Run, but when?

    Running is always fun and usually good for health. However, from a scientific stand of point, choosing the suitable running time is significant for this activity.

    

    The best time of day to run is a long-standing debate among runners and it is not a easy task to answer this question. Actually, the best choice of running time depends on different people because each one's situation is different. Generally speaking, late afternoon, which is between 4 and 7 p.m, is better than early in the morning because the viscosity of carbon dioxide in the morning is larger than that in dusk. In addition, in the morning, the dirt in the air is also bad for runners' health. Furthermore, the blood pressure is higher compared with that in the evening so it is important to try to avoid running in the morning, especially for those with a high blood pressure.

    

    Another reason to choose running at dusk is that metabolism effect of human body is strongest in the afternoon and early evening. So running during this time is best for exercise of the body. However, if the aim of exercise is merely losing weight, the best time of running might be morning before breakfast. It is because in the morning the blood sugar level is the lowest in a day. When blood sugar level is low, the body would first turn to the sugar stored in the liver and then turn to burn fat instead quickly as the primary energy source. So exercise before breakfast would help burn fat more easily and efficiently at this point of time. And there is a potential benefit of running in the morning. Scientific study shows that running exercise in the morning correlates with better sleep. Running in the morning can result in better sleep quality that running the evening.

    

    Still, there are a large amount of runners choose to run late in the evening, which is not usually considered as a good exercise time, as this time works best with their personal schedules. And their health still benefit from the running exercise. Anyway, some running, whenever it takes place, is better than no running at all. It is prominent to find running time that best works with individual's personal schedule so runners can take advantage of his/her time, no matter what time of day he/she runs, so the runner would get all the benefits of running. It is also important to establish a routine of running so the human body can get used to running at a specific time. And the runner can accustomed to the routine of wake up, drink, eat, which also help lead to a healthier life.

Source:

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/morning-noon-or-night?page=single

http://running.about.com/od/motivation/f/Whats-The-Best-Time-Of-Day-To-Run.htm

http://www.alajoo.com/questions/when-is-the-best-time-to-start-running-in-the-morning/

Listen To Some Music While Running 2

Running muscic come again! As a runner myself, I often turn to my ipod to derive some energy or boost to hold on through a run. As much as I love finding new running routes, I love discovering new running songs to fill in my playlist and then sharing them on my blogger. I recently collected a long list of more great running songs from my friends and running mates too. Some of the songs are not familiar to me but have quickly become my favorites. I hope readers can find out some good ones from the list too. So, here it is. I hope you like them!

1. Makes Me Wonder - Maroon 5

I love Adam Levine's funky style and soft voice. This song, from her album "As I Am," is perfect for a warm-up song to get started.

2. Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

Chumbawamba is a unique band that has make people remember them right away. This song has haunted in my mind for quite a while as I have heard it. And I do not mind to hear it dozens of more times. This song features light rhythms, which makes it a perfect some to get along starting running.

3. Don't Stop Me Now - Queen

What can I say about this song? It is just that kind of classic heavy metal that can boil all your blood and keep any runner energetic.

4. Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)– Kelly Clarkson

Usually I am not a big fan of Kelly Clarkson. But the lyrics and style of this particular song are perfect for encouragement during a tough part of a running training.

5. Eye Of The Tiger - Survivor

Another energetic song. One great feature about this song is its rhythm is perfectly matching my pace of running. So I guess it would stay in my ipod for quite a long time.

6. Don't Stop Believin' – Journey

One of my personal favorite. It is a great song to end a long and tough running due to its lyrics are extremely encouraging and help runners to look forward and satisfied with what they have gained through the process.

And here are some other suggestions:

1.  "Royals" - Lorde
2. "Wake Me Up" - Avicii
3. "Dark Horse" - Katy Perry featuring Juicy J
4. "Pompeii" - Bastille
5. "Demons" - Imagine Dragons
6. "Roar" - Katy Perry
7. "Story of My Life" - One Direction
8. "Counting Stars" - OneRepublic
9. "Burn" - Ellie Goulding
10. "Stay the Night" - Zedd featuring Hayley Williams

A Special Form Of Running - Hill Running

    Among all kinds of running trainings, hill training is a highly specific and interesting form. Many hates hill training and sees as a tiring one. Actually, hill training is a great strength/endurance training that has many benefits for runners, including improvement of stride frequency and length, muscle strength and power, neuromuscular co-ordination, running economy, fatigue resistance. And if we want to embrace the good parts of hill running, we may fall in love with it.

