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Running for Health
Running can be a great way to get fit, healthier and live a longer life. And a feature in Runner's World magazine highlights how running can, in fact, save lives.
Humans are made to run: we ran from dinosaurs and we now run marathons. It's instinctive - a fight or flight drive embedded in our DNA. But donning a pair of running shoes can save your life in other ways then fleeing danger. Running can help us survive major crisis in life.
A feature in Runner's World profiled a number of runners where running was more than just a positive force. Anyone who has put on a pair of running shoes knows how it can help us be more productive, energised and healthier. But for some, it can be a lifesaver. Joanne Elves was one runner who faced a life-threatening emergency after giving birth. A punctured uterine wall resulted in five hours of surgery and bemused medical staff, amazed that she managed to pull through. The heart surgeon put it down to one thing - she had "a runner's heart". Joanne was a marathon runner, who continued running throughout her pregnancy. Her fitness literally saved her life during the medical emergency. She was told if she'd had a normal heart, she'd have died. After coming round from surgery, her doctor told her to "keep running."
David Courage was an airline pilot who woke up one morning alone with chest pains. He knew he was having a heart attack, aged 53. He had the strength to get to a hospital, but underwent a double bypass after further chest pains. Instead of accepting his life as a pilot was over, he changed his diet and bought a pair of running shoes. He went on to run 50 miles a week, completing dozens of races - and became recertified as a pilot.
For Mark Constant, a serious weight problem, high cholesterol and blood pressure left him with respiratory problems and chest problems at the age of 26. Diets didn't work. But then he put on a pair of running shoes. It took time to get over the difficulty of starting off, but eventually went up to six miles of running a day, losing over 125 pounds - a boost to his self esteem that meant he went from being unable to asking a girl out, to marrying the woman of his dreams.
Running for Your Life by Runners World
in Health (submitted 2010-07-18)
Running for Your Life
Running for Your Life
Running can be a great way to get fit, healthier and live a longer life. And a feature in Runner's World magazine highlights how running can, in fact, save lives.
Humans are made to run: we ran from dinosaurs and we now run marathons. It's instinctive - a fight or flight drive embedded in our DNA. But donning a pair of running shoes can save your life in other ways then fleeing danger. Running can help us survive major crisis in life.
A feature in Runner's World profiled a number of runners where running was more than just a positive force. Anyone who has put on a pair of running shoes knows how it can help us be more productive, energised and healthier. But for some, it can be a lifesaver. Joanne Elves was one runner who faced a life-threatening emergency after giving birth. A punctured uterine wall resulted in five hours of surgery and bemused medical staff, amazed that she managed to pull through. The heart surgeon put it down to one thing - she had "a runner's heart". Joanne was a marathon runner, who continued running throughout her pregnancy. Her fitness literally saved her life during the medical emergency. She was told if she'd had a normal heart, she'd have died. After coming round from surgery, her doctor told her to "keep running."
David Courage was an airline pilot who woke up one morning alone with chest pains. He knew he was having a heart attack, aged 53. He had the strength to get to a hospital, but underwent a double bypass after further chest pains. Instead of accepting his life as a pilot was over, he changed his diet and bought a pair of running shoes. He went on to run 50 miles a week, completing dozens of races - and became recertified as a pilot.
For Mark Constant, a serious weight problem, high cholesterol and blood pressure left him with respiratory problems and chest problems at the age of 26. Diets didn't work. But then he put on a pair of running shoes. It took time to get over the difficulty of starting off, but eventually went up to six miles of running a day, losing over 125 pounds - a boost to his self esteem that meant he went from being unable to asking a girl out, to marrying the woman of his dreams.
If you're looking to change your life, start with a pair of decent running shoes. Find a fantastic range at unbeatable online prices, visit: http://www.runnersworld.ltd.uk
Running Shoes and Life
Running Shoes and Life
There are few solo sports more rewarding than running: with the right running shoes you can take on the world - and keep fit into the bargain.
There it is - the once desperately distant finishing line is getting closer and closer, whether it is a white ribbon, a landmark or just a point in your head. It is only our own determination and running shoes have brought you to this point and success is within your grasp.
For years now doctors have been issuing dire warnings about rising levels of obesity in the UK. Fatty foods and sedentary lifestyles have, they say, created a generation who run a real risk of dying before their parents.
