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Lead Stories: Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Relax and run “NAKED”!

Posted January 11th, 2007 at 4:00 PM by Paul Petersen

Section: Running & Training, Motivation

I have an odd habit. I try to run naked once a week. By “naked”, I actually mean “without a watch”.

We runners love our gadgets, and the sports watch is the grandaddy of all running accessories. Many of us literally feel naked without one. Take my iPod, GPS, HR monitor, and hydration pack - but leave me my watch!
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Expand your comfort zones; improve “running strength”

Posted December 22nd, 2006 at 6:15 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Training Tips

Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.

Running strength isn’t quite as definitive as VO2Max or lactate threshold. It’s a bit ambiguous. However, as I view it, it has two components: physiological and psychological.

The physiological component is related to running economy, but it is also different. I think of both running strength and running economy as sub-elements of a broader subject that I call running efficiency.

Running economy is a measure of how efficiently you use oxygen while running at a specific pace. Improving running economy means that you can physiologically sustain a faster pace at a given percentage of VO2max, or a given pace at a lower percentage of VO2max, for a longer distance.
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Balancing the benefits and consequences of running

Posted November 7th, 2006 at 1:00 PM by Anuradha Kher

Section: Running & Training, Injury & Rehab

cross training stretching injur prevention back spine joints Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise and participation in the sport is growing exponentially.

A large part of running’s appeal is that it is easy to get into; requiring only minimal equipment and can be done almost anywhere. For the most part, people run (usually in an effort to stay in shape and/or relieve stress) without giving the activity enough consideration.

Getting started: Things to consider
Beginners and/or runners who are coming back from a long layoff, often do not fully appreciate the possible consequences of the sport. On the other hand, there are also a whole slew of overlooked benefits of running that go beyond just staying in shape or relieving stress. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Runner’s High . . . and Higher

Posted August 23rd, 2006 at 10:39 AM by Jim Fortner

Section: Running & Training, Motivation, Training Tips

A note from the TFS: We are pleased to welcome Jim Fortner as a guest contributor to The Final Sprint. Jim is an extremely knowledgeable runner and talented writer. Make sure to also check out “Jim2’s Running Page”, his own personal running and advice site.

Below you will find his latest post about runner’s high. Enjoy.

The runners high is real. It isn’t a myth. I’ve been there……briefly. I think it’s very elusive for most of us, although it seems to be easier for women to find.

There were several discussions about the Runner’s High on the Forums a few years ago, mostly by women. As a result of those discussions, I gained some different perspectives on the subject from listening to the experiences of some female runners, who have a much better grasp than I of the philosophical and psychological aspects of running. I used to think that the “Runner’s High” was simply a state that you either experienced physiologically or not. I’ve now come to the conclusion that, much like depression or the emotions of joy and sadness, the feeling or intensity of a Runner’s High is not the same for all people….and not always the same for any one person. I’ve come to think of it as having an emotional component, as well as a physiological basis.

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