As I write my next book on running and weight loss, I’ve been thinking a lot about the effects running and not running have on our lives. As large of a positive effect that running has on our health, not running has equally as large of a negative effect. A sedentary lifestyle affects your […]
We all like to eat a lot during the holidays. I like to eat a lot all the time. Want to prevent unwanted pounds from too many holiday desserts? Don’t fret! You don’t have to do a lot of work to get fit and stay in shape through the holidays. You just have to […]
I did a hill workout today. If you want a humbling workout, whether you’re a runner or any other kind of fitness buff, there’s nothing like running hills to humble you. For runners, hills are a big part of training and racing. The feel of your heart pounding in your chest and your shortness of […]
I ran Race for the Cure this morning in Balboa Park in San Diego, thinking about my mom. I have been running Race for the Cure for a number of years, in many different places, including on the campus of the educational testing center in Princeton, New Jersey. Few people have heard of Princeton’s educational […]
On my 5-mile run around Lake Miramar in San Diego today, I thought about economy. People use different amounts of oxygen when running at the same submaximal speeds, and this difference explains why runners with the same VO2max do not cross the finish line together in races. This difference in oxygen use is called running […]
Many new runners complain that they can’t breathe even on short runs. Indeed, getting in enough air is foremost on their minds. It’s a marvel of physiology that enough air gets into our bodies, with our nostrils being no larger than the size of a pea. Even the space between semi-pursed lips is small considering […]
Just got back from an hour run on the other side of the International Date Line. September starts with a trip to southeast Asia—Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. First stop: Jakarta, Indonesia to speak at the Indonesia Fitness and Health Expo. Looks like someone is sleeping on the job. Airport security is not like it is […]
I’ll tell you a little secret. I often get complimented on my butt. Yes, it’s true. I’ve been running 6 days a week since 6th grade, plenty of time to sculpt the perfect butt. Have you ever wanted to run outside in shorts or wear tight jeans at a nightclub but didn’t feel you […]
Whether you want to run around the block or qualify for the Boston Marathon, how you train can have a dramatic effect on your performance. While running just to run will certainly make you fitter, understanding all of the training components and putting them together in a systematic training plan gives you the blueprint for […]
Years ago, I applied to be a personal trainer in a gym. Taking one look at my runner’s body, the owner said to me, “Go work out for a couple of months and come back to reapply.” Happy as I was with my runner’s body, I never went back. But it occurred to me that […]