Olympic Hopeful Jenny Crain Struck by Car

Olympic hopeful Jenny Crain, a 39 year old Wisconsin native, was struck by a car last Tuesday during a training run. Crain, described by friends and teammates as a giant in Wisconsin's tight-knit competitive running community, was jogging west on E. Brady St. when she was struck by a vehicle traveling south on N. Farwell Ave., police said


You can support Jenny and follow her status by logging into www.carepage.com and enter supportjennycrain as the carepage name.

The running community is all praying and pulling for Jenny's recovery.


August 25, 2007

THE MESSAGE IS FROM JENNY’S FAMILY (www.carepage.com) supportjennycrain carepage

Since the last update there has been some good news and a little mixed news. The good news is that it appears that the brain swelling seems to be decreasing and that her pupils are on the way to returning to normal. The mixed news is that the pressure on her brain was slightly elevated, which the doctors are addressing with various techniques. Overall the brain healing is moving in the right direction.

Aside from the specifics noted above, her condition remains very similar to the previous updates.

Overnight some of the bandages on Jenny’s head were removed revealing that a good portion of her hair has been shaved. Imagine what Jenny would think of her hair?

As we all know Jenny’s recovery will be very much like a marathon, with some miles better than others. Up hills and down hills. The wind at times in her face and at other points at her back. Most importantly with her fans and supporters by her side cheering her on throughout. We all know that team Jenny will “make it happen.”

Goucher 3rd at World Championships!

Alberto Salazar's use of altitude training appears to have worked it's magic on at least one of his athletes as Kara Goucher finished a surprising 3rd at the World Championships in the Women's 10,000.

Altitude Training- The Runners Edge

More than ever, elite runners and endurance athletes around the world are going to the mountains to breathe thin air and train their bodies to deal with stress. .

Alberto Salazar took his distance runners to Park City, Utah for 3 weeks of intense workouts at 8,000 feet.

Another insiders look here.

I can't wait to see how they perform in Osaka!

Read in detail the logic behind the high altitude strategy. Both articles are from the Oregonian.

The 10 Minute Run

Are you interested in staying fit just for the health of it? Maybe you do not really have a weight problem or care to be competitive. Perhaps walking takes too long or there is just no spare time to squeeze in regular trips to the gym. Consider trying the 10 minute run.

Before you jump to the conclusion that 10 minutes cannot possibly make any difference, take a look at the joint American College of Sports Medicine-American Heart Association recommendations for physical activity for healthy adults under the age of 65:

Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
And
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise, twice a week

Since jogging and running qualify as vigorous, you will need to do a 10 minute run at least 6 days a week in order to meet the aerobic recommendation. At 10-minute mile pace, 6 runs add up to 1 hour of running, or 6 miles a week.

Is this enough? Previous recommendations for exercise stated that you had to spend at least 30 minutes at a sustained heart rate in order to be benefical. Not true. We now know that physical activity can be accumulated throughout the day and still be beneficial, and an hour a week of vigerous exercise would undoubtedly reduce the risk of suffering any number of chronic conditions and diseases even further.

The key to your results will be consistency. If you have been sedentary you will notice some improved fitness quickly with just 10 minutes a day. Make the 10 minute run a habit on 6 days a week and you will theoretically burn the equivlant of 10 or 11 pounds of fat at the end of a year. You will also rev up your metabolic rate, and gradually stimulate the development of fat-burning enzymes, both capable of enhancing fat loss.

If you want to improve even more, cheat a little by adding one longer run on the weekend. You can also set aside 1 or 2 of your mid-week sessions for a little tempo. After a 5 minute warm-up, pick up the pace for the next 5 minutes or alternate 1 minute hard, 1 minute easy.

The 10 minute run has many advantages.

1. You can usually spare a short block of time for changing and your actual workout. Fitting your run in before work will not take any noticable extra time for changing and showering since those are things you have to do anyway.

2. You will be less inclined to skip a 10 minute workout than one lasting 30 minutes or longer.

3. A 10 minute run can be squeezed in at any time during the day. Even at noon in the middle of summer just about everybody can tolerate 10 minutes of activity.

4. Once you get out the door for an intended 10 minute run, you may find it easy to talk yourself into adding a few extra minutes or distance.

For some time now health and fitness professionals have been preaching the importance of adding physical activity to your daily life by using stairs instead of elevators, parking farther away and taking frequent walking breaks. For many, those things simply may not be enough to make a noticeable difference. If that is the case, it may be time to add a daily 10 minute run.

