From sprints to middle and long-distance to marathon events, the art of running is a highly revered form of human expression, with deep roots in human history. Here are five of our favourite runners who have demonstrated great dedication and strength in their love for the sport, deserving of our admiration.

5. Catherine Ndereba

Catherine Ndereba (born July 21, 1972) is a Kenyan marathon runner. She is a former World record holder and a top-two finisher in four of the five World Marathon Majors. She was the first woman to run under 2:19 and the first woman to win the Boston Marathon a record four times. She also organises a Half Marathon in her hometown, named after Field Marshall Dedan Kimathi, a freedom fighting hero in Kenya’s struggle for independence.

Having defied the conventions of a male-dominated society, Ndereba’s strength and perseverance no doubt make her deserving not only of her nickname Catherine the Great, but also a spot on our list.

4. Yohan Blake

Yohan Blake (born December 26, 1989) is a Jamaican sprinter known by the nickname “The Beast”. Blake is an Olympic Games silver medallist at both the 100m and 200m Olympic gold medallist, world champion and world record holder at the 4x100m. At 19 years and 197 days he was the youngest man to have ever broken the 10-second barrier for 100m. Blake also founded the YB Afraid Foundation in 2011, an organisation that works to address the educational, physical and mental health and social needs of underprivileged youth.

With a fierce fighting spirit and a compassionate heart, Blake is both a beast and a beauty and certainly earns his place on our list.

3. Paula Radcliffe

Having suffered from asthma and anemia as a child, Paula Radcliffe (born December 17, 1973) overcame her conditions to set the marathon world record for women at 2:15:25 at the 2003 London Marathon. The English long-distance runner has won medals for the New York, London and Chicago marathons, and is known for being an advocate for anti-doping in athletics, having made several public protests to expose drug cheats. She is also involved in the World Health Organisation’s Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity, and just last month called on schools to do more to tackle obesity.

Despite struggling with achilles and foot injuries, Radcliffe ended her competitive running career last month with the 2015 London Marathon. Her name will go down in track and field history for her still-unbeatable marathon record and never-say-die spirit.

2. Michael Johnson

“The Man with the Golden Shoes”, Michael Johnson (born September 13, 1967) is an American track and field athlete who is the only sprinter ever to be ranked No. 1 in the world in the 200 and 400 meters in the same year, which he has achieved four times. He is generally thought to be the greatest all-around sprinter of all time, and is unmistakable on the track with his distinctive running style of a stiff straight back and a short, rapid piston stride.

Aside from that, he is known for being the pioneering track and field multimedia superstar, and has snagged multimillion-dollar-endorsement deals around the world, which was previously unheard of for runners.

1. Usain Bolt

With his apt surname, undeniable gift and impressive speed, Bolt strikes us as someone who will go the distance, earning himself the top spot on our list.

The Jamaican sprinter (born August 21, 1986) is arguably the fastest man in the world, winning three gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, and becoming the first man in Olympic history to win both the 100-meter and 200-meter races in record times. Bolt ran the men’s 100-meter race at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London in 9.63 seconds, a new Olympic record, making him the first man in history to set three world records in a single Olympic Games competition. His foundation, the Usain Bolt Foundation, aims to enhance the character of children through educational and cultural development, as they live their dreams.

Are you fast enough for Qlipp? Find out more about Qlipp, the ultimate tennis performance sensor here.

REFERENCES

Wokabi, J. and Mutuota, M. (2008). Catherine Ndereba Focus on Athletes Biography. Retrieved from http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/kenya/catherine-ndereba-115233#biography

30 Greatest Runners: Catherine Ndereba. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.olympics30.com/30greatestrunners/CatherineNdereba.asp

YB Afraid Website. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://ybafraid.com/

BBC Sport. (2001). Radcliffe vows to continue campaign. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/world_athletics/1488232.stm

Bryant, M. (2015). Paula Radcliffe: Schools can do more to tackle obesity. Retrieved from http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/paula-radcliffe-schools-can-do-more-to-tackle-obesity-10249732.html

Smolsky, C. (2014). Top 10 Runners in the World. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/34428-top-runners-world/

Paula Radcliffe Website. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.paularadcliffe.com/biography/

Michael Johnson. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/michael-johnson-9356188.

