Every run should have a purpose. Most experienced runners will describe to you the transformational moment in their training, when they learned to run their easy days easy and their hard days hard. The transition from junk miles - purposeless, always-moderate training - to polarized training allowed them to fully benefit from their runs. Junk miles are not "bad" but they are not optimal for performance. The exact definition of junk mileage varies based on the coaching philosophy. Some ...
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How Your Menstrual Cycle Affects Running
Paula Radcliffe once lamented how the sport of running lacks an understanding of periods and unique female issues. Sports medicine doctors and coaches will give female athletes hormones to delay menstruation. Very few resources discuss anything about periods and running, much less female hormones and running. Honestly, it’s downright frustrating at times, especially as the percentage of female participants in the sport of running rises each year. You don’t have to suppress or fear your ...
5 Tips for Running in the Wind
Now that I live again in Northwest Indiana, just southeast of Lake Michigan, wind is a frequent occurrence on runs. Chances are, no matter where you live, you encounter wind on your runs at some point in the year. If you’re racing during the autumn months, you face the likelihood of encountering winds on race day. But the wind doesn't have to confine you to the treadmill or ruin your race day. Whether you are racing or running a hard workout, use these 5 tips for running in the wind ...
Strength Training for Runners: Lifting for Performance
Social media permits us recreational runners to glimpse into the training of elite. If you scroll through the Instagram feeds of the leading elites in America, you’ll see Jordan Hasay deadlifting and Molly Huddle performing pull-ups and box jumps. Shalane Flanagan has revealed in multiple interviews that she goes to the gym three times per week. Elite runners incorporate strength training for speed and performance into their plans. What elite runners practice is backed by science; ...
How to Qualify for the Boston Marathon: Beyond the Usual Advice
Each Boston Marathon inspires runners to set their sights on America’s most historic marathon. Thousands of runners set the goal each year to qualify for the Boston Marathon, and a BQ (Boston Qualifying time) tops the list of even more thousands of runners’ lifetime goals. For me, qualifying for Boston wasn’t about gaining entry to one of the most prestigious road races. Qualifying for Boston meant pushing my physical and mental limits. It meant rising to the challenge of training hard, ...