Nine things I’ve learned about the marathon as a 2:50 marathoner and coach
Carb-loading and fueling properly during the race will make or break the last 10K Carrying a handheld until mile 18/20 was a game-changer for me If you’re traveling, fly into town at least 2 days before the race. TMI, but if you get constipated on planes, plan ahead for that with laxatives and eat fiber […]
The Importance of Easy Runs
Have you heard of the 80/20 rule in competitive running? It refers to the gold-standard percentages for easy and hard running. A general rule of thumb is to run 80% of your miles “easy,” and 20% of your miles hard. This, of course, is relative to the person. Someone who runs a 5 hour marathon […]
Benefits of Single-Leg Strength Exercises for Runners
Each one of us – runners AND non-runners – deal with muscular imbalances in our bodies. Both runners and non-runners can benefit from single leg exercises, but I’m specifically going to talk about why single leg exercises are so important for the former. Since none of us is perfectly symmetrical, it’s beneficial to choose exercises […]
How to Judge Running Workout Recovery
You’re at the track. You’ve created a workout for yourself or for your athlete. It’s an interval or a rep workout. But – you’re not sure how much rest to give between reps. From one Denver area running coach to another: How do you decide on appropriate running workout recovery & what’s the thought process […]
Running Form: Heel Recovery
Your Denver area running coach here! Let’s talk HEEL RECOVERY. Have you ever been watching a race – whether on television or live at the track – and you’ve found yourself commenting, “wow! Look at their stride! Their heel is almost touching their butt! They look so smooth!” I know I have. So, I wanted […]
Barefoot Running
While most of us don’t have the privilege of running on soft grass every day, there are definite benefits to fitting in a couple miles of barefoot running + strides occasionally. A few of those benefits include: 1. Increased proprioception. Your brain makes a better connection to what your body and feet are doing when […]
Do I really need to train my upper body as a runner?
As a runner who primarily uses their legs to propel themselves forward, I don’t need to strength train my upper body, right? Wrong. While the legs are, of course, arguably the most significant body part in running, a weak upper body can cause problems. Have you ever seen someone run with their arms at their […]
My Running Story
I’m taking a pause from giving typical running coach advice, to telling my personal running story… While I didn’t win yesterday, the Colfax Half was a victory for so many reasons. I started out this blog post writing a Colfax Half Marathon recap, and somehow ended up at the beginning of my running journey. So, […]
Lactate threshold training: what is it and how do you do it?
Lactate threshold training for runners involves improving the body’s ability to clear lactate from the blood. As an athlete runs faster, resulting in an increase in energy demand, the athlete’s body will slowly begin to produce more lactic acid (a source of energy). As long as said athlete is fit enough for the demands they’re […]
Running Coach Tips: The Almighty Long Run
Five Benefits of the Long Run in your Running Plan Most, if not all, seasoned runners understand the long run. We know we need to do it on a weekly basis, and many of us even know the philosophy behind it. But if you’re a beginner runner, you may not understand the long run, or […]
How to stay engaged with your running training
I’ve received some questions over the past months from my Denver area run coaching clients regarding similar topics: how to learn to “like” running, how to keep oneself from getting bored on runs, and how to boost motivation and prevent burnout. First things first: I truly don’t know how you learn to love running if […]
Your Powerful Running Muscle – The Psoas
The psoas, along with the iliacus, make up your hip flexor: aka, the system that allows your leg to swing forward when you run. While you’ve probably heard the term “hip flexor” countless times, you may be somewhat unfamiliar with the psoas – until today ?. I’m going to talk a little about it because […]