Training

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,

The best training plan is not necessarily the most complicated one. It is the one that matches what you want to accomplish. If your primary goal is general fitness, consistency and variety matter more than specialized workouts. Include a comfortable mix of distances, paces, and routes without adding unnecessary intensity or injury risk. When preparing

When runners and walkers think about strength training, they often picture barbells, dumbbells, or gym machines. Ironically, many of us go out of our way to avoid hills when planning our routes, even though they are among the most effective strength workouts available. Every climb forces your body to work against gravity, recruiting and engaging

One of the most common questions among runners and walkers is, “What is THE best shoe?” The honest answer is simple: the best shoe is the one that works best for you. We each have different movement patterns, foot shapes, training goals, comfort preferences, and support needs. While color can help you choose between two equally

There is an unspoken expectation in the running and walking community that everyone should eventually move up in distance. It often starts with a 5K, then the assumption becomes a 10K, followed by a half marathon, and ultimately up the “distance escalator” to a full marathon. While those longer distances are incredible accomplishments, they are not the

Summer running is about more than simply dealing with higher temperatures. The real challenge is how your body manages the heat it produces while you exercise. Our bodies lose more than half of the energy as heat when we make fuel (ATP) for metabolism. This efficiency drops further during physical activity, leading to greater heat

One of the biggest mistakes runners make at the beginning of a training cycle is setting goals based on “ghost fitness.” It’s easy to remember the personal best you ran a few years ago or focus on the pace you hope to achieve in the future. The challenge is that neither of those reflects where

One of the biggest challenges in training is learning to respect where you are today. When motivation is high and a new goal is on the calendar, it is easy to become overzealous and try to accelerate the process. Many runners and walkers fall into the trap of believing that more is always better, pushing

Train smart. Build strong. Race ready. Whether you’re training for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Columbus Marathon or 1/2 Half Marathon, or another fall goal race, this is the time to start building with purpose. Columbus Westside Running Club and the RUNColumbus Race Series are teaming up to help you get there with confidence. The Fall