Preparation Races, Part II »

This is a follow-up from my last article about building up sharpness for your big goal race by completing preparation races. Once you get closer to your final race, you might want to reconsider your approach to a preparation race. This is especially true if you are training for a marathon.

Prepare to Race »

The autumn marathon season will soon be upon us. Those of us who are training for a marathon will be well within our training programs (and if you’re not, then it really is too late by now). But there is more to training than just running mile after mile. Every marathon training schedule should include [...]

Not Such A HIIT »

A while ago, I became aware of a new buzzword doing the rounds on certain fitness web sites. These come and go, and I usually ignore them, but this one has stuck around for longer than usual. It sounds great. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) is supposed

The View From the Front »

My lovely wife signed up for a 10-week half-marathon training program and I decided to join her. The program is organized by the local Fleet Feet store and primarily

Instructional Running DVDs »

RunningDVDs.com looks to be just getting going but, from looking at the samples on their web site, they show great promise. From their site: The goal of RunningDVDs.com is simple – to provide athletes with resources to run faster. The first DVD is called “Building a Better Runner: Building from the Ground Up,” RunningDVDs says [...]

Heart Rate Monitors: Do They Make a Difference? »

Heart rate monitors have become very popular running aides in recent years, but do we know how to get the best out of them? You can buy them in all sorts of configurations, from fairly cheap ones (I got mine for about $35) to ones costing several hundred dollars, which claim do everything bar the [...]

Overmatched by Dumbbells »

I avoided it for as long as I could, but I still ended up in the weight room. If I’m skeptical about the benefits of weight training for distance runners, at least I’m not alone. There are a lot of articles online about runners and weights, and they range from the skeptical to the hostile. [...]

I Run Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death »

After a long deep sleep and a substantial breakfast I headed out for a morning run with exercise physiologist Mike Siemens. He’s an experienced triathlete and in 2006 he ran Boston, which is my ultimate goal. His plan is to observe my gait and give me an interval workout to improve the efficiency of my [...]

Running for Cause »

I ran my first marathon with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training Program. I raised about $3,700, met some of our mentors (people stricken with blood cancers) and felt really good about my participation. Many of us run for cause. There are many causes to run for, all worthy. I also make a [...]

Torquemada’s Treadmill »

Read the entire account of Mike’s experience: part one, part two, part three, part four, and part five. Leg strength tests and body scans are all to the good, but now I was going to get a chance to take a running test. Even those who are relatively new to running have probably heard of [...]

Training to be “READY” »

In the military, a soldier is continuously being trained and maintained, even though at the time there may be no war to fight. Why? Well, a county must have defenders ready to “jump into action” at any time to protect the country. Some runners, like me, who do not presently have goal race to train [...]

What I Learned on My Running Vacation »

OK, my vacation from running. I was sidelined from all forms of aerobic exercise a while ago, for about 2 1/2 months. During that time I volunteered with my local running group’s 10K program. My job was to show up, collect and keep track of paperwork, and take photos of the runners coming and going. [...]

Age & Weight Grading Calculator Analyzes Race Success »

There was a three and a half year gap between my previous and new PR marathons. I had made a number of changes in how I trained for the latter marathon. I could chalk the PR up solely due to those changes, but I also must recognize that I’m seven pounds lighter now. Naturally, I’ve [...]

Top 10 Questions Asked by Beginning Runners »

Learn how to run! This article contains the most common questions asked by new runners, and those returning to running after an extended layoff. Includes a beginner training plan (running program) to get you on your way!

A Letter to Mrs. McCarthy*-Part Three »

Part three of a three-part essay I composed for an acquaintance who had met me for lunch recently to discuss “how to run.”

The Best Way to Strengthen Your VMOs »

My running has been plagued by bad patella tracking and therefore knee pain. Poor patella tracking is typically due to weak Vastus Medialis Oblique (VMO) muscles and tight quads. I have tried doing many different VMO exercises but they came up short. I did many leg extensions and leg presses and even though the VMO [...]

