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SUUNTO EON CORE AQUA BLUE
A compact dive computer with an easy to read color screen, rechargeable battery and wireless conn...
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Suunto Core All Black Light Elastomer Strap
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Suunto Magnetic USB Cable
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Use the USB cable to charge your Suunto device or to update the software. The USB cable is compat...
$380
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Suunto Wireless Tank Pressure Transmitter
Wireless tank pressure transmitter for Suunto D5, Suunto EON Steel, EON Steel Black and EON Core.?
$2,600
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- Suunto Core support
- Suunto Core USER GUIDE
- SUUNTO EON CORE FAQ
- Suunto EON Core support
- SUUNTO CORE FAQ
- SUUNTO EON CORE USER GUIDE
- Military Tests for Suunto Core Alpha
- Does Suunto EON Core have a boot available?
- What materials are used in the Suunto EON Core?
- What is the average battery life for Suunto Core?
- What kind of battery does Suunto EON Core have?
- When should I calibrate the compass of my Suunto Core?
- WHAT LANGUAGES DO SUUNTO EON CORE AND SUUNTO EON STEEL SUPPORT?
- How can I lock the buttons on the Suunto Core?
- WHAT IS THE AIRPLANE MODE IN SUUNTO EON CORE / SUUNTO EON STEEL?
- DO SUUNTO EON STEEL AND SUUNTO EON CORE HAVE THE SAME CABLE?
- WHAT DOES 'FLIP DISPLAY' MEAN IN SUUNTO EON CORE / SUUNTO EON STEEL?
- DO SUUNTO EON CORE AND SUUNTO EON STEEL HAVE A FREE DIVE MODE?
- DOES THE SUUNTO EON CORE / SUUNTO EON STEEL HAVE HEART RATE MEASUREMENT?
- WHAT IS THE DECOMPRESSION ALGORITHM SUUNTO EON CORE / SUUNTO EON STEEL USE?
- HOW DO I PAIR MY SUUNTO EON STEEL AND CORE WITH SUUNTO APP FOR IOS?
- How can I adjust the display contrast on my Suunto Core?
- HOW DOES THE SUUNTO TANK POD WORK WITH THE SUUNTO EON CORE / SUUNTO EON STEEL?
- HOW DO I PAIR MY SUUNTO EON STEEL AND CORE WITH SUUNTO APP FOR ANDROID?
blog
The Suunto Core range just got stronger
Suunto Core Ultimate Black and new Suunto Core Crush colors spice up your adventures
The renowned Suunto Core Classic series gains a new member with Suunto Core Ultimate Black. Its black steel top ring breathes durability while the streamlined design brings out the key functionalities. Fluorescent bezel graphics illuminate in the dark, making the watch even more versatile in tough conditions.
Comments Ewa Pulkkinen, Product Manager for Suunto Core: “The inspiration for the new Core Ultimate Black draws from the original Core All Black, which has been one of our most sought after watches since its introduction in 2007. The new rugged steel bezel construction of the Ultimate Black features diamond-like carbon coating, reinforcing Core’s legacy as the outdoor watch.”
The Suunto Core Crush line-up will be joined by two new variants – Blue and Graphite. Both have a coated steel bezel for increased robustness and an elegant look. The contemporary colored straps are a statement of your style and blend well both with colorful outdoor apparel and as well as more subtle every day wear. Users can choose between the negative display of the Graphite Crush and the positive display of the Blue Crush.
The award-winning Suunto Core packs all the essential features you need for the great outdoors. Keep an eye on the weather with its barometer, see how much you have left to the summit with the altimeter, or use the compass to quickly orientate yourself in the backcountry. The Suunto Core also features a depth meter for snorkeling.
The Suunto Core range just got stronger
Suunto Core Ultimate Black and new Suunto Core Crush colors spice up your adventures
The renowned Suunto Core Classic series gains a new member with Suunto Core Ultimate Black. Its black steel top ring breathes durability while the streamlined design brings out the key functionalities. Fluorescent bezel graphics illuminate in the dark, making the watch even more versatile in tough conditions.
Comments Ewa Pulkkinen, Product Manager for Suunto Core: “The inspiration for the new Core Ultimate Black draws from the original Core All Black, which has been one of our most sought after watches since its introduction in 2007. The new rugged steel bezel construction of the Ultimate Black features diamond-like carbon coating, reinforcing Core’s legacy as the outdoor watch.”
The Suunto Core Crush line-up will be joined by two new variants – Blue and Graphite. Both have a coated steel bezel for increased robustness and an elegant look. The contemporary colored straps are a statement of your style and blend well both with colorful outdoor apparel and as well as more subtle every day wear. Users can choose between the negative display of the Graphite Crush and the positive display of the Blue Crush.
The award-winning Suunto Core packs all the essential features you need for the great outdoors. Keep an eye on the weather with its barometer, see how much you have left to the summit with the altimeter, or use the compass to quickly orientate yourself in the backcountry. The Suunto Core also features a depth meter for snorkeling.
Military inspired variants of Suunto Core and Suunto Traverse Alpha
Special edition for selected markets and dealers
Suunto designed two military-inspired color variants of two popular outdoor watches: the Suunto Traverse Alpha, tested to military standards and specialized for hunting and fishing, and the iconic Suunto Core.
Striking color combinations
Strong, precise, reliable – the combination of deep black with imperial red detailing speaks the language of the military, as well as Suunto’s own heritage in crafting precision instruments used by soldiers around the world.
“These military-inspired oudoor watches combine strong materials and Suunto design philosophy. Black and red are also the colors of Suunto, a brand identity that is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year,” says Tuomas Reivo, industrial designer at Suunto.
The new watches come with the extremely durable, water repellent black military-style textile strap.
Suunto Traverse Alpha - Tested to military standards
Tested to the military standard MIL-STD- 810G, Suunto Traverse Alpha offers a trusted set of serious outdoor features and tools specifically developed for fishing, hunting and hiking.
With features like automatic shot detection, moon phase calendar and POI types to mark trails and important locations such as animal tracks, Suunto Traverse Alpha was warmly welcomed by fishermen and hunters when launched in spring 2016.
Navigating in all terrains is made possible with the integrated GPS/GLONASS route navigation with breadcrumb trail, electronic compass and FusedAlti™ that help you stay on track in unknown territory.
Battery life of up to 100 hours with GPS makes the Traverse Alpha suitable for multiday treks. If your adventure continues into the night, the customizable red backlight does not interfere with night vision gear.
With the stainless steel bezel and scratch resistant sapphire crystal glass, these watches are built for action.
Suunto Core – Iconic award winner
Suunto Core, an iconic outdoor watch with nearly a decade of use in the field, packs the essential ABC features – altimeter, barometer, and compass - into a robust, yet stylish construction.
The watch warns you of rapid weather changes and helps guide you with a digital compass to make your journey safe and successful. You can follow your progress to the summit with the altimeter and plan your day by checking sunrise and sunset times for over 400 locations worldwide.
For more information:Suunto Traverse Alpha in Suunto.comSuunto Core in Suunto.comVideo how Suunto Traverse was tested according the military standards (MIL-STD-810G)
Control your core body temperature and get better performance results
Your core body temperature can massively impact your performance. That’s why athletes pour water over themselves during races. They’re trying to cool down because they know once their core body temperature reaches a certain level, they’ll lose power and their performance will deteriorate. Like heart rate and power, core body temperature is a crucial metric for elite and recreational athletes alike.
A new partnership with Suunto and CORE gives the Suunto community the opportunity to gain heat awareness and improve performance. The Suunto 9 Peak Pro, the most powerful watch we’ve ever made, combined with the CORE sensor mean the three key metrics of training and performance - heart rate, power, core body temperature - are all displayed on your watch face.
Read on to learn more and for three ways to control your core body temperature.
Overcoming the data and knowledge gap
Performance manager at CORE and road cyclist Christopher Jones believes a general awareness and understanding of core body temperature and how it affects performance is limited.
Until recently, athletes could only use invasive technology - e-pills and rectal probes - to monitor core temperature, and only for short time windows. Whereas heart rate monitors have provided almost around the clock data for decades. As a result the general public don't know a lot about core body temperature and how increased temperatures impact performance.
But the CORE sensor changes that. “The big advantage an athlete gets from CORE is understanding their body and being able to perform better in the heat,” Christopher says. “It is an easy-to-use and affordable solution that opens up this data and heat awareness for everyone.”
Embrace the tech and train smart
Christopher is excited CORE has now partnered with Suunto. The body temperature sensor has been used by athletes, coaches and sports scientists for several years. Just as heart rate monitors eventually began enjoying popularity with recreational sports enthusiasts, the same thing is gradually happening with core body temperature.
“It’s a new technology,” he says. “So just like a heart rate monitor, or a power meter, it will take time for people to adapt. But if you’re not racing in the Tour De France, you still use a heart rate monitor, right? Same thing with CORE. The tech will help guide sports people so they can train and race at their best. In a hot weather environment where it’s even harder to stay cool, the real time core body temperature data helps people to take the right steps to avoid heat becoming a problem.”
How does core body temperature affect performance?
When you get hot, your power output drops. Thermoregulation is, however, individual. Some people are better at operating at higher temperatures than others. When athletes get hot, the body diverts blood away from power-producing muscles to the skin. Sweat evaporation then cools the blood and the core body temperature.
3 ways to keep your core body temperature down
The CORE sensor delivers live data directly to your Suunto watch and means you are informed and can take action before it is too late. There are a few specific approaches to help manage your core body temperature for performance.
Follow a heat strategy
This involves doing things like easing off before you know you will begin a long ascent so you can cool your body down in advance. Or another example is staying behind other riders to reduce the amount of power needed and to keep your core body temperature as low as possible until you see a better opportunity to push.
Do active cooling
Staying well hydrated, pouring cold water over yourself, and wearing highly breathable fabrics and gear are all tactics that can be combined to keep cool.
Train your body to perform better when it’s hot
Heat training involves conditioning your body to be more efficient and perform better when you’re hot. CORE helps you elevate your core temperature to a precise temperature zone, letting your body adapt without wearing yourself out.
