Hurdles

                Some events in track are much different than other normal running events or even cross country because you not only have to run but you have to jump over a hurdle. Running hurdles in track can be very difficult especially if you aren’t very tall. I think the four hundred hurdles is the most difficult events in a track meet. Not only do you have to be coordinated enough to jump over the hurdles but you also have to run 400 meters which takes a lot of endurance and speed.

                I think hurdling is one of the more difficult parts of track because you not only have to be able to run really fast to be good at hurdles you also have to be coordinated and able to jump over the hurdles. I also think hurdling is difficult because it can be easy to accidently hit a hurdle or fall over a hurdle. Hitting a hurdle might not be a big deal except that it may freak you out and so you may end up hitting or falling over more hurdles which will slow you down. Falling down because you tripped on a hurdle is a bigger problem though because you will obviously have a slower time.

                If you practice hurdles a lot and are very good at running hurdles, you probably don’t have many issues making it over the hurdles and probably make it over the hurdles ninety percent of the time.  It’s the other ten percent of the time when you may accidently hit the hurdle or fall down that sucks especially if it is during a big race like the state qualifying or the state meet.

                Even though hurdling is difficult and may lead to you falling it can still be very fun and I enjoy running hurdles every once and a while. I practiced hurdles the other day with other hurdles on the track team after school and I am considering running hurdles during track season. If I can get the hang of jumping over hurdles, I think it would be very cool to run them during track meets.

                Running hurdles takes much more coordination then running other track events or cross country so it can be very difficult to do but I think if you pursue hurdles and can get the hang of running them it can be a very fun event to be involved in. 

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Strength

 It is very important to get in shape before a cross country, track or any sport season. To get in shape for track and cross country it is very important to run because that’s the only thing you really do in those sports. If you don’t run before the start of a season chances are you will be behind all of the other athletes and you will probably have a better season overall if you run before your season starts.

Running is very important for getting in shape for your season but there are other things you can do that will also help you get in shape and prepared for the season. One thing that you can do to get in shape is to incorporate weights into your training. If you are a runner I think it is a good idea to have strong arms and legs because your arms and legs are obviously an important part of running. Using weights, if you use them right, they should help strengthen your arms and legs. I think it is also important to make sure you don’t become too muscular because muscle can also weigh a lot and slow you down when you are running.

I think it is also important to have a strong core. In track last year we did planks a lot before we ran so we could work on strengthening our core. During the winter, to prepare for my track season I have been doing a lot of workout videos before or after I run because I’m not always sure on what to do to strengthen my arms, legs and core and so following along in exercise videos helps. I have a lot of different videos that I do to get stronger. Some of the workout videos I use are Kettleworxs, Julian, T-25 and Gilad. Some videos focus more on the core and others on cardio or strength so I normally alternate between a few of them so I can make sure I am working on my core and strengthening my arms and legs.

Running is very important to make sure you are getting in shape for your season and if you don’t run, the first week of practice will be really difficult and you may fall behind. Though running is very important for preparing for your season, it can also be important to make sure that you are also working on your strength because strength can also help you with your running.

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Track vs. Cross Country

One of the great things about track compared to cross country in my opinion is that in track there are different races you can run at each meet. A bad thing about track compared to cross country is that since there are different races that you can run in, in a track meet, you may have to run more than one event.

I enjoy getting to run different races in track. With track since there are many different events you don’t always have to run the same race or event every meet like you do in cross country. Instead you have the possibility to be running a different race at each meet.

Because there is so many different races, most people will run more than one race at each. The most races you can run at one track meet is four. For sprinters running four races isn’t too much, especially if they only run one hundreds or two hundreds and the races are spread out throughout the meets. When you are a distance runner, running four races is a lot and is very difficult. My sister runs distance in track so she normally only runs 2 races at a meet.  She normally runs the 3000 meter race at the beginning of the meet and then will normally run the 1500, a 400 or an 800 meter race later on in the meet.

I think it is easier to run multiple races when they are shorter and are more spread out. I run mainly middle distance races so I run a lot of 400s and 800s and I probably run about three races a meet. Running three races during a meet is normally not too bad when they are spread out and the meet is a longer meet. One time I ran at a junior varsity meet and the meet lasted half the time it normally does so I was running races that weren’t spread out very much. It was horrible because by the time I went to run my second race I was still really tired and ran fifteen seconds slower than I normally do.

I like track better than I like cross country, in part because I like to be able to run different things at each meet and if my events are spread out evenly it’s not too hard to run multiple events at one meet. One thing I do like better about cross country is that each course you run at is different and in track you are always just running laps around a track.

