Running is GOOD for You!

Scientific studies continue to prove that running improves health and well-being! Here are the latest reasons to lace up:

Keep the Beat
Runners who log a weekly run of 10 miles (or more) are 39 percent less likely to use high blood pressure medicine and 34 percent less likely to need cholesterol medicine compared with those who don't go farther than 3 miles.

Build Bone
Running strengthens bones better than other aerobic activities, say University of Missouri researchers who compared the bone density of runners and cyclists. Sixty-three percent of the cyclists had low density in their spine or hips; only 19 percent of runners did.

Function Well
Men who burn at least 3,000 calories per week (equal to about five hours of running) are 83 percent less likely to have severe erectile dysfunction.

Look Ahead
People who run more than 35 miles a week are 54 percent less likely to suffer age-related vision loss than those who cover 10 miles a week.

Think Fast
British workers were surveyed on a day they worked out and a day they didn't. People said they made fewer mistakes, concentrated better, and were more productive on the day they were active.

Stay Sharp
A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society reported that women who were active as teenagers were less likely to develop dementia later in life.

Sleep Tight
Insomniacs fell asleep in 17 minutes on days they ran, compared to 38 minutes on days they didn't. They also slept for an extra hour on days they exercised.

Sneeze Less
People who exercise for an hour a day are 18 percent less likely to suffer upper-respiratory-tract infections than those who are inactive, according to a study from Sweden. Moderate activity boosts immunity.

Breathe Easy
Researchers had asthmatics do two cardio workouts and one strength session a week. After three months, they reported less wheezing and shortness of breath.

Live Longer
A review of 22 studies found that people who work out 2.5 hours a week are 19 percent less likely to die prematurely than those who don't exercise. A separate study found that active people have a 50 percent lower risk of premature death.


Via: Runner's World

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes!

Strength Training should be an important component of all long-distance running and triathlon training programs. The primary benefits of performing strength training are injury prevention and performance enhancement. Because these benefits are not achieved through running or cross-training alone, runners should engage is a well-designed program.

1. Injury Prevention: One of the most effective means for minimizing the tissue trauma associated with distance running is developing stronger muscles, tendons, fascia, ligaments and bones. This is the primary reason that every runner should strength train regularly.

2. Performance Enhancement: A properly designed strength training program will enhance a runner's performance through improved muscular strength and endurance, improved joint flexibility, increased power production, improved running economy, and improved body composition (as a result of an increased basal metabolic rate).

Although different types of strength training can be beneficial for runners, training in a more functional manner will produce far greater results. This is because the human body works as an integrated unit, not just one body part at a time. To perform functional training, individuals should train movements, not just muscles.

Examples of functional exercises for runners include:

- Step-Up and Dumbbell Bicep Curl Combo
- One Leg Hip Extension and Dumbbell Triceps Press Combo
- 2 Arm Kettlebell Swing

Good luck!

Pre-Race Dinner!

If you read 10 different books about pre-race preparation for different endurance events, you'll likely find 10 completely different strategies. The reason for this is simple; each person's body and digestive system is unique!

So how to do you know what's right for you? Race often and pay particularly close attention to what works (and what doesn't)!

My own personal experience has led me to believe that an athlete shouldn't alter their pre-race dinner much from what they've eaten on the eve of their long distance training events. By doing so, you're creating consistency and consistency creates confidence!

My favorite pre-race dinner consists of:

1 Grilled Chicken Breast
Large Serving of Steamed Vegetables
Approximately 3/4 of a Cup of Brown Rice
Plenty of Water

And in case you're wondering, I'm very much against "carbo loading". Eat an extra large serving of pasta and you may end up running...right to the portable toilets!

Train hard, have fun, and good luck!

Tread Rightly!

Before you hit your stride on the treadmill, bump up the incline! Exercise physiologist Tom Holland says, "The 0 incline setting on most machines is actually slightly downhill. A 1.0 incline will simulate a flat surface and help you burn more calories."

Don't feel like you have to stop there though as steep hills are excellent for improving your cardiovascular endurance, firming your lower body, and shedding flab!

I would recommend introducing hills into your treadmill training by creating intervals. Run for 1 to 5 minutes at 0 incline, then increase your incline to 1-3 percent. Run for 1 to 5 more minutes before returning to the original incline setting. Repeat for your entire treadmill workout. Then, as your fitness level improves over time, make your intervals more challenging!


Via: Shape