Some sound advice from Coach Tom Craggs on how to maintain fitness & training during lockdown
April 2020: 
This is a difficult period for everyone and of course runners are no different. In this period what is critical to remember is that health is always a precursor to performance. Look after yourself and those around you, and hard training and doing the things we love will return in time.
There are some things we can still do though to push our training forward whilst trying to limit our time out of the home. Here are my top tips:
Watch Tom's Video
Get strong: Yes you might well have been hit with a thousand Instagram videos of home workout routines, but it genuinely is a good time to work on that often neglected conditioning routine.
Do it right: Focus on simple body weight conditioning exercises such as squats, lunges, single leg squats and bridges, press ups, rowing exercise and core. Build them into a simple circuit perhaps alternating upper and lower body exercises.
Recover right: With less time spent commuting and chasing your tail around the shops or in meetings we can get ourselves into a better routine with our nutrition and sleep.
Do it right: Look for a consistent, repeatable pre-bed routine, avoid caffeine and alcohol late at right and get off that smart phone in the last 60 minutes before bed.....yes you!
Reflect and review: On so many levels this is a pretty reflective period. As runners we rarely take the time to reflect fully and draw the learning from our previous training. Get the training diary out and go to work.
Do it right: Draw up a spreadsheet to include a wide range of physical, psychological and recovery area. Speed, endurance, racing tactics, strength, nutrition, sleep etc. Score where you have been out of 10, and then where you want to get to. Pick up 4-5 of the top areas and set yourself an action plan to improve.
Train with care: The Baxters Loch Ness Marathon and River Ness 10K are many weeks away. If you had built your fitness for a spring race don't try to maintain that peak through to October. Back off a little, rebuild and peak in October!
Do it right: A period of lighter training for 4-6 weeks, with easier running, good strength training, strides and light speed work is sensible. Aim to get to mid June with bucket loads of energy to throw at your 10km or marathon training.
Keep talking: Running provides critical social contact and mental relief for many of us. It's super important that you keep communicating with running friends and family to keep your mental and physical health in order.
Do it right: Stay in touch with us on social media, communicate with club members or running friends regularly and don't be afraid to get involved in some of the virtual challenges and races coming up provided you can do so healthily and safely.
Tom Craggs is England Event Lead for Long Distance Running and Runners World UK Head Coach. He is one of the UK’s most in demand coaches, coaching runners from beginners right through to GB elite athletes including some of the UK’s most well-known runners. 
