Did you know that everyone has a perfect running pace? If you're a runner, you've probably felt it -- it's the pace where you feel like you could keep up for miles and miles and miles. And it's not just a mental thing. Science backs it up!

According to a recent study, everyone has a specific pace that uses the least amount of oxygen to cover a distance. The study tested runners on a treadmill (both men and women) at six speeds, then recorded their oxygen intake and carbon dioxide output. Every runner's outcome was different, but a "perfect pace" was found for each.

The men's average was about 8.3 mph, or a 7:13 minute mile, and the women's average was closer to 6.5 mph, or 9:08 minutes per mile. I found this particularly interesting because that exact speed is my go-to on a treadmill -- who knew I was so average?

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Have fitness questions? Fitz has your answers. Our ThatsFit.com fitness expert -- and now your own virtual personal trainer -- will help you get fit, increase your overall health and do it in a fun way. Drop your questions here in the Comments section below and we'll choose one per week to publish on That's Fit! Learn more about Fitz here.

Q. Hi Fitz! I've come across a couple articles recently that are dead-set against prolonged cardio multiple times a week. They suggest that High Intensity Interval Training or low intensity activity only a few times a week at most, alongside regular weight training, is the only way to lose fat and stay fit. I don't think I could live without long runs or my favorite aerobics class. What do you think? Thanks, Samantha

A. Hi Samantha! Thanks for the great question. I'm sure it's on the minds of many. Bottom line, the folks who said that are over-opinionated. Think about Lance Armstrong, the guy does massive amounts of cardio each week and is the picture of health. So do I ... and so do most runners, cyclists, boxers, kickboxers, soccer players and more.

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That's Fit Club is our feature devoted to you, the reader! We have all learned so much on our paths to becoming more fit, and now it's time to learn from and inspire each other! That's Fit Club members are constantly working to better themselves. Some are perfect; some are not. But all have health on the mind.

Besides showing you off, we want to reward you for all of your hard work! Everlast and Everlast Woman are giving gorgeous workout T-shirts to each featured member! To join, please send Fitz your answers to these questions with a photo of yourself. Time for you to be the motivator!

Name: Courtney Clasen

Age: 32

Occupation: Homemaker, Domestic Engineer, In-House Chef, Maid, Taxi, Motivator, Sheriff, Dog Walker, Cat Feeder, Snake Tamer, Playmate and Diva

How often do you exercise? About six days a week.

What type of exercise do you do? I am proud to say that for the first time in my life I can call myself a runner. I also do resistance exercises.

What gets you to work out, even when you're feeling lazy? My bad mood! I know exercise will snap me out of it and give me that hyper "I love everyone" feeling.

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Country singer Monty Lane Allen has accomplished many things. He's recorded albums and has performed with Country greats like Alan Jackson and Brad Paisley, while on stages in front of big wigs like .... the President of the United States. But beyond his beautiful voice and great talent on the guitar, this country star is an amazing athlete!

Monty Lane Allen is half performer and half jock. Not to say that Country folks can't be athletic, because of course they can be and are. But this guy is serious. He runs marathons on a regular basis and doesn't even feel satisfied with that. He's branching out in to triathlons too.

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Duran Duran ruled the 80's. In fact, they still kind of rule. Selling out arenas around the world isn't too shabby in anyone's book.

Even though he's still performing with his legendary band, John Taylor has reformed from his very typical rock star ways of the past, and is now a genuine fitness fiend. We spoke today, and I was delighted to hear about his new lifestyle. John told me that he gave up drinking and drugs years ago and pays a lot of attention to his health. He actually said he considers himself a runner! So cute, he called himself the "slackest runner in the world" but knows he needs that outlet because of the mental relief it provides. To quote John, he says it "suits my psychology."

When we see rock stars living the party life, it's easy to wonder what effects it will have on their futures. Some simply don't survive the lifestyle. But John did, and it's wonderful to see the man so many people adore as he lives a truly healthy life. He does struggle a bit with something, though.

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Over Christmas, I visited my parents, who live in a retirement community. I met my mom's really cool friend, Marilyn, who has recently taken up running (I won't presume to guess her age, but she lives in the same retirement community as my folks, so it's safe to say she's slightly more mature than most folks who begin a running routine). She's slated to run a leg of a marathon soon. She and I talked fitness and running, of course, and the conversation turned to music.

"I have some songs I'll listen to four times in a row because the beat is just what I need to keep my pace," she said. Marilyn didn't know how right she was.

The beats per minute (BPM) in certain songs can definitely affect your pace. This article breaks down the BPM that corresponds to different walking and running paces. For example, if you want to walk a 15 minute mile (4 mph), you want a song with a BPM of 140. To run an eight minute mile (7.5 mph), you want a song closer to 170 BPM. The question is, how do you know the BPM of your favorite songs?

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I've mentioned before my issues with lacing up my sneaks. Both feet have to be perfectly evenly snug, and heaven forbid one comes untied mid-workout -- it's a huge distraction. And, I hate having one end of a lace, or a bow, brushing against my ankle.

As it turns out, I'm not the only shoelace nut on the planet. The latest issue of Runner's World has an entire article dedicated to teaching us how to tie our shoelaces correctly. You probably thought there was only one way to tie them, but you are wrong. And it's a 50/50 bet that your shoelaces are, too.

Essentially, you want to tie a reef knot, not a granny knot. A granny will come undone quickly and easily, while a reef knot is actually tightened as your foot pushes against it while you run. I'm not about to go into a full explanation of how to do these knots -- check out the article for that. But, at least now you know it's something to be aware of.

