How To Run Your Best Marathon

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by Michael Stapenhurst

After all the training, marathon day is finally here! You look out the window to see what the weather looks like, and check the local temperature. Will you meet your marathon goal? Or will you be struggling into the finish…?

A well thought-out race strategy will help you run the best marathon you can. There are many things that can affect you during this long event. If you have thought about them previously then you will be make the right adjustments during the run and complete a successful marathon.

The main factors that will affect your performance during the race are:

* Your marathon goal
* Your pacing
* Your conditioning and fitness level
* The weather
* The marathon course

Your marathon goal
An over-optimistic target time and race pace is the primary cause of marathoners running into problems such as leg cramps, hitting the wall and running out of energy well before the end of the race.

One of the most important things you can do at the start of the race is take into account the main factors that can affect your performance and modify your target time if necessary. For example if the weather is extreme, especially too hot, you would do well to add 10 – 15 minutes to your goal. I usually add 30 seconds to my pace, which equates to 13 minutes extra.

This is a hard choice to make after all your training, but it's better to be realistic up front than to 'crash' at the 18 mile mark and limp into the finish line.

Your Pacing
It's usually better to start out at a slower pace than your intended race pace. Don't expect to run the complete race at exactly the same pace – it just doesn't happen that way.
"But if I go slower at the beginning" you say, "I'll never meet my goal". Wrong! The common belief that you will slow down in the second half is only true because you went out too fast in the first half!

So, if it's a warm day, or a challenging course, take those first few miles easy (30 seconds to one minute slower than your "intended" pace), and see how things work out.
If the weather is hot, you definitely need to go slower for the first few miles. Your body will adjust to the conditions, and you will be able to gradually pick up the pace.

Your conditioning and fitness level
If you haven't done enough training then you are probably going to have a tough time, unless you take it really easy. On the other hand if you have done too much hard training you could also get tired long before mile 26. This is difficult to judge at the start of a race, but you should look back over your training anyway. Did you run a 20 miler less than three weeks prior to the marathon for example?

Have you caught a cold recently? I normally monitor my pulse rate on a regular basis during training. If this is elevated on race day, it's a sign that your body might be fighting an infection. Remember if you are not feeling 100% fit, you should modify your target finish time.

The weather
The weather can have a huge impact on your race. It is most important that you start out slower to compensate for adverse weather until you are used to the conditions. Then you can gradually pick up the pace. If you are running into a headwind, you will be using more energy than normal, and will tire too soon if you keep pushing the pace early on.

The Marathon Course
It helps a lot if you are familiar with the marathon course, either because you have run it before or you have driven it. Many marathons boast of a 'flat' course but when you're at mile 18 even a slight incline can feel like a mountain if you are struggling. If the course is known for having some challenging spots like Heartbreak Hill at Boston, my advice is to ease up before you get there so you have some energy in reserve.

Conclusion
There is a lot more to running the marathon than just completing the 26 miles. This is a long endurance event that can wear down even the best-trained athletes. If you follow the pointers above, you'll increase your chances of finishing the race without too much difficulty.

Mike is a fitness enthusiast, runner and walker. To learn more about running the marathon, download a copy of his Free report 'Marathon Race Strategies' Mike is also the developer of customized training logbooks. To get your own personalized Running Log, visit Mike's web page Custom Running Logs. His website about marathon information and training can be found at: 26.2 - The Marathon Website.

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Martial Arts Equipment – Progress in Martial Arts

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by Phil Burney

The first and last thing you need to remember about martial arts is that it is a field of discipline that is supposed to prepare you for combat. It is not simply a set of movements that look great to spectators. Every movement, every breath done by the martial artist is meant to accomplish something during a combat encounter. If you are ready for the idea of using your martial arts skills for combat situations, then you are ready to train and progress in martial arts.

Inasmuch as the term "Martial Arts" literally means "the art of Mars" (Mars being the god of war in Roman mythology), you should be prepared to invest in martial arts equipment to train for highly combative situations. Though some cultures frown upon women taking part in martial arts, there are other cultures that expect women to learn martial arts too – like in ancient Japan, wives of samurai warriors were expected to defend the home if attacked in the absence of their husbands.

