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“12 Things I Learnt Running My First Half Marathon” Sharing her tips and tricks, Content and Creative Designer, Issy, ran her first-ever half marathon thanks to Hoka. The Hackney Half hosted a record number of 25,000 runners which brought thousands of people to decent to East London to show their support. Following rigorous training in the lead-up, Issy reveals everything she learnt, plus the things that made race day run smoothly! Follow a training plan It’s all well and good just going out and running, but when it comes to training for a race, you need to have a proper programme in place. Ultimately, it’s about gradually building up your distance but there are other training modalities that can be interspersed to advance your running. Intervals, tempo runs, easy runs and long runs are added into the mix to map a strategic programme that is going to get to prepared to race day! A brilliant tool to help with this is Runna, nominated as the #1 rated running app for good reason. Offering customisable running plans, the app is an accessible and affordable way to follow a programme created by top-class running coaches. Another important part of a programme is the taper in the week leading up to race day, Runna will include the taper into the plan so you know when it’s time to start toning it down. Fuel is crucial I’ve always been someone that trains first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, but as I got into my half-marathon training I quickly realised that fuel in the tank is essential when you’re racking up the miles. Overnight oats are my go-to pre-run fuel, the slow energy release from the carbs keeps me going for ages. I avoid coffee at all costs (it gives me the jitters) but I never go without Innermost’s Energy Booster before a run, it’s a clean pre-workout with added BCAAs…aka rocket fuel! On my longer runs, I use energy gels, something I was completely new to and a little apprehensive about. I did my research and saw tons of runners raving about Maurten gels over on Instagram and Tiktok. Unlike other gels that are bound with sugary syrups, these gels are made up of a biopolymer matrix which is incredible for providing energy and contains no added colourants, preservatives or flavours. When I saw that Eliud Kipchoge is a fan, I ordered a box, and boy oh boy did they deliver. During my half, I took two gels, one at 7km and the other at 14km. I tend to ingest the gel over some time to let it settle in my stomach, rather than slurping up the whole lot in one gulp. They’re no bother to hold as you run around, and this way you avoid getting a stitch. They give me a massive burst of energy and also structure my run, it felt like a mile point getting to my final gel and gave me that push I needed. Rest up You’ve heard it before, but I’ll say it again. Rest and recovery will be your best friend throughout training. My schedule during the week varies, some days I’m up at 5:15am and others I can lie in until 8am. I quickly learnt that there was little to no point running on the days I was having less sleep. My performance was poor and the runs were unenjoyable. Getting in at least 8 hours is essential on long-run days. I typically aimed for 9 hours of sleep before my long run day (once per week) which is a luxury I know not everyone has, but even if you’re not actually sleeping, try to rest!  Warm-up A fully, structured warm-up is not only going to help you perform better, but also help stay injury free. The warm-up routine I developed over my training period followed as so- 5 mins mobility drills- flowing movements to limber up (be sure to include ankle mobility) 5 mins glute activations – Use a resistance band to switch on your glutes to avoid pain in the knees, hips and lower back when running 5 mins dynamic movement- explosive drills to get the heart rate up and prep the body Hydration You lose a lot of water when you run, so hydrating pre and post-workout is super important…basically, you want to be very aware of how much water you’re drinking through the whole of your training. When I say pre-workout, I don’t mean just before you set off, you’ll be trying to find the first toilet en route if you drink lots of water just before your run. You want to be hydrating in the lead-up to your runs rather than immediately prior. I was making a conscious effort to consume about 3 litres of water a day in the week leading up to race day, especially as the forecast was set for around 22 degrees and pure sunshine. In my training, I didn’t run with water as the gels do provide hydration and it was never particularly warm or sunny during this time BUT that said running with water is definitely a good thing for a lot of runners. Get yourself a Camelbak hydration vest for convenience! Most race events provide hydration stations on the route which I made full use of during my half marathon, I grab 3 cups which I took a small swig from on the course and it really revived me! Be sure you check what you grab though, I made the mistake of picking up an energy drink by accident, which of course spilt all over me as a drink would when you’re consuming while running…my arm was then all sticky for the remainder of the race which was very unpleasant! Kit It goes without saying that good kit is a must. Go for running-specific gear over normal gym kit. There’s no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to trainers, in more ways than one. Our biomechanics are uniquely

