Runners have all sorts of pre-race rituals. From carbo-loading to drinking the right kind of gatorade, each runner has his or her go-to strategies for ensuring a fast race. One of the most common pre-race rituals that really does work is to taper your training. “Tapering” simply means lowering your training intensity in the week […]
What is the Ideal Running Weather?
Unless you are running an indoor track race, weather plays a critical role in running performance. A hot and humid day can have an especially negative impact on a race. The problem with high heat and humidity is that, together, they greatly reduce evaporation of sweat from the body. This prevents the body from dissipating […]
Dealing with Running Disappointments
The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials were held in Houston a few weeks ago. Only the top three runners in the trials race go to the Olympic games. Invariably, this scenario creates very disappointing races for the majority of the runners – especially the 4th place runner. This year, the 4th place runner was Dathan Ritzenhein, […]
Reducing Your Running Anxiety
The most important barrier to running fast in workouts and races is often a runner’s mind. It will be very hard to achieve your running goals if you have overwhelming anxiety that you can not complete a difficult workout or run a fast race.Sports psychologists have come up with a number of ways to help […]
The Importance of Water Stations at Races
The body requires adequate fluids to run well. There is simply no way a runner will reach his or her running potential when dehydrated. Experts generally recommend that runners drink 4 to 8 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes. Race directors generally understand the importance of providing plenty of water in longer races, […]
A Different Way to Measure Race Performance
Running is one of the most objective sports that exists. Times and places do not lie. A 4:30 mile is better than a 4:40 mile and 1st place is better than 2nd place. The objectivity of running differs from other sports. In figure skating, human judges subjectively choose the best skater. There is, however, no […]
