MAY 11, 2022
Minute 1: Warm up like surfing legend Keala Kennelly
Sun salutation carries more than 1 meaning. It could be referring to the yoga practice, or it could represent the gratitude of a spring runner, grateful to be finally logging miles with bare arms and legs. One of the best parts of the sun is its role as a delivery vehicle for vitamin D. While you can get vitamin D by eating salmon, tuna, and eggs, sometimes the easiest and best way is to catch some rays and let your body produce its own. In fact, exercise and sun exposure produce a natural synergy, as you can read more about in “How Optimizing Your Vitamin D Status Promotes Muscle Health & Function.” It’s well known that vitamin D plays a significant role in bone health, but research has uncovered a connection to skeletal muscle function as well, and that’s big news for anyone looking to get stronger. It can modify cellular pathways responsible for muscular function, promoting growth and regeneration. So, working out in the sun is great for your muscles and your tan? Sounds like a win-win, but what about the risk of skin damage? Luckily, research indicates you can wear sunscreen without impeding your body’s ability to derive vitamin D from sun exposure. See the details in “The effect of sunscreen on vitamin D: a review.” If you’re looking for a sunscreen brand that supports an active outdoor lifestyle, try Thinksport Safe Sunscreen, which is water resistant and free of chemicals that can harm the environment. #FunInTheSun
Minute 2: Why vitamin D is so important for athletes
Sun salutation carries more than 1 meaning. It could be referring to the yoga practice, or it could represent the gratitude of a spring runner, grateful to be finally logging miles with bare arms and legs. One of the best parts of the sun is its role as a delivery vehicle for vitamin D. While you can get vitamin D by eating salmon, tuna, and eggs, sometimes the easiest and best way is to catch some rays and let your body produce its own. In fact, exercise and sun exposure produce a natural synergy, as you can read more about in “How Optimizing Your Vitamin D Status Promotes Muscle Health & Function.” It’s well known that vitamin D plays a significant role in bone health, but research has uncovered a connection to skeletal muscle function as well, and that’s big news for anyone looking to get stronger. It can modify cellular pathways responsible for muscular function, promoting growth and regeneration. So, working out in the sun is great for your muscles and your tan? Sounds like a win-win, but what about the risk of skin damage? Luckily, research indicates you can wear sunscreen without impeding your body’s ability to derive vitamin D from sun exposure. See the details in “The effect of sunscreen on vitamin D: a review.” If you’re looking for a sunscreen brand that supports an active outdoor lifestyle, try Thinksport Safe Sunscreen, which is water resistant and free of chemicals that can harm the environment. #FunInTheSun
Minute 3: What we can learn from elite football training camps
It takes a village to raise a child, and apparently, to mold an NFL first round draft pick too. It comes as no surprise that in a sport as competitive as football, athletes need all the help they can get to stand out. They’ll use coaching staff, technology, and training partners to elevate their game. Access to all of those resources is made simple by skill-building facilities like Exos. To see how the best of the best train, and maybe even borrow some of their methods, read “What It’s Like to Train at the Elite Facility That Produces First-Round NFL Draft Picks.” You don’t have to be a pro to train at a place like Exos. You will follow much the same process as a budding NFL hopeful, beginning with a nutritionist and physical therapist who will run diagnostics. They’ll use scanners and force plates to uncover data imperceptible to the naked eye, and you can read more about this tech and how it could help you in “The NFL’s Next Step in Injury Prevention.” Once understanding your diet, past injuries, and goals, the staff delivers an individual training program suited to your needs. Not everyone has access to a personal nutritionist, but by doing your own research and testing, you can learn a lot about yourself. Identify any symptoms of nutritional deficiency you may have, and confirm by running an at home test like the ones found in “Tips and Picks for Vitamin Deficiency Tests You Can Order Online.” At Exos, the staff can help you reach your goals, but so will the other athletes. Exercising alongside your friends and colleagues can be a great source of motivation, and that’s just one of many reasons “Why You Should Join a Running Club.”
Minute 4: What to do about underpronation
As a runner, you’re probably familiar with overpronation, where the foot rolls inwards too far with every step. Some pronation, however, is necessary for a healthy gait, and if you’re unable to roll at all, you’re experiencing what’s known as underpronation. To figure out whether this applies to you and what to do about it, check out: “Underpronation – What Is It & What It Means For Runners.” Also known as supination, this condition puts strain on the ankles and toes, which can result in the development of Plantar Fasciitis, heel spurs, sprained ankles, and hammer toes. If you’re already experiencing some of these conditions, stretching and massages are a useful treatment, as you can see in “Plantar Fasciitis and Calf/Tendon Stretches” and “Massage for Plantar Fasciitis - does it actually work?” Of course, prevention is the best medicine, and the most important step you can take is ensuring you’ve got the right shoe. Some shoes are designed specifically to prevent underpronation, and if you’re someone with high arches, tight achilles tendons, or a history of leg injury, you should try a pair out and see how it feels. There are lots of options available, and to see what sets them apart, read “What Are Neutral Running Shoes?”
Minute 5: Quick Intervals
Like any other group of hobbyists, runners have developed a bunch of slang to talk shop. If you’re in the know, that’s great, and these conversations come easy. For anyone still getting their foot in the door, it would be nice if there were a dictionary to explain all this jogger jargon. Well, we’re in luck, because the folks at Lifehacker have put one together for us. If you’re going to train like a pro, you should talk like one too, take a look at “A Beginner’s Guide to Runners’ Terminology.” While we’re talking shop, you may also get a kick out of “5 Running Clichés That Must Die” and “50 More Funny Running Quotes.”
We would like to share this post from our friends at Running USA, which is a non-profit trade organization that supports our sport: “Runners, your help is needed! The Global Runner Survey from Running USA is now accepting responses. Share your thoughts today and help make races and running better for all. Your insight will be used to help events like us, as well as running brands, deliver the experiences and products you are looking for. Take the 2022 survey here and be entered to win a $50 gift card. Thanks in advance for your help!” They are good folks and the survey is actually kinda fun – it made us reflect on our running priorities and values.
Having played 22 seasons in the NFL (so far), Tom Brady usually grabs our attention any time he dishes out fitness advice. It’s hard to argue with his methods if longevity in sports is your goal. That’s why we dove into this new piece: “12 Tips for Healthy Habits from TB12 Body Coach Bryan Hart.” It covers how much water to drink, how many veggies to eat, and a lot more. This is the stuff that’s kept Brady sharp all these years on the field, and it’s what will keep him sharp as he calls games in the near future. If you hadn’t heard yet, check out “Tom Brady just announced what he will do after he retires.”
Minute 6: Daily Inspiration
Freerunning is a sport that blurs the line between athletics and art. It’s almost like dancing, and it’s quite mesmerizing to watch, so it's only fitting that it’s done in a place equally as beautiful. We think the Sydney Opera House is just the place, and are glad that Red Bull collaborated with freerunning pro Dom Di Tommaso to make that happen. Watch him perform a symphony of moves all across the iconic building as he demonstrates just how agile we can become with enough practice and a little bit of bravery. Personally, we’ll stick to running on solid ground, but Dom’s fluidity has us inspired to get running nonetheless.