That's How We Roll

When one hears the word "cross-training," several others may come to mind, like "swimming," "biking," or "elliptical." If you're injured and looking for alternatives to running, or even just bored with your exercise routine, try adding this word into your cross-training vocabulary: "rollerblading."

How Did Rollerblades Originate?

Despite the associates many people have with rollerskating and the disco-ful seventies, in-line skates were first produced by a Dutchman in the early 1700s who attached wooden spools to strips of wood and nailed them to his shoes. How did he devise this strange plan? Who knows. Nevertheless, after the prototype of this seemingly odd man followed a more modern version of rollerblades in 1863.

Physical Benefits of the Sport

Although the scene of someone trudging through snow in a pair of rollerblades adorned with icicles is not one you're apt to experience, rollerblading is a great spring, summer, and fall sport. Of course, the sport is less aerobically demanding than running, but it is more so than that of biking due to the lesser amount of time spent coasting. To receive a more equivalent aerobic workout to running, multiply the time you would plan to run by approximately one-point-five. Rollerblading is certainly no walk in the park, and can be made more difficult by blading uphill or in intervals alternating between a fast pace in the tuck position and a slower, recovery pace in an upright position.

On the other hand, despite its inferiority to running's aerobic potential, rollerblading has been shown to have more anaerobic benefits than either running or biking. It's a good method of developing one's glutes and hamstrings, as well as muscles of the hips and thighs that running largely doesn't employ.

Pros of Rollerblading

• Low-impact (causing roughly 50% less impact to joints in comparison to running, according to a study conducted by the University of Massachusetts)
• Great aerobic and anaerobic exercise
• Alternative to running when cross-training or injured
• Like running, it can be performed with Fido alongside
• Enjoyable
• Moving quickly through the air, acting as a natural "air conditioner"

Cons of Rollerblading

• Seasonally- and weather-limited
• Somewhat motion-restrictive gear

As wonderful as rollerblading is, precautions should be taken and proper equipment worn to ensure one's safety. I highly recommend the following, even though skating is fairly safe for decently balanced and coordinated individuals who do not model their technique after Chazz Michael Michaels (AKA Will Farrell) in Blades of Glory. And remember, such gear is obviously not intended to make a fashion statement! It may feel excessive or "dumb," but you'll feel much dumber if you're scraped up like a zested lemon because of an overly self-conscious attitude.

Rollerblading Equipment

• Helmet
• Knee, elbow, and/or wrist pads
• Properly fitted skates (Note: Aim for a mid-priced pair, as cheap, poorly-fitted skates could cause discomfort, rubbing, and blisters, making the experience much less enjoyable. Also, look for skates that include plastic molding support for your ankle.)
• An even, smooth surface for skating
• 76-78 mm wheels on the rollerblades

Keep in mind, if rollerblading becomes a regular exercise habit, it is recommended that you rotate the wheels on your skates every so often, clean and lubricate the wheel bearings, and check and tighten the wheel nuts as needed.

If you're looking for a good way to cross-train and want to have some fun while you're at it, try rollerblading! There's no need to disco; it's the 21st century and time to rock and roll!

Chicken Noodle Soup For the Sole

I must tell you, several days ago, it was that time of the month...

TO GET NEW RUNNING SHOES!

With the mileage I put on my shoes, I was overdue for another shoe purchase to rotate into my collection of running footwear. Unfortunately, shoe-shopping is an activity I have long dreaded, as I have a great aversion to shoe salespeople. No offense if you are one, but honestly, I like to peruse and deliberate my weighty shoe decisions alone and uninterrupted. Thankfully, however, I was able to (as quickly as was humanly possible) find a third pair of the same running shoes that have served me well over the past months. These Nike Zoom Elite+ shoes have been ever-faithful to my feet, who are so grateful for the firm, yet comfortable, ride these shoes provide on every run.

I knew it was time to switch my running shoes because my handy dandy Runner's World Training Log told me so. But you know it's time to rotate your running shoes when they look like this:

These are the first known running shoes, dating back about 10,000 years ago. For the record, they're on display at the Museum of Natural and Cultural History at the University of Oregon.

Unfortunately, the owner of these shoes probably put a lot more mileage on them than today's podiatrists would recommend! This person obviously didn't have access to modern sports stores, where he or she might have been delighted to find a myriad of footwear options to comfort their presumably weary, calloused feet. And, if I were a guessing person, I'd venture to say he/she had neither the luxury of comfort nor the means of fashioning a sock-like apparatus to protect their feet against what appears to be a texture resembling that of sandpaper (sagebrush bark, to be exact). If only I had a time machine, perhaps I'd go back and hand the poor guy/girl a blister band-aid!

