Obviously a year out is a considerable amount of time, but I am a strong believer in the benefits of taking a couple of weeks to get away from it all and try something new.  Just don't stop exercising.  You can tone down the intensity and frequency, but particularly for runners, it is important to keep the legs ticking over and the aerobic system in use.  What is important is that you allow yourself some time to get away from running so that when you return you understand why you enjoy it.  Running should be something you want to do…rather than something that is necessary!

Take the time to play some football or play some team sports.  Running can be fairly solitary and it is easy to forget how enjoyable a kick about with your friends can be.  It is also nice to do some exercise without constantly looking at your pace, heart rate or time (depending on how big a running geek you are).  Just get out there and throw/kick a ball around.  Or try something new like rock climbing – whatever it is that you try just do it for the enjoyment rather than the results.

For those of you who are having serious questions about carrying on with running, there are a number of alternatives.  It is possible that your lack of excitement is due to the fact that you have hit a performance plateau.  This can be incredibly frustrating as you don't feel like it is going anywhere.   It might be worth looking into doing some strength and conditioning in the gym to improve core stability and power.  This may well help you push pass the plateau.  Maybe even hire a personal trainer such as the ones at www.danakenheadfitness.com for some professional help.  Alternatively, have a look into multi-sport or triathlon.  The distribution of time on each sport adds variety and the cycling may well help with your running performance.

Whatever you choose, and no matter how long your sabbatical is, the most important thing to remember is to have fun.  It is also a great opportunity to try something that you have always wanted to try.  Sometimes people go for years without trying something new.  Enjoying sport is the secret to success.

Written by Dan Millington, sports fanatic, runner, traithlete and aspiring surfer.

Drinking Your Calories: Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Accommodates hydration and fueling all at once.
2. Quicker digestion
3. May eliminate stomach cramps
4. Convenient. Easy to grab and go.

Cons

1. Because the fluid consumed is thicker than blood, high calorie sports drinks slow fluid absorption as they require fluid to be pulled from the body into the small intestine to dilute the drink to an acceptable level, hampering our efforts to stay hydrated.
2. Calories can be consumed at a much faster rate than the body is capable of handling, leading to a backed up system creating cramps, bloating, and nausea.

Eating Your Calories: Pros and Cons

Pros

1. Chewing your food lessens the overwhelming rush of calories to the gut, giving the body time to process what is being put into it and decreasing the chance for GI distress.
2. Ability to achieve optimal hydration by keeping calories out of the bottle and handling both individually.

Cons

1. Impossible to carry enough food to supply fuel during long runs or long events such as an ironman triathlon or long runs. Need will still arise for refueling through gels and sports drinks.
2. Cramps from trying to chew food while on the run or tooclose to workout timeleads to stomach cramps or nausea.
3. Discomfort from fullness in the stomach and/or jostling of food in the stomach during workout.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that you have to figure out what works best for you. Obviously there are pros and cons to both strategies. However, coaches and experts agree that for training workouts or racesthat lastlonger than 2 hours, it is IMPERATIVE that an athlete supplement with something in order to be able to maintain positive performance outcomes. If glycogen levels are allowed to dip too low, performance can be significantly hampered, or in other words you will hit the wall! This is most conveniently done through gels and sport drinks that can be quickly consumed and quickly digested. Whatever you decide to do, it is a good idea to take note of how your body reacts. By trial and error, you will be able to develop a plan that will fit your training program.

Check out this site for helpful information on fitness equipment that will also help you to accomplish your health and fitness goals.

Treadmill

I personally like more the treadmill, because I feel that it is more difficult to perform the workout on it and therefore I think I burn more calories on it. I have also experienced better results when working out on the treadmill.

Pros:

• You can't slow down:This one is my favorite, once you have set the speed and the inclination you have to keep the pace, otherwise you are off to the ground. Because of this thing I am able to perform 30-40 minutes of running at a good pace.
• You can enable inclination:This is more related to endurance training but it is true that the harder it is to perform the exercise the more calories you are going to burn.
• Its surface it is softer than the ground:If you go run outside you will note that the ground is a harder surface.

