As part of the School Rock Challenge, students at Beard Elementary School were treated to a guest lecture and fitness demonstration from Run Gear Run’s Alfred Chavira, or Coach Al to the kids. Coach Al talked about importance of exercise in daily life, demonstrated proper warm-up and stretching techniques, and the importance of proper posture and form when running. He also showed the kids a few strengthening exercises and awarded his participants with free Run Gear Run water bottles and stickers.

As runners our bodies and joints are stressed from the miles and miles of training. Our legs, joints, and bones can use a rest every once in a while. Cross training helps alleviate stress and reduce the risk of possible injury. Below are some examples for using swimming and cycling as cross training tools.

Swimming

Running strides vary from person to person. Some runners have longer strides than others. Is there an advantage to having a long stride or a short stride? Derrick, Hamill, and Caldwell looked into the energy absorption the body experiences during running. The research team recruited 10 runners and measured 5 different stride lengths. With the different stride lengths they also measured force applied to joints of the leg.

Music and running go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly. Music can be motivating, distracting, and inspirational. Most of us are guilty of using music to get our run started, to get us through the tough, to motivate us between miles, and finally, to energize us for those last miles up ahead. A recent journal article submited by Dr. Karageorghis and Lee to The Sport Journal talks about music and the effects it has on athletes.