Runner 6

Quad Stretch:

The Quadriceps are a group of muscles located at your thigh that are extremely important for running as they extend your leg. As assumed from the name, your quads are made up of four different muscles. Unlike the calf stretch, each stretch will stretch more than one of the four muscles, but doing more than one of the stretches will yield better results. 

The most common and simple quad stretch is the standing quad stretch. Support yourself against a wall with your arm, and with your other hand, hold up your leg (same side as the arm that is holding it) around the ankle, and pull until you feel a stretch on the front of your thigh. Usually, forty-five seconds to a minute is enough per leg for this stretch.

After stretching against a wall, find a mat or a soft place to lie down. While on your side, leave the leg on the ground extended and pull back on your other leg with the same side arm. With your other arm, prop your head up. If you do not feel much, push your hip forward and this will increase the stretching. Give each leg around thirty seconds before switching. 

Lastly, push your matt up against a wall so that it is flush with the wall (or get a small towel or pad and place it next to the wall). Kneel on one knee and lift up the foot whose knee is on the ground. Reverse until the lifted leg is against the wall (your other leg should be at a 90º angle. Keep your hands on your hips and face forward. Hold this stretch for at least 30 seconds and then switch.

Runner 5

Different stretches:


There are roughly seven hundred muscles in your body. Muscles that perform all different types of tasks in different manners. Luckily for us, we only need to stretch a handful of them to perform efficiently and properly.

Calves:
The calf is a very important muscle to stretch, and it is composed of three main parts: the Gastrocnemius,  Soleus, and Achilles tendon. Each muscle must be stretched in a distinct way.

The Gastrocnemius, or outer calf, can be stretched in the orthodox manner: sitting down, extending a leg, and trying to touch your toes. A better version of this would be to bring an elastic rope or band of some sort, extend both of your legs while on the ground, rap the cord around your feet and pull back. Both ways stretch the outer calf, and you should feel a burn right beneath your knee at the upper calf.





Next, stretch your Soleus, or middle to lower calf. Resume from the Gastrocnemius stretch, however this time, pull your foot in towards your body while keeping your heal on the ground. Bring your heal up to right below where your other foot's knee is.



Lastly,  stretch your achilles tendon by pulling your heal in even further to where you can feel a burn in your lower calf. If you do not feel anything, try a different form of the stretch: stand up facing a wall or curb, put your heal on the floor, and the bottom of your foot on the wall. Inch your heal closer and closer to the wall until you feel an adequate burn. If you are on a curb, it may help to put your opposite foot in front of you over the curb.

Runner 4

Stretching:

You have probably been told to stretch before you run or perform vigorous exercises. I myself have become accustomed to stretching before and after every run I do. Why do we stretch? Is stretching even good for you?

Stretching was thought to loosen muscles, prevent injuries, and prepare for a workout of any sort. I view it as waking my muscles up before forcing them to work. When I do not stretch, I feel like my muscles are cold and resistant, almost as if they are more prone to getting pulled or strained; granted, I have never directly related an injury that I have had to in proper stretching.

Believe it or not, scientific tests in the lab showed that stretching in most cases does not aid the body, and in extreme cases can even worsen the muscle state. Prolonged stretching can backfire and make a muscle more tight than it already has been. Science blatantly states that there is no direct relationship between stretching and athletic performance.

Why then do so many runners ignorantly stretch? The truth is that many athletes, raised in the habit of stretching and warming up, find it unnatural and uneasy to perform without proper drills before hand. If anything, stretching becomes a placebo to injuries or mental stress.

Whether stretching turns out to be good, pointless, or even harmful, I will continue to stretch. For me, stretching helps give a reassured and confident mind, where I know my body is ready to train, or perform, and ultimately, a science lab cannot be certain about everything.

Runner: 3

Now- time for the running. As mentioned earlier, there are two types of training: distance and speed. Both are equally important in their own realms. For beginners, however, it is better to focus on distance rather than speed. Speed workouts are more intense, and for a body that is not accustomed to running in general, it should be eased into a harder training.