Cons:

• Bigger impact on joints than the elliptical:This is just because the whole elliptical machine has been designed for low-impact running.
• It requires electricity:Just for the sake of comparing the treadmill to the elliptical machine, there are some elliptical machines that do not require electricity to work.

Elliptical Machine

As I said before they are designed for low impact running. You can feel right from the start that these machines feels good, when you are training on an elliptical machine it feels very comfortable (unless you are running setting up a big resistance beforehand).

Pros:

• Lower impact on joints and less risks of injuries:Because of its design they have very little impact on our joints and therefore there are less possibilities of getting injured. In fact I have never known anyone that got injured on the elliptical, while I in fact have seen a treadmill accident that end up with the guy unconscious (just one rare case), but it's true it is easier to get injured on the treadmill.
• More comfortable:Because of its low impact on joints it feels very comfortable to workout on it. If you get bored easily while doing cardio this machine can help you because it seems that the time pass faster than on the treadmill (because you are comfortable, you are not suffering that much).
• It works the arms a bit:It is not the ultimate benefit but it is true that it works the arms a bit, which can help to tone them a little more.
• Some ellipticals don't use electricity:You can save some money in the long run with this kind of elliptical trainers.
• You can enable resistance:To make the workout harder and burn more calories. Like the inclination on the treadmill it is more related to endurance training but it helps weight loss as well.

Cons:

• Less intense workout:This is not totally true, because if you want you can train as intense as on the treadmill. But the truth, at least for me, is that because nothing happens if I slow down the pace, I tend to do exactly that, without thinking about it I put less effort into the workout. Since I realized what happened I now have to constantly think not to slow down when training on the elliptical.

Author Bio:The author of this article is Miguel, an experienced fitness guy and the founder of MuscleProgress.com, if you want to read more about fitness topics like training and dieting go ahead and check out his site here:MuscleProgress.

What Does it Mean to Run Negative Splits?

Put simply, running negative splits just means that you run the second part of your race faster than you run the first part. It sets the runner up to run a slower pace for the first, maybe 1/3 of the race, be at race pace by the middle, and then finish the race with some speed and strength. The idea is that if you conserve some of the fuel resources early on in the race, they will still be available to you when you need them at the end.

4 Keys to Negative Split Success

1. Trust the Technique: Many people are afraid to try using negative splits because they feel that no matter how fast or slow they go at the beginning, their energy will wane by the end. It takes practice to develop that trust between the mind and the body that you will be able to speed up as the race progresses. Remember: Start slow, gradually build speed, and then show your speed at the end.
2. Practice, Practice, Practice: It is very important to practice running negative splits in your training before you get to an actual race. One way to do this is to do repeats where each succeeding repetition gets faster and faster where you finish at a pace faster than race pace.
3. Pinpoint Your Race Pace: Negative split running relies largely on knowing your accurate race pace. Without a solid idea of where you are at and where you want to be, it is difficult to monitor the pace in an effective way.
4. Stay in Touch with the Other Runners: While there has to be a level of trust in yourself with negative split running that any gaps at the beginning will be made up later, it is still a good idea to be a little bit flexible. By “staying in touch” or keeping the other runners within a reasonable distance, you will avoid getting yourself into a situation where there is just too much ground to make up.

Racing and training using negative splits is one proven strategy for accomplishing your racing goals. Check out this site for more information on equipment that can also improve your fitness level and build muscle that will prevent injuries and develop strength.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

• Weak muscles in the feet
• Tight Achilles tendon
• Leg length discrepencies
• Weight gain
• Long distance running
• Downhill running
• Running on uneven surfaces
• Foot Problems such as high arches or fallen arches
• Shoes with inadequate support or soles that are too soft

Signs and Symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis

• Usually affects one foot rather than both
• May develop suddenly or over time
• Tenderness and pain on the bottom of the foot (worse in morning, after standing or sitting a long time, after intense exercise, and when climbing stairs).
• Mild swelling of the foot
• Arch stiffness and tightness

How to Treat Plantar Fasciitis

1. Heel and foot stretching
2. Rest (at least one week)
3. Wear shoes with good support for your foot type
4. Ice (15 minutes at least 2 X per day)
5. Pain medication and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen
6. Sometimes doctors will recommend night splints to help stretch the foot, heel cups, or shoe inserts (orthotics)
7. Steroid injections to heel
8. Rarely: surgery

The speed of recovery varies from person to person. Treatment can take as long as 2 years, but most feel better much sooner than that. Injuries can be frustrating and mentally hard to deal with, as they can provide a major disruption in your normal training regimen. However, you can definitely maintain and even continue to make fitness gains by just changing to a new activity or cross training for a period of time. This can help in avoiding pain, but still allow the person to continue exercising throughout recovery. Check out these top home gyms including the parabody gs6 that will help facilitate your fitness goals and keep you in tip top shape.

