The key components of a perfect pair of running shoes are cushioning, stability and durability. Many company Web sites offer advice on the type of footwear suited to each individual. Finding the right type, size and shoe according to a runner's training regimen is imperative. Sprained ankles, stress fractures and tendonitis are often caused by the irregularity of the shoes being used by an athlete. Another key factor dictating the choice of a shoe is its price.

Severe competition amongst sportswear companies has not only helped improve the quality of products but also made them affordable. A variety of designs coupled with advancements in technology have lead manufacturers to adopt a liberal pricing policy. Corporate accountability and responsibility has also played a major role in providing running shoes at discounted rates. A large portion of the sales of a company is diverted to social causes.

Finding the perfect pair of running shoes is part science and part art, with a healthy dose of research thrown in. What works for an individual will not work necessarily work for another. There is a fair deal of experimenting with different brands and different shoes before a runner finds a fit in terms of comfort and stability. The average running shoe lasts about 300 miles. Therefore, for many runners who do not have a sponsor, getting a shoe at a reasonable price is imperative.

It is always best to buy your first pair of shoes at a specialty athletic-shoe store. A quality sporting-goods store with a large shoe section and trained, knowledgeable sales staff is also recommended. It is important to take the advice of an experienced runner and do some research on the pricing of various brands. Bargains can be found on online sites, malls and outlet stores. A pair of quality running shoes often costs between $60 and $125. Discounts offered range from 10 - 20 % depending on the demand for the design. Purchasing in bulk for a club will also fetch good discounts.

It is important to verify that the discount is being offered as a promotional activity to "push" sales rather than due to manufacturing defects. Some defects, however, are minor and can be ignored.

For the lowest prices, the big "warehouse-style" shoe stores that have high turnover and lots of bargains are the best places to visit. Shoe stores often advertise their "special offers" in the print or television media. A good idea is to visit stores and make a note of the brand, style and size of the shoe that fits best. These may be later purchased online at a better discount.

Tags: running, running shoes

3 Top Running, Fitness and Health Tips!

My first tip of advice is aimed towards the beginners out there, but can also be applied to more experienced runners. Set yourself realistic and achievable goals, both long term and short, write these goals down, for short term goals, plan how many miles you would like to do that week, if your an experienced runner, it may be as high as 60/70 miles including 2 runs on one day. Whereas for a beginner, it may just be a gentle 2 mile jog 3 times a week. For long term goals, for more advanced runners, pick a race that you'd like to enter in a few months time and set a realistic target time e.g. 34 minutes in a 10km race. For beginners, it may just be to complete the race. I advise you keep a diary of your runs, this allows you to analyze how you have improved over the past months of training and you will find it helps keep you motivated and gives you pleasure as you see your improvements!

If you set yourself realistic goals in the short term and the long term, it will help you keep motivated and will lead to success, the secret is slowly building up, if you set yourself goals that are far fetched, and increase's intensity and distance too quickly, and then you?re on a fast track for injury!

In conclusion, set yourself realistic goals, this gives you motivation and also allows you to keep a record of your improvement as you achieve your goals and continue to set higher and higher goals till you reach your pinnacle!

My second tip is to reduce the stress in your life and so perform to your full potential. It has been reported that over 50% of sick days off work are due to stress, it is a pretty established fact that it really isn't good for you, and leads to several health problems. Firstly, stress leads to high blood pressure which in turn leads to heart disease, it also encourages strokes! Furthermore all young men should be aware that high stress can lead to impotence, as well as leading to depression, lethargy as well as stomach ulcers and indigestion!

So this is my second top tip, everyday, set about an hour of your time at least to de-stress, everybody releases stress in different ways, and exercise is an obvious choice at it helps you keep fit while reducing endorphins! Other methods could include hitting a punch bag, listening to music, having a relaxing bath, also perhaps just getting a few hours extra sleep a night; not getting enough sleep contributes to this!

