You may hate me for this, but I’m going to say it anyway. The best core workout for runners is one that strengthens the core in the specific ways it’s used for running: upright, weight-bearing, with coordinated movements of the abdomen/back, pelvis, and hip joints, not to mention everything above and below those areas as … Read more
Here’s a simple trick you can do to pick up the pace, especially when you want to run faster but your body just somehow isn’t responding. I’m not a big fan of tricks and hacks. I want you to learn deeply and be transformed. But tricks do have their place, especially for a runner committed … Read more
As I worked my way through a series of blog posts on tight quads over the last three weeks, a reader asked me to write about tight/sore calves next. It’s a great suggestion, since the tight-calf-in-running problem is really common and has a massive effect on the entire body. In fact, in my post last … Read more
Data on your running has become easy to get. But it remains hard to act on, especially when it comes to using wearable tech (such as sports watches) to improve your gait. Alex Hutchinson recently wrote about a 4-stage framework for using the training data from wearable tech. The stages are: descriptive–what happened diagnostic–why did … Read more
Everyone says core stability is the key to running healthy and fast, so like many runners you may do a fair amount of core exercise. That will probably make you feel really strong, but it may not translate to fewer leg and foot injuries, faster times, or feeling good. This is the sort of inconvenient … Read more
Down deep every runner has The Dream, the fantasy in which they run almost without effort, just flowing or flying over the earth. But if you google “running quotes,” most of what you’ll find them talking about is hard work and suffering. That is the painful predicament many runners know all too well. Running doesn’t feel … Read more
As a dancer, I got used to stretching extensively every day. I wish I’d known then what I know now, which is that I was probably doing myself a lot more harm than good, weakening my muscles and worsening my fatigue and soreness. To learn more about that, listen to the Science of Stretching episode … Read more
The other day I was outside with a client, watching him run and asking him to notice certain things he was doing. A man I didn’t know walked past my client as he ran to the far end of the block, then offered the opinion, “He looks absolutely fine, he just needs to run faster.” … Read more
Conventional wisdom says an upper body strength program helps runners hold their posture and have a better arm carriage. But if you do it right, the benefits go way beyond that. There’s a way to do an upper body workout that actually makes your legs work better, giving you a distinct pop of energy from … Read more
The idea that distance runners should regularly do strength work to avoid injury has become pretty popular in recent years. It can indeed be very helpful for performing your best, and as a human being your fitness needs include other things besides running. But there are some significant potential pitfalls to be aware of if … Read more
Whether or not listening to music while you run is a good idea depends on why you want to do it. Let’s look at the specifics so you can find the best answer for your situation. To Tune Out Pain and Discomfort Some research suggests music effectively does this. But it doesn’t report how the … Read more
What a joy to watch a marathon again. Let’s just dive right in and look at the different movement strategies the runners used and how this related to their performances. As interesting as it is to watch any individual athlete, it’s in comparing athletes that you really see how they’re running. Brigid Kosgei and Ruth … Read more
Plantar fasciitis or fasciosis, Achilles problems, runner’s knee, lower back pain… improving your form by working to change your footstrike is supposed to help with these problems and also make running feel better. But your footstrike is only part of the story, and trying to change it without making a few other key changes generally … Read more
Runners often come to me for help with neck and shoulder tension. On their own they try relaxing their shoulders but it only brings a few minutes of relief while running, then the tension creeps back again. The reason for the tension is often not anything to do with their shoulders, but instead how the … Read more
