion!  I’ll make it 10 runs with my next run and can’t wait.

Andrew's Updates No Comments

Jack Guthrie Completes his South West Coast Path Challenge

Not too long ago we posted about Jack Guthrie and his South West Coast Path Challenge. As a quick recap, Jack set himself the seemingly impossible goal of running the entirety of the South West Coast Path (630 miles of rugged, coastal terrain) in the 30 days before his 70th birthday.

Jack set off on September 2nd of this year and completed his run on October 1st. As of the completion date he raised over £3,500 for Great Ormond Street Hospital and the donations are still pouring in. Most of the money was donated by individuals, many of whom he met and stopped to talk to while on his run.

Jack ran upwards of 20 miles most days and kept a detailed account of his progress every day, he notes that sitting down to write after a long, hard day on the trail was sometimes difficult, but he knew that sharing his reports online was important for people who had donated and wanted to follow his progress.

We asked Jack for a run down on the big things you’d need to think about taking on a challenge like this, namely:

  • Training
  • Weather
  • Supplies (kit, nutrition, sleeping)
  • Injuries

Training:

Jack tells us that his training prepared him well in general (see our previous post for a summary of what that was), but that you never know how something like this will play out until you do it. This is especially true since his training couldn’t very closely replicate the steep hills and crumbly, rocky terrain along the path, and running each day will a rucksuck containing over 10lbs of spare kit and nutrition wasn’t easy either.

Weather:

Jack notes that, perhaps unsurprisingly for coastal England in the autumn, the weather was very changeable. When he started his challenge he ran right into the remnants of Hurricane Irene, which meant gale force 8 winds that totally knocked him over on day 2; while he was on the top of a cliff next to the sea at that! It rained nearly every day of the run, but the overall weather gradually improved as he went along.

Supplies:

Jack carried basic supplies with him on each day of the run: things like small spare kit, nutrition, first aid supplies, a compass–which he notes was very important due to the fog–and his mobile phone. He had the support of his wife Pat along the route, which meant that he didn’t need to carry everything he’d need with him (changes of clothes, larger food items, tents, etc). Pat would drop him off on the path each day and pick him up at a pre-determined point. They slept in a caravan most nights, with a few stays with friends along the way.

Injuries:

Knowing that injury was a very real possibility, Jack did what he could to minimise the risk. Part of this ivolved training and part of it involved contacting various sports health professionals along the route prior to setting off to make sure he had access to help if he needed it. Jack had two major injuries along the path, a strained left achilles and a torn right quad muscle, both almost stopped him. Now, we’re certainly not advocating continuing a run with injuries like these: both are serious and both have the potential for long term consequences, but we asked Jack for his account of how he dealt with these injuries once he made the decision to keep running.

As we said, Jack had already made contact with several physiotherapists along the route and he saw four different physios over the course of the run. One came out at 8am on a Sunday in Penzance, Cornwall to treat his achilles problem, and another he saw in Plymouth taught Pat how to treat the injury on the road so that Jack could continue his run.

He notes the support of his wife Pat, who he says he could not have completed the run without. Along with treating his injured achilles and picking him up and dropping him off each day, Pat took care of all of the logistics of the run so that Jack wouldn’t have to worry about them. Comparing his run to a “life journey”, Jack says he spent a lot of time thinking about the kids of Great Ormond Street Hospital whose memory kept him going throughout the run.

Jack is still collecting donations for the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, if you’re interested in helping him out you can find him on his Just Giving page. To read about Jack’s challenge in his own words, his final report on the race can be found below.

“REFLECTIONS ON A COASTAL PATH JOURNEY

“There was a time when meadow, grove and stream,
The earth and every common sight,
To me did seem
Apparelled in celestial light,
The glory and freshness of a dream”.

Like a good Coast Path runner, I tripped over this quotation a few days before travelling down from Camberley to Minehead. It’s from Wordsworth’s “Ode on Intimations of Immortality” and in many ways it seems to capture the essence, the heart and soul of the forbidding Coast Path, particularly during periods of benign weather! It touches upon the wonder of the place and could probably serve as an anthem for St Ives with its “artists’ light”.Hence the attraction for me combined with the more prosaic challenge of the soaring, undulating cliffs, the fields, the beaches, the fishing villages and the skies, whatever their mood.

But although I was going to be prancing around the cliff tops like some demented idiot, all the while, uppermost in my mind, was the funding we might raise to help alleviate the stricken conditions of  Great Ormond Street’s Sick Children. And linked to this was the vital umbilical communication cord (courtesy of  Nokia and Orange) twixt Pat and me to keep us on the not-always-straight-and-sometimes-very-narrow.