“Some athletes do heat training as a two-week training block, and then after that they can keep the conditioning with maintenance sessions.,” Christopher from CORE says. “Another approach is to slowly integrate heat training sessions into regular training sessions.”
How to use CORE body temperature sensor with your Suunto
SuuntoPlus CORE sports app is compatible with all Suunto 9 and Suunto 5 watches. To get started with CORE temperature sensor go to SuuntoPlus Store in Suunto app, find SuuntoPlus Core and select "Add to watch".
Before starting your activity, go down to exercise options and select CORE sports app. This connects your watch with the CORE sensor.
During your workout, your watch will receive and display live data from CORE sensor. Your body temperature data during the activity will also be saved in your workout.
Note: Make sure your Suunto 9 or Suunto 5 watch is updated to the latest software.
Learn more about CORE body temperature
The colorful Core Crush range gets a new and reinforced look!
With its zesty and brightly colored straps, the Suunto Core Crush is one of Suunto's most instantly recognisable watches. It is being updated to make it even more durable. The Suunto Core Crush line-up will be joined by four new fun variants – white, gray, coral and lime.
Each one has a new, coated steel bezel for increased robustness and an elegant look. The vibrant straps of the Suunto Core Coral Crush and Core Lime Crush are a bold statement while the lime and coral colored bezel graphics in the Suunto Core White Crush and Core Gray Crush complement their more subtle and modest straps.
The Suunto Core Crush is comfortable to wear on the wrist, while the sturdy aluminium lugs ensure it's built to survive any adventure. Users can choose between either a negative display with the coral and lime variants, or a positive display with the white and gray models.
The award-winning Suunto Core packs all the essential features you need for the great outdoors. Keep an eye on the weather with its barometer, see how far you have left to the summit with the altimeter, or use the compass to quickly orientate yourself in the backcountry. The Suunto Core Crush also features a depth meter for snorkeling.
Ewa Pulkkinen, Suunto Product Manager comments: “The playful use of color has created a new range of fresh, youthful watches that are a fantastic addition to the classic Core product family.”
Suunto launches a compact dive computer with outstanding readability
Suunto introduces the new colorful Suunto EON Core, a compact dive computer with a large color display, designed to serve beginner and active as well as advanced recreational divers. With modern features like mobile connectivity, wireless tank pressure transmission with Suunto Tank POD, updatable software and a re-chargeable battery, this dive computer is a loyal diving partner that grows with you.
"The premise of designing the Suunto EON Core was to answer divers’ needs for a lightweight and compact color screen dive computer without compromising the features and technology Suunto is known for.” Comments Juha Suoniemi, Dive Business Unit Director of Suunto.
Outstanding readability in all conditions
The Suunto EON Core’s wide, clear color screen provides all the important key dive details in bright, high contrast colors. The new prominent display option shows the important dive info with large, legible numbers that are easy to read and understand at a glance.
The always-on LED backlight ensures that you can see the vitally important data even when exploring wrecks in murky waters or diving at night.If you are a beginner diver, you can choose the clear ready-to-use default screens for your dive. For more advanced divers, Suunto CustomDisplay™ enables modifying the features up to five different displays to meet your personal diving preferences.
Light-weight and re-chargeable with easy-to-use menus
The re-enforced composite case is light-weight and comfortable on any size of wrist with an elastomer strap or bungee (sold separately). The battery is re-chargeable and can be easily charged through USB, so you don’t have to worry about changing batteries. You can dive 10-20 hours with a one charge, depending on your settings.The intuitive 3-button menu logic, known from Suunto’s EON Steel, makes using the Suunto EON Core effortless underwater, even with thick gloves. The Suunto EON Core supports 17 languages.
Wireless transfer of dive logs and updatable software
After the dive you can transfer you dives to Suunto App over a wireless Bluetooth connection with a mobile device. You can also change your settings, keep a diving diary and share your underwater adventures and pictures on Suunto app.The Suunto EON Core is also compatible with the Suunto Tank POD. You can connect wirelessly with up to 10 Suunto Tank PODs to display tank and gas information during the dive.
Thanks to its updatable software, Suunto EON Core is a long-last dive companion for years to come.The Suunto EON Core is available in fall 2017, at the recommended price of €699.The Suunto Tank POD is available at €299.
Read more:eoncoreeoncollection
Cross training tips for cyclists
It may sound strange, but getting off the bike can help make you stronger, fitter and faster, as well as decrease your risk of injury. It’s a chance to develop muscles that get neglected while on the bike and address any weaknesses. Check out the suggestions below that will have you ready for your spring cycling.
1. Cross-country skiing Cross Country Skiing is the perfect cross-training sport for cyling. It uses the muscles in ranges of motion that are very similar to cycling, while giving your mind and muscles a much-needed break from pedaling. You’ll enhance strength in your hips, quads and abdomen – the key sources of power you use to drive the pedals, as well as give your heart and lungs a good workout.It's also great fun.
2. Work on your coreIf you've ever left spin class or a long ride with a sore back, a weak core is to blame. Cycling's tripod position, in which the saddle, pedals and handlebar support your weight, relies on core strength but doesn't build it. Try performing long sets of exercises like the plank and side plank—holding for up to three minutes.
Emelie Forsberg demonstrates the plank
3. Swimming Swimming is also a great way to improve your upper body strength and balance and can improve flexibility as well as offering some additional cardiovascular fitness. It forces you to use your upper body at a relatively low impact. Try to vary the strokes between front crawl, backstroke and breaststroke.
We recommend you swim indoors during winter! ©zooom.at/Markus Berger
4. Weight trainingDoing the same activity everyday can lead to imbalances in the body, and this can lead to injury. And your time on the bike needs more than just quad strength—your core, low back, triceps, and even your neck take a lot of strain from long bouts of pedaling. Weight training will increase both your cycling strength and efficiency. Try lunges, dumbbell squats, single-leg deadlift, swiss ball hamstring curls and bent over row with high reps and moderate resistance that develop muscular endurance.
4. Yoga and Pilates You’re more than likely tight, stiff or imbalanced from too-many months of cycling without other physical activity. Yoga and Pilates can do wonderful things for cyclists because they lengthen and strengthen a whole host of muscles. They also teach you how to activate and strengthen your core muscles.
Will Trubridge practises yoga for his freediving
New SuuntoPlus advances make it easy to integrate sport tech innovations with Suunto watches
With the new SuuntoPlus™ Store and SuuntoPlus Editor sports tech innovators can quickly and easily ensure their products work with Suunto watches and find a sports-tech hungry audience.
Our aim at Suunto is to help outdoor athletes reach their goals. We do this by engineering cutting-edge GPS sports watches and by building a vast ecosystem of complimentary sports and outdoor tools and services.
“As a triathlete myself, I’m always looking for a competitive edge and technology often provides one. Suunto watches are one side of the equation. The other are the incredible sports tech breakthroughs like sensors and augmented reality. We want to make it simple and easy for the Suunto community to find these sports tech breakthroughs so they can reap the benefits. And we want to help companies developing this kind of technology to work with our products and reach our audience,” says Janne Kallio, Ecosystem Lead for Suunto.
Introducing new SuuntoPlus™ advances
On October 25 Suunto launched the SuuntoPlus Store, new SuuntoPlus sport apps, including apps with third-party device compatibility, and SuuntoPlus Editor.
The SuuntoPlus Store in Suunto app makes it easy to find a growing selection of new SuuntoPlus sport apps and our SuuntoPlus guides. SuuntoPlus Store publishes sports and health apps created by us and partner companies. The SuuntoPlus sport apps are designed for use during exercise. These apps include, for example, fitness testers, tools for tracking hydration, insights about an ascent, safety information, or informing users how much fat or carbs they are burning.
New SuuntoPlus™ Editor for Suunto partners
At Suunto, we want to make it easy for innovative, ground-breaking partners to reach a bigger audience, gain a following and work with us. That’s why we have created a new developer toolset for SuuntoPlus sport apps and devices: SuuntoPlus Editor. It’s available for companies who would like to build their own SuuntoPlus sport apps or make their device compatible with Suunto watches. SuuntoPlus Editor is available for the Suunto Partner program members. To become a member, apply via welcome partners.
Connect with third-party devices
SuuntoPlus sport apps in Suunto watches can now be connected to third-party devices. New sensor technologies are being developed more quickly than ever before, and startups are creating new tools for sports applications that haven’t until now existed. Together, we can create unique experiences for our sports and outdoor community.
Device compatibilities can be found in SuuntoPlus Store. The first available devices are Activelook smart glass technology used by brands such as Engo, Cosmo and Julbo. The state-of-the-art CORE body temperature sensor is also available. The new Suunto 9 Peak Pro is compatible with these devices as will be the Suunto 5 / 9 family products later this year.
Making it simple for our partners
“Suunto ecosystem has been a key building block for Suunto over the last few years and we have expanded to include various sports and outdoor apps at a gradual, but relatively fast pace. The possibility for sports tech innovators to quickly and smoothly work with Suunto watches was a missing link. The sport apps and related SuuntoPlus Editor tools are the answer and the next big step for our expanding ecosystem. This points to an exciting future,” says Janne Kallio, Ecosystem Lead for Suunto.
Activelook smart glasses“The combination of Activelook smart sport glasses and Suunto watches is a great example of what the latest sports technology can do for athletes. Now trail runners can fly down the mountain and see their heart rate or the next turn without having to look at their wrists. Cyclists can follow their real-time power while keeping their eyes on the rider ahead of them. Having access to all the watch data in real-time, right in front of them, will revolutionize the way athletes engage with their sports activity. Getting the Suunto watch compatibility in place and working with Suunto has been great experience and we are excited to see what we can do together in the future,” says Xavier Bonjour, Marketing & Partnerships Director for Microoled.
CORE body temperature sensor“The CORE sensor has been adopted by many leading athletes including several UCI WorldTeams in cycling and Olympic medalists and world champions in triathlon. When athletes get hot, their performance starts to drop. Accurate measurements of core body temperature help athletes to improve their training and racing. Being one of the first to implement directly into the Suunto sports app is an important milestone. It was a straight-forward approach and only took a few days. Now Suunto athletes can benefit from easy access to their CORE data and use it to optimize their performance,” says Chris Blomfield-Brown, Performance Manager for CORE.