Martial arts can be subdivided as to what skills they seem to prioritize – this will tell you what types of martial arts equipment you need to use. For striking, you may need the "wooden dummy" that is used as Chinese martial arts equipment – this type of Chinese martial arts equipment tries to train your mind to anticipate where angles of attack would come from. For kicking sports like Taekwondo, the necessary martial arts equipment to use would be a mouth-guard and a head-guard (for both male and female jins or fighters.) Male jins need other martial arts equipment like a crotch guard or sport cup so that their groin is not exposed to injury. Chest protectors are standard martial arts equipment for amateur matches and Olympic-level matches. However, in real life you should expect such protective martial arts equipment to be absent so some sparring matches involve absence of any protective gear, so you get used to being in real-life combat situations.

Uniforms are standard martial arts equipment for nearly all martial arts nowadays. Often, you can distinguish what type of martial arts is being done based on what the fighters are wearing. But uniforms are not just pleasant to look at – since they are made of thick material, they are pretty durable so that they can withstand constant strikes and friction during combat situations. Uniforms nowadays are also made of breathable material like thick cotton so that fighters don't overheat or feel too uncomfortable in the heat of a match.

Since martial arts were developed for combat, often fighters or martial artists might be members of the military. In the Western context then, it may be necessary to have access to important martial arts equipment such as strength training equipment. Though in the past, the weight of your opponent may have been enough to workout with, nowadays many martial arts recognize that strength training is quite important too. So if you can find a way to buy your own gym equipment (as your investment into necessary martial arts equipment) or at least rent them by the hour, that would help you develop strength and power for your matches.

In many Chinese martial arts, there are other forms of martial arts equipment that Western martial arts do not require. Some Chinese disciplines will require you to break wooden blocks or planks with your fist. This simple yet staple among Chinese martial arts equipment tests your power, focus, and ability to marshal your chi (energy) into your fist where it meets the wood. Another type of necessary martial arts equipment for the Chinese martial arts would be concrete blocks. Some instructors may ask you to break these concrete blocks with your fist, feet, or even your head.

As you can see, the Chinese martial arts require a different set of martial arts equipment compared to the Western type of martial arts. Do invest in the type of martial arts equipment appropriate for your discipline. Martial arts equipment will help you be a stronger, better and more confident fighter in the end.

http://www.Prokarate.com offers a full online catalog of MMA supplies, Boxing Equipment, and Martial Arts weapons.

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Whitetail Deer Hunting Tips

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by Joshua McNiel

Whitetail deer hunting has been a popular sport of hunters for countless years. However, if you are a novice, you should read this article for valuable whitetail deer hunting tips.

The whitetail deer is a medium sized deer found throughout Canada, Mexico, Peru, and most of the U.S., with the exception of Hawaii, Nevada, Utah, and California. When deer populations rise they can cause massive damage to crops, and a large number of vehicle fatalities, which is why it is important for hunters to keep the population regulated.

The best whitetail deer hunting tips will be made by yourself over time, but these tips will help you during your whitetail hunting times:

* Scout - Every hunting area and terrain is different, and you need to know the land before you head off to find the monster whitetail. Go out during the day and look for paths which look like they were cleared by deer, tracks, and look for any whitetail deer markings on the ground or trees. Bucks like to rub their antlers on the bark of trees, this is easy to spot. Also look for water and food sources. Whitetail deer will stay wherever the can find their food. If you have a GPS device, you can mark these areas.

* Practice Shooting - It doesn't matter if you hunt whitetail deer with a bow, rifle, or shotgun, you need to target practice. Nothing will compare to an actual deer, but target practicing will definitely give you an edge and it's always good to make sure your rifle scope is set correctly.

* Start Early - Whitetail deer are generally more active and move around sunrise and sunset. This doesn't mean you won't see a whitetail during the day, but alot of bucks I've taken down have been during those times. If you hunt from a tree stand, I recommend getting up the tree and set up 30 minted before sunrise.

