GIVEAWAY! The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired

A little while ago, I reviewed The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired by Ryan Robert. When I wrote the review, it was only available digitally, as an e-book. However, it is now available in a print paperback edition, and Robert has generously donated two books to raffle off to readers of The Middle Miles! To enter, check out the giveaway below. Contest ends 5/2/13 at midnight Eastern time, and is open to anyone in the United States, Canada, and Europe.


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For those of you who prefer books digitally, the digital version of The Ultimate Beginner's Running Guide: The Key to Running Inspired has dropped in price to 99 cents and is available on Amazon. The print edition retails for $14.99 (though it's currently available for $13.49) and is also available on Amazon.

Gear Review: Brooks The Wire 2

It has finally stopped snowing here in Antarctica Central New York, and a hopeful runner can almost be tricked into thinking that spring is finally on the way! And with spring, of course, comes outdoor track season (to be fair, that's actually been underway for a couple weeks, but bear with me here, because it finally feels like outdoor season, not indoor...at least until the next snowfall). And what shoe enthusiast can think of track season without thinking of spikes? Not this shoe geek, no sir, I think I've made my love of spikes well known. This track season, my weapon of choice has been the Brooks The Wire 2.

Pray for Boston

I had a blog post planned for today, but there are more important things going on right now.

A race is the culmination of weeks and weeks of work. It's a day to test yourself, to see how your training paid off, and to hopefully revel in the glory of the realization of your goals, making those early morning speed workouts and skipped Friday nights at the bar worth it. It's a day of camaraderie, celebrating your achievement with loved ones and fellow racers, because it would be a lonely road to attempt alone. And for some, it's also a day of sorrow, of broken dreams and failed goals. But it should never be a day of terror. The ancient Greeks halted wars and laid down their weapons for the celebration of athletics. To bring violence to the athletic arena, to violate that beautiful sanctuary by launching an attack against the innocent volunteers and spectators lining the finish line, who selflessly took time out of their day to cheer on a group of athletes, whether they were loved ones or strangers, is beyond abominable. Boston, my heart is broken for you.

Picture courtesy of Running Warehouse

PRO Compression Contest Winner!

And the winner of the PRO Compression Marathon Sock giveaway is...Julie R! Julie, I have emailed you at the address you provided, so please get in contact with me. Thanks!

Gear Review: PRO Compression Marathon Socks and GIVEAWAY!

Compression is a pretty hot topic in endurance sports these days. When Paula Radcliffe made her record-setting run in 2003, few people knew what the story behind her knee-high socks. Today, you see nearly as many athletes using compression socks and sleeves as you do athletes who don't, whether it's during activity or for recovery. The medical industry figured out the benefits of compression a while ago, and it makes sense that athletes looking for an edge can take advantage of some of those same benefits. Today, there are even companies that specialize in compression for athletes. One such company is PRO Compression, who offers the PRO Compression Marathon Socks.

Gear Review: SLS3 FXC Compression Socks

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past couple years, you've noticed that compression apparel is no longer only for patients with circulation problems, and that athletes are now embracing the benefits of compression. And who can blame them? Increased venous return sounds good to me. Paula Radcliffe was the first athlete I noticed wearing the now-common knee-high socks, and anyone who somehow missed Paula certainly saw Chris Solinsky, when he wore compression socks during his record setting 10,000m run in 2010. (Btw, if you did somehow miss Paula's 2:15:25, watch it! Now!). Seeing as triathletes seem to love gear and toys (honestly, they probably adopted compression before runners, but since I don't pay all that much attention to the triathlon world, I can't say for sure), many triathlon companies began to offer compression socks and other gear. One such company is SLS3, who offer the SLS3 FXC Compression Sock.

Gear Review: The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition

Go to any bookstore and you're likely to find a bevy of books on nutrition for athletes. Weight loss this, diet that, paleo here, gluten-free there...it's a pretty confusing landscape for someone who wants to tailor their nutrition first and foremost for running performance. Not long ago, Matt Fitzgerald put out the Racing Weight: How to Get Lean for Peak Performance and Racing Weight Quick Start Guide, which were interesting in that they brought a more performance focus to nutrition books, but they were still primarily about "weight loss" rather than "fueling yourself for performance." That all changes with Fitzgerald's new book, The New Rules of Marathon and Half-Marathon Nutrition.