Getting Specific About Your Running Goals

…from The Everything Running Book, 2nd Edition.

• Be specific about your running goals & needs
• Identify short- & long-term running goals
• Follow a training plan from a qualified coach

In order to come up with a program that will work best for you, you need to be specific about your needs and goals. Obtain a new notebook and label it simply “Running.”

 

On the first page, think about what you want to accomplish. Consider, for example:

• Is your primary goal to lose a certain amount of weight? How much do you want to lose? Be realistic about how long it should take. You’ll have a sense of how well the running compliments the other work you do to reach your weight-loss goal once you are doing it regularly. Don’t assume, however, that a slow mile-long jog every few days is going to drop you from a size 10 to a size 6 in a couple of months. Jogging will certainly help to lose inches, but it’ll take time.
• Is your goal to advance from an occasional run through the neighborhood park to competing in an organized race? Do you want to start with a 5K, or have you suddenly decided you want to run a marathon next year?
• Have you chosen running as an economical alternative to a health club membership? Hey, why not? You’re certainly out less money in the long run if in a few months you realize you have neither the time nor inclination for regular exercise. All the same, you won’t regret choosing running, both for the cost savings and for the way you’re going to feel once you get into it.
• Do you need to fit running into a very busy schedule? If so, you may only have time for a half-hour run a day. That’s fine! This book will help you to optimize the time you do have.

Whatever your short- or long-term goals are for choosing to run, identify them in your notebook so you can be reminded of them. This will keep you focused when the inevitable temptation to do other things comes up.

Don’t be vague, and decide which is your number one goal, and stick with the program that will get you there. Haphazardly jumping from one training plan to another will only frustrate you and take you further away from achieving something significant.

If possible, find a coach and follow her training plan. A qualified coach will consult with you on a regular basis so that your program can be modified should you experience fatigue, soreness, or injury.

Jogging/Running Frequency – The Balance Between Fitness And Risking Injury

Have you ever wondered how much is too much exercising? We know that fitness level is a function of how often we exercise, how long we do it and at what intensity level we workout.  You may have often come across the banal ‘thrice a week for 30 minutes’ phrase. There is research-backed reason for this lower limit. However, there are upper limit cautions as well.

As per the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), each session should ideally last from 20 to 60 minutes (duartion) and should be performed 3 – 5 days a week (frequency) at a an intensity level measured by heart rate (60%-90%).

In the first 15 minutes of aerobic activity, glycogen within the muscles is used to provide energy for the workout. Fat metabolism for energy does not begin about 15-20 minutes after the exercise has begun. Taking a margin for level of intensity of your workout and your weight and body type, the lower bar has been set to 30 minutes minimum for workouts.

Aerobic activities longer than an hour also contribute to burning fat. However, the rate of burning fat reduces after the first one hour. Also, the chances of injury caused by fatigue increases exponentially beyond the 1-hr mark. Aerobic activity more than 5 times a week is also risky for similar reasons besides it not getting adequate rest facilitating recovery to tissue and muscles. Listen to your body signals, rest, sleep and eat well in the non-workout days.

 

Injury-free running: Easy steps to prevent running injuries

The worst thing that can happen when you are involved in some type of sport is to get injured. It doesn’t matter if you are just a beginner or if you are an experienced athlete that has been training for years. Many people refuse to run only because they think that it’s a high-risk sport and that they can get injured easily. I would like to lessen this fear by explaining a few proper techniques on how to make your running experience better as well as avoid injury.

1. Proper landing. Normally people do not pay attention to how they run: they choose the technique that seems most natural to them and stick with it. I honestly was not paying any attention to the way I ran as well for a long time until one day I decided to do so. I found out that there are three main running techniques depending on how you land on your feet. You can be a forefoot runner, a midfoot runner or a heel runner. When I started looking online to find out which technique was the best I was disappointed to find out that there is no generally accepted idea about it. You can find articles and research to support each type of running technique so it’s rather difficult to make a decision on what is right. That is why I am going to tell you my own opinion regarding this issue. My husband and I are passionate runners (actually it was my husband that got me addicted to this sport). So I asked myself a question: how do we run? What is the best technique for each of us? I was surprised to find out that I was a midfoot runner. My husband lands on his midfoot while running too (at first when he started running he was landing on his heel but he started having pains in his legs that is why he switched to midfoot running). I personally support the opinion that midfoot running is a safer and better technique. If someone asks me how he/she should run I will definitely say: land on your midfoot and stay injury-free. As I looked through all that information about running technique online I decided to make a small table that emphasizes pros and cons of each running technique. You can find pros in any method but I think that for regular amateur runners midfoot running will be the best.
    

   Running technique	Pros	Cons	Notes
   Heel running	-Stretches calf muscles, providing less stress on calf muscles and the Achilles tendon; -good shock absorption; -appears most natural to most people.	-Contributes to over striding; -slower running; -and poorer form; -it works like a brake as you have to run in an upright position; -a lot of impact on legs and knees	Both methods claim to have good shock absorption, I have not found any trustworthy resource that would proved which one is better over another
   Midfoot running	-Good shock absorption; -less stress on calf muscles, Achilles tendon, IT band; -pretty fast running for long-distance runners	Some consider that it provides less shock absorption than heel striding.
   Forefoot running	-Less stress on knees and ankles; -reduced stride; -contributes to better form, and faster running.	-Keeps calf muscle contracted, contributing to shin splints, Achilles tendinitis, and muscle pulls; -not suitable for long-distance running	-

    

2. Running posture: Lean forward a little bit as if you are going to fall. In this position your foot will land right beneath your center of gravity (your foot should be aligned with your hips as they are near your center of gravity) and you will be able to land on your midfoot. Keep your shoulders loose, your back straight and your knees slightly bent all the time.
3. Breathing: Your breathing should be deep and rhythmic. You need a lot of air that is why mouth breathing will be best for you. Let your jaw drop a little bit so that your lips are parted and let the air flow into your lungs through your mouth. Find your rhythm of breathing: some people might be comfortable breathing in for two steps and breathing out for two steps, some might be more comfortable with three steps. Whatever your pattern is keep it regular and use your steps to monitor it. One last thing about breathing is to breathe from your belly (diaphragm). Most experts say that it’s the best breathing technique for cardio exercises.
4. Running shoes: This is the most difficult part. When I started looking online trying to find some sort of advice on this issue I was overwhelmed by all the available information. The whole running shoes debate is a topic for a separate article that is why here I will give only a few basic ideas. If you can afford it and if you are planning to run a lot then you should go to a special running shoes store and let professionals who know their business find the best pair of shoes for you. If you are looking for something easier and less expensive then choose shoes that feel comfortable to you. You need enough cushioning and padding to absorb shock while running but you do not want your feet to feel like they were bronzed. My husband and I prefer such brands like Asics, New Balance and Saucony. Our experience with Nike and Adidas was pretty disappointing that is why I would not recommend these brands to anybody who cares about his/her feet. Your shoes should be replaced every 350-500 miles. If you run 3-4 miles 3 times a week (like most amateur runners do) then you will have to think about a new pair every 6-9 months. It’s better to get a new pair of shoes before your old shoes are completely worn out so that you could compare how both pairs feel and know when it’s time for your old shoes to retire. If you need a good guide regarding what type of running shoe you should buy then look through the Running Shoe Fit Guide
5. Stretching: Stretching before and after your run can go a long way towards injury prevention. It will warm up your muscles, make them more elastic and flexible and that will help prevent muscle aches and pains. Check out Stretching for Runners to find more benefits of stretching. I really like one Yoga sequence that was created specifically for runners – Yoga for Runners Feel free to watch this video when you have some time. I think it’s pretty cool.
   