* Quite and Still - It's important to remain quite and still when hunting for whitetail deer. You never know when that monster buck will walk up to you, and all it takes is a cough or ruffle of your clothes to scare him away. If you need to move, take a close look around you to make sure there are no whitetail nearby.

* Visibility - If you hunt from a stationary position, such as a tripod, or tree stand, you need to have good visibility around you. If you don't, you won't be able to get a clear shot off and you might as well find another spot. Always bring a small handsaw with you, oftentimes clearing branches away will give you added visibility.

These are just a few tips for hunting whitetail deer. Just be patient, safe, and have fun!

For more information on deer and deer antlers, visit DeerAntlersForSale.com

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All About Famous Golfers

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by Kelly Renaul

Patty Berg is nationally recognized as one of the most accomplished women golfers. Born on February 13th, 1918 and was a golf school instructor, founding member and leading player on the LPGA, Ladies Professional Golf Association in the 1940's, fifties and sixties. Berg began playing golf in 1931 at the age of thirteen, and her amateur career in 1934, winning her first title in the Minneapolis City Championship.

Berg turned professional in 1940, after winning twenty-nine amateur titles, and served as a lieutenant in the Marines during WWII. In 1948, she played an integral part in establishing, and later presiding over the LPGA. Throughout her career, Berg won fifty seven events on the LPGA and WPGA circuit, was the runner up in both the 1956 and 1959 LPGA championships, and achieved wins at the 1953, 1957, and 1958 Western Opens.

In addition to her impressive list of victories and wins, Berg was also well known throughout the pro golf circuit for her work within the golf school clinics she conducted on behalf of Wilson Sporting Goods, and she herself estimated that had led more than ten thousand of these clinics during the course of her career.

The LPGA tour began in 1944 as the Women's Professional Golf Association or WPGA, founded by Hope Seignious, Betty Hicks, and Ellen Griffin. The organization struggled until nineteen fourty eight, when Wilson Sporting Goods began sponsoring it, and in 1951, the LPGA tour was founded, and Patty Berg was elected as president. A year later, the organization had a twenty-one event schedule, and Hall of Fame member Betty Jameson donated the Vare Trophy to the tour in honor of amateur great Glenna Collett Vare. A few short years later, in 1959, the LPGA Tour prize money totaled two hundred thousand dollars.

Without the talent, dedication, and effort of players like Patty Berg, women today would not have the benefit of LPGA affiliation, or the many women's golf school opportunities that exist. For women who wish to improve their golf game, there are many great golf school opportunities available. In Arizona, golf schools like Wild Horse Pass, Phoenix Goodyear, Prescott, and Napa, in affiliation with the Eagle Golf School, offer three, four, and five day options, all taught by LPGA professionals. These packages include lodging, unlimited practice and play at the courses, daily lunch with an LPGA professional, and all applicable taxes. If you are ready to improve your golf game, Eagle Golf School is a great place to start.

For more information about golfing and private golf lessons visit out site.

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Playing smart with online casinos

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by Steve Briggs

Recent events in the online poker world which I will elaborate later upon, have echoed what I have been telling players for years about financial matters with online casinos and it is obviously good advice to this day. To be diligent about your banking when dealing with online casinos and poker rooms. Never leave more money in your account than is likely to be needed in the near future, although its fine to leave that much in there without too much worry. However if you accumulate a considerable amount or hit a big win all at once its best get a good amount out but to not withdraw all of it at one time. This is just to always take the most cautious and wisest approach to withdrawing large sums of money from online casinos or poker rooms. The reason for this is that unscrupulous establishments will often evaluate your proven gambling history with them and if they summize the money you are withdrawing is more than they think would ever be gained back from you then they simply do not pay. Of course this is not the norm but it is good advice to plan for the worst when handling your financial matter to help assure no problems will arise.

