With the new trend towards minimalist footwear, it’s important runners have access to information not only about the benefits of minimalism but more importantly how to incorporate it safely into their running routine.
Saucony has taken this message to heart with their recent Step Into Minimalism events in Boston and NYC. Run SMART was fortunate enough to be apart of this worthy campaign by offering gait analysis and coaching tips on how to safely transition into minimalist shoes.
Great interview with Jack about minimalism and training, courtesy of Larry Eder over at RunBlogRun.
By Heidi Peoples
Spring has finally arrived! For many runners, Spring is a great opportunity to test your fitness and see if you’ve worked hard enough throughout the dark and cold winter months to reach your racing goals for the year. If you haven’t run your first race post-winter yet, most likely you will within the next few weeks.
The first race of the season could have very different results. You may be pleasantly surprised with your present fitness level, or you could be discouraged by a disappointing result. Favorable results lead you looking forward to the upcoming season and excited to get out the door to run. However, what happens if the race you have been training for doesn’t go so well? (more…)
Question: I would like to know your recommendation for integrating hill training into a marathon program. Specifically:
Run SMART Coach Jack Daniels: I like to think of hill training as another form of resistance training, and certainly resistance training can benefit a runner. Resistance training could be hill running, or squats in the gym or circuit training, bounding, or deep-water running, etc. In other words, training that may be overall beneficial for the development of a runner in terms of holding off injury or developing muscles that may normally become fatigued in races of various distances.
By Blake Boldon
Not too long ago I was scouring the internet looking for some old race results and I stumbled upon a 5k road race from the summer of 1996. That summer the Olympics were hosted in Atlanta and there were some incredible races run on American soil in the months of June, July and August. Mine was not one of them.
I was entering my junior year of high school in my small hometown of Osceola, Iowa and training like never before. Having qualified for the state cross country meet the previous fall, I was logging summer miles with dreams of improving on my 56th place finish in the Class 2A state championship. Here is the result I found: (more…)
By Rod Koborsi
There are times in everyone’s running life where you feel the need to jump in a race that you are not quite prepared for. We would all love to be 100% prepared for every race but, as most can attest, life sometimes gets in the way. For some it’s the decision to sign up for next month’s marathon because you feel the need to accomplish something right away. Others might be fighting an injury and after time off want to suddenly jump in a race. And many of you up north may have had to deter training plans because a snow storm. No matter the circumstance, there are a few tips that every runner should keep in mind when feeling the impulse to race. (more…)
By Mike Smith
A question I get many times from the runners I interact with is “What place does speedwork have in training for a 26 mile race, Mike?” The question is a good one; in a race so far, wouldn’t you want to just get good at running for a long time? Why would anyone need to practice running fast? It turns out that faster workouts don’t only have to be performed because you want to be a sprinter. These types of workouts can play an important part in preparing for longer races as well. (more…)
By Brian Rosetti
Throughout my experiences as a coach and runner/guinea pig for my athletes, I’ve learned a lot about injury treatment and prevention. Over the course of my career I’ve had my fair share of injuries but I’ve always tried to learn as much as possible throughout the process to prevent future problems. Over time I’ve avoided serious setbacks more often and one big reason for that is the success I’ve had working with certified active release practitioners. Here’s why: (more…)
Dr. Jack Daniels provides great training advice for “Facing the Wind.” When training in adverse conditions, particularly in the winter, runners have to face windy conditions. It’s important to understand how it can impact your training and that you come up with a plan to deal with the wind before your workout. (more…)
By Vince Sherry
I wince every time I see more than a couple inches of snow in the forecast. It’s ironic, considering one of my favorite Bill Bowerman quotes is “there’s no such thing as bad weather, only soft people.”
This is a relatively new qualm of mine. I grew up in Rochester, NY. Since Rochester rarely sees the sun in the winter (and the winter is very long), the snow sticks around much longer. But I never missed a day of running due to snow in Rochester, and the fresh white powder made the otherwise dismal winter landscape a little more pleasing to the eye. I actually enjoyed running on snowy days. So what happened? (more…)
You are currently browsing the archives for the Training tips category.
"I've enjoyed a giddy three years of PR after PR as a newbie masters runner. I was initially skeptical about remote coaching (don't coaches stand at the finish line with a stopwatch?)" - Everett H.
