The main way in which running burns fat is that it forces your body to use a lot of energy. Running can be quite intensive and requires a lot of energy to perform. Naturally, the amount of energy required and used depends a lot on the speed you’re running at and the angle on which you run. Two of the easiest ways to make any running workout burn more fat is to increase your speed and to run at an incline. Naturally, you can’t just do a hundred yard sprint and wait for the fat to melt away. You do need to make the workout longer than that.

One of the best ways to increase the fat burning from any running workout is to do intervals. This is a workout style that has been proven as very effective in fat burning and one which more and more people are doing these days. Doing intervals requires you to change your running speed every once in a while changing every minute or few between high speed and intensity and low and medium intensities. The idea is that you’re pushing yourself hard on one interval and then lowering the intensity and allowing your body to catch its breath so to speak in preparation of another high intensity interval.

First of all though, you can’t over emphasize enough the importance of a proper “warm-up” before any kind of running, and a “cool down” afterward. The obvious benefits being the prevention of injury and an improved performance as you warm up the body and raise the heart rate in preparation for hard work. More blood flow to the body tissues also improves oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide removal too. Plus psychologically, it helps to focus your attention.

So the best kind of road running would ideally be directly related to the sport you’re involved with. In the case of a boxer, that consists of a 2 or 3 minute round followed by a one minute rest between rounds. Therefore your road work should be the same…Bursts of running hard for those 2 or 3 minutes, followed by a 1 minute rest period. Aim for three or four rounds to begin with, working up to maybe eight or so. Don’t go too far beyond that though for fear of over-training.

Try to bring variety into these sessions too. Mix things up a bit with sprints, hill running, and by varying the distance of your runs by incorporating 200, 400, & 800 metre bursts. This type of training is very intense and your body will need time to recover, so aim to do this kind of road work two or three times a week, with the more traditional 2 to 4 mile run on the other days. These longer runs are still important as they enable your body to endure the harder work. Ideally you want to do the “sport specific” road work on non-sparring days too, as it’s no fun trying to spar with worn out legs.

For other runners who are maybe just getting into running, very young or very old, or people who don’t have as much time to train, a half marathon has an appeal for an entirely different reason. For the beginners a half marathon is seen as a reachable goal. Many new runners may be overwhelmed by how far a marathon is, but the option of running a half marathon seems to be a much more feasible, yet still respectable goal. For those people who fall into the category of being very young or very old, ahalf marathon is a popular option to prevent them from getting injured by attempting to run a full marathon.

Whether you are the well trained athlete, the beginner, or on either end of the age spectrum there are some things about training for and racing a half marathon that apply to all runners. First, always pick a training schedule that is right for your experience level. There are many free training programs out there that range from beginner to expert. It is important to use these schedules in order to know that you are not over working your body too quickly and making sure you get the right amount of rest that your body requires to replenish its essential chemicals. Second, it is important to always stretch before and after each run to help prevent injuries from occurring. Third, remember that the more that you run the more you must eat and drink to compensatefor the extra calories and sweat you’re burning. Lastly, make sure you have a good pair of running shoes that give you the right stability and support you need to sustain the number of miles you will run throughout your training and race.

You are going to need to work to get your body into running shape, but it is not nearly as hard as it may seem. The truth is that a lot of people begin their training the wrong way and they can lose steam and end up quitting. This most often happens to those individuals who push themselves too far right out of the gate. Instead, you want to be sure that you pace yourself so that you can keep up with your training program. The best advice is to start of your training program slowly. If you have never run before you are going to want to start by doing a lot more walking. Start of by getting yourself out to take a walk every day. Gradually increase your walking speed, but do not allow yourself to burst into running too quickly.

As you begin to build up your stamina, slowly start to integrate some running into your walking routine. At first, start by walking for say three minutes and then running for one minute. Continue that routine throughout your entire workout, which should be approximately 20-30 minutes. If you start doing this at least three times a week your body will quickly adapt to its 5K condition. While you are increasing your speed, you should also start to slowly increase the distance that you are covering. You want to be sure that you have run the required distance prior to your race so that you have a good idea of what you are getting into.

While you are progressing through your workout regimen, continue to increase your running time while decreasing your walking time. However, do not force yourself to keep running every day of the week. You need to give yourself rest on some days and on others, you should walk. By keeping some walking in your physical fitness regimen, you are going to be helping your body to release some of the tension that it may be holding from your runs.