Yahoo Finance 7 essentials from Academy Sports + Outdoors to reignite your passion for running
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With the weather slowly showing signs of warmer temperatures, there's a growing excitement nationwide to spend a considerable amount of time outside and bask in the fresh air. If the cold seriously affected your desire to move the last several months, let this be a sign to pick up where you left off last summer and reignite your love of running.
March is Run Month at Academy Sports + Outdoors and to kick the month off strong, the brand is partnering with Brooks Beasts professional track team head coach Danny Mackey to share his top tips for getting back into running.
The retail giant was kind of enough to share some of those tips with us, which we outlined below.
Start with intervals: Try interval training with three minutes of jogging followed by three minutes of walking. From there, you can progressively decrease the time spent walking.
Incorporate a warmup: Before hitting the pavement, utilize dynamic moments to get the body warm and ready. The main focus should be on getting your body moving with exercises like leg swings or even adding a walk in between static stretches.
Grab a partner: Running with a group or partner can help encourage your progress. Even if you run solo, set obtainable goals to keep yourself motivated and change up your workouts and cadence to avoid plateauing.
Avoid injuries: Stay hydrated and eat “healthy.” Rather than getting dialed in on nutrition, start by paying attention to what you’re eating so you’re aware of your baseline. And don’t feel like you need to progress quickly. Your heart and lungs tend to get fit quicker than your muscles, so be patient the first few weeks you get back into running and utilize recovery days.
Armed with sound advice, now it's time to upgrade your gear for items guaranteed to last from the first mile to the 100th. We listed seven of our favorite products from Academy Sports + Outdoors below, along with helpful feedback. Now all that's left to do is take the first step.
"I had never owned a pair of Nike running shoes, and while preparing to train for a 5K race, I decided to purchase the Pegasus based on reviews. I am so glad I did! These shoes are awesome!"
"I’ve been running with this belt and it works great. Tightening the belt so it is snug helps keep the bottle from bouncing noticeably at all. I hardly even notice it is there. I like to put electrolyte liquid in it with ice, but my electrolyte liquid would be diluted by the end. So I made electrolyte ice cubes. Problem solved. Cold portable rehydration and electrolytes right at hand! I keep hand sanitizer and extra masks in the pouch; my keys and phone fit, too. Everything I need."
"I was looking for an easy and simple vest for my "short"runs late in the night or for a vertical km race, where you can run easy with 2 bottles or one and still able to don't be bother for the weight of a vest when your supplies are few. This nano vest fits perfectly, has enough pockets for gels, bars, headlamp, trek poles and a jacket. Smart move with a not bulky vest!"
"This was an upgrade for us from the traditional foam roller. It’s much firmer and won’t break down like the other ones."
"Very powerful. Deep tissue massage. Careful on areas with shallow tissue."
"Excellent product, great price. I love the features of the Fitbit Charge 4 I would just suggest maybe just need more fashionable and color options."
