If you haven’t tried pool running, now is a great time to give it a whirl! With the heat of summer upon us, a good pool workout can help you stay fit and cool at the same time. I have had the Aqua Jogger for about 20 years, but you really don’t need one to run in the pool. You can run without any device, or you can use a “noodle” that most kids use to play with in the water. Many runners (Mary Decker Slaney and Joan Benoit Samuelson to name a few) have used water running to combat injury in the height of their training. In the water, running can be continued without the impact of the hard surface of the roads. In fact, water running has an added workout benefit…resistance. You can feel the resistance immediately, and because water pressure in a pool is 12 times greater than air pressure, a pool provides two extremes at once–the resistance to stress the body, and the liquid density to protect it. [Read more…]
Have You Tried Pool Running? Great Workout!
Quote of the Week: “When I Run I Feel His Pleasure”…
On Monday I wrote about endorphins, those neurotransmitters in the brain that have been known to induce euphoria. Today I am writing about another kind of euphoria that can also come from running and exercising…the spiritual kind. Although we have all heard of the slogan “mind, body, spirit“, it can sometimes seem strange to integrate the three in a literal way. One of my favorite quotes comes from the movie, “Chariots of Fire”. In the movie, runner Eric Liddle of Scotland (a missionary and winner of the 400 meters in the 1924 Olympics in Paris) is explaining to his sister his desire to run in the Olympic Games. He says, “God made me for a purpose. But he also made me Fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure.” [Read more…]
Is Glucosamine/Chondroitin for You?
The jury isn’t out yet on the efficacy of glucosamine/chondrotin supplements for the treatment of osteoarthritis. However, some people have found that after taking the supplements, they experience fewer symptoms.
According to physical therapist Alan Tyson, owner of Architech Sports and Physical Therapy, interesting results have been reported from studies about glucosamine/chondroitin intake. Basically, there are some who say the supplements have been shown to help those who experience moderate symptoms of osteoarthritis, but not those with mild symptoms or those with severe symptoms. Alan’s recommended dosage is 1500 milligrams of combined glucasamine/chondroitin. [Read more…]
Endorphins and The “Runner’s High”
I wrote a post recently called Five Reasons Exercise Makes Me a Better Mom. Endorphins was the first reason I listed. Most of us are familiar with the term “runners high”, which refers to the euphoric feeling one sometimes gets after exercise. We know that exercise stimulates endorphin production, and research has shown that endorphins improve mood. But what is the best kind of exercise and how long do you need to do it in order to benefit from these endorphins? [Read more…]
Be Careful Running in the Heat if You Are Pregnant
I was on a local running trail last night with a few of my cross country runners and we ran by a pregnant woman pushing a baby jogger. She caught my eye, not just because of her bump, but also because she was wearing black exercise tights…and it was 98 degrees! She was running at a slow pace, and was smiling, so I’m sure she was fine, but my alarm bells were ringing. As I have confessed before on this website, I am a hypocrite when it comes to seeing pregant women running. Although I ran through each of my nine pregnancies, except my first (I started getting cramps at six months and so stopped running), I still wanted to scream at that woman to stop running and get out of the heat! [Read more…]
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