by: plcoll
Due to the uneven pavement, potholes and other problems women runner encounter when they are running they can develop foot injuries. Most of these runners end up with stiff feet from poor selection of shoes. In order for a women runner to be able to select the proper running shoe they need to know the criteria of a good running shoe.
Depending on the type of running program that the women are involved in make a great difference on the type of shoes she should get. Women that run distances of 25 miles or more per week is going to need a more durable shoe than a women that run a shorter distance.
The two most determining factors on which shoe you would like to try is the distance you run on each outing and how often you run each week. Knowing these two factors women can look for the proper shoe for the style and distance they run.
Many of the shoemakers have woman running shoes on the market but Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Reebok and more make the best shoes. The best womens running shoes will ensure safety, durability and comfort if the shoe is not comfortable do not purchase it because it will cause you to get blister and sores on your feet and make you prematurely tired. You also want to be sure to get good ankle support so you do not twist your ankles.
A lot of the low quality shoes do not have proper airflow and will cause you to develop sores, which can lead to infection. So do not compromise your feet to an inexpensive pair of shoes. Todays technology has come up with the full volume air sole that extends from the tip of the toe to the heel to ensure greater comfort and to aide in preventing sores from developing.
Cushioning is probably as important as airflow or maybe even more because we exert thousand of pounds of pressure on our feet every time we run. So it is very important to get a good shoe with the proper amount of cushioning without compromising the weight.
Keep your shoes as light as possible so that you are not carrying that added weight on a 25-mile run.
The price you pay for your shoe is the quality you are going to get. Do not be sold one of those inexpensive shoes because they look like their pricier counterpart. If you are serious about running the most important piece of equipment you will buy will be your shoes so do your homework and spend the money so you do not end up with severe injured feet because of a few dollars.
About The Author
Philip Collins is the Webmaster of rosesgiftonline.com where you can find information, articles and tips. http://www.rosesgiftsonline.com
Cross Training For Runners and Walkers - Why and How?
By Stephanie Atwood
I'd like to talk about cross training a bit because it can help you get in your needed exercise while dealing with all the challenges to your time, even when running isn't possible.
Cross training, for runners, refers to exercises that are different than running. For walkers, this means changing to another activity besides walking. This could be almost any form of conditioning that gets your heart pumping at a minimum level and duration. So, if you walk instead of run, you are cross training. If you swim, you are cross training. If you do yoga, you are cross training. At its simplest it just means doing an alternate activity to the one you prefer to do the most.
The caveat here is that the activity needs to be done at a minimum heart rate level of 60% with continuous movement for at least 20 minutes at that 60% level or you are not replacing one activity with another type of fitness training. You must have an equal or greater level of intensity to the exercise in order to replace one exercise with another for equal cardiovascular maintenance. Other than that, the sky's the limit. Anything goes. Any activity will do.
This Coach's Definition of Cross Training for Runners and Walkers
Cross training, specific to runners, refers to exercise that compliments, but does not include, outdoor/distance running, AND increases the heart rate to 60% or more of maximum heart rate* for 20 minutes or longer. The word walk can be exchanged for run IF it is power walking or "heart pumping hard walking".
Another factor to consider is that you will not start out at a 60% rate. Your heart begins exercise somewhere significantly below it. When I'm on the elliptical machine at the gym it usually takes about 10 minutes to get up to my 60% rate. So, give yourself a minimum of 5 minutes to warm up and another 5 minutes to cool down at the end.
Your total workout will be a minimum of 30 minutes. This is why, in track workouts, we always warm up a bit before getting into the meat of the workout. This is not to say that activities like gentle yoga or easy walking lack merit. That is not the case. They are forms of movement that stretch and strengthen different muscle groups, but they are not increasing cardiovascular strength or capacity.
Stretching activities and other exercise, even if not rigorous, are important to us for balance as we tend to have major muscle groups that get no attention while other groups (our quadriceps, for example) get REALLY STRONG from walking or running. I'm differentiating here to clarify my definition. More on cross training, stretching, and other exercise in future issues. I hope this was a good beginning for you.
Want to know how to calculate your MHR Minimum Heart Rate (also Base Heart Rate). Look for my next article.
Stephanie Atwood, M.A. is coach of a women's fitness team in the Bay Area. A teacher and trainer at heart, she is currently certified as a personal trainer with AAAI/ISM and consults on sports nutrition. Stephanie's undergraduate degree was in "experiential education" and her M.A.in cross cultural business communications. Atwood is completing a book on women's fitness. Presently, Ms. Atwood is a Master's Runner and runs or walks almost every day. When we're moving, we're getting fit. It doesn't matter how fast we're doing it!"
Ms. Atwood is author of the weekly fitness E-zine The Weekly Pep Talk at http://www.TheWeeklyPepTalk.com and hosts the blog http://www.altbgo.blogspot.com This article, and many more are available for free reproduction if author is credited and links to the websites are kept intact. Thank you!
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Atwood
By Laura Davis
Former Olympic champion Chris Brasher brought the marathon to London in 1979, after participating in the New York marathon he wrote an article for a British newspaper stating;
"To believe this story you must believe that the human race be one joyous family, working together, laughing together, achieving the impossible. Last Sunday, in one of the most trouble-stricken cities in the world, 11,532 men and women from 40 countries in the world, assisted by over a million black, white and yellow people, laughed, cheered and suffered during the greatest folk festival the world has seen."
He went on to question whether London could host such a festival.
Taking notes from the New York and Boston marathon Brasher began to develop the London marathon, securing the first sponsorship contract with Gillette for £50,000, setting the charitable precedent for the events future, and setting down several aims. One of which was to replicate the great success of the New York marathon and another of proving the UK's ability to organise major events.
On March 29th 1981 the first London marathon commenced with 20,000 applying to run, 7,747 participating starting off at Blackheath Common and Greenwich Park, and 6,255 making it across the finish line at Constitution Hill; the finish line has since moved to Westminster Bridge and then on to the Mall. Since this time the event has continued to grow in size, stature and popularity with a capacity 46,500 accepted entrants each year. In all, a total of 711,260 have completed the race since its inception with 34,497 runners crossing the line in 2008.
On its 25th anniversary in 2005, the course saw some dramatic changes with the course being rerouted to avoid the Tower of London cobbles and twisty road, much to the relief of participants, resulting in a 45 second time improvement for elite runners.
The London Marathon has experienced great success as a charity event, with many charitable participants dressing up in fancy dress in support of their causes. It is estimated that since its first run in 1981 the marathon has raised over 200 million for charities across the world. The bond between race and charity is so strong that one third of the places on offer are reserved for charities.
If you are looking to compete in a marathon, or the London Marathon next year then find a running friend to help you train at FillMyTime.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Davis
