The concept of Tabata training is simple:

That’s it.  4-minutes and you’re done.  And before you write this off as some lame fad, let’s talk about the science.

Tabata training was developed in Tokyo, Japan at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports.  They compared the effects of high-intensity interval training (Tabata) to moderate-intensity aerobic workouts (long distance running) on VO2 max and anaerobic capacity.  The study was 6 -weeks long, with each participant working out 5 days per week.  They found that the moderate-intensity trainers produced a 10% increase . . . → Read More: The Worlds Fastest Workout – Tabata Training]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/the-worlds-fastest-workout-tabata-training/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-worlds-fastest-workout-tabata-training

A few months ago we wrote one of our most popular reviews of all time, the Garmin 405 CX.  Given what a great product it turned out to be, we were surprised to see that the Garmin 305 was still out selling the 405.  After all, it lacks some of the features and is larger on the wrist.  Still, in order to better understand the phenomenon, we decided to test out the Forerunner 305 to get a comparison.

Selling for just $125 at Amazon, this GPS watch appears to be a great deal if you don’t want to dish out . . . → Read More: Garmin Forerunner 305 Review]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/garmin-forerunner-305-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=garmin-forerunner-305-review With Christmas right around the corner, we thought we better get out a list of the best gifts for runners. You can send this to your friends and family, so they know what to get you. After all, you don't need another lame sweater when you could be getting a case of Jelly Belly Sport Beans! . . . → Read More: The 15 Best Gifts For Runners]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/the-15-best-gifts-for-runners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-15-best-gifts-for-runners

Some of us never run without music, while some enjoy the quiet solitude of a trail running and listening only to the sounds of nature and our breathing.  Whatever your taste, few can say that they’ve never been lifted up by the perfect song at the perfect time on a tough run.

And with that in mind, I’ve put together the ultimate running playlist.  I’ve tried to make it a genre agnostic, although it is admittedly rock heavy.

The Foo Fighters have a lot of great running songs because of their upbeat tempo.  I would also include My . . . → Read More: The Ultimate Running Playlist]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/the-ultimate-running-playlist/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-ultimate-running-playlist

I just finished reading my favorite running book of all time, Dr. George Sheehan’s masterpiece Running and Being.  You can already see my bias coming into the review, but here goes…

This book was written in 1978, a time when running (or jogging as many referred to it back then) was starting to explode, but the book itself is timeless.

Dr. Sheehan was a philosopher, a doctor, and a runner.  He was a track star in college, but got away from running in his adult life as he practiced cardiology.  It wasn’t until he was 45 that he renewed his old love for . . . → Read More: Running and Being : A Book Review]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/running-and-being-a-book-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=running-and-being-a-book-review

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><img src="http://www.rundurance.com/images/B0037QH20U/517IryWACKL._SL75_.jpg" /><td></tr><tr><td>If you've never own or tried out a pair of Salomon trail running shoes before, the first thing you'll notice is the unique shoe lacing system. The tiny string lace connects to an adjustable latch, allowing you to quickly tighten and loosen your shoe. It's very convenient for taking your shoe on and off (say, for when you're running in rocky terrain and regularly cleaning out your shoes). It looks and feels insufficient for a hardcore trail run, but I can say that I have never broken a lace, nor have I known . . . → Read More: Salomon XA Pro 3D Ultra GTX Trail Running Shoe Review]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/salomon-xa-pro-3d-ultra-gtx-trail-running-shoe-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=salomon-xa-pro-3d-ultra-gtx-trail-running-shoe-review

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><img src="http://www.rundurance.com/images/B003CL34P2/31ybRtvmmmL._SL75_.jpg" /><td></tr><tr><td>I've had mixed results with running tights before, so I purchased these Nike dri-fit running tights with some reluctance. My previous experince with running tights is that they do a great job keeping you warm and preventing injury, but they are hard to get on, itchy during the run, and extremely hard to get off. And in one case, the way it retained water caused me to get extremely cold during my . . . → Read More: Nike Dri-Fit Filament Running Tights Review]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/nike-dri-fit-filament-running-tights-review/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nike-dri-fit-filament-running-tights-review

I’m sure you’ve heard that you should warm-up before any strenuous exercise, they even teach that in elementary school gym class. But what they fail to do is explain why. And because of that, most of us ignore that old wise-tale that it’s important to warm up, and we just cut to the chase and start working out hard. After all, we’re runners!  We don’t waste time doing anything but getting our workout in, we don’t have time for stretching and we certainly don’t have time for running slow, right?

Hold on, tough guy.  What our 4th grade teacher . . . → Read More: The Secret To Getting The Most Out Of A Run – The Warmup]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/12/the-secret-to-getting-the-most-out-of-a-run-the-warmup/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-secret-to-getting-the-most-out-of-a-run-the-warmup

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tr><td><img src="http://www.rundurance.com/images/B000N0WBIQ/419uPblhcnL._SL75_.jpg" /><td></tr><tr><td>If you're going longer than 5-10 miles, you're probably going to want more than 22oz's that the Nathan hand held water bottle carries.  For this, you're going to need a hydration backpack. So when I got my Nathan HPL #020 and took it out for my first run, I immediately fell in love.  Why?  Let me count . . . → Read More: Nathan HPL #020 Review]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/11/nathan-hpl-020-review-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=nathan-hpl-020-review-2

The most common question I get from both beginner and veteran marathoners alike is: “What should I eat during the week and the morning of the Marathon race?” It’s a great question and a very important part of success on race day. Since I covered how to practice your marathon nutrition strategy in training in one of my previous posts, this week I will cover an ideal nutrition plan starting 5 days out from the race so you can start planning your pre-race nutrition strategy now.

Marathon Rule #1: Never try anything new on . . . → Read More: Pre-Marathon Nutrition]]> http://www.rundurance.com/2010/08/pre-marathon-nutrition/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pre-marathon-nutrition