The highs and lows of the enterprise were many and varied but although we thought we had planned meticulously for every contingency there were two which knocked us for six, i.e., weather and  injuries. And I mean the kind of injury which could easily have jeopardised the whole project.Our early days were severely hit by the tail-end of hurricane Irene; we had thunderstorms to contend with over Port Isaac (where someone must have upset Doc Martin again) and then there was the sea mist and fog over Peak Hill at Sidmouth. I couldn’t see the path, I couldn’t see the cliff edge. How scary was that? When I got my compass out even the sheep were asking for a bearing! As for running down the stepped paths, I had to forget it. They were as deadly as gin-traps. Every stride had to be carefully calibrated and every blast of wind anticipated. Yes, wind AND fog at the same time. Work that one out!

As for the injuries, you are probably as much acquainted with them as me, if you’ve been following the blog, and you can see how they gobbled up so much time (a) by their impact and (b) by the need to transport them across Cornwall and Devon to the physios who had no trouble in diagnosing the dreaded medical condition known technically as Achilles Knackeritis. How about the degree of difficulty for running the Coast Path? In crude terms, compared with a standard city marathon and being assisted by a back-up team of only one person, you could probably increase the difficulty and time by a factor of at least 50% to 75%.

On the positive side, when the sun had his hat on it was as if we were on a different planet, running to a new zippy rhythm (try spelling that at 11pm without a dictionary!) which put a spring in my step. The contrast between the gun metal grey, doom-laden skies and the dazzling, electrifying turquoise of the sunshine waves was astonishing.   Out came the local dog-walkers and after a few minutes discourse, out came the wallets too, for spontaneous giving. There were as many notes as there were autumn leaves. The the small, isolated  fishing villages of rugged Cornwall were so picturesque as to seem unreal but then some of the ports like megabusy Mevagissey and Portdoc Martin looked as though they had been hijacked by the militant wing of the local Tourist Board! Then there were the jolly ferrymen who took me across the high seas free, gratis and for nothing and the even jollier inn-keepers who took sufficient pity on a weary traveller as to provide me with their finest Coast Path ales, at no cost. So you see, it’s worthwhile training for a year and running 630 miles for a charity!

Then there were the many colourful characters I met all along the length of the Path who drew  long-lasting inspiration from their surroundings or simply enjoyed the relaxation of a leisurely stroll. They were from all walks of life (pun intended) and only too happy to immerse themselves  in a landscape of ever-changing shades and hues and to empathise with the prime purpose of my run and support the cause for Great Ormond Street Hospital with the most generous of donations.

But let’s bear in mind the fact that this path, the longest national trail in the UK, does not look after itself. We are extremely grateful to the South West Coast Path Association for all the work that their volunteers do to ensure that fortunate people like us, who are in good health, can enjoy the experience of walking/running this outstanding Path. To pursue your interest in the Path please log on to: http://www.southwestcoastpath.org.uk/ who can provide you with more information than you could throw a stick at. There’s geography, geology,history,ornthology, omnibusology, B&B-ology, souvenirology…..and more! The annnual guide is an absolute jewel packed with relevant and entertaining advice and is a must for serious walkers/runners. Join up today!

But the greatest joy for me was the final “sprint” along sunlit Studland Beach to be met by the running skallywag granddaughters, Maddie, 9 and Lucy, 8 (who immediately tried to coerce me into building sand- castles) and the kernel of close friends and relatives who, like all the bloggers and supporters who shared the North Downs and the Coastal Path with us, contributed so much in both material ways and in affection. I am also heavily indebted to those who supplied us with regular comments. When you’re trying to run through a force 8 gale, and the wind is clawing at your clothing on the cliff tops, horizontal rain almost blinding and you’ve lost your way in the fog and mist, it’s so comforting and reassuring when you know that someone actually cares! It seemed to be a journey shared and appreciated by all of us and for that we will always be so grateful to everyone, especially my fellow members of the Arena Leisure Centre, Camberley and all those who so selflessly provided us with accommodation for the duration. “We’re all in this together”, springs to mind!

But if you will excuse us, the front page photographer for the “Camberley News” now beckons together with the 5th local radio interview. Vanity? Well, yes. But anything to swell the coffers of G.O.S.H.  And, for the last time………… so to bed!

PS (from Pat)

We’ve now raised over £4000 for GOSH. This far exceeds our expectations and is just fantastic. Our enormous thanks to everyone who has helped in any way.  We’ll post final amounts on the just giving website after a few more weeks.

