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Okay, so you run for fitness and fun. You enjoy 5K Running because it enables you to run along with others, unlike your normal practice which you do in solitary splendor. And you can measure you performance against that of your peers. The last is important. The pro runners will out run you for the rest of your life so its best not to even compare yourself to them. As an amateur runner, it would be foolish to expect to be able to match their performance. Finishing the race on par with others of your sex, age, level of fitness and motivations is good enough. That means you are doing okay. But everyone would like to do better. And you can, without spending money on training, half a day doing roadwork or changing your lifestyle. There are a few simple tricks that you can fit into your training routine that will not perform miracles and keep you up with the pros, but at least keep you among the first of your equals.

· Don’t push to increase your 5K Training speed, but rather increase your distance. Keep to the pace you are comfortable with but gradually work the distance up to 6k. What you need to get to is that you are doing these workouts for 2 or 3 times per week , then things will start to feel better and you will feel better at the end of your race.
· Pick you your speed for short bursts. Try for a 10% increase in your pace over a few hundred meters at some point in your training. Once you are comfortable, do this 3 or 4 times. Once again, do not try to increase you pace for the full 5k. The idea is to enable you to have the speed to overtake with ease when you need to.
· Try and include and incline or slope in your run. Running uphill build your stamina. If you do this for only 1K out of the 5 you should be better as long as its no more than 1K.
· Practice increasing your Jogging stride for the last 200 meters of your practice and slowly increase this distance to about 0.5k. Once again, increase your stride and not your pace. The idea here is to cover more distance with each stride, not to increase the number of strides. When you really need stamina is at the end of the race and this will help you as you reach the finish line.

You may wonder at the repeated warning about not trying to run faster. That’s because since you are not a professional runner, it is taken for granted that you are running at a pace that you are comfortable with and which is appropriate for your age and sex. Pushing yourself to run faster can affect your long term health and take the fun out of running. Following these tips will not put too much additional strain on your body or increase the amount and type to training you do (remember, running is fun, not a chore or an end in itself). They will however, improve your performance as a runner and enable you to run 5k races with more confidence, stamina and do better without straining yourself.

Jogging Tip is a brand new website that is all about jogging. Jogging tip is your perfect place to join with the rest of your jogging friends. Learn about training for a 5k and running your first 5K race. Visit the new Jogging TIp.com today to get your free jogging ebooks just for signing up to be a member of the jogging tip website.
 

Whichever piece of home workout equipment you choose, there are several factors to take into consideration.

• How much available space do you have?
• How much are you willing to pay?
• Can the equipment be left out or does it need to be put away?
• Do you want something to tone and shape muscles as well as give you a cardio workout?

Its really worth sitting down and having a good think about these points theres nothing worse than purchasing a home exercise machine and realizing its not what you wanted!

The Firm Wave is a cleverly designed, curved fitness system that can be used in different ways:

• Curve-side down it works your legs and core, burning calories and toning your mid-section as well as improving your balance and co-ordination.
• Curve-side up it is more stable and can be used for Step exercises.
• Add exercise bands to create a full-body muscle toning system.
• You can also use the wave to perform many Pilates exercises.
• The WAVE can be utilized in a small space and put away in a wardrobe when not in use, making it the perfect piece of equipment for a small spare room or flat.

Cost-wise, the WAVE represents tremendous value for money at less than $100 (plus P & P), and comes complete with several DVDs and a useful wall chart.

A treadmill, on the other hand, represents a much larger investment, costing from $200 for a manual system, up to several $1000 for a state-of-the-art motorized model with various speeds, programs and inclines. My experience is that spending around $2000 will get you a first-class home treadmill with a lifetime guarantee on the frame, a smoothly-running motorized belt that is wide enough to be comfortable and long enough to take large strides, and enough programs to ensure you reach your training goals and never become bored!

Oh, and dont forget the heart-rate monitor and calorie-burn counter that are also included on these models. Because treadmills are so expensive installation is usually included in the price. All you have to do is step on and press a button. Treadmills are permanently set up and take up a lot of space, although there are several folding models if space is a premium.

As an exercise professional, I rate both the treadmill and the Wave. However, a treadmill is much larger and more expensive, and cannot be used for toning the arms and shoulders and I dont recommend trying Pilates on a moving treadmill!

Remember niether piece of exercise equipment is any good unless you actually use it. My individual choice for convenience and value would be the Wave there are not many pieces of equipment that work your heart and lungs, tone muscle, burn calories and strengthen your core, all in one small value-for-money package!

If you would like to discover more about how the Firm Wave can help you lose fat and feel great please click the link now.