Running
Run Your First Or Fastest 5k, 10k Or Half-marathon
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Table Of Contents
What Should Be In A Runners Diet
Breathing Techniques In Running
Common Mistakes In Running
Common Running Injuries_Symptoms_Causes_And Treatment
Dressed Up For Running
Fueling Your Running
How To Choose The Best Running Shoes
How To Stay Motivated With Running
Indoor Running
List Of Important Running Gears And Accessories
Losing Weight With Running
Nutrition And Running
personal trainer for running and other physical training tasks
running a form of workout for the legs and the body
Running And Hydration
running and other exrecises in effective weight loss programs
running as part of weight loss systems
Running For Weight Loss_Six Facts You Should Know
Running Health Benefits_A Quick Rundown
Seven Psychological Benefits Of Running
Smart Ways To Prevent Running Injuries
The Many Benefits Of Running
The Right Start_Running Tips For Beginners
Tips For Long Distance Running
tips for running a guide for beginners
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What Should Be In A Runners Diet
What Should Be In A Runner’s Diet
Proper nutrition is important among runners for two reasons. One is to
supplement their energy to achieve power performance. And two is to meet
their nutritional needs. However, runner’s diet and proper nutrition are two
of the most overlooked aspects of running that many runners, novices most
especially, feel powerless and fatigued every time they run. When running,
runners burn calories, or energy, and to be able to fuel their running, they
need to replace the lost calories adequately. Taking the following, in the
right amount and at the right time, will do the job.
Carbohydrates
A normal diet should consist of 40% carbohydrates. For runners, however,
the number should be anywhere from 60 to 65%, the reason being,
carbohydrates are a good source of energy. Carbohydrates are converted
into glucose and are then stored as glycogen. When running, the muscles
use the stored glycogen to keep them energized. Sodas and candies
provide carbohydrates, only theirs is the so-called simple carbohydrates or
those that give energy for a short period of time. What the runners need are
complex carbohydrates because these produce energy for long-term use.
They can come from pastas, rice, breads, potatoes, and grains. Runners
are recommended to take at least three grams of carbohydrates for every
pound of body weight everyday. So a 120-pound runner should have 360
grams of carbohydrates daily.
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Fats
Fats should make up 20 to 25% of the diet. Runners should take their fat
requirements mostly from mono-unsaturated fats, or those that are liquid in
form, as they are believed to meet sports nutritional needs effectively.
Natural oils are good sources of mono-unsaturated fats. Foods with
saturated and poly-unsaturated fats, such as red meats, butter, and
margarine, are also good, but they should be taken in very minimal
amounts. Foods with omega-3, an essential fat, should be also included in
the runner’s diet.
Protein
To improve muscle stamina, runners are recommended to take .5 to .75
gram of protein for every pound of body weight daily. Proteins are not only a
good source of energy, they also help in muscle growth and repair of
broken muscles. Protein, which should be 15 to 20% of a runner’s diet, can
be acquired from nuts, eggs, fish, beans, grains, and low-fat dairy products.
Water
Runners sweat a lot when running, a normal response to the muscles’
rigorous workout. But in order to prevent dehydration, weakness, and, in
more serious cases, heat stroke while running, runners need to constantly
replenish the lost amount of fluid. The problem usually is that runners
replenish only half of the amount. To be adequately hydrated, they need to
drink water before, during, and after running. And whether thirsty or not,
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they need to continuously hydrate themselves throughout the day.
Vitamins and Minerals
Recent studies pointed out that a runner’s diet should have the vitamins A,
C, and E. All three have antioxidant properties that can rid of free radicals.
Calcium, which strengthens bones and prevents osteoporosis, and iron,
which helps in the delivery of oxygen to all parts of the body, should also be
included in the diet. Although most of these vitamins and minerals are
obtained from supplements, foods are still the recommended source.
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Breathing Techniques In Running
Breathing Techniques In Running
One of the more important aspects of running is the proper way of
breathing. Running is not just about the legs and thighs and feet. It is also
about the lungs and how to bring greater amounts of oxygen into the
system efficiently.
Unnoticed by many, even by the athletes themselves sometimes, the
nature of your breathing during your running affects your performance.
Those runners who can correctly deliver oxygen into their system are
stronger than their counterparts who struggle when they are running
because they do not know the technique.
