Running Tips Blog
My running tips blog is a journal about running and anything else related to it.I update it regularly to keep you informed of any useful or interesting articles that come my way.
Go From Couch To 5K In 8 Weeks With My Proven Training ProgramFrom couch to 5k in 8 weeks, step by step training program to get you there and feeling fantastic Running Tips To Start Running, Lose Weight, Be HealthyTop running tips to start running and become healthy,lose weight and enjoy life with these excellent running tips. The best tips on training programs, gear, nutrition and lots more. Permalink -- click for full blog post " Running Tips To Start Running, Lose Weight, Be Healthy" How Does Your Running performance Rank?Ever wondered how you running performances rank relative to your age and/or gender. Can you compare your performance to your partner, mother, boss or son.
Based on world records and a computer program, Rodney Pearson, a professor at Mississippi State University has devised age related performance tables over all distances ranging from the mile to a marathon. Here are some interesting facts Over all distances women run approximately 13% slower than men of the same age. From the age of 30 to 70, there is a exponential decline in performance of both men and women. By age 40 both men and women are about 5% slower than at age 30. By 50 they are another 8% slower than 40 and they lose another 10% from 50 to 60 and 13% the next decade. The overall loss is 37% in men and 42% in women from 30 to 70, so don’t fret that you are slowing down, it’s only natural.
Boys against Girls For a 30 year old female a 3.23 marathon is equivalent to a 30 year old male just breaking 3 hours. For a 40 year old female, a 2 hour half marathon is equivalent to a 40 year old male running 1:46. Across gender and age, a 50 year old female running a 10k in 50 minutes is the same as a 30 year old male running the distance in 38 minutes. Use these calculations to accurately compare your performance against your running partner, members of the family, dog, cat or anyone else. The only problem that may arise (as in my case) is that you may find that you are a lot slower than you thought.
Yoga For Runners Will Make You More Flexible, Less prone To Injury And Greatly IRealizing the benefits of yoga for runners can open up a whole new dimension of flexibility and fitness helping you to get the most out of your running. Yoga Before Running Will Make You More Flexible, Stronger and Limit InjuryYoga before running is one of the best methods to stay injury free, get stronger and make your run more enjoyable Marathon Programs For All Levels Of RunnersTop marathon training programs, Whether you just want to complete the distance or improve on your time. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Marathon Programs For All Levels Of Runners " Brilliant Running Tips For All Your Running NeedsBrilliant running tips is packed with top tips and advice for runners. Want to get fitter, run faster and stay injury free, subscribe to my site now. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Brilliant Running Tips For All Your Running Needs" Running Skirts, a New Trend in Running GearRunning skirts are the new trend among female runners. Judging by the amount of female athlete wearing them these days, they must be an advantage over shorts.
Most female athletes know the feeling of shorts that creep up and chafe, not only do they make you uncomfortable, but they also look unsightly. Enter the running skirt, a new trend in running gear. Here’s what to look for when buying one. The skirts should be made of breathable, fast drying fabric and posses excellent moisture management properties, which keep moisture away from the body. The fabric must be lightweight, soft and provide comfort and freedom of movement. The skirt should have built in shorts with no elastic and a longer than normal gusset to accommodate the body’s natural stretch and rotational movements. They must have a looser fit than regular cycling shorts, which eliminates any further pressing on the skin, so any dimples remain under the skin or hidden away under the shorts. The shorts should be cut slightly shorter than the skirt to remain in a comfortable position without creeping. The idea is that when you know you look fantastic and you’re comfortable, you will perform a whole lot better. They come in 3 basic designs; the first design is to fit all shapes and sizes. The second is more specific to women whose waist to hip ratio dimensions are relatively equal. And the third design is made in a way to make your outline appear smaller. A running skirt may not be up your alley; they do however look a whole lot better than shorts and are a fresh of breath air in the female running gear market. Runners Knee, How To Prevent The Most Common Running InjuryRunners knee is the most common injury amongst runners, here's 2 quick tips to help preventing this nasty injury. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Runners Knee, How To Prevent The Most Common Running Injury" Try ThisTry This, training with a difference Check this out, I was amazed at the results. I recently finished a six week training program where you run one day, cycle the next and do some light gym work on the third day. Do this for six days and rest completely on the seventh day, repeat for 4 to 6 weeks. I basically did each session for about 40 minutes. I alternated my running and cycling with one hard session and then a easy session. The gym work was all upper body with light weights and many repetitions. I finished 6 weeks of this on Sunday, and decided to head out to the track yesterday and run a 10k. Man was I surprised, I knocked off 48 seconds from my best 10k time. I really thought I would be slower, as I hadn't been running every day. Clearly cross training can work. Mens Running Shorts, Get The Perfect PairMens running shorts, get the right shorts that don't ride ride up or chafe you raw. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Mens Running Shorts, Get The Perfect Pair" Cross Country, Runners are tough, that’s why cross country was inventedCross country is the smaller brother of road running, only he’s tougher, meaner and a whole lot harder. If you want to be a meaner, tougher, harder runner, then cross country is what you should be doing. .
