Fully Recycled Running Shoes

They might not be the most technical running shoes, but Worn Again's recycled footwear shows that it is possible to enjoy your favorite sport while respecting the environment literally head to toe. The collection features two unisex styles ofshoes, the model "Escape" and the model "Jack", designed by some of the most creative talent in the United Kingdom, Ajoy Sahu (formerly from Prada) and Asher Clark (from Terra Plana).

Salvaged leather rescued from old automobiles, used coffee bags that have shipped coffee beans from Shanghai to Sichuan, unwanted vintage T-shirts and surplus military jackets denied action, are not the materials you would expect a pair of trainers to be made out of. Both shoes have soles made from recycled rubber, lining from second-hand granddad shirts and the foot beds are covered in reclaimed jeans. Additionally, variation in colour and texture, due to the reused materials, guarantees slight differences in each pair, providing undeniable individuality.

The Worn Again shoe collection (www.wornagain.co.uk) is brought to you by Partners, Terra Plana and Anti-Apathy from a desire to change attitudes and behavior around consumption and recycling. The small, independent companies have joined together with a vision to create a recycled collection in an innovative and aesthetically pleasing way. With an emphasis on improving social and environmental standards in all areas of its operations, Worn Again invites the consumer to become part of a transparent and growing company, which aims to create the ultimate in responsibly-produced footwear.

Part of the profits generated from Worn Again help to support Anti-Apathy's innovative public outreach work, which aims to inspire and engage a wider audience in social and environmental issues. Part of the profits from every pair of sold shoes also goes to Climate Care to offset carbon emissions from the manufacture and transport of the shoes.

Exercise relieves pain from plantar fasciitis

Exercise relieves pain from plantar fasciitis

Medical Daily Staff Writer | 05 November 2010 @ 09:49 am EDT

Researchers have found that treating patients with acute plantar fasciitis with stretching exercise provides better relief than shockwave therapy.

In a study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, researchers found that patients responded to stretching exercises and in fact most of them could resume their normal activity.

Around 102 patients with acute plantar fasciitis pain were part of the study. Doctors in the US treat more than two million patients with plantar fasciitis every year, making it the most common cause of pain the bottom of the heal. Most of the patients can find relief doing simple treatment methods.

“The earlier you understand how stretching fits in, and the earlier you learn how frequently to perform the simple plantar stretch, the less likely you will require a more invasive treatment method,” said John Furia, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Pennsylvania and one of the study authors.

“Shockwave therapy has been shown to be a very effective treatment for patients with chronic plantar fasciitis (pain for more than six to eight weeks), however acute cases are probably best treated with more simple measures,” he added.

Patients are advised by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) to use seated position for doing these stretching exercises.

“I am a firm believer in this type of stretch and nearly 80 percent of my patients have shown improvement in just eight weeks of stretching therapy,” said Judy Baumhauer, orthopedic surgeon and president-elect of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), who was not part of the study.

Race Details

Event Details 

Run along a fast and very flat out-and-back course through the area known to locals as the "Olde Naples" section of town, the Naples Daily News Half Marathon takes runners through the city streets, residential neighborhoods and waterfront districts of this south Florida city that lies near the state's southern tip and just a short drive from perhaps its greatest ecological treasure, Everglades National Park.

Sponsored by the Naples Daily News local newspaper and the Gulf Coast Runnersathletic club, the race is a longtime tradition in the Naples area and features both natural and man-made scenery, from the waters of the Gulf of Mexico to the architectural beauty of the multi-million-dollar homes runners pass on their way along the race route.

Following an out-and-back course that starts and finishes in Naples' Cambier Park, runners leave the starting line at 7:00 AM and begin heading first west and then southward along Gordon Drive, which they follow for the next three and a half miles all the way down to the turnaround point at the lands' end spot at the end of the road. There, they turn around and head back along the course they've just run until they hit Kings Town Drive, where they turn and head into the Champrey Bay and Galleons Cove neighborhoods.

Thanks to the race's multiple turnaround points, at the end of Gordon Drive and inside the neighborhoods, runners get a chance to view the elite competitors in the race multiple times and see any friends who are running either ahead or behind them at several points during the race, past participants say. After the stretch of the race along Galleon Drive and the turnaround, runners then head back out of the neighborhood and onto Gordon Drive once again for the reverse route back toward Cambier Park and the finish line festivities.

One of the race's really interesting and unique traditions takes place along the stretch on Galleon Drive, where a clergyman at Trinity-by-the-Cove Episcopal Church blesses the runners passing by (all runners pass by the church twice during the race) with holy water, which has become a landmarkmany runners look forward to in the race each year. 


Race Weather & Climate 

Located along the southern tip of Florida's Gulf coast, just over a two-hour drive west across the Everglades from Miami, the city of Naples tends to see typically mild to moderately warm weather in the winter, with relatively low precipitation compared to the spring and summer seasons. In January, average monthly temperatures range between 75°F and 53°F, while rainfall totals average just over 2 inches for the month.


Fees 

$30 if registered before December 1, 2010
$50 between Dec. 1 - January 9, 2011
$60 between Jan. 10 - 15


Registration 

To reserve your spot in the winter 2011 running of Florida's Naples Daily News Half Marathon,register online at Active.com. 


Website 

www.napleshalfmarathon.net 

Most Common Marathon Injuries

How to Prevent or Keep Racing with Common Marathon Injuries

By Wendy Bumgardner, About.com Guide

Updated November 13, 2008

Running or walking a marathon of 26.2 miles is a grueling endurance challenge. Marathoners need to prepare properly to prevent common injuries. When a minor injury or symptoms of a problem occur during the marathon, learn how to deal with it and whether it is safe to continue to the finish.

1. Blisters

Almost everyone will end the marathon with foot blisters. If you have put in your full training schedule, you will have been toughening your feet and building calluses. You will also have experimented with which combination of shoes, socks, drying agents, covering pads and lubricants work best for you. Blisters endanger your race when they occur in the early miles of the marathon and upset your usual gait for a longer period of time. It is best to stop at the first sign of a hot spot and cover the area with a gel bandage or moleskin pad. If a blister has already developed, you may want to sterilize the area, drain it, and then cover with the bandage or pad.

2. Black Toenails

A black toenail is caused by a blister or blood pooling under the nail. During the marathon, this is most often caused by the repeated trauma of your foot sliding forward in your shoe with each step. You can prevent black toenails by lacing your shoes to retain your heel in the heel cup and prevent your foot sliding forward in the shoe. Often, you only notice the black toenail after the marathon, rather than it hurting during the marathon. You will lose the toenail and it will grow back over the course of three to five months.

3. Chafing

Chafing occurs where skin rubs against skin. Add salt from sweat and you have raw, painful areas. The chief areas that chafe are the underarms, nipples, under-breast area, groin and thighs. As you discover on your long training days which areas chafe, take measures to keep those areas dry with cornstarch, or lubricate them with petroleum jelly or roll-on silicone products. People who don't wear bras should cover their nipples with bandaids to prevent nipple chafing. If your marathon is in a different climate than your training days, you may chafe in new areas. Most marathons provide petroleum jelly at water stops. Take advantage of it to generously lubricate the areas that are chafing.

4. Runners Trots and Nausea

Stomach and bowel upsets are very common during the marathon. Use extreme care in what you eat and drink the 48 hours before the marathon. No spicy foods or alcohol. Do not eat anything unfamiliar. Limit your caffeine before the marathon to the minimum you simply must have. Do not overeat as the sheer volume of food still in your digestive system can be the problem. Avoid dairy products if you are lactose-intolerant. On the course, only use energy snacks and sports drink that you used on your training walks and runs without ill effects. If you are prone to runners trots, try Imodium on your training days first to see if it helps. Know the locations of the porta-johns on the route.

5. Dehydration

It is important to know how your body handles its needs for fluids by keeping track of it on your long training walk or run. Weigh yourself before and after a long session. You should neither have lost or gained weight. Marathon fluid guidelines as of 2005 state that you should let thirst be your guide, unless your experience from weighing on training days shows it is not accurate for you. Signs of dehydration include dry mouth, fatigue, dizziness, stomach ache, back pain, headache, irritability and decreased urination. If you experience these, slow or stop and drink sports drink until you have recovered. It is unwise to continue the marathon once you have these symptoms.

6. Hyponatremia

Hyponatremia occurs when you drink too much fluid and your body doesn't have time to eliminate it. This dilutes the salt concentration in your cells, which is very dangerous. Signs of hyponatremia include nausea, headache, cramps, confusion, slurred speech, bloating and swollen hands. Stop and do not continue with these symptoms. Hyponatremia has killed runners during the marathon. A study at the Boston Marathon showed that hyponatremia is more common in marathon walkers and slow runners, who spend more time on the course drinking more fluids, regardless of whether they drank only water, only sports drink, or a combination. Don't drink when you aren't yet thirsty, unless your experience shows your sense of thirst isn't accurate.

7. Sunburn and Windburn

Wear a hat with a bill to protect your face and the top of your head. Apply sunscreen to every bit of exposed skin, especially your ears. Protect your lips with a sun-protecting lip balm. Marathoners will spend three to nine hours outdoors, at the mercy of the sun and wind. Slower runners and walkers may want to reapply sunscreen at the halfway mark. Don't be afraid to beg some from the course volunteers, they probably brought some along for their own use even if the course doesn't provide it. If you forgot the lip balm, use petroleum jelly at the water stops. For cooler, windy days I like to have a Buff neck gaiter to wear as a balaclava or scarf for extra wind protection.

8. Muscle Cramps

Classic leg cramps can hit you during the marathon, especially if you experience dehydration and salt depletion. If a cramp strikes, stop and gently stretch and massage the cramped muscle. Drink sports drink to replace fluids and salt. But you may also experience strange cramps or muscle spasms in muscles anywhere in your body. This can happen from the strain of using the same posture and gait for several hours. To prevent these, work on proper posture throughout your training walks and runs. During the marathon, think of your posture and relaxing your shoulders. Change up your stride and pace on uphills and downhills. Have fun waving at the crowds or dancing past any on-course bands.

9. Hitting the Wall

Hitting the wall -- completely running out of energy stores in your muscles -- is more common in competitive marathon runners than in slower runners or marathon walkers. Walkers have more time to absorb energy calories from sports drinks and energy snacks. To prevent hitting the wall, drink full-strength sugared sports drink throughout the event. Supplement that with energy gels or other energy snacks to replace the number of calories you are expending, approximately 80-100 per mile. If you feel fatigue on the course, have a snack immediately. If you simply can't go on, stop, snack, drink, and reassess your condition in 10-15 minutes.

10. Sprains, Strains and Stress Fractures

In the crush of runners and walkers, or after long hours on the course, you may sprain an ankle, pull a muscle, or experience astress fracture. Sharp, sudden, extreme pain that isn't a muscle cramp signals you to stop and signal for assistance from the course volunteers.