Lex Anderson Running Technique Coach

SUGAR!!!!!!!!

It's not simple as you think, sugar comes in so many forms, to the point it literally is pervasive within our society!
To help you understand just how pervasive and threatening it really is, here is another great piece from TED .........

' ....... While sugar is easy to spot in candy, soft drinks and ice cream, it also hides out in foods you might not expect -- including peanut butter, pasta sauce and even bologna! Robert Lustig decodes confusing labels and sugar's many aliases to help determine just how much of that sweet carbohydrate makes its way into our diets.'

https://www.ted.com/talks/robert_lustig_sugar_hiding_in_plain_sight?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0yc3cAOIEsrmaF_7yOnrc89qhT3tFwQP8NXECN9vDuHEVt7Ui0yUhr8Kg_aem_Gi6Fn5Y7j_5DBaJ1QKjNZQ&trigger=30s&subtitle=en

Sugar: Hiding in plain sight While sugar is easy to spot in candy, soft drinks and ice cream, it also hides out in foods you might not expect -- including peanut butter, pasta sauce and even bologna! Robert Lustig decodes confusing labels and sugar's many aliases to help determine just how much of that sweet carbohydrate makes....

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE -
HIGHLIGHTS for this WEEK (or)
OUR TEAM of the WEEK

Here are just a few thoughts and results from the week just gone. And again will try to be a little more succinct this week.

Please note the results and achievements are not so much a reflection of the level of the athletes achievement, but the sheer 'JOY' these achievements have brought or mean to those concerned. This for me, is truly WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT ......

- BIG CONGRATS to ALYSSA and NADIA finishing 3rd at the Australian Schoolgirl nationals in Perth this week.
- LINDSAY, running 44km's with no pain. This has been an incredibly rapid return from a long and debilitating running injury
- JIMMY B, currently training for a marathon,. with his training volume up at approx 110/120k per week. Pretty good for a person previously beset by achilles and calf issues, who once said 'if I run again, I will never take my volume over 50km'
-DAVID B, dropping his time down another 20 seconds to 19.34 on his comeback from a long version of glandular fever. Just amazing Dave!!!
- KEN G, 1st again in the Burley Griffin Parkrun. You're becoming unbeatable, Ken!!
- TIERNAN, CHARLES and FRASER whose Victorian AFL team last weekend, beat third placed team on the ladder. Coming home with a wet sale, boys!!

And again, get better soon to any athletes who currently have COVID, Influenza, or RSV. It has been a tough winter!!

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE - Susan G (and daughter, Jeannie)
Running WELL is nice but Running PAIN FREE is definitely preferable
TWO (Very) 'Happy Finishers'

Congrats to Susan and Jeannie on not only finishing this years City to Surf, but finishing something that, due to injuries, seemed very unlikely a short time ago!! Or at the very least unlikely, without a 'whole lot of pain'!!!

Below is part of the text message Susan sent me ........

' .... Enclosed is a photo of two of your pupils who were happy finishers today - times were not great due to the 90,000 other runners but finished pain free.
We are looking pretty pleased with ourselves here, after a great City to Surf last weekend, but we owe much of our success to you.

For both of us, your cues and guidance have been transformative. As you know, I’ve had this hamstring tendinopathy for what feels like forever. You have helped me not only manage the issue but overcome it entirely. I can now run pain-free and stronger than ever.

Likewise, Jeannie’s TFL issues - thanks to your keen eye and personalised coaching, she’s now injury-free and loving running.
Huge thanks for your support and coaching expertise that got us both here. Next stop Berlin 2025!
Thank you Lex! ......'

Great effort, and result, Susan and Jeannie!! You should be extremely proud of what you've overcome and subsequently achieved. And no ..... THANK YOU!!

The RUN WHiSPERiNG METHOD:
NEURAL COUPLING
The NEURAL CONNECTION between your ARMS and your LEGS


Yes, it's a thing! And perhaps the least understood and subsequently misunderstood element of human locomotion, read, your movement.

