Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Floral Paradise

December 4, 2012 12:03 pm

The late Lady Bird Johnson, wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s presidency, recognized the losses posed to our ecosystem and our sense of beauty should important plant species disappear. That’s why in 1982, Johnson founded the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The Wildflower Center's since become not just an educational center and preserve for wildflowers, but one of the preeminent wildflower research institutions in the country. Visitors can tour the acres of flowers and learn about their unique places in the ecosystem. They can attend some of the center’s special events like shows put on by local Texas artists and even do some holiday shopping at the winter bazaar. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center also puts on a yearly Halloween show, perfectly situated on its rustic grounds!

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Avenue
Austin, TX 78739
(512) 232-0100

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Foot Care Tips For Runners

November 30, 2012 12:00 pm
Whether you’re a serious runner, occasional jogger, or complete beginner, you need to take good care of you feet so that they hold up when you hit the track, road, or trail. Here are some tips to help you keep your feet as healthy and pain-free as possible so that you can enjoy every stride along the way:
 
Wear the Proper Shoes
If you’re going to run on any sort of regular basis, it’s important to invest in a good pair of running shoes. Don’t throw on a pair of casual non-running-specific sneakers and hope for the best. Do some online research to learn about running shoes that might be particularly well-suited to your needs. Then go to a store that specializes in athletic and running gear and work with a salesperson that will be able to help you find the right shoe for you. Don’t be afraid to try on several pairs, run around the store a bit while wearing them, and take your time deciding. A salesperson knowledgeable about running shoes will be able to identify your gait (whether your roll your feet inward or outward) and guide you toward the best running shoes for your particular feet.
 
Protect Against Blisters 
Painful blisters and feet sore from strain will put a major damper in your running plans. There are a variety socks on the market that are designed especially for the purpose of wicking away moisture and keeping blisters at bay, so invest in at least a few pairs of those. You can also rub some anti-chaffing balm on blister-prone areas, with “Bodyglide” being a particularly popular and effective productive for that purpose. If you do start to develop a blister, make sure you have some padded blister-specific bandages at hand to put on the sore spots when you’re running and also when you’re walking around in normal shoes. In addition, make sure that you air your bare feet out as much possible when you’re not running or walking around because exposing the blister-prone areas to fresh air will help them dry out and heal faster. 
 
Know When To Stop
One of the biggest causes of chronic foot problems in runners is that people don’t always listen sufficiently to their bodies. If you have a mildly painful issue with your foot (such as a mild case of sesamoiditis, a common runners’ condition), it’s not always a good idea to push through it. Foot issues will often get worse and go from small to significant if you don’t give your feet a rest. So it’s important to make sure you temper your running schedule to allow for foot issues to heal before they go from minor to worse to potentially chronic. While you’re taking a break from running, you can find other lower-impact, more foot-friendly ways of getting a workout that will benefit your cardiovascular system (such as the elliptical machine, spin bike, recumbent bike, or regular road bike). 
 
Consider Shoe Inserts
If you want an extremely comfortable and form-fitting shoe that will specifically accommodate your unique feet, consider investing in orthotic inserts. You can get orthotics over the counter or have them prescribed and specially made for you by a podiatrist. Orthotics are often used to treat many forms of running-related injury, including heel pain, shin splints, and chronic blisters. They work by balancing and reducing the amount of stress that your feet experience upon impact. They are also effective at correcting imbalances in your gait, such as a tendency toward overpronation or underpronation – essentially, they help your foot achieve proper alignment, which can be a major preventative measure when it comes to a variety of running-related foot issues. 
 
Avoid Athlete’s Foot
Athlete’s Foot is one of the most common foot issues that occur for a runner. It is a fungal condition of the feet and toes that can flare up as a result of running in sweaty socks and shoes. Luckily, though Athlete’s Foot can be pretty uncomfortable, it’s also one of the least chronic and most easily treatable foot issues that a runner can face. Since the fungus thrives and grows in wet conditions, some preventative measures you can take include washing and drying your feet soon after a run and alternating running shoes and socks so the accumulated sweat has time to dry out.  If you do develop a case of athlete’s foot, there are several over-the-counter antifungal creams that can help and your doctor can also prescribe oral antifungal medications if the condition doesn’t clear up within a few weeks. 
 
 

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Elephant Room: You’ll Never Forget This Place

November 27, 2012 12:06 pm

Austin is a town known for its nightlife—many genres of music converge here in the middle of the state for appreciative listeners. Jazz fans have long flocked to the Elephant Room to hear sets from local and national favorites. The ambience is nothing to write home about—it’s located in a somewhat dingy basement illuminated by Christmas lights—but the music is some of the best you’ll hear anywhere in the Lone Star State. This isn’t a traditional listening room; people will be talking during the sets, ordering drinks and walking around, so you’re going to have to accept that the Elephant Room is more than a little casual. But that’s okay, as jazz used to be the music of the people, after all. Some complain that the layout of the room makes it hard to hear at the back, but that’s just part of the experience. A very reasonable $5 cover and no minimum is just the cherry on the sundae.

Elephant Room
315 Congress Ave.
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 473-2279

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