Running is a skill sport. The more you run, the better of a runner you become. Up until a certain point, running more miles per week will make you a better runner. But how do you know what that point is? How many miles should you run per week? First, it is vital to recognize individual variations. Factors including genetics, injury background and risk, training background, work and life stress and schedules, gender, medical conditions, sleep, and nutrition must be ...
10K
How to Transition from the Marathon to 5K
The 5K/10K and marathon/half marathon aren’t mutually exclusive events. While peak training will differ, a well-trained runner who develops endurance, lactate threshold, and speed will thrive in any of these events. Need more evidence? Some of the fastest marathoners in the US also hold titles in shorter distances. Once fall marathon season wraps up, 5K or 10K races such as Turkey Trots and other holiday runs appear everywhere. And why not race them, once you are recovered from your ...
How to Run Your Fastest 10K
The 10K deserves more appreciation. It’s not just a tune-up race or a stepping stone into the half marathon and then marathon. It’s a challenging test of both speed and endurance. It's long enough and requires enough grit to appeal to long-distance lovers, while fast enough to appeal to speedsters. Running your fastest 10K requires both of speed and endurance. If you want to run your fastest 10K, you can’t just rely on mileage alone or speed alone. Instead, as with any distance, you want to ...
Should You Do a Shakeout Run before a Race?
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 ...
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 ...