   
    
6. Include Weight Training or other Strengthening Exercises: Most beginning runners do not have strong leg muscles and when they start running their ligaments and muscles are not strong enough to support their knees. Runners also use muscles in the back of their legs (hamstrings, glutes and calves) more than front muscles (quadriceps) and that causes their bodies to not be properly balanced. In order to build a stronger knee and to prevent injuries and pains check out the Stronger Knee Workout. Do not forget about exercising your abs and your back in order to prevent back pain after your running sessions. An easy yet very effective leg strengthening routine can be found here.
7. Hydration: Drink plenty of water to avoid heat injury and to have plenty of energy during your run.
8. Be patient and do not overtrain: Most running injuries result from overtraining and increasing mileage or intensity too fast and too soon. No matter how long you’ve been running never forget the 10% rule: do not increase your weekly mileage by more than 10% each week. Be patient and increase your intensity gradually allowing your body to adjust to it slowly. Also never forget about rest: running 7 days a week probably won’t be a good idea for you, have at least 2 rest days during the week and alternate high-intensity and low-intensity workouts.
9. Find the right surface: Try to avoid running on concrete as it is the worst surface for your heels. If it’s possible try trail-running, run on grass or dirt trails. If you have problems with your knees you should consider running on a treadmill instead of running on asphalt or concrete.
10. Take your time to return after injury: If you had any type of injury no matter if it resulted from running or from any other activity make sure that your body has recouped completely. If you did not train for a while or if you are returning to running after an injury start with slow short runs or even try alternative running techniques like water running, cycling, or using an elliptical machine. No progress is worth your health.
11. Listen to your body: It is important to be consistent with your trainings but you should not be a slave to your training schedule. If you feel tired, sore or fatigued take an extra day of rest as you are more likely to get injured on the days when your muscles are weak and you are not alert enough.

If you took a few minutes to read this whole article then you are already on the right way to injury-free running. Take a few more minutes to look through all these points again and to memorize them so that the next time you go running you will start implementing them into your routine. Take one step at a time and soon injury-free running will be as easy as 1-2-3 for you. Enjoy yourself and
Keep it balanced!

 

Sports Nutrition For Competition

By Stephanie Nunes, RD

Studies have shown that having a fueling and hydration plan for competition can improve performance along with proper training

Day before competition:

Goal: Eat high Carbohydrate meals the day and night before to fuel your muscles. The meal composition should be: 2/3 carbohydrate (bread, bagels, pasta, rice, tortillas, potatoes, cereal, fruits, juices, vegetables, yogurt, and milk) and 1/3 protein (lean red meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, soy products, beans, nuts/nut butters, and seeds). Fried or fatty foods will not fuel your muscles or enhance performance.

Ideas:
Pasta with red sauce, rice bowls, baked potatoes with lean meat and veggies, Chinese food with rice, bean and cheese burritos, waffles and peanut butter (yes it is ok to have breakfast food at night!), thick crust pizza with veggies/Canadian bacon, fruit or juice with meals or during the day, lean meat sandwich.

Hydration:
Make sure you are drinking water, juices and sports drinks throughout the day to stay hydrated. Your pee should look like lemonade, NOT apple juice!
 

Day of competition Breakfast:

Goal: Refuel your body to replace the energy it used while you slept. Breakfast also helps you think better. Once again, the breakfast should be high carbohydrate, low fat, small amount of protein (depending on tolerance and time of event). If your event is 2 -3 hours or more after breakfast, this should be a substantial breakfast.

Ideas: Frozen waffles with peanut butter and fruit, large bowl of cereal with milk and banana, fruit or yogurt smoothie and a piece of toast, granola bar or energy bar, peanut butter sandwich and juice, oatmeal, bagel/egg/cheese sandwich, yogurt mixed with cereal and fruit, etc. If you find you are unable to eat a large breakfast at one time, eat half and then the rest the next hour or so.

What if I am too nervous to eat?
Studies have shown that getting "something" in can improve performance. Anxiety can affect gastric emptying and cause stomach distress, so choose foods that are liquid or semi-liquid vs. solid food. Examples: Yogurt, Gel or Gu, honey, applesauce, banana, pudding, sports drink, or liquid supplement like ensure or boost (chilled if possible).

What if my event is early in the morning, and I really don't have time to eat breakfast?
Have your breakfast as a late night snack the night before. Example: bowl of cereal at night. The day of your event, wake up and drink 8-16 oz sports drink, try a packet of Gu or gel washed down with water, or drink a glass of juice. Aim for 100 calories if you can.
 

Pre-competition:

Goal: Give your body carbohydrates to maximize blood sugar and glycogen stores, get rid of hunger feelings, and provide a psychological edge to help you think clearly. The challenge is deciding what foods you can tolerate and when. The foods at this time should be high carbohydrate, low-fat, low-fiber, moderate protein.

• General Rule of Thumb
  • Meals 3-4 hours before competition- Lean meat sandwiches/pretzels/fruit, tortilla wrap with low-fat cheese and ham/baked chips/ juice, broth based soup with noodles or rice/crackers, cold pasta salad/string cheese/sports drink, peanut butter sandwich/banana/crackers.
  • Snacks 1-2 hours before competition- Bagels, toast, yogurt, graham crackers, dry cereal, pretzels, trail mix, fig newtons, energy bars, animal crackers, rice cakes, canned or fresh fruits, juice, oatmeal cookies, etc. **TIP: If you are a heavy sweater and/or have 2 competitions in one day, I would recommend more salty snacks like pretzels, low fat crackers, or broth based soups to help retain fluids and maintain good hydration status.
  • The closer to competition, rely more on liquids and small snacks- Gel, sport beans, pudding, juice, sports drinks, honey, etc.

 

What is "Nutrition Conditioning"?!?!
Training your gut by eating the same meals and snacks in training that will be used in competition.

Hydration Guidelines:

Are fluids really that important? Yes!
Being only slightly dehydrated can decrease muscle strength, speed, stamina, energy, cognitive process, and increase risk of injury.

Pre-Event Hydration:

1. Drink 16 oz sports drink 2 hours before race (produce a light-colored, but not clear urine)
2. Drink 8-16 oz sports drink 15 minutes before event

After Event Hydration

1. Drink 16-24 oz sports drink

Why are sports drinks better than just plain water for training and competition?
They are formulated to taste better than water which encourages re-hydration, provides carbohydrates for muscle glycogen, and the sodium helps the body retain more fluids.
 

Fueling between events:

• If there is more than 2 hours between competitions, choose both Carbohydrate and Protein. Ideas: Lean meat sandwich, non-fat yogurt with cereal, tortilla wrap or pita sandwich with a piece of fruit, peanut butter sandwich and juice, bagel/low-fat cream cheese with a fruit smoothie, pasta salad, rice bowl, leftover high carbohydrate dinner if tolerated.
   
• If there is less than 2 hours between competitions, choose mostly Carbohydrate
  Ideas: Low-fat crackers, high carbohydrate energy bars, fig newtons, smoothies, juices, bagels, dry cereal, yogurt, animal/graham crackers, toast, pretzels, vanilla wafers, fruit leather or fruit roll-ups, bananas, meal replacement drinks (i.e. boost, ensure, carnation instant breakfast), English muffins, dried fruit trail mix, sports drink, etc.

 

Fueling after event(s):

Goal: Refuel and re-hydrate within 30 minutes after event. The goal is to restore muscle glycogen, repair muscle damage, and replace fluid and electrolytes. This 30 minute window of opportunity helps to maximize recovery and enable you to bounce back for future training and events.

Guidlines:

• Fluids- replace 24 oz for every pound lost during event. Including sodium in the recovery plan is beneficial.
• Carbohydrates- .5 grams per pound of body weight within 30 minutes.
• Protein- Aim for 10-20 grams of protein within 30 minutes.

