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How to Train to Run a Marathon

Today I decided to write a brief introduction for those new to marathon running: I’m going to talk with you about the things in general you need to know in order to run a marathon.

First, the standard distance for a marathon is 26.2 miles. So whether you are running a marathon say in New York City, Boston, London, San Francisco, or Los Angeles, the distance is the same: 26.2 miles.

The question is, how do you train for a marathon?

If you are a runner who has never run a marathon before, in other words you’re a novice or a beginner, and you want to train for your first marathon, you may want to train to simply just finish a marathon. You want to train well enough to where you feel like you are becoming stronger as a runner in order to finish the marathon.

One of the main goals of running a marathon is to have a combination of both speed and endurance. The speed for marathon training comes from doing intervals on a track where you can improve.

There are other forms of speed training such as tempo running. Tempo running means that you are running at a sustained pace for a certain amount of time.

And there’s yet another form of speed training called “frog leg” training, where you are running at different speeds, for example thirty seconds, forty seconds, sixty seconds and then back down to say forty seconds and thirty seconds.

So properly training to run a marathon will depend on several factors, including where you are in your fitness and where you are in terms of your time commitment to train, because training for a marathon is a time-consuming process.

It also depends on whether or not you are willing to train alone, or if you are willing to train with a group.

So when training for a marathon there is a lot involved. There’s a lot that you need to know in terms of the training, for example your diet, and cross training, such as lifting weights, doing yoga, or aqua jogging in the pool.

In the coming weeks and months I’ll be exploring these concepts in more detail, and covering all the important aspects in-depth so that you can begin taking the right steps to running your first marathon.

January 8, 2020 0 comment

Health

5 Foods to Improve Men’s Health

written by relayn11

There is a lot of common ground when it comes to a healthy diet in both men and women especially for preventing common health issues such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. However, there are some health issues that are specific to men and there are specific nutritional needs that can tackle those issues. Also, fitness and lifestyle choices are different in men, so they would need specific nutritional needs as well.

Health issues specific to men include conditions like erectile dysfunction, prostate cancer and low sperm count. Also, the top diseases among men such as heart disease and cancer claim the most deaths in men. Generally, heart disease and diabetes are significant risk factors to health issues specific to men such as erectile dysfunction and prostate cancer. So, eating a suitable diet for heart disease can automatically reduce risks for ED and prostate cancer. Taking those nutritional needs into account, here are the top five foods that can boost men’s health:

1. Oysters

This is probably the one food you’ll find most often in any list containing the top foods to boost male health. It is by far the richest source of zinc, with just one ounce containing 170% of your zinc RDA. Zinc is a very important mineral for men because it plays a vital role in prostate health. Low levels of zinc have been linked to prostate disease and infertility. Oysters are also high in B vitamins, which are vital for extracting energy from food.

2. Orange-Red Vegetables

Orange-red vegetables such as tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a chemical that has been shown to reduce the risk of cancers such as prostate cancer. Lycopene content becomes richer when you heat the food, so eating tomato sauces deliver more lycopene than raw tomatoes.

Other orange vegetables such as bell peppers and carrots are rich in beta-carotene and lutein. These nutrients have shown to reduce the risk of developing an enlarged prostate.

3. Lean Red Meat

Lean cuts of beef or pork are very rich sources of protein while containing minimal fat. So, it is no wonder that they are extremely popular food choices with male fitness enthusiasts. Needless to say, protein is essential for muscle building. Also, red meat naturally has high creatinine levels. Creatinine is an enzyme that fuels fatigued muscle fibers with energy.

Beef is also the richest source of iron which is responsible for delivering oxygen to red blood cells, so, it can really enhance your fitness levels.

4. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish such as wild-caught salmon or mackerel are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fats and Vitamin D. A 100g serving of mackerel delivers 251% of your RDA for Vitamin D.

There is research that shows that Vitamin D deficiency contributes to Erectile Dysfunction. Fatty fish helps to reduce inflammation and improve blood flow in ED sufferers.

5. Brazil Nuts

Brazil nuts are very potent sources of selenium and magnesium. These minerals are potent antioxidants that can lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and improve prostate health.
Sticking to a serving of two Brazil nuts daily is enough to give you all the selenium you need in a day.

April 3, 2019 0 comment

Health

How Insomnia can Destroy Your Sex Drive

written by relayn11

Sleep is essential to every living person for the role it plays in maintaining physical and mental health stability. This is why insomnia impacts negatively on the lives of those differing from it. Learning how insomnia can destroy your sex drive is also essential considering the possible damage this can cause an otherwise healthy relationship. The dangers associated with insomnia are:

1. Low Energy: When you sleep your body recoups the energy that it lost while you were awake. Since insomnia does not allow you to enjoy a good sleep, the feeling of not having enough energy creeps in. Put simply, you will not have the energy for sex even if the desire is there.