The Running Whisperer method has invested in significantly developing this aspect of gait, having taken a theoretical known and developed a number of practical running/movement 'cues' to improve there motor skill of 'your run'.
I should note, a version of this concept I developed has been used by my daughter, a physiotherapist specialising in juvenile cerebral palsy, with great success!

In our first session I can show you how you can ‘markedly' improve your run by just modifying your arm swing. It is endlessly surprising that such a simple ‘cue’ can make such a significant difference to a person’s run! And again, shows

Below is an article that taking up this subject ....
'Humans have neural connections between their upper limbs and lower limbs that coordinate muscle activation patterns during locomotor tasks…. Recent studies indicate that arm swing may also facilitate lower limb muscle activation via neural coupling. Clinical observations of individuals with spinal cord injury first suggested that rhythmic upper limb movement improved lower limb muscle recruitment during stepping. More recently, studies on neurologically intact subjects have demonstrated an increase in lower limb muscle activation that is proportional to upper limb muscle recruitment during seated recumbent stepping.'

And no DON'T ‘pump’ your arms IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, you balance your arms, and use rhythm, rather than strength in a balanced manner. And again, is just another great example of how nuanced running really is!!!

https://sweatscience.com/pump-your-arms-to-speed-up-your-legs-thanks-to-neural-coupling/?fbclid=IwY2xjawEqt_ZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHRq4IFV7HTLQ6SW-nHjDsLJPrvk4w_yxRu9yB0AgMxY-M6-weEDYSu9nbQ_aem_KJm6KbrrW9luDzzMobdG7A

JIMMY REES -
THE GUY WHO DECIDES THE WORLD CUP

Just to share out the love, The Guy Who Decides turns his focus to The World Cup. Be warned this is pretty harsh but (as always) pretty funny!

Enjoy ..........

The Guy Who Decides The World Cup!! AWKWARD Anyway who watched the game this morning, first 20 mins was good 😬🤪

WINTER SUCKS!!
SO, WHEN YOU'RE COLD AND WET

JIMMY REES -
This time - THE GUY WHO DECIDES GOLF

Just thought I had to add another one from the series - they are all so good!!

This one is particularly for my golf obsessed friends - they know who they are ..........

Golf is weird 🏌️‍♂️ "Make everyone a flog at it" 🏌️‍♂️

JIMMY REES -
THE GUY WHO DECIDES CYCLING

In keeping with our somewhat alternative Olympic theme, here is one of Jimmy's series 'The Guy Who Decides' series, this time on cycling.
If you know anything about track cycling, or even if you don't, this is hilarious!!!!!

You should enjoy this ..........

The Guy Who Decides Cycling 🥴🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ 🚴🚴‍♀️🚴‍♂️ ... The Guy has been watching Robin Hood 🥴 👉👉 https://linktr.ee/jimmyrees

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE -
HIGHLIGHTS for this WEEK (or)
OUR TEAM of the WEEK

Here are just a few thoughts and results from the week just gone. Trying to be a little more succinct this week ........

- BIG CONGRATS to JOSH and family on the birth of Zara!!!!!!!
- Good luck to ALYSSA and NADIA, for being selected for the upcoming Australian Schools Championships!!
- MEL. B for running g 10 km for the FIRST time!!!!!!

And noting Friday night's post ........
- KIRA for making use to TWO cues together that I had not thought were related to solve a problem with activation of her right hamstring. This was a very cool session indeed (I love learning new things)
- TONY H helping me work out how to interplay HAMSTRING activation in a (bilateral) TIMING MOVEMENT

And again, get better soon to any athletes who currently have COVID, Influenza, or RSV. It has been a tough winter!!

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE - Will BARLOW
'Best run ever'

Yes, the ever ubiquitous, ever present Will Barlow put his hand up for the first leg of the Sri Chinmoy 100 last Sunday. So I asked him how 'he went' in our session on Friday, and with a big smile on his face - although you could say he always has a big smile on his face - simply said, 'BEST RUN EVER!' Laughingly adding he had run a PB for the course by over 10 minutes!!!