But while some remain glued to their sofas and fast food menus, many others have discovered the joys of keeping fit. Some favour the camaraderie of the gym but ever greater numbers have fallen for the freedom, fresh air and self-reliance of running.
Fell and marathon running have never been more popular, and you don't need to look long on summer evenings and weekend afternoons to see men and women in running shoes pounding the pavements, keen to keep themselves in shape with a completely free cardiovascular workout.
Running For Your Life
Running is an excellent way to keep fit. Donning your running shoes regularly helps to condition your heart and lungs and improves the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout your body. It may even have psychological benefits: studies suggest that running relieves stress and even mild depression.
Support is Crucial
But the right running shoes are crucial. Just think about the physical mechanics of running: your feet are repeatedly lifting and bringing down your entire bodyweight. If you are running on a hard surface, like concrete or tarmac, as most of us will do these days, the need to protect your feet is obvious.
The best running shoes provide carefully tailored support, protecting your feet from the physical strains of a healthy run, preventing the build up of moisture, keeping you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Did you know that men and women run in slightly different ways? It's true. Because women have broader hips to allow for childbirth, their feet typically strike the ground at a slightly different angle to men. Sports scientist therefore recommend that women's running shoes be built with greater protection along the inner edges. This tendency to roll inwards is called 'pronation'.
Finding the Right Shoes for You
For a first rate selection of the latest running shoes and accessories, visit RunnersWorld . We cater for both novice and seasoned runners and our site is packed with expert advice.
Running Shoes and History
Running Shoes and History
It may not be the first thing which comes to mind when you pull on your running shoes and head out for your evening jog, but according to some prehistorians, the ability to run in the way we do is a fundamental human trait which evolved in the distant past, altering our bodies in the process.
Scientists Dennis Bramble and Daniel Liberman have speculated that some physical features possessed by modern humans, such as our Achilles tendons, our muscular backsides, pronounced knee joints and profusion of sweat glands, may all have evolved as a result of early man needing to run long distances in order to hunt animals. If so, running is hardwired into the human body.
Yes, this was all a very long time before running shoes and the first issue of Runner's World magazine. But it is intriguing food for thought nonetheless!
Competitive running as we know it today dates back to the dawn of recorded history. We find foot races being staged as part of religious festivals across Greece, Egypt, Asia and parts of Africa centuries before Christ. Running always been a central component of the legendary Olympic Games and that dates back a very long way, with the first recorded event having taken place as long ago as 776BC.
Nowadays, many of us live far more sedate lives than our ancestors. We spend our lives sitting in chairs in front of computer screens or steering wheels, with an abundance of calorie-rich food and drink always at hand. It is no wonder that obesity has become such a problem in the western world.
Our bodies weren't built for a sedentary lifestyle. They were designed from the ground up to run. So pull on those running shoes and get in touch with the spirit of your ancestors!
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Old running shoes getting a little thin and worn? Time for a new pair? Visit Runners World for an exciting range of the latest and greatest www.runnersworld.ltd.ukrunning shoes.
Running Shoes - Wandering Mind
Running Shoes - Wandering Mind
Investing in a pair of running shoes isn't just about investing in your fitness, it could give your creativity a work-out too.
Running shoes can open up new avenues in your life. And not just when it comes go sculpting a new body and getting runner fit. As well as writing some of the most influential classic novels in contemporary fiction, author Haruki Murakami is a running aficionado. His running shoes seem to be as crucial as his vocabulary when it comes to creating exquisite literary works. The acclaimed Japanese author is also a fanatical marathon runner who discovered a pair of running shoes can change your life forever - and in ways you would never imagine.
Running for your Life
Murakami has been known to run 100 kilometres in a day. His memoir is entitled, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, and is just that: a tome to the art of running. He completes a marathon a year in between writing novels and declared: "Most of what I know about writing fiction I learned by running every day." A pair of running shoes may not at first be the likeliest of necessities for an author, but the act of long distant running shares many qualities with the act of writing: pace and form. And while the feet and body are busy, the mind is free to wonder, creating an existential kind of experience.