Baylor Athletics Website. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/c-track/mtt/johnson_michael00.html

de Bertodano, H. (2012). Michael Johnson: ‘For eight years I was a five-time gold medallist. Then it was four-time. It’s not the same’. Retrieved from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/9378922/Michael-Johnson-For-eight-years-I-was-a-five-time-gold-medallist.-Then-it-was-four-time.-Its-not-the-same.html

Usain Bolt Website. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://usainbolt.com/bio/

Usain Bolt. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/people/usain-bolt-20702091#synopsis.

Still hurting from your last run? Here are the 5 most common running injuries and how to treat them.

Running is one of the easiest sport to pick up, but it is also one of the easiest sport to develop an injury. Injuries often occur due to overexertion and incorrect running technique. When you run, you can take up to 200 strides per minute. Each stride sends a forceful energy through your feet, ankles, shins, calves and knees, which can cause tremendous strain on the muscles and bone.

1. Runner’s Knee

The cartilage under your kneecap can wear down after constant intense running over a prolonged period of time. This causes pain and discomfort around the knees, especially when going up and down stairs, squatting and sitting with the knees bent for a long time.

Treatment:
– Tape the knee
– Use a knee brace
– Take inflammatory medication
– Rest your body and reduce the intensity of your runs

 

2. Stress Fractures

Overexertion and constant strain can result in a small crack in the bone that may worsen if left untreated. This is because the bone needs sufficient time to recover and repair itself after an intensive activity.

Stress fractures usually occur when runners increase the intensity, frequency, or duration of their runs too soon without enough rest in between.

Treatment:
– Stop running completely for at least 8 to 16 weeks, depending on the severity of the fracture.
– Consult a doctor.
– Switch to swimming or pool running to build strength.

 

3. Achilles tendinitis

A sudden increase in training intensity can lead to an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, the thick band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to the back of the heel. Runners with tight or weak calves are especially prone to Achilles tendinitis and should thus work on loosening and building strength in their calves.

Treatment:
– Rest, ice, and stretch the calf muscles can relieve the pain temporarily.
– Shoe aids such as heel lifts and highly structured shoes can help lessen the strain on the Achilles tendon.
– Regular exercise to strengthen and stretch the lower legs.

 

4. Muscle Damage

Muscle damage includes muscle strains, pulls, and tears. This is often caused by insufficient f and improper warm up of the muscles, making it prone to injury. The most commonly pulled muscles during running are the hamstrings, quadriceps, calf, and groin.

Treatment:
– Rest the muscle
– Ice the affected area
– Compression
– Elevation

 

5. Shin Splints

Occurs when the shin bone and/or the connective tissues along the shin is damaged and causes sharp or aching pain when running.The constant impact of the feet on the ground may cause small tears in the muscles around the shin bone.

Shin splints most commonly affect runners with high arches or flat feet, and new or returning runners who overexert themselves.

Treatment:
– Reduce the intensity of your runs.
– Rest
– Ice your shins
– Wearing an ankle brace can speed recovery and help stabilize the ankle to reduce the strain on the shin muscles.

 

While there are a variety of treatment available for each injury, the key is to give your body sufficient rest and to know your limits to prevent overexertion.

 
Are you fast enough for Qlipp? Find out more about Qlipp, the ultimate tennis performance sensor here: https://www.qlipp.com/

 

References:

Fraioli, M. (2014) The 5 Most Troublesome Running Injuries. Retrieved from http://running.competitor.com/2014/07/injury-prevention/the-top-5-most-troublesome-running-injuries_11316

Aschwanden, C. (2011) The Big 7 Body Breakdowns. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/health/big-7-body-breakdowns?page=single

Grabianowski, E. Top 10 Causes of Running Pain. Retrieved from http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/running/health/10-causes-of-running-pain.htm

Have you always wondered which sport would fit you the best? Perhaps you’ve had a handful in mind but have never been able to decide on which to pursue. But who says that you have to stick to just one? There have been a number of athletes out there who have dabbled in multiple types of sports, and have gone on to be just as successful. Read on to learn about 5 athletes who have gone professional in baseball, but have also earned titles in other sports.