This being said, the initial distance you run should be relative to the shape your body is in. If you have not ran much recently, it is probably best you begin with three miles. If the three miles seems too easy, increase the mileage to four or five. You should not go any higher at first, as this will be very shocking to your body. Instead, it is best that you up the mileage every week or so.

Time yourself! A watch with a timer is essential to any runner aiming to improve. If possible, trace out your routes before you run them, and know where the mile marks are approximately. When you pass this point on your run, be sure to glance at your watch and see what the time is. When you cross the next mile, figure out what your mile pace was, and see if you slowed down, or sped up.

It is best to run even, or run negative. Now, this does not mean to run in a depressed, gloomy matter. Running negative implies that your splits decrease per mile, or segment that you are timing. This will be more crucial during speed workouts; however, it is never bad to aim for on a distance run. The opposite of this would be running positive, which is NEVER good to do. Keep this in mind while you trek down the streets on your adventures.

When given the choice, you should always run on softer surfaces. In order from best to worse: hard/wet sand, grass, dirt/gravel, asphalt, cement. Cement. Cement is the worst possible surface to run on. It increases the chance of injury, especially shin splints (which will be discussed later). Many inexperienced runners will run on the cement, when there is an open bike lane next to them - choose the bike lane! With this advice, you can safely enjoy your distance running! 

Runner: 2

Cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Two very big words; two very important meanings. What are the cardiovascular and respiratory systems? What do they do? How does running strengthen them? 

The cardiovascular system is the body process involved with the heart and blood vessels. The heart pumps blood through all of the one-hundred thousand miles of blood vessels your body has. Blood helps to carry oxygen to cells from the lungs, and carbon dioxide from the cells back to the lungs; it also ships all the nutrients from your digestive system to each and every cell - including water.

While the cardiovascular system is a remarkable process our body performs, it is not completely safeguarded against problems. Heart attacks and strokes are the end results of bad cardiovascular treatment. These occur because extra fat in the body builds up in the arteries of your body, restricting and sometimes blocking the artery all together.

Running cleans out the arteries in our bodies because of the amount of energy it calls for. When we run, our body first converts sugar to energy, then fat. The fat is gathered from all areas of our bodies, including the arteries- widening the artery and allowing more blood flow. Also, our hearts, constantly pumping throughout the workout, are strengthened and become healthier.

Directly tied with the cardiovascular system is the respiratory system. This is the system that deals with breathing, and focuses on the lungs. Running helps increase our lung capacity and allows us to breath steadier and controlled during strenuous workouts. Our lungs become skilled at taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, the byproduct of cellular respiration. This, combined with the cardiovascular system, makes our bodies exercising machines, and allows us to push ourselves to new limits.

Distance running has been proven to both clear out arteries, strengthen the heart, and increase lung capacity. These side effects not only are extremely beneficial to your body, but will help you along your pathway to becoming a serious runner. 

Runner: 1

Running. Some see it as a leisurely hobby, others an exercising tool. I myself, see it as a competitive sport- a sport that exemplifies pure effort and separates the diligent from the sloths. A sport where a minimal amount of skill is needed, but consistent mental strength and motivation is demanded.

As a part of the Fountain Valley High School Cross Country varsity team, “running” does not simply describe what I do, or aim to do. Running FAST is always my goal; and just as the word “fast” is a subjective word, so is it safe to say that I can never truly accomplish my goal.

From time to time though, you may find, that in always aspiring to do better and looking forward, your previous performances, or personal records (PR), will be sub par for your capabilities now. However, improvement does not knock at the door for you to simply accept- it must be worked at and wanted. With good training (at your level) and an adequate eating lifestyle, you will find that running at your previous pace will feel prime and thoughts of running faster will tempt you.

There are two specific categories of workouts that every avid runner should perform: distance runs, and speed training. Both workouts should be dealt with appropriately, according to your physical fitness level. Distance runs can range anywhere from three miles to fifteen miles. As you improve, you will want to increase your mileage on distance days. Speed training consists of very specific workouts that all aim to improve different aspects of running. The main two categories are tempos and intervals (more detail will be given about these in blogs to come). Proper use of these workouts will lead to certain improvement on your running.