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Running Tights vs. Sweats

It’s winter so for some runners that means running outside in the cold. When you run outside in the cold you obviously need to run the correct running clothes in order to stay warm. I prefer to run with running tights when I run outside and it is cold. I think running in running tights is better than running in sweats.

I think running in righting tights is better than running in sweats because when you run in sweats. I think that sweats are always falling down and you are constantly trying to pull them up when you run. If you can find running tights that fit well they won’t fall down as much as sweats would and it is annoying to have to deal with your pants falling down when you’re running.

It’s important to find well-fitting running tights or it can be quite annoying. If your running tights aren’t long enough then your ankles will be showing and then they will be cold so you want to make sure your running tights are long enough. It’s also important to make sure they aren’t too big or too small. If your running tights are to big then they may also fall down or the crotch of the running tights may be hanging down which can also be annoying. You don’t want to small of running tights because then they will be really tight and may cut of some of your circulation or make it harder to move your legs. I don’t think having smaller tights is as big as a problem as having too big of tights because if you start running with small tights they may stretch out a little bit.

There are also many different types of brands of running tights you can wear and different brands may work better for you than others. I think it is better to run with running tights then sweats in the winter because running tights are more fitted and will also keep you warm.

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Runnnig and Eating

A great part of being a runner is that you burn a lot of calories when you run. When I burn a lot of calories during a day it makes me think that I can eat more food. I love food and running and burning calories is an excuse for me to eat lots of food.

            Running not only gives me an excuse to eat a lot of food but also gives me an excuse to eat a lot of unhealthy food. After I just worked out by running five to eight miles I want to eat lots of food. I actually want to eat lots of food all the time even when I don’t run but I feel better about myself when I eat tons of food after I have already ran for that day or plan to run later. When I see cookies or cupcakes sitting on my kitchen counter I always think to myself why not eat it because it taste amazing and I ran today so I shouldn’t get fat or anything.

            I think running also makes you hungrier and allows you to eat more food than if you didn’t run. When I take a week off from running after my season I never seem to be as hungry or able to eat as much food as I can during my cross country season. I like to eat food because it taste good so I like to run if it allows me to eat more food without getting to full. All of my friends who are runners also seem to eat more than most people do so I think running or working out lets you eat more or makes you hungrier because of the calories you lose form running.

            The one downside to wanting to eat more food is that at school with the new provisions of Michelle Obama’s lunch program you get less food for lunch so I am always hungry during the day and during cross country practice so I decided to bring my own snacks and food each day to school so my stomach isn’t growling while the teacher is trying to teach. Michelle Obama’s plan, I think also just makes me eat more unhealthy at home than I did before because now I crave all of the really unhealthy food and am never full after lunch so when I get home from school I like to eat ice cream, some cookies and cupcakes.

            One of the main reasons that I enjoy running is that I feel like I have an excuse to eat more food or to eat unhealthy food. It’s not a really good excuse but I still use it as an excuse. I think that because running bums calories runners tend to eat more than those who don’t work out.

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Appearance

            Runners don’t care about what they look like when they run or after they just finished running. It’s a great thing to not care what you look like when you run. Most people are normally concerned about their appearance and I think most people who enjoy running don’t care about their appearance when they run because your appearance just helps show how hard you have been working and running.

            Running is really hard and so when you have completed a run for the day you are not necessarily going to look your best. You especially are not going to look your best when it’s a hundred degrees out and you just ran ten miles. If you run on a consistent basis I think it is impossible to run really any length without sweating. So of course you are not going to look good with sweat dripping down your face during and after a run. Because avoiding sweating is pretty much impossible when you are a runner, I think most runners aren’t concerned about their appearance as much as they normally would be. If it’s really hot outside sometimes your clothes can even get so drenched in your sweat that your clothes change to a different shade.

            I think runners also don’t care about their appearance as much as they normally would after they just ran because being sweaty and looking disgusting is something you would expect of a runner so when you see a runner looking disgusting you know they just finished running. Being sweaty seems to tell everyone that you just worked out or just ran ten miles which many people are unable to do. So I think some runners don’t care if other people see them right after a run because running is really hard and it’s awesome if you are able to run for exercise or to run for fun. Though I think runners may not really care about their appearance right after a run I hope that they still care about their appearance for the rest of the day and don’t go out in public right after a run without showering.

            I think running gives me an excuse to not care about my appearance even if it is only for a short time. After my cross country race no one there really cares that you are all sweaty because it is kind of expected and if you weren’t looking like a complete disaster after running a hard cross country race it would just be weird.

