Nene Valley Harriers -

Please find our NVH full guide to everything you need to know..........

Clothing

Make sure that you wear suitable clothing to each training session, such as trainers, shorts/tracksuit bottoms, t-shirt and jumper.

Its very important that athletes muscles do not get cold straight after training therefore it is better for you to take extra layers of clothing rather than not have enough. Waterproof clothing will be needed for wet weather whilst sun cream is necessary for warm weather.

Footwear

When purchasing new footwear for athletes it is essential that you try the trainers on, as you would wear them when running, with the laces correctly fastened.

Key points to look out for are the grip on the sole of the shoe, the weight of the shoe and the support that they give you. You should also ask if there is somewhere that you can jog and stride out to test how the trainers feel when running; this can be done outside of the shop if necessary.

Ask as many questions as you can about the trainers and don’t be afraid to try on as many pairs until you find the right ones for you.

Apart from the odd rule in serious competitions, you don't have to worry too much about what to wear in athletics. Your hands obviously play their part in many of the events, but it's your feet which need the most care.

If you are a serious athlete then a shoe designed for your event may be best, but otherwise, an ordinary trainer is fine. And it's comfort, not just the looks that are important.

When you try on a new pair, think about cushioning, support and flexibility. Cushion provides the bounce when you hit the ground, support keeps your feet in position, and flexibility helps your feet to bend freely.

Unless you run more than two or three times a week, an ordinary trainer should suit. Try and test them in the shop for cushion, support and flexibility before you hand over your money. And remember that a sole that bends at the front usually offers the best support.

For anybody with flat feet, support under your arches will be most comfortable and those with high arches should look for lots of cushioning. Don't squeeze your feet, but at the same time, there shouldn't be room for your feet to move from side to side and the heel to slip up and down.

Just aim for a snug fit. The type and style of trainers worn is crucial for development and safety of athletes, below is a picture of some recommended footwear and an example of footwear that is unsuitable for athletics.

Spikes are also very important and athletes must get the right spikes for their discipline i.e. sprints, distance, throws. You can also acquire multi-event spikes for all round competitors. Spikes to be worn on the track must not exceed 6mm, as referred to in the code of conduct, and spikes to be worn in cross-countries can vary depending on the weather between 7mm to 15mm.

For some really useful info on getting started - particularly if you’re Under 18, click

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/academy/default.stm

A Balanced Lifestyle

Nutrition

There are clear connections between what we eat and health. It is important therefore to establish good nutritional habits from an early age.
When training hard, and particularly during growth spurts, your child will have higher energy requirements and needs to eat more
We need nutrients in the form of protein, carbohydrates, fat and fibre in order to gain enough energy to build up the body

Does the athlete eat the right things?

Give the athlete a balanced diet. Plenty of fruit and vegetables (five portions a day). Lots of carbohydrates, e.g. potatoes, bread, cereals, fruit.
Avoid high fat foods, e.g fried food, take-aways, crisps, white sauces, croissants, doughnuts, fatty meat, food with more than 4% fat content.
A diet which is rich in Carbohydrates is recommended for athletes who train on a regular basis in order to replenish glycogen stores in their body.
Choose healthy snacks for your child, e.g. baked beans on toast, pasta, jacket potato, energy and muesli bars, banana and jam sandwiches, dried fruit.

Does the athlete eat at the right times?

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
They should eat within 30 minutes of finishing exercise (including every training session and competition), as this is the best time to refuel muscles and speed recovery (take a banana to training and drink).

More information can be found in Chapter 4 of the Young Athlete’s Handbook, the supporting resource in the Junior Athlete Education (JAE) programme.

This excellent resource can be purchased from Human Kinetics Publishers in Leeds (ISBN 0-7360-3712-8) you will get to know your own body and how close you can eat to competition training. Try to eat 3-4 hrs before. This will ensure that the brain as well as the muscles will have enough fuel for the competition there is a food record sheet in this pack which you may find useful.

Optimal Nutrition for Exercise and Sport

Energy needs differ substantially among individuals. Factors such as age, gender, size and environment influence daily caloric output.

Nutrients are chemicals that fulfil specific functions in the body. They provide energy, furnish structural components to construct body tissues, and supply regulators to control metabolic functions. Example sources of the nutrients are listed below:

Nutrient	Plant Source	Animal Source
Carbohydrates	Bread, cereals, pastas, fruits and vegetables
Protein	Dried beans, peas and nuts	Fish, poultry, meat, milk and cheese
Fat	Margarine, vegetable oils, salad dressings	Lard, butter
Vitamin A	Dark green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables	Butter, fortified milk, liver, margarine
Vitamin C	Citrus fruits, broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage, dark greenleafy vegetables	Liver
Vitamin B1	Breads, cereals, nuts	Pork, ham
Vitamin B2	Breads, cereals	Milk, cheese, liver
Niacin	Breads, cereals, nuts	Fish, poultry, meat
Iron	Dried peas and beans, spinach, asparagus, prune juice	Meat, Liver
Calcium	Turnip, greens, okra broccoli, spinach	Milk, cheese, mackerel, salmon

Source: www.kidsfirstsoccer.com

Fluid and Keeping Hydrated

It is vital that your child drinks at least two litres of fluids a day such as water and other still drinks, especially when exercising. This is because fluid is lost during exercise and a lack of fluids can result in dehydration, which can affect health as well as performance. This is important even with a short exercise session
Encourage your child to be organised and take drinks to training in a bottle, as appropriate drinks may not be available at the venue
It is best for your child to drink water or juice rather than fizzy drinks or tea and coffee
Your child should not experiment with new sports drinks on the day of competition.
Try the drink in the weeks leading up to a competition and use what they are familiar and feel comfortable with
a good indicator of good hydration is when urine is straw-coloured and plentiful.
Drink 500ml 2 hours before exercising
Drink 500ml for every 40 minutes of exercise - you should ensure you take regular sips throughout your session.
Continue to drink after exercising for 1 – 2 hours.