Yes there are those players who will insist they have the right to take all their money when they want ... and they are correct. But my experience of over eight years in the online gambling niche tells me that you take the approach of standing up for your rights and endure a bigger chance of not getting paid or you can be a little smarter than the average bear and let somebody prove a point while risking their money. One of the reasons for only withdrawing a portion of your large accumulation is that if you are playing a casino that evaluates players as mentioned in the first paragraph is that the casino is much more likely to pay you the half because they will be thinking you are planning on playing off the remaining funds.

While this is not the case to which i first eluded, the results are without doubt proof that you shouldn't keep any more funds in an account than what you can afford to have tied up for a period of time in case of unexpected problems arising.

The incident in the poker world is with those places using the "Poker Dream" platform which according to their own officials have been victim to a credit card scam covering the globe but sadly it has led to the freezing of legit player accounts as well as those who may be guilty. This writer assumes those funds will eventually be released but who knows when this will happen and then there is always the risk that the scam could lead to bankruptcy in which case any accounts frozen will have even less chance of recovery. Some of the poker rooms by name are "Poker Retreat", "Ducks Full", "Kruz Radio" and "Dawwgs Hold'em".

One last thing about being diligent with your banking at online casinos and poker rooms is it keeps you on the cutting-edge of the direction your chosen gaming establishment is headed in the future. If payments become slower or harder to meet cash-in requirements then it may be time to tighten your belt at that specific place in order to reduce any possible future losses if your suspicions are correct. There is certainly no downside to keeping your money close other than the cost of transfering funds back and forth from your ewallet but that may prove a small price in comparison to losing a big bankroll that your "little voice" had warned you to get out.

Steve Briggs is the author of this article on Online casinos. Find more information at www.casino-high-roller.com

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Choosing a Proper Fishing Light

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by Ben Anton

Fishing is a popular activity. There are commercial fishermen who depend on their catch to provide an income for them and their family. There are amateur fishermen who simply love the sport of fishing, who spend weekends in search of the perfect lake, pond or river. No matter why an individual chooses to fish it is important to have the right fishing gear. There are many choices available to an angler. Different people prefer different lures, lines, flies, leaders, hooks, weights, reels and rods. Fishing gear that works well for one individual doesn't necessarily work well for another. There is one common denominator among all fishermen – their tackle box is filled with their favorite fishing gear.

When packing a tackle box, a flashlight or torch is a useful addition. Fishing does not always end when the sun goes down. In fact many people enjoy night fishing and for specific species fishing at night is almost necessary. Outdoor lighting equipment is essential for this type of fishing. Even for anglers who fish during daylight hours, packing a flashlight is definitely a good idea to help avoid getting lost or trapped in a muddy or boggy area along the river banks. No one ever wants to get lost after dark. LED flashlights or any piece of equipment with LED lights are terrific lighting options for fishermen. LED lighting provides hours of bright, clean light perfect for outdoor activity.

There are many terrific lighting options for fishermen on the market today, many of the best of which are available through online retailers. LED lights serve to provide the best overall value for fishermen. They have a longer battery life than any traditional flashlight or torch available. The technology used in these lights creates a bulb that is much more durable and longer-lasting than an incandescent bulb. This makes them perfect for outdoor use. Commercial fishermen that need professional level LED lights can find flashlights that will suit their needs. Amateur fishermen will find a great selection of quality LED lights at a lower price. There are lights available to suit any level of need.

Besides basic LED flashlights, fishermen can find headlamps, keychains with LED lights and compasses built in, tackle box lights and more at their disposal. Headlamps and flexlights are ideal for fisherman that want to keep their hands-free for casting, baiting hooks and rowing. Keychain lights add convenience - a bright light that can be connected to a fishing vest, jacket, belt loop or other piece of clothing, making it easy to carry and use. Different LED fisherman lights also offer different light beams, from broad floodlight, precise white light beams to red or blue light.

Preparing to go fishing, whether for commercial reasons or simply for sport, involves time and consideration. If choosing to venture out alone, it is even more important to be prepared for unexpected situations. Besides packing the usual fishing gear in a tackle box, fishermen must consider what light source will help them while outdoors to stay safe and successful while on the lake or river. Even if planning to fish in the daytime, a flashlight is a necessary item for any tacklebox or survival kit.