Some photos, just click here!”

 

Interviews No Comments

Sweatshop’s Scott Overall Talks Berlin, Training, and 2012

Last week we caught up with Sweatshop Clapham (and formerly Sweatshop Teddington)’s Scott Overall. With breaks for uni and training, Scott has been bouncing around the backrooms of Sweatshop for a very long time and he recently made his marathon debut in last month’s Berlin Marathon.

Those few simple facts are interesting enough to us, but the reason we need to tell you about Scott is that not only did he recently make his 26.2 mile debut, and not only did he complete the last half of the race running on his own, and not only did he place fifth overall, but he also did it in 2:10:55; well inside the Olympic A Standard qualifying time.

Scott started working for Sweatshop Teddington part time in 1999 and was there until 2004 when he left to go to university. A keen runner from the age of 14, up until recently Scott spent his time focussing on shorter distances, but due to some disappointing results and an apparent loss of ability to “get it right” on the track he had to take some drastic measures if he wanted to qualify for London 2012.

Knowing that he was physically able to do the mileage thanks to a history of longer training runs, Scott decided to take on the challenge of a half marathon. He completed Indianapolis in 63:21, an impressive time made all the more impressive in a half marathon debut. The result in Indianapolis made it clear to Scott and his coach that the 26.2 mile distance was possible.

Once the marathon decision was made Scott met with former world record holder and current Race Director of the London Marathon, Dave Bedford to ask his advice on training and choice of race. Bedford suggested Berlin due to the timing of the race and the fact that it was known to be a fast, flat course.

Scott went to Berlin with his eyes firmly on the Olympic qualifying time, stuck largely to the plan he and his coach made and made history by being the first potential athletics athlete selected for the Olympic team by the host nation. Scott won’t know for sure if he’s been chosen to run for GB for a while yet as the first round of official selections are in December this year. Three athletes per event qualify for the team and there’s bound to be some fierce competition, but as the runner of the fastest British marathon in several years Scott is in a great position.

As you may know, Sweatshop’s company purpose is to help people be the best they can be. We know that part of that involves the kit you use and part of it involves hard work and training, but there’s another part that’s just as important and that’s attitude.

Scott is an inspiration not only for his hard work and dedication, but also for his outlook. When shorter distances weren’t working for him anymore he didn’t give in to frustration or fear, he didn’t look for coaches or training partners to blame, and he didn’t sit by the side of the track and let his Olympic dreams slip through his fingers, instead he evaluated the situation, got help when he needed it and made a plan for success. We can’t help but see the parallels between this and the Chris Brasher story; the legacy that Sweatshop was founded on.

It’s clear to us that his new found fame and popularity hasn’t changed Scott much, as we write this he’s asking his twitter followers if anyone wants to go running tonight…no word on what the pace will be.

We wish Scott the best of luck as he leaves Sweatshop in order to focus on training full time. We’ll be watching for him as he reaches for his dreams in next year’s Olympic Games where with a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work that 14 year old who liked to run will cross the line in London with Team GB written across his chest.

To find out more about Scott check out his website. You can read about Berlin in his own words here and find out what he thinks about all the recent attention here.

Interviews,Our People No Comments

Why Should I Wear Running Shoes Anyway?

Why Are Running Shoes Important?
Like anything else in life, having the right kit is essential to running. Proper shoes can be the difference between a personal best and a good time, between comfort and discomfort, even between a safe run and a serious injury. When running, it’s important that you wear shoes designed for that purpose in order to enjoy the sport in the safest way possible. There are four main reasons why a good pair of running shoes is important:

Cushioning
Running shoes cushion the foot and spine from the high-impact forces involved in running. This is especially important when running on hard surfaces like pavements, tracks and treadmills.

Protection
Every sport or physical activity has its risks and running is no different. Running shoes help to protect the foot from the inherent hazards of running, especially when it takes places on hard and/or uneven surfaces. Off-road shoes have extra protection that keeps the foot safe from the debris that is common on outdoor trails.

Traction
Running shoes provide the grip you need to help propel you forward efficiently and safely. Different types of shoes are also adapted to be used on different types of running surfaces, thereby providing you with the most traction possible.

Support
Each person’s foot is different and each person’s running style is different. Due to this varying bio-mechanical make up, different styles of running shoes provide different types of support in order help runners avoid potential injuries.

