Outdoor Sports: Running in Nature

Running is an activity that triggers the most muscles and activates the whole body. Today, when we are more and more tied to offices and computers, this activity is an essential need, not just for weight loss, but for our overall health.

Running strengthens the muscles, increases the strength of the body, regulates proper heartbeat, has a strong effect on stress relief, reduces the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis, and most importantly consumes fat like nothing else. Running in nature is much more comfortable than running in an urban environment, mainly due to diverse terrain including up-hill, down-hill, and various surfaces. Running on such diverse terrain affect the aerobic abilities, coordination and explosiveness of the movement.

When you run in nature, do sprint right away. It is best to start with an easy step, then a brisk walk. After about 10 minutes, start to gently hop and maintain such pace until you feel that you are ready for speed. Run as long as you can, then walk again, and go back to running with a strong intensity.

Breathing is very important in this sport, as in all other sports. If you do not breathe properly, it will quickly feel fatigue, headache and you can easily quit running. Hence, do not forget to inhale and exhale deeply while running. It is recommended not to consume any food 2 hours prior running, or drunk large amounts of fluids. If you didn't know this before, than I’m pretty sure you've experienced a sharp pain under the left rib while running. This happens because the digestive system is busy working on the food or drinks you've consumed before. After you finish your exercise, feel free to drink water or sports drinks.

The technique of running is individual for everyone, although there is a so called basic technique, where the upper body is peaceful and you only work the arm in shoulder joint. While landing your foot, you touch the surface the heel of the foot, and the greatest pressure is on the front of the foot. The transfer of power from the heel to the toes must be fast and smooth, which is done by the activity of the joints and ligaments in the foot.

The running technique is adaptable, depending on to different surfaces we run on. When running uphill, the body is bulging forward, the step is short and the pressure is mostly to the front of the foot. When running downhill the body is leaned back, the step is long and the weight is put on the back of the foot. The heels cushion the impact and control the speed of running. When you are running on a flat terrain, the body needs to be upright; the length of step suitable to the speed, and you should pay attention on the ankles, while transferring the impact from heel to toe.

Now that you know some basic stuff, and we already let you in on the detail of choosing the rightrunning shoe, it’s time to go out and run. An abundance of fresh air and green surroundings wait for you out there! Run, run, run!