Running for Beginners

Shoes... It's All in the Shoes!

kely braswell

I've been running for 27 years, and one of the best things I
learned early in my running career was...

... Your shoes are your ticket to a long-lasting, injury free
running lifestyle!



So, let's say you're just getting started in running.

One of the things you like best about the habit is that being a
runner doesn't take lots of specialized equipment. I mean, you
just lace up a pair of shoes and go!

And that's true! Running is one of the cheapest forms of aerobic
exercise there is. You've probably already got everything you
need! It's beautiful!



EVerything, that is, except shoes, perhaps.

You see, one of the biggest mistakes a beginning runner makes is
to think: "Hey, I'll just grab my high school basketball shoes
and head out for a run!"

Wrong! That's one of the fastest and surest ways to join the
ranks of wounded runners!



Shoes are THE most important piece of equipment for a
runner...

... Whether you are a complete running newbie, or you're an
elite athlete who wins cars for your racing efforts...

If you don't have high quality shoes, you are on
your way to the foot doctor, the knee doctor, or the hip doctor!

Quality shoes are easy to find.

Go to your local running store, and have one of the sales staff
(who is an experienced runner) watch you walk. They'll figure
out what kind of shoe you need. Let them give you suggestions.

Then, try them on, and run around the parking lot.

That's right. If a running store won't let you try the shoes out
with a short jaunt through the parking lot, DON'T BUY FROM
THEM! Any reputable running store will let you try out their
shoes.



Now, here are some good thoughts on running shoes from the great
folks at http://www.ordinaryrunner.com:

1) Rotate 2 pairs of shoes.

Yeah, it might sound like a ploy of the shoe companies to make
more money, but it's not!

The midsole of your shoe (the "cushiony" part you can't
see, under your insole) is the most important part for your
foot. It keeps you from getting injured.

Every time your foot strikes the ground, you are landing with
the force of approximately 500 pounds of pressure per square
inch! That's a lot of pounding!

The midsole of your running shoe takes all that wear and tear,
and has to keep giving you a cushioned ride for a long time.

Here's the problem: If you run in your shoes every day, the
midsole doesn't have a chance to spring back all the way by the
next time you run again.

That means you're not getting the protection you should from the
shoe, and you're "cruisin' for a bruisin'" in the injury
department.

So, the best thing to do is have at least 2 pair of shoes to run
in (many runners have even more). This allows the shoe to
recover between your runs.

Plus, you get the added benefit of EACH pair of shoes lasting
longer. If you give them a rest and let the midsole spring all
the way back, they actually give you more running miles.

One more little tip: Use the oldest pair in your rotation for
your short, easy runs; and use your newest pair for longer runs.

2) Change shoes every 300-450 miles.

As crazy as it sounds, most seasoned runners keep a cumulative
tally of the miles they've run in each shoe. You can take a look
at my running journal, and every day, right there at the end,
it's listed... what shoes I wore, and how many miles they have
on 'em.

How often you retire a pair of shoes depends on 3
considerations: Your size, your footstrike, and your surface.

Size: It makes sense that lighter runners can wear shoes
longer, in general. And vice versa... If you're a bit heavier,
you will wear down your midsole a bit faster. (But that's why
you're running, right -- so you won't be "heavier!")

Footstrike: If you are a neutral runner, which means you
land on your foot in a "normal" manner, then your shoes will
last longer. But if you pronate (land on the outside of your
foot) or supinate (land on the inside), you'll wear your shoes
faster.

Surface: If you always run on hard surfaces (concrete,
asphalt) then you need to get new shoes more often. Run in
grass, on the track, on trails, and your shoes will last longer.

And you know what? There's a certain satisfaction in retiring a
pair of shoes... It's like you're saying, "I did it. I ran a LOT
of miles. So many that my shoes are done for. I'm a real runner."

And the last bit of advice with your shoes...

3) Don't wear them for ANYTHING except running!

The very fastest way to use up your shoes is to wear them as
everyday shoes! No lie!

