The Joys of Cross Training

The only thing worse than running… is not running. But sometimes that’s the only answer when it comes to injury recovery. About two weeks ago my patellar tendon decided it really wanted a rest (the patellar tendon is attached to the shin and kneecap, which when inflamed causes a tightness and often sharp ache [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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.
What [...]

Weighing In

We have a running bet—no pun intended—within my running circle. We guess how much weight we’ll gain by the time a big race rolls around. Despite always declaring we’re each going to lose 10 pounds, and this time keep it off, we never do. After reading last week’s Personal Health column by Jane Brody of [...]