How Do You Find the Right Running Shoes for You?
In order to choose the right pair of shoes for your running style and foot type you first need to understand what running style and foot type you have. Running puts a greater than average amount of stress on the joints and muscles. These stresses are compounded by the repetitive motion of running and the fact that it is most often done in a straight line. This means that any imbalances in your posture, stance or walking style can be magnified when running.Pronation
The natural motion of the foot when running is to pronate. Pronation refers to the 3-dimensional inward rotation of the foot—a shifting of body weight from the outer edge of the foot into the centre as the runner’s foot strikes the ground. Pronation disperses the high-impact forces that act on the foot during running.Over-pronation is when the foot rotates beyond its natural motion and puts excessive force on the foot, ankle and knee. It is generally accepted that around 75% of people over-pronate to some degree, which means that most people should be running in a shoe designed to support the foot, ankle and knee during this motion.

Of the remaining 25% of runners, about 20% are neutral runners—they pronate “normally”, and 5% under-pronate or “supinate”.

Foot Stance
In addition to pronation, the next factor to take into consideration when decided on the correct pair of running shoes is foot stance. As a runner you can have an “over-pronated stance” or a “neutral stance”. You can determine what type of stance you have by doing the following:

Stand in a comfortable position with your feet shoulder-width apart and have someone look at your foot from behind. If your Achilles tendon is curved inward, if the inner side of your ankle bows out or if your toes are visible on the outside of your foot to someone who is standing directly behind it then your stance is over-pronated.

If, in this position, your Achilles tendon is straight, your ankle is not bowed out and your toes are directly in front of your ankle then your stance is neutral.

Foot Types
Broadly speaking, there are three common foot types: high arch, normal arch and flat foot.

People with high arched feet tend to also have under-pronating or rigid feet. If you have high arches it’s very important that you choose a shoe with a lot of cushioning in order to counteract the shock transmission through the lower legs when you run.

People with normal arches are also known as “neutral runners”. Since neutral runners pronate “correctly” and have normal arches, they are less likely to have any bio-mechanical problems to worry about than any other runner. These runners should look for shoes with either cushioning or mild stability.

People with flat feet tend to also have over-pronating or flexible feet. If you have flat feet it’s important that you choose a shoe with a lot of stability in order to keep your foot in the proper position whilst running.

Our Staff is Here to Help
The best way to find out which type of shoe is right for you is to visit one of our stores where our highly trained staff will be able to assess your running style and advise you on which shoes are suitable.Some of our branches have video gait analysis, which allows you to watch slowed down footage of your running style in order to identify any strengths and weaknesses. See the store locatorfor more details.If you’re not able to visit one of our stores, here’s a guide to shoe categories:
Cushioned Running Shoes
Designed for biomechanically ‘neutral’ runners, cushioned shoes have less added stability than motion control or stability shoes. If you have high foot arches and don’t over-pronate when you run, then cushioned shoes are suitable for you.
Stability Running Shoes
Offer mild to moderate support to runners who slightly overpronate and are looking for shoes that provide cushioning and durability. Pronation is a natural inward rolling motion of the foot but many runners will find that they overdo this motion and therefore need running shoes to help prevent this. Stability shoes are for runners with normal foot arches who don’t have any major problems with motion control.
Motion Control Running Shoes
The most supportive and rigid shoes available with heavy-duty stability and control features. Designed for people with low arches and over-pronators – runners with excessive inward rolling of the foot. Motion control shoes are also suitable for heavier runners needing high durability in a shoe.
Racing/Lightweight Running Shoes
Lighter shoes are designed for faster-paced training and racing. More responsive than standard shoes, some lightweight shoes are suitable for everyday training and still offer some cushioning and stability features. Racing shoes are extremely lightweight with hardly any cushioning/stability features and are designed for light, fast runners.
Off-Road Running Shoes
If you do a lot of running ‘off-road’, such as trail or fell running, these shoes are designed to protect you when running on different terrains by offering increased traction and durability features.

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Andrew’s Updates: SRC York

Members of SRC York

SRC York is Ready to Go!

Janet and Steve led the run and we had 13 runners including me.  I have to say it was the most fun I’ve had on a run so far.  We began with a 5-minute warm-up and then ran behind the David Lloyd Centre towards the Golf Course, stopping twice to re-group and catch a breather!

I ran with Chris on my 1st leg and he told me that he’d been running with us for 5-yrs as part of Janet’s group and following his 1st London Marathon.  He also knew Rick and was very positive about the whole thing.  When we stopped he asked a lady runner about her bruise, what a corker!  She had ran into a fence the week before and her thigh was every shade of purple.

