January 31st, 2012 | Posted by: Get in Gear | 0

Mizuno: Truth in Running

“Going for a run.” It sounds so simple, almost mechanical somehow. It’s as if going for a run were just the next thing happening and nothing more. But it is more. According to Mizuno, there is Truth in running—and that’s with a capital T.

If you are a runner of any regularity and/or distance, you have probably touched on the Truth at the core of the Mizuno philosophy. There is a transcendent moment that can only be truly understood in the first person. It’s the moment when the connection between runner and running surface becomes effortless, and the rhythms of heartbeat, breath and footfall all fall into perfect syncopation. It feels like it could go on forever; like it has been going on forever.
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November 14th, 2011 | Posted by: Newman Dalton | 0

Running Barefoot: The First Steps

Due in part to Christopher McDougal’s book “Born to Run”, there has been a small but growing revolution in the way we think about our feet. The human hand has always bathed in the spotlight and been universally praised as a miracle of pure functionality and beauty. Meanwhile, the lowly foot has all but been shunned, stuffed into ill-fitting shoes and dismissed as inferior. Sure, the hand may be longer, leaner and more elegant to look at and the foot, more… shall I say, utilitarian. But in terms of importance to the life and function of any human being, the foot is every bit as crucial and capable.

There are 26 bones in the human foot and a dazzling array of 33 joints, which are made up of over 100 tendons, ligaments and muscles (the hand has 27 bones and a similar make-up). So why would the universe stuff all of those crazy parts into something everyone either ignores or thinks doesn’t work too well? Let’s put this into perspective and remember that without the outstanding design of the foot, a lot of the beauty of human movement simply wouldn’t be possible. Activities such as ballet, figure skating, skateboarding and basketball would be pretty much impossible if we had hoofs, paws or talons.
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October 5th, 2011 | Posted by: Guest blogger Jess Allen | 0

The Hood to Coast Relay

The Hood to Coast Relay is a charity relay that starts at the Timberline Lodge near the top of Oregon’s highest peak, Mt. Hood, and winds its way 200 miles down to the sandy beaches of Seaside, Oregon. More than 1,000 teams, each with eight to 12 runners, compete for the best times across 36 legs. It’s a grueling, overnight event followed by the biggest beach party on the west coast. It’s an awesome experience, but before you go, you’ll want some help with the preparation.

So, just how does one begin to prepare for the Hood to Coast Relay? Efficient packing is the key, and a bit of resourcefulness along the way helps, too. Each relay team is allowed team vans and van space is a hugely prized commodity, so you cannot adopt the “kitchen sink philosophy” when packing or you may have some resentful teammates.
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September 23rd, 2011 | Posted by: Guest Blogger Jill Bruyere | 1

Running Injuries and Injury Prevention

Running is a sport of passion and obsession. Sometimes that obsession can lead to overtraining which, unfortunately, can lead to injury. Most common running injuries are due to overuse, overtraining, or a biomechanical flaw in body structure or motion. Fortunately, most common running injuries last only a few weeks. Most are preventable if you do all the right things to ensure your running health.

Here you will find a list of the most common running injuries, their symptoms and prevention/treatment strategies. The goal here is to help you understand a running injury and how to prevent it from occurring so that you can be back on the road faster and injury free.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is a long nerve that starts on each side of your lower back and runs down your buttock and the back of your leg to your foot. Sciatica is caused by a strain to the sciatic nerve. Symptoms may include dull aching in your lower back, buttock or the back of your thigh. It may settle for several hours but it returns with each run.

To help prevent sciatica, stretch your low back muscles as part of your daily routine. Also, strengthen the abdominal muscle because they support your back. If you feel you might be developing sciatica, stop running. If the pain persists more than a week, see a physical therapist.

September 21st, 2011 | Posted by: Newman Dalton | 0

Born to Run Barefoot, Part Two

The first thing I noticed about the New Balance Minimus MT20 was the design. It looked almost as if a sock had decided to dress up as a hiking boot for Halloween. I know that sounds a bit freakish, but I must say it came together quite well. Just looking at it, I got two distinct messages. First, it looked like it had enough flexibility and ground feedback to be a great minimal runner. Second, it would likely offer more foot protection than the old pair of aqua socks I was currently running in. Still, I had to wonder if they would run as good as they looked.

