Running in the Cold
running, cold weather, precautions
|
If you're lucky enough to live in a mild climate, well....maybe I'm a little jealous. But most of the time I love living in a place that has 4 distinct seasons. I don't let a change in the weather affect my workout routine. I just dress accordingly and run all winter. You can run through the worst of winter if you take the proper precautions.
Cold Weather Running
The body generates waste heat during heavy exertion, so running in the winter cold is actually less difficult or dangerous than running in hot weather. With proper winter running clothing and some common sense it is possible to continue running through the worst winter weather.
Winter Running Clothing
As for any outside activity, the key to running comfortably in cold weather is to dress properly. Running in cold weather however does not require as much clothing as more sedentary cold weather activities. A good rule of thumb is the 20 degree rule. When running, dress for weather that is about 20 degrees warmer than the actual temperature. This rule is not exact, but is a good guideline. Wet or windy conditions require dressing more warmly than the rule would suggest. With experience individual runners will learn how much clothing they need for different temperatures and other conditions.
To keep warm enough, but not too warm, in any temperature dress in layers. It is then relatively easy to add or remove layers as needed during a run. To avoid feeling wet, clammy, and cold the innermost layer should be fabric that wicks moisture away from the skin. Many modern technical fabrics accomplish this without the itching that comes from wool, the best natural fabric for this purpose.
An outermost layer of Gore-Tex, or similar fabric, will block wind and rain without sacrificing breathability. Running clothing made of technical fabrics works very well, but can be expensive. Runners on a budget who are willing to sacrifice a little comfort ... read entire entry
|
|
|
on 11/6/2008
|
|
0 |
11.5
|
|
Why You Should Taper Before a Big Race (This is for you Robin!)
running, tapering, training schedule
|
Like many runners, you probably run a number of races throughout the year, but of those races, only a few are really "big". Those are the races on which you focus your training for months in advance, and where you hope to run a PR (Personal Record).
When you're down to a week to go before a "big" race, what sort of running do you do? Let's assume it's a 10-mile race and that you are serious about your finishing time, in which case you have probably considered tapering in some form. Perhaps you know you should cut back a bit, but feel you need a few more long, fairly hard runs just to make sure you can complete the distance within your hoped-for time. Or perhaps you will cut way back on the total number of miles you ran, either running them all very slowly or maybe including some fast interval or fartlek work.
Or perhaps you won't run at all. But how many of you will plan to limit yourselves to just small amounts of fast running covering a total of only a few miles? Probably none. However, according to some researchers, this latter form of tapering will produce the most dramatic and beneficial results.
WHY TAPER?
As runners, most of us fear losing our edge and adding to our waistlines if we cut back on our running, even for just a week. However, scientific evidence suggests that temporary training reductions bolster leg muscle power, reduce lactic acid production, and can cut minutes off 10K race times. In contrast, hard workouts just before a race can produce nagging injuries and deplete leg muscles of their key fuel for running--glycogen.
Although coaches and exercise physiologists agree that tapering enhances performance, disagreement exists on the most beneficial method used. This usually boils down to the questions of by how much training should be reduced during the tapering period; and if selected amounts of speedwork should be included ... read entire entry
|
|
|
on 10/23/2008
|
|
0 |
9.9
|
|
Today I Reached a Running Milestone!
running, milestone
|
I use a Nike+ shoe chip to track my running progress, and today I passed the 500 mile mark! I got my chip about mid-April of this year. In the past 6 months I've logged 93 runs, 77 hours of running time, and 34,834 calories burned. I've actually surpassed this. I didn't take my chip on vacation to log my beach running, I don't use it with my treadmill, and I wear my old running shoes (with no chip) when it's wet outside. Theoretically I shouild be able to run 1,000 miles a year....THEORETICALLY ; )
My true goal is to complete a women's triathlon next year. But first I need to find a decent road bike and start a NEW training venture!
http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/v1/html/milestones/print_certif.html?id=351849009®ion=us&language=en&locale=en_us&dateFormat=MM/DD/YY
|
|
|
on 10/5/2008
|
|
1 |
25.6
|
|
Summer Brings Increased Risk Of Orthopaedic Injury
summer, beach, running, injury prevention
|
As the beach season gets underway, many people will bring their workout regiment with them to the shore. And that means running along the beach, in the sand. It is commonly thought that the soft sand better cushions the lower extremity joints, making running on the beach even more beneficial. However, this may actually put more strain on your muscles and joints.
Though running is an extremely common activity, it is not one performed perfectly at all times. As the summer months begin, running outside, particularly while on vacation at the shore or on the beach, remains one of the most popular activities. But running on the beach comes with risks.