2. Depression: The loss of money is not the only cause of depression in the lives of people. An inability to satisfy your partner may lead to depression if not handled properly. With insomnia denying you a chance to sleep and regain lost energy, your inability to remain sexually active may offer ample room for depression to set in. Kissing your sexual spontaneity goodbye is a terrible feeling that is not worth experiencing.

3. Anxiety: You will find yourself worrying a lot. The human mind can never be left without something to preoccupy it. Staying awake puts you in an uncomfortable situation of having to deal with anxiety for most of the day. This mental torture will never give you room to relax and lead a happy life. As a result, your energy gets sapped and makes the thought of having sex to rank lowest on the things you want to do.

4. Broken Relationships: You may not desire it but a lack of sleep brings about the feelings of irritability and resentments. They replace the desire to remain close to your partner and the enthusiasm you had in the past to spend quality time together. All these add up to cause a crack in your relationship. It will be an extraordinary feat to overcome the challenge of tiredness and concentrate on making your partner happy. In addition, the times spent rolling around the bed as you force yourself to sleep can be disturbing to your partner and prevent sleep in the process.

Insomnia is a big challenge capable of destroying the sex drive of partners that suffer from it. Save yourself from this challenge and keep your relationship strong by doing what it takes to ensure that you remain in good physical and mental health.

April 1, 2019 0 comment

Health

Being Proactive Over Prostate Health

written by relayn11

Cancer comes in different forms and is considered to be one of the deadliest diseases on planet earth. The one that is most common to men is prostate cancer and has accounted for so many deaths. Fortunately, prostate cancer is one of the treatable forms of this disease. Early detection coupled with being proactive over prostrate health improves your chances of coming out on top.

Cancer of the prostate gland may sound like a death sentence, however, it can be dealt with positively on the following ways:

1. Prevention: Learning about the disease is a positive way of dealing with it. The information you learn offers tips about what to do in order to reduce the chances of suffering from prostate cancer. An understanding of what the disease is all about and the risks it poses can be very valuable.

In some cases, this walnut-sized gland is known to grow slowly below the urinary bladder right in front of the rectum and aggressively in other instances. Typically, men are more prone to suffer from this disease at the age of 50 and beyond.

2. Early Detection: Knowing your family history is very important as it makes you know the chances of contracting this disease. When a member or members of your family are known to have suffered from prostate cancer, the chances of getting it too is increased.

This being the case, be alert to detecting some of its early symptoms. For instance, you may notice the inability to hold urine for longer periods in addition to finding it a challenge to start urination. In other cases, it may be the need to constantly wake at night to urinate. Keeping track of these details among others is possible with a proper understanding of the disease and its risks. Here are some of the possible symptoms of prostate cancer.

3. Take Care of Your Health: All the knowledge in the world about what causes prostate cancer and the risks associated with the disease are meaningless if you do not make an effort to take good care of your health.

For instance, obese men are more likely to suffer from prostate cancer. The same goes for men that engage in smoking. This means that keeping a healthy shape and avoiding the tendency to smoke are good practices.

Being aware of your health is key to being proactive over prostate cancer. Once any sign is detected, it is advisable that you visit your doctor without delay. PSA blood tests will help determine the state of your health.

March 29, 2019 0 comment

Health

Top 5 Threats to Men’s Health

written by relayn11

Unfortunately men tend to avoid discussing their health issues or even seeing a doctor when they aren’t feeling well. That is one of the contributing factors as to why men have shorter lifespans than women do. To try and shed some light on the issue let’s go over the top 5 threats to men’s health and why you should see your doctor regularly.

Cardiovascular Disease

This is the leading cause of death in men all over the globe with 30% of deaths attributed to this. We all know that a combination of healthy eating along with regular exercise help stave off cardiovascular disease. However that isn’t all, you will also need to reduce your alcohol consumption and refrain from smoking. Learning how to effectively manage your stress is another issue that men need to deal with. Common symptoms are chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness in arms and legs and difficulty breathing. If you experience any of these get to a hospital.

Lung Cancer

Despite less and less people smoking lung cancer is still a leading cause of death and among these deaths most are by smokers or those who were extensively exposed to second hand smoke.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer has been on the rise in recent years and although treatments have improved your life expectancy it is still a leading cause of death in men. Science has found a link between obesity and prostate cancer as well as a high calcium diet also being linked. Like cardiovascular disease dropping the excess weight and getting regular exercise can reduce your risk of prostate cancer.

Depression and Suicide

80% of all suicides are men. It has become such an epidemic that suicide now ranks as a leading cause of death. Stress, depression, lack of mental health access and a plethora of other factors contribute to the problem and we have a long way to go in dealing with it.

Type 2 Diabetes

The population is getting heavier every year and the rate of obesity keeps climbing and with that comes more cases of Type 2 diabetes. Obesity and type 2 diabetes are inextricably linked. Drop the excess weight and get more exercise, manage your diet to include less sugar and processed carbs. Type 2 diabetes brings on a whole host of other health issues.

Many of the health issues that men face today are lifestyle related and they can prevented simply by eating a healthy diet, managing their weight and getting enough exercise.

March 26, 2019 0 comment