Most runners run because they know it keeps them fit and because it’s a great hobby. For some, it’s mainly the camaraderie. Others are attracted by the endorphin rush, but virtually all runners also want to get faster.  Is that you? Even if you only do the occasional race, you may want to keep improving, set a new PR at least once in a while. Then there are also the hard core runners that mainly enjoy the competitive aspect. Whichever group you fall into, you will benefit from some basic...

The topic of Episode #132 was dreadful runs. This is a followup that, I hope, will always help you put those runs in perspective. But more than that, it shows you what can happen later in your running career. No matter where you are, now, in your running journey. You can still set lofty running goals and achieve them, but you may need to make some changes. It’s always the same with running, and maybe this is just as true with other sports, but you continue to evolve as an athlete. You learn...

If you have never had a bad run, then you haven’t been running long.  Truth. Every runner of every level has bad runs now and then. Now if you have them often, that is, of course, a problem, but as a rule, if you haven’t had a lousy run in a while, I’d say you might even want to accept that you’re overdue. Not that you should dwell on that. You shouldn’t dwell on bad runs, ever, for any reason, and you certainly shouldn’t worry if you haven’t had one in a while. What would that accomplish?...

One of the things I appreciate most about running is that it’s such a simple sport. You can do it anywhere, and the only equipment you need is a pair of shoes.  That said, everybody loves running gear and most of the runners I know love gadgets as well. So, since it’s the holiday season, I thought I provide you with my best gift suggestions for runners. I have no ties to any of these companies, and where I have linked, below, I get no financial benefit if you click and purchase the product....

Of the 52 weeks in every year, most runners find the ones between Thanksgiving and New Year’s to be the most challenging from a running perspective. There are just too many things competing for your precious time. I get that. In this episode, I help you with putting it in perspective and managing to do enough to be able to bonce back to normal in January.

Not all electrolyte replacement products are the same, not even close.  Jen has been running a while, but she hasn’t ever trained for marathons. Now, she’s often running for two hours, and she’s finding that she really starts to feel fatigued. She assumes it’s that she’s not eating correctly or that her training hasn’t been sufficient. She’s even wondering if, maybe, she shouldn’t have committed to the marathon, that maybe she just isn’t strong enough. That’s sad, because in my experience,...

Have you ever had a dreadful race but were unable to put your finger on the cause? Of course, there could be many causes, but one of the first places to look is at your electrolyte replacement regimen. What? You don’t have an electrolyte plan? Well, that’s okay if you’re not running farther than 90 minutes, but if you are, then electrolytes may be an area where you can make strides toward a better race experience. There are many options from deciding whether you’ll use capsules or dissolve a...

Have you ever been in the predicament of not knowing how to compensate for a day when you ended up missing the training on your schedule? Have you ever planned our own training schedule but wondered if the way you were doing it was optimal? Whether a new runner or a runner with years of experience, it’s altogether possible  that you may never have heard of several key training principles for runners that might just make a major difference in your training and running performance. While I’ve...

Yes, I’m back. I know, you probably thought you’d never hear another episode, but surprise, I’ve just finished three, and I have plans for at least another nine. After the main topic of this podcast, the documentary film I helped to make, I’ll explain more about the future of this podcast. It’s in your hands. I’ve been talking about the Human Race running documentary for years, now, but it has finally happened. The film premiered in LA in June and soon, you’ll all have an opportunity to see...

At any given time, a percentage of runners will be suffering from a not so uncommon running malady, loss of their running mojo, the state of being without motivation, of feeling more like sitting than running. This is serious but not uncommon. I’ll tell you this:  As a longtime coach, I’ve seen this many times. The good news is that it’s never ever fatal, but the bad news is that it can go on for weeks or months, and if it goes untreated, it can be permanent. Yep. Some people never return;...

Unless you live in a very remote area, you likely can choose from several half marathon options every month because with every passing year, we see more halves, and that’s not surprising because they are, I think the ideal race distance. In this episode, I explain all the reasons why this race distance continues to be the most popular.

This episode is about knee surgery for runners, the considerations, topics for thought. It will not tell you when you need surgery. I’m not a doctor. It doesn’t bash knee surgery, not at all, but it is food for thought, things to consider, if knee surgery may be in your future, or if a medical professional is recommending it for you. First, I need to cover some critical points. For as long as running has been a popular sport, some people have believed that running is bad for your knees. Let...

If you haven’t run off road – or on trails – I hope this episode will convince you to give it a try. I explain the many of excellent reasons why you should run trails, and I explain how to get started. I’ve said it many times, I live an hour from Disney World and Universal and 30 minutes from Busch Gardens, but even if I had to pay the same amount, I’d rather go for a trail run in the woods. Listen in and find out why I believe everyone should go run trails, specifically, single track...