Suunto’s growing ecosystem of sport apps breaks the 300 mark
The Suunto ecosystem has reached an impressive milestone: we now have more than 300 digital apps and services our users can choose from to help them towards their sports goals and during their adventures. It’s easy for them to find their preferred coaching tool, their next trail running route from one of many leading outdoor services or to share their workouts in their local sports community. Every hour, thousands of workouts flow through a constellation of innovative, data-rich sport services and planned workouts and routes flow into Suunto watches. Getting expert training plans and discovering popular routes for the next run or ride has never been so simple.
“Komoot and Suunto enjoy a seamless partnership. Our shared community of sports enthusiasts can access a vast array of world class routes for a variety of outdoor sports and get turn-by-turn navigation directly on their wrist, making adventure safer and accessible to all,” says Ben Thompson, Director of Business Development, Komoot.
Learn more:welcome partners - Suunto partner programsuunto.com/suuntoplus - SuuntoPlus™ sport apps, devices and guidesactivelook.net - Microoled ActiveLook Technology corebodytemp.com - Core sensor
Footnotes: ∗The store is compatible with Suunto 3, Suunto 5 and Suunto 9 family products, including the new Suunto 9 Peak Pro. The store can be found in Suunto App, which is available for download in Google Play and the App Store.
Press images: Download here
About Suunto: We stand for adventure. Pioneering exploration has been in our DNA since 1936, when Finnish orienteer Tuomas Vohlonen set out to create a more accurate compass, and subsequently invented a new method for manufacturing liquid‐filled compasses. Today Suunto is at the forefront of design and innovation for sports watches, dive computers, compasses and digital services used by adventurers all over the globe. We are proud that Suunto products can take a beating but are also designed with an everyday aesthetic that reflects our Nordic identity. Suunto’s headquarters and factory are still in Finland. www.apac.suunto.com
4 indoor workout tips for endurance athletes
Endurance athletes aren’t built for the indoors. Heading out, exploring new trails, hills, and rides, while pushing our limits, is what makes us tick. Training indoors does, however, allow us to work on some of the finer points of our game, things we can’t address out on rides, runs or in the pool.
This time of pandemic, when we are being asked to stay at home, gives us an opportunity to tune up our bodies in ways we usually don’t make time for in ordinary times. If we train smart at home, then when the restrictions life we will be 100% ready to dive into our outdoor training.
To give all you distance runners and triathletes confined indoors at the moment some inspiration, we talked to ultra runner Lucy Bartholomew, and triathletes Cody Beals and Mel Hauschildt about what they’re working on at home. They all had one thing in common: CORE WORK!
Face your core
There are no more excuses. “The time to lay that foundation and build a strong trunk has been forced on you!” Lucy says. “I love to do 15 to 30 minutes of core exercises, yoga and stretching and just more mat work and functional stuff. It doesn’t give you the sweat of a good run, but will certainly make that next run feel even more amazing.” Press play on the video above and join Lucy in one of her favorite core workouts!
Hit spin mode
If you have a training bike at home, put it on easy spin and pedal an hour or two away while watching your favourite Netflix series. “One of the sessions I do most often at home is an easy spin on the trainer while getting other work done,” Cody says. “I have my laptop in front of me and pass the time reading, researching, writing and emailing. I get some of my most focused work and creative thinking done on the trainer and the time flies!”
TRX and flex
Mel Hauschildt has a dedicated training room because working out there helps her to avoid distractions. She has a newborn baby, Dakota, who lies beside her while she, Mel, trains on her Kickr. “TRX cords are also very useful in working on endurance while stuck indoors,” Mel says. For inspiration, watch the video above, which shows how runners can use a TRX band.
Build power
Being confined indoors is no reason to stop training endurance fitness. Even if you don’t have a training bike or treadmill, there’s plenty you can do to build explosive power and maintain cardiovascular fitness. “You can do things like skipping outside, driveway sprints, jumping up stairs or DIY box jumps,” Lucy says. “Endurance is built for maintaining something for a longer duration of time so anything you do like star jumps, squats, burpees all build your cardio!” Need a challenge? Then press play above and join this skip rope endurance workout!
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8 tips to become a better runner
As part of our How Do I Run? contest, you can have your running form analyzed by professional coaches from Carmichael Training Systems. Head over to our contest page to find out how to get involved!
Carmichael Training Systems coaches Jason Koop and Nick White know a thing or two about how runners can improve their performance. They’ve been coaching since high school and work with elite level runners and triathletes. Here they share eight running tips every runner should keep in mind.
1. Have a goal If you’re going to start a running program, you need a goal, no matter what it is. The goal will dictate what your training looks like. It’s better to have a concrete goal as opposed to something vague, such as getting in shape or losing weight. 2. Tailored training Think about the demands of your event or goal when planning your training. If you’re training for a 100 km ultra marathon, more volume will be required. If you're doing a 5 km race, running a 100 km a week isn't necessary. In that case, your training should be about becoming quicker. Everything should match the event or goal you're aiming for.
Visit the How Do I Run? contest page to find out how to have your running style analyzed3. Mid foot is best Mid foot strike is better than running on your toes or heels. You also want your feet to land under the center of your mass, not out in front of your body. This is a common problem for many runners. 4. Getting faster Runners often think they have to increase the length of their stride to become faster. This causes them to heel strike, putting the breaks on their forward momentum. Increasing your stride length or increasing your leg turnover rate are the two ways to increase speed. You need to determine what you need to work on to improve one or both of these – leg strength, technique or aerobic capacity?
5. Get a lean on It's good to have a slight forward lean when you run. People often think that means keeping the pelvis and legs in the same position, and just bending forward at the waist. It’s doesn’t. In fact, your shoulders, hips and ankles need to be aligned, but leaning forward – no more than five degrees. This helps gravity give you forward momentum.
Click here to see five running clips analyzed by Jason and Nick
6. Swing those arms How you swing your arms is very important. Your arms and legs are always connected; if you're pumping your arms, you're going to get more leg speed. Your arms should stay at the sides of the body and the movement should be forward and backwards only. Any side-to-side movement is not contributing to forward progress. A lot of runners have too much torso rotation and that means their arms swing across their bodies, slowing them down. 7. Work that core Strength work is good and if you're going to do any strength work, core work is definitely the thing to focus on. It’s not just about doing sit-ups, planks or crunches, either. Core work means training everything between your chest and your knees, whether the front, sides or back of your body. Core work will directly help with all the above points.
© Droz Photo/Rosso Damien
8. Eyes on the prize If you're running on a technical trail, watch where your feet are landing. If you're out on a road or a bike path, then look between 10 to 20 m ahead. You should look down occasionally to monitor your foot strike. For people racing, keep your eyes on the person in front of you. If you're looking at the ground it's really easy for that person to gain ground on you. MEET THE COACHES FROM CARMICHAEL TRAINING SYSTEMS Jason Koop is Director of Coaching for Carmichael Training Systems. He began coaching youth track and field as a summer job when he was 16 and continued coaching his own running team into his early 20s. He's hooked on the buzz of helping athletes reach their potential. Nick White did his first 5 km race when he was five years old. His parents were marathoners, his dad the high school running coach. Needless to say running and coaching has been a major part of his life ever since. He has a Masters in Exercise Science and has been working for Carmichael Training Systems for 12 years.
Get faster on those hills now
With Suunto World Vertical Week 2022 around the corner (March 14-20), we reached out to Austrian ski mountaineer, sport scientist and coach Susi Kraft and asked about what goes into getting faster vertically. Susi is one half of the Berghasen, an awesome German-language blog covering everything you need to know about ski touring: training tips, tours, gear and so on.
Like many Austrians, Susi grew up in the mountains, began skiing as a child and got into ski touring at university, and more recently trail running. Now the 29-year-old can’t stop. “With sports science I got deep insights into how training really works,” she says. “It made me rethink my own training.”
The tendency, Susi says, among endurance athletes is to slip into doing too much high intensity training, even when they know they shouldn’t. And this is further compounded by vertical speed training because climbing steep gradients radically elevates heart rate.
Why improving vertical speed is hard
“It’s hard to train your aerobic base when you go uphill,” she says. “When your body isn’t used to endurance efforts, your heart rate increases quickly, the intensity gets turned up, your lactate levels start to max, which means the pH value in the body starts to fall. If it gets too low, the muscles and respiration don’t work economically anymore.”
On top of this, while doing a lot of high intensity hill training can give short term gains, in the long term it can actually worsen your performance. So how to improve your vertical speed without blowing yourself out? Read on for Susi’s four tips and three training plans below!
Susi trains in the mountains around Salzburg. © Berghasen
Good things take time
Suunto ambassador and mountain athlete Kilian Jornet is the Rolls Royce engine of vertical speed. We’d all like to be able to power uphill like he does. But Susi points something out we easily forget; Kilian got to where he is because he spent a decade or more training his base fitness, and that is achieved through low intensity training, not going overboard on hill repeats.
“It takes patience to train your base,” Susi says. “You need a year, five years, or even longer to really accomplish that. The better your training, the better your base, the better your body will be able to handle intense exercise. So take the time to train your body to work economically. When you have a good base, you will be better able to do uphill training!”
Embrace the flat
This sounds counterintuitive, right? You might be thinking how you’ll ever get better sticking to flat terrain. Susi has a reply: “Flat training is important because it’s not that intense,” she explains. “You should combine terrain – half on flat, half in the hills. World class athletes never stop training their base, they just carefully combine it with more intense sessions.”
Build strength
If you’re really serious about wanting to improve vertical speed, then there’s no skipping legs day at the gym. Strength training for the lower and upper body are essential to getting faster.
“The stronger you are, the easier it becomes,” Susi says. “If you can keep your upper body stable, your legs and arms can work more efficiently. This is really important for pushing uphill for a long time.”
Improve your technique
“Technique is really important for any sport you’re doing uphill. “You need to find the most economic way to move your body. I suggest practicing your technique on the flat so you can really focus on it without feeling exhausted.”
