Run Free

Day 1-The first two miles

Today was the first day of putting my body to the test, I can’t even remember the last time I went for a run. I’ve been reading a lot of on-line training articles to find a benchmark to start at. I settled at a steady  Two Mile Run indoors on the treadmill that took me twenty-three minutes to complete. I wanted to begin today indoors to build up my stamina. As I progress I plan to do the majority of my training outdoors and I’ll map some routes out for you. Here are some post-run photos of the shoes I used. These are a discount pair of outdated Adidas-Allegra’s from Athlete’s world that I purchased four years ago. They are a base model neutral-cushioning shoe, with very little cushioning left in them. Just to prove to you that after putting a shoe through tons of usage. It takes more than just purchasing the shoe that the salesperson told you, you had to have. All it takes is a little motivation to get you on your way. By next week I will be investing in a new pair and I’ll begin reporting feedback on the performance.

Get your kick’s in shape!

Here’s an interesting article to cover the basics on buying running shoes from friends at www.itendswith.us.
 
The heats’ coming in quick, and the time has come to shed the clothes. Here’s a running shoe’s buyer guide for you lazy hipsters because we’re all tired of you taking off your shirts at the beach.Starting to run’s not exactly the most fun thing to do; in fact it’s downright awful. Trying to get yourself out of your door is almost a good enough reason to just open up the fridge and crack another cold one. Especially when its summer and it seems like every temptation is inviting you onto the next patio bar. Whether you’re a pack a day smoker looking to cough up some phlegm, a heavy drinker who needs to sweat out the toxins, or just someone looking to replace your ripped sneakers. Here’s some tips, so you can toss on your fresh kicks, crank up the tunes and head out into that sunshine.

There are three types of Shoes we’re going to cover:
1.     Neutral
2.     Stability
3.     Barefoot

It all comes down to the type of foot you have. If you have the wrong shoe, every step you make is going to put pressure on different joints and muscles because your body is not aligned properly in its gait cycle. To test which type of foot you have, take a look at your arch.

Types of arches:
1.     High
2.     Normal
3.     Flat/Collapsed
A simple test is to stand on one leg, holding both arms out at shoulder height and try to do a squat.  If you find that you roll inwards and your foot collapses in than you “Pronate.” If you find that you roll outwards, and put pressure on the outside of your foot you “Supinate.”

1.     Neutral Shoes
A neutral shoe is ideal for someone who has either a high or normal arch and/or supinates. They range from a heavy cushioning shoe, to something more flexible. A better-cushioned shoe will help with long distance runs, as well as getting familiar with your body as you run. The benefit of flexibility in the shoe is that it hits core muscles in your feet you wouldn’t traditionally hit with a more structured shoe. They also help to transition into something more minimalistic down the road.

2.     Stability Shoes
A stability shoe is ideal for someone who has more of a flat foot, and/or pronates. It is also ideal for someone doing a long distance run. The added support can help to push you an extra couple of kilometers when running longer distances. They range in levels of support and cushioning.

3.     Barefoot Shoes
A barefoot shoe is something with minimalistic structure and cushioning and can be used to strengthen the feet. It is designed to encourage a more natural movement of the body. Typically with a bare foot shoe you land mid-foot on your stride, avoiding putting pressure on your heel. If you do not take the right steps and transition into a barefoot shoe, you risk the possibility of injury.

Top Running Shoes Categorized:

Neutral Cushioning
Asics Pulse/Cumulus/Nimbus
Saucony Excusion/Ride
Nike Dual Fusion/Pegasus/Vomero
Mizuno Rider/Enigma
Adidas Glide/Response Cushion

Neutral Flexibility
Nike Free Run’s
Adidas Fresh Ride
Reebok Optimal
Under Armour Charge RC
New Balance 730/1080

Stability
Asics 1170/2170/Kayano
Saucony Guide/Hurricane
Nike Lunarfly/Lunarglide/ Lunar Eclipse
New Balance 990

Barefoot
New Balance Minimus
Merrell Pace Glove
Vibram Toe Shoes

The truth is as you work your way up in price. There is more cushioning distributed throughout the shoe, smoother transitions, lighter rubbers, and more comfortable performance fits.
To all you Monday-Sunday PBR drinkers, pack a day smokers, beer guts and fat butts. Get up and sweat you’re shit out, you’ll thank yourself later.

The First Class

I’m about to embark on a long trip, that is something I thought I’d never commit to…..I’m going to start running. I know what you’re thinking, here comes another health nut. Although I do want to completely jump on board the health train, I’m twenty-three and I enjoy the pleasures of everyday life too much to go diving into the deep end right away. I am constantly surrounded by healthy individuals, it’s time to partake and find a happy balance in life.

In the past I’ve always used the usual excuses “I can’t run until I get a new pair of running shoes.” On a cool day “the weathers just not right,” or the laziest excuse of all “I’m just too tired, I  don’t have the energy to.” The ironic part is that I work at a sporting goods store, selling athletic footwear and apparel and I hate to say it, but the running “cult”-ure is starting to consume me.

It’s time that I make the life change and try to understand the reason’s why million’s of people strap on a pair of shoes and force themselves to run until they can barely breathe. I want to the know the reason’s why successful people swear by their regimen. This blog is going to be used as a guiding point along the way to track my progress, goals, and provide any tips and advice that I come across. I intend to try out as many products with the benefit of my job’s discount. Providing you with consumer feedback and helping you make your buying decisions easier.

We have the accessibility to endless knowledge, so why not use it and make choices that we’ll be happier with. Look at this site, as a community to help connect like minded individuals with advice, asking questions and sharing tips. This will cover a wide range of facts on:

• Diet
• Running mechanics
• Motivational Articles
• Ways of Life
• Product Knowledge
• Consumer Feedback

I am excited to start this journey and I hope that it will encourage and inspire others along the way.