Meet Sarada, sprinter, athlete and the woman behind the DASH fitness revolution.
“I’m a sprint athlete through and through. I’ve been raised with it, it’s a part of me and I absolutely love it. Of course track and field is competitive and as a teenager I loved winning but sprinting and training for it has actually taught me so much more.
As a teenager I always did pretty well, I trained consistently, and spent evenings and weekends at the track – it felt as though losing was never really an option.
Training as an adult however is a little different, balancing training and an advertising career wasn’t always easy, but I always managed to find a way. As you age you learn the hard way that your body just isn’t the same as it used to be and so I found myself plagued by injuries and relentlessly frustrated at not being able to compete. This is where I started to suffer both physically and mentally. You see sprinting isn’t just about the physical ability; it’s as much about focus, determination and perseverance. As my coach, Ron Roddan, says “it’s all up there” – the majority of it comes from the mind & actually the “getting fit” part is a result of that focus.
I’ve learnt so much through Ron; I stopped obsessing about the times I was running, I learnt to perfect my running technique & found the ability to be strong and relaxed, learnt how to do my own thing and also run with the pack. The amount of confidence I’ve gained is incredible.
All of this is now engrained in me and without even realising it, I’ve taken it through into everything I do – not looking around at what everyone else is doing but concentrating on my own goals – understanding when to push myself but also understanding when to drop back.
Sprinting has actually had a greater impact than I’ve realised, yes I still get that buzz when I run a good time – a little competition never hurt anyone – but it’s the mental attitude that develops with it that really changes things.
DASH is my way of making this form of training accessible to everybody. It has been developed based on the principles of sprint training, from Ron’s teachings and the very same used by some of the leading athletes around the world. It’s a high intensity session, but broken down to make sure you can do it regardless of your ability. We teach correct running technique that will get you moving faster, using less energy and performing in a way you never thought you could.
Not everyone is a born athlete, but that’s ok, that’s not what DASH is about. It’s about building confidence, patience and understanding your own body. It’s being able to focus on your own goals but run with the pack. It’s about running fearless and free.” Sarada, DASH.
DASH classes run throughout London, to find your nearest class click here
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