Links....:-)

In recent years the ‘web’ has become an important and entertaining resource for runners. The fact that you’re reading this article on the web is testament to the role that the internet serves in providing us all with information on the sport and perhaps more importantly in keeping us all in touch with one another. Our own Athenry AC web site has been hugely important in the development of our club by allowing busy people the chance to stay in touch with each other and to contribute to our club by sharing experiences and expertise.

Unfortunately, as is the case with most other things, the internet as a resource for athletes, is not a problem free proposition. Just as we can’t depend on everything we read in the newspapers we can’t always believe all of what we see or read on the web. Although there are huge quantities of good information available online for free I’ve occasionally come across advice that to my mind was questionable to say the least. Obviously we all need to try and sort the wheat from the chaff for ourselves.

What I’d like to do here is give everyone the chance to share their favourite places on the web where they’ve found good quality help or advice, or that they just thought were entertaining. It could be a web-page that’s helped you through an injury or an online running log that you just love. It could be the greatest running forum you’ve ever come across or a fantastic source of training schedules. Whatever it is mail me at [email protected] and we’ll all have a few more places to ‘surf’ when we’re not running.

What I’d like to do is to publish a ‘Weblink of the Week’ each Monday along with a small few words from the person who recommended it. If I don’t get suggestions I will of course revert to my usual tactic of hassling people to give me contributions.

To kick things off here’s a first recommendation. As I’ve been battling injury this last week I had the idea of trying some pool running. To start with I had no idea how to ‘do’ pool running. Luckily Paul McNamara pointed me to some great links on the topic and here they are. I’m just a few days into the swing of this and aside from the quizzical looks this activity can generate I feel a lot better for being able to do something whilst my leg tries to heal. The first link deals with the question of whether pool running is actually of any use and the second is more concerned with telling you how you could approach it from a practical point of view. Hopefully you’ll never need to use them, but then again you just might.

http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/aquarunning.html

http://www.pfitzinger.com/labreports/water.shtml