Training to be the Best
A good pair of running shoes is the first thing you need, but stamina and motivation are the essential ingredients to keeping a runner hitting the pavement day in day out, mile after mile, to keep on going. Running can clear, or free the mind - it's thought that once Tibetan monks ran 300 miles in just 30 hours by repeating mantras as they focused on a distant object to aim for. Murakami has famously been running for years - a hobby that became an essential part of his life. But the battle of a long distance run holds the same fascination as the battle to write a literary masterpiece. How do you keep on going? Where do you begin? What's your inspiration? And the running, the author believes, is what gives him the discipline and routine to regulate his writing life. A pair of running shoes, Murakami believes, is the best training for the mental and physical slog of writing a novel. And he takes both to extremes - in his memoir to running, he talks of the pain of a 64-mile marathon but he won't hang up his running shoes because of the agony, explaining: "learning something essential in life requires physical pain...It's precisely because of the pain," he writes, "precisely because we want to overcome that pain, that we can get the feeling, through this process, of really being alive."
Looking for the perfect pair of running shoes?
RunnersWorld is an online store that specialises in helping you find the best running shoes and running accessories. RunnersWorld was created by runners for runners; we understand what you're looking for. Find the right running shoes at the right online price.
An Ultra Marathon?
An Ultra Marathon? Time for a new pair of running shoes!
For many people, the idea of doing a regular marathon is enough to put you in a sweat. But Nottinghamshire launched its first ultra marathon in 2010 to raise the stakes that much higher - marathon runners will have to step up the pace with the 50km event.
That kind of distance needs some serious running shoes. The man behind the ultra marathon is Rory Coleman. He has run 150 ultra marathons in 14 years and organised the event to 'get people to push their boundaries' and their running shoes!
Rory Coleman became a record breaker for the number of ultra marathons he's completed. He believes the event will help dedicated runners raise their training to achieve 50-mile and even 100-mile marathons. The event isn't just about making sure your running shoes are up to scratch; it also challenges your sense of direction. Runners need to navigate well, because getting lost merely adds more distance to the endurance test. Coleman told his local press 'navigating is part of the fun'.
Despite the daunting prospect of running 50km, he believes anyone can run the Nottingham Ultra. In fact, the marathon athlete was a heavy smoker, an alcoholic and overweight before he started running aged 31, proving that running really can turn your life around. Now aged 48, he declares he's as 'fit as a butcher's dog'. Once you have the motivation sussed, just make sure you're running shoes are in good nick!
What to Wear Running When It's Cold Outside
!<<strong>>!!What to Wear Running Outside in the Cold
Training in the winter months takes a little extra thought and effort. Here are some tips for staying warm (and safe) when running in cold weather:
Think Layers
The key to successful winter dressing is layering multiple thinner fabrics rather than a single thick layer. Layering allows air to insulate your skin and also tend to be lighter (so you don't feel like a jogging snowball). A nylon wind jacket on the outside layer is really great because you can just twist it up and tie it around your waist if you start getting too warm.
Get Technical
Stay away from 100% cotton in your layer components if you can. Go for wickable technical fabrics that move moisture away from your skin and into the air.
Stay Dry
One of the hardest weather conditions to run in is that just above freezing point with rain. What you really want to do here is stay warm AND dry. A decent outer shell that protects you against rain and wind is essential when it's wet. Again, look for a technical fabric specifically made for rain running (sealed seams, etc.) in a technical fabric that will allow for the passage of moisture away from your body.
Head and Face
As you know, heat escapes from your head, so covering it is essential when it's cold. I have a favorite wool hat with ear flaps that my husband brought me from Peru. When I lived back east I wore one of those ski masks that covers up your entire face. Don't be fooled into thinking you can forget the sunscreen in the winter either. Be sure to protect your skin with at least SPF 30...and you may even want to don your sunglasses to protect your eyes from windy conditions (wrap arounds work best)
Hands and Feet
Hilly makes really good running gloves and socks. Don't think you can get away with not wearing gloves when the temps get around freezing. When it's really cold, try mittens covered by shells. Feet are harder to sort out because you don't want your shoes to feel too tight, but you also don't want your toes to freeze. There are a number of lightweight running socks on the market that make a great insulating layer. When you know you are going to encounter moisture on your run, try a very good technical running sock. Wet feet=blisters!
