Schools Open-Run Carefully!

Autumn's in full swing and that means Halloween, Yankee post season baseball, and shorter days and longer nights. For runners, it also means RISK! The roads we usually run on are now more heavily traveled, as summer vacations are over, schools in session, and cars have reclaimed the roads. Daylight is becoming rarer as well, and in a few short weeks, daylight saving time will end. All this adds up to the fact that when we run, we have to take more precautions than ever to be safe. There's a few things we can do. Always run against (facing) traffic, if you listen to music, turn down the volume, and wear bright colored and reflective technical apparel. The "Nightlife" series of apparel by Brooks is specially designed for runner safety. It provides outstanding reflectivity, and it's bright colors literally light up the night when headlamps hit them. They also provide excellent visibility in daylight on cloudy/foggy/misty days that are all too common this time of year. This is a super season for running but we MUST take precautions to keep safety at the top of our list!

Success is Spelled R-E-S-T!

As I've said in previous blogs, the fall races we've been training for are weeks or less away. At Fleet Feet, we are besieged with folks stopping in asking for advice on what to do to nurse the myriad of aches and pains that they are experiencing. Sadly, most of these folks are new to distance running and are looking forward to running their first marathon or half marathon. Most if not all their issues stem from over training. In an effort to put their best feet forward (pardon the pun) they run day after day, mile after mile, despite their aches and pains. The one factor they left out of their training, and the reason why their sore and tired, is that they neglected to REST! The symptoms of over training are many and range from muscle soreness to, in extreme cases, erectile dysfunction! YIKES! Rest comes in many forms. Try reading this article by our buddy Jeff Galloway for some great rest strategies. AND.....take a day OFF now and then!

Meal #1

Mom always told us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is especially true if you're running or training for a fall marathon of half marathon. Breakfast is key. Most of us, for a variety of reasons, have gotten into bad habits when it comes to breakfast or, worse yet,we skip it altogether. This article will give you some great tips to maximize your nutrition as well as your TIME when it comes to this most important meal!

Hit The Trails

This morning was a crisp fall day-PERFECT for running. With the shorter days, and cooler temps, it won't be long before the trees start to show off their plumage when the leaves turn color. This is the perfect time of the year for a trail run. I grew up in Tarrytown, NY which aside from being one of many small hamlets along the Hudson River, gave me easy access to Rockefeller State Park. It is in that park that I was introduced to trail running. Trail running provides many benefits aside from the scenery and diversion from the roads. In fact, autumn is the perfect time of the year to introduce yourself to trail running if you've never run trails before. Follow these simple tips and before long, you'll be a trail running aficionado!

Blisters

It's autumn and as far as running is concerned, we're in the dog days! High school and college cross country meets are being held, and many of us are nearing fall marathons and half marathons. Our training is and has been intense and for some that can mean a blister now and then. Good fitting shoes, and non cotton socks are a runners most critical pieces of equipment in avoiding blisters. When they do pop up, follow these instructions here so that you'll heal quickly and effectively.

Knees (and other joints) & Running

We often hear at Fleet Feet, when fitting a customer, that they can't run "as much" because of their knees. Other's still worry about the negative effects running WILL place on their knees. Well, as a 3 time knee surgery patient, I can vouch for the current research that points out that not only does running NOT negatively impact your knees but, it actually can HELP them! I know myself that when I have to stop running for a few days, for one reason or another, my knees begin to ache a bit. Once I start running again, the pain begins to fade. Check out this article for more info and see for yourself how running won't hurt your joints!

National Run at Work Day

Tomorrow, September 18, is "National Run at Work Day." Naturally, as runner's we're going to run whether it's a "holiday" or not. But being that running is being recognized with "a day" it's a great opportunity to share our running passion with others. Tomorrow's a great day to take a co-worker for a run, and introduce them to a lifestyle we enjoy! To celebrate, why not treat yourselves to something fun after your run. Could be an ice cream cone, or some other treat. Hopefully, other's will hop on board and come to love the feeling of health and well being that runner's know too well!

Make Your Raceday a Success!

We're in prime racing season. All the training, discipline and hard work you've endured this summer is ready to be put to the test. It doesn't matter if you're running a marathon, half marathon 5K or 10K, we ALL want to do our best on race day. After all, the humidity this summer's been as oppressive as it has been in years! We want to see great results from all those training miles and sweat!

I asked my brother once, before I ran my first marathon, what I could do in the last days leading up to my race. His response was blunt, but overflowing with wisdom! It was "don't do anything dumb!"

Those of us who are older will remember Jim Mc Kay's intro before ABC's Wide World of Sports. In it he described that we'd experience "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" as we watched his show. Well, despite all our training, sometimes we are our own worst enemy and "snatch defeat from the jaws of victory" by "doing something dumb!'

Check out the article by following this link. It'll show you the simple things to AVOID in order to make YOUR race day a memorable one!

Welcome To Fleet Feet Mahwah's Running Blog

Hello all runners, I'd like to share with you my new and exciting blog that will highlight all things running, brought to you by the folks of Fleet Feet Mahwah http://www.fleetfeetmahwah.com/ From running tips, to running shoes, to marathon training, fleetfeetmahwah.blogspot.com will be the place for you to find out about the newest and coolest things in running. I look forward to sharing stories with you as well as your comments and feedback. Our intention is to build our running community with like-minded individuals all striving for running success!It's super easy to become a member of our site. Click the "Follow" icon and in 30 seconds you'll be ready to post your feedback! If you have any questions or suggestions, send us an email to ffstaff@fleetfeetmahwah.com