 

Ideas for quick foods to eat within 30 minutes:
24 oz sports drink + bagel + peanut butter
Sports bar + sports drink
Low-fat chocolate milk
Bowl of cereal with dried fruit and nuts + fluids
Leftover sandwich + juice + water
Yogurt + bagel + water or sports drink
Protein/carbohydrate repletiondrink or meal replacement drink
Fruit + thick crust cheese/veggie pizza + water

What if I don't feel like eating right after my event?
Focus on liquid products. Low-fat chocolate milk is a GREAT replacement drink for the crucial 30 minute time frame!
 

Traveling bag:

Goal: Plan ahead for meals, snacks and fluids. Buy a lunch box or insulated bag that can keep food chilled and pack your familiar foods the night before your meet. Consider freezing a bottle of water or sports drink to put in lunch box to keep foods chilled.
 

Grocery List:

Juice boxes	dried fruit	sports bars	sports drink	fig newtons	bagels
Trail mix	raisin boxes	sandwiches	fruit roll up	pretzels	string cheese
Bananas	oranges	fruit	gel/GU	pita bread	dried cereal
NF milk	pasta salad	noodles/rice	potato	yogurt	fruit cups
Eng muffin	baked chips	nuts	Pita chips	granola bar	inst oatmeal
Pita chips	peanut butter	water bottles

 

Tips for eating out on the road:

• Choose single burgers instead of "monster burgers" with bacon and cheese.
• Sandwiches with turkey, chicken, or roast beef instead of chicken salad or salami. Pile on the veggies!
• Grilled chicken sandwiches or salads instead of fried chicken.
• Grilled meat or grilled fish instead of fried.
• Pasta dishes with lots of pasta and red sauce instead of pasta with cream sauces.
• Stir-fried vegetables and steamed white rice instead of dishes with a lot of meat or fried egg rolls.
• Waffles, pancakes, grits, scrambled eggs, or grilled ham, instead of bacon, sausage, or biscuits.
• Pizza with thick crust (wheat is good too!), vegetables, and Canadian bacon, instead of a pepperoni, sausage, or "meat lover's" pizza.

 

"Fuel The Machine And See The Results!"

Sports Nutrition Secrets Uncovered

 

 

Faster Training Tips

Speedwork : Why You Need It & How To Do It

Yes, it's true that if you want to run faster, you have to run fast. If your goal is to race faster, whether your distance is 5K or the marathon, you'll have to incorporate some type of speedwork into your training schedule. Runners new to the sport will usually see improvement in their racing times simply by adding mileage, but eventually most everyone reaches a plateau and even additional miles don't result in increased speed; that's when speedwork becomes necessary.

Getting Started

1. Don't attempt speedwork until you've run a minimum of 25 miles-per-week for at least six months.

2. If you're new to speedwork, don't do it alone. Most running clubs have regularly scheduled speed workouts… join them.

3. New runners should do speedwork no more than once a week; runners who have been training and racing for a year or more may be able to safely do faster workouts twice a week.

4. Speedwork should total no more than 10% of your total weekly mileage.

5. Listen to your body. Speed can lead to injury. Don't ever push yourself through a workout if you feel any pain or discomfort.

Choosing the Right Workout

1. Generally speaking, the length of your speedwork will depend on your goal race distance. Choose shorter workouts for 5K-10K training, longer ones for half-marthon to marathon training.

2. It isn't necessary to do speedwork on a track (with the exception of intervals). Since most runners don't race on the track, it's perfectly fine to run speedwork on the road.

Which Workouts Work

1. Tempo runs are workouts run 20-seconds slower than your current 10K pace or 30-seconds slower than your current 5K pace, for at least two miles. If you haven't raced recently, or have never raced, do the tempo run at a pace that feels comfortably hard…in other words, the pace should be fast enough that you feel like you're working, but not so fast that you couldn't run at that pace for an hour. Do a warm-up and cool-down jog of at least 15-minutes each on either side of the tempo run. New runners should limit their tempo runs to two miles, while more advanced competitors can train up to five to six miles at tempo pace. Increase the length of the tempo run by a half mile every two weeks. Base the length of the workout on your goal race distance: two to three miles for 5K, up to six miles for half-marathon to the marathon.

2. Fartlek workouts are based on how you feel: you choose how fast to run and for how long depending on your fitness level, what distances you're training for and how you feel on that particular day. Since fartlek supposedly means "speedplay" in Swedish, focus on having fun with these workouts. After you've warmed up for two miles, choose a spot to run to at a faster pace. It can be a tree, telephone pole, the ugly purple house at the end of the block…whatever. Run fast to that spot, how fast is up to you, then jog easily to the place you've picked as the next goal. Fartlek workouts can be run anywhere, but the ideal courses are dirt paths or trails through parks, particularly those with rolling hills. Don't worry about maintaining an even pace during the faster portions of the workouts, play around with speeding up then slowing down. You're not running for distance when you do fartleks, focus on time instead. If your goal race is 5K, the speedplay potion of the workout should be no longer than 15-20 minutes; if you're an experienced runner with a half-marathon or marathon on your schedule, 60-75 minutes is an appropriate amount of time. Keep in mind that fartlek workouts shouldn't leave you feeling spent, you should feel refreshed after speedplay.

3. Interval workouts are best done on the track so you'll know exactly how fast you ran each one. It's possible to run intervals on the road, as long as you've accurately measured-out the distances and marked them in some way. Although you can run tempo or fartlek workouts alone, because they're more intense it's best to run intervals with other runners. There are lots of combinations of intervals, generally speaking though short fast intervals (200-400m) with short recoveries are best for 5K to 10K training, while longer (800m-mile) intervals with longer rests are best for half-marathon to the marathon. How quickly you run the fast intervals depends on your fitness level, experience and goal race time; rest intervals should be slow jogs. Run a minimum 20-minute warm-up prior to the interval session, and 20-minute cool-down. Finish the cool-down with 10-15 minutes of stretching. More advanced runners may do five to ten minutes of drills such as skipping, high-knees and butt kicks immediately following the warm-up.

Strength training and interval training for runners

By: Daniela Nahas

With the good weather fast approaching, there are many runners coming out of hibernation. I thought it only appropriate to speak about how strength training and interval cardio training can increasing your speed, stamina and prevent injury down the road.

Prevent injury: Running is great for building cardiovascular strength, however it also puts a lot of strain and impact on your body and not just the lower extremities. The body should be looked at as one fluid machine with many parts working towards one common goal ? in this case running effectively. If one of those parts is weak, it will not only affect your speed and strength as a runner, but also begin a domino effect of sprains, strains and injury.

If you plan to have a long life as a runner, it is necessary that you work on strengthening the muscles that are commonly weak in runners: this includes the glutes, the hip flexors (which do a tremendous amount of work while you run and enable the upward movement of the knee), tibialis anterior, your quadriceps and of course your core/trunk stabilizers.

Your core muscles run the length of the trunk and torso – when they contract they stabilize the spine, pelvis and shoulder girdle to create a solid base of support. This support then enables us to transfer energy from the center of the body out to the limbs and generate the movement needed for running. Core training supports the efficient interaction of the ankle, knee, and hip mobility.

Muscles included in the core are: Rectus Abdominis (located at the front of your absomen, Transverse Abdominis (are the deepest abdominal muscles located under the obliques – which wrap around the spine for support, Multifidus (under the erector spinae along the vertebral column (sacrum to axis), these muscles help extend and rotate the spine), External Obliques (run along the side and front of the abdomen) and Internal Obliques (located beneath the external obliques and run in the opposite direction, Erector Spinae (group of muscles and tendons that run along your neck to your lower back).
The hip Flexors, hip adductors and gluteus are also considered to be part of the core stabilizers.

