New Year, New Year’s Running Resolution – Stay Injury Free in 2015 and Achieve Your Running Fitness Goals
Announcement posted by run4 26 Dec 2014
Brisbane, 26 December 2014 – As January 1 dawns, inspiring each of us to dream big, as many as 40% of people will begin 2015 with a new year’s resolution front of mind. Yet, according to statistics, only 8% will go on to achieve that goal.
For those hoping to reignite their running career, setting a goal is just the start. And, whether it’s to set a new PB, run a marathon or simply spend a year free from injury, the team at Run4 have developed a training tool that can help any passionate runner go on to achieve those goals.
Revolutionising Running Training
The Bionic Runner is the world’s first non-impact, running-specific fitness trainer and, since launching in December 2014, is already promising to change the way people think about their running training the world over.
Ranked as the third all time fastest Australian female over 50km, ultra runner Kerrie Otto de Grancy recently spoke out about her experience with the Bionic Runner, using the Bionic Runner both in the lead up to the 100km World Championships, and during recovery.
“I dedicated the majority of my training time in the last three weeks before the 100km World Championships to training on the Bionic Runner,” she says.
“This enabled me to clock up the kilometres and time on my legs that I needed without impact. I feel at an advantage that I was able to ease back into running after the event and allow my body to recover properly by alternating between the Bionic Runner, road and track running,” she adds.
Injury Prevention
For Steve Cranitch and Dr Henry Thomas, the co-founders of Run4 and co-creators of the Bionic Runner, Kerrie’s words are music to their ears.
“We set out to design a piece of equipment that would simply help runners run better,” says Steve, who had noticed many of his friends abandon their running careers in favour of cycling as injury got in their way.
“So many – too many – runners become injured in the lead up to important races, or simply from doing too much, too soon,” he continues. “For years, sports shoes have been promising to fix injury rates, but injury rates have remained the same, and as far as cross training goes, there’s nothing out there that mimics the motion of running.”
One of those runners is Melanie Long, who has long held the dream of running the New York Marathon on her 40th birthday, in 2015. Sadly, a spate of injuries left her questioning whether her dream would actually come true.
“I’ve endured four stress fractures to date,” says Melanie, “and with each one my goal of running the New York Marathon has seemed less and less achievable.”
For injured runners like Melanie, the Bionic Runner offers some hope – a means of retaining their running fitness without stressing the body. “With the Bionic Runner it’s the first time I’ve found something that doesn’t hurt my shin or knee and will assist with my fitness, muscle strength and running,” says Melanie, who is now preparing for the race of her life – the New York Marathon. “I now see a way forward and am so excited about making the dream a reality.”
Improved Performance
Whilst the Bionic Runner was originally conceived as a piece of kit to help prevent injuries in runners, it’s this latter point that makes the Bionic Runner a revolutionary tool in the runner’s training kit.
“Aside from improving general fitness, cross training will only be effective in terms of your running performance if it recruits and exercises the same muscles as running does,” explains Dr Henry Thomas who, as chief-technical officer at Run4, designed the Bionic Runner.
“Unlike a mobile elliptical trainer, the Bionic Runner has a unique 60% swing and 40% stance phase timing, which guides the foot along the path of a mid-foot running gait,” he continues. “This means you not only look and feel as if you’re running, you recruit the same muscles as you would running, too, therefore improving running performance.”
Indeed, during the four years it took them to develop the Bionic Runner, Steve and Henry discovered that running was a four-stage process of leap, recovery, impact and drive. “The existing cross trainers were all elliptical in nature or step machines. None captured the motion a runner’s leg makes when they move,” explains Henry.
With the addition of its non-impact, closed kinetic chain, the Bionic Runner also removes the risk of injury from over extension and impact fatigue – the two most common causes of joint, tendon and muscle-related strain injuries.
Successfully Funded
Launched on Kickstarter on December 1, it took just five days for the Bionic Runner to be successfully funded, clearly resonating with the global running community.
“We spent four years designing and perfecting the Bionic Runner, so to see it so instantly appeal to runners on a global scale is a dream come true,” says Steve. “Now we can’t wait for 2015, when we can watch the community of Bionic Runners grow and grow!”
The Bionic Runner will remain available on Kickstarter at a discounted price until December 31, when it will be available to purchase on the website www.run4.com. ENDS
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1032540393/the-bionic-runner-run-harder-land-safer
Contact information:
Running Trainer Pty Ltd
T/A Run4
PO Box 52
Broadwater
NSW
2472
Australia
CEO: Steve Cranitch
CTO: Henry Thomas
Marketing and PR: Lizzy Fowler
For all press enquiries please contact +61 (0) 430 925028 or email lizzy@run4.com
Times of availability: 9am-7pm EST or by appointment.
More information can be found at: www.run4.com