Diet and exercise are two big, big portions of the health equation.
There’s a lot of debate out there about how to approach each of them. Running is obviously a huge step in the right direction when it comes to getting enough physical activity, but what about your approach to diet? Continue Reading
Posted in iPhone App, Motivation, Nutrition
Getting good and warm before your workout is important, regardless of the weather. But if it is chilly (or, you know, downright freezing outside) in your neck of the woods, it’s that much more important that you get your body up to operating temperature before you begin.
Even among those of us who do take the time to get warm, quite a few don’t really focus on doing a thorough job and getting it right. Think of yourself as a car that’s been sitting overnight. You don’t just fire it up, rev the motor a couple of times and consider it warm. If you watch the temperature gauge, it actually takes a little while to build up heat.
Your body is the same way. Jogging for five minutes or doing some jumping jacks simply won’t get your body temperature up to where you want it for a hard run, especially if it’s cold out.
Some things to keep in mind during your warm up: Continue Reading
Posted in Motivation, Running
“I just ran because I liked to.” — Hal Higdon
Image Credit: UjENA FIT CLUB
Hal Higdon has been an inspiration to countless runners and is the architect of Bluefin’s full and half-marathon programs. This week Bob Anderson, founder of Runner’s World, published an interview with Hal on his blog UjENA FIT Club as part of their ongoing series featuring 100 iconic athletes.
At Bluefin we credit Hal with giving runners of all ability levels the motivation, inspiration, and training tools they need to be successful. We’re honored to have his experience and training plans (not to mention voice!) as part of our running apps.
This great in-depth interview is well worth a look. Let us know what you think!
Okay, so right now you’re breathing, yes?
Two seconds ago you probably weren’t really thinking about it, but if you focus your attention, you can become more aware as you inhale and exhale while you’re reading this.
The same thing can happen while you’re running. Maybe you go a good long stretch with your breathing on complete autopilot, but at some point you might become suddenly (and sometimes uncomfortably) aware of your own huffing and puffing.
It can be a little frustrating, because what is ideally a mindless function turns into the only thing you can think about. And like a lot of things, breathing is one of those activities that we tend to do best when we aren’t actively thinking it through.
So what’s the best way to breathe when you’re in the middle of a run? Here are a few quick tips that can help you refocus, stay efficient, and get your mind back on other things (like the finish line). Continue Reading
Posted in Motivation, Running
January can be a tough month for runners. You feel motivated and pumped about the new year, but a lot of us are waking up to icy sidewalks and frigid temperatures. Sometimes this translates to a gym membership and a lot of time staring at a treadmill monitor.
Don’t end up in a rut. If you’ve joined a gym, remember that there are tons of activities available beyond the treadmill. Get the most for your money by mixing it up with these alternative workouts. Continue Reading
Posted in BootCamp, iPhone App, Motivation, Running
As you become a better, more consistent runner, chances are that your distance is going to increase. As you feel stronger and more confident, long runs can start getting longer. A new training plan can take you from 5k to 10k and beyond.
With Bluefin programs, you’re spared a lot of the guesswork of coming up with workouts, but there are still some small tweaks you can make to your routine that can help you prepare yourself for those longer distances. Continue Reading
Posted in Motivation, Running
Yes, we know. The whole smartphone thing isn’t for everybody. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to hold your 5K training plan in your hands!
This week Ease into 5K hit the Amazon Kindle store and can be downloaded for just $0.99 (limited time introductory price). Just like of our iPhone/Android apps, the Kindle version will keep track of your workouts and time your intervals for you. Continue Reading
Posted in Ease into 5K
This is certainly resolution season, especially for the fitness-minded out there. Well one of our resolutions for this year was to give this blog a fresh look.
You guys have been amazing with your feedback here and on Facebook and Twitter. We wanted to make some changes that would not only improve the look and feel of the blog, but also make it easier for you to weigh in on the topics you care about. Continue Reading
Posted in blog
Bootcamp is our circuit training app – a departure from our running (and now walking!) programs, designed to cross-train and generally strengthen your entire body. We’ve talked about the benefits of non-running workouts before, but here are five good reasons to to take yourself to bootcamp this winter. Continue Reading
Posted in BootCamp
