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It’s been hot out lately. If you have been unable to run in the early morning when it is cooler then here are some great tips on how to acclimate to the heat.
Summer Runs: How to Acclimate to the Heat
Here’s the article: 7 Drinks That Boost Performance
Trail running is a sport that has gained a lot of fans in the past few years. Since trail running can be an adventurous and tough sport and you will want to take the some precautions when running on a trail. There are certain aspects of trail running that you should keep in mind while running. Staying Hydrated:
Staying hydrated while running is very important. Running under hot conditions, or if you are a heavy sweater like me, can really dehydrate you. Drinking the right amount of water to stay hydrated and avoid heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat strokes is incredibly important. Make sure you drink a lot of water before you start running. It is recom
mended to drink around 1 liter of water an hour before you start running.
Similarly keep drinking water at regular intervals during the run and make sure you rehydrate your body after the run has finished. Do not drink water just after the run. Give a gap of 10 minutes after the run and then drink water to rehydrate your body.
Mental Preparation:
Mental preparation is also and important aspect of trail running. Trail running can take a toll on your body. However, if you mentally prepared to deal with the challenges during the run, his efficiency would increase tremendously. Trail runs can be carried out in groups and with the right frame of mind, trail running can be a lot of fun with a bunch of your friends. It’s also a good idea to take a small first aid kit and maybe an energy drink along with you if you can.
Outfits and shoes:
Some people sweat more than others and need to dress lighter. It is important to wear the right clothing when going for a trail run. You are going to want to wear some type technical fabric. A technical fabric is fabric that is usually made of some weave of polyester and designed to wick the sweat away from your body and help it to evaporate. They really do help to keep you cooler. Different manufacturers put different things such as metal wires or coconut husks into the weave to cut down on order or som
e other alleged feature. In all honestly, I have found them all to be pretty much the same and the biggest different in marketing and not actual features. I tend to buy whatever is on sale and this had been fine for me. I’ve gotten some very expensive Under Armor shirts fro presents and have bought some inexpensive C9 shirts for $ 9.99. I haven’t really noticed a difference. Just whatever you do please avoid 100% cotton. It soaks up sweat like a sponge and stays wet for a long time.
As I mention before you shoes will be the most important piece of equipment. My trail runners have suffered unnecessary injuries because they wore wrong pair of shoes. Worn out shoes or shoes with a flat sole are not at all recommended. Your feet need to grip the ground firmly while running on the trail and you also want to provide plenty of protection for you feet. Trail running shoes are an obvious and the best choice fro running on the trail. Road running shoes can also be used provided the trail is not rocky and relatively flat. They might be up to rugged trails but are perfectly fine on the gentle wide dirt paths found in urban and suburban parks. Lastly I like to run in a running hat. It keeps the sun out of my eyes, and also keeps the sweat out of my eyes. They work great and while not a necessity, definitely help to make a run more enjoyable. Happy trails!
 I recently adapted a lab puppy. Now as anybody who has know a Labrador puppy knows - they have boundless energy. My routine was run early in the morning and then come back and walk him through the local park. Well I would walk and he would run down the trails. I started thinking that maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. The next morning I put my New Balance trail running shoes grabbed Charlie and headed to the park. The next thing I know we were tearing down some single track, enjoying the scenery, jumping over logs and having a great time. Now it part of our morning routine 3-4 times a week. I get to save time and bond with my pouch and Charlie get to burn some of his bottomless energy. But you don’t need a lab puppy to enjoy the trails. Here are 8 reasons to add trail running to your routine. 1. Save yourself from boredom. Like all runners I slipped into a routine that didn’t really do it for me anymore. The road loop by my house was convenient if boring. Trail running adds a little adventure to your run. The trails with the roots and rocks forces yo to pay attention to what you are doing instead of mindlessly slogging along a side walk. 2. Give your lungs a break. The exhaust from all the fumes from the cars on the road does you extra damage because your are breathing so deeply. The air is much cleaner and oxygen rich when you are running through the trees. 3. Enjoy nature. You will find yourself drawing energy from nature – it’s like a natural battery recharge. The peacefulness of the trails in the morning will energize you for the rest of the day. 4. Cool off under the trees. The summer sun can be brutal to run under. The trees along the trail provide much need shade and it can also be up to 10 degrees cooler under the trees in a forest. 5. Warm up under the trees! During the winter the wind can be very cold (wind chill) and gusty. The trees provide protection from the freezing wind. 6. Use more muscles and get stronger. Weaving along a trail requires many more micro-movements and adjustment that road running does not. You will strengthen many more lateral muscles, tendons and ligament in your core, legs and ankles. 7. Give you joints a break. Concrete – the stuff sidewalks are made of – is 10 times harder than dirt. Running on softer surfaces lessens the pounding of your joints and and can help prevent such annoyances such as shin splints. 8. Dodging trees is much safer and fun than dodge cars. Let face it the streets can be very dangerous for runners. Two joggers were just killed on the side of the road a mile from my house two months ago. If you run early in the morning there are a lot of half asleep people rushing to get to work. Of course trail running has it own dangers but I much rather facing loose rocks and angry squirrels than drunk drivers. Trail running is good for the soul as it is good for the body. To get started all you need is a good pair of trail running shoes and some trails. Be safe, enjoy your run and happy trails! Be sure to check back soon for the lastest news on New Balance footwear and running shoes reviews.