Rarely consistently smooth and flat, the beach surface changes drastically from extremely soft to hard. In addition, the beach often slopes dramatically as it approaches the water. “Running on this sloped surface can especially predispose an individual to injury.
“As you run on an irregular, inconsistent surface like sand, the forces that go through the feet, ankles, knees and hips vary dramatically and can predispose an athlete to injury in any one of these body parts. The ideal surface to run on is a relatively flat, smooth, resilient and reasonably soft surface such as a track or jogging trail.”
The most common injuries from running in sand include:
Tendonitis of the knee (an inflammation of the tendon either directly above or directly below the knee cap); sprains of any one of the four ligaments in the knee which stabilize the knee joint; or injury to either one of the C-shaped meniscal cushion pads in the knee joint. Irritation of the fibrous connective tissue at the sole of the foot in the region of the arch; plantar fasciitis (heel spur); sprains of the ankle ligaments on either side of the ankle; or stress fractures of the foot or ankle. Additionally, incomplete hairline breaks in the lower leg bones, foot bones or thigh bone may o... read entire entry
|
|
|
on 6/12/2008
|
|
0 |
6.8
|
|
Why I Swim to Crosstrain
cross-training, running, swimming, no impact, injuries
|
Besides the fact that I love it and it feeds my chlorine addiction ; ) there are many benefits to swimming for crosstraining purposes, especially to those of us who run.
Some runners may find swimming to be an excellent activity for cross training. Swimming is a low impact aerobic activity which can be a welcomed reprieve from the repetitive pounding often associated with running. Whether you to cross train by swimming or running in a pool, you're likely to gain a host of worthwhile benefits by giving your body this opportunity to rest and rejuvenate your muscles.
First consider how using swimming as a cross training activity can be beneficial for runners. Running is obviously a very difficult exercise for your body to handle. It is not only very taxing on the muscles but it is also a high impact activity which means the joints are subject to pounding on a regular basis. Running every day is not good for you because his body needs at least one day of rest a week and ideally most runners require as much as 2-3 days of rest each week. Using swimming as a cross training activity allows you to have a break from running without taking a day completely off from exercise. However, the body will be utilizing different muscles and the joints will not be subjected to high impact pounding. As a result swimming is a very effective form of both cross training and rest for runners.
There are a couple of different methods you can use for cross training in a pool. The most obvious way is by swimming. The majority of the common swimming strokes require a great deal of effort by the upper body but only minimal effort by the lower body. This is quite different from running in which the focus of the effort is on the legs. Therefore while swimming, your legs get a much needed break while the upper body is challenged more than usual. In this way, while swimming the legs have a great opportunity to... read entire entry
|
|
|
on 5/10/2008
|
|
0 |
24.8
|
|
In case I needed another reason to run....
opioids, heart attack, running, prevention
|
Heart Benefit Seen From Runner's High
Runner's High May Help Prevent Heart Attack Damage
Opioids, the body's chemicals that create the "runner's high," may help save the heart from heart attack damage.
So say University of Iowa scientists who studied runner's high in rats.
"We have known for a long time that exercise is great for the heart. This study helps us better understand why," Eric Dickson, MD, says in a news release.
Dickson's team split rats into two groups.
One group of rats ran on a treadmill for 15 minutes per day for four days. On the fifth day, the rats ran for a longer time -- 25 minutes -- at a faster pace.
For comparison, the other group of rats spent the same amount of time on a treadmill that was switched off, letting the rats loll there without exercising.
On the study's sixth day, the researchers removed the rats' hearts and induced heart attacks in those hearts.
The hearts of the exercising rats had less heart attack damage than the hearts of the rats that didn't exercise on the treadmill.
The researchers repeated the experiment with another group of rats.
But this time, the rats got a shot of a chemical called naltrexone on the last two days of treadmill time. Naltrexone blocks opioid receptors.
After the shot, the researchers removed the rats' hearts and induced heart attacks in those isolated hearts. All of the rats' hearts showed similar amounts of heart attack damage.
The findings suggest that opioids play a role in the heart-healthy aspects of exercise, note Dickson and colleagues.
By the way, runner's high isn't just for runners. Other types of aerobic exercise can produce the same effect.
|
|
|
on 4/29/2008
|
|
0 |
13.5
|
|
Nike +
running, data, challenge, motivation
|
Just wondering if anyone here uses this device to track running progress? A friend of mine just bought one and sent me his data, and now I SO want one. If there are some users here, I'd welcome honest reviews of this product. Do you like it? Is the data it collects helpful to you as an athlete? Do you find you push yourself harder? Are you challenged by other athletes who use the product? Thanks in advance!!
|
|
|
on 3/24/2008
|
|
0 |
7.9
|
|