Monthly Archives: October 2018

Cycling is a sport which is widely participated in by commuters and athletes. This is because it is a fantastic way to keep fit while reducing the pollution caused by your vehicles when travelling to and from work. Also, cycling can be an enjoyable activity for the whole family as it can provide hours of fun planning and exploring your local areas.

But when you are out on a bike ride enjoying the fresh air, have you ever thought to yourself how much more you can get out of this passion? There are a number of cycling events available for you to get involved with and you can raise money for a charity close to your heart too. So why not sign up to a ride near you and make a difference to someone’s life today!? Below we will look into the different charity events you can join in with along with what it takes to participate.

What are Charity Bike Events?

Charity bike events take place regularly and are a way for avid cyclists to receive sponsorships from friends and family in order to raise money for their chosen cause. However, when it comes to choosing a race to take part in, there are many different aspects to think of beforehand such as the length and terrain of the event. Below are just a few types of charity rides you can pick from:

• Road sportives
• Road leisure rides
• Off-road rides
• Cross country events
• Multi-day overseas

Road sportives are large scale races which usually work to a timed target. This terrain is a flat road surface; however a number of routes may have some high inclines. So it is best to check the route map and be up to scratch with the area the race is taking place in before jumping in at the deep end. These events are better suited for confident riders who find great motivation in the competitive aspect of races as the time limit is in place.

Road leisure rides are similar to sportives and work to a time limit, however this is not a

When it comes to the much-loved activity – running, we have explored the ways in which this sport benefits your health and how it affects your body in our previous blog posts. However, we have yet to explore the different types of equipment needed for enhanced performance and improved comfort while on your run. Therefore within this article we will take a look into how brands have released ranges of customized running shoes which can greatly impact your jogging experience for the better.

Types of Customization

The most important piece of kit that runners need is a fantastic fitting pair of trainers which help them get the maximum potential out of a jog. And this is why shoe brands have created specially designed ranges of trainers to cater for a variety of runner’s needs. Below we will take a look into the ways in which brands have adapted their running shoes for different purposes.

• Cushioned soles
• Enhanced ventilation
• Lightweight shoe
• Supports for flat and curved arches
• Shaping for narrow and wide feet
• Aesthetics

In general runners require a soft sole for their shoes when running to help absorb and reduce the impact of the ground on their feet. And with this some brands have gone the extra mile by introducing a softer and more mouldable sole which can hug and support your feet while giving them the reduction in pressure that they need.

Going hand in hand with this, soles have been adapted to cater for variations of arch shaping so that all runners can feel comfortable when they put on their running shoes and head outside. The two main types of arches are flat and curved. And to suit a flat arch the sole needs to be cushioned yet supportive without adding any additional pressure onto the arch. You will most commonly see these on trainers that have a level base. However, for a curved arch, they require support mainly underneath the arch and here is

Walking has always been a popular way of keeping fit, however it has seemed to be taking a back seat in people’s regimes – until now. There is a wide range of activities which see the public lacing up their comfortable trainers and taking to the streets. And within this article we will explore the latest trends in walking, and who knows, one might tickle your fancy and encourage you to join in with the sport!

Health Benefits of Walking

Going for a walk outdoors has a various number on benefits on your health, both physically and mentally. While on your walk you can plan routes through beautiful nature reserves where you can feel calm and relaxed while you build muscles and promote blood flow to keep your health in check.

Most people use walking as a way to clear their mind if they are stressed or confused about a current situation in their life. This is down to the fact that while you are outside you get fresh air and silence, which means that you are able to focus on having some time to yourself. And, alternatively this can be used as a form of social interaction by going out with a group of friends or even spark conversations with those around you.

Current Trends and Getting Involved

Walking is such a vast sport and includes a number of activities within it that you can enjoy. But within this article we will focus mainly on the three types of walking which are currently popular and trending at the moment amongst the public and athletes alike. Below we will take a look into each of these activities listed below in more detail to help you decide which appeals more to you.

• Nordic Walking
• 1000 Mile Challenge
• Active Walking

Nordic walking requires special boots which will reduce the impact of the uneven terrain on your feet while you walk. And some walkers prefer to take aids such as a specially designed walking pole to allow them to get the most out of the act

Have you ever thought about combining your love for running and swimming into one sport? Then a Swimrun is definitely something you should consider looking into. Seamlessly merging the two activities into a worldwide competition, Swimrun is an exhilarating tournament which needs an optimum level of stamina and strength to complete.

Within this article we will look into how this sport came to be, along with the requirements and training needed to be successful. Below there are also helpful resources which you can used to find the next tournament near you, if you wish to take part or simply watch.

How it Works

A Swimrun is actually a sports competition which is split up into various element stages. Within this you will find a combination of running and swimming occurring across a cross country racing field which contains a minimum of two terrain changes. These changes would be land for running and water based areas for swimming.

Swimrun is categorized into a number of different types depending on which country you are competing in. If you are taking part in a race in the home town of the competition these are the distance ranges you will need to choose from:

• Super Sprint – 10KM
• Sprint – 10.1KM to 20KM
• Regular – 20.1KM to 40KM
• Long – 40.1KM to 75KM
• Ultra – Over 75KM
• Multi-day – 24 hours

And if you are competing in Italy or any other European countries which host the modernized version of this game, you will have these distance ranges:

• Short – 5KM
• Basic – 5.1KM to 10KM
• Half – 10.1KM to 21KM
• Full – 21.1KM to 42KM
• Long – 42.1KM to 75KM
• Ultra – Over 75.1KM

History

Have you ever thought about playing rugby as a woman or did you even know that there was such a thing as a female rugby league? Then this is the article for you! Ladies sports in general aren’t as well celebrated and televised as that of men's, which is why you have probably never thought about the sport until reading this article, or maybe you dabbled with it a bit during school Physical Education lessons.

This article has been put together in order to provide you with an in-depth look into the sport, covering all you need to know. From the struggles faced by previous women’s teams to how you can get involved today, whether it’s to try out for a team or to watch your local club play.

History of Ladies Rugby

Records of rugby being played by ladies’ date back to the 1800s. However, back then contact sport was deemed improper for women and players feared backlash if it was revealed they were playing rugby. This is why most of the games back then were played in secret so the details about them are very scarce.

But what we do know is that in 1884 the first girl to play rugby was Emily Valentine, her brothers set up the school’s male rugby team and she trained alongside them in the sport. And eventually she ended up playing with the team for the school and scoring a try two years later. Plus, only a few years after this in 1891, documentation shows the first ever female squad was formed and took to New Zealand for a tour. This was unfortunately cancelled as the public were enraged at such a concept of an all ladies’ rugby team.

Moving forward, during WW1 ladies would play charity rugby matches and the first team to play in front of a large crowd were Australian. Shortly after their first match they received considerable pressure from the police whic