Health tip of the week

Technology has made life a lot easier in so many ways – including the simple act of exercising, as these days you can stay focused and on track with the help of a mobile phone app.

But things can and do go wrong, so to help you reach your fitness goals during the Pfizer Healthy Towns programme, running coach Mary Jennings offers a couple of tips and sports psychologist Canice Kennedy has some advice on how to keep motivated as we head into autumn.

“Make sure to keep an eye on your battery when experimenting with running apps,” advises Jennings. “With GPS and the apps constantly looking for your location, some can hit your battery power and a phone app is no good if the second half of your run is not recorded because there is no battery power left. This is the reason many long-distance runners eventually use a running watch as well as their phone.

"Alternatively, if you are following a training programme from a book, coach or online (like our one at irishtimes.com/life-and-style/get-running), programme your 'homework' into a simple app like Interval Timer. Listen out for the beep, which will guide you as you alternate between walking and running."

Jennings also says a standard music app such as Spotify will do a lot to help you through your run/walk as your favourite tunes will take your mind off the ‘burn’.

“Spotify and many similar apps now have options to allow you select songs at a chosen beat per minute to match your ideal cadence,” she says. “If you are confident that your running rhythm is good, you can even amend a setting on these apps to automatically speed up or slow down the beat of your favourite songs to match your footfall.”

And if simply getting out the door is an issue, Canice Kennedy has some advice:

“Be clear on your reasons for training, set specific and measurable goals and write them down,” he says. “Find a training partner or group and schedule training in your diary at the start of every week. Also go public by telling friends or colleagues and ask them to motivate you.

“Have a motivational speech ready for yourself when you are reluctant to go out on cold mornings and reward yourself when you achieve key milestones.”

Health Tip of the Week is sponsored by Pfizer as part of its HealthyTown initiative. Every year Pfizer selects a town to take part in a unique initiative aimed at showing you – no matter what age you are, or where you live – simple steps to improve your health; irishtimes.com/sponsored/healthy-town. For more information visit irishheart.ie