bring youto yourfeet: A study in the Journal of the American College of Car- diology foundthataslittle as five to 10 minutesof low-intensity running a day can extend yourlife by several years, compared with not runningatall. Run- ningis oneof the best forms ofcardiovascular exercise, with numerous physiological and psychological benefits. TheIssue Overtime, runningcan takea toll on yourbody. Therepetitive stress and impactof running canlead tojoint pain andsoft tissue damage, which occurs in the form of microtears within a muscle, ligamentortendonthatresults in scar tissue, making thatarea painfulto use. Over- use injuries, such as runner's knee, shin splints and plantarfasciitis, account for approximately 50 to 75 percentofall runninginjuries, due to constantrepetition of the same movement. These injuries can hinder orshorten your running regimen. Running Smarter The good newsis that you can pro- long your running longevity. Here are three waysto runfora lifetime: 1. Build a strongbase. The easiest wayto injure yourself is to push yourself too hard or increase your mileage too quickly. It’s importanttolisten to your bodyto avoid overtraining. First, focus on maintaining a consistent exercise routine. Whentraining for a race, give yourself time to prepare, use walking breaks and slowly increase your mileage each week. Gradually adding mileage allows your body to adapt and can help prevent muscle andjoint aches. 2. Perfect your form. Learning and maintaining proper running form is key to efficient running and avoiding injuries. For example, experts suggest running at a cadence of 180 steps per minute when outside or on a treadmill. Also,avoid overstriding—onevery step, ensure yourfoot lands under your knee, notin frontofit, especially when run- ning downhill. Anotherwayto practice proper form is by training on the Octane Fitness Zero Runner. This zero-impact running machinereplicates natural running but eliminates thestressful, repetitive impact that can compromise form,causefatigue andleadto injuries. The free SmartLink app connects to the Zero Runner and traces yourstride so you can monitor form andensureconsistency. With low-impactfitness machines, you canwalk, jog or run without the stressful impact. 3. Cross-train to strengthen muscles and increase endurance. While running benefits your health in many ways, incorporating other workouts can leadto better overall performance andfitness. Ways to increase endurance without addingstressful impact include swimming, cycling or usingthe elliptical. In fact, the ElliptiGO 8Celliptical bike combinesthe best of running, cycling and anelliptical for a fun andeffective wayto exercise outdoors. Thebikeoffers a unique, low-impactexercise that emuJates running andis easy onthejoints. Doingstrength training, core work, andbalance andflexibility exercises are other techniques for maintaining optimalfitness and reducing therisk of run- ning-relatedinjuries. Anotherwayto reducestress to the body is by running on soft surfaces, such as grass ortrails, which can engage different muscles and ultimately limit injuries. “One of the most importantfacets of runningis to take care of yourself andbeproactive aboutpreventing injuries,” advises Rick Muhr, OctaneFitness Commercial Zero Runner Endurance Coach and 32-time marathonfinisher. “Avoiding repetitive stress and making small changes to your running routine can help maximize the longevity of your runninglife.” Learn More For further information about the OctaneFitness Zero Runner, go to www. octanefitness.com/home/products/ zero-runner. OctaneFitness, a Nautilus, Inc. brand, has reinvented low-impact training by offering standout innovations that deliver moreeffective,efficient andrewarding workouts. For moreonthe ElliptiGO 8Cellip- tical bike,visit http://shop.elliptigo.com/ ElliptiGO-8C_3. ElliptiGO created the ‘Additionally, avoid running when you're fatigued because your form will world’s first elliptical bicycle to deliver a fun, comfortable and effective work- improperform cansignificantly increase improvestheirlives and revolutionizes fitness. typically deteriorate. Running with an yourrisk ofinjury. out experience that inspires people,
