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After the race…now what?

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Congratulations, you’ve completed Bridge to Brisbane Day! Whether you raced your hardest through the 10km or took a leisurely walk over the Story Bridge with a group of friends, you’ve done a great thing for yourself and the community.

Achieving a goal is a great feeling. But what do you do after you tick that box?

Reflect – how do you feel?

Take some time to give yourself a pat on the back and think about how you feel after achieving your goal. Reflect on what’s changed since you decided to do the race – are you feeling healthier or happier? Is exercise a bigger part of your routine? Have you kicked any bad habits? Are there any other changes you want to make?

Decide what new habits you want to stick with and how you want to feel, then set about making your next health or fitness goal.

Setting new goals

Keeping the reasons you embarked on your Bridge to Brisbane Day journey in mind, think about what your next goals might be now that race day is over.

You might aim to continue running a few times a week, set a goal to continue cooking healthy dinners, or register for another fun run. Think about what long-term changes you want to make: do you want to improve your speed or distance, lose weight, or feel more energetic?

Use the S.M.A.R.T formula to set goals that are achievable and realistic, and write your goals down on a calendar or list. Think about the steps you’ll take to realise your goals, breaking them down into achievable chunks. Each week, think about what you’ll do to move a little closer to ticking your goal off your list, using a tool like the Healthier. Happier. Meal & Exercise Planner to write your weekly plan.

A suggested long-term goal is to write down your time from this year’s event and aim to shave time off this in 2018!

Keeping healthy habits

Sticking to healthy habits in the long term can be challenging, but there are a lot of tools to make it easier for you.

Stay motivated by tracking your progress, getting friends involved, and making sure you reward yourself when you stick with your new routine.

Use the Health & Fitness Age Calculator to get some insight into your overall health and wellbeing, either to motivate yourself to keep on working hard or to track the progress you’ve already made.

Mix things up in the kitchen by trying some new, healthy recipes, including healthy snacks, comfort food and fast family dinners. You can explore the Healthier. Happier. Library for more articles on healthy eating, exercise and goal setting.

What will you be doing to stay motivated now that Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 is complete? Let us know in the comments below.

We want to see your race day snaps! Keep your photos coming by tagging us and using the hashtags #BestTimeBNE and #Bridge2Brisbane. 

Get Fit For Free: Five Ways To Train For Less Than A Breakfast Of Smashed Avocado!

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Training for Bridge to Brisbane Day doesn’t have to mean having to outlay money on a gym membership, a personal trainer and bootcamps to get in shape, even if this is your first fun run. There are plenty of ways to get fit for free, both by yourself and in a group – here’s how:

Fit fitness into your routine

Take a look at your daily routine and identify opportunities to add some exercise into the mix. Take the stairs at the bus station, go for a walk or jog on your lunch break, or perhaps walk over to see your colleagues at their desk instead of calling on the phone or emailing. You can even save money by walking, running or riding a bike to places you go regularly, such as your work, the supermarket or your local coffee shop.

Get out in nature

Brisbane is surrounded by State and National Parks with tracks that you can walk, run or ride for free. Exercising in nature can help clear your mind, improve your mood and have positive effects on self-esteem, so grab a buddy and go exploring!

If you don’t want to stray too far from your own backyard, Brisbane is an incredibly exercise-friendly city, with an extensive network of bikeways and shared pathways forming part of most major routes.

Whether you want to train for an event, ride for fun with the family or commute to work by bike, Brisbane has plenty of options on offer for you.

Find a free class

Brisbane City Council runs a range of free or low-cost fitness activities as part of their Active and Healthy program. From bootcamps to walking groups, aqua aerobics to yoga in the park, there’s a free class to suit all ages, fitness levels and types.

In addition, more than 90 parks across Brisbane are installed with fitness equipment, perfect for outdoor workouts. Not only are these a fun and free way to be active and healthy, they’re also easy to access and there’s no membership required! Find your nearest equipped park on the map and do your own circuit a few times a week.

Find inspiration online

Between YouTube and Vimeo, there is no shortage of free videos that cover everything from gentle exercises to get you started, to full 12-month fitness programs, all in exceptional detail. If anything, there may be too many, which can make it hard to know what’s right for you! Check out the Healthier. Happier. fitness collections, made up of best practice exercises for a range of goal-based workouts that you can do at home and are completely free of charge.

Training with friends

If exercising alone isn’t your thing, finding a group of like-minded friends could be the difference between achieving your running goals and staying stagnant on the couch. If you’re running Bridge to Brisbane Day as a part of a team, get your group together once or twice a week to train as a group.

If you’ve entered Bridge to Brisbane Day solo, ask friends, colleagues and family if anyone is free to exercise with you. Chances are you’ll know someone else seeking the benefit of a little peer motivation!

