What is a “taper”?
You will often hear runners and other endurance athletes discuss a concept known as tapering for a race. What is a taper? Why is a taper important?
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A problem with barefoot running is the insects
Last week, I mowed my lawn barefoot and then did the last mile of a “race” barefoot the next day. After the race, I ran around in the grass with no shoes on for a mile or so. My feet felt pretty good afterwards, although they did get a bit dirty. Since then, however, my…
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Running can exacerbate gastrointestinal problems
It may sound like a given, but running can exacerbate gastrointestinal problems. Gas is caused by swallowing air while we eat and by the digestion of food. Running can contribute to the problem by causing you to swallow more air than you would if you were sedentary. Based on my experiences with multiple running teams,…
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How to ice your muscles in an ice bath
Whenever your muscles are feeling a bit sore or overworked, you should remember my motto, “Ice Early, Ice Often.” Arguably the most effective way to do that is to immerse your muscles in an ice bath.
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Stretching Your Arches (in a potentially dangerous manner)
The easiest way to sideline a runner is an injury, especially one in the foot or knee. A very sensitive part of the foot that does not always get enough attention is the arch. There are a few ways to easily injure the arch of your foot. One way to hurt yourself is that you…
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How to ice your muscles using an ice massage
Whenever your muscles are feeling a bit sore or overworked, you should remember my motto, “Ice Early, Ice Often.” The second and my favorite way to do that is to give yourself an ice massage.
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How to ice your muscles using an ice bag
Whenever your muscles are feeling a bit sore or overworked, you should remember my motto, “Ice Early, Ice Often.” The first and easiest way to do that is to just grab a bag of ice and slap it on your sore spots. Leave the bag of ice on your leg or joint for 20 minutes,…
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Determine how much sleep you need
There are three types of people in regards to sleep, and in my experience they are fairly well proportioned one against another. There are people that sleep too much, there are people that sleep too little, and there are people who get the amount of sleep that their body needs.
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Vitruvian Running Shoes reviewed
I bought two pairs of Vitruvian Running Shoes a month or so ago, the Proportion for $30 and the Proportion II for $60. I ran in the Proportion II shoes twice and the Proportion shoes once. All in all, I really liked the make and quality of the shoes. They were comfortable, they seemed to…
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Nike + iPod system launches today
A couple of months ago, I mentioned a press release about how Nike and Apple have teamed up to create a system to integrate your running shoes with your iPod. One of the websites that I follow, My Southern California Trail Running, is written by an ultramarathoner that works for Nike. She has these points…