As avid walkers and runners, we tend to spend lots of our exercise time alone. Blogs offer glimpses into the lives of others who hit the trail. Here we look at 25 of the best independent blogs about running, walking, power recipes, and more.

Running Blogs

These are general interest blogs for beginning and experienced runners.

1. A Trail Runner’s Blog: Blogger Scott Dunlap has been running trails and training for triathlons since 2001. Follow his tour of races across the US, from the classic Boston Marathon to San Francisco’s costume-friendly Bay to Breakers competition.

2. Dean’s Blog: Dean Karanazes blogs professionally for Runner’s World magazine. His tagline: “Blogging about ultra-running, life, and the human spirit.” This blog includes lots of useful information and musings about upcoming marathons, healthy eating, the natural world, and more.

3. Running Off at the Mouth: “Rants and ruminations from an adventurous mama with a strong urge to run.” Marcia’s style is frank, outgoing, and amusing. Check out her product reviews, investigations of refrigerator contents, giveaways, and other contributions.

4. Runblogger: The thirty-something runner Peter Larson gives training tips, reviews running gear, and shares interesting info from the running world.

5. Coach Jenny Hadfield’s Blog: Coach Jenny Hadfield is an expert runner with a master’s degree in exercise science. She co-authored the best-selling Marathoning for Mortals and regularly contributes to Health Magazine. Some of her blogs are unsubstantial, but check out the “Popular Blog Posts” list on her page for articles about cross-training for runners, staying hydrated, running hills, and more. She also writes on RunnersWorld where she offers great advice and tips on marathon running.

6. A Runner’s Blog: “Watch the highs and lows of running from a middle-of-the-pack perspective.” Some of these posts are ho-hum, but the blogs tagged “inspiration” are worthwhile. Read stories about runners who rescued people with their speediness, running for charity, etcetera.

7.  Where’s Karl?: This blog from 2008 documents the writer’s 47-day journey running the 2,175-mile Appalachian Trail.

8.  Running while Pregnant: If you have a bun in the oven, you won’t want to miss what other moms are saying about running and pregnancy.

9.  The Running Moron: Friendly and self-deprecating Brett writes, “I’m just your regular non-athlete who took up running and, um, ran with it. There are many days when I’m out running in the cold or rain or dark that I ask myself why I’m out running. Then I remember – it’s because I’m a moron!”

10. Old Man Running – Seniors might especially appreciate reading the journal of a running and tweeting 74-year-old man. Some recurring themes include heart rate monitoring, injuries, and marathons.

Science/Health/Recipe Blogs

These blogs cover recipes for runners, the physiology of running, and healthy feet.

11. Go Faster Food: Try the energy-packed, delicious recipes from this food-friendly blog. Apple power pancakes with spiced apple syrup? Nice!

12. On and off the Track: Steve Magness writes in-depth about the science of running. Sample headlines include “The 10,000-Hour Rule and Why Talent and Genes Matter” and “Compression Socks,” which leads an article about the physiology of blood flow and muscle vibrations.

13. Fix Your Feet: Walkers and runners should peruse this site to help protect and repair their feet. Sample posts are “Don’t Do This to Your Feet!” and “What Were You Thinking?”

14. The Hungry Runner: Check in here for a mix of healthful recipes, stretches, and musings about running.

Fundraising through Fitness Blogs

Check out how runners are helping the world through exercise.

15.  Martina Crevecoeur at I Run for Food has raffle fundraisers and is committed to donating money for every mile she runs.

16.  It’s Not About the Walk: “Walker Girl” blogs about half-marathon training and fund-raising for the blood cancers leukemia, lymphoma and mylenoma.

Music Blogs for Runners

The best running music is both motivational and a distraction when needed. See which songs are fueling other runners.

17. A Bold Pace: The marathon mixes presented here are designed to help runners keep certain paces: 7 minutes per mile, etc. Playlists take each song’s beats per minute into account.

