Monday February 13, 2012
Valentine's Day is tomorrow and -- while it may not be romantic -- a leisurely run is a fun and healthy way to spend time with your significant other.
If you've never run with your sweetie before, here are some tips for making it an enjoyable experience:
- Get creative. When your training goals and programs don't match up, you may need to get a little creative. If you can't do an entire run together, you could always warm up together, do your own run, and then meet up again for a cool-down and stretching.
- Be supportive. Do your best to make your sweetie feel good about the workout. Don't yell or criticize him or her during the run. Try to make supportive and motivational comments while you're running and after you finish.
- Don't try to show off. This isn't the time to push your limits or prove that you're much faster than your significant other. Chances are, you both probably know who is the stronger runner -- there's no reason to prove it during a run together. If you try to show off too much, your partner may just get frustrated and not want to run with you again.
Get more tips for running with your significant other.
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Thursday February 9, 2012
Are you ready to start running again after a long break? Getting into running can sometimes be harder the second time around because it's frustrating to know you were once able to run farther and faster. Whether you've taken an extended break from running because of an injury or lack of motivation, here's some advice to make your transition easier.
Follow a training schedule. When you first started running, you may have followed a beginner training schedule to learn how to run and help you stay motivated. There's nothing wrong with going back to that schedule or another beginner runner program to help you establish a regular running habit and avoid getting injured.
Avoid doing too much too soon. Don't increase your overall weekly mileage by more than 10 percent per week. Keep all your runs at an easy, conversational pace for at least 6-8 weeks, until you have a good running base established.
Cross train to build fitness. Cross training in between your running days is a way to increase your endurance and strength without running too much and risking injury. Examples of good cross training activities for runners include swimming, aqua jogging, cycling, strength training, yoga, and Pilates. Pick an activity that you enjoy so that you know you'll stick to it.
Think positive. Don't put pressure on yourself to get to your previous level. Set small goals so that you feel good and get a confidence boost when you reach a milestone. They'll be plenty of time to train hard to beat your PRs. Just try to enjoy running as you gradually and safely build up your endurance.
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Tuesday February 7, 2012
When you first started running, did you have someone who served as a running mentor for you? He or she may have given you information about recommended gear, running books, where to run, or the best races to run.
If you have some experience with running now and feel comfortable sharing your knowledge, you may want to adopt a new runner of your own. Offer your free advice to a friend or family member who's new to running. If they're looking for help (some may be just fine on their own), you can provide your newbie runner with some basic training advice and gear knowledge and, more importantly, much-needed encouragement.
Consider going on some runs with your newbie. Although running with him or her may not be challenging physically for you, watching a new runner get excited about running will help renew your own motivation to run.
Get more tips on how to help beginner runners.
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Tuesday February 7, 2012
Ever find a song that gets you moving so much that you just keep repeating it over and over again on your iPod? Or is that just me? Lately I've been listening to Adele's "Set Fire to the Rain" while I'm on the treadmill. Her voice is so powerful and really keeps me motivated to keep going.
If your running motivation could use a little boost, finding some new running tunes may help. Check out other runners' favorite running songs and get fellow runners pumped up for their runs by adding a few of your own. Let us know which ones you could listen to over and over again!
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