1. Dave Winfield (1973 – 1995)

First up, we have Dave Winfield. He was a former American Major League Baseball right fielder, currently the special assistant to the executive director of the MLB Players’ Association. He held a baseball career for 22 years, going through 6 teams, namely: the San Diego Padres, the New York Yankees, the California Angels, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Minnesota Twins, and the Cleveland Indians. But before all of this, he was drafted in baseball, basketball, and American football – a feat accomplished by only 2 other athletes. His athletic prowess was recognized all throughout his career and in 2004, he was named the third-best all-around athlete of all time. A list of athletes who “were simply built for any sport”, and “could have succeeded in just about any sport they chose.”

2. Rick Rhoden (1974 – 1989)

Next, there’s Rick Rhoden who enjoyed a baseball career for 16 years, playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Houston Astros, and the New York Yankees. He made his way through baseball, gaining the reputation of being an outstanding hitting pitcher. After retiring from the sport of baseball, Rhoden went on to try golf. He became a professional golfer and has landed among the top 10 multiple times, with earnings from the Champions tour exceeding $250,000.

3. Brian Jordan (1992 – 2006)

Brian Jordan is a former MLB outfielder, and played as a safety in the National Football League. In baseball, he played for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Atlanta Braves, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Texas Rangers, while for the NFL, he played for the Atlanta Falcons. He excelled in both sports, leading the Atlanta Falcons in tackles, and at one point was even up for being an alternate to the National Football Conference Pro Bowl team. However, the Cardinals wanted him so much that they offered him a contract to join their team for a hefty sum, thus keeping him away from football indefinitely.

4. Jeff Samardzija (2008 – Present)

Currently the baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox in the MLB, Jeff Samardzija was also an avid basketball and football player. He was a letterman of all three sports back when he was in high school, and was named their Most Valuable Player twice, in football. He went on to attend the University of Notre Dame and accepted an athletic scholarship to play for both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, where he was recognized as an All-American wide receiver, as well as the Fighting Irish baseball team. Former Notre Dame coach Rob Ianello said that Jeff  “had the speed, he was deceptively fast, and he had length to him. He had terrific hands and body control and he always excelled at it. He would have been a front-line receiver in the National Football League.” Samardzija has also played for the Chicago Cubs and the Oakland Athletics.

5. Russell Wilson (2012 – Present)

Lastly, there’s Russell Wilson, currently the quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL. Wilson has been described by ESPN as the, “dynamic, young quarterback… all too aware of how demanding, draining, and painful the sport can be.” Before entering the NFL, Wilson played baseball for North Carolina State University and went on to do two summers in the minor leagues. He said that he’s always loved baseball and that playing baseball is what helped him in football, with “the idea of staying focused on one pitch at a time, one play at a time. You have to forget about the pitch before, the inning before your last at-bat.” It was a mentally grinding sport that enabled him to push himself and further his sports career.

Are you fast enough for Qlipp? Find out more about Qlipp, the ultimate tennis performance sensor here.

 

References:

Caple, J. (2013) From the diamond to the gridiron. Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/9563548/nfl-players-played-baseball-professionally

Here’s what we’ve curated from around the Internet to help both competitive and leisure runners alike improve their running and have fun while they’re at it.

1. Clear Your Mind

Too much brain activity makes you less efficient, which means your mind should be as clear as possible when you run. Studies have shown that constantly being consciously aware of how you run can make you less efficient. Also, the most skilled athletes across sports all have the least brain activity when performing sport-specific movements.

Train your mind and body when you run so that staying on form becomes autopilot. When you clear and relax your mind, running becomes much easier.

2.  Pump Up The Music

Researchers have proven that listening to music does help to motivate during exercise and reduces perceived exertion. It also distracts your mind so you’re not focused on running, which can slow you down and make you feel sluggish.