If any of these muscles are weak, it can have a big impact on your form while running: If the hip abductors are weak for example, it can cause the entire leg to overpronate. Some common injuries include anterior knee pain, patellar tendonitis, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, stress fractures, achilles tendonitis, IT band tendonitis, low back pain, and various strains and sprains.

Furthermore, strengthening your core will not only help you as a runner, but also in everyday activities. Since we are not always moving in the same plane when we perform everyday activities, training the body to stabilize, control, and produce force in a three-dimensional environment is crucial.

Increase stamina: Many runners generally train at one consistent speed for a certain time. While this is great exercise in itself you may have a hard time increasing your stamina. Interval training which involves doing quick and intense burst of activity followed by periods of lower intensity, allows you to rapidly increase your cardiovascular endurance and improve your VO2 Max – which that describes how much oxygen your body can transport during exercise or activity. The higher your VO2 Max, the less winded you become during exercise. Translating this into your running routine, you will increase your speed and power and be able you to run for longer durations.

Weight loss: Many people who run, began running in the first place in order to lose weight and then continue to run to keep it off. However many find that after a while of just running your body begins to plateau and you stop losing any pounds and also find that you need to run much longer distances to stay trim. This is because doing solely Aerobic activity will not help you increase your metabolism. Anaerobic activity on the other hand does. It increases your lean muscle mass as well as your resting metabolic rate (your metabolic rate while at rest).

Anaerobic activity includes weight/strength training and sprinting, while running is aerobic activity.  Anaerobic activity increases lean muscle mass while aerobic activity for long durations of time breaks it down. Quite simply, muscle burns fat and anaerobic activity creates muscle, while aerobic activity does not promote the increase of muscle and actually breaks down lean muscle mass.

I am not by any means saying that you should not run, I am impressed everyday by people who are able to run marathons, and people who turn their life around when they begin running. I am simply saying that you should incorporate other components into your routine.

Have a great run!

Preventing and Treating Running Injuries

By: Seamus Kennedy, BEng (Mech), CPed

Running has been referred to as the king of all workouts. It is an activity that has been embraced at varying levels of competence by nearly 11 million adults in the United States alone, according to the American Running Association. Running doesn't require the purchase or use of expensive equipment; it is possible to do it indoors or outdoors, usually year round. Not only does running provide a fantastic cardiovascular workout, it allows you to burn calories and clear your mind, leaving you with that relaxed, feel-good sense for many hours afterward. However, to reap these benefits on an ongoing basis, it is important to take precautions to prevent debilitating injuries.

For all the benefits of this great activity, there is no doubt that the repetitive nature of the stress it places on key joints can lead to breakdown. While there is some debate about what constitutes an injury, it has been estimated that up to 70 percent of runners will sustain some form of overuse injury during any one-year period. Anyone working in the orthotics, biomechanics, or sports medicine professions will see his or her fair share of running injuries. These injuries can be broadly classified as acute or chronic. Acute injuries are those due to sudden motions or twisting, such as an ankle sprain, which lead to soft tissue and/or osseous injury. These need to be treated immediately and allowed to heal.

Chronic injuries develop over time and are the result of repetitive stress that eventually leads to breakdown; e.g., patellofemoral syndrome. Chronic injuries account for well over 80 percent of running injuries, and they can develop from either an anatomical cause or a biomechanical issueand sometimes a combination of both. Because of its impact forces on the body, running greatly magnifies the extent of these anomalies. When experienced runners develop a chronic injury, it is often necessary to investigate what they have changed in their training practices.

To get a clear picture of any injury, it is necessary to do a full biomechanical exam. Evaluate the patient in stance and motion, non-weight bearing and weight bearing, in shoes and out of shoes. It is vital to follow the entire kinetic chainnot just treat the symptomto investigate the root cause of the problem. John Connors, DPM, a New York-based sports-medicine specialist, insists on watching his patients function in order to determine underlying causes. He will even run with his world-class patients in order to diagnose their etiology.

Common Running Injuries

Heel pain: Heel pain is a common complaint among runners. This is hardly surprising, given that the majority of runners who train on level ground at low to moderate speeds are heelstrikers. This running style produces an impact-force peak early in the stance phase, which can range from one-and-a-half to five times the runner's body weight. These impact forces are considered a primary cause of overuse injuries.

The classic sign of plantar fasciitis (PF) is heel pain that presents first thing in the morning and then decreases with activity. In the early stages, the patient usually can still exercise, only to be faced with more severe pain following a run. Typically, pain will be felt at the plantar-medial aspect of the calcaneus or at the middle aspect of the calcaneus.

There are other causes of heel pain that should not be ruled out without further radiographic examination. A calcaneal stress fracture may present like PF, but typically the pain does not subside as the day progresses. A positive calcaneal compression test can indicate the presence of such a fracture. Other considerations for heel pain include tarsal tunnel syndrome, neuritis of the first branch of the lateral plantar nerve, and tendinitis of the flexor hallucis longus.

Achilles tendinitis (AT): Achilles tendon injuries may be due to inflammation of the paratenon or the result of the degeneration of the tendon itself. It is broadly classified into two groups: insertional (occurring at the tendon/bone interface) and non-insertional (occurring proximal to its insertion, in or about the tendon proper). A physician's diagnosis will confirm the location and type of condition. AT can develop when the tendon contracts and tightens and is then over-stretched during exercise. There may also be a biomechanical component to the condition, given the tendon's broad insertion on the posterior calcaneus. Due to the cyclic rotation of the STJ from pronation through supination, there can be increased tension on the medial and lateral aspects of the tendon's insertion.

Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS): This is a debilitating injury that presents as pain along the lateral aspect of the knee joint. It is sometimes accompanied by a clicking sensation. Current thinking is that ITBS results from weak core and hip muscles that fail to prevent tightening and strain the IT band.

Medial tibial stress syndrome (MTSS): Commonly known as "shin splints," this pain is typically noted along the lower third of the posterior medial surface of the tibia. It can often result from improper biomechanics or by not following the training considerations described earlier.

There are many other injuries that you are likely to see in runners such as posterior tibial tendon pain, knee pain, and a variety of stress fractures. Forefoot pathologies can include functional hallux limitus, sesamoiditis, and second metatarsal phalangeal joint (MPJ) capsulitis, in addition to regular blisters, corns, and neuromas. Much has been written on each of these conditions and their specific rehabilitation treatments. "How to Detect and Treat Running Injuries," by Brian Fullem, DPM, (Podiatry Today, May 2005) covers the basics. It is an excellent resource.

Preventative Measures

Over the years, I have developed a great love for running, so I can say from personal experience as well as patient interaction that nearly all running injuries result from training errors. I try to follow my own advice on injury prevention as outlined above. I begin a run by forcing myself to stretch; I change out my running shoes as necessary, even if they look almost new; and I vary my workouts with swimming, yoga, and sometimes bicycling to ensure adequate rest. I am pleased to say that I am injury free. However, when injuries do occur, treatment will generally follow a protocol of relieving pain, resting, icing, stretching, focused strengthening, and improving biomechanics. Good support from shoes and orthotics, good running form, and good training habits, such as always stretching, will prevent the return of many of these injuries. I believe foot orthotics, whether custom or not, play an essential role in keeping a runner injury free by aligning the body properly. Regardless of foot type, appropriate orthotics will increase shock absorption and prevent end-of-range-of motion, thus protecting tendons, muscles, and joints.

Another strategy for preventing running injuries is to advise your patients to modify their running style. Recently, I have begun using a technique called ChiRunning© ( www.chirunning.com). In essence, ChiRunning aims to lessen the forces that most runners experience by introducing a slight forward lean and a biomechanically efficient flow to their running style. It advocates running with relaxed lower legs and using a mid-foot strike to avoid the braking and impact of heel strike. Since adopting the ChiRunning approach, I have found running even more enjoyable, not to mention less strenuous.