By unwinding daily, you are likely to suffer less heart related problems later in life, as well as feeling much more energetic and improving your bodies capabilities for recovery, as well as making you much more productive at work!

My third tip is specifically aimed at the runners out there, rather than just running and running every week, do a new activity as an alternative e.g. biking/swimming. This is known as cross training, for example replace one run a week by an alternative exercise. This reduces boredom of doing the same old routines, encourages you to learn and develop new skills and hobbies. This allows muscle groups and certain body parts (e.g. knees) to be rested which usually get pounded when running and work other muscle groups that are usually ignored, this leads to improved overall conditioning! Furthermore as your usual muscles for running are being rested, it reduces the chance of injury as it gives those muscles much needed recovery time!

Follow these three tips to a happier and healthier life! Happy Running!

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Implement Trail Running in Base for Injury Prevention

The shoes we run in today are great for reducing impact. There are a myriad of devices, gels, air channels, etc., designed to lesson the compressive loads on the joints and body. One drawback, however, is that if you do most of your running on even, paved surfaces the lower leg muscles and joints do not have to work as hard to stabilize. Joint stability and integrity is crucial for injury prevention. This is where trail running comes in.

Running over uneven and varied surfaces makes the muscles of the lower leg work especially hard. Think specific strength training for the lower leg muscles. I recently observed how sore my lower legs were after a competing in an off road multi-sport event. The tendons, ligaments, and muscles all get stronger in response to this type of stress.

There are a few considerations when integrating trail running into your training plan. Unless you run in off road events the best time to incorporate trail running into your plan is in base. As with any new type of training stress it is important to implement it gradually. You may want to start off with one work out per week of limited mileage and steadily increase the duration. Off road surfaces vary from crushed gravel, sand, grass, single track hiking trails, to rough back country trails. The more varied the terrain the more your lower legs and body will be stressed. On extremely rough and elevated terrain, hiking may be just as effective (and safer) than running. You will likely enter your aerobic base zones in this type of terrain as well, and may not need to run.

Trail shoes offer more support and traction but much less cushioning. Trail shoes vary from running shoes with a more aggressive tread all the way up to hiking shoes which may not applicable for running. Make sure you consult with a salesperson to get the right shoe for your type of training. I do not recommend doing any road running in a trail shoe, but you can take your running shoes off road if the surface is relatively stable, such as crushed gravel.

Trail running does not just work the lower legs, but all the muscles associated with running, including lateral knee stability. It also will help develop coordination. You can continue to incorporate trail running throughout the season for strength maintenance. An added bonus is that it adds variety to your training, and the scenery is better.

Running over uneven and varied surfaces makes the muscles of the lower leg work especially hard. Think specific strength training for the lower leg muscles. I recently observed how sore my lower legs were after a competing in an off road multi-sport event. The tendons, ligaments, and muscles all get stronger in response to this type of stress.

There are a few considerations when integrating trail running into your training plan. Unless you run in off road events the best time to incorporate trail running into your plan is in base. As with any new type of training stress it is important to implement it gradually. You may want to start off with one work out per week of limited mileage and steadily increase the duration. Off road surfaces vary from crushed gravel, sand, grass, single track hiking trails, to rough back country trails. The more varied the terrain the more your lower legs and body will be stressed. On extremely rough and elevated terrain, hiking may be just as effective (and safer) than running. You will likely enter your aerobic base zones in this type of terrain as well, and may not need to run.

Trail shoes offer more support and traction but much less cushioning. Trail shoes vary from running shoes with a more aggressive tread all the way up to hiking shoes which may not applicable for running. Make sure you consult with a salesperson to get the right shoe for your type of training. I do not recommend doing any road running in a trail shoe, but you can take your running shoes off road if the surface is relatively stable, such as crushed gravel.

