Over the last year, distance running has become increasingly linked to heart damage and early mortality risks. The day the headline made it into our local newspaper, the first phone call was from my mother. “You know, you’re probably killing yourself with all that running you do.” Of course, I took her comment with a huge grain of salt. This is the same woman who called me on my 50th more » Read more
5 Ways Running is RUINING YOUR LIFE!!!
Ahh, infotainment! I’ve always detested “human interest” pieces in the news; they’re so often transparent ploys to manipulate the audience into associating the news organization with emotional high ground, and they wind up blurring the lines between real, factual news and gelatinous informational flatulence. I hold infotainment responsible for convincing non-runners that we are ruining our lives by pursuing a hobby that keeps us happy and fit, a position that’s more » Read more
All The Small Things to Strengthen Your Runner Butt
Channel your inner Blink 182 and sing with me… All the small things Less injury, they bring Doing clam shells by the stairs And bridges lets you know I care Ok, so music isn’t my strength, but I do know a thing or two about the small things we can do to help us become more injury-resistant runners. According to experts like Jay Dicharry, author of Anatomy for Runners, and Jason Fitzgerald more » Read more
Annals of Self-Care Vol. 2: Self-Massage Basics
Most of us are familiar with this scenario: you’re running along and you feel a twinge somewhere. You think “hmmm…”, but you tell yourself it’s nothing until you get home and – ouch! – when the endorphins wear off you’re limping around your living room, heart sinking as you realize a few dreaded rest days are in your future. You feel helpless – darn this sport we love! – as more » Read more
Annals of Self-Care: My Favorite Self-Massage Tools
As an athlete approaching the age of 40, I frequently have to pull out all the stops to keep myself feeling limber and prepared for my training. It seems awareness of the importance of self-care is growing, as illustrated by the increasing number of articles I’m seeing in publications like Runner’s World, Running Times, and Competitor on the subject. The concept of “pre-hab” seems to be all the rage, and I hope to more » Read more
Unreal Food Revisited – Natural Fuel Options for Runners
One of the most popular posts I have ever written is “A Real Conversation About Unreal Food,” which I wrote in August of 2012. The post discusses a British Medical Journal article written by Timothy Noakes (of Waterlogged fame), and continues to bring traffic around to Salty Running, having received its latest comment just a couple days ago. The BMJ article is heavily critical of certain sport science institutions that more » Read more
Can You Keep Running While Pregnant? The Quick and Dirty Answer
Running and pregnancy. There is so much confusing information out there. Is it ok for you to keep running when you have a bun in the oven? Let’s consult the experts. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, in their 2002 report on exercise during and after pregnancy (which was reaffirmed in 2009), states that most women with uncomplicated pregnancies can adopt ASCM recommendation of 30 minutes of moderate exercise more » Read more
How To Blow Your Nose While Running
File this one under, “stuff I always thought was weird and gross and kind of embarrassing until I found out that everyone I know does it.” It’s Snot a problem. It’s Snot unladylike. It’s Snot something to hide. It’s just a normal, natural part of running in the winter! If, like me, you’re an outdoor runner year-round, you know that running in cold weather can present some perplexing new problems, more » Read more
The Problem with The Biggest Loser
The internet (and my local Y.M.C.A. for that matter) are abuzz about the latest The Biggest Loser finale. The show bestows $250,000 on the person who loses the highest percentage of their starting body weight. This year’s winner wasn’t the guy who lost 222 lbs. (!). No, the winner outdid that incredible feat by going from 260 down to 105 (in 5 months). Twitter blew up with cries of #anorexia more » Read more
Remembering Madison Holleran
I was laying in my bed, browsing through my Instagram feed on a snowy day, when I encountered the story about Madison Holleran. Holleran was a 19-year old freshman on the cross country team at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a star athlete in high school, both playing soccer and running track. About an hour before she committed suicide by jumping off of a parking garage in Philadelphia, she posted more » Read more