18. The Runners Blog: This page shows the famous OK GO treadmill video plus a recommended playlist for runners.

Walking Blogs

These are general interest blogs for walkers. Race walking, weight loss, and on-foot city tours are among the topics explored.

19.  Walking blog on About.com: Host Wendy Bumgardner presents a wide collection of posts covering walking for weight loss, walking with your dog, walking shoes and gear, and more. Some quirky posts include “Funky Smelling Water?” and “Cheating on Your Walking Partner.”

20.  Nordic Walking – Claire Walter writes about Nordic walking from her home state of Colorado and around the USA.

21.  Race Walking Record: This is the official blog of the Race Walking Record magazine.

22.  Walk/Bike CT: “WalkBikeCT is an informational blog devoted to promoting walking and biking as viable transportation options in the state of Connecticut.” This likeable blogger has a great writing style.

23.  The Walking Nun: This nun can write! Sample posts include “Weight Watchers,” “Why Runners Usually Make Good Employees,” and “My Social Media Goal.”

24.  Walking Off the Big Apple: Whether you live in New York City or are just planning a visit, you’ll appreciate this collection of guides to special walks around Central Park and the city.

25.  Walking Berkeley: Check out this page by two sisters, ages 63 and 67, who walked along each of Berkeley’s 1000+ streets.

Even I feel like this some days!!

I just saw this video and had to share it with everyone. It is someone at the gym dancing on the treadmill to Barbie Girl…enjoy

Working an office job can drive you bonkers. Even if you enjoy work, there’s that voice in the back of your mind: “You’re sitting on your bottom all day. And it’s not getting any firmer.”

Until recently, desk-bound workers had to juggle their time between work, personal life, and exercise – and exercise tended to fall off the agenda. But now, clever workers have devised a solution: they’re building their own treadmill desks (see tips below). By absentmindedly walking while working, they can burn up to 1000 calories more per day than they do when being sedentary.

Industry has taken notice of the treadmill desk craze, so factory-built treadmill desks are now an option too.

Why Use a Treadmill Desk?

A treadmill desk is practical because even low-intensity walking can bring great benefits. With this “fitness furniture,” you can walk slowly enough to get office work done — but over several hours you will burn more calories than you would during a short, high-intensity workout.

The popularity of treadmill desks makes sense in light of a Mayo Clinic lab’s findings about NEAT, or Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis.  Basically, Mayo lab leader Dr. James Levine has found that our general activity levels throughout the day have a greater impact upon fitness than do regular workouts. A person’s daily desk treadmill use could burn nearly 60 pounds annually, according to Levine’s calculations.

Daily walking is also associated with diverse health benefits such as sounder sleep, stronger bones, a healthier heart, and improved mental sharpness.

Things to consider when building a Treadmill Desk

Building a treadmill desk has become a popular do-it-yourself project. It can be as simple or complex as you like. Basically, the desk needs to fit over the treadmill so that it won’t be impacted by the machine’s vibrations. Here are some general ideas to spark your thinking:

• A simple treadmill desk would look like a rectangular table. It should be large enough to accommodate a computer or whatever the worker needs at hand.

• A more complex treadmill desk could include multiple monitors, speakers, built-in lighting, and other features of typical office desks.

• Be aware of the extra noise distraction that the treadmill desk could cause to nearby co-workers and even people you may be talking on the phone to.

• Make sure the desk is sturdy against the treadmill along with any other accessories you maybe using.  Falling objects could cause bodily harm if knocked over while you are in motion.

• The most difficult part of constructing your treadmill desk will probably involve working around the console. Depending on your treadmill model, the console could rise up behind the desk, show through the middle, or rest against the front. Think creatively and get some friends’ opinions. The solution will become obvious, and you’ll be proud to show off your practical, creative design!

Photo’s courtesy of Flickr

Why buy a treadmill instead of another fitness machine? The simple fact is that treadmills deliver better results than the competition. When fitness clubs gained popularity in the 1960s, treadmills were the first cardio workout machines to hit their floors. Since then, treadmills have been joined by a number of exercise machines, but they’ve consistently maintained their popular edge over the competition. Exercisers seem to intuitively know what medical studies have suggested for years: treadmills are the most efficient route to a fit physique and a healthy heart.