To HIIT Or Not To HIIT? Experts Weigh In… HIIT rocked the fitness world for a number of beneficial reasons from time efficiency to highly effective calorie burning and we’re not here to bad-mouth this favoured form of training. We’re unravelling the pros, the cons and how to structure HIIT into your training without it becoming too taxing on the body. How Does A Workout Qualify As HIIT? “High-Intensity Interval Training, overwise known as HIIT, is when your workout is split into short intense bursts of exercise followed by a period of rest, usually using the following times, of; 20s on, 10s off; 30s on, 30s off: or 45s on, 15s off, with each session usually lasting between 20-45 minutes.” -David Wiener, Training & Nutrition Specialist at Freeletics The Benefits Are Endless “Benefits of this type of training include improving stamina and strength, burning a high number of calories in a short space of time, increasing metabolism, and lowering blood pressure and blood sugar. Furthermore, it can help reduce stress and improve mental health. HIIT is also not specific to cardio or strength training, in fact, you can combine both forms of exercise in this workout, alternating between exercises such as burpees with squats or high knees and press-ups. Evidently, HIIT also offers the opportunity for a full-body workout, targeting all different muscle groups. Furthermore, you can absolutely carry out a HIIT workout anyway without the need for any equipment.” -Emma Bord, PT & Fitness Specialist It’s Time Efficient “Studies into the benefits of short HIIT workouts have found that as little as seven minutes of intense HIIT exercise is enough to get the fitness benefits. These shorter, more intense workouts are appealing to many, as it is much easier to work at max effort for a shorter time and the benefits remain largely the same. Shorter workouts are undoubtedly easier to work into a busy schedule and the multiple benefits this style of training offers mean that in a short session, you can work on your fitness levels and enhance your strength and power. It is scientifically proven that a 27-minute session of HIIT three times a week (81 minutes total) can produce the same anaerobic and aerobic benefits as 60 minutes of aerobic cardio training five times per week (300 minutes total). So, if you’re looking to really push yourself and up the intensity of your workouts to be able to fit in a shorter amount of time exercising, HIIT is for you!” -David Wiener, Training & Nutrition Specialist at Freeletics You Get More Bang For Your Buck “Whilst cardiovascular exercise is incredible for weight loss and does absolute wonders for your health in general, HIIT training burns more calories during and after a workout than continuous cardiovascular training. This is because the bursts of increased intensity enhance your calorie expenditure and ups the number of total calories burned, aiding in better body composition. This also means that you burn more calories after you finish exercising (usually about two hours after), adding to the greater calorie burn. Exercise post-oxygen consumption (EPOC) is the body’s natural ability to return to homeostasis after exercise. With HIIT, the total calories burned is greater in EPOC than with continuous low-intensity cardio exercise.” -David Wiener, Training and Nutrition Specialist at Freeletics “Several research studies have focused on HIIT and the effect it has on our metabolic rate, finding that HIIT has the incredible ability to increase metabolic rate for hours after you’ve finished exercising, which means you are burning more calories following a HIIT workout.”  -Ryan Atkin, Head Coach at Real World Results  Who Should Be Avoiding HIIT? “Pregnant and newly post-natal ladies will want to avoid pushing their heart rate as high as HIIT works and those just starting out on a fitness journey may want to build up some strength and fitness before going in for this intense form of training. It is always important for anyone with any medical condition to discuss this form of training with a professional before getting started to ensure it is safe for them to do so.” -Emma Bord, PT & Fitness Specialist How Much Is Too Much? “Like most things in life, balance is key and because of the intense nature of HIIT it is not recommended to do these kinds of sessions more than 4 times a week in order for your muscles can recover and to avoid injury.” -Emma Bord, PT & Fitness Specialist Things To Consider If You’re A Fan Of HIIT “HIIT workouts involve high-impact exercises such as jumping, sprinting, and plyometrics which can put a lot of stress on your joints and muscles. Over time, this can lead to overuse injuries such as tendonitis, stress fractures, and muscle strains. If you’re prone to injuries or are coming back from an injury, HIIT might not be quite right for you and could do more damage than good. With stress and anxiety levels at an all-time high, HIIT workouts can keep your body in a constant high state of stress and intensely impact your nervous system. This can lead to additional stress on the body and an increase in cortisol, which can mean an exacerbation of anxiety and stress. Being able to balance exercise and activities that actively lower the stress hormones and soothe our nervous systems, such as yoga, meditation, or gentle walking, can be more effective than HIIT from time to time.” -Ryan Atkin, Head Coach at Real World Results  Striking The Balance “A well-balanced exercise routine is a combination of strength training, cardio and on a more basic level, stretching and balance training. You don’t need to be incorporating cardio, strength training, HIIT, flexibility training and balance training all in the same day as this would be impossible. However, incorporating these elements into your regular routine will make you a fitness pro!” -David Wiener, Training and Nutrition Specialist at Freeletics “It’s a great idea to combine HIIT with other forms of activity such as spinning, swimming, boxing