Trail Running Shoes - Everyone's Opinion Differs In What Should You Be Looking For In A Trail Running Shoe - Here's Mine!

I often get asked about trail running shoes and which ones are best.Now before I get into looking at some of my favourites, we need to get something straight. Your fitness levels and overall condition are important when crossing over into trail running. You can't just decide one day that you are going to do some trail running.

You need to ensure that you are ready not only for the rigours of running over uneven and slippery ground, but also for the possibility that something will go wrong. In the mountains where we live, not a season goes by without someone dying due to exposure, falls or attacks. Even experienced hikers and runners can get into difficulty and you owe it to yourself and your family to ensure that you are safe.

Overall conditioning is a must and you must stretch well before negotiating rocky and mountainous terrain. I've found that upper body strength makes a huge difference to my endurance and recommend that you try a chin up bar. These can be fitted inside your bedroom door frame or attached to a patio wall. Once you get the hang of it you will find that it helps to loosen up your upper body, especially your back muscles as well as adding much needed strength while running in rough conditions. So see if you can fit some time in trying doorway pull up bars.

Now on to what trail running shoes would be suitable for you. Trail shoes are very similar in construction to normal road running shoes, however, there is added traction control and the upper soles are more durable. If you are just starting out and are not yet sure if trail running is the thing for you then some road shoes work quite well as potential trail shoes. I'm thinking here of the Saucony GRID Stabil. You will also find that certain trail shoes can be more than adequate on the road, such as the Adidas Trail Response.

What you are looking for in a good trail running shoe is:

• Added traction control

• Increased durability

• Motion Control

You will be subjecting your shoes, feet and legs to some unusual stresses and strains so the you will need to ensure that you can keep your grip across varying surfaces. Your shoes will pick up lots of wear and tear so strength of construction is vital without too much additional weight. And lastly you the uneven surfaces will require good motion control to avoid injury.

So here is my selection in no particular order:

1. New Balance MT840

I have to admit that I've always had a soft spot for New Balance. They make a great line of strong, sturdy, and beautifully balanced shoes, This is definitely my favourite. The shoe is lightweight, very comfortable, and can be used for both road and trail running.

2. Asics Trail Sensor

This shoe is designed with the unpredictable challenges that trail runners experience. It has great forefoot traction, which helps you to run positvely and a water-resistant upper. Your feet will be well protected as you traverse rugged terrain. The "Trail Specific Impact Guidance System" will ensure you experience a comfortable ride. I like the solid construction of this shoe and the extra cushioning helps with heavier runners.

3. Saucony GRID Excursion

This is a shoe for the serious trail runner. The Saucony GRID Excursion is a bigger trail shoe that is best suited for off road running and doesn't suit the road running environment. This shoe gets my thumbs up for it's excellent stability, and superb traction.

4. Brooks Adrenaline

Another shoe better suited to the rough terrain as apposed to road running conditions. It has strong support, balanced with a wonderfully cushioned cushioned feel. THe water Resistant synthetic uppers are quite appropriate for wet weather running with great comfort and excellent protection from the season's elements. Of all the trail running shoes, I feel that this is a true all round, ideal shoe for trail runners who are seriosus about their running and are out in all conditions.


5. Adidas AdiSTAR Revolt

The AdiSTAR Revolt is an update of it's earlier model and has proven to be a strong contender in the trail running arena. Named the Trail Response in it's previous guise, this is one of the more popular trail running shoes and offers both a great fit and excellent control. It is well suited to both road running and trail running and you would be advised to try it out as I think for the money this is probably the best all rounder at the moment.

So there you have a selection of trail running shoes that should keep even the hardest to please runner busy. Let me know what you think about the selection and feel free to make suggestions in the comments section below.

I'm going to be looking at which is the best running watch in up coming posts. We'll be looking at some of the following:

timex ironman watch

triathlon watches

ladies sports watches

as well as the timex gps watch and the gps sports watch, so don't forget to check back for more info.