Listen to songs with high BPM (beats per minute) that matches your running pace so you can run in time to the music and keep the pace for longer.

3. Take Deep Breaths

Breathing fast doesn’t take in more oxygen, it actually takes in less oxygen because you’re not expelling all the carbon dioxide in your lungs.

Force yourself to slow down your breathing and take deeper breaths, holding your breath as long as you can before exhaling. This will help your body relax and loosen your muscles, and will ensure your body is getting enough oxygen so running will feel a lot easier.

4. Hold Tissue Paper

Holding tension in your upper body can make running feel a lot harder and can unconsciously slow you down.

Pretend you’re holding a sheet of tissue paper between your fingers and that you cannot let the tissue paper tear. This forces your hands to loosen up and reduces tension in your shoulders, ensuring you’re not wasting energy by tensing up your muscles.

5. Swing Your Arms

What contributes to your stride is your upper body movement. When you swing your arms, your hips automatically turn as well, which then causes your legs to move in accordance. This means that swinging your arms can actually help move your legs.

So train your upper body for strength to build a faster running pace.

6. Lean Forward

Leaning forward while you run will instantly propel you forward since you’re allowing gravity to pull you forwards. But make sure your posture is straight and don’t bend at the waist.

This is an easy trick to conserve energy and run faster, especially when you’re sprinting at the end of your run.

7. Don’t Leave Out Strength-Training & Cross-Training

Just sticking to the same running routine over and over will cause your supporting muscles to weaken from non-use, thus increasing the risk of injury. Remember to include strength-training and cross-training sessions once or twice a week in your exercise routine to prevent injury.

Strength-training exercises can include weighted squats and lunges, while cross-training exercises can include biking, or even running backwards and sideways.

8. Plyometric Workouts

To improve muscle elasticity, try doing plyometric workouts which involves fast, explosive exercises like jumping.

This will help your muscles contract faster which will enable you to run faster and your body to better cope with bigger workloads.

9. HIIT It

Both competitive runners and runners who run to burn calories can benefit greatly from HIIT (high intensity interval training). Researchers have found that the low volume and high intensity training can boost your speed and fitness. It also helps you burn a ton of calories.

HIIT improves elasticity and coordination between your nervous system and muscles, helping you increase efficiency in your stride at all paces.

10. Get Off Your Ass

Sitting too much may increase the risk of injury. When you sit, your hip flexors and hamstrings tighten, especially if your posture is slumped. Studies have shown that six to seven hours of sitting time daily is almost as bad for your fitness as an hour of running is good.

Walk around in the office as much as possible and make it a habit of not sitting down for too long.

 

Are you fast enough for QLIPP™? Find out more about QLIPP™, the ultimate tennis performance sensor here: https://www.qlipp.com/

References:

Kuzma C. (2013) Run Faster with High Intensity Interval Training. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/run-faster-with-high-intensity-interval-training 

Smith J. (2013) The Best Running Tips of All Time. Retrieved from http://www.shape.com/fitness/training-plans/best-running-tips-all-time

Lobby M. (2011) Mental Energy. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/mental-energy?page=single

Dewitt A. 11 Greatest Running Tips And Tricks. Retrieved from http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-greatest-running-tips-and-tricks.html

N.D. 5 surprising tricks to help you run faster. Retrieved from http://www.realbuzz.com/articles/5-surprising-tricks-to-help-you-run-faster/

Kuzma C. (2014) 12 Habits of Highly Motivated Runners. Retrieved from http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/12-habits-of-highly-motivated-runners

 

Smash your opponents with these 5 tips to up your game and make you a better player.

#1 Choose a target and aim for it

Keep the ball in play longer than your opponent can by practicing your strokes. The better your strokes, the better the control over where you want your ball to go.

To improve on your strokes, choose a target each time you hit, but don’t aim just to get your ball over the net. Choose targets that are challenging and specific. As your aim improves, gradually make those targets smaller so as to train your aim accuracy. Your ability to get the ball where you intend it to go will greatly improve your game and yourself as a player.