The cyclists are still under their blankets, the swimmers have fled to the gym to train in the indoor chlorinated saliva, but not you, your tough. You head out the door in the morning ready to take on the icy weather, dark roads and long climbs. Hard core. However you’re missing out on the one of the greatest tests running can provide. What’s a challenge if it’s not painful, dirty, humiliating and almost completely without reward? Cross country is all of those things. No amount of time on the legs can prepare you for a league cross country event. But in turn, no type of running will prepare you better for any distance, whether it’s a 10k or a marathon. This is how it goes When the gun goes off, you are going to start the race faster than your 1500m personal best, as you jockey for position. The course then bottlenecks into a single lane and heads almost vertically up the nearest terrain feature. You’ll hit lactic acid in the first five minutes. After ten minutes of running you will be more tired than you have ever been and further back in the field you would ever thought possible. You will be running on pure hatred of the bloke who happens to be one place in front of you. There will be spectators, but they won’t clap. There are no casual spectators at cross country. There is also little joy in crossing the line.
It’s racing with no trophy, prize money, medals or sponsors junk. But you will walk away knowing that you have competed in your sports most brutal challenge. You have earned the right to look any road race in the eye and stare it down. I’ll take that over another t-shirt any day. Love Affair, Do My Running Shoes Have Feelings?I parted ways with an old love of mine a week ago, it was tough and I had a lump in my throat. The time had come to part ways and something new was looming.
We’d had a long and very intimate relationship, and shared many great experiences. We created memories together; and laughed and cried together on many occasions. But I knew that our time was up, things just weren’t as comfortable anymore, I was beginning to sense a few niggles and frankly there was something new on the horizon. The moment of truth had arrived; I stood in front of my cupboard ready to end it all. I noticed the scuff marks of many runs, some off road. The faded upper that had soaked up many liters of sweat from fast time trials. The soles were worn down completely and the cushioning that just wasn’t there anymore. They had been one of the best pairs of running shoes I had ever owned. I owed some of the best moments of my running career to them and now I had to build up the courage to throw them out. As yet I had never thrown out a pair of running shoes, they just took up residence in a secondary cupboard waiting for the day that I finally got up enough courage to throw them out. Today was the day. It was tough; it would be like I had forgotten how good they were to me. But I had to do it, so out they went with a lump in the throat. But they say the best way to get over an old pair of shoes is to get into a new pair. And yes it’s early days but I’m beginning to like them already. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Love Affair, Do My Running Shoes Have Feelings?" Half Marathon Training Programs To Get You Fitter, Faster And StrongerHalf marathon training to get you race ready and razor sharp in just 10 weeks, whether its to complete your first half marathon or race to a personal best. Free 10k Training Programs For All Levels Of RunnersGet free 10k training programs, from beginner programs to running a sub 45 minute 10k Permalink -- click for full blog post "Free 10k Training Programs For All Levels Of Runners" A Free 10k Race Training Program Over 10 To Run The Distance Inside 50 MinutesMy 10k race program will build your fitness and get you razor-sharp race-ready in 10 weeks. Preparing you for a 10k that you will fly through with a new level of fitness and confidence. A Pace Calculator To Help Plan Your Race And Run The Time You Trained ForUsing a pace calculator keeps you on track, ensuring that you finish in the time you have set for yourself. Know what distance you should have covered at a given time to plan your race to perfection xx
