Stay Cool #11

“You only ever grow as a human being if you’re outside your comfort zone.” 

-Percy Cerutty

Exercising in the heat is always a challenge.  Here are a few tips to remember this summer while exercising in the heat.

1)  Drink fluids (obviously).  Have a hydration plan in place before starting.  It is recommended that you drink 8 ounces of cold water prior to your workout. Continue to drink 4 ounces of fluids every 15 minutes of exercising.  Make sure to take in 8-16 ounces of fluid immediately after running.  The American College of Sports Medicine recommends drinking 14-27 ounces of fluid for every hour of exercise.  The higher end being for more intense exercises.

www.runningzen.com

2)  Run during the coolest time of the day.  Try to run early in the morning or later in the day.  Find a street or trail that provides a good amount of shade.

3)  Wear light weight clothes that help evaporate sweat.  The body cools itself by producing sweat and then using the body's heat to evaporate the sweat.

4)  Run slower than you would in colder weather.  Running coach Jeff Galloway reports that for every 5 degrees in temperature above 60 degrees your pace can be slowed 20-30 seconds.

5)  Acclimatize.  Make sure that your body has at least 2 weeks to adjust to a warmer climate.

Stay safe this summer by following these simple rules and listening to your body.

Cheers,
Brian

Running the Right Way #10

"Quality is not an act it is a habit"

- Aristotle

Hope everyone is surviving the summer heat.  Today we are going to discuss how to get the most out of your running stride.  When thinking about our running stride we should have one thing in mind, "efficiency".  Being efficient is an important part of running and staying injury free.  There are many thoughts on how to become a more efficient runner, but the one common threme is that it starts with your stride.  

The main goals of our stride are to minimize energy loss and prevent injury.  There are many new terms or buzz words on running such as Chi Running, Pose Method, Minimalist Running, and Barefoot Running.  These ideas are all very similar and there is no research to prove that one method is better than the other.  The New York Times recently printed a simple and straight forward breakdown of the running stride.

   

The Once and Future Way to Run

This stride does not come natural to most of us.  It takes practice.  Here are a few simple exercise to help you improve your running stride.

***Remember to focus on the key components and practice.  You will soon be on your way to being a more efficient runner and reducing your risk of injuries.

Cheers,

Brian