Proper Breathing for Runners

There seems to be a great deal of confusion these days over the proper way to breathe while running or jogging.

According to the text Physiology of Sport and Exercise by Wilmore and Costill the need to breathe increases in direct proportion to the intensity of work. A mild workload such as brisk walking prompts expansion of the lungs and deeper breathing. As the work becomes more difficult, the rate of breathing also increases.

With the exception of conditions such as asthma, breathing should not limit your ability to run or perform exercise, even at hard efforts. The volume of air entering the lungs is not the problem; it is the body’s inability to extract and use enough oxygen to meet the increased demand that causes you to be out of breath (inspired air contains roughly 20% oxygen while expired air has about 16%).

Many beginning runners have been misled to believe that the proper way to breathe is to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth. While it is true that air is dryer and cooler when inhaled through the mouth, this should not pose a problem unless you are prone to exercise induced asthma.

I call this nose breathing technique self-induced asthma, since inhaling through the nose severely limits the volume of air that can be delivered to the lungs. I suspect this technique has a negative impact on running performance similar to asthma, particularly as speed increases.

Runners should be inhaling and exhaling through both nose AND mouth to a set pattern or rhythm. According to Jack Daniels, a well-respected coach and author of Daniels Running Formula, most elite runners breathe to a 2-2 rhythm. They breathe in while taking 2 steps and out while taking 2 steps. At an easy pace they may switch to a 3-3 rhythm.

2-2 breathing rhythm

Left foot- begin exhale
Right foot- continue exhale
Left foot- begin inhale
Right foot- continue inhale

One problem with this approach is the habit of always inhaling or exhaling on the same footfall, which some experts and coaches believe could be one explanation for side stitches. If you are one of those unfortunate runners prone to side aches, consider periodically switching which footfall you exhale on, or even change your breathing rhythm to exhale on alternating right and left footfalls. That gets a little tricky since you’ll have to adapt an uneven 3-2 or 4-3 breathing pattern (breathing out for more counts than breathing in).

3-2 breathing rhythm

Left foot- begin inhale
Right foot- continue inhale
Left foot- begin exhale
Right foot- continue exhale
Left foot - continue exhale
Right foot- begin inhale

According to DePaul University Track Coach Bill Leach, uneven breathing cycles are effective because pressure in the lung is lower than the atmosphere, causing air to rush in quickly. You’ll want to take a little longer to exhale, since leaving residual carbon dioxide in the lungs can impede the delivery of oxygen on the next inhale.

It will help if you practice your breathing pattern while walking before you start running. Carry the technique over to easy jogging and finally during hard race pace running.

Before long your new breathing pattern will become second nature during races and hard training sessions

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved

Conditioning for Runners: The Javorek Dumbell Complex

Looking for a new way to improve your running or overall fitness but can’t spend the money or time to go to the gym? Here is a routine that you can do at home recommended to me by Al Sapa, a successful high school coach in Wisconsin who uses these exercises with his athletes. Al recommends Javorek Dumbell Complex Conditioning as a great weight-room alternative for distance runners in particular who may feel intimidated but desperately need some form of muscular conditoning.

According to Istvan Jarvorek, a Romanian born strength coach who developed Dumbell and Barbell Complex Conditioning, “the main purposes for these exercises were to figure out an easier way to do an exercise complex which would change the monotomy of a workout and at the same time have a greater influence on the neuro-muscluar and osteo-muscular system.”

In a nutshell, the Jarvorek Dumbell Complex requires non-stop lifting of very light weights , cycling through a series of exercises that recruit major muscle groups. The routines may look easy, but even 2# and 3# dumbells will be difficult for most beginners.

Javorek stresses the following: perfect body posture, full range of motion, perfect technique of execution, and stable rhythm of execution. Al recommends starting with 2 or 3 pound dumbells. Here are the exercises used in Dumbell Complex I:

Dumbbell Upright Row X 6 reps

Dumbbell High Pull Snatch X 6 reps

Dumbbell Squat Push Press X 6 reps

Dumbbell Bent Over Row X 6 reps

Dumbbell High Pull Snatch X 6 reps

The idea is to perform these exercises in non-stop, continuous order. Start with 1 set, increasing to 2-3 sets as you get stronger. For even greater stimulation increase the number of repetitions up to 12 each set or increase the weight. Finally you can use more advanced routines developed by Jarvorek.

Here are pictures and a videoclip of how to perform each exercise correctly. For further information, you can visit Jarvorek’s website. As with all forms of training, consistency and progression are important keys for optimal results.