Hopefully, armed with this information and more, you can help your runners achieve their goals.

Séamus Kennedy, BEng (Mech), CPed, is president and co-owner of Hersco Ortho Labs, New York, New York. He can be contacted via e-mail atseamus@hersco.com, or visitwww.hersco.com

Training Considerations

Increasing mileage and/or speed: Make any changes in distance or tempo gradually.

Breaking in new shoes: Break in new shoes slowly over a few runs. Ensure that the last and sole design match the runner's foot type; i.e., pronator, supinator, or normal/neutral.

Running in old or worn-out shoes: It is recommended that runners switch out their sneakers every 300-500 miles. If sneakers are over-worn, they lose shock absorption and their ability to control rearfoot and subtalar joint (STJ) motion.

Running on unforgiving surfaces: Elite runners usually avoid running on roads too often due to the unrelenting hard surface and the banked edges. It is best to look for firm trails with some forgiveness, such as dirt, woodchips, fields, or boardwalk. Slightly uneven terrain also helps avoid an exact repetition of each stride.

New running style: Any change in running technique should be applied slowly, to allow the body to adapt.

Be aware that a change in weight, and even aging, can contribute to the onset of an injury.

 

Why Is Exercise Important?

We all know we are supposed to exercise but we make excuses not to do it.  However, why is exercise so important? Well exercising helps prevent diseases. It reduces the risk for heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure and diabetes. It can even improve your stamina and delay the aging process. That is good news for us women. We never want to age! Exercising makes, your heart and lungs work better so that daily activities become easier. Things like carrying those heavy groceries, playing with your kids and more. Not to mention regular exercise makes you feel better about yourself. I used to exercise everyday and I did indeed feel good and had more energy. There are three types of exercise Aerobic, Anaerobic, Stretching.

You do not have to do anything too strenuous at first. Take a walk; use the stairs instead of the escalator. Even these small steps can make a big difference. If you are trying to lose weight start small and make sure you eat a well balanced diet. Try cooking at home instead of those fat filled take out dinners. Exercise can also benefit your sleep patterns and make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. Also making sure you drink plenty of water can actually help you lose weight. I know from experience that this works. I drink a lot of water and a few years ago, it helped me to feel full and lose weight faster. Make sure to drink plenty of water when exercising to avoid dehydration.

Everyone should exercise including children, adults and the elderly. Children need to exercise to grow and develop strong bones. Far too many children are obese. As well, there are adults who are obese.  This can lead to horrible health conditions. People need to realize that exercise is the fastest way to lose that weight. You should do some form of exercise a few times a week. Just do whatever you like, swimming, running, walking etc. It will make your body stronger, fitter and more flexible. Just remember to warm up with stretching exercises and then have a cooling down period the same way. Otherwise, you could end up with an injury. No one wants an injury when you are exercising.

Exercise also removes toxins and waste from the body. Without exercise they are stored as fat in the body. That is where water comes in to help flush these toxins from your body. In fact, for optimal health you should be expelling waste a few times a day. However, how many of us actually go to the washroom that often? No wonder we have problems! In this world of immediate satisfaction, we are told to reward ourselves with food. This is the wrong message for some people who are battling weight issues. We all need to get up from our seats, stretch, and move and buy something other then those sweet treats!  Wouldn’t you rather be muscle toned, slim, and fit into those jeans then overweight and tired and flabby and have nothing to wear?

 

To Stretch Or Not To Stretch

Author: Stan Reents, PharmD

If the average person was asked to define "fitness", he/she might point to the ability to run a distance race (ie., "aerobic fitness") or the ability to lift a large amount of weight (ie., "muscular strength"). But, flexibility is a component of fitness too, even though it may not get as much attention or respect as its siblings.

This brings us to the concept of stretching. Almost all athletes — from elite athletes down to the weekend warrior types — stretch. Thus, it seems intuitive that stretching prevents injuries….why else would everybody be doing it, right?

Indeed, recent studies have shown that stretching can influence the viscosity of the tendon and make it significantly more compliant. Thus, many believe that increasing the flexibility of a muscle-tendon unit promotes better performances and decreases the number of injuries. Because of this belief, stretching exercises are regularly included in warm-up and cooling-down exercises. However, the sports medicine literature is divided on whether stretching prevents injury.

But, before we get into the science, let's review some basics:

TYPES OF STRETCHING

To be precise, stretching can be classified into 5 different types:

• Ballistic Stretching: This is defined as: rapid lengthening (stretching) of a muscle by the use of jerking or bouncing movements, for example, bouncing down to touch your toes. This type of stretching is not recommended. In fact, it mimics the type of sudden stress that produces muscle injuries in the first place. Jerking a muscle into a full stretch causes it to lengthen beyond a safe stretch and may injure the muscle…exactly the opposite of what you are trying to achieve with stretching.

• Static Stretching: This type of stretching is characterized by a slow and sustained (eg., for 15-60 secs) lengthening of a muscle by the athlete without help from a partner. This is one of the best types of stretching because it does not pose the risk of injury to muscle and connective tissue as ballistic stretching does.

• Passive Stretching: Passive stretching is identical to static stretching, except that a partner is used to gradually move the arm or leg. The advantage of using a partner is that a greater range-of-motion can be achieved compared to stretching without a partner.

• Isometric Stretching: Isometric stretching is simply static stretching with the aid of an immovable object.

• Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching: PNF stretching sounds more complicated than it really is. Technically, PNF stretching involves passive muscle lengthening with the use of a partner after an antagonistic muscle is contracted. PNF stretching is considered to be an excellent technic however the risk of injury is slightly greater than the other methods since the range of the stretch can be greater.

STRETCHING TO IMPROVE FLEXIBILITY

One of the benefits of stretching is that it does improve flexibility, albeit, short-term. Stretching, combined with warming up, has been shown to increase the flexibility of the ankle, hip, and knee joints (Thacker SB, et al. 2004). However, an improvement in flexibility does not automatically mean fewer injuries or improved athletic performance. This is where there is confusion in the literature.

STRETCHING AND MUSCLE PERFORMANCE

As mentioned above, while stretching does increase the flexibility of specific joints, greater flexibility, in turn, does not always lead to improved performance. After static stretching, the muscle-tendon unit is weaker for 10-15 minutes (or longer, see below). This phenomenon has been called the "stretch lag" period, or, "tendon slack".

In fact, in some cases, stretching actually worsens (measurements of) muscle performance. Stretching has been shown to impair maximal voluntary contraction force (Behm DG, et al. 2001), muscular endurance (Kokkonen J, et al. 2001), and one-repetition maximum (Kokkonen J, et al. 1998) when it occurs just prior to the performance assessment.

A study of 40 females using a vertical jump test to assess muscle performance revealed that adding PNF stretching to a general warm-up routine worsened jumping ability (Church JB, et al. 2001).

Another study shows the effect of stretching on muscular strength over time (Fowles JR, et al. 2000). Subjects performed 13 stretches of the plantar flexors, holding each stretch for 135 seconds during a period of 33 minutes. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was assessed 6 times during the ensuing 60 minutes. MVIC was depressed as follows:

Time / Percent Strength Decrease

• Time 0: -28%
• 5 min: -21%
• 15 min: -13%
• 30 min: -12%
• 45 min: -10%
• 60 min: -9%

The authors concluded that an intense prolonged stretch (of the plantar flexors) reduces maximum voluntary force for up to 1 hour after stretching.

STRETCHING TO PREVENT INJURIES

Contradictory findings regarding the ability of stretching to prevent injuries have been reported in the literature. Stretching recommendations are clouded by misconceptions and conflicting research reports. Apparently, no scientifically based prescription for stretching exercises exists (Witvrouw E, et al. 2004).

