MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION

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MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
bhf.org.uk

 MyMarathon
Manual
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
One marathon.
                     One month.
   Your way.
              MyMarathon isn’t about fast times, expensive gadgets or gold
              medals. It’s running 26.2 miles, your way, for families affected by
              heart and circulatory diseases. It’s breaking a sweat to beat the
              world’s biggest killers. Because right now, hearts need your help
              more than ever.
              The devastating impact of Covid-19 has cut our ability to fund
              future research in half. But our work is far from over. Parents are
              still losing babies to congenital heart disease, families are still
              losing loved ones to stroke and cardiac arrest, and there is still no
              cure for conditions like vascular dementia.
              So with the help of this handy manual, we’re asking you to go
              the distance to get our research back on track. Inside you’ll find
              everything you need to cover 26.2 miles in June, from running tips
              and mood-boosting affirmation cards to simple steps to kickstart
              your fundraising. Download it to your device, print off the parts you
              need and get ready to run. Because together, we stand the best
              chance of beating heartbreak forever.

              Good luck!

#MyMarathon
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
Contents

Find the          1 Run
runner in you
                  2 Getting started
                  3 Running tips

for life saving   4 What kind of runner are you?
                  6 Mile tracker
research.         7 Weekly challenges
                  8 Power cards

                  10 Re-energise
                  11 Fuel your miles
                  12 Try this recipe
                  13 Check in with you

                  14 Raise money
                  15 Kickstart your fundraising
                  17 Heart note
                  18 Your rewards
                  19 Pay in your money

                  20 Thank you

#MyMarathon
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
Run.
#MyMarathon
                 1
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
Getting
       started
                     1     Set up your fundraising page
                           Once you’ve signed up, we’ll direct you to JustGiving to
                           set up a fundraising page. It’s a quick and easy way to
                           collect donations from the comfort of your home!

2    Connect Strava app or fitness tracker*
     Look out for an email explaining how to connect Strava
     to your JustGiving page, as a simple way to track your
     miles and keep loved ones in the loop.
     *Optional

                     3     Congratulations!
                           Now you’ve set up your JustGiving page, connected your
                           tracking device it’s time to get going. Start clocking up
                           those miles and donations!

#MyMarathon
                                                                                      2
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
Running
                 tips
                       Set a goal
                       Before you start, think about how you’d like to complete the 26.2
                       miles. Whether it’s walking a couple of miles each day, running
                       10km a week or doing the whole thing in one weekend.

Find the gear
Make sure you have a comfortable pair of trainers that provide
good support, and when it comes to choosing running tops and
leggings, go for breathable fabrics like nylon and polyester.

                       Warm up
                       It’s always important to warm up before a run so make sure you
                       take the time to get your blood circulating with a brisk walk,
                       lunges, hamstring and hip stretches.

Start slow
Try to pace your runs. Tempting as might be to set off
at a sprint, it will only leave you feeling breathless
towards the end. Start slow, then build up or try
alternating bursts of walking and running.

Mix it up
Don’t get bored pounding the same old
pavements, try something new each day to keep
things fresh. A change of scenery will help you
stay motivated when things get tough.

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                        3
MANUAL MYMARATHON - BHF.ORG.UK - BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION
What kind of runner
      are you?
Find out what kind of runner you are, then
read our top tips to help you through June.

The Pack Runner                                  The Pavement Pounder
You like running, but you prefer                 Running isn’t just a pastime, it’s a passion.
having someone to run with. Whether              There’s barely a day goes by that you’re
it’s the mate who always manages                 not busting a gut to beat your personal
to get you moving in the morning or              best. You crave the rush of endorphins on
the friendly faces at your local park            race day, you’ve conquered countless 10Ks
run, you perform best when spurred               and you’re ready to take your
on by others.                                    running a step further.

                                                                                   Tip!
  It might be called ‘My’ Marathon, but if         If breaking up the distance
  lockdown restrictions have lifted, there’s       throughout June feels too easy,
  no need to go it alone. Get your friends         choose a specific day and run
  involved or spread the word at your local        half or the full marathon. Or for an even
  walking or running club. Alternatively, join     bigger challenge, give friends and family
  the MyMarathon Facebook Group to be              the power to decide how many miles you
  cheered on by fellow                             run. For example, “for every £10 donated,
  BHF runners.                                     I’ll run 2 miles”.

                                  Tip!

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                               4
What kind of runner
       are you?

