How to Turn a Bad Run Day Into A Good Run Day

Most runners lament bad workouts. It’s funny, but I’ve always felt that a bad day running is better than a good day doing most anything else.
Have you ever had a bad race? What did you do? How did you react? What did you do tactically during the race? Did you try to push the pace [...]

To run or not to run… that is the question

February 2007
Diagnosis: partially torn Achilles tendon
I’ve been good. Four months without running. Semi-diligent on physical therapy exercises (Even though I see they may be helping, I hate them and they make me sore.) On my last doctor appointment (June 2007) he said the swelling may last up to a year. Be patient. When I asked [...]

Streaking Can Be a Good Thing

Ok, I’m not talking about that 70s fad. I’m talking about extending a sequence or series of doing something. In our case of course our focus is running. 
Anytime the discussion of streaking arises, someone (usually a non-runner) sees “streak” as synonymous with obsession or sickness. I personally know two runners who have run 25-plus years without a day off. They [...]

Can Less Really be More?

Ok, so, what is the least you can run and still be able to finish a particular race or still be competitive? That is a question alluded to in so many conversations I’ve had over the years. I’ll outline here a high level view of just this issue.
Shorter races of course are easily accommodated [...]

How to use your vVO2max test

A couple days a go I outlined how to conduct a very practical way to learn your vVO2max (that minimal pace at which you reach maximum oxygen consumption). Now I’ll outline how to use this number to figure out your potential pace for various race distances as well a your ideal most efficient quality workout [...]

What hurts more short races or marathons?

A colleague and good friend of mine, Joe English, recently blogged about the discomfort of the marathon and how do you mentally get through it. It reminded me of an oft asked question to me.
“What hurts more short races (usually naming 800 meters, mile or 5k) or a marathon?”
The answer is an unqualified “yes.”
I’ve raced [...]

Semi-non-technical vVO2max explanation and determination

I’ll first clarify that I am not a physiologist. I try to distill information from lots of technical reading and numerous seminars and workshops with a leading exercise physiologist (Owen Anderson Ph. D.) into practical applications. Anyone who is a physiologist may differ with some of my more basic explanations of highly technical data. I pride myself on making [...]

Track Etiquette I

I realize that most anyone who reads this will not be the intended audience. I’m writing it anyway.
There are accepted practices and etiquette on tracks. It doesn’t matter if it is your local dirt track at a middle school, community, high school or college track.
Here they are:
1. If you are alone on the track it [...]

Have you heard the one about more miles and VO2max?

In a recent popular running magazine there was an article about the affect of weight on your running times. The logic goes like this since VO2max is a function of body weight (your ability to process oxygen) if you lose weight you go faster due to an increase in your VO2max. The half truth is [...]

Fast is Relative - But Speed is Absolute

Somewhere along the way the More is Better philosophy took hold with running and for years no one stopped to see if it was more of the right thing. There are still advocates today that more miles are better. It’s not that the mileage advocates aren’t getting results – they are. The issue is training [...]