Runners ask me all the time how fast they should run for various types of workouts — easy runs, tempo runs, intervals. Most runners run either too fast or too slow to obtain the desired result. To determine the correct speed, you must know the purpose of each workout. Always remember that the goal of […]
“There are two schools of thought,” the college coach said to me seven years ago, as I watched the 800-meter runners run 200-meter reps on the track at 800-meter PR pace in November. She was referring to how to train middle distance and distance runners — with lots of speed training or lots of endurance […]
One million. That’s how many times I have seen or heard of a runner training incorrectly. I can’t stand runners training wrong all the time. It bothers me on a deep level. I’m going to give away a “secret” of training. Every runner should post this on his or her bathroom mirror. To be the […]
I did a hill workout today. If you want a humbling workout, whether you’re a runner or any other kind of fitness buff, there’s nothing like running hills to humble you. For runners, hills are a big part of training and racing. The feel of your heart pounding in your chest and your shortness of […]
On my 5-mile run around Lake Miramar in San Diego today, I thought about economy. People use different amounts of oxygen when running at the same submaximal speeds, and this difference explains why runners with the same VO2max do not cross the finish line together in races. This difference in oxygen use is called running […]
February is National Heart Month. Heart disease is the number one cause of death among men and women. Everyone knows someone who has had heart disease. My father died of a heart attack when he was 51 years old. My twin brother and I were only eight years old. This is one of my favorite […]
I was asked today if I could share some advice in my blog about how to learn to run at the correct speed. Well, of course I can! Most runners train haphazardly, without any real sense of purpose, and then are often disappointed with their racing results. When you train with a purpose and understand […]
With 5 weeks to go until the New York City Marathon, I’ve started to include some interval training in my marathon preparation. Once per week, I’m going to the track to push my heart rate to it’s maximum to attend to my VO2max. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Given the popularity of VO2max and it’s […]