Video of the Week: Great Finishes

For most of us running on the track is a means to an end. We need a little more speed so we go run some repeat intervals. But for some of us, running on the track is the means to the ultimate end game—an Olympic medal. In the first case getting a […]

Running Isn’t Sexy

Back in the 1970’s and 80’s the first aerobic craze hit North America. Kenneth Cooper got people excited about exercise with his bestselling book, “Aerobics” in 1968. Running burst onto the scene as a popular activity and athletes like Frank Shorter and Bill Rodgers became cultural icons.
My experience in the 1980’s and into the […]

Bruce Barton on Achievements

“Nothing splendid has ever been achieved except by those who dared believe that something inside them was superior to circumstance.” —Bruce Barton

A Short History of Women’s Running

March is Women’s history month and in honor of that, here is a very short list of some significant events in the history of women’s running. For more complete lists of achievements please visit the links below.
1928 - Women first allowed to compete in Olympic Track & Field events. Reports of fainting […]

Don’t Be Nobody

(Today we introduce Coach Peter, a Washington, D.C.-based runner, avid marathoner and coach with the D.C. Road Runners Club.)
I ran a race in the country last summer where a deer came charging out of the underbrush lining the road, bowled a runner over and disappeared into the bushes on the other side. The runner […]

Opinion: Guts & Glory

There’s a perception among recreational runners that one of the main things that separates us from the elites is the ability of those at the top of our sport to tough it out, to endure more pain than we can. The thinking goes that folks like Paula Radcliffe, Meb Keflezighi, Martin Lel and Deena Kastor […]

Photo of the Week: 99 Luftballons

Okay, I don’t know there could be more or less then 99 balloons in this photo but it still reminds me of that song, 99 Luftballons. It also looks like a fun way to start off any race.

The photo is from the Berlin Marathon. Thanks go to Frankinho for letting us use this photo. Be […]

In It for the Long Haul

Apologies to those of you in the colder climates for last week’s “Spring has sprung” comment. I know some of you had to run in 30°F weather or slog your way through slush. It is warming up, though and it’s time to really start working on those training plans for the summer’s big […]

Featured Web Site: Runners Rescue

By now many of you are well into your training for upcoming races. Unfortunately injuries are often a part of training. Not sure what to do and looking for information? Runners Rescue offers just that.
This sports podiatrist has pooled together information from many of his colleagues and physiotherapists to offer you essential information on how […]

Quote of the Week

Today, it’s a two-fer!
Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.
—Mark Twain
You can’t really be strong until you see a funny side to things.
—Ken Kesey

Charity-o-Rama!

With racing and marathon season upon us (some say it never left), it’s time to again turn our attention to runners who fundraise. Take a look at your tax refund (ha) and then consider these worthy causes!
First up is Cheryl of the Bryn Mawr Running Club.
Cheryl says

Our annual “Out and Back” charity run […]

Pes Anserine … What?

Pes Anserine Bursitis/Tendonitis, that’s what.
1. What is it?
This injury occurs where three muscles come together and attach to the tibia bone on the medial side of the knee, just below the knee joint. The three muscles are the gracilis, sartorius and semitendinosis.
These muscles and the bursa associated with them can be subjected […]

Planning a Trail Race: Part Five

(Read parts one, two, three and four of this series.)
Summary and Lessons Learned
We covered many aspects of planning a trail race in the first four parts of this series. It is almost certain that some things were missed. The lesson there is that something will most certainly get missed along the way while you […]

Thoughts on a Month of Slack

So, I’ve essentially taken a little bit more than a month “off,” thanks to a little bout of “plantar fascitis,” about which you can read much more on the site.
And I’m having kind of a hard time getting back on track. I don’t think it’s lack of desire, or lack of willpower—there’s nothing so much […]

Photo of the Week: In the Green

Saturday, March 17th was St. Patrick’s Day. Did you wear green? Well many of the runners I raced with did. There were green hats, green shirts, green hair and more.