~ Ben Anton, 2008

Ben Anton lives in Portland, OR.
Find fishing and camping equipment including LED headlamps, flashlights and other high-powered lights on the Coast website for outdoor sporting lights for fishing, camping and hunting.

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No Bikes Allowed - Skate Parks

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by Bobby Hanswell

It's early Saturday morning and the local skate park appears to be empty? It just so happens that your BMX bike is in the back of your car, how lucky! A quick U-turn and your car grinds to a halt in the skate park lot. With great excitement, the car door flings open and your bike hits the gravel parking lot. You ride through the gate and take one last glance, nope - the park is empty. Selecting your first line, your front tire leaves the lip as you enter the park. Suddenly, you hear screams from the back fence, "no bikes allowed"! Chills climb down your back and your heart sinks. Looking back, two kids just over 10 years old are screaming at you while holding their skateboards. Been there?

"No Bikes Allowed" at public skate parks is a growing issue across the country. Tax payer money is spent every year to the "tune" of hundreds of thousands of dollars to support one sport and exclude another. Is this really fair? Worst yet, is there a legitimate reason? When challenging skaters and public officials about the no bikes policy, they express concern regarding damage, safety, and user conflicts. Is this accurate?

Damage Caused by Bikes is the number one response that we continually hear from skateboarders. We can believe this statement to be true for older parks that have not been designed for BMX use. However, what about all of the new parks being built? In some parts of the country, cities are building parks that co-integrate bikes and skateboards. These cities spend a little extra money to construct a higher density cement to withstand pegs and pedals. This is the solution and the way to spend tax payer money. Also, there are pegs and pedals that are designed to be "skate park friendly". So, obviously there are solutions for reducing damage at newer skate parks.

Safety Concerns are a major worry expressed by most municipalities. It is believed by many that the speed and weight of a BMX bike would cause collisions to be more severe. This is a perceived liability for most cities. While we can't say that collisions will not happen, we can say that collisions can be avoided by teaching simple skate park etiquette. For example, users should call out their line verses entering blindly. Most skateboarders hate to admit that when an experienced BMX freestyle rider is present, they get along just fine. The problem tends not to be the type of user, but the experience of the user. Collisions, whether they be skateboard to BMX or skateboard to skateboard are typically caused by a young or inexperienced user jumping blindly into someone's line or run. By simply dedicating a few hours a week, new riders and skaters can be introduced to skate park etiquette and learn how to ride and skate safely.

Another method used by some cities is to share time between skaters and bikers. Typically, bikes are allowed every other hour. This also seems to be a successful way of managing time between skaters and bikers.

The last conflict seems to be the growing "turf war" between BMX riders and skaters. Most skaters feel strongly that BMX freestyle riders are infringing on the efforts put forth by the skating community to get the municipalities to construct skate parks. These strong emotional efforts often give skaters a strong sense of ownership over these parks. As BMX riders who share these parks, we owe these skaters a big thank you for all of their efforts. The truth is that a decade ago, the sport of skating was in the minority. These skaters have fought their whole lives to have legitimate places to skate. What skaters need to realize is that BMX freestyle riders are now facing the same difficulties that skaters dealt with a decade ago. This is good reason for BMX riders to gain the support of local skating communities to aid in constructing high density concrete parks and establish sharing guidelines so that all users can enjoy these parks.

The bottom line is that a public skate park is paid for by the public via tax payer dollars. Tax payers are not only skateboarders, but also BMX freestyle riders. We often hear that skateboarding is not just a sport, but a way of life. Well, BMX freestyle riders and other aggressive bike riders feel that same passion.

Bobby Hanswell is a contributing author of http://www.pedalcrunch.com PedalCrunch offers a community for aggressive cycling enthusiasts. At PedalCrunch you'll find Reviews, How-to Guides, Rants & Rights, News, Videos, Great Deals on Products and more! If you're into Mountain Biking, Downhill Mountain Biking, Dual Slalom, Dirt Jumping, or BMX, check us out at http://www.pedalcrunch.com

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