Thursday January 26, 2012
Lots of people get started with running with a little push from their friends. They may have been inspired, encouraged, or perhaps even dared by friends or family members to start running and enter their first road race. Yes, having a running partner is a great way to stay motivated, boost your performance, and bond with your friends. But before you start training with a friend or family member, it's good to talk about it and make sure you're on the same page to avoid hurt feelings or uncomfortable situations down the road. Here are some guidelines:
Discuss your running goals. If you both hope to run all or most of your training runs and the race together, you should have similar goals. Whether your goal is to simply complete the race or run it under a certain time, you should talk about goals in advance, so there are no surprises later. Knowing your goals will also help you decide on a training plan.
Decide how much you'll train together. Discuss the training plan and decide how realistic it is for you to get together for runs. Maybe you'll decide to run together 2-3 times a week, or just do your long runs with each other.
Establish ground rules. It's good to set up rules, such as whether you can listen to music while running with each other or if you'll always run together, even if one person feels better than the other. If you're running with a close friend or family member and you're worried about potential conflicts, you may want to establish ground rules such as no criticizing, no blaming, or ignoring.
Be open to changes. Once you get into your training, you may need to adjust your initial training and race goals, based on your progress. If you and your friend's goals no longer match up, discuss how to modify your training and race plans.
More:
Wednesday January 25, 2012
Some people are hesitant to start running because they're worried about getting injured. The good news is that most running injuries are preventable. Follow these steps to keep yourself healthy and comfortable.
- Get the right running shoes. Be sure that your shoes aren't worn out and that you have the right model for your foot type and running style. The wrong shoe can actually aggravate existing problems, causing pain in your feet, legs, knees or hips. Wearing shoes that have lost their cushioning may also lead to injury. Go to a specialty running shop where you can be properly fitted for running shoes, and replace your running shoes every 350-500 miles.
- Avoid the "terrible too's". Many running injuries are a result of overtraining: too much intensity, too many miles, too soon. It's important to use a gradual approach when adding mileage or intensity to your training. Don't increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% each week. If you're adding speed, don't make a big increase in distance at the same time.
- Do regular strength-training. Some running injuries, especially knee and hip-related problems, are caused because of muscle weaknesses or imbalances. Doing core and lower body exercises two times a week can help keep injuries at bay.
Get more ways to prevent running injuries.
More:
When Should I Run Through Pain?
10 Common Running Mistakes
Running Injury Prevention Tools
8 Rules for Speed TrainingMonday January 23, 2012
Whenever I'm stressed out or just in a lousy mood, I feel the need to go for a run. If that doesn't work, I'll watch or read something funny. So this list of funny running quotes and other running humor sort of combines my two favorite stress relievers. Check them out if you're also feeling stressed or grumpy.
Sunday January 22, 2012
I was talking to a runner this weekend who told me that, after several months of running, her feet are a mess. "I have two black toenails, blisters on top of blisters on my toes. Do you think my running shoes are too small?" she asked. Without even looking at her running shoes, I could guess that they were too small. But when I checked to see how much room she had in her toebox, sure enough, her toes were jammed right up to the front of her shoe.
Some runners don't realize that they're wearing running shoes that are actually too small for them. Your running shoes should be 1/2 to a full size bigger than your regular shoe size because your feet will swell when you run and you need plenty of room in the toebox. If they're too small, it could lead to black toenails, blisters, or numbness.
When you're shopping for running shoes, make sure the salesperson measures your feet. This may seem like an unnecessary step if you stopped growing years ago, but your feet size can change, even as an adult. Your feet may actually be bigger due to fallen arches or pregnancy. You may even have two different size feet, so it's important to get both feet measured.
If you're wondering if your current running shoes fit properly, check the location of your big toe. If it's pushed right up against the front of the shoe, they're too small. Another easy way to check the fit is to remove the shoe's insert and stand on it. If any part of your toes are hanging over the end of the insert, your running shoes are too small. Go up at least a half size next time.
More:
