Run Focus - Lake Tahoe Relay - How to do it

Regardless of conditioning our focus can make us better or worse. This is an article on a recent race and how it should be done. (Read my next post for how not to do it.)
I went into the Lake Tahoe Relay race in minimal condition. I was running leg one; about 9.5 miles @ [...]

Preparing Athletes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Note: This post incorporates technical data & information is from the USATF Podium Education Program session presented by Randy Wilbur PHD USOC.
The average runner will have no idea what goes into getting a track team to the Olympics in an optimal condition ready to medal! This is a summary on some of the preparation for [...]

Forced Blog Name Change

As I moved along blissfully in my little runner’s world little did I know how far reaching some of the things I write go. On Friday afternoon I recieved a call from two gentlemen from Rodale Press. It was 3:00 pm; 6:00 pm Eastern time so it must have been important working overtime on a Friday [...]

Tactics & Pacing VI

I previously covered an overview of the science of race pacing, the benefits of even pacing, assessing yourself for tactics application, and most recently kicking as a tactic and workouts to improve this ability. Please read these first so you fully understand the context of this post. 
This time I’ll cover some variable paced tactics and how to train for them. [...]

Gebrselassie World Record Marathon & Pacing V

If you hadn’t read or heard, the world record for the marathon was broken at the Berlin Marathon this past weekend. Haile Gebrselassie set his 25th world record just as he had planned on. Though there are many variables that are not controlled in a race of that distance the most important one anyone can [...]

Tactics & Pacing IV

After sizing yourself up you are now ready to think about employing and training for various tactics.
Generally, tactics are used in order to exploit your strengths or your opponents weaknesses. Some examples are:
If you know you have better raw speed then you hang on and wait until the end of a race “knowing” you got [...]

Tactics & Pacing III

This is my third post specifically on pacing and tactics. In my first two I shared research supported race pacing as well as some elite examples. This time my focus is tactics. Throw all the perfect pace, negative split stuff out the door.
There is a major assumption before employing tactics you have to understand: that [...]

Tactics & Pacing II

The following article regarding pacing should be kept in context. It would be good to read my first post for some other critical information. There are exceptions at all levels. What I address here, is what should be the rule, not the exception. Specific race strategies may be employed depending on the competition, strengths and [...]

Tactics & Pacing I

Let me clarify two terms I’ll use in this post. Tactics refers to how you will approach pacing in a competition in order to gain an advantage over your competiton. This can be done through exploiting your strengths or taking advantage of your opponents weaknesses - physical or mental. Tactics can take into consideration terrain, weather, [...]

The Runner’s Kick - Tactics VII

A kick (i.e. sprint towards the end of a race) doesn’t happen out of chance. Yes, some people are quicker than others by virtue of genetics. That aside, we can all become better kickers. The following comments are specific to kicking and must be taken in that context. A well planned training program is essential [...]