You Don't Have to Be Thin to Be Fit- at least on a bike!

If your fitness activity is non-weight bearing such as in cycling or rowing, you can improve your fitness tremendously without accompanying weight loss. Read this great article called the Bicycling Paradox: Fit Doesn't Have to Mean Thin, by Gina Kolata and published in the New York Times.

Ethiopian Training Secrets

Do you want to run faster? I've always believed that you have to see what the winners are doing and how they are training.

scienceofsport.blogspot.com has done just that.

A summary of their findings on Ethiopian distance training:

1. Training for speed- sprint drills, 50 meter strides at most or all training
sessions.

2. Hills, hills, and more hills. Steep, short hills, performed without losing proper form or stride frequency.

3. Plyometric training. Bounding, skipping, bouncing, and other drills to improve the ability to absorb each foot landing and generate greater force upon take-off.

Check out ScienceOfSport for this and other great articles.

Children and Strength Training

"If children or adolescents undertake a strength training program, they should begin with low-resistance exercises until proper technique is learned. When 8 to 15 repetitions can be performed, it is reasonable to add weight in small increments. Exercises should include all muscle groups and be performed through the full range of motion at each joint. To achieve gains in strength, workouts need to be at least 20 to 30 minutes long, take place a minimum of 2 to 3 times per week, and continue to add weight or repetitions as strength improves. There is no additional benefit to strength training more than 4 times per week."

- Strength Training by Children and Adolescents, American Academy of Pediatrics Policy Statement, 2001

For years we've been told that children should avoid lifting weights at a young age because of potential damage to joints or growth plates. While this type of injury is extremely rare, it's a good idea to hold off on serious weight training until high school. Pre adolescent children should be encouraged to perfom body weight exercises such as push-ups and crunches, along with calisthenics and light dumbell work.

Once they've reached high school, teens can begin a supervised, progressive weight training program if they desire to do so.

If you think it's dangerous for your children to work their muscles, consider the consequences of spending their entire childhood in front of a televison or computer monitor.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved.

Core Strength Training for Runners - Does it really help?

Core strength training has been one of the new additions to distance running training programs. Advocates believe that a strong core translates to better running and resistance to injury.

Here is the first study I've seen on the subject. Thomas Nesser, an assistant professor of Physical Education at Indiana State University, found only a slight correlation between torso stability and performance (sprinting and strength).

My personal opinion on the subject of core strength training is this- let's test core strength of the top Kenyan and Ethiopian distance runners. Until they are found to be significantly stronger than their slower counterparts, I am not buying into the hype.

Alan Webb is the king of core strength training and is now running great, but I suspect his performance can be attributed to his running workouts more than his core workouts.

Fundamental abdominal and back extension strength exercises are probably all most of us have the time for or need. Distance, intervals and proper running form still make up the foundation for better times.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights required.

Post-Run Ice Immersion Perhaps Not a Great Idea

CONCLUSIONS: "The protocol of ice-water immersion used in this study was ineffectual in minimising markers of DOMS in untrained individuals."

Go here to read a summary of the article published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine

Barefoot Science Insoles

“Barefoot Science presents a unique approach to the maintenance of proper foot biomechanics. As a user with an injured foot and ankle, I am now able to generate ground reaction forces and a functional push off. "

-Peter J. Fowler, MD FRCS(C), Past president of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine 2002-2003 Medical Director of the Fowler Kennedy Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Western Ontario


“As you know, I have been using your product on my patients for two years now, in approximately 1600 cases, with nothing less than spectacular results."

-Bruce Comstock, DC, Author, Weight Training Safely - The F.I.T.S. Way



“Barefoot Science philosophies are based on sound medical and scientific principles, common sense, and provide a vastly superior understanding of foot function when compared to conventional views."

-Thomas D. McClain, MD ABOS AAOS, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery



I've been suffering from left foot pain for several months now- on the inside of the foot between the arch and the heel bone. Always on the lookout for new products, I came across the Barefoot Science Foot Strengthening System.

The System is actually a soft insert that "works inside the shoe like a rehabilitative exercise program to safely and naturally stimulate, strengthen, and restore healthy foot function, optimizing comfort and performance. The stabilized foot and improved muscle function facilitate optimal bone alignment, not only in the foot, but up through the body."

They come with 5 plugs that fit into the bottom, so you start at 1 and work your way up.

Currently I am going on my second full week, and I have to admit they do feel better than any over the counter insoles I've tried.

I'll post updates on how I am doing, but like most other overuse pains cross-training is probably the ideal recipe.