Trail Running is a great way to get away from it all and get in some good alone time. With this isolation comes a few issues you might want to look out for. Here’s how to keep safe. 1. Hydration – Most woods and parks that I know of don’t have a convenient 24 hour mart to stop and refill your gatorade. Because of this it’s important to plan out your hydration needs. The longer the run the more liquids you’ll need. For long runs that swing by a road now and then I’ll drive in my car before hand and stash some unopened waters along the route. It’s easier than running with all that water and as long as the water was never opened, it’s safe. I’m personally a heavy sweater and need a lot of hydration. Here’s what I do but your milage may vary. For runs under an hour I just carry a water bottle in one hand. Unless you are running at noon through Death Valley – it’s hard to get severly dehydraded in under an hour. For longer runs up to 2 1/2 hours I’ll run with a fuels belt or some other hydration belt. These belts allow you to carry more water than in you hand are not really noticeable. Lastly for real long runs where I won’t have access to any water, I run with a CamelBak. Though I find that even the running specific models slosh around a bit their is just no better way to carry over half a gallon of liquids with you. Plus you can carry additional things in them such as food. 2. Fuel – If you are going to run for over 2 hours then you need to think about carrying some food with you. The body can store about 2 hours of glycogen in the muscles. If you go past that without refueling you are going to bonk. not the most pleasant experience in the world. Though it varies from person to person you should aim to consume about 300 calories per hour. Any type of easily digestible carb will do. I like the gels because they are so convenient and small but candy bars, bananas and sport bars also work great. Just make sure to some consume you fuel with some water. 3. Stay in touch – Bring a cell phone or map with you. You might twist you ankle, cramp up or not fell well. With a cell phone with you can give someone a call and have them pick you up. Remember you are in the woods somewhere. You can try to wave down a deer but I have found them to be not very helpful. If you are unsure of the area a map is also helpful. Out and back runs look very different when you are coming back. There may also be time where you are concentrating more on running than which way you are going. 4. Make sure you have plenty of daylight or bring a light – I learned this one the hard way. I went for a long run in the afternoon and thought I had plenty of time and didn’t bring a light. Well let me tell you it is no fun trying to find you way home on a dark trail with the light of your cell phone. It’s just about impossible to see roots, loose rocks and low hanging branches. It’s a mistake you only make once but if you can avoid it than please do so. 5. Kepp an eye on the weather – The great part about trail running is that it brings you closer to the element. The worst part of trail running it that it brings you closer to the elements! In the woods you dont’ have store to duck into when the weather goes south. Running the last eight miles through muddy trails in a thunderstorm is not not the best way to spend an afternoon. Check the weather and plan accordingly. 6. Plan time not distance – You will most likely be running much slower on the trails than on the road. The trails can be tricky at times and it slows you down. Because the trail conditions play such an big part in how long the run will take it is much easier to plan for a 2 hour run instead of a 10 mile run. Experience trail runner will cover 6 mile in an hour and beginners about 4 miles. That’s it. Hope I didn’t scare you too much because trail running is a lot of fun. It just takes a little more planning.
Trail running has been experiencing incredible growth over the past few years. Trail running allows you to combine the best of two worlds: The great exercise of running and the feeling of connecting with nature on the trails. Trail running allows you escape from the crowds, traffic and congestion that road running often exposes you to. Lastly the soft earth is much easier on you joints then hard asphalt. Trail running can be done just about everywhere. A morning run in a small local park or an epic run through the wilderness. You are only limited by your imagination. Unlike track and road running, trail running can be tough on your footwear. To enjoy running on the trail safely requires special trail running shoes. There are many brands out there but I always found that New Balance makes the best. New Balance trail running shoes are specially made for handling running on the trails. They are more heavily constructed than road shoes to help protect your feet but they are also much lighter than hiking boots and feel like running shoes rather than boots. New Balance trail running shoes have just the right amount of padding and stability for the trails. New Balance has invested a lot of time and money into research and is constantly improving their shoes. If you familiar with road running shoes, you might know that all running shoes are broken down to three types: neutral, stability and motion control. New Balance trail running shoes are no different. They have adapted all three types into different shoes. IF you are not familiar with the different types, I will explain it fully in a later article. New Balance trail running shoes also come in many different models and styles. Some are better optimized for dirt trails and other for rocky ground. For most runners the heel of the foot strikes first and because of this extra padding is need there. Many of New Balance trail running shoes incorporate ABZORB EX into their shoes which provide extra protection. Many of the show have additional features such as Rock Stop which protects your feet from sharp rocks and some shoes also feature special linings to keep you feet dry when crossing small steams. What’s also great is that many of these shoes are green, meaning that they are largely made up of recycled materials. This way you can enjoy nature without ruining it. AT the end of the day when trail running the most important piece of equipment you own is what you put on your feet. Whatever New Balance trail running shoe you choose will be a great choice. I’ve been running in New Balance shoes for almost 30 years and have always found them to be well engineered, constructed and well worth the little extra cost.
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Active.com has a great article on 7 drinks that boost your running performance. Tow of my favorites made the list: coffe and chocolate milk. It truns out that plain old chcolate milk outperformed all the expensive recovery drinks that are marketed to us. I think that’s awesome. Chocolate milk was one of my faovite drinks growing up and makes a great reward for after a hard run. You can also pick it up just about anywhere!
Show your feet some love. Pick up a pair today!