The Brave Beginner                                    The Thrill Seeker
This is your first foray into the world of            You’re always on the lookout for new and
running, and despite a few nerves, you’re             exciting experiences. Barre, Bikram Yoga,
determined to see it through. That’s what             80s dance aerobics — you’ve tried them
makes you special. You’ll try something               all. Which is why running has never really
new and give it your best for a cause you             appealed. Until now of course. Now you’ve
care about. Maybe you’re a beginner, but              got a reason to run (and there are plenty
you’re a winner in our eyes.                          of ways to make it fun!).

                                       Tip!
  Start slow and build up. Read                         Ask friends and family to recommend their
  our Top Running Tips and then                         favourite running anthems to create a playlist
  plan your miles using the Mile Tracker. Try           with a difference, or if music isn’t your thing,
  not to get ahead of yourself by running too           download your favourite podcasts. Don’t
  far or fast on your first couple of runs. Take it     forget to change up your route and watch
  easy. And for helpful tips and pointers, join         out for our weekly challenges
  the MyMarathon Facebook Group.                        in your emails!

                                                                                           Tip!

                                              Boost your
                                                           h
                                            endorphins wit
                                              donations!
 #MyMarathon
                                                                                                      5
Mile                                            These trainers
      tracker                                    are about to
                                               transform lives!

 June 2021                                                             Totals
       1             2            3       4    5         6              wk1

 7     8             9            10      11   12        13             wk2

 14    15            16           17      18   19        20             wk3

 21    22            23           24      25   26        27             wk4

 28    29            30                                                 wk5

Try these weekly challenges:
       Week 1: Run Red                         Week 3: Follow Your Heart
       Wear red and run                        Run wearing your
       for the BHF                             BHF heart note
       (See next page for more details)        (See next page for more details)

       Week 2: Raise Big                       Week 4: Your Finish Line Moment
       Share your JustGiving page              Share a photo that sums
       with 5 new people                       up your challenge
       (See next page for more details)        (See next page for more details)

#MyMarathon
                                                                                  6
Weekly
        challenges
                       Week 1 Run Red
                       This is your first challenge of the month and we’re starting with
                       a splash of colour. So pull up your red socks, don a red t-shirt or
                       stand out in a pair of red shorts and run red for the BHF.

                                      Week 2 Raise Big
        MyMarathon isn’t just about running the miles, it’s raising
      as much as you can for life saving research. So in your third
     week, share your JustGiving page with five new people and
                           ask them to help you reach your goal.

                       Week 3 Follow Your Heart
                       It’s likely you have a personal reason for taking part in
                       MyMarathon. So in your second week, fill in the heart note on
                       page 17 and share a photo of you wearing it on social media.
                       Or, if you’re feeling creative, get the glitter out to make your own!

          Week 4 Your Finish Line Moment
Celebrate the end of your MyMarathon challenge by sharing your
 finish line moment! Whether it’s a selfie of your final run, or your
   miles ticking over to 26.2 on your running app, we want to see!

Don’t forget to tag us on social media too!
Use our hashtag #MyMarathon

      @TheBHF                 @the_bhf

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                          7
Power
    cards
Use these cards to feel empowered throughout June.
Cut them out and stick them up on walls, mirrors or even
your muddy trainers. Wherever best to get you in the
MyMarathon mindset!

   Keep                           Raise your
                                  game for
   going                           research

  My miles                      Look how
                                 far I’ve
   matter                         come

 #MyMarathon
                                                       8
I can          Tomorrow
  do this        is a new day

  Keep           Sweating
                  it out to
  going          save lives

  Beating
 heartbreak,     Dig deep for
one blister at    donations
   a time

#MyMarathon
                              9
Re-
     energise.

#MyMarathon
              10
Fuel your
           miles                                                 Fire up those
                                                                thighs to fund !
                                                                              rch
                                                            life saving resea
                         Before you run
                         Just like a car, your body needs fuel to move. So before you head
                         out, make sure you eat something. As a rule of the thumb, wait at
                         least 30 minutes after you’ve eaten a snack before you run, and a
                         minimum of 2 hours after a bigger meal.

Focus on carbs
Carbohydrates provide a slow and steady source of energy that
will give you stamina to get through each run. Try to choose nutrition-
rich foods like porridge, whole grain bread, brown rice and bananas!

                         Don’t forget protein
                         Protein is crucial for muscle repair and can help boost recovery
                         after a run. To get the full benefits, nutritionists recommend getting
                         10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes of a run. Chicken, eggs,
                         salmon, yoghurt and peanut butter are all good options.

Stay hydrated
It’s vital to stay hydrated when you run, especially if it’s sunny, so
make sure you drink water before you head out and take a bottle
with you. You also lose fluids when you sweat, so remember to
rehydrate after your run too.

