It was a cold -15 degrees, when we arrived in Vienna and Linz, but thankfully I wasn’t just here as a tourist. Instead, I was here on a mission (whistle Chariots of fire soundtrack now).

 

Earlier this year I accepted my first selection for England Athletics and was excited to accompany the team for a mini-tour of Austria.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It has become a regular season preparatory event to attend indoor events in Vienna and Linz. Here they would have the chance to set the tone for the 2012 season by matching themselves against some of the World’s best. They would then use the experienced gained for their UK trials in Sheffield two weeks later, with the aim of gaining spots for the World indoor championships in Istanbul in March and possibly the Olympics later this year.

 

For most of these full time athletes it was just another tour with England athletics, but for others, like myself it was our first time in GB kit and it felt good!

 

My primary role as team physio was to look after every athlete’s well-being and make sure that they were safe to race (Additionally, I was also the menus translator at the restaurant and the go-to-guy for directions!)

 

My job included early morning and very late evening rubs, taping, stretching session at the hotel and various physio related tasks at the event venue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most days were long (8am-1am), but thoroughly enjoyable. I was glad that throughout the entire event we didn’t have any serious injuries and I only had to deal mild strains, cramps and bruises. Overall it all went extremely smoothly.

 

One of the highlights of the trip was to get to know the athletes on a personal level and learn about their profound and immense passion for their sport. It was deeply inspiring and infectious to hear about their athletic commitment: The intense and long daily practices to achieve this 100^th of a second or this extra centimeter in throws or jumps to make the difference between the good and the great. Compared to football, these World class athletes are heavily depended on sponsorship deals and are constantly looking to put themselves out there to be recognized and achieve this status of World elite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another highlight of my trip was my encounter with the US female sprinters (Angela Williams, Yvette Lewis, Loreal Smith, Lolo Jones), who I had the chance to treat on both events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I must admit I was definitely star-struck when treating some of them, but all were extremely easy going and friendly towards me. We got chatting pretty quickly about their training, sport, and of course the Olympics. Gladly, they all did well in their races and when I got their “thumbs up” following a win, I felt as happy as Keanu Reeves in Point Break hitting his first tube!

 

Can’t wait to do more. Onwards and upwards, Seb.

 

You either love it or hate it. But do the benefits outweigh the disadvantages?
Many runners wouldn’t dream of stepping out the door without their mp3 player and powersong playlist to run with. For them it’s an essential piece of running gear.

Some runners however, prefer to ‘run naked‘; in other words, gadget-free, with the only the sounds of nature as their music. Is there a right or a wrong way?  Can running with music really increase your performance, or is it just a personal (and potentially hazardous) preference?

ADVANTAGES

Music can sometimes make running feel easier. Studies find that music reduces your perception of how hard you are running by about 10 percent. An external stimulus such as music can actually block some of the internal stimuli trying to reach the brain—such as fatigue-related messages from muscles and organs. When these messages are blocked, this reduces a runner’s perception of effort, so you feel like you can run farther, faster. (The exception is at higher levels of effort—the brain involuntarily switches its attention from the external to the internal.) Music also elevates positive aspects of mood such as excitement and happiness, and reduces negative aspects such as tension, fatigue, and confusion, so it can be used pre-performance to get runners into an optimal mind-set.

DISADVANTAGES

One big problem is that listening to music can remove you from the other sounds that running produces, such as breathing and footstrike, which are essential cues. They give you feedback on your effort. Running while listening to music also removes you from the environment you’re in, which can be unsafe. You may not hear a car or person behind you.  And in races, it makes you oblivious of other runners and you can’t hear the directions being given by officials. You can become dependent on music. Eventually, you can lose a sense of what might be truly motivating to you, such as the energized feeling you get on the run.

Dom Cadden, an Australian National Champion Powerlifter, knows all about the performance potential of music.

“In powerlifting, all your intensity goes into something that might take a matter of seconds, so you need music that’s highly agitative. When you’re running, you want to keep your mind distracted, but when you’re lifting, you want music to get your adrenaline pumping,” he said.

But the latest research shows that not all music tracks are created equal, and by sticking to their tried and tested exercise playlists, athletes could be missing out on powerful performance benefits. Read more about this research here.

It truly comes down to personality, preference, and environment.  Do you like the solitary aspect of running, to free your mind and thoughts?  Or do you find running quite difficult and need every ounce of help to keep you going?  Do you have a riverside running path which is traffic-free, or do you have to weave through obstacles on the city streets?

In any case, it is an individual choice based on personal preferences.  Whatever studies prove may sway your decision, but most runners have already decided which camp they are in.  It’s just a case of being wise about it, if you’re not in the ‘naked’ camp that is.

How about you?  Which camp are you in? Let us know by commenting below or tweet us @runningods