Below is part of the texts that Will sent me subsequently .........

' ......Hi Lex. Had a grreat run last Sunday! Leg 1 from Rond Terrace to the bottom of Mt Taylor. Our team was the first mixed team across the finish.
Big Pb on Leg 1 of the Sri Chinmoy 100 yesterday. Came in at 2.06.37
Previous time 2.17!
Felt light on my feet and was able to fully extend it across the entire course thanks to the cues we've been working on the past 3 months. Able to really work it on the hills up and down. First mixed team!!!! Thanks for your help.'

Pretty amazing Will!! Another PB!?! Are you getting tired of it (PB's) yet??
It's been a really, really good year!

The RUN WHiSPERiNG METHOD:
WHEN does the LEARNING STOP.
..... NEVER, EVER, EVER, EVER!!!

One of the cornerstones of the Running Whisperer methodology is that it is ever evolving! It is founded or formed around the ‘continuation of learning’ concept - i.e. learning should always be a non-stop, never ending process. Whatever you know today, will (eventually) just become a supporting plank to what you know tomorrow.

Of recent times I have probably gone through the most profound learning curve of my career. Yes, I have been doing this for over thirty years, and was very comfortable with what I knew regarding running mechanics and the ability to change them. Then just four months ago in an effort to stabilise hip movement, I realised there is a significant link to glute activation. With this realisation - and the help of some of my athletes - I not only released that it is is NOT just the hip but there ARE three other key components to this!! It is a confluence and an involved interaction of forces.

Further - and this is so I'm portent - glute activation is clearly not about strength it is about activation of the movement (your motor program)!!

For me this has been ground breaking, and has altered the way I cue this and a number off other things. It has changed the order of how I cue and added some very powerful 'NEW' cues to my repertoire. ….. Big thanks to Frith Rayner, and Jess Baird and Jen Cranney for forcing me to find (an even) better way and then helping me refine to the point that I am simply AMAZED at how effective it is!!
YES, an answer to the most commonly (and overused) phrase in the health industry today, ‘your glutes don’t work!’

But as always there was more to learn …...
This continued or continual learning only serves to enforce one of my favourite sayings ...... 'when you stop learning, it's is time to retire.' Hopefully, I won’t be retiring for a long time!!!

As a follow up to the post above post, below is an article from 'Forbes.com' by Roger Dean Duncan, looking at some of the difficulties of being a 'learner'.
' ..... becoming a learner is not a one-step process. There are lots of things that we need to do—incorporate failure, focus on the process, ask questions, reflect, play to our strengths, and learn from others. These elements don’t come naturally as we have developed tendencies that help us in the short-term, but really can hamper us in the long run ......

https://www.forbes.com/sites/rodgerdeanduncan/2018/06/04/want-to-stay-relevant-never-stop-learning/?sh=31c620e17180&fbclid=IwY2xjawEZnzlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHalHYpXI5DVBHcHri3bmThLcyUKOTFjPMbuVjT7Yl7kA__5ZpRPV6SWjzQ_aem_glzi5xKVk9kOfr9jIbOwiA

A GREAT STORY FROM THE PARIS OLYMPICS
'I'M NOW 58 AND MY DAD IS 92. I FINALLY MADE THAT DREAM COME TRUE'
ZHIYING ZENG (Chilean Table Tennis player of Chinese origin)