     First of all, Nike research lab found that running up an incline as small as 1-degree, increases energy costs by a 12%, which could make a huge difference in physiological benefits to the runner. For example, research has indicated that high intensity hill running leads to a greater level of muscle fiber activation. 
In addition, Hill training is particularly effective in developing hip flexor strength which may improve stride length, stride rate and stability.

     Hill training also helps improve running economy, which means reduces the energy cost of running at a certain speed and thus increases the fatigue resistance of muscles. In other words, runners' capacity is improved by uphill training. They are able to use less energy and oxygen at a given speed, or over longer distances. On the other side, downhill running helps delayed onset muscle soreness, which could be of great help integrating running training with over speed training. Research shows that negative effects about hill running, such as strength loss, can be significantly reduced by integrating downhill running into the overall running plan. In summary, hill running that combines downhill and uphill running can create great good for runners by providing a variety of benefits, including increased stride length and frequency, stronger upper body musculature, improved lactate tolerance, etc. And all these benefits help runners to achieve better records in running races.

     Moreover, hill running has its aesthetic benefit. A senior running trainer, Jenny Hadfield, shares her story on runner's world magazine: She fell in love with hill running in a mountain climbing expedition up Mount Rainier. She tried to apply the "be the mountain" principle in the running and the idea of "working with the mountain" rather than "against it" really changed her mind toward hill running. She suggests that the key point in hill running is finding the optimal path to run efficiently, or in her words, "be the friend of the mountains". By achieving that, hill running would become a joyful workout.

Source:
http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/three-tips-for-running-downhill     http://www.runnersworld.com/running-tips/how-to-learn-to-love-hills http://training4endurance.co.uk/running/hill-running/

Wonderful movies concerning running

    Running is a sports that requires passion during the long exercise process. It is always good to have something inspiring before running, or something entertaining that help refill with energy after a long and tiring running. So here I recommended a couple of movies about running that provide insight about lives of other runners, both professional or amateur. Hopefully these movies can make you entertained and inspired to keep participating into this fascinating sport!

     1. "Chariots of Fire" This movie has always been a classic one and appears on many lists of movie about running. This story of the movie was written based on a true story back in 1920s. It does just focus on the sport itself but the touching friendship of two young professional runners, Eric Liddell and Harold M. Abrahams. Sharing very different lives, these two Iraq young athletes both aimed to participate 1924 Olympics games in Paris with great endeavor and finally won. This movie received a deserved Oscar win of Best Picture and remains one of the best movies about sports in history.

     2. "Saint Ralph" This movie is about an unlikely story of Ralph Walker, or say, a miracle of him in 1954. With father gone and mother hospitalized, this ninth grader is in no way of a tame teenager, but he accidentally fell in love with the sport of running. He joined the school's running team under the guidance of his mentor, the school's avant-garde thinking teacher. He believed that he could revoke his mother and won respect of whole school with the winning of the 1954 Boston marathon game. Finally he was one step away from championship but still won his life. This is a simple but powerful and charming movie, which includes faith, love, prayer, persistence, and miracle.
 
     3. "Feel the Wind" (風が強く吹いている) This Japanese movie is about a group of college students in university sports union who participated in a marathon game. With support from each other, they rekindle their passion for the sport, become a group that achieve great final results in the game after hard working. This movie is not just about running but focuses on the enthusiasm on running and life. As a result, it offers an extremely touching story. The music in this movie is also fantastic and worth listening.
 
     4. "Forrest Gump" What can I say about? Everyone knows this movie. Although it is not all about running, this Oscar winner still reflects many aspects of the sports: freedom, belief, and commitment. It is all about a man achieving his life with his legs and devoted heart.