Most runners want to get faster. Not everyone can afford to hire a coach, and not everyone has time to train for a marathon, but most runners hope to set new PR’s on a regular basis. This is absolutely possible, but you need to know how to direct your time. Most people have full-time jobs. You probably do, or you’re a full-time parent. Your time is limited; so, you need to know the best most efficient way to spend your running training time.  In this episode, I explain three things that...

It’s the little things that often have the greatest impact, and so it is with the concept of focusing on the fact that when running, you are always, 100 percent of the time, putting the full weight of your body on just one foot or the other. Oddly, you don’t hear much about this, and if you go to the gym, you’ll notice that most people are doing exercises with both feet firmly planted on the floor.  Think about it. Doesn’t it make more sense to stand on just one leg at a time, imitating, or...

We all think of ourselves as intelligent runners, of course, but even the most experienced, veteran runners sometimes lose sight of the wise and effective path to their goals. Why does this happen? I think because we get caught up in the here and now, the ‘today,’ instead of keeping our eyes on the long term goal, not just our long term running goals but sometimes even our life goals. Yes, running can sometimes distract us from our most far-reaching life goals. That’s bad, but on the flip...

If, where you live, it gets cold in the winter – and I mean cold – then you’re probably just coming into the time of year when you need to make accommodations to be able to run outside, safely and comfortably. No matter how cold it gets, in most cases, if you’re healthy, you can dress in a way that will keep you adequately warm.  Cold weather need not be a problem, and the answer is not to run on the treadmill, either. Most runners I know would say they’d rather run outside, even when it’s...

No matter who you are and no matter how long you’ve been running, you have days when you need a reason to get out and run, a reason beyond the fact that you are a runner, you believe in running, you love to run and you know you shoud run. You can know and understand all that, but on any given day, your drive to put on your shoes and walk out the door may be temporarily missing. It happens to every runner. That’s life, but, fortunately, I’ve got more than a few tricks up my sleeve. That’s one...

If you’re running a 5k on up to a half marathon, hydration matters, but it’s not terribly tricky. The focus should be on making sure you consume enough fluids to prevent dehydration,but if you’re out there for several hours – or a lot more – you need to be even more concerned about avoiding over hydration, also known as hyponatremia. Hence the Goldilocks Principle. You must make sure you drink enough, but if you drink too much, you’ll be in big trouble. “The Real and Simple Truth About...

The Revel Big Cottonwood race weekend was an adventure I won’t soon forget. Well, who am I kidding, I’ll never forget it. Every destination race is unique, and this one, especially so, because it was mostly downhill and because it was the most beautiful race course I’ve had the good fortune to run, postcard scenes around every bend in the road. About twenty of our Run Tampa members made the trip, with some running the full but most running the half marathon. In this episode, I describe the...

Whether you’ve travelled to Podunk or New York City, on a plane or in a car, with four friends or 24, you know that a destination race is the bomb; you know how much fun that can be. If you haven’t travelled to do an out-of-town race with friends, you really, really should. Look at the faces in that picture. The photographer didn’t have to tell anyone to smile, believe me.  When people do their first marathon, I always say, “Your legs will recover in a few days, but your smile muscles will...

It’s Saturday morning. Katie, your daughter, has a soccer game at 9:00, and your husband has to work. That means you’ll have your 9 year old son, Patrick, with you. You’ve got 8 miles on your schedule, but how will you manage it? Then you think, “I wonder if I could get Patrick to ride along on his bike?”  If Patrick does join you, it may just be the start of his running life, and before you know it, when you head out for a run, he may be excited to be by your side, running with you. The...

When you look outside and see that it’s raining, do you reluctantly move on to the next thing on your ‘to do’ list? Do you cheer because now you have an excuse not to run? Do you head for the gym and the dreadmill? Or do you put your shoes on and smile? Rain provides the opportunity to enjoy your run on a whole new level. Today’s podcast is about the pleasure of running in the rain, and why you can and should enjoy it, if it’s not already one of the things you treasure most in the...

This is the fourth in a series of podcasts about cross-training. If you haven’t already done so, please check out MFR 108, Cross-Training Basics, MFR 109, Swimming as Cross-Training for Runners and MFR 110, Cycling as Cross-Training for Running. You may count your steps every day if you have a fitness tracker, but have you ever counted how many times you stepped up? You get extra credit from me for every ascending and descending step because it does your body good, a lot of good. This, the...

Cycling is ideal cross-training for running. Like swimming, it fits into the category of cardio cross-training, but what is unique to biking is that it trains you to move your legs in the perfect pattern for running. No other form of cross-training has this effect, and that’s just one reason I think every running should bike at least once per week. In this episode, I discuss all the benefits of cycling and how to get a bike. I also provide examples of several workouts to do on a bike, some...