From 'FIRSTPOST.COM' ......
I
'n today’s frenetic world where only those who end up at the very summit of their fields are regularly praised, followed, and adored, what most of us following the Olympics tend to forget is that being an Olympian is in itself a huge achievement. The best of the best from each country are picked to represent their national flag and being an athlete who has been permitted to enter the Olympic village is a huge feat, regardless of whether there’s a medal at the end of it all or not.
That’s the fire, the passion that has burnt since the 1970s inside Zhiying Zeng, a Chilean table tennis player of Chinese origin. A passion that saw her make it to the Paris Olympics this time, where she made her Games debut at the ripe old age of 58!
Zeng was born in Guangzhou in 1966. Her mother was a table tennis coach and her job saw the family receive accommodation next to a sports complex in Guangzhou. Thanks to her mother’s influence Zeng picked up a paddle at a very early age. She went on to turn professional at the age of 12.
It’s not easy being a TT player in China, hands down the most successful table tennis nation ever. Consider this - from the time table tennis was introduced as an Olympic sport, in the 1988 edition in Seoul, China have won a mind-boggling 60 table tennis medals, including 32 gold, 20 silver, and 8 bronze medals. In the nine editions of the Olympic Games from 1988 (when table tennis was first introduced) to 2020, China have been the best-performing nation throughout.
So, when Zeng was called up to the Chinese table tennis team at the age of 16, it was no mean feat. But then came the downturn.
According to a CNN report, the ’two-colour rule’ in 1986 (two years before the 1988 Olympic Games), which meant that paddlers had to use paddles that had two different colours on the two sides of the paddle saw Zeng’s game affected because opponents could now read her game better and she could no longer confuse them by turning the paddle (with black on both sides) continuously in her hand (the two sides of a TT paddle hit the ball differently and produce different effects). She had to eventually leave the Chinese team.
In 1989 she received an invitation to coach school kids in Chile. Zeng packed her bags and left. She stayed on in Chile and made only sporadic comebacks to competitive table tennis. Once in 2003 and then again during the Covid pandemic when she began winning regional tournaments playing mostly against men.
The big crowning glory came in 2023 when she was picked to be part of the Chilean women’s team for the Pan American Games in Santiago. She bagged the bronze in the team event, alongside Daniela Ortega and Paulina Vega.
CNN reported that Chileans gave her the nickname ‘Tia Tania’ or Auntie Tania. According to an AP report, one young fan was quoted as saying that he had gone to the competition just to watch the ’table tennis grandma’ in action. Zeng is not a grandmother, but she very quickly became an iconic figure in Chile.

Cut to Paris 2024 and Zeng’s lifelong dream of becoming an Olympian finally came true. Her 92-year-old father stayed up till 5 am in China to watch his daughter realise her dream, as she qualified for what is the pinnacle of all sporting events.
An emotional Zeng told CNN - “My dad was able to see his daughter qualify for the Olympics….He used to take me to training and to matches when I was a girl and now at 57 (her age when she qualified for the Olympics), I made it. I made it.”
Though she lost in the preliminary rounds in Paris to Lebanon’s Mariana Sahakian, Zeng is one athlete who has headlined the Paris Games for all the right reasons - for showing the world that being an Olympian is what drives all athletes, regardless of eventual glory and that none of us must ever forget just how big an achievement!!' and how cherished a dream Olympic participation in itself truly is.'

OLYMPICS - Just for SOMETHING DIFFERENT
LONDON OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY
MR BEAN!!!!!!

Rowan Atkinson performs under the guise of his famous character Mr. Bean at the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Please enjoy ........

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwzjlmBLfrQ

IT's ONLY A SLIGHT INJURY?!?

ONE IN A MILLION MOMENTS FROM THE OLYMPICS

This is a YOUTUBE compilation of the most amazing, funny and embarrasing moments ever caught on camera in at the olympics. It includes records, fails, inappropriate and wtf moments and a lot of other stuff that has been filmed during an olympic sport. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this compilation from the 'OMG Hub'. And yes, there is a Stephen Bradbury moment ...........

1 IN A MILLION MOMENTS IN OLYMPICS This is a compilation of the most amazing, funny and embarrasing moments ever caught on camera in at the olympics. It includes records, fails, inappropriate ...

A SIMPLY AMAZING OLYMPIC (SURFING) PHOTO
THE WORD YOU NEED IS 'WOW'!!

