APART FROM ANY OTHER
Read: Ephesians 2 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” --Ephesians 2:8-9
The greatest thing about Christianity, the thing that sets it totally apart from every other religious system, is grace. Jesus is the only God we can serve who offers us salvation apart from our own efforts -- the only one who views us individually as though we have already achieved our full potential, rather than looking for flaws and reasons to discount us. The only One Who invites us to cross the bridge into perfection He already laid down, rather than requiring us to build one ourselves. The only One Who invites us to rest in the knowledge that He already did it -- and all that’s left for us is to trust and obey.
–Karla Dial
PrayFit guest writer Karla Dial is a freelance journalist based in Colorado Springs, Colo., and has been an avid fitness enthusiast for 10 years. You can check out her PrayFit workout journal by clicking here.
HIGH INTENSITY FOR BETTER RUNS It may be time to swap out your old running routine for this time saving approach
American ultramarathoner Josh Cox, when asked what the best approach is for people who want to start running races, said to "just get out and run." Can't deny that game plan. After all, no one wins 10Ks or marathons from their couch. But once you muster the ambition to get out and pound the pavement, what works best? Simply aiming for max mileage or taking a more "scientific" approach?
A recent study performed by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, runners cut their 10K times by a full minute by reducing their total weekly mileage and incorporating high-intensity intervals.
In the study, runners cut their average weekly mileage down from 34.2 to 20.6 miles. Then, 2-3 times per week, they performed 8-12 sprints at 95% effort, resting 3 minutes between sprints. The study author attributes the drastic improvements in their 10K times to the rise in a protein that regulates the endurance-sapping potassium that builds up around muscle fibers during intense exercise.
So regardless of whether you're just running to get in shape or to compete, you'd be best served by trying some sort of high-intensity interval training a few times per week. You'll save time while improving your overall athleticism.
Source: Men's Health (04/10)
RUN FOR FUN: Share your running tips, thoughts, goals and experiences in the official PrayFit Runners Forum.
