Mad Dog 10k Southport

www.maddog10k.co.uk
Southport (£24.75 entry)

Thought I would add a review of my favourite 10k of the year, The Southport Mad Dog 10k held in February every year. 2015 will be the 5th running of this popular event, it will be my third; with many more to come



Each year the race has a theme, as you can see this year its Game of Bones (Game of Thrones!!). Each race has a custom logo which is superbly represented on the excellent medal and probably the best T Shirt you will get in any race (I have yet to see anything better!)

 

The main problem I have encountered with running events is the anxiety before the race with getting there, parking up, and getting to the start in time. No such problem here, the organiser have sorted plenty of free parking at a local car park, unfortunately this is not within walking distance (weather wise you probably wouldn't want to anyway), however this is sorted by plenty of free shuttle bus rides to the start (GNR take note FREE!!!) these buses get you to the start in plenty of time to collect your fantastic Tshirt and to prepare for the race by getting a pre race massage. There's a baggage collection area within the school sports hall and some local shops offering some sports goods for sale. Theres a great atmosphere in the hall, its a great place to meet new friends, and its warm (which it usually isn't outside!)

 

 

The organisers give you plenty of warning to get to the start which is only minutes away from the sportshall, and all the locals are out in force to support the 2000 runners at the start of their run. The route takes you along the Coastal road under the famous Southport Pier, loops around the Pleasure Beach, then takes you around the Boating lake and returns back along the Coastal rd back to the Start. There's plenty of support around the course, notably from the local Sea Cadets who turn out in force to marshall the race and offer encouragement and a friendly smile.



 

There's plenty of entertainment around the course with local groups turning out to keep runners motivated from Elvis to an African drumming group which always add a boost to tired runners. Fancy dress is always encouraged as you can see below, with the organisers offering cash prizes for the best fancy dress on the day! You can also win an Ipad by getting at least £10 sponsors, or an ipod by submitting a photo of you in your maddog Tshirt in interesting places.

 

So I finally made it to the end in 2014, after months of injury it wasn't my best result ever, but the atmosphere of the race more than mad up for it, and the goody bag WOW!! you will not get better than this one, full of goodies and the fantastic medal.

 

There's also a fantastic run for younger runners the Crazy pups run which takes place before the main race, a perfect opportunity for your pups to earn a great medal.

 

If your a runner and haven't run this race before, I would highly recommend this one, superb value for money, superb Tshirt and medal, and a fantastic doggy bag. Great support and entertainment around the course, and its a flat PB running course, weather dependant, (last years wind was horrendous).

 

And best of all the organisers do all of this for FREE, everything goes to charity, you cant say better than that!!!

5/5 - a definite must for runners of all abilities

 

see the official video of the event

 

 

 



Silva Cross Trail 2 vs Petzl Zipka plus headtorch

Comparison review of the Petzl Zipka plus and the Silva Cross Trail 2 headtorches.

Petzl Zipka plus rrp £44.95

Silva Cross Trail 2 rrp £99.95

So I decided to take the plunge and enter the Delamere Forrest Night run, a new experience for me, so  I needed to get a headtorch. First up was the Petzl Zipka, which was kindly loaned to me by a friend, initially I thought great, nice and light, looks like its not going to be a distraction. 

So evening comes and of we go for a training run, Ian and I both wearing Petzl, I had Zipka and he had Tikka.

The obvious difference being that the Tikka had headband, whereas the Zipka had unique retractable cord, with a rubberised pad on the back of the torch to give grip.

During the run initially we started along a paved canal path and for this purpose the light output 80lumens was fine the combined light from both was more than sufficient for this purpose. The run then moved onto an offroad track, with mud, puddles and ruts. The run then became a bit more of a challenge with some concentration really needed to miss the biggest puddles, making running somewhat difficult. Also throughout the run I found it difficult to keep the torch where 

I needed it, with a lot of movement around the forehead.

