The great outdoors: Running and jogging

Running and jogging -- the benefits

Running and jogging are amongst the best cardiovascular activities out there. Aficionados will tell you these are the ultimate cardio workouts, and nothing more is needed. This is because they not only condition your heart; they also tone your legs and trunk and even the arms and shoulders as you can see from those burly sprinters. Their other main function is as a fat-burning activity; bodybuilders up their cardio activities before competitions as they strive to get rid of the body fat which hides their muscular definition.

What is the difference between running and jogging?

A good question indeed. On the face of it, it seems that only speed separates the two, but there is more to it than that. If you are running, you extend your legs out more than if you are jogging. Jogging is a bouncing kind of movement and as such is heavier on the knee joints. Running is a faster and more controlled movement, but it can also be injury-prone, since if you are running on uneven ground, the faster you go the easier it is to slip. As the two are so similar, we will discuss them both under the category of running.

How to buy the right running shoes

It is worth investing in a good pair of shoes since the right ones are all-important to your success or failure. A large sports store should be able to advise you according to what kind of feet and gait you have.

 If you are overpronating (your foot rolls inwards) or supinating (your foot rolls outwards) when your foot hits the ground, an experienced running shoe salesman ought to be able to spot it (you will probably test the shoes on an in-store treadmill) and sell you the right kind of shoes for your type of foot and gait.

 Be sure to buy a pair of shoes half a size bigger than your normal size. This is because your feet will swell, and you will need a bit more room in the toe box.

 Although it is not so easy in Turkey, try to find a store with liberal exchange policies. This means that if you develop sores or blisters after two weeks, they will allow you to exchange them for a new pair of shoes.

Running apparel

Most people nowadays wear fitted Lycra shorts and a loose vest top or T-shirt made either from cotton or a special synthetic breathable fabric. Do not wear anything made from regular synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester since these trap perspiration, and you will feel very uncomfortable very quickly. Modern sportswear absorbs sweat and lets it evaporate, so the body remains as cool as possible.

Eating before you run

Should you fuel up before you run, and if so, with what? If you do not eat anything, you will soon run out of energy, and if you eat a large meal, you will be too stuffed to run efficiently. The best option here is a light snack or meal about an hour before your run. Go for something high in carbohydrates and lower in fat and protein. Ideal is that sportsman's standard -- the humble banana eaten with a bread roll and peanut butter or one of those chocolate-covered energy bars that are found everywhere in sports stores and some health food shops and big supermarkets.

Running partners

As with most individual sports, running can be a lonely occupation. For this reason, it is so much more motivating and energizing if you can find someone to run with, maybe a fellow slimmer or someone who has “always wanted to take up a sport” but never had any reason to. Until now.

How much should you drink and how often when you are running?

Getting enough to drink before, during and after your run is vital, especially if you are running for a long distance. Dehydration is dangerous, and in extreme cases, it can kill you.

When you run, you sweat. How much you sweat depends on the person, but a good way to tell is by the color of your urine. The lighter in color it is, the better hydrated you are. The darker it is, the more liquids you need since dark and concentrated urine is a sign of dehydration.  As a rule of thumb, if you are running for less than an hour, regular drinking water will suffice. If you are running for more than an hour, then you also need a drink containing electrolytes to replace the electrolytes you are losing by sweating.

Training and cross training

Nobody ever goes from being a couch potato to a marathon runner in one step. If you are foolish enough to try to do a long run without any training or experience, your long run will be very short indeed.

 Serious athletes always pack in a few hours in the gym -- how much depends on what kind of physique they are aiming for. The sprinter, with his compact muscular physique, will be into heavy weight training, whereas the long distance runner, who is more slender and sinewy, concentrates on light weights for tone and definition as opposed to bulk. In addition to this, you will have to put in time on the treadmill, where the surface is risk-free and you can control your speed and effort by using the automatic monitor and controls.

Where to run?

Many countries have running clubs. In the UK, we call them Harriers. In addition to encouraging and motivating, they are good places to make friends who enjoy the same sport. Most big cities have an annual marathon. The London Marathon is world famous, and well-known runners come to participate in it. The big marathons, such as the London one, are open to the public, but there are always many more people wanting to participate than there are places. Some people run for the fun of it; others give their sponsorship money to worthy charities.

 You do not have to have a specific goal; you can just run in a local park or a place out of the way of traffic. Many people choose to run early in the morning before there are too many people about, but it all depends on you. Have fun and do not forget your iPod!