"This week's recommendation"
If you are interested in running a marathon, I've found the perfect guide to get you up to speed in the shortest, safest possible time. Have a look at this marathon running guide for more detailed info.

Could Green Alkaline Drinks Be The Answer To Better Health?

With all the talk of heart attacks and general health problems, I've been doing some research to find out what one can do to improve ones health.

In the course of surfing the net, I found some interesting info related to green alkaline drinks. The basis for the theory on ingesting these new drinks is to attempt to balance your bodies ph level to be more alkaline rather than acidic.


From my reading it appears to be a valid theory and well worth some further research.

Also check out the Adrian Brody Egg Diet
and you definitely don't want to miss out on the health benefits of Kombucha Tea

Can Running Help With Your Menopause Symptoms

One the things that a lot of women dread is the onset of menopause. What is not commonly understood, is that menopause can start as early as in your late twenties or early thirties. This means that you could be experiencing the early effects of menopause and not even realise it.

One of the things that you can do to minimise the discomfort and effects of menopause is to follow a light exercise program. Running and walking are particularly beneficial and can have many positive outcomes with those who experience early menopause, peri-menopause, menopause and post-menopause.

Needless to say, you should consult your doctor or specialist before embarking on any form of exercise program if you are just starting out. What you will find is that moderation is advocated. A well designed running program that is suited to your level of fitness and goals will do wonders for your moods and general feeling of well being.

Many women experience weight gain during menopause and this can be helped by adhering to a healthy diet plan and regular aerobic exercise. So don't feel that you have to give up training. Lace up your trainers and head out on the road. You'll feel much better for it.

A Cholesterol Test Kit Can Save Your Life!

As you get older, the advice from most GP's is to get your cholesterol checked regularly. That means at least once a year. Also, weight loss diet programs are suggested as well. This is advice that I've not followed as I thought that because of my regular running and generally active lifestyle it wasn't important.

How wrong can one be?

Lying in bed one night 3 weeks ago I started to get a tight feeling in my chest. This was followed a few moments later by a strong feeling of wanting to burp. This feeling just wouldn't go away. The tightness in my chest then morphed into a definite squeezing feeling in my upper chest together with pain in my chest.

The pain moved up towards my collar bone and became more intense. This all happened over a period of about 20 minutes. Not wanting to alarm my wife, but at the same time thinking that perhaps I had misaligned rib, I rolled onto the floor and attempted to relieve the pain that had now spread to my back.

It was at this time that my wife suggested that we call the paramedics. I phoned them and after informing them of my problem they calmly suggested that I remain exactly where I was and that they would be there in a few minutes.

A couple of minutes later the paramedics arrived and hooked me up to an ECG machine and then sprayed something under my tongue. This didn't work and after a 2nd spray the pain in my chest started to subside. They then suggested that we make our way to the emergency room at teh local hospital. My wife then drove me to the local hospital with the paramedics close behind.

There isn't much that one can do if you have got to this point other than to allow the doctors to do their thing. After being hooked up to their machines, having my blood pressure taken and some blood samples removed, I was given an unpleasant injection into my abdominal region.

This injection is apparently to break up any blood clots that may have been present in my blood stream.

And so I was admitted and spent the next 3 days having tests and generally feeling miserable with myself and the world in general.

The prognosis is good and I should make a full recovery but the one worrying thing was my cholesterol count which was 6.4 on their scale. Apparently 4.5 is the target value and as I don;t smoke, drink or eat red meat the doctors where mystified as to why my cholesterol count was so high. It is apparently heredity and so I'm now on medication as well as a diet to bring the levels down.

It would really have helped if I had taken my GP's advice and had my cholesterol checked regularly. I'm only 41 so it's been a bit of a shock. You can buy very effective cholesterol test kits,
which is really what I should have done to start with.

So don't be like me, go have your cholesterol levels checked, it might just save your life. Alternatively, check out this information about the Cambridge Diet.