One fundamental issue to consider is that, even though stretching improves flexibility, most injuries occur during an extremity's normal range of motion (ie., during eccentric contraction). Thus, it is illogical to conclude that improving flexibility will prevent most muscle injuries (Shrier I. 2000).

In 1999, Shrier reviewed the literature on stretching to prevent injuries. He found 12 papers with acceptable study design. Of those, 4 showed that stretching was beneficial, 3 showed that stretching was detrimental, and 5 showed no difference (Shrier I. 1999).

Australian researchers reviewed the literature in 2002 and found that stretching had no beneficial effect on delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and did not reduce the risk of injury (Herbert RD, et al. 2002).

A subsequent literature review, published in 2004 (Witvrouw E, et al. 2004), was much more revealing. These authors proposed a possible explanation for why there is disagreement on the issue of whether stretching prevents injury:

Witvrouw and colleagues believe that the type of sports activity in which an individual is participating needs to be considered. Sports that involve a lot of bouncing and jumping activities with a high intensity of stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) (eg. basketball, football, soccer, tennis) require a muscle-tendon unit that is compliant enough to store and release the high amount of elastic energy that benefits performance in such sports. If the muscle-tendon unit is not compliant enough, the demands in energy absorption and release may rapidly exceed its capacity. This may lead to an increased risk for injury of this structure. Thus, when a sport demands stretch-shortening cycles (SSCs) of high intensity, such as jumping or abrupt changes in direction, stretching may be important for injury prevention.

In contrast, when the type of sports activity contains low-intensity, or limited SSCs (eg. cycling, jogging, swimming), there is no need for a very compliant muscle-tendon unit since most of the forces come from active muscle contraction to generate motion. Strong evidence exists that stretching has no beneficial effect on injury prevention in these sports.

In other words, whether or not stretching prevents injury depends on the type of activity being considered.

Witvrouw and colleagues believe that if this point of view is used when examining research concerning stretching to prevent injuries, the reasons for the contrasting findings in the literature are in many instances resolved.

USE OF STRETCHING TO HASTEN RECOVERY AFTER AN INJURY

While stretching to PREVENT an injury is not always helpful, the use of stretching to hasten recovery AFTER an injury has been shown to be beneficial:

• Hamstring Injuries: A Greek study randomized athletes with hamstring strains to light stretching (once per day) or a more vigorous program (4 times per day). The study was conducted from 1996-2001 and randomized 40 athletes into each of the 2 plans. All 80 athletes received RICE (rest, ice, compression, and elevation). The stretching involved static stretching for 30 seconds per stretch session.

The authors found that normal range-of-motion was achieved earlier in the 4 times per day group (5.6 days vs 7.3 days) and the time elapsed prior to achieving full athletic activity was also shorter in the 4 times per day group (13.3 days vs 15 days) compared to the once/daily group (Malliaropoulos N, et al. 2004.).

• Plantar Fasciitis: For plantar fasciitis, also known as "painful heel syndrome" or "proximal heel pain", stretching of the Achilles tendon has been shown to be beneficial in reducing pain, stiffness, and increasing range-of-motion (McNair PJ, et al. 1996; Porter D, et al. 2002). One study reported that a non-weight-bearing stretch of the plantar fascia was better than the classic standing Achilles tendon stretch (DiGiovanni BF, et al. 2003).

SUMMARY

Thus, while there still is some controversy regarding stretching to prevent injury, some conclusions can be offered:

• Stretching to PREVENT injury is most helpful in sports that involve sudden changes of direction, such as football, soccer, or tennis or sports that require lots of jumping such as basketball or volleyball. Stretching appears to be less helpful in sports that produce less shock to the muscles, such as cycling, jogging, or swimming.

• Do not stretch extensively (if at all) within 15-60 minutes prior to a competitive event.

• If you do stretch prior to a competitive event, work that muscle group for a few minutes to help the muscle(s) recover to their normal length and power capacity. For example, if you have just stretched your hamstrings and the front of your thighs to get ready for a race, do some light jogging for several minutes before the race begins.

• Avoid ballistic stretching: It is more likely to cause injury than other technics.

• Stretching injured muscles does appear to hasten recovery.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

A very succinct, yet thorough, review of the sports medicine literature on stretching was published in the Sept./Oct. 2002 issue of ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal (see Bracko MR, below). Although this publication is intended for sports medicine professionals, the article is written in an easy-to-understand style.

For a "how-to" book filled with diagrams, get the classic Stretching by Bob Anderson. Even though this book was originally published in 1980, it demonstrates every kind of stretch and stretching routine you can imagine.

REFERENCES

Behm DG, Button DC, Butt JC. Factors affecting force loss with prolonged stretching. Can J Appl Physiol 2001;26:261-272. Abstract

Bracko MR. Can stretching prior to exercise and sports improve performance and prevent injury? ACSM's Health and Fitness Journal 2002;6:17-22. (no abstract)

Church JB, Wiggins MS, Moode FM, et al. Effect of warm-up and flexibility treatments on vertical jump performance. J Strength Cond Res 2001;15:332-336. Abstract

DiGiovanni BF, Nawoczenski DA, Lintal ME, et al. Tissue-specific plantar fascia-stretching exercise enhances outcomes in patients with chronic heel pain. A prospective, randomized study. J Bone Joint Surg Am 2003;85-A:1270-1277. Abstract

Fowles JR, Sale DG, MacDougall JD. Reduced strength after passive stretch of the human plantar flexors. J Appl Physiol 2000;89:1179-1188. Abstract

Herbert RD, Gabriel M. Effects of stretching before and after exercising on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review. BMJ 2002;325:468. Abstract

Kokkonen J, Nelson AG, Andrew C. Acute muscle stretching inhibits maximal strength performance. Res Quart Exerc Sport 1998;69:411-415. Abstract

Kokkonen J, Nelson AG, Arnall DA. Acute stretching inhibits strength endurance performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2001;33:11A. (no abstract)

Malliaropoulos N, Papalexandris S, Papalada A, et al. The role of stretching in rehabilitation of hamstring injuries: 80 athletes follow-up. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004;36:756-759. Abstract

McNair PJ, Stanley SN. Effect of passive stretching and jogging on the series elastic muscle stiffness and range of motion of the ankle joint. Br J Sports Med 1996;30:313-317. Abstract

Porter D, Barrill E, Oneacre K, et al. The effects of duration and frequency of Achilles tendon stretching on dorsiflexion and outcome in painful heel syndrome: a randomized, blinded, control study. Foot Ankle Int 2002;23:619-624. Abstract

Shrier I. Stretching before exercise does not reduce the risk of local muscle injury: a critical review of the clinical and basic science literature. Clin J Sports Med 1999;9:221-227. Abstract

Shrier I. Stretching before exercise: an evidence based approach. Br J Sports Med 2000;34:324-325. Abstract

Thacker SB, Gilchrist J, Stroup DF, et al. The impact of stretching on sports injury risk: a systematic review of the literature. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2004;36:371-378. Abstract

Witvrouw E, Mahieu N, Danneels L, et al. Stretching and injury prevention: an obscure relationship. Sports Med 2004;34:443-449. Abstract

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan Reents, PharmD, is a former healthcare professional. He holds Personal Trainer and Lifestyle Counselor certifications from the American Council on Exercise and has been certified as a tennis coach by USTA. He is the author of Sport and Exercise Pharmacology (published by Human Kinetics). 

 

100+ Health and Wellness Resources for the Avid Runner

Runners have learned how to persevere beyond the pain and discomfort sometimes associated with their intense workouts. This doesn’t mean they have to be unhealthy or push themselves to the point of injury. Read the list below to find information on smart cross-training, ways to prevent injury, approaches to healthy living and nutrition, and much more. These resources will help keep you in great shape and in top health without losing your edge.