                         Avoid tummy troubles
                         Runner’s stomach is a common complaint and usually consists of
                         abdominal cramping and a strong urge to use the bathroom. To
                         avoid it, try and give yourself enough time to digest food and
                         drink before running, and lay off irritants like caffeine, spicy food
                         and alcohol.

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                          11
Mindful Chef is
                                                                                                     offering a fantastic
                                                                                                    introductory offer to

Try this                                                                                           celebrate the launch.
                                                                                                  For £10 off your first and

         recipe
                                                                                                  second box use the code
                                                                                                   BHF10X2 at checkout.
                                                                                                      mindfulchef.com
                                                                                                           Offer valid until further
                                                                                                                   notice.

 We’ve launched an exciting new partnership with Mindful
 Chef to keep your heart healthy. To mark the launch,
 Mindful Chef introduced a new range of recipes chosen
 by BHF dietitians. So why not give this delicious dish a try
 during MyMarathon!

 Spanish cod with chickpeas and roasted peppers
 Category: Main meal Serves: 2 Prep time: 5 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes

 • 1 lemon                                         		
                                                   3 Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas.
 • 2 x 150g cod fillets (skin on)                          Roughly chop or crush the garlic.
 • 1 400g tin of chickpeas                                Thinly slice the yellow pepper and the
  (240g drained weight)                                    roasted red pepper. Roughly chop the
                                                           parsley leaves.
 • 2 garlic cloves
 • 1 yellow pepper                                 		
                                                   4 Heat a large pan with 1 tbsp oil on a
 • 1 roasted red pepper                                   medium heat and cook the garlic and
                                                           the yellow pepper for 3 minutes.
  (either roasted in the oven or from a jar)
 • 1 handful of flat-leaf parsley                  		
                                                   5 Then add the chickpeas, roasted red
 • 1 tsp smoked paprika                                    pepper, smoked paprika, sundried
                                                           tomato paste, half of the chopped
 • 40g baby spinach
                                                           parsley and 2 tbsp water to the pan
 • 2 tbsp Belazu sundried tomato paste                     and cook for 5 minutes. Then stir in
 • 40g baby spinach                                        the spinach and cook for a further
                                                           2 minutes until wilted. Season with
 1 Preheat the oven to 180C /gas 4.
 		                                                        black pepper.
 		
 2 Zest the lemon. Place each cod             		
                                              6    Spoon the chickpeas and roasted
    fillet on a piece of foil or parchment
                                                   peppers into two warm bowls and
    paper. Drizzle the cod fillets with the
                                                   top with the cod. Sprinkle over the
    juice from half the lemon and 1 tbsp
                                                   remaining chopped parsley and
    oil, sprinkle over the lemon zest and
                                                   serve with the remaining half lemon,
    season with black pepper. Wrap up
                                                   cut into wedges.
    into parcels and place on a baking
    tray in the oven for 12-15 minutes      Nutritional information
    until cooked through.                   Each portion contains
                                                 Energy        Carbo-            Fibre   Sugars     Fat       Saturates    Salt
                                                 2180kj        hydrate           11.2g    8.3g      24g         2.6g      0.94g
                                                 521kcal         49g                      Low       High        Low        Low

                                                  26%           18%          37%          9%        34%         13%       16%

#MyMarathon
                                               % = an adult’s reference intake

                                                                                                                                       12
Check in
           with you
                          Breathe
                          It’s easy to fall into a shallow breathing pattern
                          when we run, but this slows down the delivery of oxygen to
                          parts of the body that need it. So next time you head out, focus on
                          taking deeper breaths and fill your lungs with air. See if you notice
                          a difference in how you feel.

Yoga
Doing the same stretches after a run can become a bit monotonous,
so try some yoga instead! Yoga is a great way to relieve stress, reduce
anxiety and improve flexibility. Not only will your legs thank you in the
morning, but your mind will too.

                          Meditate
                          Meditation has long been recognised as an effective way to
                          manage stress, calm the mind and improve focus. And the
                          good news is, you can do it while running too. On your next run,
                          focus on the sights, sounds and sensations to practise bringing
                          awareness to your body.

Sleep
The body needs time to rest and repair after running, especially
if you’ve pushed yourself. So try to get at least 7-9 hours of sleep
every night, and if you find it difficult to drift off, try reading and
relaxation exercises or limit screen time before bed.

                                       You don’t have to
                                        run fast to fund
                                     life saving research!
 #MyMarathon
                                                                                         13
Raise
              money.
#MyMarathon
                  14
Kickstart your
        fundraising
Here are some tips to help you reach your goal and
raise as much as possible for pioneering research.

