#rotoruamarathon #rotorua #run #running #marathon #fitbit #fitbitnz #girlrunner #yoga #yogaforrunners #asics #asicsnz #yogateacher

April 20, 2023

Leg Love! 4 Ways to Stretch Your Legs

Leg Love for Runners!

By Rachel Grunwell – Rotorua Marathon ambassador, marathoner, coach and yoga teacher

This blog was proudly sponsored by the Rotorua Marathon event. Find out more about the event on May 6, 2023. There is a distance for every level of walker or runner. Click HERE.

See a video demonstration (with tips) for these yoga poses too via instagram. Click HERE.

I recommend dynamic stretches before you run (to prepare your body for moving well so you can run well) and static stretches post-running (to bring length back to tight muscles and so you can avoid walking like the lego man)!

Stretching overall is a good injury-prevention tool.

Ps, I caution that you should never force a stretch, or bounce fast through movements. You can risk pulling a muscle. If you are tight then you can feel uncomfortable, but you should never feel pain.

Remember to breathe as you move and find joy in the movements!

#ad #yogaforrunners #mobility #rotoruamarathon #rotoruanz

Hold this stretch for 40 seconds to 90 seconds. Repeat 2-4 times each side.

Hold this stretch for 40 seconds to 90 seconds each side 2-4 times.

If you don’t have a yoga strap at home… just use a belt. You might have one on your dressing gown.

Only go into this stretch with 60%-70% effort. Never force the stretch. If you are shaking, then don’t go into the stretch too deep. Be kind on yourself. If you are relaxed, then you will go into the stretch with more ease (over time).

Sign up for the Red Stag Marathon, Red Stag Half Marathon, Go Media 10km, First Credit Union 5.5km event by clicking HERE

Note: Reach out to me on social media if you have any questions. I’ve run the Red Stag Rotorua Marathon 42km distance four times – including three times guiding blind runners. I’ve done the Red Stag Half Marathon and Go Media 10km event twice too. I’m an experienced runner and I’ve conquered 25 marathons. I love teaching yoga to athletes to enhance their training and performance. It’s an injury prevention tool that I am passionate to share.

I also love this iconic Rotorua event. I’ve run it with my dad, my kids, friends and their kids, and guided disabled athletes through the event too. This event is joy-filled and for real athletes like you and me, plus the elites are inspiring to watch too!

Connect with Rachel on Instagram or Facebook

June 22, 2022

Run Mates’ Mistakes: 10 Top Comical Run Stories to Learn From

AD/ By Rachel Grunwell (Rotorua Marathon run ambassador, coach, 25 x marathoner, and a chick who loves to run (mostly to the freezer for ice-cream, or “run away” on run trips with girlfriends shhhhhhhh don’t tell anyone)

You can improve your run performance through consistency, speed-work, doing this sport over time, fuelling your body right and getting enough sleep… those kinds of things.

Heck throw in some beetroot powder, blackcurrant powder, hot/cold therapy, compression tights and yin yoga too for good measure if you are really into trying all you can to boost your run performance.

We can also boost our run performance through learning from our run mates’ mistakes. Seriously. Ask your run friends for some anecdotes of their past run failures and it will give you a good list of things not to repeat. Learn form their mistakes! Also, you’ll get a good belly laugh out of the (often cringe-worthy) stories.

I asked some run-inspired girlfriends to weigh in on this topic. So, some of the tips below are from me, while others are from some of my epic run girlfriends. Share some of your own run mistakes in the comments below too to help fellow runners out! Come on, don’t keep your run mistakes to yourself; Share them for others to laugh at – I mean, er learn from…. 🙂

Pin your run number to your t-shirt well ahead of the race – don’t leave it to the second the start gun goes and end up fumbling around for a few minutes trying to sort that basic stuff out! Those few minutes you spent fumbling might be the few precious minutes that your mate beat you in the race by – and it will be your own stupid fault.
Break in any new run gear – and especially shoes – weeks ahead of race day. Otherwise you’ll likely end up swearing over the chaffing. And chaffing can happen everywhere: ankles, feet, toes, under arms, and yes even your ass. And it HURTS! God it hurts. Did I mention how much it HURTS!!!
While we are on the chaffing topic. Use vaseline to stop chaffing on longer runs. Otherwise you WILL whimper when your raw rubbed skin hits the next shower or bath you have – and every shower following for potentially a week later….
Study the course map. It’s hard to get lost, but you should know your turn points in a course. There is nothing worse than running longer than you have to for that medal.
Have a pre-race plan to meet up with a mate if you plan to run together. Otherwise good luck in finding your mate amongst thousands of others! If you are like me… I finally found my run mate in a Rotorua Marathon event just a few kilometres from the finish line one year!! It made for a lonely ¾ of the race. So I learnt my lesson hard! However the “up side” was that at least my mate helped drag me to the finish-line at the end when I needed him most! This mate may, or may not, be the Chief Executive of Rotorua Community Hospice… yea Jonathon still laughs at me over that failed run plan (amongst others)…
Allow plenty of time before the race to account for the loo queue for that last minute wee. You don’t want to be “that person” in the loo queue when the race gun goes. Or worse, have a full bladder while you wince your way through the first few miles and then, finally, spot a loo that has a queue a mile long with others who have made the same run mistake.
Test new energy gels BEFORE race day. Otherwise pooping could be a problem.
Don’t go out running too fast too soon – or you will finish the race crying and crawling. Pace yourself. Plan to run the last kilometres strong and you’ll finish with a smile.
Slow down for race pictures and smile when you see a race camera out on the course (and pretend for a moment you are enjoying the event even if you aren’t!) People who look good in their race pictures have mastered this trick. The rest of us look like we are hunched over crazies with maddened looks glued to our faces. ie NOT pretty (or handsome).
Don’t wear light coloured shorts or tights. They show up mud, (awkward sweat), awkward non-sweat, mud, and if it rains… it looks like awkward non-sweat…

This post is kindly sponsored by the Rotorua Marathon event. I’m a proud run ambassador for NZ’s most iconic – and one of the longest running – run events in this country. Enter a distance and be part of this epic event – there’s a 5km, 10km, 21km, or 42km distance to choose from Enter HERE

August 7, 2020

3 Inspiring Women Fundraising for the Rotorua Marathon event

By Rachel Grunwell

Tell me what breaks your heart and I’ll point you toward your purpose.