On the night of the Delamere run, I took the decision to wear a cap underneath the torch, this alleviated the problems of moving the torch throughout the run, allowing me to concentrate more o. The tarrain rather than the torch. On the gravel tracks of the forrest all was fine with vision being sufficient, I did struggle with dark wooded areas with rocks and roots, and heavy mud, having to constantly look at my feet, making the running difficult. A lot of the time I relied on the stronger torches of people around me to illuminate the route ahead. A feature of the torch I didnt require was the red led used for map reading, where it is important to remain underected.

Race complete, I'm bit by the bug, next purchase a stronger headtorch, following recomendationsmby my friends on therunningbug.com I went for the Silva Cross Trail 2 with its 250 lumen output.

In the box came the torch, headband, battery compartment, 4 x AA batteries, plus bonus items I wasnt expecting an attachment to add to my cycle handlebars, and an attachment to fasten the torch to a cycle helmet, as well as a belt to attach the battery pack.

On wearing the torch for the first time, I was,impressed how comfortable the torch was, nice,and light, the battery pack attached to the accompanying belt meant the torch was nicely balanced on the head.

I couldnt wait to get out, so Ian was called out again, we avoided the canal and went straight for the mud and rocks. Instantly we were amazed at the light the torch was kicking out. The torch has 4 modes, high (90m), med (60m), low (40m) and wide beam which has a 20m radius, (all modes are combined with the wide beam to give a view ahead and around your feet which feels great, Silva call it intelligent light).

View on wide beam only. (Similar to zipka full power)

View on max power.

On full power the torch can last upto 5hrs, with advertised lifespan of upto 30hrs on minimum, so plenty of power for those 10k/13 miles training runs, I found that that min mode was more than sufficient for the terrain.

The torch has a big power button, easy to use with gloves on, mode is changed with a simple press of the button, light angle is also easily adjusted with a rotating bezel. Upon turning the torch off, there is also a useful battery indicator by way of a green/amber/red led inicating battery percentage remaining.

Comment by Ian at the end of the run was that he now had lumen envy.

So in summary, both are great torches, however, for running on even suraces I would recomend the tikka rather than the zipka as the hearband made the torch feel much steadier on the head, the zipka I think is more of a walking torch, to be used with hats/helmets. but for the serious offroading, on uneven surfaces for me the Cross Trail 2 is perfect, not too expensive but more than capable of doing the job, easy to use, comfortable and efficient.

Yurbuds Focus Earphones

Yurbuds Focus Earphones (£25)
www.yurbuds.co.uk

 

Most would agree that there are two flaws when running with earphones, the tangled cord and, an earphone that doesn't slip out of a sweaty ear.
Yurbuds, claim that they have the answer, developed by athletes for the athlete, Twistlock technology addresses one problem. Though alas, I find not with the first point. Pulling the woven cord from my pocket I find a ball of tangled spaghetti in my hand, which delays the start of my run, although not as bad as other earphones that I have owned I might add.

Inserting the earphone is very easy, with a quick twist, once you get the hang of it, can be a bit fiddly at first.
The ones I had initially didnt fit as the "bud" part didnt want to twist into place, being too small, but a quick email to yurbuds and they sent replacements free of charge! now thats service.

They felt comfortable and secure, but for how long would they hold in place..?. Only one way to find out, long run, and what better way to access the sound quality, than good old Metallica

Six miles late I am surprised, the earphone is still secure and throughout the run there was no cause for adjustment. The clarity of the earphones is very good, and the ambient noise quality impressive, as I like to be aware of traffic around me.
At last a reliable pair of earphones that do not slip out, are sweatproof and dont take all day to untangle.
 