In short, if you routinely perform the proper stretching and workouts necessary to improve, you will see fruit in your running ability. I aim to help you improve at running, whether it is a hobby or a sport to you. In the end, just remember, running is all what you make out of it.

iPod Nano (2012)

From it's first release, the iPod nano has undergone many upgrades and changes. The most significant upgrade was adding a touch screen. However, the product was said to be too small for comfort and difficult to handle. The new iPod Nano is the perfect compromise between nano and control.

The iPod Nano is a mere 3.01 inches tall and 1.56 inches wide. However, the awe comes from its thickness at only 5.4 millimeters. It weighs 1.1 ounces, which for its size isn't anything too special. The iPod Nano is encased in Apple's new strong aluminum casing and comes in 7 colors. 

As of right now, Apple has limited the iPod Nano to a 16 Gigabyte version. However, one upgrade Apple installed is the Multi-Touch display (2.5 inches). With this new larger display, the iPod Nano is capable of playing video. One other feature of the iPod Nano is its FM or AM radio installed. 

As far as the external changes, Apple added its infamous home button to the iPod Nano, giving it the same ability as an iPod Touch or iPhone. Also, with its current generation in other products, Apple switched to the new Lightning connector instead of the old connection. The battery life on the new iPod Nano is roughly 3.5 hours of video playback, but a whole 30 hours of music playback. 

Overall, the iPod Nano is a nice gadget to have. It's not bad for its price, however, I would wait until the price drops a little bit. If you're not into the complications of an iPod touch or iPhone, then the iPod Nano is perfect for you. 

The iPad Was Just Too Large

On October 23, 2012, Apple released one of its new products this season: the iPad Mini. The iPad mini compromises a handheld device with a tablet. It is large enough to give that immersing affect while small enough to fit in your hand.

As usual, the iPad Mini is lighter and thinner than the iPad. It only weighs .68 pounds and is merely 7.2 millimeters thick. The iPad mini offers a 7.9 inch screen (1.8 inches smaller than the original iPad). It is comparatively larger than its competitors: the Nexus 7 (7-inch screen) or the Kindle (7-inch screen). The new screen doesn't provide the stunning retina display advertised in the new MacBook Pro, however, it does have the same amount of pixels (1024 x 768) as the old iPad which means: it has better resolution, and all the old apps and programs that ran on the original iPad will work exactly the same on the new iPad Mini.


The iPad Mini comes with 16 Gigabytes of storage and Wi-Fi at a starting price of only $329. It runs on apples A5 chip with a dual-core processor. Apple will also release 32 Gigabyte and 64 Gigabyte versions. It comes equipped with two 5 MegaPixel cameras and FaceTime High Definition for the ultimate video chatting experience. It can be made to run on an LTE internet as fast as the larger iPads. Its connection however is with the newer Lightning connector - Apple's new connection that replaces its older, larger connection. Apple boasts that the iPad Mini can support up to 10 hours of usage on the battery. On top of all this, the iPad Mini looks just as spectacular as any other Apple product, with precision cut edges made of a strong aluminum case. The iPad Mini is definitely a great addition to Apple's arsenal of products, and it will definitely have competing tablet producers petrified.

The New iMac: Breathtaking or Deceiving?

Wow. Apple has always succeeded in making products that look as good as they perform, but never before has Apple made a product so thin yet powerful. After a year and a half of waiting, Apple fans were really anticipating what the new product would provide. To their joy, the new iMac has more than the old iMac had, in less space, and is quite simply beautiful.

Now, not to get too carried away, we must remember how well of a job Apple does at advertising their products as well. It is important to look beyond the delicately taken photos and intense lines of text, and see what Apple has really done to improve the old product. If you were to look at the new iMac from a front view, it would look so similar to the older model, that it would be difficult to decide which model was which. However, change your point of view to a side angle, and you find a beautifully crafted work of art that thins itself down to a few millimeters.