Permalink -- click for full blog post "x" Post Run Massage tips, How to Work Out Your Own Post-Run Aches and PainsThese massage tips will show you how to sort out your sore and stiff legs from a long run or particularly hard workout. Meal of ChampionsThe meal of the Ancients... just reading Don Tolman's Encyclopedia of Whole Food Medicine to find out the mystical energy meal of Olympians. It's a secret Permalink -- click for full blog post "Meal of Champions" How To Lose Weight and Keep it Off For GoodCheck out how to lose weight and keep it off with these 5 simple rules, stick to these and you will be slimmer forever. Permalink -- click for full blog post " How To Lose Weight and Keep it Off For Good" Treadmills, What To Look Out For When Buying OneTreadmills can be useful to get your training in when the weather turns bad, get the right machine for your needs. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Treadmills, What To Look Out For When Buying One" Incorporate Tempo Runs In Your Training To Run Faster For LongerYou need tempo runs in any training program to increase your speed over distance, add these to your training and watch your speed explode. A Runner Needs Specific Training To Improve Your Speed In The HillsAs a runner you need to incorporate hill Running into your training schedule. Check out these tips to conquer the hills. Fartlek, Playing with Speed While trainingFartlek is actually a swedish word for a training session with a variety of speeds mixed in Permalink -- click for full blog post "Fartlek, Playing with Speed While training" Half Marathons, Get fitter, Faster And Stronger With My Training ProgramTraining for half marathons require a combination of speed, tempo and long runs. This 3 day per week training program does just that. Get race ready in just 10 weeks. A Half Marathon Training Schedule To Get You Race Ready For Your Best Race EverFollow this half marathon training schedule to get you razor sharp and race ready. With just 10 weeks training you can run the best half marathon of your life. Best Breakfast for MeI have just found a breakfast cereal that works fantastically for a good run. Actually, I start eating it for breakfast a few days before and then on the Permalink -- click for full blog post "Best Breakfast for Me" Trail Running; It's You And The Great Outdoors. Running Off Road Can Be ChallengTry trail running, get off the beaten track and experience a different way of running. It's a great workout for the body, mind and soul. Get A Free Running Log To Track Progress And Stay MotivatedUse this free running log to keep track of your progress. It will also motivate you as you will be able to see your performance improving. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Get A Free Running Log To Track Progress And Stay Motivated " A Marathon Training Schedule To Complete The Distance Inside Four And A Half HouImprove your marathon time with my free sub 4:30 marathon training schedule, in just 8 weeks you can run a personal best. Barefoot Running Is Gaining Popularity Around The WorldRunners promoting barefoot running claim it's healthier for the feet and limits the risk of injury Permalink -- click for full blog post "Barefoot Running Is Gaining Popularity Around The World" xx Permalink -- click for full blog post "x" 10 Rules For Marathon SuccessNo matter what marathon training program you are following. Follow these 10 rules for your marathon success Permalink -- click for full blog post "10 Rules For Marathon Success" Marathon Running, 10 Rules For Marathon SuccessMarathon running is tough, follow these 10 rules to make your marathon a success Permalink -- click for full blog post "Marathon Running, 10 Rules For Marathon Success" Build Your Own Website That Attracts Traffic You Can Make Money FromBuild your own website that WILL work, step by step instructions that are easy to follow. Create a web business that will make you money. Good Running Posture Will Help You To Improve Your Times DramaticallyCorrect running posture can help you to a personal best. You need to conserve as much energy while running, run economically for better results. Good Running posture Can Improve Your Times TremendouslyRunning with poor posture can really drain your energy, it can make the difference between running a personal best and having a really miserable race. It's amazing to see the different running styles at a race and sometimes I wonder how some runners go the distance. In South Africa we had a runner in the 1970's Matthews "Loop-en-Val" Motshwarateu who had a unique running style that made it seem that he must fall over exhausted at any moment. That's how he picked up the nickname Loop-en-Val (Run-and-Fall), an Afrikaans translation of his Sotho nickname Motshwareng o tlawa, meaning "Watch him, he will fall. He became a very successful athlete despite his weird running style, If you get the chance to see a video of this guy running watch it, it's brilliant. However he is really an exception to the rule.