What Is a Dynamic Warm-Up?

Dynamic essentially means active or energetic.  A warm-up, by nature, is supposed to increase the internal body temperature of the athlete and prepare their muscles for sport specific activity. A dynamic warm-up works to do this by incorporating progressive, movement centered activity that becomes a functional part of the workout, not a separate activity that comes before the actual training. Dynamic warm-ups contribute to the development of balance, body control, sport specific mechanics, core strength, agility, sport specific movement, and increase range of motion to degree necessary for practice or competition.

 Exercises Used in a Dynamic Warm-Up

Exercises performed during a dynamic warm-up are progressive in nature allowing the athlete to target the muscle groups or body segments that will be used during the training session and ease them into a ready state for intense physical activity. Examples of these types of exercises are high knee walking, high knee skips, then high knee running. Other great dynamic warm-up exercises are side shuffles, jump rope, carioca, skipping, agility ladder, leg lifts (spell the alphabet), walking lunges, jogging, sprinting, and core exercises that actively engage the core like Russian twists or V-ups.

So When Should You Stretch

While static stretching is not the best option prior to training, it does still have an important role in your training program. Flexibility should be developed after the workout or competition, and does well to improve range of motion, promote long-term soft tissue adaptations, improve recovery, shorten rehab time for injuries, positively influence blood flow to damaged tissue, and encourage proper collagen fiber alignment during the repair phase.

Bottom Line

So get out of the dark ages and start using a dynamic warm-up to help prepare your body for training or competition. You will be more ready to move and compete and your performances will prove it!

Check out these top home gyms that may also help you accomplish your fitness objectives.

Swanson, John, R. (October 2006). A Functional Approach to Warm-Up and Flexibility. NSCA's Strength and Conditioning Journal, Vol. 28, Number 5, pgs. 30-36.

It causes a stress on the body that the body is forced to adapt to and does so by recruiting more muscle fibers in order to get you up the hill. Calves, gluteal muscles, quads, hip flexors, Achilles tendons, and hamstrings are all recruited and strengthened through hill work.  In addition, hill running will also improve VO2 Max, improve neuromuscular function, reduce risk of injury, and build running confidence that will help the mental component of your running/racing.

3 Types of Hill Training to Incorporate into your Running Program

1. Long Hill Repeats: this type of hill running builds general strength and improves VO2 max.  Long hill repeats basically provide a running specific strength training workout utilizing many of the same mechanical principles as plyometric training, working in a sport specific way to strengthen hip flexors, quads, calf muscles, and more. An example of this would be performing up to 10 reps of 90 second hill repeats at a hard effort walking or jogging back down to the bottom as recovery.
2. Explosive Hill Sprints: this type of hill running is designed to be a supplementary or supportive exercise that does more for neuromuscular development than specific improvement of hill running. Short, explosive sprint bouts work to activate and improve the level of neuromuscular function in the body (speed in which brain signals to muscles to contract) as well as increase the maximum amount of blood your heart pumps with each stroke (stroke volume).
3. Rolling Hills: this type of training is the one that really helps you prepare mentally for hill running and racing on hilly courses. It provides your body (muscles and other physiological systems) the precise stimulus they will face on the day of the race. It also presents a great opportunity to focus on form and pace as you work to maintain an appropriate pace up and over the hill. These can and should be easily incorporated into your training by applying rolling hill courses during long runs and tempo runs.

By applying these training techniques, you will no longer panic when you see a hill up ahead, you will attack it with confidence. Check out homegymreview.net for information on additional fitness equipment that can help you reach your goals.

