Winter and Track

Track season starts in the middle of February so the weather is normally still cold and there is sometimes still snow on the ground. Having cold and snowy weather can ruin the start of your track season. This year we have had a really cold winter and so we will probably have a very slow start to track season because track starts on February 17^th which is less than three weeks away so I don’t think the cold, snowy weather will be clearing up any time soon.

When the weather is cold and snowy at the beginning of the season it doesn’t affect the teams who can practice on indoor tracks but for the teams who don’t have that opportunity it can make running very difficult. My track team does not have the opportunity to run on an indoor track so when there is snow on the ground we normally run in the schools parking lot because the snow is normally shoveled in the parking lot and it isn’t shoveled on our track and when it is too cold to go outside my team is forced to have track practice inside.

There are not very many places to run inside a school except for the gym. My school has two gyms one of the gyms is much smaller than the other. Because we are the girls track team and normally have less team members than the boys track team, the girls track team is normally forced to squeeze into the small gym while the boys get to use the big gym. The small space in the gym makes it very difficult to accomplish any quality running.

Winter weather at the beginning of the season makes practice very difficult, especially for the long distance runners because we are forced to run in the small gym or in the parking lot and it is harder to accomplish more things at practice if you don’t have the appropriate places to run. Because it is more difficult to practice for track in the winter it makes for a slow start to the season and it takes longer for the track athletes to get in shape.

The winter weather doesn’t only affect track practices, it also affects track meets. When it is snowing and cold, a lot of track meets will be cancelled because they are outdoors and it is hard to make up the track meets because once it is warm you already have a lot of track meets in your schedule. When a lot of your meets are cancelled early in the season it is also harder to qualify for drake relays because there aren’t many meets that you can participate in to try to run a good time and if you do have an opportunity to qualify for drake it will be harder to qualify because you aren’t in shape form the slow start to your season from practicing indoors while the teams that have had the opportunity to run on an indoor track are in better shape than those who don’t have that opportunity like my track team. I hope that the weather warms up soon so we don’t have to have a slow start to our track season and get to run all of our meets.

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What Shoes to Wear

If you don’t have the proper running shoe it will affect your ability to run. It is important to make sure the shoes you are running in are meant for running. If you use shoes not meant for running it could hurt your feet and cause other various problems.  Having shoes that aren’t meant for running could also cause you to run slower because they may be uncomfortable to run in and they may weigh more than your average running shoe.

When you are running you shouldn’t use shoes that are meant for different sports like basketball or shoes that are just meant for everyday use, you need to make sure that you have running shoes. Most stores have running shoes and they aren’t hard to find. Running with shoes that aren’t meant for running can cause injuries or blisters and just make it really uncomfortable to run, especially if you are running really far distances. You may be able to last a mile in shoes that aren’t built for running but it would be very difficult to try to last eight miles and very unenjoyable.

There are many different brands of running shoes that you can purchase that should work for your running style and fit well so it will be really unnecessary to wear different types of shoes for running then wearing running shoes. There are different stores that specialize in selling running shoes and that can help you find the perfect shoes for running. If you are unsure what shoes you should buy for running I would suggest that you go to one of the stores that specialize in selling running shoes and they should be able to help you find the perfect match that will work best for your running style and that will fit best on your feet.  

Having the perfect running shoes that will work best for your style and feet is the best way to make sure you are enjoying your run. If you run with shoes that aren’t built for running it can hurt your feet, give you blisters and just make your overall running experience unenjoyable. (355)

Form

            If you want to be able to run your best times in cross country or track it is important to try to perfect your running form. If you have a really bad running form it could really affect your times and could even affect your health by possibly causing injuries. Having bad running form will slow down your times because it can take more energy and is less efficent.

            In order to perfect your running form it is imporatnt to know what qualifys as a good running form.  A good runnign form normally includes having storng arms where your elbows go back and forth and your hand goes about to your waist when you swing your arm back. You also want to make sure you are bringing your knees up high enough but not to high and you don’t want to point your toes in or out when you are moving your feet.

            If you have your toes pointed in or out when you are running, it could lead to injury. Running with your toes pointed in or out would probably affetct your shins the most and may cause shin splits, injuries or other problems with your tendons. Having different types of shoes could also help with how you move your feet when your running and help you aviod injury.

            While some bad running form may lead to injuries not all of bad running form does, especially when you have bad arms but having bad running form could slow you down when you are running. If you swing your arms a lot or move your shoulders while you are pumping your arms it will take up more energy. With less energy it will affect the end of your races especially if they are longer races. Moving your shoulders while you are moving your arms is also less efficient then if you actually have good arms when you are running so having bad arms will also slow you down and make you run worse times then you could be running.

            It is important to have good running form if you want to run the best times possible for you in cross country or track. Your cross country or track coach can help you with your form and give you pointers on what you need to improve on. Some people have always had good running form but for others it takes a lot of time and effort to try to improve your running form. But if you are able to perfect you running form it can help you to run better times.

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Team

           Running as part of a team in either cross country or track is a good way to meet new people who have some of the same interests as you. The same interest being that they are crazy and enjoy running long distances like you do.


