The Running Review

Why You Should Run

I was never good at running at school. I blamed it on the P.E. class I was in: the class I was in was inhabited by girls and boys that wore large mens clothing who had muscles in their legs that worked really well without them having to do a thing, it seemed; the kind of pupils who were good at everything, there wasn’t one thing they were bad at. How was a weedy little lad supposed to compete with More

Run natural - 10 ways to change up that run

Running is fantastic fun and great exercise. We can however shake it up and see both mental and physical benefits. Try these 10 ideas:

1. Open your mind to doing more than running. A lot of runners find that they literally can’t run off of tarmac, or stop mid-run, as it disturbs their rythm. This is what we want - let’s do it.

2. Run off the beaten track. Through the woods, meadow or down by the river. It is not only beautiful but it will start to challenge you with dips, curves and uneven ground forcing you to use additional muscles and therefore expanding your benefits.

3. Sprint barefoot! On the grass, take off those newton running shoes and add in a few sprints. Shorten your step and become one with nature. Sprinting can have major fat loss benefits.

4. Jump over things. Field of hay bales? Get in there and start clambering. Not only is it fun but it will work up quite a sweat.

5. Find a log and do some step ups. You do them in the gym but here it is so much better. Log sizes vary, step heights change and the scenery is so much nicer.

6. See that small log… pick it up and press it above your head a dozen times. Your shoulders and arms will love you for it!

7. Hop. Find a big log, place you hands on it and hop over. Repeat for a dozen each side. Feel those sides warming up?

8. Squat! Nothing works the core like squatting. Get a small log on your shoulders and keeping your backtight squat down and return. A dozen of them will work you all over like you won’t believe.

9. Throw something. There must be a fair sized stone around. Pick it up and practise your shot putt. Your arms will be glowing in no time.

10. Try some pulls ups. You pass enough trees so why not grab a branch and pull yourself up.

Keep your mind open to what is around you and what you can use to make an enjoyable experience even better and even more physically rewarding. Try it… it may put an even bigger smile on your face.

The Good Doctor

When I first started jogging I genuinely thought there was something wrong with my heart, so I booked myself in with the doctor.

“So why are you here today to see me?” said this man in the white coat working his locum doctor job, “I am sorry but I can’t prescribe anything for your being over-weight, you need nothing more than simple exercise.”

I looked down, and in that moment all my self-esteem – built up over months of More

Nice surprise!

Isn’t it nice when you run further, or faster than you had expected?

My bike was stolen recently, snipped straight through the lock, so in spite I decided to run the 5 1/2 miles to work. I allowed myself plenty of time for the run (I’d anticipated just over an hour) and to have a shower at work to hose down after what would inevitably be a sweaty affair, regardless of how fast I ran!

With all this in mind, More

Spice It Up!

Jogging is boring, right? I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve heard that. But it doesn’t have to be! There are hundreds of ways to make your daily / weekly jog that much more interesting. Here are a few things you can do to spice it up.

1) Jog to music. There’s nothing better than running along and singing your head off to your favourite stuff. Just make sure you don’t listen to too fast-paced music. This will More

Be Sure To Stretch

Many people are put off from jogging after they pull a muscle, or stress their ligaments. The key, as with anything intensely physical, is to prepare properly before you start jogging, start by buying some comfortable and quality running clothing. And don’t think that just because you are jogging slowly you are exempt from the same rule as the guy in the park who has been jogging for years and regularly laps you. Everybody needs to stretch, even the More

Be Jogging Confident

Jogging is far better than the gym. There are many reasons why going jogging is preferable to driving through rush-hour traffic in order to be crammed into a stinking, sweaty, over-expensive gym. Such as: a) going jogging is free. You can do it wherever you like whenever you like and b) you actually get to breathe in real air as opposed to air-conditioned nonsense. You can do it with friends or alone, too. Here are a few important points to More

Curse Of The Flat Footed

Here is an admission: as a boy I was flat-footed. That’s right, I couldn’t run anywhere without clapping the ENTIRE soles of my feet on to the ground. I blame my mother for this malicious defect. For years it made my life hell, and did little for my prowess with the opposite sex–

Then, one day, something magic happened. I watched a jogger running and realized, all at once, where I had been going wrong. I wish I could shake More

Running Terrain

Jogging, where to begin? Do you go running on the street or the track? And what about running on grass? Is that better or worse for your joints?

Gazing out the window at that (annoying, full of it, flipping brash) guy who jogs in miniature shorts (in the freezing cold of winter, too!) and runs fifteen miles every day on concrete, without breaking sweat, can be more than a little disheartening. It can be downright depressing…especially when you can’t even More

Jogging: Shoe Shopping

Buying shoes for the purpose of jogging is more difficult than you might think. Unlike buying shoes for the workplace or going out, there are a number of factors which need to be considered. If these are not considered properly the resulting bad experience(s) could be enough to put you off an activity that can be a joy with the right pair of shoes.

The internet has made buying shoes simple; log on, browse for what seems suitable, and buy. More