Trail running does not just work the lower legs, but all the muscles associated with running, including lateral knee stability. It also will help develop coordination. You can continue to incorporate trail running throughout the season for strength maintenance. An added bonus is that it adds variety to your training, and the scenery is better.

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Tags: best trail running shoes, jogging, new balance trail running shoes, nike free trail running shoe, nike mens free trail running shoe, trail running, trail running shoe review

If anyone has decided to embark on a diet and fitness programme, please read my article on my personal experiences in this area and feel free to use this in any other articles. Modern life results in many factors which can cause depression and anxiety in the normal person, life pressures, work, relationships, image and general well being all come into context. Today we are barraged within the media by articles and glossy altered images of beautiful people designed at making us buy products or by into a certain lifestyle manipulated by marketing corporates. Everyone to some effect are manipulated by advertising in the media, if not we would all buy the same products and look the same. I myself embarked on a diet and fitness programme many years ago and now run my life by this programme with the odd day off for good behavior.

A few years ago I decided to take fitness seriously as the benefits included relieving stress and anxiety which at the time was becoming an issue in my personal life. I firstly took up running, at first this was extremely hard going only being able to run for about five minutes at any one time. I decided the best route to take was to write down my distances and time and log these for reference; a routine then developed in my running and before long I was up to twenty minutes in a session. I then made significant progress in the following months as part of a personal goal objective and quickly made an average of forty minutes running in a session. What I found as a result of this exercise was that I felt so much better in myself, my stress levels reduced and my anxiety dropped considerably. I also found that running first thing in the morning made me feel good for the rest of the day, it is documented that that early morning runs are the best time to burn fat as you run on an empty stomach and the body uses fat as fuel.

When I run in the morning I find this clears my head for the rest of the day, any bad feelings are gone by the end of the session giving me a positive outlook. I also run in a local royal park which the early mornings holds many beautiful sites such as wild animals and birds sharing the same environment of me virtually undisturbed. I always ensure that I complete a full stretch exercise before running paying particular attention to the legs and thigh muscles, if you do not stretch then this could result in soreness and could tear important muscles as they have not had the time to get a good blood flow within the muscle groups. I would recommend stretching everyday even on the days when you don't run as this will prevent fatigue and soreness which is very important. It also very important to refuel the body with good quality carbohydrates in within the hour after the exercise as this will give the body the required nutrients and energy. I would strongly recommend running as an exercise which benefits the body aswell as the mind.

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Tags: jogging, running, running tips, running workouts

In my area as you drive to work you see a lot of people running. Most everybody thinks this is a difficult task. Something that is difficult to get accustomed to. But like everything else if you make up your mind to do it, it can soon become a habit. The benefits of this aerobic exercise are tremendous. Running is a great way to get rid of stress. Many people that suffer from depression find that running is real way to obtain relief. But I guess most of us run to stay physically fit by improving our cardiac function and of course keeping those pounds off.

There are, of course, many ways to stay fit, but few will burn more calories as fast or improve your endurance. It can be fun too. Once you start running regularly you become one of the people that is known as a runner. Soon you make friends with other people that also run consistently. Great friendships are developed this way. It helps you with your mental health that most of us ignore. Being sociable and having friends is a real benefit for the soul and a great cure for depression and loneliness.

Your next question is how do I get started. It is not difficult. The first week or two you probably just need to walk for about thirty minutes. Then once that starts to feel good, and it will, then you can slowly start to walk and jog. This is the best way to get started. After a while you cannot help but be running. You start getting that second wind and you do get a high out of it but is a good healthy high.

Many people soon start joining jogging teams to help charities raise money for their community. This gives you a real sense of pride knowing that you are doing something important. It is good for that self image. And with your fit lean body, and healthy looks you have a real sense of confidence. So this is aerobics at its best.

One of the things you need to consider is get a good pair of running shoes. You can get all kinds of advise about shoes on the internet or by visiting your Sporting Goods Store.

Start Running for your life!

Tags: benefits of jogging, jogging, running