                      Upload a photo
                      When friends and family visit your JustGiving page, greet them with
                      a photo and continue to upload snaps before, during and after
                      MyMarathon. You can raise up to 82% more with a profile picture

Tell your story
Great fundraising is about telling great stories. Perhaps you’ve
been personally affected by heart and circulatory diseases, or
someone you love has, so let people know why you’re taking part.

                      Set a target
                      Working towards a goal is an excellent way to stay
                      motivated. Post things like ‘Just £50 to go until I reach
                      my target’ to remind people to donate.

Share updates
There will be moments when the storm
clouds open, moments when you slip in mud
and moments when you spot a rainbow.
Share these updates and ask for donations
at the same time.

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                    15
Talk about impact
                       Tell your friends, family and colleagues why they should donate.
                       Keep an eye on the MyMarathon Facebook group for information
                       on the impact of your fundraising and the life saving research you
                       are helping to support.

Say thank you
Remember to thank the people who donated and let them know
how grateful you are for their support. Who knows, it may convince
them to get involved in MyMarathon in the future.

                       Tag us! #MyMarathon
                       Don’t forget to tag the BHF in your MyMarathon photos and
                       use #MyMarathon! You can find us on Twitter (@TheBHF),
                       Instagram (@the_bhf) and we’d love to see your photos in the
                       Facebook group too!

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                    16
Heart
    note
MyMarathon is no easy feat and
it’s likely you’ve got a good reason to
brave the miles. So cut out this heart note,
fasten it to your vest or t-shirt and remind yourself
who or what you’re running for!

              I’m taking on
          MyMarathon because...

 #MyMarathon
                                                        17
Your
   rewards
We’d like to say a huge thank you to all
of our MyMarathoners for smashing out
the miles to raise money, so here’s how
you’ll be rewarded:

                                            Raise £150
                      Raise £50              or more
                       or more
 Raise £20                                    You’ll receive a
  or more             And you’ll receive   bespoke MyMarathon
                                           medal and be in with
                          a bespoke
And you’ll receive   MyMarathon medal      a chance to win your
a MyMarathon pin       to keep forever        very own Fitbit
   badge, new
     for 2021

 #MyMarathon
                                                                  18
Pay in your
          money
JustGiving
When you set up a fundraising page with JustGiving the
money people donate will come straight to us from JustGiving.

On our website
You can pay in any other donations online at bhf.org.uk/payin and send
us your sponsorship forms in the post.

Over the phone
You can pay in the money using your debit or credit card by calling 0300 330 3322.
Lines are open Monday – Friday, 9am to 5pm.

By post
Make your cheque payable to ‘British Heart Foundation’ and send to:

British Heart Foundation, 2300 The Crescent, Birmingham, B37 7YE

Don’t forget to mention your fundraising activity (MyMarathon) and include a paying-in
form and your donation form that you can download from our website.

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                     19
Thank
          you!
Over 3,000 families in the UK lose a loved     So whether you walk it, run it, break
one to heart and circulatory diseases each     up the miles across the month or
week. But despite the shocking statistics,     smash them out in one, you can
research into the world’s biggest killers      feel proud knowing you’re paving
remains underfunded — and we need your         the way to a brighter future.
help to close that gap.                        A world free from the heartbreak
                                               and conditions like heart
Signing up to MyMarathon is more than          disease, stroke and
smashing out the miles or wearing fancy        vascular dementia.
fitness gear. It’s taking steps to get vital
funding to the scientists that need it. It’s
going the distance to help them discover
desperately needed treatments and cures.

                            Good luck!

 #MyMarathon
                                                                                       20
bhf.org.uk

Heart transplants. Clot busting drugs. Pacemakers. Breakthroughs
born from visionary medical research. Research you fund with
your donations.

Heart and circulatory diseases kill 1 in 4 people in the UK. They
cause heartbreak on every street. But if research can invent
machines to restart hearts, fix arteries in newborn babies, build
tiny devices to correct heartbeats, and give someone a heart they
weren’t born with – imagine what’s next.

We fund research into all heart and circulatory diseases and
their risk factors. Heart attacks, heart failure, stroke, vascular
dementia, diabetes and many more. All connected, all under our
microscope. Our research is the promise of future prevention,
cures and treatments.

The promise to protect the people we love. Our children.
Our parents. Our brothers. Our sisters. Our grandparents.
Our closest friends.

You and the British Heart Foundation. Together, we will beat
heartbreak forever.

Beat heartbreak forever.
© British Heart Foundation 2021, a registered charity in England and Wales (225971) and Scotland (SC039426)
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