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Winter Running

Running in the winter can be very difficult if you live somewhere where it gets really cold and snows like I do. I need to run in the winter so I can get in shape and get prepared for the track season in the spring but as the winter progresses it gets harder to run outside.

When there is snow on the ground and the temperature is below zero it is probably not a good idea to run outside but until we reach the point of snow or super cold temperatures, I try to run outside as long as I can while the weather permits.

I think running outside is better than running inside so I try to stay outside and run for as long as I can.  I think running outside is better for thing because it is less boring. If you run inside on a treadmill you stay in one place and I get bored very easily that I always want to stop running right away so running inside normally cuts my runs short.

I also think that while running on treadmills can still help you stay in shape you don’t get as much of a workout as when you run outside. When you run on treadmills some of the muscles that you use when run outside or on a track aren’t used. Because not all your muscles are used on a treadmill I try to go to the gym for some of my runs during the winter.

I am glad that I can go to the gym during the winter to run. The gym I go to has a track that I can run on so I can get ready for my track season. The only problem with the gym is that to run a mile in the gym you have to run ten laps so that can also get very boring. Another problem of running in at the gym it can get really busy and is kind of far away. I think running outside as long as the weather permits is a good idea because it can be boring to run inside and you may not get the same workout you would get as when you run outside.

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Running Form

Having a good running form is a very important part of running. By having a good running form it can help you to run faster but it can also be very difficult to develop a good running form. To have a good running form you want to make sure you bring your knees up high enough and aren’t dragging your feet. You also want to have good arms. Your arms shouldn’t be too high or too low. You also want to make sure you aren’t moving or swinging your shoulders to much when you move your arms. It is also good to keep your head up and to not be starting down at the ground. With so many things to think about to have a good running form it can be very difficult to have one but it is very useful if you can perfect your running form.

I think it is very hard to have a good running form unless it comes naturally to you. If you start out running with a bad running form, I think it is very hard to change your style because you are so use to the way you have always been running. I have always had bad running form and my parents and coach always point out what I need to work on to improve my running form but it’s a very slow process and I have yet to have perfected my form.

I first worked on bringing up my knees more and lengthening my stride. While I have improved on bringing up my knees I think I still need improvement. Now I am working on improving my arms. Apparently I swing my shoulders when I run and it slows me down when I am running so I am trying not to swing my shoulders but it’s really hard to improve on because I can’t even tell that I swing my shoulders. I have been working on improving my arms by not swinging my shoulders for about a year and I don’t think I have made much improvement but hopefully if I keep working on it and concentrating on fixing my shoulders I will slowly improve.

If you can pinpoint some bad parts of your running, I think it is important to try to improve your form. It is a good idea to try to work on your running form when you are doing a long or an easier run so you can concentrate on your form and not completely on the run. Having a bad form can slow you down so it’s important to try to have a good running form. Having a bad running form can also cause some injuries and having a better running form could help prevent possible injuries so it’s a good idea to try to improve your running form if you need to.

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Motivation

           It can be very hard to find motivation to run in your off season. It would be so much easier to stay inside your house and eat food instead of running but it is very important to get outside and run so you can get in shape for your next season. It’s important to make sure you are in shape for your season so you can have an excellent running season.

            When it’s cold out and I’m not in a sport it is hard for me to find any motivation to run. One way I find some motivation to run in the winter is by setting goals for my season. I set certain time goals that I want to meet in the track season that seem very impossible and goals that I know I can’t reach if I don’t run in the off season. For example I set a goal this year of running about three or four seconds faster on my 400 meter race in track then I ran last year and I know it will be a very hard goal to reach especially if I take the whole winter off of running. By setting hard goals for me to reach it encourages me to work extra hard in the winter so I can try and reach them.

            Another way I get motivation to run in the winter is by running with other people. Running with other people during the winter motivates me because I don’t like running by myself. It seems easier to run with other people then running by myself because running with others is more entertaining. Running with other people also helps to push me to work harder. When I run by myself I normally only want to run a few miles but when I am running with other people I find it easier to run more miles and push myself. I also tend to run at a faster pace when I run with others because it can be hard to keep up a faster pace by yourself and when you are running with others you can push each other’s running paces.

            I think it is very important to run during the winter to prepare for track but it can be very difficult to find the motivation to run. If you can find motivation to run it can help you improve your times during your season. I think running with others and setting goals for your track season are good ways to motivate yourself during the winter months.

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