            Most of your teammates on your cross country team or track team enjoy running because they are out for that sport but there may be lots of other similarities between the activities that your teammates also enjoy. For example a lot of the runners on my cross country team enjoy knitting. I also enjoy knitting and some of my teammates have started a knitting club. The knitting club is open to anyone at school but the majority of the people who participate in knitting club are also on the cross country team. Your teammates will also understand the problems that runners face like always wanting to eat a lot. There are still some differences between what the different cross country runners enjoy but you will find differences between you and any of the friends you have.


            All the great people on my cross country and track team are one of the main reasons that I continue to do the sport and one of the reasons I show up to practice every day.  Cross country and track practice can be very hard and difficult and having great people on your team that you enjoy spending time with helps to make the experience so much better.


            Having other people on your team who join you with some of the things you enjoy doing also helps to motivate you. If I wasn’t in cross country or track I probably wouldn’t run every day like I do when I am in the sports.  Because you are part of a team you don’t want to let your teammates down so that motivates you to work hard so you don’t let down your team.


         So basically joining an athletic team is not only a great and amazing way to do something you enjoy with other people who also enjoy it but is also a great for meeting new people that share some of the same interests as you do. If you get the chance or have the time, I suggest you join a sports team or club that interests you because it presents you with an opportunity to not only get to do something you enjoy but also a chance to meet new people who could end up being your best friend.
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Running Music

                I really enjoy listening to music. In fact I am listening to music right now as I am writing this post for my blog. I also really enjoy running, obviously because that is the topic of my blog. It is great to be able to combine two of the things that I really enjoy, running and listening to music. Running can be boring and so listening to music while I run makes it more exciting.

                Running and listening to music can also motivate you while you are running. Since running can be boring especially if you are running long distances or running on a treadmill, listening to music can help motivate you to run longer because it gives you something else to do when you are running.

                The music that helps to motivate me when I am running and that helps make my runs more exciting is faster, upbeat, happy music. If I listen to slower music it sometimes makes me runner slower because I will start to run the pace of the music. Listening to slower music can also be depressing.  I also like to listen to music that has the word running or run somewhere in the song. I like to listen to I Just Wanna Run by the Downtown Fiction, Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars or Run This Town by Jay Z.  

                Because it is winter I have been forced to run inside more because it is so cold outside. Running inside means that I have to run on a treadmill which is extremely boring so I always blast the music when I run on my treadmill. Without listening to music when I run on the treadmill I probably wouldn’t last ten minutes because I get so bored but because I listen to music I am able to runner for a longer period of time. My sister also likes to listen to music when she was runs on a treadmill. She will even sing along to the songs when she runs.

                Running and listening to music helps to inspire and motivate me to run longer and further. Without listening to music on some of my runs, I would be really bored and wouldn’t run as far as I would if I was listening to music. I really enjoy listening to music and running so I’m glad that I can do both at the same time.

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Running in College

            Now that I am a junior in high school it is important for me to start thinking about college because it will be here sooner than I think. While I normally tend to enjoy running track and cross country I’m not sure if I want to run cross country or track in college.

            Deciding to run in college or not probably won’t affect my decision of where I want to go to college that much because I’m not a very talented runner I’m more of just an average runner so I won’t get any scholarships to any schools to run for a college. I can still run in college though if I run in a club or something. Some of the old cross country runners that were on my team and are now in college run in clubs for their college and they seem to enjoy running in the clubs and it’s a good chance to meet new people so I may decide to run on a club.

            For those people who actually want to run for a college and are good enough to run for a college it can be a much more difficult decision to make. If I was a talented enough runner I would have probably wanted to run for a college. My sister is a really good runner and she has always wanted to run on a team in college. My sister was a senior this year and she was considering two different schools to go to and their running programs really factored into her decision. My sister was considering going to either University of Northern Iowa or Nebraska Omaha. She finally made her decision about a week ago to go to Nebraska Omaha because while both schools would have probably had about the same education she thought that Omaha had a better running program that would challenge her more than Northern Iowa would.

            Making the decision on where to go to college is really difficult but I also have to decide if I want to continue to run in college. I think that even if I don’t run on the team or as part of a club I at least want to run on my own so I can stay healthy and in shape and also just because I really enjoy running.

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Track Season

            The beginning of track season is only three weeks away for my track team and so I need to really start picking up my running. Three weeks really isn’t that much  time to get ready and in the last two weeks I have only ran three times so I really need to start picking up my running if I want to be in shape for track season.

            If you take off running for the whole winter, you will be really out of shape when track season comes around and it can be very difficult to catch up to everyone else when they have been running in their off season and you haven’t been running. The first month or two of my off season I ran maybe every other day which is pretty decent considering the weather made it harder to find times to run but I still would have benefitted from running more. The last month the number of times I have ran has dropped a lot and so I really need to use these last three weeks to get in shape as best as I can so I don’t start out behind everyone.

            To get in shape in the remaining three weeks until track starts I really need to be running at least six times a week. I also should be including some other activities to my workout. I need to work on strengthening my core and abs and I can also work on strengthening my arms and legs.  To work on my strength I want to also incorporate workout videos or use weights at the gym to go along with my running maybe three or four times a week.