One especially informative study was published on May 8, 1996 in the peer-reviewed Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). In the article entitled “Energy Expenditure with Indoor Exercise Machines,” scientists compare the effects of working out with six different exercise machines. Among both male and female participants, treadmills were found to outpace all other machines in the study, including: a stationary bike, a cross-country ski machine, a rowing machine, a stair-stepper, and an Airdyne. For example, the treadmill helped exercisers to burn as many as 200 kilocalories per hour more than they could with the stationary bicycle. The authors concluded that “the treadmill is the optimal indoor exercise machine for enhancing energy expenditure.”

In the years following the JAMA study, researchers have accumulated a wealth of additional evidence in support of treadmill use. Treadmill use has been tied to a reduced risk for Type II diabetes among obese adolescents, a reduced chance for breast cancer among women in a high-risk category, and improved walking ability and quality of life among patients with peripheral arterial disease. Treadmill use even seems to improve hip bone density in stroke victims and retrain their brains, significantly improving their mobility and overall health.

Of course, these data should not be used to guide all home exercisers. People with arthritis, for instance, should ask a doctor whether a low-impact treadmill would be safe to use, or whether recreational walking should be avoided altogether. Nonetheless, for the general population and people with a variety of health issues, treadmill use seems to be an ideal addition to daily life.

On February 10, 2010, NASA launched a module of the International Space Station. Oddly enough, the module’s treadmill drew a considerable amount of media attention. That’s because Stephen Colbert, a political satirist and host of Comedy Central’s The Colbert Report, had attempted to have Tranquility named after him. NASA refused – thereby overriding America’s popular vote – but the space agency offered up the treadmill’s name as a consolation prize. The astronauts’ treadmill is now dubbed the C.O.L.B.E.R.T., or Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.

When we look at modern treadmills such as the C.O.L.B.E.R.T., we tend not to think of their ancient history. After all, today’s electronic treadmills use advanced technologies: they monitor heart rates, play MP3s, and provide virtual physical trainers. But treadmills build upon technology that is at least as old as ancient Athens and Rome. Ancient treadmills were of course manual, and they were used to accomplish tasks for the community. For instance, animals and people turned large treadwheels in order to grind grain, raise construction cranes, and pump water.

The history of treadmills took an important turn in the early 19^th century. England’s Sir William Cubitt, a civil engineer, encouraged prisons to use treadmills in their efforts to reform prisoners. He designed a treadmill that generated power for mills. Prisoners held onto a bar and stepped from paddle to paddle on a large wheel. Their shifts lasted for eight hours each. It was believed that through this unnatural amount of exercise, prisoners would reflect and repent.

The modern application of treadmills for health and enjoyment was triggered by events in the 1940s. When the U.S. drafted soldiers for WWII, authorities became alarmed by the number of out-of-shape men. Physical fitness became a national priority. Schoolchildren were encouraged to exercise, and gyms sprang up across the country. Shortly thereafter, the cardiologists Robert Bruce and Wayne Quinton developed a treadmill that could be used to diagnose heart and lung disease. By the 1960s, doctors were urging the commercial production of treadmills to support aerobic exercise. Stairmaster purchased the rights to Bruce and Quinton’s medical treadmill, and the modern treadmill industry was born.

For the past fifty years or so, fitness enthusiasts have consistently encouraged fitness equipment manufacturers to develop better and better treadmills. Nowadays, companies release enhanced treadmill lines on a yearly basis. Whether a customer seeks a simple exercise machine, one with luxury features, or one that will work in outer space, a treadmill has been designed just with him or her in mind.

Welcome to the treadmillreviews.net blog where we are going to have news, information and more reviews on running and treadmills.  Look for everything from workouts on the treadmill to how to train for a marathon on a treadmill.  Please stay tuned as this is going to be the best source around!