Beginner, advanced and expert training plans
Susi suggests following one of these plans for two weeks, then have a rest week with one to two additional rest days. Repeat the plan for several weeks with slowly increasing the length of the sessions after week six.
Beginner
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Core and mobility training
Wednesday: 30 min run before breakfast at low intensity (70 % of your max heart rate).
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Strength training: legs and upper body
Saturday: 30 min running or 40 min cycling at low intensity (70 % of your max heart rate).
Sunday: 1,5h biking or 2 h hiking/skimo at low intensity
Advanced
Monday: Core stability followed by general strength training (hypertrophy) for legs and upper body. Flexibility exercises for cool down.
Tuesday: Fartlek (interval) workout: 1 km at 60 % of your max heart rate then 1 km at 85 % of your max heart rate. Repeat five times. 10 min easy jog cool down.
Wednesday: 45 min run before breakfast at low intensity (70 % of you max heart rate).
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Core stability followed by general strength training (hypertrophy) for legs and upper body. Flexibility exercises for cool down.
Saturday: 60 min running or 2 h cycling at low intensity (70 % of you max heart rate).
Sunday: 2,5h biking or 3 h hiking/skimo at low intensity
Expert
Monday: Core stability followed by general strength training (hypertrophy) for legs and upper body. Flexibility exercises for cool down.
Tuesday: Fartlek (interval) workout: 1 km at 70 % of your max heart rate then 1 km at 85 % of your max heart rate. Repeat five times. 10 min easy jog cool down.
Wednesday: 50 min run before breakfast at low intensity (70 % of you max heart rate).
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Core stability followed by general strength training (hypertrophy) for legs and upper body. Flexibility exercises for cool down.
Saturday: 80 min running or 2 h cycling at low intensity (70 % of you max heart rate).
Sunday: 2,5h biking or 3 h hiking/skimo at low intensity. During the workout: 5x3 min. at 90 % of your maximum heart rate with at least 3 min. of easy jog between the 3 min. intervals
Lead images: © Berghasen
6 tips for faster skimo
Sports scientist, coach and blogger Susi Kraft grew up in the Austrian Alps and fell in love with ski mountaineering early. Her dad was her first skiing coach, and since studying sports science at university she’s been fascinated by how to train to get faster.
“Being faster makes it more fun, means you can climb more mountains, and gives you more options,” Susi says. “It also means you have safer conditions, lower avalanche risk, if you head out in the early morning and are fast enough to get back before midday when it usually gets warmer and changes the snowpack. Being faster also makes it possible to climb high mountains in one push – without the need to sleep in a hut.”
Every opportunity, Susi is out in the mountains around Salzburg.
The most beautiful and demanding
Susi is one half of the popular German language skimo blog Berghasen, which covers gear, training to tips, and awesome tours in the Alps. She coaches everything from trail runners and triathletes through to ski mountaineers. Getting faster at skimo is one of the most challenging things to achieve because it’s such a demanding sport.
“There are so many factors,” she says. “Endurance, technique for uphill and downhill, the environment, snow, mountains, cold, avalanche risk, fuelling, what to drink, and safety. The sport demands a lot of experience in advance. There are a lot of factors to staying safe and getting better. That’s why for me it’s the most beautiful sport, but one of the hardest to achieve the next level.”
Read on for Susi’s six tips to improve your uphill skimo speed.
Follow the 80/20 rule
“With skimo it’s really hard to train carefully because as soon as you go uphill your heart rate peaks,” Susi says. “It’s easy to slip into high intensity training and then over time your improvements will start to plateau. Also, having to carry much more gear in comparison to other sports such as trail running makes it really hard to train at lower intensity.”
Skiing and avalanche equipment, a backpack with food and drink, ski clothing and helmet all add up the weight to make the sport demand more strength and power, and to make it tough, especially for beginners, to keep the heart rate down.
Susi recommends following the polarised training model propounded by sports scientist Dr. Stephen Seiler. This is based on Seiler’s research that found the best endurance athletes do most of their training at low intensity. It suggests 80 % of training should be done at low intensity, and only 20 % at high intensity.
A key factor in getting a feeling about your training intensity is knowing your maximum heart rate. It can be determined by doing a lactate performance diagnostic test on a treadmill or bicycle ergometer. Your heart rate is the easiest way to monitor your training intensity and can be used in most sports. If you already know your maximum heart rate you can follow these training suggestions:
Train at least 80 % of the training at low intensity – about 70 % of your maximum heart rateMaximum 20 % of your training volume should be high intensity – about 80 to 100 % of your maximum heart rate
To sum it up, follow this rule: do a lot of training in your comfort zone with low heart rate and a little bit of your training at really high intensity with your heart rate close to your maximum.
Reduce weight
As we mentioned before, skimo involves a lot of gear, and the weight of all that gear and provisions slows you down or increases your heart rate. Looking for ways to cut that down is essential. Susi recommends investing in lighter skis and ski boots as a start, and then looking into what other lighter weight gear you can find.
“If you really reduce weight you will notice your heart rate doesn’t get as high,” Susi says. “You will be able to do longer and more demanding climbs and you won’t get fatigued so quickly. Your recovery time after a long skimo day will also be less if your training session isn’t that intense.”
Embrace the flat
To help avoid slipping into high intensity training tours, look for maps and routes that don’t have so much elevation gain and avoid steep uphills.
“Look for terrain with just moderate steepness,” Susi says. “It will help to keep your heart rate down. Try to keep the inclination as low as possible, and use it as a warm up. Then keep some capacity for the last part of the mountain.”
Another option for low intensity training is doing some of your sessions on the bike outdoors or indoors on a bicycle ergometer. With biking it’s easier keeping the intensity low and the heart rate down than while running or ski mountaineering, Susi says.
Mix it up
If you’re having trouble keeping your heart rate in a low intensity zone on your tours, then mix it up and improve your base fitness by doing low intensity running in flat terrain and cycling. Remember, elite athletes like Kilian Jornet spent years working on their base. There are no shortcuts. Take your time and enjoy the process.
Build strength
Strength and core training are important for any sports, as they improve physical performance and are a key factor in preventing injuries like ruptures of ligaments in your knee.
“With more strength in your legs and core, uphill climbing will get easier,” Susi says. “Do two strength sessions a week with higher loads and don’t forget about core training!”
For building up muscles in your legs Susi recommends doing at least three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of:
box jumps
squats
lunges
leg press
deadlifts
hip thrusters
Beginners should do these exercises without additional weight. “The more experienced in strength training you get, the more additional weight you may use”, Susi says. Use barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, weights plates or sandbags to intensify your strength training.
If you want to work on your core-stability and upper body d o exercises like push-ups, planking (frontal and side), good mornings, bridging or sit-ups. Check out Susi’s blog for more inspiration on core exercises. The articles are in German, but you can see the images here.
Do HIIT training
As mentioned, at least 80 % of your endurance training should be done at low intensity at around 70 % of your maximum heart rate. So what about the remaining 20 % of your training volume?
For athletes with a long history in low intensity training and for people with an excellent endurance base, high intensity interval training (HIIT) may improve your endurance even more.
“Just use a little bit to spice up your long and low intensity sessions, but don’t push it”, Susi cautions. “One or two sessions per week during the preparation for your competition or season highlight are totally fine.”
High intensity interval training is characterised by short and intense periods of exercise followed by less intense recovery periods where you continue the exercise with lower intensity. For example, running at maximum speed for one minute followed by easy running for one minute, and repeating this 15 times.
“As high intensity interval training is really intense the sessions usually have a shorter duration compared to ordinary and low intensity endurance training,” Susi says. “Keeping it to 25 to 40 minutes of hard intervals is totally fine.”
Follow one these HIIT regimens for skimo:
30 x 30 seconds at maximum intensity followed by 30 seconds of active rest at low intensity15 x 1 minutes intervals at maximum intensity followed by 1 minute of active rest8 x 3 minutes intervals at high intensity followed by 3 minutes of active rest (low intensity)5 x 4 minutes intervals at high intensity followed by 3 minutes of active rest4 x 5 minutes at high intensity followed by 5 minutes at low intensity3 x 8 minutes at high intensity followed by 5 minutes at low intensity
Note: start your HIIT with a 10 minutes warm-up and a 10 minutes cool down at low intensity. The day after a high intensity session you should schedule a rest day or an easy recovery session.
All images: © www.berhasen.com
7 indoor training exercises to stay in shape
Training at home regularly is worth its weight in gold. It’s a good habit to build, and doesn’t need to take a lot of time or space. There are many things you can focus on at home, from plyometric training for explosiveness, strength training for stability and stamina, and also mobility training to maintain the range of motion in your joints. There is a huge potential for improvement!
© Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Suunto #indoorchallenge!
Given many of us are confined indoors due to the coronavirus crisis we decided to share indoor training inspiration. We invited some of our athletes to participate in our indoor training challenge. Each one will share a short work out and then tag the next athlete to share his or her’s. Your job is to do them!
To protect society’s most vulnerable people from the coronavirus, the best thing we can all do to #flattenthecurve is accept social distancing measures and to stay at home if instructed by authorities. Keep in mind this situation won’t last forever.
The first video is from ultra runner Ryan Sandes who is currently in lock down in Cape Town, South Africa. Sandes says he focuses on mobility work and strength training at home. “Being stuck at home is a good opportunity to do lots of mobility and strength training to make yourself a better runner and to give you better longevity,” he says.
Click play to follow Ryan's indoor workout!
Improve your mobility
Mobility training involves exercises that improve the range of motion in your joints. Many runners, for example, work on hip and spine mobility because of the repetitive nature of running and how this can, over time, reduce mobility in these areas.
“For every one hour of running you do you should do at least 15 minutes of mobility work,” Ryan says. “Training at home is a great opportunity to develop good movement.”
Blast your core
Mountain athlete and Suunto ambassador Emelie Forsberg and her partner Kilian Jornet take turns training outdoors and staying at home to look after their baby daughter. She does one indoor training session everyday and usually focuses on core strength.
“I like to do a short 10 to 15 minute core workouts,” she says. “I write down the exercises, put on my watch and go! No rest in between the exercises, I just go for the whole 10 to 15 exercises. If I feel really motivated I’ll do it twice.”
