Posts tagged with 'Fitness'

A Peek at Peak Performance »

Read the entire account of Mike’s experience: part one, part two, part three, and part four. Because of my amazing celebrity connections, I got an opportunity this week to try out the peak performance package at the Canyon Ranch health resort in Tucson, Arizona. I will be spending four days being tested, poked, prodded, analyzed [...]

Introducing: The News Roundup »

Welcome to what I hope will be a biweekly survey of recent news related to fitness, nutrition, training, and competition. My goal is to pass along links to articles that summarize recent medical research, offer insights into training, as well as other articles of interest to runners. You won’t see many articles from Runner’s World, [...]

Beat the Doldrums »

In the closing scene of “Finding Nemo,” the “tank gang” from P. Sherman’s dental office finally pull off the escape they’ve dreamt about for years. After Dr. Sherman places them in plastic bags to change the tank water, they roll their bags across the counter to an open window, freefall into the bushes below, then [...]

New @ FitSugar for the Week Ending May 25, 2007 »

Today we’re introducing a new weekly feature called What’s New @ FitSugar. We like FitSugar because it’s obvious to us that they’re as passionate about fitness as we are. FitSugar blogs with a slant toward women’s interest articles and they often have some great stuff of interest to runners. So, without further delay, here are [...]

Exercise Is Just for Kids »

I ran across this fascinating 1958 CBC radio clip of a discussion between Byng Whitteker – a radio announcer entrenched in his belief that exercise is only good for children – and fitness advocate Lloyd Percival. The world has changed a great deal in the past 50 years. In the clip, you get the sense [...]

Will Run for Health »

Dr. Lee Miller wrote a piece arguing that, due to health care savings and productivity increases inherent in being more fit, that we should lobby for tax breaks to cover fitness expenses. The case that he presents about the health care savings associated with active people versus sedentary people is tempting. However, in the more [...]

The Down Side of Gettin’ High »

Come on, admit it. Even if you haven’t done it before, you’ve wanted to. Everyone else is doing it. I’m talking, of course, about high altitude training. What did you think I was talking about?! Yes, train high, race low (or more accurately: live high, train low, race lower); every endurance athlete has dreamt of [...]

Will Run for Money »

We all enjoy the benefits of running and the enhanced quality of life it brings, but wouldn’t it be great to get paid for it? No, I’m not talking about becoming a professional runner and winning races and making money, I’m talking about being paid to just be a runner. Sound farfetched? This idea may [...]

Ya Gotta Have Heart »

We all know that running is good for our bodies, but a recent report in the March issue of a medical journal suggests too much running can actually damage the heart. At least in middle-aged men. A 51-year-old physician failed a calcium screening used to measure hardened arteries despite having no coronary risk factors to [...]

Sleep on This »

While listening last year to an archived episode of the Phedippidations podcast, host “Steve Runner” mentions that he got a great night’s sleep on the eve of the Cape Cod Marathon thanks to taking the sleep aid Ambien. It was the first time I’d heard of a runner taking a prescription drug to get some [...]

Jeff Is Cookin’! »

I was contacted a while back by the folks over at Matisse & Jack’s to give their Trail Blaze bake-at-home oatmeal energy bars a try. i’m always one for trying out new products and their pitch for the bars sounded great. Bake ‘em yourself, save some money, no packaging or preservatives and enjoy a home [...]

Becoming Blood Brothers and Sisters »

The American Red Cross estimates that half the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but only 5 percent ever does. Some of us are scared; some of us are busy; and some of us worry about a donation’s effect on exercise. Removing a pint of blood does have immediate and residual impact on workouts. [...]

The Ups and Downs of Cardio Equipment »

It’s been getting tougher to run in colder corners. If you aren’t careful, frozen hair breaks off. Exposed skin chaps. The brutal air can compromise vulnerable bronchial passages, leading to illnesss or exercise-induced asthma. Water bottles turn solid quickly, spelling trouble for those trying to stay hydrated on long runs. The slick roads and snowy [...]

QuickLink: Trail Runner VO2 Max Test »

We often hear about V02 Max but rarely get a glimpse at a real life accounting of the outcome of such a test. Now we have one. Head on over to Scott Dunlap’s Trail Runner’s Blog for a nice summary of his recent V02 Max test.

QuickLink: Nifty Weight Management Calculators »

Make sure you check out weight loss/fitness calculators at FitSugar and MSNBC.

A Different Kind of Runner »

About a month ago I was at a local running store helping register people for a local marathon training program when I overheard an interesting exchange between a newcomer and a coach trying to decide where to place her. “What’s your pace?” he asked. “I have no idea.” she responded.