Everybody has their own unique way of running, but their are a few things that you should look at.
Try not to look down at the ground all the time, keep your head up and focus on the horizon. Relax your arms and shoulders as much as possible, but don't run slumped over. You need to keep your shoulders back so that your chest cavity remains open so that your lungs can take in as much oxygen as possible.
Your arms should be bent at the elbow at about 90 degrees and try not to clench your fists, keep your hands relaxed.
Don't bob up and down as you run as this wastes a tremendous amount of energy, try and keep your upper body from moving around too much. Your whole objective is too try and run as economically as possible, conserving as much energy as you can. You need to concentrate on your posture as you run, the more tired you get the worse your posture becomes.
Don't try and change the way you run on race day, use your training sessions to get your posture right. Don't force you body to run unnaturally either, find what's best for you using the guidelines above and above all enjoy your run. An 8 Week Marathon Training Plan To Complete A Marathon In Under Five HoursThis marathon training program is what you need to complete a marathon in under 5 hours, with Just 8 short weeks of training A Free 10k Training Program Over 6 Weeks To Complete The Distance Inside An HourMy 10k training program will get you across the finish line in under an hour. Easy to follow and very do-able. Good NutritionNutrition is a study in itself and there is far more than could ever be covered in this blogThere are however some nutrition basics that will help you to get better results from your training. Many people are against taking supplements, but running training does place additional demands on our body and sometimes this can only be addressed by taking good supplements. There are many different brands of supplements on the market and these have been developed due to the growth of the fitness industry and the fact that more people are concerned about their health. Eating the right food will go a long way to supplying us with the nutrition that we need however even the best foods can't always supply us with the requirements of our busy lives. One of the main food items (if it can be called that) that needs to be eliminated from our diets wherever possible is sugar.Sugar will add nothing to your health and can do a whole lot of damage and cause problems such as diabetes to occur even for those people who are following good training programs You will need a level of quality complex carbohydrates to give you the energy to do your training and also protein to help your muscles to recover and grow stronger. These can be supplied through the foods we eat or by buying quality nutritional supplements designed for people who train. Recovery times can be shortened by supplements and taking supplements can enhance improvements in many aspects of fitness. Good nutrition is probably the most important aspect of any fitness-training program, as it will ensure you are getting the maximum benefit from the work that you are putting in to your training. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Good Nutrition" Should You Stretch Your Calf Muscles?Most athletes calf muscles are too long, this is according to physiotherapist Benita De Witt who writes for Runners World. Do the calf length test to check if you should be stretching your calves. Stand barefoot with your legs slightly apart. Raise the front of one foot keeping your heel on the ground.
get a friend to help, see if they can fit two fingers under your foot on the small toe and big toe sides. If the fingers fit, your calf muscle is already the correct length and should not be stretched. If you can't fit them in you need to stretch them.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Should You Stretch Your Calf Muscles?" Personal BestsWell done!!! To my wife Samantha and Michelle her friend and running partner for both running a personal best time at the Slow Mag marathon yesterday.