(The Myth of) The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner »

A Long Time Ago, In A Galaxy Far, Far Away… …some bad things happened in my life. So, I started running. I ran by myself because I needed the “alone time”. Years past and, for some long forgotten reason, I stopped running. Then, some more bad things happened so I started running again but this [...]

Adventure Racing, Collegiate Style »

This week we bring you something different—Adventure Racing! Adventure Racing has it all—Trail Running, Mountain Biking and Kayaking in this Collegiate Championship. No matter what your discipline, life is an adventure—go race!

Video of the Week: Wildflower Editon »

In honor of how I will be spending my weekend I bring you a video about the Wildflower Triathlon. There is running at the end so I think it is fair game for this site. You can’t be a triathlete if you are not a runner. This will be my first ever Olympic Distance Triathlon [...]

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 long, hard [...]

Quicklinks: Athlinks.com »

Am I the last one to know about Athlinks.com? Athlinks is the most comprehensive database of endurance race results and events anywhere in the world. We currently provide coverage in the U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico for six different race categories: Running (over 3 K), Swimming (open water and/or over 500 M), Cycling, [...]

Getting Fit with FitLink »

I recently wrote a review of FitLink.com. The site impressed me and the review I wrote caught the attention of Chris Charlier, one of the founders of FitLink.com. With this, I took the opportunity to ask Chris a few questions about him, the site, and his team’s vision for the future.

Strength Training for Endurance Running »

Resistance training can aid in the prevention of injuries by building strength in muscles, tendons and ligaments. Resistance training can also balance the muscles, thereby leading to improvements in the mechanics of movement. PERIODIZATION: Use different training programs for different periods of the year and a series of progressions, or steps, in which athletes move [...]

Training Tips for the New Year »

This year has almost come and gone. Soon it will be New Year’s Day and the start of a new training calendar. Speaking of which, do you have one to log your workouts on? Logs for tracking/planning 2007 I did a Google search and got a list of over 40,000 some odd logs for tracking [...]

Making It All Work: Integrating a Fitness Plan Into Life »

I’m a busy guy. In fact, I’m really, really busy. During the course of a typical day, I’m many things. I’m a full time student, a father of three young boys, a husband to one loving and patient wife, a dedicated employee, a paid on-call firefighter, a moderately consistent writer both here at CompleteRunning.com and [...]

Glycerol Loading for Improved Endurance »

While December is not normally the time of year one is trying to come up with strategies to “beat the heat,” it is something that may be on our minds come next summer, so now is a good time to start researching and considering your options. Much focus is placed on hydration for athletes, especially [...]

Swimming and Running: The Perfect Combination? »

I started swimming competitively when I was about 11 or 12 years old. Since then swimming has at different times drifted in and out of my workout regimen. I have always felt that swimming was a good way to stay fit, but it wasn’t until I started running and training for the Medtronic Twin Cities [...]

Featured Website: Sport Tracks »

Sport Tracks is a website for a handy tool to track your activities and more. It can be easily downloaded and installed on your PC. Besure to check the minimum requirements first. The site features a Demo Center, Downloads and a User Forum. Its all free but you can make a donation, if you like. [...]

You Gotta Have Heart, Miles & Miles & Miles of Heart! »

This is part four in a series about heart rate training: Part one is about Karnoven Heart Rate Training Zones/Targets, part two is about your Resting Heart Rate and part three deals with Maximum Heart Rate. ————– I have an admission to make. I am fantastically craptacular at knowing how fast I should be running [...]

How to Accurately Determine Your Maximum Heart Rate & Have An Out of Body Experience At the Same Time »

continued from parts one and two ———————————— According to a Google search on the subject, Maximum Heart Rate can be defined in the following ways: The fastest and hardest your heart can pump without going into fibrillation. Rate differs according to age. Funny but true! If you’ve ever done a real test of your MHR, [...]

The What, Why & How of Your Resting Heart Rate »

Last week, I talked about using the Karnoven Method for determining accurate heart rate training targets/zones, and promised I’d return this week with information about Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and Maximum Heart Rate (MHR). Today, I’ll talk about RHR. Please come by tomorrow for the MHR discussion. Five Things You Should Know About Your Resting [...]

