TORONTO February 9th 2015. Digital Champion Melissa Doldron initially started running to keep fit for boxing (insert Rocky theme here). After sustaining a shoulder injury, she decided to continue running to stay in shape and a new love was born! Melissa is a registered sports massage therapist, so when she’s not running, she works with athletes and talks about running! You can also find Melissa with friends watching or playing football, baseball, boxing and UFC, and always eating and laughing.
Make My Legs Go Fast: Earning That PB At TYS10K! By Melissa Doldron.
I want a PB at this year’s Toronto Yonge Street 10K.
PB: A Personal Best. My 2015 mantra for the goals I’ve laid out for myself is Fitter, Faster, Stronger. When I decided to sign up for the TYS10K, I knew the challenge that was ahead: to run fast.
What does it mean for me to perform faster? It’s more than just running.
Strength + Conditioning
- Fast Feet: Agility drills, weighted sled pushes and interval/track drills can help runners improve foot speed needed for fast results on the road.
- Core Strength: A stronger core helps runners tap into more force and speed on the road.
- Jump Jump: Plyometrics, or jumping/skipping exercises help develop the fast twitch muscles that give runners speed and strength. By building up stabilizing muscles in my legs I’m hoping to improve my speed and power for race day.
- Armed for Speed: A strong upper body helps runners maintain speed and propel the body forward while running. Strong arms will help my running efficiency, power me through tough workouts and the added use of “track hands” will give me a kick to the finish.
Rest + Active Recovery
- Benefits of Rest: With all the hard training, a runner’s body needs adequate rest for proper recovery. Being well rested leading up to race day will have me shooting off the start line. Besides, the sooner I finish, the sooner I can be kicking my feet up relaxing!
- Stretch It Out: Science may not have have conclusive evidence of its benefits, but elites will tell you, stretching daily increases flexibility for muscles that are short and tight.
- Mobility Matters: Tight spots from training build up in different areas for everyone. Working with tools like lacrosse balls and foam rollers can help reduce and eliminate trigger points in my muscles and fascia and relieve tension from training.
Having a balanced training program that includes running (on varied surfaces when possible, while mixing in intervals/tempos/track work), strength and conditioning, active recovery and rest along with proper hydration and nutrition will see me to the PB I’m after! Follow along on my journey to a PB this spring at the Toronto Yonge Street 10K!
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