Yuzon owns Second Wind, a store that specializes in all things running located in Teachers Village in Quezon City. He introduced video gait analysis when he opened the store in March.

Already common in other countries, video gait analysis allows runners to identify certain factors in picking out the ideal pair of running shoes.

“Its advantage is you can actually see the foot in motion, assess the proper biomechanics and rate of pronation since running shoes are designed not only for comfort but also to address those kind of needs,” said Yuson.

A runner himself, Yuson understands the needs of other runners and tries to help them in their quest for the perfect pair. He also envisions Second Wind to become a converging point for people passionate about running.

It begins by making the customer run on a treadmill for less than a minute – barefoot and preferably in shorts (or pants folded up past the knees). Why? Because the entire portion of the knee to the heel will be captured on video while running.

“From there, we playback the video and assess their foot pronation,” said Yuson.

Pronation is the movement of the subtalar joint between the talus and calcaneus, anatomically speaking. Overpronation, Yuson pointed out, poses risks of injury for runners.

“With a static assessment, some will just recommend them to use a stability shoe but with gait analysis, we can assess if it’s just a mild overpronation and further prescribe which shoe suits best,” said Yuson.

Running shoes also come in different categories. Lightweight shoes are ideal for people a five-minute phase per kilometer.

‘Stability’ shoes are often suggested for overpronators, although depending on the level of pronation. Cushioning is recommended for beginners who aim for comfort while improving mileage.

“Runners always set a goal in every race that is why runners need shoes that will give them optimal performance, not distract their focus,” Yuson said.

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That's a good thing, too, because for 64 days straight, the Austin runner pounded out an average of 45 miles a day, on his feet, as the only American competitor in the Trans Europe Footrace.

In all, he ran 2,800 miles, burned up six pairs of running shoes, endured hip and foot pain, slept on the floors of school gymnasiums and church halls, and lost nearly all his body fat as he crossed Italy, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Finland and Norway.

Secker, who turned 54 on the third day of the race, retired from his job as a vice president at Hoover's, which provides online information about businesses, and forked over $8,000 to enter. He was the only native English speaker among 68 runners in the competition, which began April 19 in Bari, Italy, and finished June 21 in Nordkapp, Norway.

Secker is not new to ultra running. In 2005, he completed the Transe Gaule , running 725 miles across France in 18 days. Two years later he finished the Deutschlandlauf — 800 miles in 17 days.

But the Trans Europe Footrace is the granddaddy of them all.

Each day the racers ran the equivalent of nearly two marathons. Some stages stretched far longer. "These are hellacious distances on fresh legs — in our weary state, they are really daunting," he wrote about a 60-mile day in a blog he kept during the race. For Secker, who struck a conservative pace of 12-minute miles to thwart injury, that meant 13 hours of running.

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Her name is Snickers. She's my 3-year-old chocolate Lab--the friendliest dog my wife and I have ever had. She likes to lie under my office desk when I write, and follows me into the kitchen when I go for coffee. She's great in our Connecticut house, but she's not a house dog. She's a "trail dog," which is what I call her. Running trails is the best part of her day--every day.

She came to live with us, I think, because I missed having a running partner, especially on the trails.

A few years ago we had Toby, a male chocolate Lab, and Guinness, a golden/springer cross. For years they were our farm's protectors and companions, roaming free over two fenced acres. Periodically, Guinness would tunnel under the fence, and they'd both take off for surrounding pastures and swamp. We'd hear reports--they'd caught a woodchuck near Dodd's barn, had crossed Strickland's fields, were behind the Thibs place.

Gone at sunset, they'd wander home before sunrise, muddy and bedraggled, so exhausted and hungover, they'd sleep for 2 days.

When we left the farm for a smaller place, they became my trail dogs. We'd usually run for 3 to 5 miles, Toby running point, me in the middle, Guinness taking up the rear. In time, I noticed they were both slowing. I would have to stop and wait if we pushed a long hill.