Use the Karvonen Method to Determine Your Heart Rate Training Targets »

The basis for how you determine your target heart rate may not be exactly correct. In the past when I figured out the heart rates I should be training at, I used training zones like the ones listed below and described by Sports Coach Brian Mac: The Energy Efficient/Recovery Zone – 60% to 70% The [...]

Slow Down, You Move Too Fast »

During my drive for Boston last year, I distinctly remember hammering through nearly every run, thinking to myself, “If I can” t handle a six mile run at x:xx pace, how can I expect to run an entire marathon at that pace?” As race day grew closer, the aches and pains of the effort began [...]

Dragon Boating for Runners (Yes, I am serious) »

So you are 20 plus years older and 40 pounds heavier (it’s the weight training—I swear!) than your peak running days. Yet the competitive juices still flow as freely as they did when you were in your prime. Does this sound familiar? Maybe, maybe not, but it is the situation I currently find myself in. [...]

Bikers Versus Runners »

It’s not about the bike. I’m not knocking the cyclists. Really, I’m not. But if you are a cyclist? Don’t read this. I never got cycling. Tour de France was interesting and Lance is an incredible athlete, but the bikes never thrilled me. When I think about the bike races, all I can think is [...]

Runner’s Tool Box: Race Conversion Calculator (Predicts Finish Times Based on Other Race Distances) »

Instructions Enter a distance (a number) you have run recently. Select kilometers or miles (1 mile = 1600 meters = 1.6 kilometers, etc.). Enter the time it took you to run that distance. Enter the distance (a number) you want a prediction for. Select kilometers or miles for the race you want a prediction for. [...]

Runner’s Tool Box: Suggested Training Pace Calculator »

How do we know how fast (or slow) our training runs should be to run goal speed for different race distances? This tool, based on the studies of famed running coach Jack Daniels, can help. Directions for use: Enter the number of miles or kilometers for your goal race. Select Kilometers or Miles. Enter the [...]

Runner’s Tool Box: Split Calculator + Pace Band Maker »

In the days before GPS and Speed+Distance monitors (not very long ago!), the old-fashioned way of pacing was to use a watch, a pace band and race course mile-markers. Many runners still prefer this tried and true method of pacing—especially those who don’t want to spend money on the latest monitoring gadgets. By selecting your [...]

Running Long: Just Do It »

I guess I am something of a running masochist. Ever since I got my first taste of long runs while training for a marathon, I’ve been hooked. I loved the whole process of carbo-loading, filling up my water bottles and heading out the door for two or three hours. I got to the point where [...]

Galloway: Evil Genius or Just Plain Evil? »

Mention the name “Galloway” in a room full of runners and you’re bound to get a range of reactions. So, who is this person Galloway and why should you care? Jeff Galloway (not to be confused with this guy) is an Olympian (1972), set a world record in a 10-mile race (1973), won the first [...]

Get Your Weight Training On! »

Runners are not the most muscle bound of athletes, but we do need our fair share to keep us bounding over hill and dale, and in good overall health. Unfortunately, as we age we tend to lose what meager muscle we may have. Consider the following: After middle age, men typically lose five pounds of [...]

You Need a Coach! »

No, i’m not talking to that elite, speedy group over there bouncing on their tip-toes or the genetically predisposed lining up at the front of every race i’ve ever been to. No, I’m talking to you, the mid-packers, the back-of-packers and the i’d-rather-be-watching-the-greenbay-packers. Yes you. You need a coach. But forget the traditional coach/client model [...]

Turn Down That Stereo! »

Its 7:30 on a beautiful clear sunny morning; the kind of morning when you really appreciate being alive. The birds are chirping a beautiful melody as you walk to your car. You get into the car, shut the door, put your nice warm coffee in the cup holder, and put your seatbelt on. You do [...]

Running Physiology: A Cascade of Changes »

See the related article: “Turn Down That Stereo!” ————————- Why does it take a period of time before you feel warmed up and comfortable after starting a run? The answer begins with how your body responds to the increased demands of exercise. When you start exercising, your body must do the following: Increase the rate [...]