Topic: Training

Busy Bodies: Give your running routine some power

By KELLY GONZALEZ

Published 01/17/10

Remember the glory days when you first started running?

It was exciting and challenging. You adorned yourself in new gear,
Googled running tips, programs and races, achieved a new personal
record at every race, and best of all, the excess pounds just melted
away.

Well, time has trickled by, the peace you once achieved during long
weekend runs has become more of a chore than meditative movement, new
gear has worn your wallet thin, those personal records are at a
standstill, and no matter how many miles you run those last 5 pounds
seem to have applied for permanent residency.

When you feel powerless in your training, stuck in the same old routine
year after year, at a dead end with nowhere to go, what do you do?

Tips for Boosting Your Memory: Running, Blueberries?

By KI MAE HEUSSNER

Jan. 22, 2010

Could you run your way to a better memory?

Maybe so.

Earlier this week, scientists published a study adding more fuel to the
growing belief that exercise boosts brain health.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences and conducted by the U.S. National Institute on Aging in
Maryland, found that running led to the growth of new brain cells and
improved performance.

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Less running, more recovery as you taper for marathon

by Brom Hoban

Monday, Jan. 25, 2010

The Austin Marathon is less than three weeks away now, and prospective
marathoners are thinking about how to handle final preparations.

In recent years, the value of the traditional three-to-four week
"taper" has been questioned. Runners who cut back sharply on running
and avoid fast workouts often find themselves getting sluggish and
irritable.

Today the traditional pre-marathon taper has been replaced by the
concept of "peaking" for the marathon.

Relying on the buddy system

By Joanne Kempinger Demski

Jan. 26, 2009 

Exercise partner can help keep workouts on track

For some exercisers, the hardest part of the workout is just getting to
the gym. They must ignore that chocolate cake in the fridge or step
away from the television and its new batch of "American Idol"
contestants.

For others, the problem may be finding the motivation to do more than
chat near the gym's water fountain once they get there.

Fortunately, there is a cure for these ailments: Hook up with a workout
partner.

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The ABCs of strength training

By Amy O'Brian

January 25, 2009

Grace and endurance are likely the first things that come to
mind when
thinking about the feather-light runners who are first to sprint across
the Sun Run finish line every year.

The elite runners glide across the pavement seemingly without effort,
their slender legs reaching easily for every next step. Their heads
barely moving and their torsos remaining upright, they betray little
sign of exhaustion.

But their sinew and style has not come without effort. Strength
training is key to the performance of any elite runner. And it is a
smart addition to the workout routine of a new runner, too.

Long-distance running

By Fred Tasker

26th Jan 09

Today we run marathons for fun. Are we crazy? Isn't running a marathon
a giant insult to the human body and mind?

What does it do to us?

As counterintuitive as it seems to those who don't indulge, doctors,
psychologists and runners agree that the effects of marathon running
are mainly positive. It tones our bodies, calms our minds and builds up
our all-important cardiovascular system.

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The Art of Movement

By Dr. Mark Cucuzzella

January 26, 2009

If you are training for an event, striving to improve your health and fitness, or have a desire to experience less discomfort in your endurance activity, then read on. Although this article focuses mostly on running, the principles apply to all endurance activity. Most of us understand that you must train if you wish to run well and for greater distances. What is mostly ignored in running is the concept of practice.

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