Alberto Salazar Survives Heart Attack Scare

"I found a guy laying on the ground and not doing well," Barahona said. "He was blue. He was trying to breathe, but he wasn't breathing effectively. I rolled him over and checked for his pulse. He didn't have a pulse."

If you have not heard by now, former running great Alberto Salzar suffered a heart attack on June 30th. Still lean and fit running about 30 miles a week at 48 years of age, it would seem highly unlikely that he could have heart disesae.

This is not the first time that Alberto has experienced a life-threatening problem. Back in 1978, he collapsed at the finish line of the Falmouth Road Race with a core body temperature measured at 107 degrees F and given last rites. In 1982 was the "Dual in the Sun" with Dick Beardsley at the Boston Marathon. He edged Beardlsey for the win, but was taken to the hosptial immediately following the race for 6 liters of intraveneously fluid. Alberto is now a successful distance running coach heading up the NIKE Oregon Project in Portland.

We do not know about other coronary risk factors such as high blood pressure and cholesterol, but certainly he did not smoke. He probably could be classified as a Type A personality, but most significant is the fact that both grandfathers had heart disease. Sometimes that is all it takes.

Thankfully, and lucky for Alberto, he survived again, but not without help. A local ER physician along with a former combat medic were able to perform CPR until the EMTs arrived, who jolted Salazar 4 times with a defibrillator before establishing a normal heart beat.

He was back coaching 9 days later.

Ibuprofen found to increase oxidative stress in runners

Ibuprofen has also been found to increase oxidative stress in ultra-runners, according to this study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Higher oxidative stress undoubtedly translates into fatigue, greater tear-down, and longer recovery.

Ibuprofen- Friend or Foe?

The other day I was chatting with a new young friend with a passion for running- turns out he also played high school basketball and happened to ask me what I knew about ibuprofen. It seems it was common practice for his teammates to pop 800 mg before games and who knows how much after.

The practice of taking over the counter anti-inflammatories is not uncommon among high school athletes. One survey found 75% of high school football players used them.

Since it was approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter drug in 1984, ibuprofen has been thought of as a harmless yet effective way to relieve pain related to such maladies as arthritis, joint pain, toothache, headache, sports injury, fever, or general muscle pain due to overuse. In the military, ibuprofen has been standard issue for years in first aid kits and used extensively by soldiers hoping to ward off the inevitable muscle soreness following a long march or “hump” (hence the nickname “grunt candy”).

Ibuprofen can be your friend and is considered safe and effective if taken for a few days at a time or as prescribed by your doctor. When using over-the-counter ibuprofen such as Motrin, take exactly as recommended on the container. The maximum dose for over-the-counter ibuprofen is no more than 1200 mg in one 24 hour period (one or two 200 mg tablets taken every 4-6 hours).

Professional athletes, once notorious for popping ibuprofen and other pain killers like candy, nowadays are wary since two of their own, Sean Elliot of the San Antonio Spurs and Alonzo Mourning of the Miami Heat, underwent kidney transplants. Mourning is convinced that his kidneys were damaged by years of taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen. According to this article, another athlete, former Seattle Seahawk football player Kenny Easley, thinks he lost a kidney because during one stretch in his playing days he took up to 32 ibuprofen tablets a day.

The National Kidney Foundation estimates that 10% of kidney failures are due to "substantial overuse of NSAIDS." While doctors and the Kidney Foundation both maintain that there is no established link between the kidney condition afflicting Mourning and Elliot, called focal segmental sclerosis, and use of anti-inflammatory drugs, players around the league remain unconvinced.

Since it is sold as an over-the-counter drug without a prescription, ibuprofen is generally thought of as safe. However, when taken under extreme conditions that may promote dehydration, in excess, or for long periods of time, it can cause health problems.

NSAIDs work by inhibiting prostaglandin, a hormone that plays a role in sensing pain, controlling fever and inflammation. It also regulates blood flow to the kidneys. During exercise, it becomes vitally important that the kidneys receive adequate blood and oxygen in order to continue normal function. As dehydration levels rise, such as during exercise, ibuprofen becomes more concentrated, potentially reaching toxic levels.

Some general rules on taking ibuprofen are:

1. Do not take ibuprofen before, during, or shortly after lengthy endurance exercise, especially when there is potential for dehydration.

2. Take ibuprofen with a full glass of water or milk, ideally with meals to avoid stomach irritation.

3. Do not take with alcohol.

4. Don’t take in combination with other medicines, supplements, or herbal products without first consulting with your physician or pharmacist.