Think about it. You go running for 30-50 minutes a day. And
while you're running, you have BOTH feet off the ground
almost the whole time!

But when you're walking around during the day, doing your
business...

... Or you're going to Wal-Mart in the evening...

You're standing on your shoes almost the whole time!

Trust me. This is the worst thing for a pair of running shoes.

So, let's review.

Rotate at least 2 pair of shoes.

Change shoes every 300-500 miles.

Wear your running shoes ONLY for running!

Voila... You're much less likely to be a gimpy, injured runner!



If you want to get more good info on running shoes, go here:
http://www.ordinaryrunner.com/running-shoes.html

About the author:
Kely Braswell has been a runner for 27 years. He's not the
fastest... just an Ordinary Runner. But he's in great shape, and
he knows a LOT about running! Beginning runners can look
at http://www.ordinaryrunner.com/goarticlesrunningtip,
simple advice on running for beginners and mere mortals! He
developed his site using SiteSell technology. Check it out at
http://www.sitesell.com/ksb.html

Women's Boat Shoes Guide

David Evermon

If you are thinking "hey I don't have a boat", keep in mind that
these shoes are not just for wearing on a deck anymore. It is
true that woman's boat shoes are also known as deck shoes, but
today you will see them just as much on the streets in the city
and on campus as you will at your local marina.

Originally, women's boat shoes were manufactured to be worn
while out boating or sailing. The original Indian moccasins
because of their low profile, the water-repellent hide and the
lacings on the sides for fit probably inspired them. Today's
women's boat shoes and their construction with rubber soles and
water repellent or, at the least, less water absorbent leather
uppers make them perfect for a day on the water.

Today's manufacturers also offer a variety of colors and styles.
This is making it a shoe that falls between an informal dress
shoe and the ultimate casual shoe. So today, even with the
obvious practicality of women's boat shoes, if you do go sailing
or boating, it doesn't mean they are only used on the water.
They have become a major part of European women's wardrobes and
a major player in the preppy style of North America. Women's
boat shoes are now being purchased by anyone who is dressing
casual. They are stylish in any situation that does not require
formal attire. A word of advice is that they are considered just
a 3 season shoe. They are not normally worn in the winter. You
can wear women's boat shoes with or without socks, which make
these woman's boat shoes very versatile. Some manufacturers will
include a sock pad to add cushioning for those who do prefer the
traditional no sock look.

A high quality women's boat shoe is not going to be inexpensive
and should last for several years with proper maintenance. The
prices for a quality shoe will range from $39 dollars to as much
as $170 dollars.

Speaking of maintenance, a women's boat shoe is designed to
handle adverse conditions on the water. You may think that they
do not need to be kept up but this is far from the truth. In
between wearings, quality oil should be applied to the leather
uppers occasionally. This helps keep the leather soft, flexible
and water-resistant. The insoles should be sprayed with an anti
fungal / bacteria spray and allowed to air dry. If the rubber
soles should become worn you need to replace or repair them.

Today, even women who have never been on a boat or, for that
matter, near the water are being attracted to the casual style
offered by the women's boat shoe. Fashion experts state that
these sporty shoes can be worn with any of today's casual
attire. The only time they advise wearing a loafer instead would
be in a more business type casual setting. This rule is not iron
clad as it will depend somewhat on your ensemble of choice.
Aided by more contemporary styling and multiple colors, today's
woman is able to stand out more with women's boat shoes then was
possible with the plain original style and color.

About the author:
David Evermon has been writing on many subjects related to the
environment and his hobbies and knowledge of boating and sports
fashion, David writes articles about Women Shoes for
the advice site http://advice-tips.com

http://www.curtains-n-drapes.com" title="external link"> Tips To Removing the Stains

Mitch Johnson

There are some stains which are difficult to remove such as shoe
dressing stains, tar and pitch group. But these tips ahead will
guide you on how to clean such stains.

There are many times that we couldn't handle the tarnish or rust
stains, that we'd rather give up and replace the utensils. But
these tips will help you save your money on new utensils.