#2 Reduce unforced errors

An “unforced error” is when you miss a shot that you should have been able to return successfully, given the situation and your ability. Giving away points to your opponents through unforced errors makes it harder for you to win, and thus it is important to ensure that you minimise the number of unforced errors made.

In a game play situation, selecting and changing your stroke technique and aim can help minimise the risk of making unforced errors. Whether it is a fancy, hard-hitting stroke or a soft, defensive one, knowing the appropriate time to execute them can help improve your game tremendously.

#3 Be consistent

Ensuring consistency in your shots will help you avoid losing control and points. Make sure to keep your shots consistent before increasing the intensity of your swing. Once you are confident enough and can control your strokes consistently without missing, you can then increase your firepower and hit with more strength to beat your opponents.

#4 Make the best of your warm up

A good and fruitful warm up will ensure that both your mind and body are ready and prepped to begin the game the moment it starts. Keeping in mind the following objectives when warming up will help you make the most out of your warm up time.

Firstly, get your muscles warmed up to prevent injury. The best way to warm your muscles up is to have long rallies with your groundstrokes and try to keep the ball in play.

Secondly, practice all your different stroke techniques so you’ll feel confident in hitting your targets. Use short strokes, overheads and serves with a specific target each time to find your accuracy and consistency.

Thirdly, observe your opponent’s weaknesses. Hit the ball consistently right to your opponent and observe his level of consistency and accuracy. Notice your opponent’s choice between forehand and backhand to know which side of his is stronger.

Keeping all these in mind, you would have successfully intimidated your opponent with your consistency and accuracy as well as learn his or her weaknesses.

#5 Keep your footwork fancy

Besides training your technique, your agility and speed are also key to being a better player. Train your body to be prepared for quick and sudden movements, and to change direction and increase speed in a split second.

Practice sprinting short distances in varied directions to stimulate your movements on court. Sprint for 10-15 seconds, then rest for 10-15 seconds and repeat.

Increase agility by incorporating jumps and hops in your sprints so your body is able to increase sudden speed whenever you need to.

 

Are you fast enough for QLIPP™? Find out more about QLIPP™, the Ultimate Tennis Performance Sensor here: https://www.qlipp.com/

 

References:
Tourdo, S. (2013). Free Tennis Tips. Retrieved from: http://www.unlimitedtennis.com/free_tennis_tips.html
N.D. Tennis tips and tricks to improve your tennis game. Retrieved from: http://www.optimumtennis.net/tennis-tips-and-tricks.htm

Find out how you can up your game with the Ultimate tennis performance sensor

Ready to take your training up a notch?  Meet QLIPP™, a powerful award-winning technology that records and analyzes your every move with effortless precision. Push past your plateaus and smash goals that you didn’t even know were possible.

QLIPP™ , the Ultimate Tennis Performance Sensor allows you to record video playback and track your stats with its 3D motion analytics so you can analyse your every stroke and immediately improve on it.

It reports ball speed, sweet spot accuracy, and backhand, slice and overhand efforts so you can analyse every aspect of your game. You can even set it to call out stats while playing, or take slow-motion video playback of every single serve and stroke so you can launch yourself from routine practice to peak performance.

Weighing only 8g, it is the lightest tennis performance sensor so you will barely feel it on your racket, and is the only kind of performance sensor that attaches easily to any tennis racket with just a twist and lock, minimising the hassle and saving you loads of time to focus on your game. It also acts as a dampener, which all tennis players know is important in reducing the vibration of the strings when the ball is struck as well as altering the annoying ‘ping’ sound.

Still wondering how exactly it works? Watch the teaser video here:

This June, QLIPP™ is going into crowdfunding and we’ll need your support: Click here to pre-order QLIPP™ at a discounted early-bird rate and to sign up for our mailing list to get exclusive QLIPP™ updates first-hand!

Are you fast enough for QLIPP™? Find out more about QLIPP™, the Ultimate Tennis Performance Sensor here.