Do stair hops
To give his quadriceps a work out while he’s at home, Ryan Sandes does reps of hopping up and down stairs. “Be creative, and think outside the box,” he says. “Remember, anything is better than nothing.”
Let loose and dance!
Studies have shown that dancing regularly has numerous health benefits, including warding off degenerative brain diseases. Training doesn’t always need to be structured and serious; instead follow Emelie’s example, and build in some boogie while you’re stuck at home.
“Put on your favourite music and go for it!” she says. “Or do aerobics, Zumba, jumps, lunges, burpees – whatever gets you going!”
Watch sports and move
Mountain athlete and Suunto ambassador Kilian Jornet does one indoor workout at home every day. “I believe one the best things to do is to watch sport shows, live or repetitions, or films about sport,” he says. “This way we get inspired and we can relate our training to what we are watching.”
Run in your garden
Running lengths or around in circles in your garden, if you have one, doesn’t sound like too much fun, but according to Sandes it has two benefits.
Firstly, it’s good mental training; boredom is an inevitable part of long distance running, and staying present and motivated requires mental focus. Practicing at home in this way can develop this. Secondly, it’s an opportunity to work on your running technique. If you have a backyard, work on the key aspects of good running economy.
Skip to endurance
To maintain your base cardio fitness, Kilian Jornet suggests skipping. Do three minutes skipping, rest for a minute, and then skip for another three minutes. Do at least six three minute intervals. You’ll need a towel!
Lead image: © Graeme Murray/Red Bull Content Pool
Read more articles
7 recovery tips for immune fitness
Emelie Forsberg's top 7 yoga poses
8 essential running form drills
A week in the life of Emelie Forsberg
Step into Suunto ambassador Emelie Forsberg’s running shoes for a week of training, yoga, gardening, baking and cooking. When it comes to the mountain lifestyle, she’s living the dream. Take a peek into her world and be inspired!
Trail running champion Emelie Forsberg lives in Chamonix in the French Alps and spends her days running around the Mont Blanc massif. But her life isn’t all intense training and competition. She has downtime and spends it doing yoga in stunning outdoor locations, tending her vegetable garden, studying and baking her signature treats. “I think for me, because I haven't always been in the world of training and racing, as many other athletes have, I find it very important to do other things on the side of the athlete life,” Emelie says. “I like to make up new recipes, read biology articles to keep my education up-to-date. I love taking time for the garden, and harvesting veggies in the summer and autumn. I also like writing, which I do for a Swedish magazine. All of these hobbies make my life as an athlete better!”
Press play to watch Emelie talk about her love of running
Monday: double training session
Morning: I often wake up early (5 or 6 am), which means the sun has not normally risen over the mountains to reach the house. I often do yoga inside and then I make a coffee and go outside and walk around my little garden. I eat some homemade muesli and yoghurt. I leave the house and start the training. The first run is a harder session with some intervals.Noon: After getting home from my run, I prepare the lunch, usually with something from the garden. My favourite food now is a zucchini lasagne with tomatoes and cheese and Swiss chard. Then I need to catch up with emails and when I’m finished I bake some tasty cookies to enjoy that night. Afternoon/evening: Then it’s time for the afternoon session and I go for an hour easy run. Afterward, I do stretching and 10 core and back exercises. Prepare my running pack for the following day. I always go to bed early because I wake up early.
Emelie recently attended a one week yoga camp. © Emelie Forsberg
Tuesday: long mountain day
Morning: Wake up early and take a quick breakfast. Grab my pack and go into the mountains. Training: Often the approach is around 3.4 hours and then the climbing and scrambling starts. I like to choose mountains where you need crampons and one ice axe. Evening: Coming home around dinnertime, I prepare a good dinner with veggies from the garden and then I spend the rest of the evening at home and maybe on the sofa reading. I like easy reading books that are like movies, like books by Ken Follet, or sometimes books by people like John Muir and Umberto Eco.
Emelie has two vege patches. One is 3 m x 3 m, the other 1 m x 1.5 m. © Emelie Forsberg
Wednesday: easy day
Morning: I go on a short morning run before breakfast, come back and catch up with computer work. Then I bake something and do some gardening. I like to bake cakes, pastries and desserts as well as sourdough or fruit and nut bread. I experiment with flour like with chickpea flour, coconut flour and almond flour. Afternoon: I do a yoga session in the afternoon. This is a rest day.
Click here to read more about Emelie Forsberg
Cinnnamon buns are one of her favorite things to bake. © Emelie Forsberg
Thursday: mixed day
Morning: Yoga, coffee in the sun, then breakfast followed by a three hour run at a good pace. The pace depends on the terrain, but it’s almost racing pace.Noon: Lunch, with veggies from the garden. Afternoon: Roller skiing. Only uphill!
Emelie's tips for improving your trail running!
She runs straight out of her door and into the mountains. © Emelie Forsberg
Friday: interval day
Morning: Yoga, coffee in the sun, breakfast and then an interval training session. Afternoon: A two-hour easy paced run
A coffee in the sun is a daily must in her routine. © Emelie Forsberg
Saturday: rest day
Just taking it easy today. Maybe going for an easy run.
"I love maps! Looking to new routes and adventures," Emelie says. © Emelie Forsberg
Sunday: big day
This is normally a race day! If there’s no race, I normally do about a four hour run in the morning and stretch and do a core workout in the afternoon.Click here for Emelie's power pancakes recipe!
Emelie does a core workout surrounded by her gardening equipment © Emelie Forsberg
23 must-read articles that guide you into Suunto’s world of training
Train
Put in the hard work, understand your training load and the different stimuli you are putting on your body.
Figure out your training zones
Key components to improve your fitness are frequency, duration and intensity. Frequency and duration are easy to understand, but training intensity is a bit more tricky. How hard is hard? And why should I care? Read on to learn about intensity zones and about defining them. Read more
Manage your training with Suunto app’s Training zone
A progressive training load with adequate recovery and ways to follow progress will lead to a successful adventure or race. The new training toolset in Suunto app’s Training zone is vast. Read on and learn what’s available. We are sure you will find your new favorite dataset to analyze your training and follow your progress. Read more
Understand and manage your training load with Suunto
Suunto app’s long-term analysis view tracks your training load and helps you stay in balance – whether that means progress, maintaining your fitness or avoiding over-training. Here are four scenarios to help you understand the graphs. Read more
Training with TSS and hrTSS
What are TSS and hrTSS and how can these training metrics help? Read more
View TSS and other power-based cycling metrics in real-time
Normalized Power, Intensity Factor and Training Stress Score are key metrics for all cyclists who use power meters in their training. You can view these metrics in real-time on Suunto Vertical, Suunto Race, Suunto 9 and Suunto 5 watches. Read more
Know your power source: the body’s three energy systems
Understanding how your energy is produced can aid training and improve your quality of life. Suunto partner PerfectPace explains your main power sources. Read more
Unlock your interval training and watch your running improve
Follow Golden Trail World Series champion, Trail Running World Champion and running coach Stian Angermund’s advice and do interval training right to get results. Read more
3 interval sessions for trail runners
Trail running world champion Stian Angermund explains three interval training drills to help you increase your speed and power. Read more
Plan your interval workouts with Suunto app
Build a workout in Suunto app and let your watch guide you through your session! Read more
8 Essential running form drills
Improve your running technique with these essential running form drills – and follow them as a SuuntoPlus Guide on your watch! Read more
Intro to distance running technique
In this article we dig deep into the details of running technique with six key areas for you to focus on. Read on to learn more! Read more
Improve your running with high-intensity hill repeats
Hill repeats build your strength and improve your speed and coordination. This article presented by TrainingPeaks coach Steven Brandes highlights the importance of high-intensity hill repeats and how to do them successfully. Read more
Boost your hill training with SuuntoPlus Climb
Hill repeats are an essential part of an outdoor athlete’s workout repertoire. To make the hard work pay off, pacing is key. The new Climb SuuntoPlus™ feature does just that: it gives you real-time insights into your effort and motivates you to keep going. Read more
Using the Track to Learn How to Properly Pace Your Run
Using the track is a great way to improve your ability to pace yourself correctly. In this article presented by TrainingPeaks coach Todd Parker introduces a workout that helps you get in touch with the right pace for you. Read more
5 reasons why endurance athletes should do high-intensity strength training
Boost your vertical speed and avoid injury by lifting heavy weights.
To improve vertical speed and endurance, high-intensity resistance training should be an essential component of your training plan, says sports scientist, coach and athlete Susi Kraft. Read more
12 high-intensity strength training exercises for endurance athletes
Follow our training video and SuuntoPlus Guide to get stronger. In this article, sports scientist, coach and ski mountaineer Susi Kraft explains and demonstrates how to perform 12 strength-building exercises correctly and safely. Read more
Is the ultimate cross-training… breathing?
Sports coaches worldwide talk about 'good fundamentals’ – you’ve got to own the basics before you can even begin to achieve mastery in a discipline. But former pro freediver Mike Maric takes that deeper than most, by addressing one of the most basic functions of life: breathing. The medically educated forensic scientist from Italy has taken what he’s learned from free diving and applied it to a multitude of other sports – with stunning success. Read more
Control your core body temperature and get better performance results
Your core body temperature can massively impact your performance. That’s why athletes pour water over themselves during races. They’re trying to cool down because they know once their core body temperature reaches a certain level, they’ll lose power and their performance will deteriorate. Like heart rate and power, core body temperature is a crucial metric for elite and recreational athletes alike. Read more
Recover
There’s no one without the other: put in the hard work and rest to rise to the next level.
Four ways to follow your recovery with Suunto
Am I able to recover from my workouts? Is my mental recovery at the same level as physical? Do I ensure recovery with a good amount of sleep? Read on to learn how Suunto can help you in your recovery! Read more
How to use HRV to optimize your recovery
Heart rate variability (HRV) is a helpful metric for endurance athletes. Read on to learn why there’s a buzz around it and how to use Suunto to track heart rate variability. Read more
Learn how sleep can make you a better runner
Sleeping well should come naturally, right? Yet many of us feel tired most of the week. A sleep doctor gives six tips to help you improve your running and overall quality of life. Read more
4 tips to recover well for your best performance
One often ignored component to keep your training steady is ensuring you are getting enough recovery time. It can seem like taking a break from running will disrupt your momentum, but oftentimes it does the exact opposite – it freshens you up and reinvigorates you. Read more
Progress
Is your fitness having an upward trend? Understanding your progress is both motivating and helps you understand if your training has a positive impact.