            Now that I have planned out what I want to do each week I have to actually run and workout which is the hardest part. I always find it hard to get motivation to run because there is always something else I would rather be doing. Ever since I got home from Florida I got out of the habit of running and working out every day after school and I really need to get back into that habit and if I am able to do that I may be able to get in shape by the beginning of track season.

            It is important to make sure you run or do some type of workout before the beginning of track season. You don’t want to start behind everyone else who actually used their off season to make sure they were in shape because it can be hard to get caught up.  
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Why I Enjoy Running

                I sometimes wonder why I run. Running can be really hard and challenging and sometimes I would much rather sleep in or stay inside and sit on the couch and watch television but yet I still try to run every day and challenge myself by working hard and running cross country and track.

                Cross Country and track are the hardest sports that I have participated in and many people also agree they are one of the most challenging and difficult sports in the school. When I tell my friends that I ran six miles the other day for fun they are impressed that I can run that far and are surprised that I would want to.  And I even tend to question why I would want to run that far too.

                Running is challenging and difficult but I normally enjoy it for the most part once I actually start running. For me the hardest part of running is finding the motivation to run. I never want to run on my own because there always seems to be something else I can be doing. But once I force myself to go on a run I actually enjoy running. Running can be relaxing when I am stressed because it helps me clear my head and it is great exercise so I always feel better about myself during and after I finish my run.

                Another reason that I enjoy running cross country and track is because of the great people that are a part of my team. A lot of my friends are cross country or track runners and I enjoy getting to spend time with them even if by spending time together that means running.  All the great people I get to run with on my team helps to create a great environment  that helps me to enjoy running cross country and track.

                Even though track and cross country are difficult and challenging sports I still find them to be enjoyable most of the time. It can be hard to find motivation to run, I am able to enjoy running because it relieves stress and is a good workout. I also get to run with the great people that are on my team.

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Running Shoes

            Having good running shoes is an important part of running. If you don’t have good running shoes it can lead to possible injuries and even just make your experiences with running unenjoyable. Different running shoes work best with different people depending on your style of running and your feet so it can be a good idea to try different shoes until you find the ones that you think work the best for you.


            I have tried a couple different brands and have settled on Mizuno’s wave riders. I find my shoes to be comfortable and they don’t give me any injuries or blisters. Good running shoes can help you improve your running so it is important to find shoes that work for you. It is also important to make sure you are replacing your running shoes regularly especially if you put a lot of miles on your shoes. Even really good running shoes ware out eventually. I probably replace my running shoes twice a year.


            If you are not sure what shoes are good running shoes or what types of shoes would work best for you can go to a store that specializes in selling running shoes. When I need to buy new running shoes I always go to the store, Running Wild. One of my old assistant coaches used to work there and I think it is a great place to get your new running shoes. The staff helps you find good running shoes for you by watching you walk to see what kind of shoe would work best for your style. Running Wild also lets you run outside on the sidewalk or on a treadmill to see if you think the shoes are comfortable for running in.                       


            Another important thing to remember when you are buying shoes is it doesn’t matter what color or design your shoes are it is more important if they are comfortable and work well for you. The color or design of your shoes may factor in to your decision a little bit but it shouldn’t be the major deciding factor because your feet don’t really care what color of shoes they are wearing after a long run.


            Having new shoes is important to performing your best when you are running. You need to make sure you replace your warn out shoes and try to find the best shoe that works for you so you can try to avoid possible injuries.
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Run!

            I think everyone who is able to run, should run. Running is very good way to stay healthy and is a good form of exercise to help you stay shape. Running is a good and easy way to burn calories and feel better about yourself.

            Running is an excellent form of exercise for many reasons. One of those reasons is that you don’t really need any equipment to run except for good running shoes. Running is also an activity that you can pretty much do anywhere as long as it’s not winter. If you are going on a run all you have to do is put on some shoes and go outside. While there may certain trails you can run on all you really need is your neighborhood or streets.

            Running is also good exercise because it works your arms and legs. Running also increases your heart rate. It doesn’t really matter what pace you are running at, you could be running slow or fast but you still are getting in a good workout and using your arms and legs. I also think running is a better exercise than walking. While walking may seem easier than running, walking doesn’t get your heart rate as high as running does or work your arms or legs as much because when you are running you tend to bring your legs and knees up higher than when you are walking. It also takes longer to walk a mile than it does to run a mile so you are getting more and better exercise in when you are running than when you are walking.

            They are also so many great places to run. While you really only need a street to run on, there are also many more possibilities of places where you can run. You can run on a track or a treadmill and some areas even have a bike or running trails that you can run on. Running on treadmills or on a track can help you keep track of how far you are running which is nice but you can also track how far you are running with computers or watches. There are now watches you can buy that tell you how far you have ran and you can always map quest a running path on the computer to see how far it is.

            If you are healthy and able I think you should trying running one day. You don’t need any extra equipment and it is an excellent way to get in shape and feel better about yourself while getting in a great workout. Once you try running you may never want to stop.

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