We all know that we have the days where running feels like a chore. The mere thought of strapping on our shoes is gloomy. Almost everyone has these kind of days, the good news is that there are many ways to cope with the lack of motivation. Finding the right elements to get you up and moving is the hardest part.

Becoming mentally prepared is by far the hardest part. We all make excuses which prevent us from getting in our proper amount of exercise. “I’m too tired” or “I don’t have enough time”, sound familiar? These are things we tell ourselves to make it o.k. not to work out, but deep down we all know we are just cheating ourselves. (more…)

Bodybuilding and endurance training do not go side by side, it is nearly impossible to build mass and maintain a high level of endurance. Contrary to what a lot of people believe, weight training is a vital part of any endurance sport.

While weight training will not add massive amounts of bulging muscle, it will help you in your overall performance. Below are a few examples of how proper weight training can benefit you. (more…)

Race day is always exciting and even after all the races I have been in I still get the jitters. The crowd cheering, the energy of all the runners, you can almost taste the energy in the air. Pride and anticipation are just a few of the many things you will feel when lining up. There are several hints to help ensure a great run and an even better finish.

We will break this down into three separate categories. Pre-race, race, and post race. (more…)

Shin splints: an easy term which is related to inflammation, damage, or strain around the muscles which attach to the shin bone.  Anyone who has had shin splints knows how uncomfortable and irritating it can be. Prevention is the key to anyone looking to become a serious runner.

This injury is most common in those who have just started exercising, mostly running or jogging. When beginning to exercise try to avoid running or jogging up or down hills as this causes rotation in your ankle which your body is not used to. This rotation will stretch and pull on muscles that your body is not used to using and can cause slight tears.  You need to start by performing simple exercises which will strengthen your calf and shin muscles and improve flexibility. (more…)

Our views on stretching has changed over the years, a lot has been modified since our days in high school gym class. Stretching has become one of those when and how questions which lingers even when we believe we are doing it correctly.

Stretching increases our flexibility and can help reduce injury when performed correctly. Added flexibility can increase our performance and give us better times. So where do we begin, do we pre-stretch, do a warmup then stretch? (more…)