5. Avoid if you have a history of any reaction or allergy from another anti-inflammatory medication.

6. Discontinue use immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms: urine that is cloudy or bloody, pain or burning in the stomach, diarrhea or black tarry stools, severe nausea, indigestion or heartburn, vomiting blood.

7. Do not use if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.

8. Talk to your doctor first if you have high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, heart failure, ulcers or other stomach problems.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved.

Alter-G

How would you like to run like you normally do but carry less weight? That is exactly the concept behind Alter-G, Inc. The G-trainer allows you to train using your normal gait but is able to reduce your body weight from 3 to 80 percent! Pretty interesting concept for those few who have access to this technology.

How to Break 18 min for 3 miles

"I had a question. As you know, I am a Marine and our fitness test requires a 3 mile run in 18 min. I want to improve my current time. With all you years of experience, I thought to get some tips to reach a targeted time, who would be better then to ask you.
What would you suggest? How do you improve your running time on a set distance?"

Assuming that you are already doing some consistent training, I refer back to the May article I posted on interval training.

The following is a sample 6 week progression that you could use leading to a sub 18 minute 3 mile target:

Week 1: 6 x 400 in 85-87 sec 2 min rest
Week 2: 6 x 400 in 85-87 sec 90 sec rest
Week 3: 8 x 400 in 82-85 sec 2 min rest
Week 4: 8 x 400 in 82-85 90 sec rest
Week 5: 4 x 800 in 2:50-2:52 2 min rest (longer rest is ok!)
Week 6: 6 x 400 in 80-82 sec 2 min rest

Interval workouts are generally run during the middle of a week, however you could do them on a weekend if you are not racing. As you become more comfortable with this type of training and your 3 mile test is about 4 weeks out, you can also add another tempo run on the weekend. Use it as a race simulation- go for 1 mile at your 6 min goal pace, rest 5 min, then repeat.

Another option would be a 1.5 mile time trial- bringing that time down should translate to a faster 3 mile. I've found that a 1.5 mile time trial is a great way to simulate racing a 5K - you are exposed to a fast pace and the same type of fatigue you'll experience running a 5K but the shorter distance is much easier to handle. Three or 4 of these before your test will make a big difference.

Remember, you need to be fresh going into these tempo and interval workouts- nothing too long the day before.

Finally, for additional strength you can slow increase one run per week so that you are going 60 min or longer. Run these at an easy pace- you are building resistance to fatigue and not speed.

This gives you 3 key workouts per week to focus on- 1 interval session, one tempo session, and one easier, longer session. Give it some time and let me know how you are doing!

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved

Are You Addicted to Running?

"It was not easy but once you start it is very difficult to stop. I always have a goal to do something. That way I keep running. It's an addiction to winning. But it's also an addiction to run - it is like a drug. If I'm not sweating I don't feel good."

- Haile Gebrselassie - Olympic Champion and former world record holder

How do you know if you are addicted to running? According to this column published on the McAlister Psychology Dept. website, you must exhibit 3 of the following criteria in order to be considered dependent:

1. Increased Tolerence: You must run longer or faster to produce the same effects

2. Withdrawl: You are grumpy if you do not get to run.

3. You run long or hard on planned easy days. Tapering is very difficult.

4. Your running takes priority over work, social life, and other recreational activites.

5. You continue to run despite injury and potential further harm.

Guilty as charged!

(c) Dave Elger, All rights reserved 2007

Don't Get Carried Away with Exercise Props

One of my pet peeves these days is the number of new fangled ways to exercise. One perfect example is found here- Alternating Chest Press on the Ball.

I understand the concept; you are required to recruit some additional muscles for balance, and so on.

The bottom line for most people is to optimize their time strength training- maximize the benefits in the least amount of time. Fooling around with dumbells on an exercise ball to me is counterproductive- you are going to have a much more difficult time fatiguing those muscles if you have to focus on balance at the same time you are performing a strength exercise. Your weight will also have to be lighter relative to when you do this exercise on a bench.

The PushUpPowerRack is an example of one exercise prop that can help you maximize the efficiency of your workout- 10 repetitions at each grip with no fooling around will fatigue those muscles in no time, with no worries about position on the ball, balance, or which dumbells to use. As I mentioned earlier, you do achieve secondary benefits by recruiting several other muscle groups at the same time.

The bottom line is this- if you cannot work your muscles to fatigue with the prop that you are using in 15-20 reps, , then you are not maximizing the benefits of your workout. Bringing it too many other factors to worry about is inefficient and time consuming.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved

Push-ups: Great for Everybody!