In case you missed it, a photo of Brazilian Olympic surfer Gabriel Medina, suspended in the air over a wave, went viral earlier this week. If we didn't know better it so looks like it has been photo shopped. His finger is pointed to the sky as he's captured celebrating his recording-breaking 9.90 single-wave score in the fifth heat of the third round of men's surfing last Monday.
And also in case you didn't know, the Paris Olympics surfing competition is taking place half way around the world, on the French Polynesian island of Tahiti.

SOLOMAN ISLANDS picks MARATHON RUNNER to COMPETE IN 100m SPRINTS
THIS is somewhere BETWEEN WEIRD and OUTRAGEOUS

Solomon Islands' National Olympic Committee has nominated a marathon runner to compete in the women's 100-metre sprints at the Paris Games.

Yes, one of the (only) two Solomon Islands athletes in France, marathon runner Sharon Firisua was offered the country's wildcard spot in the flagship heats.

Firisua, who finished 72nd in the marathon at the 2021 Tokyo Games, was aiming to compete in the marathon again in Paris but missed out on qualification.
Now, instead, she will front up against the fastest women in the world, in the shortest distance on the track.

She has never competed in a 100m event before!?!

How does that work?!? How did she go? The article from 'The Daily Mail' below details the result and some of the fall out .........

Bizarre moment a marathon runner races in the women's 100 METRES Long-distance runner Sharon Firisua ran 100m in 14.31 seconds - almost three seconds behind first place - and finished last of her preliminary heat.

GIVEN IT'S the OLYMPICS
THOUGHT I MIGHT POST some OLYMPICS STUFF this WEEK

TRULY INSPIRATIONAL - Barcelona 1992
The story of Derek Redmond has been called one of the purest examples of determination and perseverance in Olympic history. From his Biography page ....

"Derek Redmond's running career was frustrated by injury. In 1988, Redmond was forced to withdraw from the opening heat of the Olympic 400m contest only two minutes before the race was scheduled to begin.
By the time of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, he had undergone five operations, including one on his Achilles tendon less than four months before the Games began.
In Barcelona, everything seemed to be coming together for Redmond at last. He was running well: he recorded the fastest time of the first round and he won his quarterfinal heat. As he settled into the blocks for the start of his semifinal race, Redmond's thoughts turned to his father, Jim, and the support he had always given Derek. Derek got off to a clean start and was running smoothly when, about 150m into the race, his right hamstring muscle tore and he fell to the ground.
When he saw the stretcher-bearers rushing towards him, he knew he had to finish the race. Redmond jumped up and began hobbling forward despite the pain he felt. His father ran out of the stands and joined him on the track. Hand in hand, with Derek sobbing, they continued. Just before the finish, Jim let go of his son and Derek completed the course on his own, as the crowd of 65,000 gave him a standing ovation.".

Please watch the video below .......

The greatest moment in Olympic history? 📺 Watch all the action LIVE! ➡️ https://go.olympics.com/watch 📲 Subscribe to : http://oly.ch/Subscribe Derek Redmond's race at the 1992...

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE -
HIGHLIGHTS for this WEEK (or)
OUR TEAM of the WEEK

Here are some thoughts and results from the week just gone ........

- ME, for NOT freezing to death this week (Wednesday was pretty harsh)!!
- Conversely, massive congrats on Laurie I., on competing in and finishing the Australian Outback Marathon. This is an enormous task for anyone, let alone a 'senior runner'!! Note, the Australian Outback Marathon crosses the red sands of the Australian desert (making running incredibly difficult) and goes past Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Not exactly your average marathon
- Alyssa, Pearl and Nadia, for being selected and trialling for Canberra United this week. Every young Canberra footballers dream!!
- Lindsay running back to a 20 k run after significant recent injury, Merryn running 19 k's, and Matt running 30k's. All would have seemed impossible over 3-6 months ago! Just WOW!!!!
- David B, on the slow recovery from COVID, running back under 20 minutes (19.50) for the first time and without 'any real effort'.
- Ken G, for again winning his Burley Parkrun and running a season best - 16.11
- Samson (young footballer) scoring two (both) goals last weekend in his sides 2-1 win over Olympic
- Hunter for scoring the first goal for his team this week
- Michelle, being able to do small run without any plantar fasciitis pain
- Excellent/amazing results in sessions in the last week from Nina D and Immi (improved gait on R foot contact), Susan G and Jaime B (increased stability upper body), Cooper and Nikolas (better/earlier lift of foot and increased evenness of gait), Mark W and (increased coordination, with commensurate stability upper body), Benny and Darcy (able to finally achieve 'coil' of non dominant gait and increased stride). Please note every one in this list really achieved something out of the ordinary in their session!