How to follow your progress with Suunto
The essence of training is to improve physical performance. But how do you know if you are progressing? In this article, you will learn how Suunto can help you. Read more
Test your fitness with Suunto
Here are five SuuntoPlus sports apps that will help you find the right intensity zones for your training and track your progress. Read more
How to swim like a dolphin
Watching Suunto ambassador and freediver William Trubridge swim underwater like a dolphin across New Zealand’s wild Cook Strait, it’s easy to believe he possesses some sort of preternatural ability. There are, after all, few people on the planet who can swim 32 km in that manner for nine hours and 15 minutes.
In March this year, Trubridge achieved a world first: he swam under the surface of the strait before surfacing, and diving under again, all the way across, using the dolphin kick to propel him. A channel crossing of this kind had never been done before.
He did it to raise awareness about the plight of New Zealand's endangered Maui and Hector's dolphins. During his swim, his Suunto D6i Novo dive computer recorded 943 dives. Watch the short clip below below to see him in action.
Mastering the dolphin kick didn’t come easily to Trubridge. He’s had to work at it. “When I first started free diving, I struggled with the movement, and it’s probably because I never swam butterfly at high school,” he says. “It’s not a natural movement for me. It requires a lot of flexibility in your whole back and I didn’t have that at first. I still don’t have it to the same degree as some other free divers.”
He has patiently practiced the technique over a number of years. All that training has paid off. Who better to ask about how to develop a powerful dolphin kick?
Trubridge did his epic swim to bring attention to New Zealand's dolphins and to pressure its Government to protect them.
Why master the dolphin kick?
Simple answer: it feels awesome. “You can really fly through the water at a good speed for a human being,” Trubridge says. “It’s fun to play in waves. You can swim towards a wave as it’s about to break and jump out the back of it like dolphins do. Or you can swim down to 10 m, turn around and swim back up as fast as you can and actually breach clear out of the water because of your speed. It’s a lot of fun to play around with a monofin.”
It’s also an important stroke for freediving, especially for the Constant Weight discipline. Using a monofin and a dolphin kick is the most efficient propulsion, and is best the way to dive the deepest and longest.
How is it done?
It’s the same stroke as butterfly swimming, however it’s done underwater. A monofin or flippers are used in freediving to gain a bigger surface area for propulsion. “The movement is generated by an oscillation of the pelvis, forwards and backwards, controlled by your lower back, and abdominal muscles,” Trubridge says. “It starts a wave that’s sent down your legs into the fin. In order to transmit that wave efficiently you need to keep your legs straight, using your quadriceps, hamstrings and calves. Your upper body, ideally, stays pretty stationary. You can have your arms out in front of you which is a lot more streamlined, or by your sides which is more relaxed.”
How to develop the underwater dolphin kick?
Technique before power
One common mistake, Trubridge says, is to start out practicing the dolphin kick with a monofin. Because the monofin is so powerful it compensates for bad technique. “You can bend your knees, and move inefficiently, and still get good propulsion with a monofin,” Trubridge says. “My advice is to always start with something that doesn’t have the same surface area, like really small flippers, and practice dolphin kick with those, which will be a lot more difficult.” Alternatively, try without flippers.
The practice: Underwater, extend your arms and try to dolphin kick and get good speed. Don’t be put off if you don’t move forward at all; it takes time to develop the technique.
Vertical dolphin
Position yourself vertically in deep water with just your head and shoulders out of the water. Extend your arms above your head. Now, try the dolphin kick, keeping yourself as high above water as possible while staying in the same spot. “It becomes tiring very quickly,” Trubridge says. “It trains the muscles you need in your core and legs, and after a while you will find yourself slipping down into the water.”
Land-based exercises
Any exercise that improves core and leg strength will help. However, Trubridge says specificity of training is important. “Squats, crunches, those sorts of things, will target those muscles, but I prefer to target them in a way that is more specific to the way they are being used in the stroke,” he says.
Hanging bar exercises
Swinging: Find a hanging bar, and hang from your hands, with your palms pointed away from you. Using your core muscles, swing your legs back and forward, keeping them as straight as possible. Don’t use momentum to swing, but rather the abdominal muscles.
Pike pull up: From the hanging bar, do a pull up with your legs in the pike position, or in front of you at a right angle to your upper body.
Monofin or flippers?
The monofin is the best for deep dives, maximum speed and efficient movement. The downside is they are hard to wear for long periods of time. They have to be strapped to the feet very tightly, which can cause blisters and cramps.
Flippers are better for relaxation, recreation – spearfishing and snorkelling, for example – and for training. They offer more versatility.
7 off-season tips for divers
Technical diver and commercial dive supervisor Andy Torbet began exploring the ocean when he was 12 and has been at it ever since. He’s explored sunken cities, elaborate cave systems, deep wrecks and reefs. We caught up with Andy just before he left for an expedition and asked what divers should do to stay dive-ready in the off-season. Here are his 7 off-season tips.
Don’t have an off-season
My personal recommendation for the off-season is not to have one. Even if you dive only very occasionally, and the dives are shallower and shorter than normal or even in a pool, it will help. They will keep those essential skills from fading and make sure your kit is working and familiar. Most diving incidents and accidents happen every year in spring when people come back to diving after taking the winter off. Just a quick dive a few times over the winter will help you stay on top of your game.
Andy explores Finland's Ojamo Mine, where Suunto tests its dive products. © Janne Suhonen “Most diving accidents happen in spring when people come back to diving after taking the winter off.”
Diving’s not physical, but it’s also physical
Diving is not primarily a physical performance sport but it is still physical. Recent medical investigations supported by incident reports have shown that your body is put under pressure even on simple dives and the more physically robust we can make ourselves the safer we are.
Why fitness matters
Ask yourself this: if two divers had identical diving skills, experience and attitude would you rather dive with the fit one or the out of shape one? Which diver do you think would have the greater chance of having a problem and which would you rather count on? Being physically fit can help in nearly all situations and is particularly important in some situations, from finning against a strong current, towing a casualty on the surface or just hauling oneself out of the water in a less than ideal condition. “Being physically fit can help in nearly all situations.”
© Martin Hartley
Take care of your body
It’s worth keeping a basic level of activity going in the off-season to keep you healthy for the new season. I know a lot of divers who go hill walking in winter just to keep their bodies active. But it’s also a time to look at doing some work on those problem areas you’ve been putting off (because you were too busy diving). Perhaps it’s a sore shoulder or a weak knee. Make sure you start the new season in the best shape possible. That way you can dive more, enjoy it more and be capable of more.
Core strength is key
Diving kit is heavy so spend some time working on your strength, and especially core strength. I’ve seen a number of dives cut short because someone injured their lower back getting kitted up. You can spend the spare time in the off-season getting into the habit so when you start diving again these exercises have become part of your routine.“I’ve seen a number of dives cut short because someone injured their lower back getting kitted up.”© Janne Suhonen
Maintain and take stock
I don’t have an off-season, but the winter is less busy so I use that period to service equipment, look at what needs replacing or go over the last year and see what I could can change or improve for next year. It’s an opportunity to take stock and look to improve.
Stay inspired
Keep yourself inspired. The off-season is also a good time to start planning projects or booking those courses you want to get done. Get the paperwork side of things done when the weather is bad to make full use of your time when it’s time to start diving.
How yoga can make you a better mountain runner
Italian yoga teacher and mountain runner Tite Togni tells us why the two are a perfect match.
Image (and feature image) Richard Bull, Trail Running Nepal
To be a successful mountain runner the body and mind must be working in harmony before, during and after a race. Pioneering mountain runner and experienced Iyengar yoga teacher, Tite Togni, has known for a long time what most runners are now finding out – yoga is a perfect addition to any training schedule. We had a chat with Tite to find out why yoga is so great for runners, here’s what she had to say.
Tell us a little about yourself
I am an Italian Iyanger yoga certified teacher. In the past I was a professional figure skater, so sport has always been part of my life. I stopped pro-sports for two decades when I had kids and a family life. I got back into running when I had more time and I found the more I trained and raced, the more I went to the yoga mat. Training could not give me balance – the balance in life, mind and body. Being stressed in competitions became ok, as long as I got back to the mat. I decided this was something I could give to other sports people.
And yoga, how did you get into that?
I started yoga in 1989, in Los Angeles while studying at university, because I had some back pain. It was like anyone’s first experience of yoga – I felt the relief in my whole back. In sports your core is your abs, at the front, but in yoga the core is your spine. That was my first enlightenment, and it has never stopped!
You’ve been a bit of a pioneer in linking yoga and running?
Twenty years ago I tried to communicate basic yoga to runners, but runners were the last people that thought they needed yoga. Times have changed a lot. Lots of athletes are finding it necessary to practice yoga during cross training on a regular basis.
What benefits can yoga bring to runners?
What they gain is health for the mind and body. The muscles, tendons, ligaments and flexibility are better of course, but the mind is equally important. With yoga practice the mind is always focused. Learning to be present not just during the race, but every day so you’re able to make that decision on whether today is ok to run, or not. This is important for injury prevention.
Image by Stefano Marta, Mandala Trail
What type of yoga should runners do?
Before running you want to warm up the body and mind, get maximum oxygen delivery. Everyone has heard of the Sun Salutation. That opens up all parts of the body, every cell wakes up! After running you don’t need that. When running you really use the body, so most spaces are full and tight, joints get stiff and oxygen doesn’t flow. Use restorative practises, the spine and sitting poses that open up the chest and hips and lengthen the body.
What about injury prevention and recovery?
The best use of yoga to prevent injury is the ability to be present. Most injuries don’t come from over use but from not listening to the body in stressful moments, the moment before the injury occurs. Many injuries are due to misalignment in the spine and the right or left parts of the body. The use of props can help get into a pose even when injured.