Unless you are a serious body-builder, there is no real reason for you to isolate on one muscle group at a time while lifting weights. While there is nothing wrong with the bench press or chest press, they are examples of strength exercises that do a good job of isolating on the chest area and not much else.

If you are just a regular person looking for some added strength, push-ups are a far better option. Besides working the chest and arms, push-ups require trunk stability, involving back, gluts, and abdominal muscles. When you think about it, the muscles in your neck are also required to hold your head in a neutral position.

Of course, the biggest plus about push-ups is that you can do them anywhere anytime, without any special equipment.

Not that equipment isn't available. Pictured here is a push-up power rack (pushuppowerrack.com), allowing the user to vary width and angle of grip. You can also make them more difficult and recruit muscles differently by resting your feet on a bench or chair. To make push-ups easier, beginners can start with their knees resting on the floor rather than their feet.

Finally, because push-ups are more of a muscle endurance exercise than a pure, high intensity strength exercise, you are less prone to packing on too much upper body muscle weight, something runners and cyclists don't really need.

(c) Dave Elger, 2007 All rights reserved

Ladies Shoes Should be Different

According to this article by Owen Anderson published in Peak Performance online, wider hips cause women to land more on the outside of their soles when compared to men.

For this reason, Ray Frederickson, who has a PhD in Biomechanics says , "Women's shoes should have more support on the outside edges of the midsoles, because the outside is where the first impact with the ground takes place."

Women with narrow heels may also have a problem finding a good fitting shoe that does not slip.

Ned Frederick, PhD, another running shoe expert, thinks women need a more flexible shoe because they typically weigh less than men and therefore have more trouble flexing the shoe.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved

The Running Shoe Prescription

Don't know which running shoe to buy? This article published in the January 2005 issue of Physician and Sports Medicine titled The Running Shoe Prescription does a great job of explaining just about everything you need to know.

If you are lucky enough to live in a community with a good running shoe store, (Striders Specialty Running Store here in Layton, Utah has the best customer service I've seen and offers a free computerized foot and gait analysis) you should always go there to make your purchase.

As you become more familiar with the type of shoes that work for you and you know your size, you might be able to save some money by shopping online.

Another excellent source for help picking out shoes is Road RunnerSports. If you find a shoe you think may be for you, I would always check the runner's reviews here first.

(c) Dave Elger 2007 All rights reserved

Is Your Community Runner Friendly?

This is beautiful for runners, joggers, and bladers, and receational cyclists.

.....as opposed to concrete! Runners and joggers will want to stick to the asphalt road here, so what purpose does this sidewalk serve?

What a waste.

XTERRA Running Trail Series - "A Blast!"

If you are still fretting over the concrete vs asphalt controversy, consider hitting the trails. I raced today in the Bonneville 12 k Basher in Ogden, Utah, sponsored by XTERRA, an organization traditionally known for off-road running and triathlon races. XTERRA has organized a number of trail races in communities across the country, and my guess is the popularity of this sport is going to mirror that of marathoning in the U.S. Check the XTERRA website for a race in your area! I can't wait for the XTERRA Mountain Championships in Ogden Aug 18!

I found out one thing- I am OK on the flats like this but really need work on my uphill running! Stay tuned for future workouts designed to improve my uphill running strength.

Concrete vs Asphalt: Where do you run?

The scientific literature cannot confirm that running on concrete results in a higher rate of injury, however I did find this report on Environment Canada

"The differences in hardness between asphalt pavements and concrete pavements have been assessed on sections of intercity highway in steady highway speed conditions.[30] In most temperature conditions, there were only small differences between the two pavement types. However, in warm weather, reductions of up to 8% in fuel consumption were measured for concrete versus asphalt surfaces. The effect of the pavement difference at the lower speeds typical of urban driving has not been measured but is probably more pronounced, as urban asphalt pavement has more time to deform."

[30] National Research Council of Canada, Effect of Pavement Surface on Heavy Truck Fuel Consumption, undertaken for the Cement Association of Canada, Ottawa, 1999

Others are less kind when describing concrete-

"Concrete is a much harder surface than asphalt or macadam. It's the worst commonly encountered surface that you can run on and should be avoided like the plague. To compare the "hardness" of concrete and asphalt, hit each surface with a hammer and see how it feels to your hand and arm. You will find quite a difference. You will leave a dent in the asphalt, but not in the concrete." -JIm Fortner