Make things interesting by switching up where you train, organising mini-races if your group is competitive, or tasking a different member each week to be responsible for leading stretches, picking a running route, or choosing a complimentary workout for the group each week.

What training activity should you spend your money on?

While training for Bridge to Brisbane Day doesn’t have to be expensive, there are a few things we recommend stocking up on to make the most of your exercise:

Yet to enter Bridge to Brisbane Day? It’s not too late – but hurry, last year’s event SOLD OUT! Get your runners on and enter NOW. 

Don’t forget to share your training snaps by using the hashtags #bridge2brisbane and #BestTimeBNE!

How To Choose The Perfect Running Shoes For You

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To cut a long story short, there is no single pair of perfect running shoes – because no two feet are the same.

From the shape and size of our feet to our individual biomechanics, each runner will have their own unique requirements from a running shoe to keep them running happy in the lead-up to Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 and beyond.

So let’s narrow it down…..

ARCH

Getting the best fit for your foot is essential in ensuring the support is functioning to minimise additional stresses the body encounters while running. If you have a very flat foot, you need to choose a shoe that accommodates this – usually a straight lasted shoe. If you have a medium to high arch, a semi-curve shoe will hug through the midfoot to ensure a supportive fit.

SUPPORT

The amount of support you require will depend on how much your feet roll in when running or walking.

A neutral shoe has the same density of material through the entire midsole, for a foot that is applying even pressure on either side (i.e. not rolling in). A support shoe will be reinforced with a firmer density midsole material at the arch, to resist compression when your foot is rolling in. A maximum support shoe will have even more of this firmer density foam, to help prevent feet from rolling in too far.

CUSHIONING

Cushioning is all about protecting the body, and providing an optimal running experience.

If a shoe is too soft or too firm, it may not provide adequate protection against the forces your body endures when running. Brooks running shoes utilise a combination of advanced midsole compounds that adapt to runners’ unique needs and wants, to keep you running happier and longer.

EXPERIENCE

As well as having different biomechanics, runners also have very different expectations of their run.

Brooks running shoes are available in a range of styles designed to provide a variety of running experiences. Brooks describes these experiences as the “float” range, which allows you to switch off and cruise through your run, while the “feel” range provides a more engaged run with increased responsiveness and connection to the terrain. They will all get you “from A to B”, but you can choose the experience best suited for your running style.

Looking for a new pair of running shoes before Bridge to Brisbane Day? Check out the Brooks Shoe Finder tool which will help recommend the best running shoes for you.

Written by: Sarah Wilson, Brooks Senior Technical Representative

Ready to debut those brand-new running shoes? Click here to enter for Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017.

How to make Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 the best run you’ve ever done!

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“Every journey starts with a single step, and every great fun run starts with a single training session.”

My name is Luke Heath, and I’m a running and fitness coach for beginner to advanced athletes. I’m also a mentor to some of Australia’s elite distance runners such as Josh Harris (2017 London World Championships Marathon runner).

In the blog below, I’m going to map out every step of the way to crossing the finish line at this year’s Bridge to Brisbane Day. I will show you the best single training sessions to make that start, help you set realistic, awesome and achievable goals, show you the huge benefits of morning training sessions, and set some sessions so you can share the whole journey with your friends and family to make it the best fun run you’ve ever done!

Where should I start my training?

That’s a great question, and one that is very often asked by the athletes I work with. My typical response is, “Tell me what kind of sessions you most enjoy doing?” Whatever your answer is, start with this. A session that you are comfortable with and enjoy is the first small step towards your big Bridge to Brisbane Day goal!

If you’re a runner and have a favourite ‘go-to’ route around the city, on the trails, or even a set of stairs or hills to get the legs going, start here. If you’re a cyclist, swimmer or ball sport player, a run will provide a great cross-training fitness effect if this isn’t your usual training session, and it will also improve your fitness for your sport. If you’re a ’gym junkie,’ start with a legs and core strength session specifically for runners, then progress into some lighter runs early to make a start. If you love yoga, start with a stretching session the day before your first run to keep your body in check and injury-free.

For some people, purchasing that new pair of shoes and training gear is enough to inspire the first sessions, and Brooks will certainly help you out for this year’s Bridge to Brisbane Day training.

My point is, there is no wrong start! Just make that start today, and as you progress through your running journey, start pointing everything you do towards your goals.

Ok, so I’ve made the decision to start training…what should my goals be?

Let me walk you through three key considerations to help you set the most realistic, awesome and achievable goals for yourself and make this year’s run super fun.

1. Choose your course.

Do you want to experience running down the middle of the main road without cars or distractions, across three of Brisbane’s most iconic bridges in the most scenic 10km fun run you’ll ever compete in? Or would you prefer a faster, shorter dash across the Story Bridge, including a race to the finish line in South Bank for one of the fastest 5km races you’ll ever run? Make your selection…and once you’ve chosen your race day distance, move on to the next step of your goal setting.

