For almost a decade, more women runners have been crossing the finish line than men, according to research conducted by Jens Jakob Andersen, a former competitive runner and statistician from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark. Female race participation has skyrocketed by 27 per cent, compared to 8 per cent for men, and it seems that they’re not only running more; they’re running better – women are nearly 19 per cent more likely than their male counterparts to complete a race with a controlled and consistent pace.
Below are MOJEH's top tips on how to stay safe if you're running as you age.
Don’t increase your weekly training mileage by more than 10 per cent per week. Joe Henderson, the first editor of Runner’s World, and Dr. Joan Ullyot, an author who has published three women’s running books, first advocated the 10 per cent recommendation after noticing runners who increased their training load too quickly were incurring injuries.
Before the Eighties, manufacturers didn’t make women’s running shoes and, instead, sold smaller version of men’s trainers. Finding the right style is imperative – your heel and instep should feel supported but not tight. Check out Under Armour’s UA SpeedForm Gemini 3 for lightweight comfort, or Nike’s Free TR Flyknit Sneakers for natural movement.
Strength training is often excluded from many runners’ routine workouts, but it’s the backbone of agility and endurance, and will dramatically decrease the risk of injury. Head to The Gym in Business Bay’s state-of-the-art Vision Tower for variety or, if you prefer to train alone, try out some floor exercises and hill workouts that improve your core stability.
Tracking statistics like time, pace, distance and elevation will give new runners a hefty dose of self-confidence and inspiration. Phone apps like RunGo are ideal for adventurous runners who travel frequently and like to explore new cities. RunGo provides real-time voice navigation and suggests the best routes near your area, and allows you to save maps offline.