Permalink -- click for full blog post "Personal Bests" 15 Great Ways To Lose Weight FastWant to lose weight fast? Just pay attention to what you eat and be sure to have good tasting, fresh and healthy food, fill up on vegetables and keep your taste buds happy with fruit. Just follow these simple guidelines to lose your first 10 pounds, last 10 pounds or give your weight loss program a boost when it seems to have stuttered to a halt. This is a balanced and flexible plan that you can use for as long as you want. 1. Keep a note of everything that you eat and drink. Just write down what it was that you had and the approximate quantity. 2. Halve your intake of all pure or added fats. This means using half as much butter or spread on your bread, toast, muffins and potatoes; half the usual amount of mayonnaise or sauce on your salad; and half the oil in the fry pan every time. 3. Limit treats containing sugar to three times per week. This includes chocolate, ice cream, desserts, cake, pastries, cookies, etc. 4. Include a lower fat source of protein at most meals: chicken, fish, beans, cottage cheese, or low fat yogurt. Have eggs, nuts and red meat occasionally but not every day. 5. Plan at least one lunch and dinner every week without meat or cheese.
6. Reduce the fat content in your milk products. If you are currently drinking whole milk, reduce to 2% fat. From 2% reduce to 1%. Choose lower fat cheese and yogurt. When you buy yogurt, also check that it does not contain sugar. 7. Have at least two servings of fruit every day.
8. Drink water instead of sodas, juices, milky drinks or alcohol. Avoid diet soda - the sweet taste only encourages you to crave sugar.
9. Include at least two servings of vegetables at lunch and dinner.
10. Eat slowly. The body is slow to register when you are full and it is easy to eat too much if you are racing through your meals. 11. Grated carrot makes a great snack. You will find that a grated carrot is much more filling than a whole carrot. Strange but true. 12. Use whole grains wherever possible. The fiber will give you a fuller feeling and also help your digestion. 13. Choose food that you can chew. Again this will increase your fiber intake, and the act of chewing will make you feel more satisfied too.
14. Plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. Plan your shopping too - make a list of what you need and stick to it. 15. Always switch off the TV when you eat. That includes snacks as well as meals. Studies have proved that we eat larger portions in front of the TV.
Stick to these guidelines and you will lose at least 10 pounds, and keep them off forever. Permalink -- click for full blog post "15 Great Ways To Lose Weight Fast" Run Faster And Recover FasterI found a product the other day called PeptoPro, basically it's protein in powder form and comes in sachets of 10g's each. Mix 1 sachet into 500ml of sports drink, don't use water the stuff tastes terrible. Use during running and to recover again. Here's how it works;
It's a new scientifically-developed product to deliver small pieces of protein, called peptides that maintain muscle function.
Peptides are composed of amino acids which require no digestion, so the amino acids enter the blood stream and reach the muscles much faster.
I tried it this weekend after a long run to speed up recovery and the following day I felt quite good. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Run Faster And Recover Faster" Planning Your training ProgramYou need to establish a plan of attack for your training regime.Unless you know what you are going to do next, you are liable to start floundering around and miss workouts or worse still, give up altogether. The best way to decide on a training program is to prepare a program that is not only designed to achieve the results that you are after, but also to fit in with your lifestyle. If you devise a fitness program that is complimentary to your lifestyle then you are more likely to continue doing it and getting the benefits that you require. If you work particular hours at a job, then you need to know that you will have the free time to exercise without it encroaching on other aspects of your life. Once something becomes difficult to maintain, it is unlikely that you will continue to do it for any length of time. While you might like to run every day, that might not be possible with your other commitments and rather than doing nothing at all you can still benefit from something more convenient that you can do regularly. You might only have the time for a half hour run every second day and that is OK because you are still getting exercise and it is adding to the quality of your life. Any exercise is better than none at all. To get the best out of your exercise it is a good idea to record your progress. Constant improvement no matter how small can lead to major changes over the course of a year. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Planning Your training Program" Stress Management Is Essentil To Maintaining Good Health . Start A Running ProgrStress management is extremely important. Many diseases and illnesses are the direct result of way to much stress our lives. The Benefits Of Running Are Numerous, Contol Your Weight, Get Fit And Enjoy A BeSure it's hard work in the beginning but keep running. The benefits of running are not only physical, their are many phsycological benefits as well. keep Your Running Kit FreshTo keep your running kit fresh soak it in a solution of bicarbonate of soda and water before washing it. Do this once in a while to keep your kit from developing unpleasant odors. Permalink -- click for full blog post "keep Your Running Kit Fresh" |