2. When’s the race day?

Race day is Sunday 27th August, 2017, so you have around 10 weeks of training to complete. This is the perfect time frame for you to achieve some big goals. Maybe you competed in the 5km dash last year and would like to take on the endurance challenge of competing a more scenic and iconic 10km run this year. Maybe last year was your first fun run and you’d like to beat last year’s time on either course? Ten weeks gives you enough time to get into a good training program, enabling you to complete a couple of four-week training blocks, where you focus on increasing your fitness. I’d even suggest going to a few Parkrun sessions for ‘competition practice’ on the easy week between training blocks. This will help you gauge how your training is progressing.

Are you reading this article with only one month to go before race day? That is a-okay – nothing is too little too late! Sure, maybe you won’t achieve the big race time goals you originally had in mind, but four weeks of running training will definitely get the kilometers into your legs, helping you to build your fitness, strength and endurance. Keeping your training consistent in the lead-up to race day will help you to make the distance and have a fun, enjoyable running experience, while taking in the iconic scenery.

What is a realistic pace and time for me?

My handy ‘Pace Guide’ table below is one that I use for all my athletes, from beginners to those who are more advanced. This helps them to guide their training and race day times with realistic, awesome and achievable goals.

Pace Guide

Distance Beginner Intermediate Advanced
5km 24-27mins+ (4:48-5:24/km) 22-24mins (4:24-4:48/km) 19-22mins (3:48-4:24/km)
10km 48-54mins (4:48-5:24/km) 44-48mins (4:24-4:48/km) 38-44mins (3:48-4:24/km)

*Note: this a general male/female pace guide. On the race day, you will have marked ‘pace setters’ running to help you stay on track.

When is the best time to train?

I’m a big believer in morning training sessions! I know what you’re thinking… “But I’m not a morning person Luke!” Yes, I understand there are a lot people who are not morning people, but let me reassure you, a few morning training sessions each week will change your whole day, week and life. You may not start your run at a cracking pace, but once you’ve finished your warm up, you’ll be awake and cranking it through your session.

One of the big wins of morning training sessions is that they leave you with your metabolism firing for the rest of the day… great for fat burning! An AM session will leave you feeling revitalised, full of energy and ready for whatever life throws at you during the day. By completing a few morning sessions across the week, you’re achieving your fitness goals early in the day, combating the ever-looming procrastination of afternoon sessions.

I’m also a big believer in practicing for your race day conditions. I do this with all my athletes, whether they’re training for a fun run or world competition.

Bridge to Brisbane Day starts at 6am for the 10km race and 9:20am for the 5km race, so morning training sessions will help you get used to the temperature and conditions to achieve your race day goals. So come on! Get up and into it…what have you got to lose? And let’s be honest, our river city is pretty spectacular…does Brisbane ever really have a bad morning to wake up and work out to?

Who should I train with?

Training with a friend comes with huge benefits; physically, socially and mentally. Running is technically an individual sport, but everyone loves to train with a friend and share these experiences together. The training benefits go far beyond just the social aspects. If you and your friend run at about the same pace, then that’s perfect – you can push each other, and motivate each other towards achieving your training goals with a little friendly competition every session.

The warm up and cool down chats can become very therapeutic, even if you find yourself training with friends way out of your pace league. From my experience, these ‘training chats’ with others may not have fixed any world problems, but the chat, laughter and general conversation about the small things in life really do make a world of difference to your day!

These benefits go far beyond the training too. The experiences you share with a friend on race day, even if you’re not racing together, will give you memories for a lifetime with Bridge to Brisbane Day becoming an experience that you can chat about for weeks or even years, to come.

So, go on, pull your friends together for this life-changing experience! Remember, you can run with a pram on race day so the whole family can join in the fun. Registrations are open now at: http://bridgetobrisbaneday.com.au/, so get your runners on!

 

ABOUT LUKE

Luke Heath, running and fitness coach with over 30 years experience in athletics. Founder and creator of Luke Heath Fitness, motivating and inspiring you to become healthier, fitter and leaner, through his efficient and effective workout programs and meal plans. Check out his 10 weeks to Fun Run programs and read all about Luke over at www.lukeheathfitness.com.au

Five Ways to Shake Up Your Fitness Regime

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With May done and dusted and winter officially upon us here in Brisbane, we have less than three months until Brisbane-ites pound the pavement for Queensland’s favourite fun run, Bridge to Brisbane Day.

The month of June has already brought with it much more chilly mornings than we’re used to, and the temptation to hit the snooze button every morning and stay curled up in a warm, sleepy ball is more real than ever before.