Garmin Vivofit Actvity Tracker

GARMIN Vivo Fit Activity Tracker(£76-£100)

The VivoFit consists of a central unit that snaps into a wristband (small and large supplied). So if you decide you fancy a change in colour, just purchase a new wristband and away you go. The clasp is a bit odd, but proves comfortable to wear over the course of the day. I quite like the design too, even if I did get a lot of mixed comments mainly that if looks cool but also that it looks like something out straight from the set of Star Trek…

The watch is primarily a pedometer - no GPS as you may expect from Garmin. So it would appear that it’s primary objective is to encourage gradual improvements to your day-to-day activity levels. The band provides the number of steps and distance walked per day. I decided to compare the distance measurement with my Garmin GPS watch. The distance accuracy seemed reasonable but not brilliant, certainly not in the same bracket as a GPS based unit.

There is a red bar that appears on the bands screen now and again. Whilst not immediately clear what its purpose is, I worked out that it is a move bar that comes up when you have not been active for a while. Great idea, but this is let down by the fact the watch has no kind of haptic or audio feedback as often I would not see that it was telling me to move.

Syncing the vivo fit with the iPhone app is really simple and gives you a full overview of your activity levels for the whole week. Therefore, you can spot days when you are less active than others. There are various  badges to earn, mainly focused on achieving a record number of steps.

Not having to remember to charge the unit is a great feature. Although it does come at the cost of not having a back-light, so no reading the time or syncing in the dark - but I can live with this.

MyFitnessPal app

MyFitnessPal app (free)

This has got to be my favourite app ever. After a luxurious Christmas break sitting there for 2 weeks eating and watching Tv, I jump on the scales.... 16.5 STONES!!! Noooooooo! How depressing something needs to be done, decision made to control the calories and get a bit more active. The active part was covered by use of the Nike+ running app reviewed on the blog, and a colleague at work put me onto MyFitnessPal.

The app is really easy to use and set up. Initally you need to add your weight, height and age, and set yourself a target weight. The app then gives you an allowance of calories per day and a target percentage of protein, fat and carbohydrate.

The best thing about this app is how easy it is to add your food to the diary, simply point the camera at the barcode and its all done for you. If you dont have the barcode you can still search for the item which takes a little longer. All foods are then saved in a nice easy to read diary, regular foods can be saved for easy adding at later dates, and multiples foods can be saved as meals.

Regularly updating your weight gives you a handy progress check which can be listed or seen in graph form. 

Friends can also be added to this app, where you can recieve updates on their activities, such as exercise completed, or completion of the days calorie target, if they forget to use the app you can also send them messages of encouragement. Adding exercise activity to the also deducts the amounts of calories from the total giving you a pretty accurate daily amount.

VERDICT

Its free.

Its easy to use.

It great as a motivational tool for you and your friends.

It works!

I lost 4.5 stones in 7 months it really does work!

Nike+ Running App

Nike+ running app £1.49 itunes

Okay I have been using this app for 2 years now, and its the one I keep coming back to, why? Its Nike and I like the brand and it works for me, so what does it do?

The first screen gives you a nice break down of your running so far as you can see, total mileage, how many runs, and the average pace over all their runs, as well ad nikes points system of nikefuel. Nice and easy to read a d easy to understand, nice n simple. Within the settings you get the option to set your personal details such as weight and height to get accurate calorie usage. You can also see a complete list of all your previous runs, including route maps, handy for discussing or bragging to your mates. Theres also a records section which I will mention later.

So now your ready to run, the options your given are basic run - just click and go until you have had enough, timed run - set the time you are wanting to run for, distance run - set the distance you are aiming to cover, and speed run where you are aiming to beat one of your records. All very useful but mainly I use the basic run easy to click n go. Feedback in the run is customisable, male and female options as well as choosing when you get the feedback, by time or by distance, very useful, but can be a pain if you have poor gps thanks to erratic distance recording.