Running and Training Resources

Make sure you are training the healthy way with these online running and training resources.

1. Active Trainer. Get a training plan, use the free online log for your runs, and even get a personal coach with this online trainer.
2. The Less-Is-More Marathon Plan. Check out this proven plan that only allows three running days a week but increases speed, endurance, and efficiency.
3. The Marathon. This article offers great tips on choosing a training technique and offers four training schedules for the beginner, intermediate, advanced, and competitive.
4. 13.1: Not Just Half a Race. Find out how to train for a half marathon the healthy way in this article.
5. Hydration Tips. Ensure you aren’t getting dehydrated while running. Not only is it not healthy, it can also slow you down.
6. Health and Wellness on RunningForums.com. Get plenty of tips on this site from shortening your stride to the proper running shoes–then head over to the forums to hear what others have to say about running.
7. The Perfect Form. Find out what you can do from head to toe to get the best running form possible.
8. BreakingtheTape.com. This resource for runners includes news, blogs, a forum, and links to other running sites.
9. Distance Running Tips. This site, put together by a long-time runner and his coach with over 30 years of experience, you will find tips, tools, a personalized coach, running news, and more.
10. RunTex 5K/10K Training Program. Follow this training program to get in shape or improve your current running while training for either a 5K or a 10K.
11. 60 is the New 17:44. Find out why runners over 60 are doing so well and learn their training techniques to help your running.
12. A Coach’s Counsel. Learn what coaching legend, Jack Daniels, suggests to ensure you train for peak race performance.
13. The Pack Rules: Beat the Heat. From drinking enough water to wearing the right clothing, find out how to run safely in hot conditions.
14. 10 Tips for Running in the Cold. If you live in the northern regions of the nation, or anywhere it gets particularly chilly, you’ll appreciate these tips on running in cold conditions.

Cross-Training

Don’t forget your cross-training to enhance your running skills. Besides, the health benefits to cross-training are numerous, as well.

15. An Injury-Free Approach to Cross-Training. From swimming to Pilates to cycling, learn what exercises can complement your running routine.
16. How Strength Training Will Improve Your Running. Learn how weight training can improve your strength and time when running–especially for those running 20 to 50 miles a week.
17. Yoga for Runners. Find out how yoga naturally complements running by providing necessary flexibility, body awareness, and more.
18. The Everything Yoga Blog. Read the posts to gain information to improve your yoga practice or visit some of the other blogs and sites included here.
19. Free Picture Galleries of Hatha Yoga Poses. These helpful photos and accompanying text will improve your yoga practice whether at home or in class.
20. Bike About. The posts in this blog offer much more than just biking with thoughts on healthy eating, hiking, and more.
21. Four Keys for Cross-Training for Runners. Check out these four tips to ensure you are getting the most benefits from cross-training.
22. Abdominal Exercises–Best Ab Exercises–Core Workout. Many experts believe when you strengthen your core, you strengthen your whole body. Try these exercises to do just that (and get flat abs as a bonus).
23. Swimming for Runners Cross Training. Learn about the exceptional benefits of swimming as a cross-training tool for runners.
24. Cross-Training for Runners. Find out why and how to cross-train successfully. They also include a great list of running-friendly cross-training activities.
25. Mix It Up. This article not only offers cross-training activities, but it also breaks them down by body area of focus such as lower back or upper body.

Injury Prevention

Injury doesn’t have to be a part of running. Follow this advice and keep your body free from injury.

26. Train Hard and Rest Well. Read this article from master runner Alisa Harvey to learn the importance of rest time to prevent injury.
27. An Ounce of Prevention. Find great tips on preventing injury when running with this article.
28. Running Injury Prevention and Recovery Tools. These great gadgets will help you avoid or recover from your running injuries.
29. Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome ("Runner’s Knee"). Learn how to avoid the most common running injury with this advice.
30. Strong Medicine. This article offers exercises to perform in order to build muscles that don’t normally get a workout while running and stave off injury.
31. Ice Baths: Cold Therapy. If you do any distance running, then learn how ice baths can work to prevent injury to your body.
32. Learn to Stretch Your Inner Thighs. This method of stretching your inner thighs will reduce the chance of injury due to either under or over-stretching.
33. How to Buy the Right Running Shoes. Go for comfort and injury prevention by ensuring you have the proper shoes for your foot and running style.
34. Head-to-Toe Running Stretches. Learn the best stretches to help avoid injury.
35. Avoid Your Next Blister. Find three easy ways to avoid getting blisters on your feet.
36. 10 Common Running Mistakes to Avoid. Follow this advice and avoid these 10 things in order to keep injuries at bay.
37. The Fix: A Primer for Treating Running Injuries. Learn what to do if you didn’t heed the above advice and have an injury.

Running Tools

These tools and calculators can help any kind of runner, no matter if you enjoy jogging around the neighborhood or are training for a marathon.

38. Smart Coach. This tools from Runner’s World allows you to enter information about your past runs and how you would like to start training to receive a training program that is individualized to your ability and goals.
39. MapMyRun. Use this tool to create a map of your runs, find a run, or log your training information.
40. Run the Nation. This site offers several tools to help with your running including a body fat calculator, race pace calculator, workout calorie counter, and more.
41. RunningAHEAD. With this tool, you can log and track your runs, and then analyze them to make sure you are staying on track with your goals.
42. Runworks Running Calculator. Enter the data from your last run into this calculator to find your level of fitness and help predict how you will do in longer races.
43. Runbayou: VDOT Calculator. Similar to the previous calculator, this one finds your level of fitness based on your last race. This calculator also provides paces for five different running zones to help you create the perfect training routine.
44. Runningmap.com. Use this tool to map your runs, plan for future runs, and even share your running maps with others.
45. Running4Women.com. This site offers lots of tools for women to use when training including a body mass index calculator, heart rate monitor, and a pace calculator.
46. MarathonGuide.com. This site offers running calculators, fitness calculators, and health/nutrition calculators. While written for those training for a marathon, any runner can find these calculators useful.
47. Track Lane Distance Calculator. If you run on a track, use this calculator to determine what the offset distance is for each of the lanes. You will need to know the specifics of the track and race details including lane width and distance of the race.
48. Walk, Jog, or Run Pace Calculator. Use this calculator to determine your pace no matter which mode of moving you enjoy. Just enter the distance you went and the amount of time it took you to do so.
49. Stride Distance Calculator. If you can’t afford a pedometer, this calculator can help you find the same information. By measuring your stride distance, you can determine the distance traveled very accurately.
50. JogTunes. Support indie artists and get great running music that matches your pace at this site.

Healthy Living

Make sure you are getting enough sleep, preventing illness, and generally approaching your health and wellness from a proactive position with these resources.

51. Time Management: How to run a marathon and still have time for sex. This article does an excellent job of both mapping out a training program that doesn’t rule your life and also describing why making time for the rest of life is important.
52. 9 Little Known Ways to Sleep So it Counts. Waking up from a full night’s sleep feeling exhausted is no good. Follow these tips to help you get the most from your sleep.
53. Six Sleep Tips. Using relaxation and visualization, these suggestions will help get you on your way to a good night’s (or day’s) rest.
54. Holistic Approach to Wellness. Being healthy is usually the goal for most people, yet it is easy for the balance in life to get disrupted and result in ill health. Read this article to examine your life and make sure you balance each of the facets to ensure continued good health and well-being.
55. 11 Odd but Simple Ways to Improve Your Health. Move beyond simply improving diet and exercise with these interesting suggestions.
56. 7 Simple Ways to Burst Out of Bed Each Day. These tips on taking a few extra steps to overall health will do more than just help those who struggle to get out of bed each morning. 
57. Top Ten Health & Wellness Gifts: For the Mind, Body, and Spirit. These are gifts worth getting all year round.
58. Whole Longevity. Find out how healthy living can increase your longevity and quality of life with the articles on this site.
59. Prevention is better than cure. This article about holistic healthcare explains how prevention is the best form of healthcare.
60. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, this comprehensive site offers information about specific forms of medicine, clinical trials, research, training, and more to help you stay healthy.
61. RoadID. Keep all your emergency contact information on you with this ID strap that can go on your ankle, wrist, or shoe.