But while the rest of Brisbane goes into hibernation, now is the perfect opportunity to up the ante on your fitness routine and take advantage of the quieter winter months…here’s how!

1. Become a team player

We’ll let you in on a little secret – playing a social sport is so much more fun than it is hard work, that sometimes you forget you’re exercising! You can play a highly cardio-intensive sport, such as basketball, touch football or soccer and forget that you’ve just run the equivalent length of a court or field more times than you can count.

PLUS the added guilt you feel when you cancel on a group of friends means there’s almost no excuse not to show up…nobody wants to let the team down.

2. Embrace the group mentality

Do you need some #mondaymotivation every day of the week? Group exercise classes are a great way to mix up your fitness routine and will speed up the road to your fitness goals. With great music, inspiring instructors and a range of different classes to suit your fitness levels and interests, the time goes by quickly!

ADDED TIP: For classes that will get your heart pumping, try HIIT, F45 or Body Attack classes. If you prefer a more gentle style of exercise, yoga or Pilates classes might be up your alley.  

3. That’s what friends are for

Exercising with company is always more fun, especially if you and your pals share similar exercise interests. Not only will you be less inclined to bail on your buddies, working out together kills two birds with one stone – it’s a great opportunity to catch up and socialise, while still squeezing a workout into your packed schedule.

4. A change of scenery

Everybody has their ‘go-to’ training tracks, but switching up your regular route not only keeps it fun and fresh, but it also builds your strength. Do you normally run outdoors? Pop into a gym for a change. Normally run by the river? Switch the fresh water for sea water and travel to the beach for a new vantage point AND more challenging training track.

5. Treat yourself

When you are pushing yourself extra hard at the gym, or waking up before the sun’s up to go for a run, it’s super important to reward yourself in order to keep those motivation levels at a high. Why not treat yourself to a coffee after your run, or meet a friend for brunch before power-walking it off?

By no means does the reward need to be food-related – it might be an experience, such as a swim at the beach, or some spectacular scenery at the end of an uphill incline.

ADDED TIP: It’s also important to remember that sometimes the best way you can treat yourself and your body is by having a rest. Make sure to give yourself a pat on the back in whatever way will keep you motivated and take a ‘rest day’ when your body is telling you you need it!

How do you spice up your fitness regime to achieve your fitness goals? Let us know in the comments below.

Share your training snaps with us by using the hashtags #bridge2brisbane and #besttimebne!

Haven’t registered for race day? Enter now to take advantage of our Early Bird registration period. 

The Lowdown on Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017

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WE’RE BACK! After a very special Bridge to Brisbane Day in 2016, we cannot wait to do it all again this year and we want to make sure you can join us too!

Taking place on Sunday 27 August (mark it in your calendars now!), Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 is expected to be just as big and even better than ever – see what to expect below:

Two iconic courses

Last year, we celebrated 20 years since the first Bridge to Brisbane Day with the introduction of two brand-new courses that encompassed more of Brisbane than ever before! In 2017, we’re excited to announce that these courses are here to stay. More info about each course:

10km

Starting from Roma Street Parklands in Spring Hill, the 10km route will take you over THREE iconic Brisbane bridges! Have your camera phones at the ready for this one – you’ll be treated to some of Brisbane’s best sights as you run over the Go Between, Victoria and Story Bridges before crossing the finish line in South Bank Parklands. Find out more about the new 10km course right here.

5km

Those signed up for the 5km race will be lucky enough to run over the Story Bridge TWICE! Beginning at Captain Burke Park, participants will pound over the iconic Story Bridge, before looping back across the bridge, through Kangaroo Point and down to South Bank to cross the finish line in your #BestTimeBNE. Find out more about the new 5km course right here.

FINISHER VILLAGE AND EXCLUSIVE ‘BIB-ILEGES’

Just because your race time stops when you reach the Finishers Village, doesn’t mean the fun of the day has to! Celebrate the beauty of Brisbane for the entire day in the ‘Finishers Village’ in South Bank Parklands. All Bridge to Brisbane Day runners will be treated to a range of ‘Bib-ileges’ from participating venues on Little Stanley Street and surrounds – keep your eyes on our social media and website to find out what deals you can take advantage of.

EARLY BIRD ENTRIES

Early Bird entries for Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 are now open! Last year’s event SOLD OUT, and again this year, entry numbers are capped. Get your runners on to ensure you are among the thousands of people pounding over three iconic Brisbane bridges on Sunday 27 August, 2017.

So what are you waiting for? Don’t miss out – get your Early Bird entries in for Bridge to Brisbane Day 2017 NOW to experience Brisbane’s most celebrated fun run!

Don’t forget to share your fitness journey with us by using #BestTimeBNE and #Bridge2Brisbane across Facebook and Instagram!