Online Running Gear Newsletter #4

Online Running Gear Newletter #4
In This Issue…

1) Choosing Running Shoes 101

2) Beer and Running - A Good Mix?

3) Visit Online Running Gear’s Blog

4) Tell Us What You Think
I’m on my taper at the moment for the Victoria Marathon this Sunday,
October 12th. Sure feels good to have our last long run over with.
All I hope for now is a clear day.

Victoria, BC is such a beautiful coastal city on Vancouver Island,
it’ll be great to just take in the scenery. This was my very first
marathon many years ago and now it’ll be my 15th marathon. I wonder
if I’ll be much slower??

================================
1)  Choosing Running Shoes - 101
================================

For many years and through many marathons and triathlons, I have
ran in whatever type of running shoe felt most comfortable to me.
Actually I would pick a running shoe model and stick with it,
eventually switching when updates were made to the model that
didn’t agree with my feet. Does that sound familiar? It would be
nice to know that I’m not the only runner that does this.

Being the editor and owner of online-running-gear, I figured it was
time that I paid more attention to what the experts were saying.
That was until I got disillusioned with who the experts were. I
have heard and read conflicting stories from brick and mortar
running stores to online running stores. I became so confused that
I didn’t know who to listen to anymore and it became more evident
that I needed to be able to come to my own conclusions.

I was originally going to discuss how to choose the best running
shoe for your foot type. But I’ve changed my mind because I just
had to show you how easy it is to get misled if you listen to the
“experts”.

My latest favorite running shoe and most recent purchase is Saucony
Hurricane Pro Grid 10. This is what I will be using for the
marathon this Sunday. It has been my understanding that the
Hurricane Grids were designed for a high mileage and heavier framed
runner. And certainly the Hurricane 7’s and 9’s worked great for
me. You can image my surprise when I saw this video review on the
Hurricane 10’s from a reputable source:

http://online-running-gear.com/blog/running-room-hurricane-grid-running-shoe-review/

The Hurricane Grid 10’s were described as a “soft daily training
shoe for the lightweight runner”. Did I have the wrong shoe for me?

My faith in the experts was once again deflated. I decided to write
to Saucony, because if they didn’t know what the shoe catogory of
the Hurricane Grid was, then nobody would. Here was my answer:

Dear Jacquie,

Thank you for your inquiry.

The Hurricane style shoes are stability shoes. Offering a medial
posting for extra support and stability. This shoe would be very
good for long distance running. This shoe is designed to
accommodate a heavy frame individual.

Thank you for your patronage of Saucony and I hope I have answered
your question.

Sincerely,
Consumer Services

Great stuff - I do have the right running shoes. My point being that
it’s really important that you make the effort to know your own foot
type and do the research - don’t rely on the experts because they
could very well be giving you wrong information.

In my next newsletter, I will aim to provide information that will
allow you to come to your own conclusions as to what type of
running shoe is best for you.

======================================
2)  Beer and Running - A Good Mix?
======================================
Back in May I ran the Vancouver Marathon and at around mile 21 the
Hash Hound Harriers had a beer stop - yes, that’s right - a beer
stop. I tell you, it looked very appealing, but since my physical
well-being felt like it was seriously deteriorating, common sense
prevailed and I didn’t have a sip.

The answer would seem obvious - right? But since the marathon, I
couldn’t help but wonder if it really would have done that much
harm, so I asked coach Bruce Deacon and also Dr. Chris Mohr, one of
the nations leading nutrition experts, what their thoughts were:

Coach Bruce - I think that the carbonation from the beer would have
caused you cramping and burping problems. At best your stomach
would have felt pretty strange. Alcohol isn’t exactly the best fuel
source. Probably best to leave it until the finish line.

Dr. Chris - While alcohol in general obviously wouldn’t have a
positive effect on your performance, drinking 1 small glass
wouldn’t impact you too much when you just have a few miles to
go. It looked appealing because you were probably dehydrated, so
liquid fit the bill. Keep in mind, though, because of the
carbonation, that could have ill effects on your stomach because it
wouldn’t exit into your stomach too quickly and could leave you
bloated and gassy. Alcohol itself is also a diuretic, so while 1
glass wouldn’t be a huge issue, you’re already dehydrated so you
don’t need more assistance with increasing that level of
dehydration!!! The other issue is that if you drink it, it may
decrease your likelihood of drinking other “normal” fluids, like
water or Gatorade.

Thank you both for your great advice. Both mentioned the
carbonation being an issue. I think that no matter how tempted I
might be next time, I’ll pass. It’s not worth it after all the work
that’s put into finishing a marathon.

=======================================
3) Visit Online Running Gear’s Blog
=======================================

Checkout some recent blog posts:

http://online-running-gear.com/blog/general/marathon-nutrition/
http://online-running-gear.com/blog/general/marathon-pace/
http://online-running-gear.com/blog/general/6-day-taper-to-victoria-marathon/

============================
4) Tell Us What You Think!
============================

I’d love to hear what you think of this issue!  Please hit reply to
send me your comments, questions, and ideas for upcoming issues.

Your feedback matters!
That’s about all I have to cover right now. I’d love to hear any
comments about what topics you would like me to cover in the
newsletter.

Happy Trails!

Jacquie

Online Running Gear Newsletter #2

In this issue:

1. Trail Running
2. Running Socks - Are Your Feet Happy?
3. This Month’s Book Recommendation

Has a month gone by already? Well I actually think that it was more than a month, but thanks for hanging in there. I hope that all of you have been able to enjoy some great spring running. It’s definitely the best time of the year for running; weather is great and not too hot yet.