Is there a danger with static stretching for runners, as opposed to dynamic stretching?
My guru, BKS Iyengar, would always say: “breath is king of the mind – the measure for everything is breath.” Static stretching can be dangerous if you don’t breathe. You can hold any pose if you keep breathing, today three breaths, tomorrow 10 - that is progression. Dynamic stretching can be dangerous, as can anything - sitting on the couch can be dangerous! If you don’t let the breath flow and feel every moment and every movement, if there is to be flow you must have no obstacles.
Is it best to have a teacher, like you had?
It is important to start practising with direct guidance. Now there are more online courses and with many sports people being so busy it’s easy to just practice online. But that can be misleading. The millennial success of yoga has been in direct transmission of experience, 'parampara' which means from teacher to student, in continuous feedback, to progressively gain self awareness and then you can continue alone too.
Find out more about Tite on instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
New Suunto Traverse Sapphire Black continues Suunto design heritage
The Suunto Traverse collection grows today with a new Sapphire Black watch. The newest addition to the Suunto Traverse family takes durability a step further with its sapphire crystal glass. On the inside, the Sapphire Black contains the trusted set of outdoor features and easy navigation functions introduced in the Suunto Traverse product line last fall.
“The all black watches, such as Suunto Core All Black, are legendary Suunto designs and we wanted to continue this fine tradition in the Suunto Traverse family by introducing the Traverse Sapphire Black. For this special version, we wanted to add also sapphire crystal glass, which amounts to its robustness, creating a bold, stealth-like look for the watch”, explains Suunto Industrial Designer, Tuomas Reivo.
Versatile outdoor features and GPS/GLONASS navigation
Suunto Traverse watches are easy to use with a quick access to key features. The watches support both GPS and GLONASS satellite navigation systems. Follow your progress en-route with key statistics such as altitude and distance, and save points of interest along the way. The automatic breadcrumb trail ensures you can re-trace your steps when needed.
Altitude, vertical speed and total ascent are measured accurately with FusedAlti™, where barometric pressure information is combined with satellite altitude. Alerts, such as storm alarm, are made noticeable by vibration, keeping noise disturbance to a minimum. To find your essentials or check a map in the dark, the backlight of Suunto Traverse can be activated in an extra bright flashlight mode.
All Suunto Traverse watches are tested according to military standard (MIL-STD- 810G) and are designed and hand built in Finland.
Suunto Traverse Sapphire Black is available from May 19th in the Suunto.com webshop and with select retailers, the RRP is 499 €. For more information, visit traverse collection.
5 proven ways to improve running economy
“Running economy is the holy grail for distance runners, not a high VO 2 max,” writes Josiah Middaugh , XTERRA World Champion and a professional coach. Read on to learn more.
Running economy is the holy grail for distance runners. It was once thought that a high VO2 max was the discriminating factor for distance running performance. However, among a homogenous group of runners, VO2 max is not correlated with performance. It turns out that running economy plays a more crucial role.
For many years the Kenyans and East Africans dominated middle distance events and it was thought their aerobic capacity due to altitude training and genetics were superior, but that is not the case. Their VO2 max values were no better than world class athletes from all over the world and athletes from other endurance disciplines. Remarkably, some East Africans were able to run exceptional times with moderate aerobic capacities. The most economical distance runner ever measured could run 1500m in 3:35 with a VO2 max of only 63 ml/kg/min (Foster and Lucia, 2008).
Increase stride rate
Running mechanics can be very complex. Compared to novice runners, elite runners tend to have a shorter ground contact time, less braking forces, less vertical oscillation, less energy expended in the frontal plane, specific joint angles during phases of the run gait, and less oxygen consumed for any given pace. To think of several these things at once will probably not be helpful. Increasing stride rate can be a simple solution to a complex problem.
My former professor and world renowned running coach Dr. Jack Daniels observed that Olympic distance runners had very similar stride rates in all of the long-distance events. The stride rate he observed was over 180 steps per minute. Most novice runners tend to be closer to 160 steps per minute which causes longer ground contact time, increased braking forces, and more vertical oscillation. Visually, efficient runners experience ground contact occurring under your center of gravity (instead of out in front), less heel striking, and a smoother, less loping stride. Simply increasing stride rate without increasing pace will solve several biomechanical issues at once. As pace increases, stride length increases while stride rate remains mostly unchanged.
To master, I like to practice the quick turnover at easy to moderate speeds where it might not feel as natural. Even speeds as low as a 12 min/mi pace, it is possible to maintain a stride rate of 180 steps per minute. Think about your legs acting as wheels while your roll over the ground like road runner, rather than like pogo sticks slamming into the ground. Initially a quicker turnover might be less economical as you retrain your neuromuscular system. However, the upside will be worth it with improved running economy and less impact.
Increase mileage
Running economy has been found to fluctuate in distance runners from season to season depending on total running mileage and from year to year. In a group of elite runners, during the road racing season when mileage was higher, running economy was better compared to spring track season when mileage was lower (Kubo et al., 2010). Another study found a cumulative effect on running economy based on total running mileage in a career having a stronger effect than current running mileage (Midgley et al., 2007).
Single sport distance runners and coaches have long known the benefits from higher mileage, but simply increasing mileage linearly can lead to a slippery slope of injury, burnout, and overtraining. Although open for interpretation, these studies show the importance of consistency over time. For multi-sport athletes they imply that there may be some benefit to an off-season run focus, increasing run frequency if running is a limiter, and consistent long runs throughout the year. When increasing mileage, a conservative approach to avoid injury is to limit total mileage increases to ten percent per week, but with undulation and not linear progression.
Strength training
Strength training has the potential to improve running economy and prevent injury in a few different ways. Although running doesn't require an extremely high level of core strength, many distance runners are deficient. I like the definition of core strength as lumbo-pelvic-hip stability. With running, you are either in the air or in a single leg stance. The single leg stance requires proper timing and recruitment of this core musculature to prevent too much wasted energy. Approximately 20% of expended energy while running is spent stabilizing in the frontal plane (side to side).
Another way strength training can improve running economy is neuromuscular and structural. Replacing a portion of running volume with a small amount of heavy strength training has been shown to improve musculo-tendon stiffness, and neuromuscular efficiency. They key here is to make sure that strength training remains supplemental and replaces some of your total training volume so you aren't just increasing fatigue.
"Functional body mass uses energy but is also used to propel you forward," says Josiah Middaugh.
Lose non-functional weight
This is pretty simple and straightforward and doesn't apply to everyone. Unlike swimming, or cycling on flat ground, running economy is always dependent on total body weight. I like to think of running as a series of falls and with every stride you must lift, catch, and support your body weight. Carrying less mass will use less energy. The key here is to focus on mass that is not functional such as body fat. Small increases in lean body mass (muscle) do not affect relative running economy. Functional body mass uses energy but is also used to propel you forward, so carry what you need but not anything extra.
Perform plyometrics
Plyometric training can be a shortcut to improved running economy. Like strength training, it is important to replace a portion of training volume with plyometric training and not add it on top of your training load. Plyometrics are generally considered high intensity although most people can perform lighter versions of plyometrics called form drills. Some examples include high knees, power skipping, bounding, double and single leg hops. The mechanism has most to do with the stiffness or responsiveness of the muscle-tendon complex (Spurs, et al., 2002). A small amount can go a long way with plyometrics, so perform high intensity plyos when fresh and limit total jumps to about 200 per session. Performed 2-3 sessions per week, running economy can be improved in as little as six weeks of plyometric training (Saunders et al., 2006).
Josiah Middaugh is the reigning XTERRA Pan America Champion and 2015 XTERRA World Champion. He has a master’s degree in kinesiology and has been a certified personal trainer for 15 years (NSCA-CSCS).
Images by Matt Trappe
References
Foster, C., & Lucia, A. (2007). Running economy: the forgotten factor in elite performance. Sports Medicine, 37, 4-5, 316-319.
Kubo, K., Tabata, T., Ikebukuro, T., Igarashi, K., & Tsunoda, N. (2010). A longitudinal assessment of running economy and tendon properties in long distance runners. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, [E-pub ahead of print]
Midgley, A., McNaughton, L., Jones, A. (2007). Training to enhance the physiological determinants of long-distance running performance: can valid recommendations be given to runners and coaches based on current scientific knowledge? Sports Medicine, 37(10), 857-880.
Yoshida, T., Udo, M., Chida, M., Ichioka, M., Makiguchi, K., & yamaguchi, T., (1990). Specificity of physiological adaptation to endurance training in distance runners and competitive walkers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 61, 197-201.
Saunders, P., Telford, R., Pyne, D., Peltola, E., Cunningham, R., Gore, C., and Hawley, J. (2006). Short-term plyometric training improves running economy in highly trained middle and long distance runners. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 20, 4, 947-954.
Spurrs, R., Murphy, A., & Watsford, M. (2002). The effect of plyometric training on distance running performance. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 89, 1, 1-7.
10 must-read Suunto articles from 2020
Just like training, a little reading everyday goes a long way. And reading about training, about adventure, and about how to improve your core skill set keeps the fire of inspiration and discipline burning.
So bookmark this article, and next time you’re in recovery mode and feel like you need a boost, flop on the couch and peruse at your leisure. You’ll find yourself itching for your next big training session or adventure.
Pau Capell (above) went after his own record on the UTMB trail this year.
Welcome to the season of the FKT
It’s been one heck of a year. But despite the disruption and the tragedy caused by the pandemic athletes and adventurers, like most of us, have had to adapt, and find new ways to keep the show on the road. With races cancelled, many have turned to fashioning their own personal adventures, including going after fastest known time (FKT) records on the world’s iconic trails. Read on to find out about the 2020 FKT phenomena.
Professional Xterra triathlete Karsten Madsen on his Everesting attempt. © @matthew.tongue
No races? Conquer your own Everest?
Another way athletes, particularly triathletes, have kept themselves busy and motivated is by scaling their own Everests. We talked to one Suunto athlete about this phenomena and found out how cool it is.
