It has been a busy few weeks with events and back on Sunday 13 October was the Melbourne Marathon and the first round of the SEQ Trail Running Series.

Fortius Running Club was represented well at both events.
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In the Marathon we had
Atul Aroa finish in 03:22:08 NET time and was 153rd in the M35-39 age category
Joe Garbellini finish in 03:37:29 NET time and was 112nd in the M50-54 age category
Rick Larkin finish in 03:49:54 NET time and was 238th in the M45-49 age category

​It looks like Atul ran so fast he lost his shoes too

In the Half Marathon we had
Todd McLennan finish in 01:42:46 NET time and was 45th in the M50-54 age category
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Nice work gentlemen!

 Long Course
Mike Garrett finished in 1:13:02 and was 24th in the M30-39 age category
Fatima Castillo finished in 1:52:25 and was 44th in the F40-49 age category
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Short Course
John Carran finished in 53:46 and was 14th in the M50-59 age category
Erin Burns finished in 1:00:19 and was 16th in the F30-39 age category
Jo Fack finished in 1:02:17 and was 29th in the F40-49 age category

Well done team and thanks for putting in Fortius Running Club as your team to help us earn valuable club points.

Some great tips here from our partner BL Physio

Getting enough quality rest and sleep is important in so many ways as we all know, yet we always seem to run short! Life is busy, the to-do lists are long, there’s not enough hours in the day. Sounds familiar?

But setting aside time to wind down and prioritising this will benefit us in the long run. There is research showing that lack of sleep is a contributing factor in a range of health conditions. Also, the repair and recovery of our body happens when we sleep!

Here’s 5 tips from me for winding down and ensuring good quality rest and recovery:

1. Get enough magnesium. Magnesium is involved in countless body functions. It can help with muscle tension, cramping, quicker muscle recovery and also calming the nervous system. In Queensland we sweat so much exercising and it is difficult getting enough magnesium through food. A good quality supplement daily really makes a difference.
2. Go to bed the same time during the week to create a routine for your body. If you know when you are getting up and how many hours of sleep you need - count backwards and create the habit. When you’re waking up on time before your alarm you know your circadian rhythm has adjusted.
3. Try no screen time for the last hour before bed (no iPhone scrolling)! The light from our devices can impact our melatonin production and so negatively affect our sleep. Melatonin is a sleep hormone which is produced when we are in a dark environment.
4. Do a 5-10 minute meditation routine before bed or first thing in the morning. If you don’t like the guided ones try this - lie flat on your back. Breath slowly in through your nose and out of your nose. Slowly go through gently being aware of each part of your body starting from your right toes - then your right foot - right knee - right hip - belly - heart - chest - right shoulder - elbow - right hand, mouth, cheeks, eyes, and then do the left side (all the same as the right) until you’re at your left toes.
5. Breathing exercise to slow down the nervous system and relax. It’s called “box breathing”. Slowly filling your lungs breathing in from the nose counting to 4. Then hold the breath at the top counting to 4. Then slowly release the breath counting to 4 as you breath out, then hold the empty lungs counting for 4 to complete the cycle. Then slowly breathe in again counting to 4 and keep going with the same 4-4-4-4 breaths for 10 cycles.

Getting your rest right will help your nervous system function which in turn helps controls your muscles. So it's win win win.
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Enjoy!

Physio Anna 😊

Well that's done, another Sunshine Coast Marathon weekend done and dusted.

The Sunny coast certainly lived up to its name and put on a fantastic weekend of weather for us.

Well done to all those athletes who competed and to those who scored a sneaky PB.

​Full results can be found below.

Our next club event is fast approaching on the 25th of August @ The Bridge to Brisbane. Don't forget to enter HERE and join the Fortius Running Club team.

Don't forget to tag your training photos #fortiusrunningclub and be featured in our club newsletter.

Regards and happy running.

​We had a small but dedicated crew that tackled the 2019 version of the Jetty 2 Jetty at Redcliffe.

Full results can be found over at our website using the button below.

Our next club event is fast approaching on the 25th of August @ The Bridge to Brisbane. Don't forget to enter HERE and join the Fortius Running Club team.

Don't forget to tag your training photos #fortiusrunningclub and be featured in our club newsletter.

Regards and happy running.

Well that's done, another Gold Coast Marathon weekend done and dusted. Most would say that quite possibly was the wildest weather we have had for a Gold Coast Marathon weekend for a very long time or for as long as I can remember anyway.

