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.

How to fight for marathon (Ⅱ)

4.        Set and adjust your speed.

    One important trick of marathon is that you should be strategic on how to control your speed. Running too fast at the beginning must ruin you while running at a reasonable speed can facilitate you to reach the finishing line. You must be conscious of the key significance of setting your speed and try hard to master it.

5.       Speed training

    If it is your first marathon, there is no need for you to do speed training. The target for you at this first level is to struggle to complete the whole process. But if you have already reached this level, you are supposed to add speed training to your plan. Fartlek running is a good speed training approach, which means you should combine fast running and slow running together. For example, run slowly first and then run fast for 20 to 30 minutes and afterwards slow down again.

6.       Race experience

    Before your first marathon, you’d better take participate in some running races. Racing experiences can provide you a lot of tricks and skills such as how to warm up, how to adjust your space, how to drink and how to eat, how your shoes fit you, which can be the most helpful way to help you avoid any mistakes in your marathon.

7.       Right before the game, relax.

    After an intensive training, you have been prepared to take the challenge. All you need now is relaxtion. It is suggested that you should decrease your running distance to 50% in the 2 weeks before the marathon and just do some simple exercises in the last 2 to 3 days. During this relaxing time, your body can get the maximum regeneration and give you the best condition for the event.

Getting prepared for a marathon is an experience you would not trade for anything; even though it is tough,it is rewarding. Once you win this challenge, you will be more brave, diligent, persistent ,and above all, be healthy.

How to fight for marathon (Ⅰ)

    Do you ever plan to participate a marathon? If you do, there will be a tough time of preparation which needs both strategies and persistence waiting for you. This post is going to be your best instructions, providing 7 points of how to prepare for a marathon. Ready? Go!

1.       Long-distance training

    Long-distance training is the key to get the final success in marathon, which can equip you with both physical and mental capacities needed in marathon; however, it should be a progress that is finished step by step, which means you are supposed to make the number of how many miles you run bigger and bigger gradually.

At the first week, new runners ought to run 10 miles each time and then add 2 miles each week till the 11^th week the distance accumulates to 30 miles. This final week should be 3 weeks before the marathon.

2.       Take a rest

    Training all the time is not equal to success. Actually, you cannot train too much, because you need a body which is strong and organized thus can stand the high pressure from marathon. To some certain degree, sport is somehow “destroying” your body and then rebuild it. After this rebuilding, the organization of your muscle will be more qualified, which however, need a period of time, normally 48 hours, during when you must have a good rest instead of further intensive exercises. Otherwise, the muscles are easy to be exhausted and injured, which is a destructive damage when your marathon is ahead.

It is suggested that marathon runners should have 2 days rest every week—a total rest, not during any sports.

3.       Make your training project more diverse.

    Running is not just running. To make your muscle strong and also keep your constant enthusiasm, you need various training methods such as swimming, bicycling and stretching.