SHOE DRESSING STAINS. To remove white shoe-dressing spots, rinse
them first with cold water; then launder the washables. Sponge
stains made with colored paste shoe dressings with cleaning
fluid or turpentine. It is often helpful to first rub in a
softener; vaseline, lard, or gylcerin. Liquid dressings should
be sponged with alcohol, diluted with two parts of water for
acetate, rayon, or delicately colored materials. If dye stains
remain use bleach. Sponge them with hydrogen peroxide or with a
soduim perborate solution, or moisten the stain and sprinkle
sodium perborate powder directly onto it. Rinse thoroughly after
using these bleaches.

FOR THE TAR AND PITCH GROUP, casualties of the open road, first
rub lard or Vaseline into the stain until the tar is softened.
After that, wash fabrics that will launder, in warm suds. Sponge
non-washable fabrics with cleaning fluid, or dip the stain into
it and rub between your hands. If the stain is on a rug, scrape
up as much of the tarry material as possible, then apply
cleaning fluid with a cloth. Use an upward brushing motion to
keep it from being worked down into the rug.

MUD is another road casualty. Always let mud splashes on
clothing, or mud tracked onto a rug, dry thoroughly before you
do anything about it. When it is dry, brush off as much as you
can and then sponge the stain with clear water, or with a
detergent and water. The last traces usually will yield to
sponging with alcohol.

FURNITURE AND FLOOR WAX. Stains from paste or liquid polishing
wax and no-rub furniture wax can be removed with cleaning fluid.
If traces remain, wash or sponge the material with warm soapy
water. On rugs you can use either soapy water or a foam-type rug
cleaner. Warm water and a detergent usually will deal with spots
from self-polishing floor wax and cream-type waxes. If the stain
is on a rug, follow, if necessary, with a foam-type cleaner or
(when thoroughly dry) with cleaning fluid. For very stubborn
spots on a rug use a brush dipped in cleaning fluid.

TARNISH STAINS from brass, tin foil, copper and other metals,
usually can be sponged off with an acid. Use vinegar, acetic
acid, or lemon juice, and rinse after the stain has been
removed. Do not use bleaches on these stains.

STUBBORN IRON RUST STAINS can sometimes be removed with special
iron rust soaps or with oxalic acid (poisonous: don't handle it
if you have a sore or cut). Sprinkle a few crystals onto the
stain, dip the fabric (if washable) into boiling water, then
rinse thoroughly. You may have to repeat this. It is almost
impossible to remove iron rust stains from non-washable
materials. Consult your dry cleaner. If the stain is on a rug
try sponging it with clear water. If this is unsuccessful,
consult a professional cleaner.

FOR GRASS, FLOWER, AND FOLIAGE STAINS on washable fabrics first
try hot water with soap or detergent Rub the stain briskly or
scrub it with a soft brush, then launder the garment. If the
stain has not yielded completely use a bleach. Sodium perborate
is a good selection. Moisten the stain, sprinkle it with sodium
perborate powder, let it stand for half an hour, then rinse. Or
immerse the garment in a solution of one tablespoonful of sodium
perborate in a pint of water and let it soak for several hours
or overnight. Use hot water for all washables excepting silk and
wool. Stains continuing after this treatment can be soaked in a
stronger solution of the bleach. Household bleach also will deal
with these stains but it may harm colors and cannot be used on
silk, wool, blends containing these fibers, or on wrinkle proof
resin finishes.

To remove white shoe-dressing spots, rinse them first with cold
water; then launder the washables. Use the Vaseline into the
stain for the tar and pitch group until it is softened before
washing it. For mud stains, let the cloth dry then brush it off
before washing it. Stains from paste or liquid polishing wax and
no-rub furniture wax can be removed with cleaning fluid. Acid
can be used to removed the tarnish stains, avoid the bleaches on
these stains. Iron rust stains can be removed with special iron
rust soaps.

About the author:
Mitch Johnson is a regular writer for http://www.curtains-n-drapes.com
/ , http://www.ezbeddinghub.info/ ,
http://www.ezbeddingresources
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