By far, one of the biggest differences between well-trained runners and wannabes is the competency at a variety of paces. Just like your favorite road bike has lots of different gears to optimize your effort and pace, so should you as a runner.

There's been a ton of focus in recent years on running form. Yet certain aspects of form have gotten WAY more 'press' than others. I'm thinking specifically of footstrike. Forefoot? Mid-foot? Heel strike? Barefoot? Definitely useful to consider, but let's not miss the forest for the trees or overstate it's importance. Today I'd like to draw your attention to all of the various ways rotation is present throughout our body as we walk and run. Or, it's supposed to be.

What are the ideal pre and post-exercise meals for long distance runners in your experience? Can you provide examples of your typical daily breakfast, lunch and dinner? Do you support the use of supplements for your students?

These questions are always fun because while I realize a proper strength program would typically be more comprehensive, if we follow the 80/20 rule, about 80% of the results come from 20% of the work. I'd place these moves in the 20%. So, if I HAD to pick 3 strength training exercises for runners, I'd pick...

Today I'd like to share one of my favorite workouts, the 30/30 Tempo Run. It's a versatile, fun fitness building session that you should use nearly year-round. I love that it provides an awesome aerobic boost while addressing leg speed in one session - how time efficient!

Wondering why that tight muscle is always tight? After a massage you feel great …then the tightness returns. Why is that?

Today I'd like to share a race strategy with you that will make high school cross country coaches everywhere cringe: letting people pass you on the uphill.

You go to check your pace on the watch you paid $200-400 for and you sort of expect it to give you accurate information. Well, temper your expectations. There are several reasons as to why the GPS will be “off” in both pace and distance, yet I don't think they're worthless. Here's how to sort things out...

Strides are a “need to do, not a nice to do” as coach Vern Gambetta likes to say. Yet, in my experience, people aren't doing them and they're such an easy and convenient way to develop speed.

What does an effective speed workout for distance runners look like? What ingredients should you include so that you reap the most benefit for the time you're spending?

One of my go-to bulletproofing exercises is the deadlift. With so many benefits from posture to hip mobility to force production (makes ya faster) to total body strength, it's a no-brainer if you're gonna spend any time in the weight room. But, before lifting anything, she had to demonstrate the “hip hinge” movement pattern.

Rest. It's what the doctor ordered, right? You're hurt and the glaringly obvious solution is to rest. What doc is trying to say is that you should take a rest from the activity that is causing the injury. If running is hurting you, then stop running and let it heal. This does NOT (necessarily) mean stop training.

That feeling of “holy crap I'm in a race and I'm already sucking wind and I'm not even at the 1 mile mark yet” used to be pretty familiar to me. Let's fix that, OK?

Typically used as part of a good warm up, practicing the “ankling” drill will teach you how to be stiff at the right time and how to react off the ground properly.

Think about your current method (if you can call it that) of warming up. Perhaps you bend over and strrrrrretch to tie those shoes and then off you go? I think we can do better. This week I want to share a very simple warm up that carries with it several benefits like better muscle activation, range of motion, and potential injury prevention.

While talking with each of them I could sense their frustration, but luckily for them I've learned that taking a good client history is key to a good intervention. And in each case it was a simple fix that resolved their issue. In fact, you'll probably roll your eyes as you read the solution. (Well, this one isn't THAT obvious, but I bet many of you can relate.) Not Getting Any Faster? Here's Why.

Taking a good client history is key to a good intervention. And in each case it was a simple fix that resolved their issue. In fact, you'll probably roll your eyes as you read the solution.