Now, another misconception is that the iMac is the same thickness all throughout. Unfortunately, the computer must have some components inside and therefore requires more space than a few millimeters. The back of the iMac is beveled and opens up to about 6.9 inches. While this may seem relatively large as compared to the 5 millimeter edge, it is still a whole inch thinner than its predecessor. As far as weight goes, Apple decided to knock off a whole 8 pounds. All of this leaves us with a spectacular desktop that is thinner, lighter, and better looking than the older desktop. 

When it all comes down to reality however, is the iMac a better computer technologically. The new iMac is more or less the old iMac in a smaller casing. With some improvements on the screen, graphics are better. However, as far as the hard drive, CPU, or RAM goes, the new iMac can be fitted with the same components as the previous. 

Why then, would Apple release this new iMac? Is it for the sole purpose of meeting a demand for thinner, lighter, and finer products, or something more? Surprisingly, Apple has a secret motive concealed within the computer. The CPU. Intel is coming out with a new processor in 2012 called the Ivy Bridge. Ivy Bridge will replace Sandy Bridge, its old counterpart. The newer Ivy Bridge processor is said to be significantly faster and energy efficient. Computer companies all around the world are waiting for the release of this revolutionary component. But how does this apply to Apple? Apple right now is stuck in a situation where they have an over stock of Sandy Bridge processors that the company desperately needs to get rid of to make way for the newer Ivy Bridge Processors. To facilitate the usage of the Sandy Bridge Processors, Apple came up with the new iMac running on the old Sandy Bridge Processor in hopes that the increase in iMac sales will use up their unwanted stock of processors. 

Thus, the new iMac could be seen as "breathtaking" or classified as a scam. Whether the iMac is an intentional trick by Apple, or the next stage in Apple's development of the iMac, is a mystery. While it is not necessarily faster than the older version, and doesn't run on the newer Intel processor, it is definitely better looking than any other desktop Apple has made before. 

iPhone 5 or Galaxy S3?

The prestigious iPhone 5 hit the sales market with unprecedented impact. Its demand immediately was higher than its supply. Experts say that by the end of December 2012, iPhone 5 sales will crack 26 million. However, as people invest their money into the legendary smart phone Apple so proudly lauds, they begin to realize that the iPhone 5 isn't necessarily the best phone in the market.


Trailing in hind's sight of the iPhone 5 is the Samsung Galaxy S3. The Galaxy S3 offers a wider screen and curved edges for better grip. Also, the smart phone comes with a removable battery that can be replaced after a long time of usage. Additionally, the Galaxy S3 has a micro SD slot for memory access and is faster than most Androids in the market by tackling 2.0 Gigabytes of RAM. The Galaxy S3 still boasts the hardware and memory flexibility and customizability specific to Android, while getting rid of  many of the glitches and fallibilities famous to all Androids.

The iPhone didn't completely lose the battle to the Galaxy S3 however as its screen offers much better resolution, and is almost twice as bright as the S3. Additionally, the Galaxy S3 is much larger than the iPhone 5. Some people consider the size of the phone to be too large for comfort and too much of a hassle. Even though it is larger, the Galaxy S3 is not faster than the iPhone, who's A6 processing chip and iOS stays above all competition.


In the end, making a decision between the iPhone 5 and the Galaxy S3 is mostly dependent on the hairsplitting differences of every phone. If the Galaxy S3 is too large for you, than the iPhone 5 would be your perfect smart phone. However, if Android has always been your preference, then the Galaxy S3 go beyond your expectations. Both smart phones are simply amazing and either would be a great toy.

The New MacBook Pro

In mid-July, Apple released its newest edition of the MacBook Pro series. It was the first product to be released after the death of Steve Jobs, and it took some major renovations. Both its outer appearance and interior design were changed in order to keep the MacBook Pro number one as the market's most powerful notebook.