Gaudette, Jeff. (Jan. 9, 2012). Hit the Hills. Reap the Benefits. Retrieved on September 16, 2012 from http://running.competitor.com/2012/01/training/hit-the-hills-reap-the-benefits_44838/2

Natural Shock Absorbers

We keep getting more and more high-tech shoes with shock absorbers and air pockets that are supposed to help solve the problems associated with running, but we still have numerous injuries associated with running.  It's because we aren't using our built-in shock absorption system.

The Three Arches

We are equipped with a total of three different arches that run along the bottom of our feet that help them flex and bend to absorb that shock that would otherwise be transferred up our leg.

The first arch is the the most prominent of the three and is located on the inside of the foot running from front to back; it is called the medial longitudinal arch.  You can see this arch work to absorb shock when you take a step and transfer your weight to that foot.

The second one, the transverse arch, runs side to side and is located perpendicular to the longitudinal arch under the "ball" of your foot.  If you were to raise up on your toes, the area of your foot still on the ground would be your transverse arch.

The last arch runs parallel to the medial longitudinal arch but is located on the outside of your foot.  You can see this arch best in people with high arches.

How To Use Your Arches To Your Advantage

Your arches are there to provide support, stability, and flexibility to your foot.  When you take a step, each arch works to absorb the shock; however, when we run by landing heel first, the impact is sent right up the leg without letting the arch lessen the damage.  The best way to use your arches to prevent injury and actually increase your speed is by landing on your forefoot.  It may feel uncomfortable or awkward at first, but as you train your body to run this way you will have better shock absorption and injury prevention than the best shoes on the market.

For more running and fitness tips, read this article on tight calves: http://knowmybody.com/what-to-do-about-tight-calves-calf-muscles/ or others like it at Know My Body.

Running is the cheapest form of therapy that I can find.

Sure the shoes are a bit pricey and depending on how matchy-matchy you are with your wardrobe you may spend a little extra money on cute shorts, but that feeling you get when you've finished is worth it.  You know the feeling I'm talking about, right? The high on life, 'Ain't no stoppin' us now', wanna dance back through the doorway when you get home feeling.

There is nothing better than setting out to do 3 miles and surpassing your own expectations by doing 3.5 or even 4! Or what about running when the weather is absolutely perfect, with the sun bowing gracefully as if to say 'No, no my dear, after you'.  Even when it rains I can have the most amazing run of a lifetime.

I wish every run could be like the ones I just described but, my fellow cardio comrads, we know that isn't always the case.

How many times have you set out for a run but whether it was your shoelaces, the sprinkler system or your hairband you just can't seem to get it together.  Something keeps distracting you and stopping you from getting your sweat on and it irritates you to the point that you just give up! When you think of it that way – can you believe we let grass prevent us from working out sometimes?!

There are a few things you can keep in mind when trying to facilitate 'The Runner High'.  First, make sure you have some good tunes! Numerous studies have shown the Power music has in enhancing our workouts.  So have some motivating songs to keep you going and make sure your earbuds fit securely before you leave your house.  Second, do a little warm up jog or run in place after you get dressed.  What feels comfortable standing still may not be so comfortable one mile in. (Example: cute-booty shorts).  Lastly, be sure to HYDRATE!  I hate being 2 miles from my house and dying of thirst.  It just means that when I make it back for a 'water break', I'm also going to break my stride.  I'm always less likely to go back and finish my run than if I had just brough a mini-bottle with me.

Never let self-defeating thoughts keep you from your 'Runner High'.  And, in case you ever want to be a little closer to the water in your fridge, check out this page for lots of options on 'insider' equipment!

Why is there so much hype about barefoot running today?  It's a two fold story.  Running without shoes has gained a lot of traction since Christopher McDougal published the best seller "Born To Run".  Running icons like Barefoot Ted & Caballo Blanco gained notariety because they were regular runners who ran in Huarache running sandals.  He exposed the myth that super cushioned running shoes prevent injuires.  Secondly, major  shoes manufactures have a lot loose if people stop buying shoes.  This is why many shoe companies like Nke, Vibram, & Merrell add the term "barefoot" to their running shoe descriptions.  It's all about the money.  Barefoot running shoes correctly speaking are minimalist shoes that offer very little support and are made to protect the bottom of your feet from the perils of stepping on glass, getting stung by insects, stepping on rocks, etc.