Patience with Patients »

I see quite a few runners in my practice, and it appears that they are comforted by the fact that I too am a runner. However, these patients can be both the most rewarding and challenging patients to treat. The reward is to see them back running healthy again. The difficult part is dealing with some of the more unique personality types that make our encounters more

Quick Link – Fitsugar »

We’re starting something new this week – Quick Links. These will be links to places or articles we think you might enjoy. They will be shorter than our weekly Featured Website articles and will appear not on a scheduled basis, but just whenever the time is right. We’re starting off with a hot site that people interested in fitness will love.

Getting Fit with FitLink »

I recently wrote a review of FitLink.com. The site impressed me and the review I wrote caught the attention of Chris Charlier, one of the founders of FitLink.com. With this, I took the opportunity to ask Chris a few questions about him, the site, and his team’s vision for the future.

Reaching Painful Conclusions »

One of the most popular articles in last week’s online version of the New York Times was a story about whether it’s a good idea to run through pain. The high reader ranking wasn’t a surprise, even if the article’s placement in the fashion section was. The timing was perfect since newfound gym rats and overly enthusiastic runners are probably feelin’ it about now. A twinge to the outside of

Running Away From Home »

On a recent trip to North Carolina, I was reminded how easily travel can affect my running routine—my hydration, nutrition and sleep were all affected simply by being in a new place. As if that wasn’t challenging enough, I also had to think more carefully about when, where and how I would run. Foolishly, I did little to plan ahead, and wound up running alone

So That’s Why You’re So Smart »

Even though this is something we runners have known all along, scientific proof comes to us via the Ririan Project Research suggests that people who get plenty of physical exercise can wind up with better brains. Scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif., found that adult mice who ran on [...]

Embracing the Dark Side of the Force: How to Turn Exercise Into a Lifelong Habit »

Warning: This article is for people in a constant struggle to find the will to exercise. It may not be appealing if you are not one of those people, or if you are the type of person who prefers to focus only on the warm, fuzzy side of life. —————— The Jedi & You The [...]

How to Accurately Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate & Have An Out of Body Experience At the Same Time »

continued from parts one and two ———————————— According to a Google search on the subject, Maximum Heart Rate can be defined in the following ways: The fastest and hardest your heart can pump without going into fibrillation. Rate differs according to age. Funny but true! If you’ve ever done a real test of your MHR, [...]

The What, Why & How of Your Resting Heart Rate »

Last week, I talked about using the Karnoven Method for determining accurate heart rate training targets/zones, and promised I’d return this week with information about Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). Today, I’ll talk about RHR. Please come by tomorrow for the MHR discussion. Five Things You Should Know About Your Resting [...]

Sports Injuries Revisited »

Most runners at some point in their training will be affected by an injury. Injuries can range from mild to severe. Some require no time off of training, and some may require you to stop running completely. Many athletic injuries are preventable and treatable. A basic understanding of the causes of injuries can help to [...]

Use the Karvonen Method to Determine Your Heart Rate Training Targets »

The basis for how you determine your target heart rate may not be exactly correct. In the past when I figured out the heart rates I should be training at, I used training zones like the ones listed below and described by Sports Coach Brian Mac: The Energy Efficient/Recovery Zone – 60% to 70% The [...]

No Excuses »

Sometimes it’s gets boring doing the same old run over and over again with your iPod as your only training companion. While music can be a great asset and motivator to your workouts, have you through about running with a partner, friend, or even a group? Running with a group is sometimes the easiest since [...]

Dragon Boating for Runners (Yes, I am serious) »

So you are 20 plus years older and 40 pounds heavier (it’s the weight training—I swear!) than your peak running days. Yet the competitive juices still flow as freely as they did when you were in your prime. Does this sound familiar? Maybe, maybe not, but it is the situation I currently find myself in. [...]

Ignore the New Rules of Stretching at Your Own Peril »

Most experts agree on why you should stretch: 1. Stretching enhances muscle flexibility, 2. increase’s the body’s range of motion, 3. and can alleviate muscle stiffness. But, as far as most athletes are concerned (that’s you!), the most important thing about stretching is that the three reasons listed above combine to help you a) perform [...]

Running: It Really Is Good for You »

So, I’m moseying on down the Information Superhighway in search of a training plan to get back on the wagon after realizing that, between one way and another, I ran all of seven times in September. (The upside? Since one of those times was the New Haven 20K, and two of them were long Saturday [...]

Weighing In »

We have a running bet—no pun intended—within my running circle. We guess how much weight we’ll gain by the time a big race rolls around. Despite always declaring we’re each going to lose 10 pounds, and this time keep it off, we never do. After reading last week’s Personal Health column by Jane Brody of [...]

Digital Runner’s World Magazine Available Now! »

Zinio publishes digital magazines and they do a fantastic job of it. Here’s why: The quality is excellent—text is sharp and images are exceptionally vivid. You can zoom in and out on pages. The required Zinio reader is a free download that works on both Apple and Windows systems. It makes reading magazines fun! Zinio [...]