GPS signal is usually quite good, but there have been times it has taken way too long to find a signal, and on one run I had to turn the app off through inaccurate readings, and my feedback telling me I was completing 4 minute miles? Im not Mo Farah!! Generally though GPS is not a problem and only the odd occassion when going through tunnels or through thick forrests do you get an incorrect distance, no problem as this can be calibrated when you complete your run. GPS signals can cause a problem though with records and this is my major moan at the app, poor GPS leads to incorrect record runs which you can see below

Im not that quick, and when theyre on the system theyre not removable so for me the speed run option is completely unusable, this needs sorting Nike if your reading.

New optionson the recent upgrade offer you training plans to help improve your running, and challenges where you can race your friends to set distances all very good. But one feature I do like is the trophies achievements, giving you an added incentive to get out and run.

VERDICT

This is my app of choice, backed by a big name. Its easy to use, easy to read and easy to set up, you can race friends and customise the feedback you get in your runs, and you get achievements for getting out running. Music is integrated well and controllable from your run screen, linking with your iphone playlists well. Let down only by the odd gps problem and records system. 

Score 4/5

Fitsip hands free hydration

Fitsip hands free hydration rrp £21.99 

Www.fitsip.com

One of the biggest problems I have found when running is that of keeping hydrated. Carrying water bottles just doesnt agree with me, especially when running with a half full bottle, with water swishing around just generally feeling awkward and uncomfortable. Then theres the runs when you dont take any with you, you wait for the water stations, take a few sips and then discard the bottle, leaving you waiting for that next station which could be 3 or 4 miles away in the half marathons.

Whilst not carrying a great deal of water, it has a 200ml capacity, this still proves to be plenty up to distances of 10k, and even during longer runs, it can be used to fill in between stations, save carrying the bottles! The fitsip is easy to fill by removing the water carrier, and simply filling at the tap or from the bottle, quickly and easily, then just screw on the cap, zip back into the holder and your ready to go.

As you can see the fitsip fits nicely on the forearm and is extremely comfortable, with adjustable velcro fastening on the rear, and my favourite, a reflective band around the zip. The water is taken by use of the "bite valve" which allows you to take sips easily and gives no spillage as this snaps shut as soon as you have finished drinking. I have also found that the water in the pack keeps your arm nice and cool too.

The fact that the sleeve is adjustable is a bonus too, the fitsip is even wearable over your favourite jacket or jumper, and theres also a small keyholder on the back.

Not sure how long the bite valve will last but the makers estimate 6 months, with replacements available on the website 2 for £5.99 not too bad, suppose it just depends how often you use it!

VERDICT 

An extremely useful product which certainly does the job it sets out to do. Much cheaper than a camelpak, and much more convenient than carrying bottles, ideal for runs upto 10k or exercise sessions upto 1 hour, and a great backup for emergency hydration in longer runs, well worth a try!

Compressport R2 calf guards

Compressport R2 race & recovery calf guards rrp£30

www.compressport.uk.com

Ok so following my half marathon conquests in Wales, scaling the Great Orme, I appeared to have damaged something around the calfs, seeking advice I was pointed in the direction of the R2 calf guards. 

First impression before opening the box, was that this was a quality item, great looking product, I CANT WAIT TO OPEN THE BOX!!! I wasnt disappointed, they immediately feel like a quality, strong, rigid well constructed product.

The first thing I noticed when trying them was the support they offered to calfs, they really do absorb the shock and prevent the vibration within, keeping the calfs fresher for longer.

I initially wore these throughout the day in my job as a PE teacher, and they also worked a treat here, my legs were much less tired after a day on my feet on the sports field. 

VERDICT

The R2 has become a vital piece of kit for me now, no run is complete without them, and with a few extra hours post run wearing them, the legs seem to recover quicker. 

Really cant fault these guards, I recommend purchasing in person to ensure you get the right size, have your calfs measured, and they feel like a custom made product. I bought black but they are available including pink, blue, purple and many more.

If your seriously into running or any sport for that matter, I can recomend these to you they can only help with your performance and recovery.

As well as calf guards compressport offer other items for parts of the body, would be interesting to see if the other items meet the same standards as these do.