So writes activist and author Glennon Doyle in her book, Untamed.

When I read this line in Doyle’s book, it put into words the deep pain that has powered me into helping several charities over the years. Some things just break your heart and stir action. And you never regret action; You only regret inaction.

Whenever I talk to people fundraising for the Rotorua Marathon event (on Sept 26), I feel their passion. I also sense the pain that has caused their deep heart-connection to act.

These are just three inspiring (super) women fundraising for different charities via this iconic Bay of Plenty event. They are making their miles count. Please support them with a donation. Because small actions can snowball and help to heal this world…

Melanie Steen is fundraising for the Cambodian Charitable Trust, set up by Tauranga mum and lawyer Denise Arnold. This trust helps kids access education in Cambodia.

Kids at Ang Chhum Primary. This is one of the 23 schools supported by The Cambodia Charitable Trust.

Melanie says it is an honour to run this event and fundraise for this charity. She discovered the trust’s amazing work when reading about motivational people in my book, Balance (yes, I got pretty emotional over this!)

This is her “why”:

“The Trust was set up by a mother who wanted to make a difference, she saw a need to help these children have what we take for granted as a normal life something most of us give our children without really considering it a luxury”.

Denise says funds raised by Melanie will support the school communities at a time when there is no work and many are going hungry.

“All funds will go to provide 50kg bags of rice to families struggling to feed themselves. There is no welfare system in Cambodia and with garment factories and construction sites closing and no tourism, there are many families facing a total loss of income. It is a huge problem, and so far the trust has provided 767 bags of rice. Each bag of rice costs about $60NZ and lasts the average family about a month”.

Steen has so far raised $329. To support this amazing cause click here:

https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/help-me-to-help-others-2

Kylie Allpress is among a team fundraising for the Rotorua Hospice. She is running in memory of her dad who died of leukaemia. She backs the hospice for giving “unconditional love and support to all our families in Rotorua”.

She says on her fundraising page that her dad longed to one day run this event but he never did. She is a marathoner already and aiming for a PB of 3hr45mins.

On her givealittle page she says: “All I ask is please donate the price of a latte $5 for Rotorua Hospice, my chosen charity which gives unconditional love and support to all our families in the Rotorua community. I am forever grateful! This runs for you dad X”.

Kylie has so far fundraised $488. Please help her with a donation here:

https://rotoruamarathon2020.everydayhero.com/nz/kylie-2

Rotorua-based baker Tracey Dender is fundraising for the No Duff Charitable Trust, which helps current and former Defence personnel (and their families). Tracey is an ex war vet. She’s running the marathon in a weighted vest!

Dender (pictured below) has fundraised $2539 so far. To donate towards this worthy cause click here:

https://givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/marathon-for-mates-2020

Meanwhile, read Dender’s full story on her marathon mission in another blog I wrote just on her. Click HERE

Join these amazing women and enter the Rotorua Marathon event (either the fun run, 10km, half-marathon of full-marathon distance.). Click HERE

Article by Rachel Grunwell: Rotorua Marathon ambassador, Multi-marathoner, coach, yoga teacher, author of Balance: Food, Health + Happiness
Follow Rachel on Instagram @rachelgrunwell or the InspiredHealth NZ Facebook page.

This post is sponsored by the Rotorua Marathon #sponsored #ad

January 2, 2020

Yoga Hero Pose – beginner to advanced

Quad goals… This pose stretches your quads (front of your thighs) and ankles. The first pic is the beginner version of the pose. Note: Not everyone can tolerate the internal rotation and so if you feel any strain… just come out of the pose. The advanced version is for those who have done yoga for a while, and have the flexibility. This can take time to ease into… For this pose, hold it for 30 seconds – two mins (depending on how long you have to stretch). Breathe through it. Remember to smile 🙂

For more health and fitness inspo connect with Rachel via Instagram or the InspiredHealthNZ facebook page

November 20, 2016

7 Stretches for Runners

Blog by Rachel Grunwell: Marathoner, qualified yoga teacher, wellness columnist for Good magazine & director of Inspiredhealth.co.nz . Follow Inspired Health for inspo, recipes & giveaway on Facebook & Instagram

7 Stretches For Runners

Love running? Well, make sure you stretch.

This element of training is as important as the long runs, short runs, hill runs, speed work, strength work & the rest days.

Running tightens up your muscles and so stretching helps to counteract that.

Before you run, spend a few minutes doing ‘moving, dynamic stretches’ (ie leg swings or smooth and controlled ‘walking lunges’). This prepares the body for moving well – and so you feel less tight.

After your run, take a few minutes to stretch out too. It helps to bring length back to the muscles – and to avoid walking like a ‘lego-man’.

I teach ‘yoga-for-runners’ classes in Auckland. But if you can’t access a run-specific yoga class like this then try ‘yin yoga’, tai-chi, Pilates, stretch or Les Mills ‘body balance’ classes. Remember this restorative element of training is as important as the hard miles.

Stretches for Runners:

rm-lunge