and congrats to all athletes running in the Sri Chinmoy 4 peaks run today!!!

From Men's and Women's Premier League (1st grade): A BIG WEEK
- as above Nadia, Pearl and Alyssa trialling for Canberra United this week
- Alyssa scoring the 'Goal of the week' It can be seen on the Capital Football website, under 'News'
- Alyssa, now two goals clear on top of the 'Top Goal Scorers' list
- Jenno for scoring a goal in Monaro Panthers win over Yoogali

And again, get better soon to a number of my athletes who currently have COVID, Influenza, or RSV. It has been a tough winter!!

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE - Immi
And again, and again, and ........

You may remember we have posted about Immi running three excellent PB's, including the Gold Coast Half recently, all off only four sessions with me. Well, following on from so much recent success, apparently it hasn't stropped - at last weeks Parkrun she ran yet ANOTHER PB! Below is a text from Immi sent earlier this evening .......

' .... Hi Lex. All time Parkrun PB 25.06 in Burley Griffin 27 July 2024. Previous all time Parkrun PB 25.29 in Burley Griffin as well 29 June 2024. It was another unplanned PB. Whilst I was running the cues from previous lessons kept replaying in my head “reduce the effort by 30%, bent knee when foot touches the ground, and no push”. I ran a bit more relaxed and with lesser effort but faster. Thank you so much. Each cue that you teach me makes a lot of difference in the way I run..'

Immi, this is getting increasingly hard to keep up with!!
This is almost a minute off since we started two months ago!!
Huge congrats on just some great running!
Looking forward to your next run!?! No pressure!!!!!

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR FUN

Sound familiar??

SOME DAYS MOTIVATION FINDS YOU ......

WHAT RUNNING IS REALLY ABOUT ...........

JUST a FOLLOW UP to there EARLIER POST
EXERCISE AND YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM


Here is a much more in-depth article from the 'Gatorade Sports Science Institute' (yes, it's a real thing), giving a much greater and in depth look at 'EXERCISE and IMMUNITY" ...........

Effects of Exercise on Immune Function Effects of Exercise on Immune Function

RUNNING, Exercise and IMMUNITY

Given the preponderance of COVID, Influenza A, RSV, and 'the 100 day cough), this seemed a topical thing to post.

Can exercise affect your immunity? Does exercise help or hinder our bodies’ ability to fight off infections, particularly in this time of corona variants and other 'new' viruses?
The answer is = it depends. Hmmmm, looks like you're going to have to read the article from 'UW Medicine' .........

Can Exercise Improve the Immune System? Yes – and more.

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE -
HIGHLIGHTS for this WEEK (or)
OUR TEAM of the WEEK

Here are some thoughts and results from the week just gone ........

