This is what we do.
If you are in the final months before your key A race, then you are probably in or getting ready to start the build (a.k.a. specific preparation) period. (Not sure what I mean by a build/specific prep period? Check out our post about the principles of periodization.) During the build period, the main focus is[…]
By Coach Maria Simone Back in 2008, I ran my first ultramarathon, the PHUNT 50k in Elkton, MD, only to wake the next morning to a sharp pain along the outside of my knee, and at the base of my hip joint. The pain made it impossible to run. Following seven weeks of no running,[…]
Do you remember a time when you exercised simply for your health? Maybe you went to the gym and did whatever felt right for the day. Maybe you ran a few miles several times a week. Maybe you took group classes to push yourself and stay motivated. There is no doubt that exercise, performed[…]
I saw her orange Newton sneakers first; then I looked up, and saw her face. I took a look at the clock – 1:50 and change and just yards to go. She was going to do it! All along, I had told Courtney, one of our athletes and my dear friend for many years, that[…]
This is the second in a two-part series focusing on tapering and recovery. In part one, we discussed the basics of tapering, which is a specific type of recovery. In this post, we will talk more generally about recovery strategies for day-to-day training and racing, as well as the various stressors of life, such as[…]
When we train for a new distance, we usually ask, “Do you really think I can go that far?” But, as we become accustomed to the increased distance, the question moves very quickly from “how far?” to “how fast?” In this post, I’d like to focus on two traditional speed training sessions for either[…]
There are a variety of metrics you can – and should – use when tracking your training. For purposes of tracking your intensity – from easy to very hard – or for tracking your progress based on how much effort you’re putting in versus how much speed you are getting out, heart rate is one[…]
When I rowed crew in high school, my coach Joe Haney would preach to us during our workouts–on land and at sea–about the ways in which our training was designed to achieve peak performance for our big races at the end of the season. periodization He knew his stuff. During the four years I rowed[…]
I ran into a long-time friend of mine who is recently returning to the gym after taking some time off following the birth of her son. She mentioned that she wanted to try her first official running race this Spring. “But, you know, I don’t know…” As her voice trailed, I seized the moment to[…]
“You will never ‘find’ time for anything. If you want time, you must make it.” ~Charles Bruxton In my a previous post, I talked about setting specific measurable goals, rather than making vague resolutions. Now that you’ve set your goals for the year, it’s important to have a time management strategy that will allow you to[…]