For anybody that has just joined our online running community in the past month, I wanted to include the philosophy of my monthly newsletters. My wish is to inspire and inform the running community on a variety of topics including motivation, running gear, running shoes, race reviews, sports nutrition, health and training tips and anything else that could and would be of interest to my subscribers. I hope that you will enjoy reading the newsletter and you will take away useful information from it.

It has to have been six weeks now since I purchased my new running shoes - the Saucony 3D Hurricane Grid 7’s, online through Zappos. What a great pair of runners. I haven’t had a bit of trouble with them and they are keeping my feet so comfortable during my runs - both long and short runs. I love how much room they have, without feeling sloppy. But I think my favorite feature is the breathable upper mesh that lets the air circulate through my toes. I think that I will be sticking with this brand for a while.

——————————————————-
Trail Running
——————————————————-

 I just love trail running. Where I live, we are fortunate enough to have trails everywhere, by the water, through the urban forests or just greenbelts in behind the sub-divisions. Once when we were training for a marathon, our training program called for a 3 hour run. We were able to run throughout our little town and only end up doing about 20 minutes on the road. I sure noticed what a difference that it makes in my recovery time, with the majority of my run on dirt and bark mulch. I just finished reading some interesting information on trail running in an article provided by Road Runner Sports and I wanted to share some of its pointers because anybody that is training for a special running event should take note of these statistics.

• Trail running provides 25 - 30% more training effectiveness than training on the road
• 85% of those that incorporated trail running in their marathon training routine came within 15 minutes of their estimated goal finish time as opposed to only 50% of those that only trained on road runs. Did you know that the Kenyans train up to 30 miles on the trail.
• Trail running improves a runner’s ability to concentrate for long periods of time. A trail runner gains the ability to sense rocks and roots through feel and not through sight.
• And probably most importantly, when using the right gear, runners can reduce their risk of overuse injury due to running on softer surfaces.

So if you’ve never ventured down the path least followed, give it a try, you will be rewarded in more ways than one. There will also be no car exhaust fumes to swallow and the scenery is the best!

By the way, in case you’re wondering what exactly are the differences between trail runners and road runners. They are:

• Gusseted Tongue - keeps loose trail debris from getting into your runner.
• Waterproof Upper - needs no explanation
• Toe Guard - Protect toes from sharp objects (kind of like a bumper)
• Outsole - Extra durable and typically have a deep-lugged tread for enhanced traction
• Stone shield - located between the sole of the shoe and the body to protect your feet from jagged rocks and roots

—————————————————————————————
Running Socks - Are Your Feet Happy?
—————————————————————————————

Are you still wearing your everyday tube socks for running? I hope not, but I have to tell you that every once in a while I look down to see my running partner (my husband) wearing his tube socks - old habits die hard. Don’t ask me why, he has a drawer full of great running socks. After spending $100+ on your running shoes, doesn’t it make total sense to go the extra $10 to keep your feet cool, dry and blister-free? Just like our running shirts, running socks have also got rid of the cotton and given way to modern day comfort.

There is a large variety of running socks that are manufactured with high-tech, moisture-wicking breathable fabric to choose from today. Some honorable mentions are the Brooks adrenaline GTS Ped that will fit different foot types with it’s 1×1 ribbing that fully encompass the arch and in-step for a great fit and incredible support. And we really must hand it to Pearl Izumi for designing the X-Statis Run sock that actually was created using a fabric that eliminates odor. Could get a few of us out of a stinky situation.

But still today, as for the past 14 years, I never go far from WrightSock. I bought my first pair of WrightSock Unisex Double Layer Lite Anklets for my first marathon and my deciding factor in my purchase was the money-back guarantee if you ever developed a blister while wearing them. I’m not sure whether they still have that guarantee, but, for me they don’t need it, because I’ve used them long enough now that I know that I won’t develop any blisters while wearing them. These socks give you a double shot of Coolmax - they have two layers of material to absorb the friction. While one layer stays with your foot the other stays with the running shoe and the slight movement happens between the layers. I’ve tested them from marathons to Ironman and have yet to find a blister. They are available in most running stores or online at Road Runner Sports. It’s a small price to pay for comfortable feet.

————————————————————————————— Book Recommendation: No Need for Speed: A Beginner’s Guide to the Joy of Running
—————————————————————————————

I would like to include a book recommendation in each newsletter as everyone needs a good book when they’re not running. I know that my library of running books have kept me inspired through many years of running. They have brought me through training programs, proper nutrition and just generally kept me connected and motivated as a runner. The other thing that I have noticed about all my running resources is that though running gear may have changed and there have been different schools of the thought on proper nutrition for runners, I still find that much of the information is still very useful. In many ways, resources have remained timeless and I still enjoy picking up a running book, having a look through and usually I walk away with some great information.

Last month I recommended Running with Children: Happy Feet, Healthy Food - a wealthy resource for all of you “parent” runners. I hope you had a chance to have a look at it. Also, don’t forget that, although I will usually recommend Amazon to purchase a book because you usually can’t do better in price and ordering from Amazon is quick and easy, the best price is your local library. Most books should be available from your local library or can be ordered in from another library. The only downside is that you won’t be building your own resource centre.

This month’s book recommendation is: No Need for Speed: A Beginner’s Guide to the Joy of Running - This book is great because it is inspirational and helps would-be and could-be runners take that all important first step. Written by John Brinham for those thousands of dedicated runners who have learned that the greatest joy in their sport comes not from how fast they go or how thin they become, but from simply having the courage to take the first step. Bingham shares the wisdom that took him from couch potato to columnist for Runners World magazine. With information both practical (how to find the right running shoes for you, when to enter a race, what to eat before a run) and inspirational (focus on where you are instead of where you want to be, accepting the body you have, the beauty of being realistic about goals), Bingham extends a trusted hand and expert advice to beginners and veterans alike.

Happy Trails!!
Until next time.

Next Page »