Training

Crossing the finish line of a goal race is a tremendous accomplishment, but for many runners and walkers, attention quickly turns to what’s next. Whether another race is just a few weeks away or several months down the road, the challenge is balancing recovery from your previous effort with preparation for your next goal. The

Not all breaks from running or walking are a choice, and seldom are they easy. Whether we are recovering from a big race, dealing with an injury, or simply navigating life circumstances that interrupt our training, stepping away from our regular routine can be frustrating. There is often an overwhelming sense of urgency to get

After four months of dedicated training, preparation, and sacrifice, you’ve finally crossed the finish line! Whether you achieved your goal, exceeded your expectations, or had a day that didn’t quite go as planned, take a moment to appreciate everything it took to get there. It’s remarkable when you think about it. We spend months preparing

Race day preparation doesn’t begin the night before the race. It starts at the beginning of race week! There are plenty of things to organize, and the earlier you begin, the less likely you are to forget something important. Start a dedicated pile of race day essentials early in the week. Every time you remember

The work is done. There is no substitute for training, and there is nothing you can do in the final couple of weeks that will suddenly create fitness that was not built during the months before. What you can do is interfere with the fitness you already have by trying to squeeze in a few

After months of training through summer heat and humidity, those first cool fall days can feel almost magical. Suddenly, the same pace or effort that felt challenging a few weeks ago feels noticeably easier. That feeling is real. Cooler temperatures reduce the amount of work your body has to devote to thermoregulation, including sending blood

As race distances get longer, fueling becomes integral to training, not simply something we do when we start feeling hungry or tired. Our bodies store carbohydrates as glycogen in the muscles and liver, but those stores are limited, and maintaining carbohydrate availability becomes increasingly important as duration increases. Our stores can sustain us for 60-90

Following a training plan is a delicate balance between applying enough stress to get stronger without teetering over the line into overtraining. Physical and mental toughness absolutely matter in endurance training, and not every day when we feel tired means we need to change the plan. Sometimes we simply need to get moving. On days

A secondary race can provide valuable feedback as you prepare for your primary goal race. A tune-up race can provide an honest snapshot of your current fitness, helping you establish realistic pacing and performance goals for your primary event. It provides a realistic rehearsal for navigating crowds, controlling your early pace, managing nerves, and following

Every run on your schedule should have a clear purpose. Progress comes from respecting the distinct roles of easy days, long runs, and quality workouts rather than completing every session at the same moderate effort. Easy miles should make up most of your weekly training and remain comfortable enough to support recovery. Speed days, meanwhile,