Swimmer’s breathing
One training technique is to breathe slightly slower than your body requires
when you are not running. This starves your system for oxygen and forces
the heart to beat faster.
After a time, the body learns to compensate for the lack of oxygen so that
when this technique is not in use, your body is already more efficient in
processing your breathed air. This is demonstrated in swimming.
Swimmers do alternate breathing which is breathing every third stroke. This
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enables them to breathe on alternate sides without taking a breath with
every stroke.
At the start, their body demands more oxygen, but will learn to adjust to the
decrease in oxygen. In time, the body becomes more efficient in processing
the limited air. Runners who swim often have excellent breathing efficiency.
Breathing rhythms
Sometimes, in long races (or even those short races) a runner may lose
focus and is thrown out of his breathing rhythm. It could be caused by the
simple forgetting to concentrate on the breathing or its pattern.
One way to avoid this is for the runner to time his breathing in rhythm with
his steps. This is like the style of the swimmers who breathe at every third
stroke.
Runners who get to this state can keep running like a clock, with consistent
pace and a great deal of efficiency. This concentration on breathing can
also take his mind away from pain or soreness that may have developed at
this stage and can cause him to quit the race.
Deep breathing
One other technique that can be used when running is deep breathing. It
has several benefits when correctly done and practiced.
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It helps the runner to stay relaxed, which in turn, helps to decrease fatigue.
The ability to relax decreases the chances of performance decline.
Runners who forgot to relax find themselves making inadvertent changes in
form until they feel the resulting pain. Examples include clinching of fists
too tightly and running with the shoulders too high to be effective. This type
of poor form often results in muscle fatigue and soreness.
Deep breathing helps promote relaxation while running. This is done by
taking a larger-than-normal breath and exhaling all the way out.
During the exhale part, you should concentrate on releasing all the tension
in your arms by shaking them, opening up your hands and moving your
head in circles.
This combination of activities will give you an easy way to remain relaxed
during the run and does not even need to break stride to do all of them.
This is true to all the other breathing techniques in running – no
requirement of great efforts but just as effective.
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Common Mistakes In Running
Common Mistakes In Running
Running is one fairly common and simple athletic activity that most people
can pick up anytime. In truth, most of us are already familiar with running.
We think that starting a running program is also just as simple.
We simply start to run the next day, with resolve that we will do it regularly
from now on. The resolve and the intention are decent. It is in the headlong
rush that makes it fairly incorrect. It may even be downright dangerous.
Look before you run
If you think you can start out running five miles a day starting today is a
good idea, there is something wrong in your personal decision-making
policies. First, you have to know that exposing the body to sudden
strenuous amount of exercise is outright wrong.
Never try to do any running right away if you have not run at all in your life,
or worse, have not done any form of exercise, either. Depending on your
age and your present physical condition, it can be harmful and downright
dangerous.
First, get a professional opinion on your present physical health condition
before starting out any physical activity, including running. Your doctor may
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even be able to help you map out your personal running program.
Injuries
For a beginner, plunging outright into a running routine can earn you a host
of problems. This can include muscle aches and joint pains, shin splints,
and maybe stress fractures.
A better idea would be to start out low. You may first do a 1 or 2-mile run for
three to four days a week. These runs can be interspersed with some brisk
walking, if need be.
You can then build up your mileage in small increments every week, again
so as not to subject your body to sudden strain it had not experienced
before. The rule of thumb is not to increase your mileage by more than 10%
every week.
Pacing
Be sure to also know how you should pace yourself in our new sport.
Newcomers are too excited in their new-found sport that they often make
the mistake of overdoing things.
The tendency of new runners is to start out running as fast as they can only
to find out they cannot maintain their pace.
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Focus on your own pace, the one most comfortable to you. In any case,
you have plans to increase them in the future. This can also help you
maintain a uniform heart rate and improve your endurance.
Get some running experts and ask for more pointers. They would be only
too glad to share with you every advice they know, including food and diets
and schedules.
Equipments
Every sport needs some proper gear and equipments, and running is no
different. A proper running pair of shoes is very important.
Shoes that do not fit, or are not designed for running will cause discomfort.