This photo is from the Flicker collection of James Tworow. James is a freelance photograph who photographed a number of runners during the annual St. Patrick’s […]

There’s No Easy Way Out

If you want to train for a marathon there is but one way to do it—train! It doesn’t matter if you are going for a sub-six-hour finish or a Boston Qualifier; you still have to train and it’s hard work and it can hurt but when you get to the end of that […]

William James on Second Winds

Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they’ve got a second. Give your dreams all you’ve got and you’ll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you. - William James

Featured Web Site: Is Bones In Motion (BiM) ‘The Final Frontier’ for Tracking Your Runs?

If a runner from the 70’s running boom was magically transported through time to present day, I’m sure he or she would be astounded at all the technological options we runners have for tracking our every footstep.
It wasn’t long ago when, if we wanted to figure out how far we were running, we’d have to […]

Retail Therapy: Sports Bra for the Well-endowed

Time to rest easy and get moving. Finally, a compression bra that supports in all the right places. The soft fabric allows for breathability and only a small degree of stretching which drastically reduces the dreaded bounce.
Wide rib band, hook-and-eye front closure. Provides medium-to high-impact support for C-through DDD-cups.

The ENELL Sports Bra was the […]

Planning a Trail Race: Part Four

(Read parts one, two and three of this series.)

Race Logistics
Lots of different things make up the logistics on race day.

Course markings.
Make sure people won’t get lost on your course becuase if they do you may be responsible. Mark your course clearly the day before the race. Typical trail markings […]

Sleep on This

While listening last year to an archived episode of the Phedippidations podcast, host “Steve Runner” mentions that he got a great night’s sleep on the eve of the Cape Cod Marathon thanks to taking the sleep aid Ambien. It was the first time I’d heard of a runner taking a prescription drug to get some […]

Diet: More Than Just a Four-Letter Word

Never underestimate the effects of diet on your running performance. I presume by now we all know that plenty of carbohydrates are a runner’s best friend, and that the steak on the evening of your race won’t actually build your strength just in time for your new personal best. According to the experts, your training […]

Why I Run

Any time a conversation at a party or business meeting comes around to running, as it somehow always does, it’s inevitable that one of the non-runners in the discussion will ask: Why do you run? I, like most runners, have any number of stock answers to this question: Because I love it; it’s great exercise; […]

Photo of the Week: Women on the Run

This week’s featured photo comes from Run4Women, a site we featured a while back.
This is the start of the Run4Women 8km Race in Winsdor, UK. This year it will be held on September 29. Their official charity is Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

I wonder who the lucky fellow is they are chasing.
We are always looking for great […]

New Running Blogs for the Week ending March 10, 2007

Hi everyone! Please make sure to visit these latest additions to the Running Blog Family!
Best Day of the Year
kurthiggins.com
//run.phast
Run to Skate
Got To Run
A Jones for Running

Video of the Week: California Dreamin’

Watching this clip makes me want to hop in the car, drive down to the Monterey Bay and just run.

(The Team in Training South Bay Run Team from Los Gatos, California.)

Retail Therapy: Performance Bondi Bands

Last month I had the pleasure of working on a project with fellow RBF member Runningmomma Michelle. She shared with me that she was distributing these very cool Bondi Performance Headbands. Hmmm, a product I hadn’t heard of? This, of course, peaked the fashion maven’s curiosity.

I ordered several, I tried them and it’s all […]

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: What is It and Why You Should Care

1. What is it?
The iliotibial band (ITB) is a sheet of fibrous tissue that extends from the outside of the hip, down the outer thigh to the outside of the knee. The ITB helps to stabilize the knee joint. During normal movement, as the knee bends and straightens, the ITB rubs over part […]

Planning a Trail Race: Part Three

(Read parts one and two of this five-part series.)

Advertising & Sponsors
Before I begin part 3 I do need to remind you of the time committment in planning a race. As you can tell by the sporadic updates to this 5 part series, I have been busy. Planning a trail races takes A LOT […]

I Love Coffee, I Love Tea

Pepsi and Coca-Cola recently announced they will soon include more specific label information on the caffeine in their beverages.. Reports suggest the vast majority of adults consume caffeinated beverages daily, particularly coffee or colas. Recreational runners most definitely are among them.
Some drink caffeinated beverages in the morning to get an energy boost or to […]

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