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Running isn't just an effective form of exercise, it's cost-efficient (you need nothing more than a good pair of shoes), you can do it anywhere and it's an excellent way to work through life's little stressors. If running is your exercise of choice, you may want to fuel yourself with these four foods, recommended by running coach Jenny Hadfield:

• Almonds. The vitamin E in almonds helps to prevent achy muscles. Grab a small handful for a snack -- but watch your portion sizes. Even though almonds are rich in healthy fats, they still pack quite a few calories.
• Oranges. Vitamin C helps repair muscle damage caused by running.
  
• Sweet potatoes. A great source of healthy carbs, sweet potatoes are rich in potassium and magnesium -- minerals that runners lose through sweat.
• Tuna. Serious runners need 60-90 grams of protein a day to help repair muscle. Tuna is a convenient and lean source of protein.

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If running's your thing, you need to invest in a good pair of shoes. But good shoes are hard (and expensive) to come by -- even more so than you think. The Daily Mail recently talked to podiatrists to figure out just which running shoes were worth the money -- and which ones could potentially do damage to your tootsies in the long run.

The bottom line? Trevor Prior, a consultant podiatric surgeon, says that "costly trainers rarely have the technology to justify their price," so don't just head for the most expensive shoes in the store. Click here for their recommendations, ask an expert or visit the Runner's World Shoe Finder to help you find the shoe you need.

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Even if you truly love working out, I'm going to bet that you don't love the muscle soreness that comes afterward. I mean, there's something kind of rewarding about a little soreness the next day, but the kind of pain that makes it hard to walk like a normal person? I'll pass on that, thanks.

I recently read about a product called The Stick on one of the running blogs I follow. It promises to "prevent and predict muscle injuries, dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance, rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity, disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity, and accelerate muscle recovery." I don't know about you, but those are all things I could use some help with.

Lots of professional sports teams use it, including the New York Knicks, Miami Dolphins, and Baltimore Orioles, but it can also be used by non-athletes who are just looking for the best way to massage and warm up muscles.

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Shock jock Howard Stern has a gorgeous new wife and while they're still enjoying the honeymoon period (they've only been married a month), a good deal of their physical activity has taken place outside the bedroom -- they've been running.

Beth Ostrosky was training for the New York City Marathon that took place this past weekend and has run every day since her October 3 wedding. That's not a problem for Stern, who is already a runner. Ostrosky told People, "The greatest thing is that he's a runner and he's been running most of the mileage with me."

The training showed -- the former model, 36, finished much faster than her goal of five hours. She crossed the finish at four hours and 15 minutes, as her husband and stepdaughter cheered her on.

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I think Ryan Reynolds might be a bit of a liar. After insisting that he's not a runner and that he'd be lucky to cross the finish line in last weekend's New York City Marathon, Ryan completed the 26.2 mile run in three hours and 50 minutes, which comes out to around a 8:45 mile (if my math is correct).

At the finish line, he told reporters that he was pretty excited to still be standing and explained that seeing Michael J. Fox around mile 20 caused him "to gain about 15 pounds in goosebumps" and gave him the motivation to push through the last few miles. He ran as a part of Team Fox in honor of his father, who suffers from Parkinson's Disease and raised over $80,000 in contributions for the cause.

"I thought a lot about my father and Michael and the 500,000 other people afflicted with this awful disease in the United States alone," Ryan explained, adding, "I ran for those who can't."

This guy is every bit my idea of a Fit Celeb -- his mind, heart, and body are all in good shape. However, don't expect to see Ryan do it again any time soon. He has been quoted as saying, "I would sooner be prime minister of the moon than run another marathon."

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Is Victoria Beckham planning to run the New York City marathon this weekend? We know Posh has taken up running, but reports are coming out that she's actually been training for months in secret (just like her best gal pal, Katie Holmes did last year) and intends to run the race if she's ready. If she's not, she'll put it off until next February and take part in the Los Angeles marathon instead.

There's no doubt she's got some strong legs -- have you seen the insane high heels that woman wears? She walks in them as easily as I walk in my Chuck Taylors. But really? A marathon for Victoria Beckham, who once proclaimed she didn't work out because she didn't like wearing anything but heels?

If she participates, she certainly won't be the first celeb to become a marathoner. Check out the gallery for a few famous faces who've completed 26.2 miles.

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One of my pet running peeves is the seemingly inevitable thing that happens usually 2 km into my run: My shoe laces come untied. And once I get going, I hate stopping until it's over -- I often feel like taking this forced break breaks my stride. So when I read about bubble laces, I was pretty ecstatic. Apparently, their funky design keeps them from loosening while you're running -- it's such a simple concept but one that could make a huge difference in my runs. They're on my Christmas wish list -- though at only $2 a pair, I could probably just pick them up on my own.

What else is on my wishlist? The Nike + iPod sports kits that connects to your shoes and not only records your workout but also keeps you motivated and can sync your songs to your running rhythm

I'm curious to know -- what other running gadgets can you not live without? Please share. For some inspiration, check out our featured Fit Gadgets here.

(via Fresh Fitness Tips)

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I don't know what the weather is like where you live but in my neck of the woods, we've suddenly switched from a pleasant Indian Summer to a rainy, cold fall. If you're a runner, the rain can really put a damper on your workout.

Marie Claire experts have a tip for running in the rain -- they suggest wearing a garbage bag to keep dry. I can see how that would be handy before a race; you could wear the garbage bag to protect yourself from the rain and then strip it off when the race begins. But wouldn't an inexpensive poncho work just as well? As far as actually running with a garbage bag on? Well, I think the idea just stinks.

If you'd prefer not to look like a running sack of garbage, then be sure to dress in layers -- wear a technical fabric that wicks moisture from your skin as a base layer and a waterproof jacket as your outer layer. You may also want to wear a brimmed hat to keep some of the rain out of your face. Kristen has the scoop on waterproof running shoes.

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