Apple never fails to make their products look better, and the new MacBook Pro is no exception. It is a fourth of an inch thinner than its predecessor and only weighs 4.46 pounds. The next major change in the MacBook Pro would be the removal of a DVD slot for burning or reading CDs and DVDs. This change was a risk, that left many people devastated, and others indifferent. However, doing so allowed Apple to reach its potential in making the MacBook Pro only .71 inches thick. While the MacBook is thinner, it is not any physically weaker than the older MacBooks thanks to the support and rigidity slots inserted on the lower left and right hand sides of the notebook. In short, the new MacBook Pro is stunning in appearance.

Perhaps the most important upgrade to the MacBook Pro is its new Retina Display screen. With a resolution of 2880 by 1800 pixels, the MacBook Pro can produce sharper images than some HD TVs. It is by far the most advanced of any other notebook on the market.

While the outside appearance and the screen were beautified, Apple's work in the interior have left some even more stunned. The new MacBook Pro can be made to have a 2.7-gigahertz quad core processor and 16-gigabytes of ram. These additions make it the fastest MacBook Pro yet. Other additions include dual microphones and dual speakers on either side of the MacBook to allow for better sound and crisper recordings.

With the extra space from the DVD slot, Apple was able to customize its own battery to make use of every inch of space and increase the battery life to a respectable 7 hours of use. Even more interesting is the argument Apple made by removing the DVD slot and ethernet connection. Apple is making a point that the next generation of technology will be run on Wi-Fi and USB connections. I have the 2011 version MacBook Pro and can attest that the ethernet connection has been of no use to me, however, I am glad to have the DVD slot. Apple did include USB 3.0 connections which allow for faster transferring speeds and an HDMI slot installed directly into the notebook, preventing any need for cables and connections.

Realistically, the new MacBook Pro is not too different from the old MacBook. For extreme users, they will find the faster CPU (central processing unit or processor), GPU (graphics processing unit) and USB 3.0 connections to be very helpful and useful. However, for the average user, such changes are undetectable. If you are one that really enjoys sharp screen resolution, longer battery life, or sleek, slim and light products however, the new MacBook pro was made for you and the performance that it offers tops any other notebook in the market.

iPhone 5 (4s)

The iPhone 5 was released on September 21, 2012, already boasting pre-orders of over 2 million. Clearly, there is a strong demand for this smartphone in society. Apple estimates that iPhone sales will reach 50 million by December. Thus, the question rises: why is everyone head over heals for this new smartphone?

Of course, Apple makes any product they release look revolutionary through their advertising and appearance, but when it comes down to the actual product, how much better is the iPhone 5 from the iPhone 4s? Perhaps the most noticeable of changes would be its dimensions. The iPhone 5 took on a longer frame while staying the same width. It's thinner than its predecessor and weighs significantly less. While many people think its resolution has become more defined, it is merely the difference in the size of the screen. The iPhone 4s had 960 by 640 screen resolution and 326 pixels per square inch (ppi). The newer iPhone has 1136 by 640 screen resolution but still only has 326 ppi. In appearance and size, the iPhone 5 is slightly different from the iPhone 4s, but not revolutionarily.

For some people, looks are only the surface, but it's whats inside that makes all the difference. According to its specifications, the iPhone 5 is much faster and efficient than the iPhone 4s. It boasts an A6 processing chip as opposed to an A5 chip and it now supports a 4G LTE internet connection. Its battery life is slightly longer than before and the iPhone 5 comes in your choice of a 16, 32 or 64 gigabyte version. The front camera moved to the center of the phone and was slightly modified to improve resolution, focus and face recognition. In short, the interior of the iPhone has undergone some remodeling.

On paper, the iPhone 5 looks exactly like Apple wants it to look: simple, better, and revolutionary. However, realistically, Apple hasn't done anything too revolutionary. In fact, the differences made are barely noticeable and easily adaptable. Before its release date, a test was done in the streets where random people were asked to try the new iPhone 5 and say how they liked it. The video on the right explains it all.

In short, the iPhone 5 is the iPhone 4s with a hand full of noticeable, but mostly unnoticeable modifications. However, it is still a great smartphone that is the top of the market of smartphones.