When I first started racing, I thought a shakeout run was absolutely necessary. It’s ingrained in racing culture; many races or groups even offer hosted shakeout runs before major races. Every single plan out of Runner’s World or Hansons included a shakeout run. But what is the purpose of shakeout runs, exactly? Should every runner do one in their training? I will preface this post with a disclaimer: I do not do shakeout runs before half marathons or marathons. Sometimes I do a shakeout run ...
10K
Ringing in Spring 10K 2019 Recap
When I signed up for the Ringing in Spring 10K back in January, I originally to race it for a PR and possibly even top 3 women. I craved a hard, demanding training cycle and a gritty race. I had just healed my metatarsal stress fracture and dealt with a chemical pregnancy (early loss at ~4 weeks). I wanted to push my body again to feel like myself. Shortly after registering for that (and a fall marathon!), we found out I was pregnant. A gut-busting training cycle and a big PR were no longer ...
Overdistance Long Runs: How to Improve Your Race-Specific Endurance
Whether you are training for your first race or you want to run faster, improving your endurance is necessary for achieving your goal. The long run is a tried-and-true way to improve endurance - especially if you run beyond your race distance. Overdistance long runs improve your race-specific endurance, whether you are training for a 5K, 10K, or half marathon. The long run is, by definition, the longest run of the week. It is a staple in training plans for all distances and all abilities of ...
Speed Training for Long Distance Runners
Many long-distance runners want to improve their finish times, especially if they have completed more than one marathon or half marathon. While factors such as weekly mileage and nutrition play a significant role, there’s one aspect of improving as a runner that many long-distance runners neglect - speed training. Elite runners certainly aren’t neglecting their speed training. Molly Huddle’s incredible finishing kick on the track contributed to her American record in the half marathon and ...
Race Week Workouts to Prepare for a Strong Race
As counterintuitive as they sound, race week workouts can be the secret to having a good race. While you certainly want to taper and rest in the days leading up to a race, a race week workout can boost your confidence, optimize your performance, and leave your legs feeling sharp and fresh for race week. But what exactly does a race week workout look like? Should you do fast 400m repeats on the track regardless of distance? How do you strike the balance between doing enough and not doing too ...