What

Running Terminology 101: Training Plan Edition

One of the things that I sometimes struggle with as a coach is forgetting that my running terminology shorthand isn’t exactly universally understood.

For example, “10 min W/U, 10×2 min w/ 2 min recovery, 10 min C/D” makes total sense to me, but when that shows up on a client’s training plan, he or she may not be able to decipher the message.

What

Granted, that is a bit of an advanced case of training plan shorthand, but those of us that have been around running for awhile have picked up on much of the running terminology that gets thrown around in running circles.

Splits, tempo pace, fartlek, and taper make perfect sense to us.

Shoot, if you’ve been running long enough you might even find that you no longer chuckle when someone talks about a fartlek.

But for for someone new to our sport, the running terminology that so many of us take for granted is one more barrier to feeling welcomed as a member of the running community.

So today, I want to define some of the running terminology that you’re likely to see in a training plan, read in blog posts, or hear in conversations with other runners.  Read more

What Constitutes a Proper Warm Up for a Race? (with Video)

A while back, I talked about the importance of a warm up before running a race.

But what exactly constitutes a proper warm up? Because at a lot of races I see people that think they are doing the right things to get themselves ready for the race, when that actually is not the case at all.

A Proper Warm Up Should…

  • Increase Your Heart Rate. If you’re going to want to run hard from the start of the race, no matter the distance, having your heart already thumping is a good thing. You’ll place less strain on your ticker if you bring your heart rate up a little bit before the race starts.
  • Loosen Your Muscles/Tendons. Cold muscles don’t work as well as warm ones. That’s just a fact. Cold muscles don’t produce as much force (so you won’t be able to run as fast) and are more likely to strain/tear (increased risk of injury) than warm muscles.
  • Move Your Joints Through a Full Range of Motion. The harder you’re going to run, the more motion you’re going to need in your hips, knees, and ankles.

The Most Common Mistake

If I had a dollar from every person I’ve seen before a race performing static stretches on their muscles, I wouldn’t be a millionaire but I’d definitely have a lot more cushion in my bank account.

Y’all, don’t hold your stretches before a race/hard workout!

This will actually decrease your performance, by decreasing the amount of elasticity in your muscles.

If you hold those stretches before a race, you’re decreasing the amount of force those muscles are able to exert (in the short term) which is going to result in you not be able to run as fast.

Yes, stretching is important. Just save it for after the race.

What are Your Thoughts on Warming Up Before a Race? Do You Have a Routine that You Follow? Share it Below!

Who Says It's Impossible?

Everything is Impossible Until it No Longer Is

“Some of the World’s Greatest Feats were Accomplished by People Not Smart Enough to Know They Were Impossible.”

~Doug Larson

What a profound statement, eh?

Think about all of the things that were “impossible” until they weren’t.

  • 4 Minute Mile
  • Sub-10 sec 100 meter dash
  • A woman running a marathon without losing her uterus along the way…

The list of things that were thought to be impossible until proven otherwise can go on for awhile, especially if we expand beyond the realm of running.

Why Put Limits on Yourself?

Who Says It's Impossible?

Who Says Something is Impossible?

What is impossible in your life right now?

One of the life lessons I’ve learned as a runner is that we are very often our own biggest obstacle. We have this nasty habit of convincing ourselves that something is impossible before we’ve even given it a shot.

Think about it, have you ever said “Oh I couldn’t do that”?

Maybe someone asked you to run a 5k with them, and you didn’t think that was possible.

Or the first time you thought about running a marathon?

Or my personal bug-a-boo, thinking about racing longer than 26.2 miles?

“Oh I couldn’t do that.”

Bull shit.

We (and believe me, this is directed squarely at me as much or more than it is at anyone reading this post) need to stop worrying about what we don’t think we can do and put ourselves out there to see what really is possible.

Because if we allow ourselves to believe that we can’t do something, we have a 100% chance of being right. But if we give ourselves a fighting chance, we might surprise ourselves…

Impossible is a Reality

Now, I’m not saying that you can do anything you set your mind to, if you’ll just work hard enough.

The second time that I had Dane Rauschenberg on the podcast, he caught me off guard when he said that some things actually are impossible.

Not what I expected from a motivational speaker.

But as he elaborated on that statement, it made more and more sense.

Some things just aren’t possible. Allow me to be the example here.

It would be safe to say that I’ll ever run a sub-4 minute mile. For me, that is impossible. But can I get faster at a mile? Sure!

If I dedicate a significant amount of time and effort training to improve my time in the mile, I will definitely get faster.

Eventually, I’ll reach my peak where due to my genetics and physiology I won’t be able to get faster. I don’t know what that top speed would be, but it’s safe to say it’s much faster than I probably think I could possibly get.

By going after things that seem “impossible”, even if we never reach that goal, we will often go far beyond what we think we capable of and find out what our limits actually are.

And more often than not, that which we truly are capable of is mind blowing.

Stop Holding Yourself Back

It’s time to blow your mind.

What are you currently preventing yourself from achieving? What have you convinced yourself is impossible, that you’ve never really even tried?

Maybe it’s running a 5k without stopping.

Maybe it’s running an ultra marathon.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what “it” is. The fact is, we could all do a lot more than we’ve done before if we would dare to attempt that which seems impossible.

Do it.

What is Something That Seems Impossible to You Now That You’ve Never Really Tried? What is Holding You Back from Attempting the Impossible?

Best Stretches for Runners

Most runners know they should stretch after a run, but what exactly are the best stretches for runners?

In this video, I’ll talk about why stretching is important and demonstrate what stretches are best for runners.

And here’s a hint, these stretches have been around forever and they are definitely some of the most beneficial stretches for runners.

So after your next run, make sure you add these stretches to your cool down routine!

Best Stretches for Runners

Get a free PDF guide to remind you how to properly perform the stretches talked about in this video.

Powered by ConvertKit

How Often Do You Stretch?