It can also cause injuries. Get yourself into an athletic equipment shop and
get all the expert advice on running shoes. Ask, too, how to break them in
gradually to avoid blisters.
If you can follow these simple guidelines, you will not commit any mistake
than is necessary. You will begin to have fun in your running, too.
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Common Running Injuries_Symptoms_Causes_And Treatment
Common Running Injuries: Symptoms, Causes, And Treatment
Although running is perhaps the simplest form of sport and exercise, it is
highly susceptible to injuries. Running injuries are not uncommon among
runners—novice or long-time. And if you’ve been running for a while, you
most likely have experienced any of these common injuries:
1. Runner’s knee
Also referred to as iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), runner’s knee is
characterized by the tenderness of the iliotibial band (ITB), the connective
tissue outside the thigh, and causes friction between the ITB and thigh
bone. Runner’s knee results from overpronation, overtraining, tight ITB
either naturally or due to lack of stretching, wrong shoes, weak hip muscles,
and too much hill running.
People with runner’s knee feel pain and inflammation outside the knee.
Pain is most pronounced when running downhill or on cambered surfaces,
when knees are stretched, and even when simply walking upstairs and
downstairs. At the onset of pain, running must be immediately stopped.
Intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), cold therapy, and
massage can reduce the pain. In severe cases, especially when the injury
does not respond to any treatment or rehabilitation, corticosteroid injection
is performed onto the site of injury.
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2. Shin splints
Shin splints is a widely used term to refer to the pain at the front of the
lower leg. The injury is commonly caused by oversupination, overpronation,
intense running, bad footwear, running on hard surfaces, and poor ankle
flexibility. Runners with shin splints experience pain inside the lower half
shin, which usually extends to the knee, at the beginning of the run. The
pain subsides while running but comes back after with a more stabbing
intensity. Redness and lumps in the shin may also develop.
Treatment is centered around abating the pain, especially during the early
stage when the pain is intolerable. It includes rest, massage, and cold
therapy. Intake of NSAIDs is also advisable.
3. Achilles tendonitis
Because it is no longer considered an inflammatory condition, Achilles
tendonitis is now often called Achilles tendinopathy. It is a condition in
which the Achilles tendon, a band of tissues connecting the calf muscles—
gastrocnemius and soleus—to the heel bone, is inflamed, and which may
eventually cause degenerated tissue and scarring. Achilles tendonitis is
generally caused by overworking the tendon, either by subjecting it to
excessive pressure or forcing it to work under abnormal conditions.
Factors include weak or tight calf muscles, excessive uphill running,
overpronation, wrong shoes, abrupt changes in distance and speed, and
weak ankle joints.
Achilles tendonitis is categorized into two: acute and chronic. The pain
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associated with acute tendonitis only lasts at the beginning of the run and
may ease during and after the exercise. It doesn’t stay for more than a
week. Chronic Achilles tendonitis, on the other hand, can go for weeks and
months. Pain is consistent all throughout the run and when walking up or
downstairs. Tenderness and redness may be apparent at the site of injury.
Lumps may also develop.
Like other running injuries, Achilles tendonitis can be treated with NSAIDs.
Massage, heel pad, casting, ultrasound treatment, and rehabilitation are
also effective ways to correct the injury. In the case of serious injury,
surgery is performed to remove the scar tissue.
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Dressed Up For Running
Dressed Up For Running
Running, one of the world’s most popular sports, is actually the most ideal
of them all. What makes it ideal is the fact that it is a very simple, healthy
kind of sport and that it does not entail buying any expensive gear at all.
The benefits are the same but the investment needed is so low. With just
the basics (clothing and a sturdy pair of shoes), one can simply get up and
run.
Other sports need some very expensive sets of equipments (golf, rock
climbing), while others need an organization for one to be able to join
(basketball, football).
Footwear
The most important piece of equipment for a runner is a good pair of
running sneakers. Quality is important because it avoids injuries and gives
comfort while running.
For newcomers who are not savvy enough about running shoes, the best
places to go to are stores that specialize in selling running shoes.
(Some athletic equipment stores are also big enough to carry a wide
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selection of these shoes. They are the second best ones after these shoe
specialty stores, in case there are none in your area.)
Shoe specialty stores have clerks that are very knowledgeable about their
only wares. Sometimes, these stores videotape their