Training

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,

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