Nutrition

Eating well and putting the right types of foods in your body are important to ensure you are in top shape. These resources will help you get the best nutrition.

62. The Athlete’s Kitchen: The ABCs of Sports Nutrition. Go through the alphabet to get important nutrition information for you as a runner.
63. RunFast Ideas for Healthy Snacking. This article offers advice on how and why to snack healthily as well as specific healthy snack suggestions.
64. Owner’s Manual: Ease Your Woes. Find out how adding probiotics to your diet can help runners, especially distance runners, fight off GI problems and upper respiratory track infections.
65. Do You Get Enough Probiotics In Your Diet?.While this blog post is specifically focused on weight loss, it does an excellent job of explaining why probiotics are important for your body.
66. Fueling the Runner: Bone Health. Learn how to avoid stress fractures and nurture your bone health with this article.
67. Superfoods. Goji berries and cacao nibs?  Learn what is so special about these superfoods and others that you might be more familiar eating with this podcast. Be sure to listen to the other installments in the superfoods series.
68. Top 15 Diet Hacks. This list offers tips on how to shift your eating habits to a more healthy style.  Don’t forget to read the Comments for more tips.
69. Organic Guide. Included in this blog are posts about organic-relevant news pieces as well as many organic food topics such as growing your own sprouts, finding a good juicer, and recipes.
70. Five Easy Pieces of an Organic Diet. Having a hard time going organic? This article will help you get started while making the biggest environmental impact.
71. 10 Tasty, Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Here are some suggestions for what to eat and how to do it when you are short on time in the mornings.
72. Antioxidant Benefits From Drinking Green Tea. Learn about how antioxidants help your body and why green tea is such an excellent source.
73. Holistic Health Nutrition Facts. Browse this blog for tons of information about nutrition and keeping your body healthy. Topics include omega-3 fatty acids, preventing heart disease, and the health benefit of minerals.
74. 7 Fish Oil Benefits Proven by Research. Taking a fish oil supplement is incredibly beneficial to your body. Choosing a high-quality fish oil will ensure the best results and eliminate any "fishy" taste from the supplement.
75. Body-for-LIFE 10 Nutritional Guidelines. Even if you are a very active person, you cannot discount the importance of nutrition. These tips tell you how to get the most out of your workout with better eating habits.

Online Nutrition Tools

Keep your body strong for your running with these helpful tools that are a nice complement to the above nutrition resources.

76. Nutritional Guideline Calculator. Not only can you find out how many calories a day you need with this calculator, but it will also give you a breakdown of how much protein, carbohydrates, and fats you need.
77. Pack a Lunch. Use this tool to determine the calories and nutrition in the lunch you pack. Make combinations of entrees, sides, snacks, and drinks and you will see the total of calories and a breakdown of the vitamins you are getting with the entire lunch.
78. CalorieKing Food Database. Find out serving size for popular foods and drinks as well as the calorie, fat, and carbohydrate information for each. This database includes everything from beer to fast food to snacks.
79. Nutrition Data Daily Needs Calculator. Scroll down this page to enter your information into this calculator to discover what your nutritional needs are. The breakdown includes specific amounts of vitamins and minerals you should be getting each day.
80. The Bored.com Nutrition Calculator. Whether you want to scroll through the list of types of food or do a search for a specific food, you can find all the nutritional data. This calculator even does fast food, so if you want to learn about that breakfast at McDonald’s, just type in the name of your food and get the nutritional value.
81. Workouts for Women Nutritional Calculator. Type in your information to discover your nutritional requirements. The results are categorized by caloric expenditure and requirements for carbohydrates, fat, protein, and calcium.
82. Your Health Your Way Nutrition Calculator. Search for a particular food or add in all of your foods for an entire meal to find out the nutritional data for what you are eating.
83. Fast Food Nutrition Facts Calculator. Designed for determining the amount of calories your child is getting from fast food, this calculator also works for adults. Select menu items from several popular fast food restaurants and find out the percentage of calories received in that meal as well as fat content.
84. NAT Tool. Use this tool to determine the nutritional content of the food you eat. Just enter your age and gender and the food you want analyzed to receive a report.

Health and Fitness Calculators

Stay on top of your health and fitness progress with these online calculators.

85. Healthy Body Calculator. Plug in your age, height, weight, fitness levels, and any other information you may know about your body style to get a simple report about your overall health. You can also request nutrition facts to help you maintain, lose, or gain weight.
86. Activity Calorie Calculator. Tell your weight and the duration of your activity and this calculator will give you the amount of calories burned for 222 different activities.
87. Your Total Health. Choose from 11 different calculators (or choose all of them) to find out anything from your body mass index to daily calcium requirement to target heart rate.
88. Self.com Fitness Calculators. Use these calculators to find your BMI, ideal weight range, happy weight, and caloric needs. You can also select from 19 different activities to learn how many calories each one burns.
89. ExRx Fitness Calculators. This extensive list of calculators offers everything from body composition to male girth to risk class calculators. If you are looking for a fitness calculator, this is a great resource.
90. Health and Fitness Calculator v.1.0. Download this calculator to discover your BMI and what risks you have for size-related diseases. You will need your weight, height, and waist size to use this calculator.
91. Active.com Fitness Calculators. Calculate your pace, target heart rate, body fat index, body mass index, and more with these fitness calculators.
92. Changing Shape Health and Fitness Calculators. These calculators range from food fat content to daily protein requirements to one-rep calculator to help you determine your strength.

Running Blogs

Stay motivated and learn tips and techniques from others to keep you in top shape the healthy way with these informative and entertaining blogs.

93. A Passion for Running. This 40 year-old marathoner blogs about his experiences and accomplishments with both running and life.
94. Cool Running Viewpoint . This collaboration of posts keep runners informed about races, running news, and more.
95. The Complete Running Blog Network. Get news and videos in addition to helpful articles for running aficionados. This blog network is for runners of varying experience and fitness levels.
96. Riding the Wind. This blog offers runs, statistics, and details of each specific run. For distance runners especially, this blog provides a high standard for which to shoot.
97. Skyrunner.com. This blog breaks the mold of typical blogs, but offers plenty for running folks to enjoy nonetheless. Be sure to click on "Running & Rambling" for the list of articles.
98. LaSportiva Mountain Running Blog. If mountain running is your thing, check out this blog which details races, winners and more.
99. …miles to go before I sleep…. Trail runners will enjoy this blog that brings lively descriptions and photos of various runs.
100. irunfar.com. This blog features gear reviews, race previews, runner and trail profiles, and various topics on ultrarunning. The eclectic yet entertaining new format of this blog is worth reading.
101. See Mike Run. Anyone who runs in Banff must be in awesome shape. Read about Mike’s runs amidst the gorgeous scenery of Banff, and enjoy the photos he includes as well.
102. Cynical Mud Babe. Follow spunky Cynical Mud Babe as she chronicles her adventurous runs. The fun photos are worth a visit to this blog as well.
103. Run Dude, Run!. Deanna Stoppler takes her readers along for her runs with her descriptions and beautiful photos. You can also enjoy the side trips she offers as well, such as reading about her dogs, job interview wardrobe woes, and more.

 

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