We then ran onto the Car Park at the Golf Course and split into two.  Steve took the 5-milers around the full course.  Janet took the 3-mile group the shorter way and back toward the University.  Needless to say I elected to join Janet’s group despite people posting claims I’d be running sub 7-min miles today!  We ran until we came to a slow rolling hill which we all ran up.  I back marked and ran with a lady called Tilly and she explained that this was her 3rd run, the first she had to walk round, the second she managed to jog, this one she kept up a good pace and is really enjoying finding running as a great way to keep fit with her sister who is also a member of the group.  Up the hill I joined a 1st timer who came along as a friend was a member of the group who couldn’t run last night.  Her boyfriend is running the Amsterdam Marathon and she wanted to get fit and thought that running was the best way.  She last ran in April, but still had it!

Janet then made us stop and we did some hill running.  She explained to the group how to run up the hill, increasing our pace lamppost to lamppost until she had us sprinting.  The whole group managed this and Mike actually caught the bus I was trying to hail!  We then had a nice descent through country lanes back to David Lloyd.  On the playing field we did rolly pollys; something I hadn’t done since the age of 10!  GREAT FUN!  Janet finished the session by having us stretch and spoke about the importance of this as part of your running.  We managed +3-miles at 11’15” pace with everyone running and smiling!

Steve brought his group back in around 15-mins after we finished

A GREAT RUN and thoroughly enjoyed.

Andrew's Updates,Running Community No Comments

Jack Guthrie Starts South West Coast Path Run

While September 2nd may have seemed like any other day for most of us, for Jack Guthrie it was anything but. For the near-70 year old, last Friday marked both an ending and a beginning; an ending to months of training and the beginning of his ground breaking run of the South West Coast Path for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

Jack started long distance running in 1981 with Guildford’s “Masters and Maidens Marathon”, which he ran in 3h10m. At the time, Jack thought this would be his only marathon, having accomplished his goal of running a marathon before his 40th birthday. What he didn’t count on, however, was that Chris Brasher would announce the creation of the London Marathon almost immediately after. Jack decided that since he’d already done all that training, continuing for another year wouldn’t hurt and he ran London Marathon the following year, coming in 1,066th. Jack went on to run the London Marathon 14 more times, and up until he started training for his GOSH charity run, continued to run one 1/2 marathon per year.

Five years ago Jack and his wife Pat decided to walk the South West Coast Path from Minehead to Land’s End then on to Poole, which they did over about two and a half years. To say the SWCP is challenging is an understatement, it’s 630 miles of rugged, mostly exposed coastline with a cumulative ascent of over three times the height of Mount Everest.

Completing this incredible feat at a walking pace over two and a half years wasn’t enough of a challenge for Jack though, so as his 70th birthday approached he decided that he’d do it all over again; this time running and this time in 30 days.

Jack started his intensive training in November of last year and has been doing the equivalent of three 1/2 marathons and three full marathons a week, running mainly in the Guildford area. Regularly taking in the North Downs and Newlands Corner in an attempt to replicate the hills found in Devon and Cornwall, he’s also been running up and down the steps of multi storey car parks to get used to the carved steps of the SWCP.

As a father of an adult son and daughter and grandfather to Lucy (7) and Maddie (9), Jack is raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital. You can help Jack meet his fundraising goal and support him on this amazing run by visiting his Just Giving page.

We’re proud to support Jack, a lifelong Sweatshop customer, in his run as he does he best to be the best that he can be so that the kids of Great Ormond Street have a chance to be the best that they can be.

Good luck, Jack!

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Andrew’s Updates: SRC Metro Centre

Sweatshop Running Community Metro Centre

SRC Metro in Action!

Andrew had a bit of a rough time with his run with the Metro SRC in June…

A combination of a 6-mile early morning run, 149-mile drive and a summer cold made this my worst run so far!  I felt terrible and made every excuse under the sun to explain my shocking performance.  What made it even more difficult was that a number of runners had completed the Gateshead 10k the day before, including my running partner, Mark, who allowed me to take the short cut at 2-miles and run/walk the last few hundred yards.

The route surprised me as despite us running round a mall we ran by the Derwent River and a semi-rural path.  A unique run started with a long walk through the mall to get to the start point, but great fun nonetheless.  One of Craig’s regulars, Ryan, 14-yrs, ran in just over 15-mins and is clearly a great runner.  It was also great to see some of the regular Newcastle Park Runners there too.

I didn’t run again for a week due to my man flu!

Our People,Running Community No Comments

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