 Sources:
     http://www.mademan.com/mm/10-best-movies-about-running.html              
     http://www.imdb.com/

Correct running tips

Evert runner is in need of correct running tips such as how to run faster, how to run to avoid injury, how to run longer? Here is a video about running techniques, given by marathon running superstars Sandi Nypaver and 2-time US Olympic Trials Qualifier Sage Canaday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCVSv7UxB2E It is hard to explain about professional running positions by language. In case of losing any points, let's enjoy this video. I hope you like it and really gain something from it.

Run to The Wild!

   

    Does running on normal road bore you? Same track, same altitude, same view, using same muscles and bones, meeting same passerby day by day are so boring that you desire to give up. Do you want to try something new? What about cross-country running?!

    Cross-country running is running in the wild— sometime run though forests, sometimes climb an obstacle, sometimes jump a gap, sometimes challenges a single-plank bridge. Cross-country Runners around the world have witnessed the development of cross-country races. Earlier, the running road is uncertain and random in each race—the race host didn’t announce where to run and arranged a guide to drop papers on the ground to lead the way for the runners. Now, the international custom is to set the road, distance, track, date ahead of the racethus to make runners get prepared. The  IAAF（International Association of Athletics Federations‎）holds an annual international cross-country tournament, popular among worldwide cross-country running fans.

    Compared with normal running, I conclude three significant pros of cross-country running. To begin with, cross-country running can push you to use different muscle during the whole running because the condition of the track is so diverse. Using the certain fixed muscles cannot make your whole body strong and tend to result in sports injury due to excessive using. And during cross-country running, sometimes you have to stop your stride to think about how to move on , which can give your muscle a period of time of relaxing. Secondly, a variety of new views and new requirements to run can stimulate you to persist. Imagine, you can see forests, hills, lakes, bridges around the road, will you feel boring any more? Besides, Different challenges encourage  you to think strategically, which is not only a pressure but also a motivation. Thirdly, fresh air! The outside environment is abundant in oxygen, which can make your brain conscious, make your lung clear, make you energetic and dynamic all the day! 

Top Five Urban Trails for Running in the World

 1. Tijuca Forest Trail, Rio de Janeiro

    Tijuca Forest is the world's largest urban forest, covering 12.4 mi². Tijuca Forest has become a National Park since 1961 and is home of a large amount of species of wildlife and plants. It also contains a number of well-known attractions, such as the sculpture of Christ the Redeemer at top of Corcovado mountain.

2. Thames Path, London

    Following the length of the River Thames from its source to the end, Thames Path is a national trail with the length of 184 miles. The entire length of the path is available for running and walking. There are many notable tourists spots along the route, including Hampton Court Palace, Thames Barrier, Big ten tower.

3. Great Coastal Walk, Sydney

    Located along the great urban coast of Sydney, the Great Coastal Walk covers a distance of approximately 100km and numerous sightseeing spots. This walk begins at the famous Bondi icebergs and meanders towards Tamarama. Runners are able to enjoy spectacular views of famous Mackenzie's Point Beach and Marks Park, as well as a range of aboriginal rock carvings. The Walk also covers various well-designed houses and castles.

 4. South Mountain Park, Phoenix

    Covering an area of 16,000 acres, South Mountain Park is the largest municipal park in the U.S., as well as one of the largest urban parks in North America. This park contains a mountainous area and native desert vegetation in a natural condition. This park also features a total of 58 miles of trails for hiking and running for tourists to enjoy a variety of flora and fauna. In addition, the lookout point of the park is relatively high, rising over 1000 feet above the desert floor. Runners in this park can experience the beautiful sight of the City of Phoenix from the summit.

5. Coast to Coast Walk, Auckland

    Coast to Coast Walk is an approximately 192-mile path in New Zealand. It connects three diverse national parks: the Lake District National Park, the Yorkshire Dales National Park, and the North York Moors National Park. It is named because it connects the Pacific Ocean on one side of the city to the Tasman Sea at the other side. This is also one of a few places in the world where you can run from one ocean to another in a day. The most famous landmark that this path crosses include Manungawhau (Mt. Eden), and Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill). Both of them offers incredible views over the city.