Well done to all those athletes who ran at the various events over the weekend and especially those who ran PB's or course PB's despite the conditions. It really shows training in all conditions can really prepare you for race day. A massive thank you to Paul from BL Physio for the post race massages and physio support. I'm sure everyone enjoyed their massages even though their faces perhaps didn't show it.

Full results can be found by clicking "Read More" below

Anna from BL Physio talks all things ankle strength & stability, thanks Anna

​I think all of us should work on ankle strength! It is so common that we stop doing the exercises once pain has resolved, but I hope I can inspire to keep going with this useful program that I have put together, as it really does make the difference in preventing injury and to get us back to full function for both sports and life.

Ankle stability and strength is important for everyone, just as much for runners as for other athletes, and for those who don’t exercise regularly. If we have good strength and stability of the ankle, we are less likely to roll our ankles with something simple like stepping on uneven ground or down a kerb. As we get older, it is really important to have that stability, to prevent a fall and more serious injuries.
For athletes and anyone else who has had an ankle sprain, the rehab of the ankle is essential. If we don’t follow it through, we are at high risk of long term lack of stability in that ankle and prone to re-injury. For those who have not had an ankle injury, these exercises are great as a preventative program, as most of us could improve our ankle strength and therefore hopefully avoid future injury. If you have had a recent or past ankle injury and still have pain, it is important that you get your injury checked with your physio before you start a program, as they will decide at what level you should start. The advanced exercises (hopping) should not be completed until the late stages of rehab, when you are completely pain-free and have worked on the basic strength and balance first.
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Strength
Calf raises: Start with double leg calf raises, go as high as you can control, which may be half range, then build from there. The important thing is to really use your calf muscles and to go slow, squeeze your calves through the movement, and hold for 10 seconds at the top, then lower slowly.
Start with 3 sets of 10 repetitions, with 10 second holds. Build to 12-15 repetitions. Increase range as you improve. Progress to single leg calf raises, starting out holding the wall gently for balance if you need. Focus on really using your calf and go slow! You want your knee unlocked (a tiny knee bend). Build up to 3 sets of 10 with 5 second hold at the top.

Isometric inversion and eversion:
Strengthening the muscles on the inside and outside of the ankle is crucial to prevent ankle injuries and after we have had one. Isometric exercises means squeezing a muscle without moving it through range. For inversion, sit with a ball (not too soft so you squash it) between your feet, and push inwards to activate the muscles on the inside of your shin. Hold 20 seconds. For eversion, put the ball to a wall and place one foot against it, push in to the ball and hold, activating the muscles on the outside of the shin. Hold 20 seconds. 10 repetitions of 20 second holds is a great start

Balance
Start doing these exercises on the floor, it can be challenging enough! When you have mastered that, it is time for a soft surface. You can use a folded exercise mat, a half dome fit ball or a wobble board if you have access to one.
Single leg stance: When you first start you may need to hold a wall very lightly, that's ok! Pick a spot in the room to focus your vision on! Keep a soft knee with a tiny bend. Aim for 10 sets of 30 seconds.

Arabesque: This exercise is not only good for ankle stability, but for knee control, glute and core strength as well! Stand on one leg with knee slightly bent. Slowly lean forward to extend opposite leg and arm in the air, without dropping your hip to the side. Draw your deep core gently in towards your spine and look ahead. Start with 5 sets of 10 second holds on each side. ​

Dynamic balance (advanced)
Hops to soft surface: Use a folded exercise mat. Stand about 20 cm from the mat with knees softly bent, hop with both feet onto the mat, focusing on a controlled landing with bent knees. Then hop backwards of the mat to land where you started. Re-set and hop onto the mat again. Start with 3 sets of 10 hops

Thanks Anna! 👍
Some really helpful exercises there. If you want to print these exercise you can download them here: BL Physio Ankle Rehab

Wow what a weekend! Was great to see so many out on course and some real fast times at the Runaway Noosa Marathon Weekend.

Special mention to Robyn Innes who won her age category in a time of 3:00:19 in the 31.6km event and Ana Santos who ran to 3rd place in her age category in a time of 1:43:10 in the half marathon.

A big high five to Sophie Kennedy & Mike Garrett too who ran themselves to big PB's. 

Full results are below, and photos from the event can be found on our Facebook page HERE. Don't forget to tag your photos #fortiusrunningclub and be featured in our club newsletter.

The next Club race is at the Brisbane Marathon this weekend. You can enter HERE and make sure you select Fortius Running Club for a 10% discount on your entry

Regards and happy running.

Simon (a.k.a. Captain Fortius)
President Fortius Running Club