Water for performance

A loss of water that exceeds 2% of one’s body weight significantly impairs endurance performance.

Tips on dealing with injuries

All children who participate in any type of sport risk getting injured. However with good coaching, taking good care of themselves - not over training, taking sufficient rest etc; the risk of injury is lowered considerably
Rest, Ice, Compression & Elevation (RICE) is a tried and tested procedure when dealing with soft tissue injuries such as swelling and bruising
The best ice pack is ice crushed into a wet flannel and applied for up to 20 minutes. Repeat every few hours
Rest and only return when fully recovered to ensure that the injury is not aggravated
Always seek medical advice if there is any possibility of a head injury
If in doubt, always seek advice from a doctor or qualified physiotherapist.

Anti-doping advice for parents of young athletes

Taking part in competition

Competing in sport drug free should be important to all athletes! If you are a parent of a young athlete who competes in athletics you and your child will need to be aware of the anti doping rules and what your child needs to do to ensure they compete drug free.
It is important that your child understands that sport is about performing and competing to the very best of their natural ability. If they use prohibited substances or methods to enhance their performance they are cheating themselves, their competitors and their sport. They will get caught.
Your child must also be careful that they don’t accidentally take a banned substance. The principle of strict liability means that an athlete who has a prohibited substance in their sample is responsible for explaining how it got there.
Many common medications contain prohibited substances. If your child is competing in athletics it is important they check that their medication does not contain a substance which is on the prohibited list. You can do this by checking the Drug Information Database (DID) at www.uksport.gov.uk/did.
DID is the most comprehensive and up-to-date drug information service available to athletes and will advise you of the status of registered UK medicines. You can also phone their Drug Information Line on 0800 528 0004 or email drug-free@uksport.gov.uk.

Asthma Inhalers and Therapeutic Use Exemptions

If your chid is asthmatic and uses an inhaler to treat this, they will need to register this with UK Athletics. This principal applies to all prescribed medication containing prohibited substances.
Please visit the Anti Doping section of the UK Athletics website: www.ukathletics.net where you will be able to find out more information and download the relevant forms. Alternatively you can call the Anti Doping Coordinator,David Herbert, on 0870 998 6732.
If you have any further questions regarding drugs in sport please email UK Athletics at antidoping@ukathletics.org.uk or call 0870 998 6732

Drug Testing

Tests and controls are conducted to ensure the rules of sport are followed, and according to these rules doping is forbidden. Drug testing is there to protect the integrity and reputation of drug free athletes as well as to detect athletes who are determined to have misused prohibited substances or methods to enhance their performance.
Drug tests can be conducted in or out of competition. The main advantage of out of competition testing is that athletes can be tested anywhere, anytime with no advance notice.
Testing is normally only carried out on national and international level athletes however UK Athletics’ Rules do allow testing on any athlete

If you have any further questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact the Anti Doping department of UK Athletics

News & Results

Click here for all news and results dating back to January 2008

07/03/10 Newton’s Fraction Half Marathon, Grantham

07/03/10 Frostbite League 6, BRJ, Huntingdon

03/03/10 Harrier League 5, Lynch Wood, Peterborough

27/02/10 ECCA National Cross Country Championships, Roundhay Park, Leeds

14/02/10 Lincs County XC Champs, Riseholme College

14/02/10 Ryston Runners Open XC GPS 5, Shouldham Warren, Norfolk

07/02/10 West Norflok AC annual XC race, Houghton Hall, Norfolk

07/02/10 Frostbite League 5, Bourne Woods, Bourne

03/02/10 Harrier League 4, Lynch Wood, Peterborough

30/01/10 SEAA Main Southern XC Championships, Parliament Hill, London

24/01/10 A1 Series, Folksworh 15, Folksworth, Peterborough

17/01/10 Ryston Runners Open XC GPS 4, Shouldham Warren, Norfolk

17/01/10 Frostbite League 4, Ramsey

16/01/10 NML 4, Wollaton Park, Nottingham

10/01/10 Cambs County XC Champs, Priory Park, St Neots

17/12/09 Christmas Parlouf, Track, Peterborough

13/12/09 Lincs League 4, Louth

13/12/09 Frostbite League 3, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon

13/12/09 Ryston Runners Open XC GPS 3, Shouldham Warren, Norfolk

06/12/09 Nene Valley 10, Bretton, Peterborough

06/12/09 Eastern Athletic Association 2009 XC Championships, Hillyfields, Colchester

05/12/09 NML 3, Berry Hill Park, Mansfield

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Nene Valley Harriers is a friendly, family oriented club, run by athletes, for athletes. NVH caters for ALL abilities and for ALL ages - Why not come and have a go?
Nene Valley Harriers the Athletic Club for the Peterborough and Spalding Area