Why Run Barefoot?

Barefoot runners naturally land on their mid or forefoo, thus cushing most of shock associated with heel striking.  Nearly 80% of shod runners (those who wear shoes) land on their heels.  This is where the injuries stem from because of the shock of landing.  Have you suffered from plantar fasciitis and considered it normal or just the cost of getting into shape?  Plantar fasciitis is not normal.  I never contracted it as a kid going barefoot all summer.  It seems the more I tried to combat foot injuries as an adult by wearing expensive super padded "air" running shoes, the worse my foot problems became.

Back in the '70s, my high school long distance track and field coach had us running 100 yard barefoot sprints on the soft grass football field to help condition our muscles and improve our form.  Most of my team mates enjoyed running barefoot sprints because it felt so good and free.  I continued running barefoot sprints for the next 20 years after high school graduation whenever I could find a clean football field to run on.  Then I stopped because I was no longer competing. What a big mistake that was!  I even stopped walking barefoot because somewhere I heard that it was bad for the arches.  Rubbish!  Big shoe companies need to make a profit and what do they have to gain if you walk and run barefoot?

Perils Of Barefoot Running

I started running without shoes again in 2010 after I read "Born To Run", and thought it would be easy to pick it back up.  This was hardly the case.  My feet were stricken with bee stings, blisters, thorns, slivers, etc.  I attempted to "ease" into barefoot running by wearing Vibram 5 Finger shoes.  Even this was a painful task.  After wearing them for 15 minute runs 3 times per week for a month, I was convinced that I was ready to run for 45 minute on Thanksgiving morning on a crushed gravel levy trail.  The run felt amazing because my feet could feel the ground again.  I adjusted my running tempo by taking smaller steps.  It gave me the feeling of pedaling my bicycle at a fast even pace. Despite their weird Spider Man like appearance, these shoes really give you a feeling of the ground through the thin soles.  When I ran through small puddles of water, I could feel the cool damp water under my feet.  The following morning my calves felt more sore than they did after my running first marathon.  I think I was very close to causing some severe muscular damage.  I was hardly able to walk for the next 3 days.

I quickly learned in a very painful way that I should have listened to advice of experienced minimalist runners whom said to gradually ease into barefoot running.  Most of the experienced experts suggested adding a few minutes to each run.  I added about 45 minutes. Somehow things went from bad to super bad in my attempt to transition from bulky running shoes that weighed close to a pound each to minimalist shoes.  I bought into the concept that more was better.  I was already suffering from a severe case of plantar fasciitis and these bulky shoes exasperated the problem.  What I should have done was stopped running completely to allow my feet to properly heal.  I tossed my heavy  running shoes in the trash and ran only in the 5 Fingers shoes and in my barefeet.

After 5 months of running both barefoot and with minimalist running shoes, my plantar fasciitis hurt so bad that I had to stop running completely for 2 months to give my feet a chance to heal.  To compensate for the loss of running and to stay in shape, I  started doing Shaunt T's Beach Body Insanity workout.  It was worth it to rest my feet from running.  The pain is gone and now I have my feet back and can run mountain trails again virtually pain free in pair of Merrell Trail Gloves.

I now run 3 times per week without shoes. I run on hard pavement and grassy fields. My feet are no longer in pain.  I feel so free without the confinement of shoes.The best training that I received about barefoot running was at vivobarefoot.com.  They have an awesome series of videos that were created by running expert Lees Saxby.  These videos show the correct posture and form for barefoot running.  I have spent countless hours at this site researching running.  They  make great minimalist shoes too!

How To Transition From Tradition Running Shoes To Your Barefeet

• Walk barefoot around the home. Run short barefoot sprints in the grass (30 seconds or less).
• Buy some minimalist running shoes like Merrell Trail Gloves or  and run for a few minutes at a time with them.
• Watch the training videos at Vivobarefoot. Their in house running expert, Lee Saxby  will  run your through proper running form.
• Take your time with this approach.

Mark Keeler is an active runner, inline skater, bicyclist, and fitness advocate.  You can visit  him  at Retread Fitness (dot) com.