But even when they become older and slower, dogs are an advanced species. When I run, 90 percent of my attention is on the trail--tree roots, rocks, mud patches--so I don't trip. Only when I slow or stop do I really notice the color of fall leaves, the silver of a waterfall, the gurgle of a brook, the song of a bird. Even in their old age, Toby and Guinness noticed everything--sniffing roots and trees, splashing through brooks, noses sweeping the ground like mine detectors. After a run, they'd check each other nose first as if to pick up where each had been and what he'd done, reading him like a book, registering scents I'd never notice.

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QUESTION: I am a 31-year-old single mom who has been working out since about January, and have lost 20 pounds so far. My question is, do I eat dinner before or after I work out? Being a single mom, we run a tight schedule. I usually work out as soon as I get home from work, and we don't eat dinner until after 7 p.m. I can't decide if I should work out on a full stomach after dinner, or when I get home before we eat, to get the best results. My workouts usually consist or walking, jogging or biking.

MANNI SAYS: Considering your busy schedule, I would stick with working out before dinner. First of all, if you get your workout in right after work, you are less likely to skip it, since you're getting it done before you are home for the evening. Second, I find it to be uncomfortable to try and work out with a full stomach. I would have a small snack before your workout. I find that I can work out longer, and generally perform better, if I have a little something to eat before I work out.

KJ SAYS: There really has been no documented advantages to either eating before or after a workout that I'm aware of. The total calorie deficit from exercise is not affected by the time of day, or by when you eat your meals. When deciding on what time is best for your daily workout, you want to take into consideration when you have the time and energy to exercise. Consistency and convenience are a big part of a successful fitness regimen.

Kara Taylor and the 32 first- through third-graders she teaches are collecting old athletic shoes to recycle into a variety of products, including athletic surfaces and even new shoes. Sponsored by Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program, the students are collecting worn-out shoes that will eventually find their way to the company’s processing plant in Wilsonville, Ore., where they’ll be chopped into materials the company calls Nike Grind.

The plant separates the shoes into three pieces. The rubber soles are ground up for track, playground and gym-flooring materials, along with new shoe soles, buttons and zipper pulls. The foam midsoles become cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts, while the fabric uppers are used for indoor basketball and volleyball courts and equestrian surfacing products.

Taylor came upon the idea around Christmas after reading about a similar project in Philadelphia. “Immediately, I thought, ‘Wow, this is what we’re all about,’” she said. “This is exactly what we do every day.

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When I was training for the Vermont City marathon in 2004 I developed this nagging anterior knee pain. At that point I was finishing graduate school and starting to work as a personal trainer in Albuquerque for Wellbridge. I turned to an experienced trainer in the knee injury department. He proceeded to show me how to foam roll my IT bands. I couldn’t believe how excruciatingly painful this was. Since I was determined to still run this marathon I continued to use the foam roller on my IT bands, quads, calves and hamstrings. What is so magical about my beloved foam roller might you ask?
 

Runners who put in a lot of mileage often develop knots in their IT bands, quadriceps and hamstrings. Regular stretching is good for healthy muscles, but it doesn’t attack those nasty knots. If you’ve ever had a really good massage therapist you know that the direct pressure releases these knots. You can use a foam roller to apply this direct pressure using your own body weight. 

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The cold, wet, snowy Winter months can definitely make running on a treadmill much more appealing than the great outdoors. There are advantages to both running locations, but one disadvantage of using a treadmill is the belt. The backward motion of the belt assists you by pulling your feet back underneath your body, which means you are exerting less energy to move your feet and legs than when running outdoors on a surface that doesn't provide any momentum. However, you can work your legs more by imagining that you are pulling the belt back with your hamstrings. This idea helps me feel like I am digging in my foot and accessing the power of my hamstrings, which really work to push the body forward when running. The treadmill can get pretty boring, but with this little trick, you have something else to focus on besides watching the clock, and you're building hamstring strength. I call that a win-win situation.

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