- ME, for freezing to death this weekend (working outside in Canberra in winter is NO fun), but somehow still alive!!
- some great first sessions with Ollie, and Matt C,
- Nadia, on being asked to trial for Canberra United for the season coming. Every young Canberra footballers dream!!
- AJ, just back in Canberra for a week from South America, and casually mentioning he had just been playing for the Samoan National Mens team (he is only 18 yrs). Just WOW!!!!
- Immi, after dropping her Parkrun PB by over 30 seconds four weeks ago, just dropped her PB by another 23 seconds yesterday. Running 25.06!! Next stop- sub 25.
- Ken G, for winning the Burley Parkrun yesterday in 16.20
- Tyson (young footballer) scoring a goal last weekend and this weekend, both with his left foot!!!
- Excellent/amazing results in sessions in the last week from Nina D and Immi (improved gait on R foot contact), Katherine C and Sam A (increased stability upper body), Maria G (better/earlier lift of foot and increased evenness of gait), Mark W and Tony H (increased coordination, with commensurate stability upper body), Nadia (able to finally achieve 'coil' of non dominant gait). Please note every one in this list really achieved something out of the ordinary in their session!

From Men's and Women's Premier League (1st grade):
Josh P and Atiya for making the Men's Premier League Team of the Week.

And get better soon to a number of my athletes who currently have COVID, Influenza, or RSV. It's been a tough winter!!

RUNNiNG WHISPERER FAMiLY UPDATE - Leanne
The TEMPO RUN is a minute fasterr ....

Leanne, who has been back and training with me for the last 3 months, recently sent me the following message on how her raining was going .......

' ....just to let you know my tempo runs between 7-10km have improved out of sight with the new cues of 'bent leg' and 'no push poin't. In my training program for the Sydney marathon I figured I would stick at 6.30 mins per km in my training tempos and with that pace for the marathon. I am now finding I have been able to run much faster tempo runs achieving more than a minute faster. I was already running up to 21km long runs before my training with you, so it’s not just improved fitness - it’s technique! I am so excited, and hopeful to keep seeing improvement. Seven (7) weeks to go until the marathon. Thankyou Lex! Your advice is always both enlightening and surprising.'

A Tempo run that's a MINUTE faster!!!!!!!! That's insane!
Great work, Leanne!! Good luck for the Marathon

The RUN WHiSPERiNG METHOD:
TRAINiNG SMARTER, NOT HARDER

Unfortunately, there are too many coaches who will happily plunge you into a state of overtraining, with their mantra of “if you survive my training you will be a better athlete.” Equally unfortunately they can be found at all levels, including (surprisingly, or not really surprisingly) at the very elite end of sport!
I remember a (very) well known ex-AIS coach saying ‘it’s not my fault the athletes can’t stand up to my training’, to explain why so many of his athletes were getting injuries. You may need to ponder that statement for a while, including the level of the coach!!

Recent scientific research has demonstrated continued overtraining can have a negative psychological and neurological effect. Indeed, Tim Noakes, M.D., writes in the 'Lore of Running' - 'overtrained runners exhibit an impaired ability to release stress hormones in response to physical exertion due exhaustion of the hypothalamus'.
Additionally, Noakes notes overtrained runner's brains (also) display 'an impaired capacity to recruit the muscles used in the activity for which the athlete is trained'. Yes, exactly what your athlete does not want!!!!!! In such a state of physical and mental exhaustion, it is little wonder an overtrained athlete's performance degrades.
He further states, 'results are consistent with - and help to explain additional symptoms, such as insomnia, depression, and loss of libido and appetite'.
Below is a very good article from Steve Magness (Peak Performance: 'Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success’) that further strengthens this contention .…..

https://nextbigideaclub.com/conversation-an-olympic-coach-on-how-to-train-smarter-not-harder/14901/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1TccNFmFA6MZ6zeyHxA5tPKob1fYZnKLuW7eya04VhHZym3zqjtSa12TE_aem_vrylbtWyfhGqTaS4dWfjtA

An Olympic Coach on How to Train Smarter, Not Harder | Next Big Idea Club Professional running coach Steve Magness explains that athletic and creative success actually lies in working less, and resting more.

ATHLETICISM COMES IN MANY FORMS

So lets go left field straight away and have a look at Table Tennis

As demonstrated over the last couple of Thursday's athleticism comes in so many shapes and forms. And I particularly like to look for sports that are not always the first sports you think of in these terms.

Accordingly, here come some incredible shots and rallies .....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jVXNEvUJss