When I first tried on the New Balance Minimus, I had literally just gotten done with a little six mile run in my old worn down aqua socks, which were high on flexibility and short on protection. They required a lot in the way of runner concentration regarding footfall and foot placement. Come down on a rock larger than a pecan and send shockwaves of pain through your foot or strike with your heel and seriously jar your ankles, knees and lower back… a great teacher for proper barefoot running technique. But still, aqua socks.
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September 19th, 2011 | Posted by: Get in Gear | 0

Runners World Best Buy: ASICS Gel-Blur33

There are 33 joints in the human foot, all working together to ensure every step you take is smooth, natural and efficient. At ASICS®, that simple idea was so inspiring that they created a collection of lightweight footwear around it. The 33 by ASICS collection is designed to be flexible, lightweight and comfortable. One of the first styles from the collection to hit the running circuit is the ASICS GEL-Blur33—and it’s coming soon to OnlineShoes.com.

The GEL-Blur33 is super-lightweight. As a matter of fact; depending on your shoe size, a GEL-Blur33 running shoe weighs in at around 8 ounces—that’s about the same as a cup of water. But just because it’s lightweight doesn’t mean you should worry about cushion or support. The heel of the GEL-Blur33 features the GEL® cushioning system, and that rolls right into the Solyte® (“so light”, get it?) midsole so you get a smooth and cushioned stride.
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September 15th, 2011 | Posted by: Kendra Kainz | 1

In Training with Coach Kendra

I am your persistence story. I am your comeback success story, your ‘made mistakes and fallen a few times’ story. I have built new foundations where old ones had failed and risen stronger and more self-assured. I’m sure you know, have seen or maybe are someone just like me. My name is Kendra Kainz, and this is my story.

I understand how one’s life can get off track. There was a time when my life could be described as anything but joyous. I was divorced, overweight, didn’t feel well most of the time, had a generally negative outlook and was very inactive. My greatest achievement in those days was setting the new record for being a couch potato.
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September 6th, 2011 | Posted by: Get in Gear | 0

New Balance: Made in the USA

Made in America means something.
America was built on the idea that freedom inspires greatness and hard work is rewarded. Which is why New Balance is committed to supporting domestic manufacturing and proud to be the only major athletic shoe manufacturer still making shoes making shoes in great little towns like Norridgewock, ME and Lawrence, MA.

In all, New Balance has domestic manufacturing plants in five New England towns. They engineer and produce high-performance sneakers like the New Balance 993 and the New Balance 812, and then proudly sew on the “Made in the USA” patch.
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September 1st, 2011 | Posted by: Newman Dalton | 3

Born to Run Barefoot?

I’ve been running for a long time, for all different reasons and in tons of different kinds of footwear. There were football cleats and basketball shoes in high school, combat boots in the US Marines and then years of the most expensive running shoes I could find. Though it kept me in excellent shape, running had always been fairly painful for my feet, knees and back. It truly served as a means to an end. No pain no gain right?

After reading Christopher McDougall’s book “Born to Run”, though, I decided to chuck the shoes and head out for some barefoot running on my own. After my first run, my feet were exhausted! I felt as though my feet had gone, on their own, to a gym and done their own intense workout routine. After about a month or two of running on grass, sand and eventually smooth pavement my feet felt stronger. It was amazing to finally feel the fitness of my feet catch up to the fitness of the rest of my body. I also realized that the pain in my feet, knees and back had slowly started to dissipate.
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August 26th, 2011 | Posted by: Guest Blogger Shane Downey | 0

New Balance: Shoes for Every Runner

New Balance means performance. Not just for a select group of elite runners, but performance for everyone. The designers, engineers and craftsman at New Balance are dedicated to delivering an epic run to everyone, regardless of how they run or how long they’ve been doing it. New Balance has a comprehensive line of running and training shoes.

Let’s say you’re a moderate overpronator looking for a lot of stability. The New Balance 860 is a great choice for you. It’s got some clever outsole geometries and an upper designed to provide perfect and complete support, stride after stride. Plus, the 860 has great underfoot support and just the right amount of cushion—and they look good, too.
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