Running Tips: Workouts, Gear, and Training for Speed

The Best Gear and Accessories for Runners

One of the best things about running is that it doesn’t require any special equipment. It’s just you and the open road (or trail or track or treadmill). But even though we don’t have to have fun accessories or high-tech gear, it’s still fun to try it out. And runners are the kings (and queens) of experimenting when it comes to their running (as long as they’re not in the middle of training for a serious race). And who knows? You might improve your pace and endurance in the testing process. So whether you’re a minimalist or a technology junkie, you’ll want to check out all the new gear, clothing and accessories our staffers have put to the test.

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Could My Running Insoles Make My Calves Burn?

Experiencing burning in your calf muscles may be caused by a number of conditions. The calf muscle is situated on the back of the lower leg. The two muscles that make up the calf are the soleus and gastrocnemius. Injury, strain or burning can occur when your calf muscles are overused.

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Beginning Running Plan for Twice a Week

Running has many benefits -- improving your cardiovascular fitness, losing weight, reducing your risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke -- but it’s hard work. If you’re new to running, commit to two weekly training sessions and start slowly. Running is great for exercisers on a limited time budget.

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What Type of Cardio Can I Do When Runners Knee Is Flaring Up?

Runners knee, otherwise known as patellofemoral pain syndrome or PFPS, is a generic term used to describe knee pain that occurs when you are doing repetitive, high-impact activities. It applies to any type of movement that places tension on the patellofemoral (front aspect) of the knee joint.

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What Is the Average Time to Run a Marathon?

In 2012, 487,000 runners finished a U.S. marathon, according to Running USA's annual marathon report. Some runners completed the 26.2-mile race in a little over two hours. Others took more than seven hours.

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The Advantages of Jogging in the Evening

Jogging is the favored mode of exercise of millions the world over, largely owing to the fact that it requires no special equipment other than proper shoes and can be done virtually anywhere at any time.

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Is HIIT Training Better Than Jogging?

Go to any gym and you'll see the same scene: a roomful of people doing slow cardio on ellipticals, exercise bikes and treadmills. They plod away on the machine while looking at the display to make sure that their heart rates stay in the magical "fat burning zone." Not too high, not to low.

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Proper Warm-up for Sprinting

A proper warm-up is an important part of any type of exercise routine. Warming up loosens and warms your muscles, decreasing your risk of injury. The fast pace of sprinting calls for quick action from your muscles. The rapid race times can cause muscle and ligament strains if you are not properly warmed up.

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How to Not Look Fat in a Tank Top

The heat of the summer is a time to shed heavy winter sweaters and wear more skin-revealing clothing such as tank tops. However, if you are insecure about your weight or body shape, this can cause unnecessary anxiety.

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Running 101: A 10K Training Plan For Beginners

You know you can run a 5K. Maybe you’ve already finished one. But a 10K? It has a notch-up-from-novice feel that’s appealing, a true distance quality. But you are a new runner, so you wonder—should I?

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Running 101: A 5K Training Plan For Beginners

You’ve been running. It feels good, maybe a little hard, but it has prompted you to flirt with the idea of entering a 5K.

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How to Get a Runner's Body

If you're overweight, you can lose your excess fat and improve your appearance as long as you're willing to devote time and energy to your goal. Developing a runner's body requires adding exercise to a weight-loss program. A healthy dose of realism also helps keep you on track.

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Running 101: What To Eat Before A Race

As a sports dietician who has run 15 marathons, I get asked one question more than almost any other: What’s the right way to eat before a big run?

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The Relationship Between Flat Feet & Leg Pain

If you have flat feet, you have lots of company: around 25 percent of Americans have pes planus, the medical term for flat feet, according to Dr. Bruce Sangeorzan of the University of Washington. For most people, flat feet cause no symptoms other than wearing out their shoes faster on the inner side of the sole.

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How to Train for 5K If You Never Ran

When you've never been a runner, the thought of enduring a 5K race may seem scary or even impossible. Let's keep things in perspective, though. A 5K race is actually only 3.1 miles -- which is a distance you might already be doing when you take a 30- to 45-minute walk to the park or go shopping downtown.

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Changes in the Diet & Itchy Toes

While occasional itching for a few minutes is not serious, an itch that keeps coming back without apparent cause may require medical attention. Frequent itchy toes may not only frustrate and irritate you, but can also indicate serious underlying conditions including diabetes, allergies and gout.

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Sneezing, Running Nose & Light Sensitivity in a Child

If your child suffers symptoms that include sneezing, a runny nose and light sensitivity, she may have a common cold or flu. While these symptoms are likely the result of common childhood ailments, it is important to take your child to a doctor to rule out something more serious.

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Turning Techniques for Shuttle Runs

Shuttle runs test your agility and athleticism as you complete a series of short sprints with 180 degree turns between each sprint. A similar exercise, called a beep test, requires you to complete each sprint before a beep sounds.

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How to Thaw Potato Salad

Potato salad is a cold food that can be frozen to eat months later. Because potato salad contains perishable goods such as mayonnaise and eggs, special care must be taken when thawing it to reduce the risk of contracting bacterial infections.

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Sprinting Techniques for Short Legs

Traditionally, the awards in competitive sprinting have gone to runners with smaller frames. Tall sprinters have historically been considered to have a disadvantage, as Edward McClelland reports for "Slate," covering the unusual success of 6-foot-5 sprinter, Usain Bolt.

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