So let this be a quick reminder, runners, we're not living in the dark ages. Replace your shoes every 300-400 miles, because, unlike the faceless owner of the ancient "shoes" above, you have access to those wonderful sports outlet stores like Sport's Authority and Scheel's. Take care of your feet so as to avoid injury!

Personally, a blister (which, as I mentioned early, can be soothed by a blister band-aid) as a result of a new pair of shoes is a bullet I'd be willing to take to avoid an injury that could put me out of commission for weeks. This is probably the only time in my life I will be recommending this, but people, take the bullet! Next time you think about walking by the shoe section empty-handed (as I so often do), think of our 10,000-year-old fellow runner who would have (literally) loved to walk a mile in your shoes.

From Nude to Nike

A large number of people tuned in this summer to watch the 2008 Beijing Olympics, cheering on many of the poster-names of the games, like Michael Phelps (in his "pre-bong" days) or Shawn Johnson. If you are a runner, you most likely witnessed or heard about the marathon or other track events.

When you think of the runners who pioneered in Olympic competitions of ancient Greece, beyond knowing they often ran without shoes or clothes, do you truly know the origins of the sport? I think everyone should be familiar with their roots, and as a runner, that includes those runners that came before us - in this case, roughly 2,785 years ago.

Nowadays we run for recreation, competition, stress-relief, health, and a multitude of other reasons. Ancient runners, specifically those in Greece, used running for needs obsolete in modern times, such as the common battle, the transmission of messages, honor, and the physical fitness demanded by the militant mindset of city-states such as Sparta.

The Greeks did not believe in a pleasant after-life, so many ran for honor in the Olympic games, as the victor of one or more events was permitted to establish a statue of himself in the middle of his city, which included his name, event(s) he won, and a short quote. With this honor, they could live on forever in the memories of others.

Earliest records suggest the Olympics began in 776 B.C. and continued until about 393 A.D. As far as athletic nudity goes, this tradition was introduced in 720 B.C. for unclear reasons, although it is believed this practice elaborated on celebrating the achievements of the human body. Perhaps they were also more aero-dynamic?

Athletes had to be young, free men who spoke Greek. Before competing, they were required to take an oath before a statue of Zeus stating they had been in training for 10 months, a time during which they were supervised by the judge of the Games in Olympia. Only a limited number of women were allowed to compete in the races if they were a virgin, ran barefoot, and wore specific dress. In addition, the Heraea Games were the first sanctioned event for women athletes in honor of the goddess Hera. Can I get a "Hoor-ah!" for the ladies?!

Originally, the Olympics only included the stadion, which was a short sprint estimated to have been between 192 meters - the distance Hercules (Herakles), the mythical founder of the Games, was believed to have been able to cover in one breath. Later around 724 B.C., an approximately 400-meter race called the diaulos emerged, followed by an estimated 5-kilometer dolichos four years later. The last foot race to be introduced was hoplitodromos, which imitated the speed and stamina needed for warface, as the athletes ran a single or double diaulos (400 or 800 meters) toting armor, a shield, and either greaves (armor that protects the shin) or a helmet that totaled a weight of 50-60 pounds.

As if the hoplitodromos wasn't punishment in and of itself, those who started early were disqualified and underwent a corporal punishment - a cushioned term for the more honest and descriptive way of saying "beating." Runners were not allowed to push, knock down, or hold other runners, as well as being prohibited from bribery or performing magic spells. Those who cheated in the games had their names etched into the Bases of Zanes (pictured at left) onto which statues of Zeus were built. These structures which were financed by the cheaters' fines and discouraged others from breaking such rules.

Although the marathon is included in today's Olympics, the Games of ancient Greece did not include any event of this sort. The marathon originated from an event in which Pheidippides ran 260 kilometers from Athens to Sparta in 2 days to request Sparta's assistance because the Persians had reached Marathon (490 B.C.). Sounds like the guy had it easy! In modern-day marathons, we run that distance in half the time.

Despite the large time disparity, these early runners and traditions have greatly shaped modern running. So next time you're running, imagine you're retreating in battle, or even carrying an imperative message to your destination. It might just make you run a little faster.