As a runner there is nothing more frustrating than when you can’t run. Over the course of my running career, there have been many times when injury has kept me from doing what I love most. I have been running competitively for 39 years and
One of the most common mistakes we see runners make when they are returning to running from injury is doing too much too soon. This is usually due to a lack of proper understanding about their injury (the actual cause, and how long it had been brewing
Cycling is a highly repetitive sport, with a rider averaging about 5000 pedal strokes per hour. The repetitive nature of the sport means that overuse injuries are common, with knee injuries probably being the most common of all. Even the smallest amount of mal-alignment or
You can save yourself a LOT of time at the checkpoints in the UTA, and perhaps even score yourself a PB in the process. All it takes is some careful planning and a lot of determination on race day. Spending too much time at checkpoints
This article was written by our bikefitter and physiotherapist Nicole Oh. Nicole has been riding and racing bikes for many years, and brings a wealth of experience to The Body Mechanic team. Before I delve into this topic, let me clear up something first… when
Get your taper right or risk having a bad race The Ultra Trail Australia is a big event. Whether it is the 11, the 22, the 50 or the 100, you are going to be out there slogging your way up and down some very
The Body Mechanic are excited to be teaming up with Blue Mountain Fitness this year to provide you with Ultra Trail Australia On-Course Training Runs. See our new updated urns available. Train with experts on course for UTA 2021 to improve your knowledge, meet friends,
According to research, 80% of all cases of plantar fasciitis show a spontaneous improvement within 12 months. This is great news. If you are willing to put up with a sore foot for a whole year, then you have an 80% chance that it might
Working on a laptop computer or working from home with a less than ideal work station set up is hard on your body. Here are six very simple tips you can implement immediately to improve your posture and reduce your back and neck pain. Fix
The short answer is that you shouldn’t really ever have stopped training – performing well in ultras is all about growing your cookie jar. Read THIS ARTICLE if you’ve got no idea what I mean by your “cookie jar” A period of intense training to
What is ITB pain, how to diagnose it and learn tips on how to change your running style to avoid ITB issues in the future.
Did you win last years UTA100? Are you leading the Sydney Trail Series? Did you run 2:02 at Berlin? The guys/girls who get these top results are masters at training hard, but even better at managing their bodies and remaining injury-free. The vast
Badly aligned cleats can be responsible for causing knee pain in cyclists: – you need to make sure your cleats are set to allow you to be in the middle of your float. Knee pain is one of the most common reasons that
Stretching is one of those subjects that divides opinion. Some runners love stretching, others hate it. Some people can run their whole life without stretching and remain injury-free. Others find they can’t string together two weeks of uninterrupted training unless they stretch regularly. The bottom
The Nike Pegasus Trail is a great all-rounder. It is equally as comfortable on the road as it is on the trails. With a medium stack height, a decent amount of cushioning and a 10mm heel-toe offset, it is a shoe that I think most
Self isolating? Try this 10-Minute Indoor Cardio Workout For Runners
e It is disappointing that the UTA has been delayed again this year. A lot of you will feel like you have been training for nearly a whole year for an event that hasn’t yet happened. Your time has not been wasted however. The
The Myth of Women’s Specific bikes Written by Nicole Oh – Physiotherapist and Bike Fitter at The Body Mechanic With International Women’s day this weekend, I thought it might be topical to write about Women on bikes. Recent thinking is that the term “Women’s Specific
Race Report – Ed Larkin Alpine Challenge – 23 & 24 November 2019 The Start: It was 5:00am and here I was standing in the early morning alpine chill with about 100 other runners waiting for the starters gun for my first 100 miler. As
What your body needs to remain injury-free will vary a lot from person to person. For some, regular stretching and rolling is enough. For most, regular run-specific strength training will make a huge difference.
I have seen quite a few runners in our physio clinic recently who have been told by their health care professional that they will need months off running to recover from their injury. I have also had many emails from injured and frustrated runners who
If you are training for the UTA100 or the UTA50, you may be wondering what the maximum distance that your longest training runs should be. Surely the longer the better? Imagine the confidence you would get from an 80km training run! Now imagine the sore
The majority of trail events include a lot of downhill Most people focus on running uphill and forget to include downhill training in their event preparation All the uphill training in the world won’t help you on race day if your legs are “cooked” before
How stable are your ankles? Ankle sprains are one of the perils of trail running. At many of the trail events I compete in, there are queues of people lined up at the medical tents after the race with sprained ankles. A lot
Caveat: The Body Mechanic does not endorse the drinking of any alcohol as a means of testing this theory. Does This Sound Familiar To You! A common example of a statement from a new client is: “I ran 25km on Sunday, and my Achilles
Running is a great way to get rid of a few extra kilos. But running alone wont make the difference. You can’t ignore your diet! In fact, you could find yourself gaining weight if you over-fuel your body. Nutritionist and endurance athlete, Tamara Madden,
Cyclists typically get tight through their lower backs, hamstrings, hip flexors and glutes. Some of this muscle tension is caused by cycling, but a lot of the tension is caused by our modern lifestyles which involves too much time sitting in chairs. Too much tension
13 MINUTE PERSONAL BEST – THE BEST FEELING IN THE WORLD! Growing up I was never much of a runner and in my youth till my mid-twenties my main sporting pursuit was sailing, after which I really “let myself go”, putting on weight and
Bike Fits Are For Everyone! Whether you are new to cycling or you have been riding for years, a bikefit is essential to your comfort, performance and efficiency on the bike. A properly fitted bike means that you will be in a riding position that
How do you train for the Ultra Trail Australia? Do you know: Where to train? When to train? How hard to train? When to time your longest training runs? What to eat and drink on race day? What to wear on race day? If