© Kelvin Trautman / Red Bull Content Pool
The benefits of training to music and making your best playlist
This year we’ve spoken to DJs about music and movement, and how they find the balance. Each DJ artist or group put together a playlist on Suunto’s Spotify channel, with each playlist designed to support easy, medium, intense workouts, or to vibe with your mornings, evenings and nights. We also found out about the benefits of working out to music and how to make the pitch perfect playlist.
Get Suunto's playlists to work out to here.
© Philipp Reiter
Start your path to mountain navigation mastery here
Aiming to spend more time in the mountains? Then make sure to study our series on wayfinding in the mountains. Put together by Suunto’s navigator-in-chief, Terho Lahtinen, an elite adventure racer, these articles look at the core skills needed to become a competent navigator in big terrain.
© Kilian Jornet
Finding the balance: Emelie Forsberg’s 7 motherhood tips for running mums
Suunto ambassador and skyrunning champion Emelie Forsberg has transitioned from full time athlete to full time mum. She’s had some trial and error as she’s tried to find a balance between training and performing, and being a totally present and awesome mum. We caught up with her and found out what she’s learned along the way.
William is the first person to swim underwater across a major channel.
5 steps to therapeutic breathing to combat COVID-19
Suunto ambassador and world champion freediver William Trubridge knows a thing or two about breathing techniques and caring for the lungs. Breathing exercises, whether from the yogic pranayama tradition or from physiotherapy, are key aspects of freediving training. Concerned about the impact of COVID-19, William put his considerable research skills to work and discovered therapeutic breathing can go a long way to help with the healing process. Read on for his five steps.
8 tools for tracking the weather with Suunto
Knowing what’s up with the weather is a question of personal responsibility and safety for outdoor people. Even more so if you’re heading out with a group under your care. Fortunately, the days of having to poke around online to put together a picture are gone; now, thanks to smart tech and apps, high definition weather intel gets beamed straight to your device. Read on to make sure you have all the tools at your disposal.
Know your species of cloud
A little like bontanical knowledge, knowing the various species of clouds is more than just a geeky fascination; it can keep you and your group safe. Each species of cloud is telling you something, indicating what’s going on in the environment around you. We talked to Sarvesh Garimella, the chief scientist and COO at MyRadar about cloud identification and what to look out for.
Michael Arend coaches ultra and marathon runners, as well as triathletes and ski mountaineers.
How to adapt your training when the unexpected strikes
This year has been all about doing our best to adapt to the disruption caused by COVID-19. Given humans are creatures of habit, adapting isn’t always that easy. Oftentimes we hold on tight to our previous way of doing things until we have no choice but to let go. We talked to professional running and ultra marathon coach Michael Arend about how to adapt training when life blows up and you find yourself looking at the wreckage of your well laid plans.
Planning a route from scratch is just one of the many route planning options on Suunto app.
Six ways to plan a route for your next adventure
Whether Suunto or via our partners, we have ensured our users have a fist full of ways to plan their adventures. There’s something to be said for carefully planning an unknown route in advance and then going out to explore it. That’s what adventure is all about.
Lead images: Philipp Reiter
7 tips for running in hot weather
Ryan is specialist at running in heat. © Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content PoolWhen Ryan Sandes ran across the Sahara Desert in 52°C heat, it felt like he was running with a paper bag on his head. “It doesn't feel like you can get enough air in,” he say. “Everything you breathe is super hot.”
The South African ultra champion competed in the Four Deserts Race, including the Sahara, Gobi, Antarctica, and Atacama deserts, placing first in three, and second in one. He’s also run in the deserts of Madagascar and Namibia, the insane Jungle Marathon in Central America, as well as in 45°C on the epic Western States 100 Miler, where he placed first in 2017. Needless to say, Ryan has learned to handle the heat – here are his seven tips.
“Heat has a huge effect; it makes you a lot more tired, and move slower,” Ryan says. “Mentally, it's also harder. The good news is the body does adapt to heat really well.”
Take every opportunity to cool your core temperature. © Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content Pool
Before race day
Cultivate acceptance
Whatever the challenge, whether struggling with altitude like he did when he and Ryno Griesel set the fastest known time on the Great Himalayan Trail, or enduring intense humidity in the jungle, acceptance is essential for mental toughness, Ryan says. “Running in the heat is not only a physical challenge, but also a mental one,” he says. “You have to accept it and realise it's going to be tougher. It's like running at high altitude; you are going to have the physiological restrictions, and you’ve got to accept that and make peace with it.”
Click to read Ryan's five life lessons he learned on the Great Himalayan Trail
Benefit from simulation
When Ryan prepared for running across the Sahara Desert he trained in an environmental chamber at the Sports Science Institute of Cape Town. He ran on a treadmill in the small room for an hour or two, while coaches adjusted the temperature to match that in the Sahara. “It gave me a lot of confidence that I could run in those temperatures,” he says. “I think a lot of it is about not panicking, being at ease with the fact it is going to be difficult. That training helped a lot.”
Not many of us have access to an environmental chamber. If you don’t, then Ryan recommends having saunas a couple of weeks before your race. “Get into a sauna or steam room daily or every second day and just sit in their or do a couple of light exercises,” he says.
Another way to simulate, is to wait for the afternoon sun, then put on some extra layers of clothing and head out for a run. “Get the body sweating and being more efficient in the heat,” Ryan explains. “You pick it up quite quickly, but you also lose it quite quickly. Just focus on doing this two to three weeks out from the event.”
Have a plan
Before the race or training session, create a plan for how to keep yourself hydrated and as cool as possible. Think carefully about how much water you need to carry, where on the route you will be able to refill your water supply, and also when you might be able to cool yourself down. “Try to figure out how much water and electrolytes you need in your training,” Ryan says.
During the race
Regular water stops
“At the Western States 100 Miler there are a lot of aid stations long the way,” Ryan says. “Take some extra time at aid stations to make sure you are getting in enough liquids and electrolytes. While you’re there, use ice, or cold sponges, or an ice hat if you have one.”
Stay cool
Ryan recommends wearing an ice hat, or ice neck and wrist wraps to help stay cool. When you pass by a stream or lake, take a dip whenever you can. Another trick is to wear light weight attire made of fabrics that hold some moisture. As you run and the air passes through the fabric, the moisture will cool. “When your core temperature gets too high it slows you down,” he says. “If you can control that it’s a big help.”
Take electrolytes
“Don’t drink too much water without replenishing your electrolytes,” Ryan says. “Different people sweat out different amounts. The more you get used to running in the heat and the sun, the more efficient you become in how much you sweat and your electrolyte use.”
Protect yourself
A hat, sun glasses, sunscreen and lip balms are all essential items to protect yourself from the sun. “If you get sunburn early on that can be the end of the long run,” Ryan says. “When you sweat a lot, you chaff a lot more so I also use Squirrel’s Nut Butter underneath my armpits, on my nipples, and around my groin.”
Lead image: © Graeme Murray / Red Bull Content Pool
Click below for more running tips!
Learn how sleep can make you a better runner
7 principles to help you find the flow
Improve your running with high intensity hill repeats
The lazy runner's guide to a marathon
Emelie Forsberg's tips for getting running fit
Finding your running legs after a long winter or a period of inactivity is always a challenge. Emelie Forsberg offers some old school advice: Just get out there and run!
For the trail runner Emelie Forsberg, there is only a small window to get fit after winter. The first race on the calendar is the brutal 80km Transvulcania in mid-May, which doesn't leave a lot of time to train if, like her, you're into ski-touring and other mountain sports! But the Suunto ambassador says there is a way to quickly regain your running fitness:
“I'm old school! I was recently in Chamonix and was worried I had heavy legs. I spent four days there. I ran for three hours on the first day and three hours on the second day. On the third day I felt good so I ran for six hours!
My tip is just to never give up. You may not feel good the first time or even the second time but you will feel good soon. You just have to get over the hard part and then you can start to enjoy it and you'll be running fit again.”
However, there are some running specific exercises she does practise.
Emelie's five running specific exercises
“I do five exercises that are really good for working the small muscles that are important for running. You just need to do them a few times to wake the muscles up.”
1. Plank, sideplank and reverse plank: “This is good for the core, back and hamstrings.”
2. 'Paddling' with rocks: “This is good for the abs.”
3. Side leg raises: “I do this to wake up the small muscles in the hips that connect to the IT band.”
4. 'Swim' with rocks. “This is great for the lower back and shoulders. I lie on my stomach, lift up my chest and 'swim' with a water bottle or rock in one hand.”
5. Hip flexor stretch: “This is important for running.”
Suunto unveils exclusive Suunto Essential Collection of watches
Suunto today unveils the Suunto Essential Collection, inspired by the heritage of adventure. Since Suunto was founded over 75 years ago, the Finnish watchmaker has been at the forefront of many pioneering innovations enabling adventure; from compasses to dive computers and sports watches. Trusted by explorers, Suunto is as equally at home on the top of Mt Everest as in the depths of the ocean.
The collection embodies the Suunto spirit – minimalist design, premium materials, attention to detail and zero compromise when it comes to precision and reliability. The award winning Suunto designer Timo Yliluoma drew inspiration for the Suunto Essential collection from the company’s long history of making outdoor instruments:
“I aimed to match the pure form of the original Suunto March Compass with a simple, minimalistic design and construction for Suunto Essential. We also elevated the whole design through our choice of materials: high-grade stainless steel with premium coatings, sapphire crystal and premium vegetable-tanned leathers. It gives me great pride to say that Suunto Essential is both designed and made in Finland.”
Finland is home to wild landscapes and a great design tradition, a natural birthplace for the Suunto Essential Collection which blends the rough with the smooth, the rugged wilderness with man-made perfection. The watches' clean lines ensure they can be worn on every occasion. Equal in functionality to the popular Suunto Core outdoor watch, barometric altimeter, barometer and compass modes are standard.
There are six editions: the Copper, Gold, Carbon and Steel have a brushed finish and come with leather straps. The Stone and Slate variants have a matt finish and unique, durable textile strap. Every watch comes with an exclusive watch roll and is individually signed off at the Finnish factory to guarantee the highest quality every time. The Suunto Essential Collection is available in Asia from January 15th, globally from March 12th onwards.
For more information, go to Suunto.com/EssentialCollection.