Alameda Runners – Get After It!

Shoes are important for runners.  If you wear the wrong pair of shoes, you could unknowingly set yourself up for blisters, shin splints and other injuries that could be avoided.

I purchased the Saucony ProGrid Guide 2 shoes from Road Runner Sports after running the Oakland Half Marathon.

The shoe offers light stability designed to help reduce overpronation (limits just mild overpronation, so is pefect for me).  Saucony upgraded the ProGrid Guide 2 by using a new interior sock liner and added a memory-foam collar.  Everything else is virtually the same as the ProGrid Guide — a nice change of pace since Saucony chose not to tinker too much — while providing good support.

The shoe has decent cushioning, but doesn’t have much support towards the front of my foot.  (FYI:  The ProGrid Guide 3 shoes have a different style of cushioning, so could be ideal if you don’t like the way the ProGrid Guide 2 shoes feel.)  I don’t need the added cushioning, so purchasing the ProGrid Guide 2 was acceptable.

As I said in my RoadRunner store review, I picked the ProGrid Guide 2 over the following pairs of shoes:  Asics 2150, Brooks Adrenaline, and Nike Structure Triax running shoes.  Each pair is designed to help with slight overpronation, but the Brooks Adrenaline and Nike Structure Triax were immediately disqualified.  Both pairs didn’t feel great on my feet, especially compared with the Asics 2150 and ProGrid Guide 2.  I already own a pair of the Asics 2150 line, so I honestly didn’t feel like purchasing another pair.

I try on different pairs of running shoes whenever I’m given the chance.  I obviously don’t plan on purchasing a new pair of shoes every month — but I like to test different pairs just to see which shoes feel the most comfortable.  If you’re looking for a new pair of shoes, you should do your research before making a purchase.  I’d recommend looking on Active.com, Runner’s World, and other established running sources if you need any help on recommendations.

The cold and flu season may be over, but a few of my friends recently came down with a cold and were asking for tips to help recover as fast as possible.

Some people think starving a cold is a proper way to heal — but it is one of the worst things you can do to your body when sick.  Eat more calories to help produce the cells that help fight off illness.  Recent research claims protein and vegetables also are able to boost immune strength, so have some chicken soup with vegetables.

A Q&A posted in Runners World a few months ago noted eating yogurt may be a great idea, as upper-respiratory-tract infections could be reduced up to 25 percent.

If you’re having sinus pain or congestion, the use of any over-the-counter products that have antihistamines are ideal to help aid recovery.  Rest and increasing your vitamin intake also are extremely vital — don’t push yourself too hard, or you run the risk of prolonging the sickness.

When you’re sick but want to train, most athletes and doctors have a simple rule for you to follow:  if the illness symptoms are above the neck, you should be good to go.  (i.e. if you have a sore throat, head cold, stuffy nose, etc.)  Just take it easy and don’t push yourself too hard.

If you’re suffering from chest congestion, vomiting, fever, and other similar symptoms, then you should let your body rest and forget about training.

Editors note:  Real yogurt is harder to find but always better.