Is Running 15km a day on the road bad for you and only a heart and legs workout??

I saw this question posed on one of our running groups in the NCR and found it to be very inetersting so I took a crack at putting in my 2 penny bit, which is below.
Lots of interesting questions and no one answer to fit all of us for each of the bits - surface, schedules, holistic:

Surface:
It is best to mix up surfaces during a running week or a running month
- trails, asphalt, mud tracks, grass, treadmill, and even sand -
though that is not found in Delhi - as each gives a slightly different
workout.
Trails can focus a lot more on mental concentration on the road,
anticipation, ankle strengthening, balance etc, plus some random
movements compared to a more predictable stride length and impact of
road running.
A treadmill is great for giving you the data bang in front of your
eyes as you train to push yourself for a speed or a hill work out.
A manicured grass stretch - if you can find one- is great for barefoot
running.

Running on the side of the road in a place like Delhi where there is a thin flm of dust on the tar is great as it gives you a nice padded surface.
Once a week on the flat road - check out wearing the 'Indian Vibram
one finger' or the Bata PT shoes available at Rs 299/- as that would
help focus footstrike on the midfoot more than anything.
Some info on surfaces is at http://runningandliving.com/GettingStarted/#what

Schedules:
Best to follow a schedule during some periods, specific to an
objective, and other times to just chill and have fun and free wheel
(which by the way is also an objective)
Train for speed, endurance, strength and flexiblity or
for a 5k or marathon or whatever
Loads of schedules are available on the internet and some are at
http://runningandliving.com/KeenRunner/ and http://runningandliving.com/HalfandFullMarathon/

All round development:
Any decent schedule mixes up different types of runs and distances -
based on the objective
And flexibility, strength and cross training

and just to clarify - running is not just a workout for the legs and
heart BUT if you want to be a better runner you need to tone and
strengthen your upper body as your arms play a role in propelling you,
your heart and lungs get a great work out and get stronger, ALL your
internal organs get exercised with the impact of running, and running
uphill, downhill, on trails, sprinting running slow, with short
strides and long strides impacts virtually all your muscles from your
neck to your toes - so mixing it up becomes important - and dont
follow the same routine day in and day out. Variety is the spice of
life - just as in food - so also in running.

:-)
Just some things I picked up over time
Enjoy the run

Yes We can

The link to an article I wrote on running

Rahul S Verghese
www.runningandliving.com

The 1st Panchkula Running And Living Cross Country Half Marathon

"Running hills breaks up your rhythm and forces your muscles to adapt to new stresses. The result? You become stronger"
Eamonn Coghlan, Irish athlete and 3-time Olympian


I would say exactly the same about a cross country run and I am sure you would agree now.

"The route was really bad in this half marathon" said one runner, and that sums up the difference between a cross country Half and a City Half Marathon. We learn that it is not only the gradient that can upset our rhythm but also the ground beneath. Experience different terrains, gradients, temperatures, and more and make yourself more adaptable over time - not just as a long distance runner but as a person - because that is another great gift that running can give.

You did it well - in the cold mist of 9th January at Panchkula
Congratulations.

The warm up and hydration by Elemention Gym, the Breakfast and expo location by North Park and the Medical care of Alchemist - made the entire experience a great one, for all of us.

The finale over breakfast and the slide show was great.We are really glad that you were there. The outstation folks should book up the place early next time so that:
They come in on Friday night and relax and explore a bot on Sat and perhaps we have a casual run in another location out in the wilds on Sat morning, and then go to the expo etc
Have more time to enjoy North Park and around and we can then book all 28 rooms and have a blast.
Check out the results, the over 400 photographs, and download a calendar with over 150 photographs of the run.
If you have more photographs - send them over to us so that we can add them onto the same link.

Keep a lookout for the next run in the Tricity - in either Panchkula or Chandigarh in March, and then a Cross Country Run in Gurgaon and a run in Corbett - see you there.
And perhaps we can come to North Park Panchkula again when it is warmer to take in a different aspect - the view, which we couldn't get to see much of on the 9th.

See you soon

Rahul Verghese
Running And Living Infotainment


Keep tuning in to www.runningandliving.com for more

If you missed the fun in Gurgaon over Dec 4th and 5th - experience it with photographs, timing of the finishers and even download and print out desktop or wall calendars of the runs, all at and reach the seven links for what ever you choose to view or print.

But this is not to get you envious, it is just to tell you that another different experience with a cross country run in Panchkula (which is a twin city of Chandigarh) , awaits you on 9th January. The route is along the Ghaggar river, out of town, and winds through a flat trail - scenic and cold and fun - basically - a pretty cool run :-)

Check out details and register before 20th December, for the 1st Panchkula Running And Living Cross Country Marathon and More

The North Park Hotel is scenic and comfortable and for the out of towners there is a 25% discount on reservations - book early and triple share a room to get a further deal.

The finishers get a medal and a certificate and the half marathoners get a running T shirt too. The 5k and 10k runners get a water bottle belt - essential running gear for running or many other outdoor sports like trekking, cycling and even walking. We then have a breakfast with a slide show of the days photographs - all that is included in the registration fee - whats not mentioned is that you will end up with many new friends, and also interact with other runners and get some answers to your many questions on running, at the expo, link in with runners groups no matter where in the country you have come from, and get some great deals on running gear.



A fantastic warm up by Elemention Gym will kick off the runs, and Accelerade - the only protein based sports drink will see you through your run, while the medical support of Alchemist will see that you are safe and taken care of should you need any medical assistance. You then have North Park Hotel to come back to, to enjoy your breakfast.

Registrations close on Dec 20th, else they may get more expensive, if there is still some space left.

We hope to see you soon
Spread the word among your friends, email this onwards, tell your friends in gyms and RWA's and other places too.
A great start to a great year awaits all those who come for this cool run!!

If you would like to have your brand associate with this run or with other runs - email us by return with your marketing objectives and we will outline a plan and the cost benefits of this association, for you.

ps: To get your brand engaged with using running as a powerful way to connect with your consumers - email us at contactus@runningandliving.com and we would love to understand your challenges and work on using running, and marketing metrics, to help measure progress to achieve your end.

We also do workshops on leadership development, team building and productivity enhancement, using running as the intervention medium and metrics to monitor progress

We have some great running gear available off our website at http://runningandliving.com/runningapparel/#Merchandise