We all know that poor pacing is the biggest mistake that marathoners make on race day. Talk to runners of all levels at any marathon expo before the big race, however, and you’ll soon realize that a multitude of mistakes are also made before the race even starts. Here are the most common pre-marathon mistakes…
In this article, I’ll present the two workouts that I find are the best during race week — the seven days leading into your 5K. These workouts take the guesswork out of what to do during race week. I use them with the Olympians I coach as well as competitive runners of all levels to…
How many times has this happened to you? You perform incredible workouts but your racing performances are disappointments. You train harder only to race even poorer. You begin to ride the highs and lows of an emotional roller coaster. You’re confused and frustrated and begin to search for the latest and greatest training method that will…
A GOOD WORKOUT FOR A BAD WEEK AT WORK I’ve coached Bonnie for more years than I can remember. She’s an amazing person who balances her career as a university professor and researcher with her passion for running. During our time together, she’s set PRs at all distances, and even run a 3:30 debut marathon at…
CERTAIN TRUTHS FOR RUNNERS OF ALL ABILITIES I’m a lucky coach. Through my online coaching, I get to work with beginning runners just coming off the couch as well as competitive runners aiming for age-group victories or trying to qualify for Boston. And through the work I’ve done with pro runners in Flagstaff, I’ve been able to…
LEARNING TO RUN BY FEEL When I started running way back in the 20th century, I wanted longer legs. Long, lean legs for a flowing stride that would simply eat up the ground. As a runner in the 21st century, I find that I need longer arms. I’m up to my elbows in watches, GPS units,…
THE WHYS AND HOWS OF SHORT, FAST RUNNING FOR A FASTER MARATHON In 2009 Brett Gotcher ran 2:10 in his marathon debut. At that time, it was the fourth-fastest debut in U.S. history. When asked about his training program in post-race interviews, I was candid about the weekly mileage I prescribed for him as well as…
LEARN TO MAKE APPROPRIATE CHANGES TO WORKOUTS AS NEEDED Every runner goes into every workout hoping for the best. We all want to feel great and hit or even surpass our planned paces. The reality, however, is that you’re likely to have a few workouts where you just don’t feel good. Or you may show up…
HOW THEY DIFFER AND HOW TO TRAIN THEM The high school cross country coach often faces four types of runner as the season gets under way. While the easiest path is to give each runner the same training, the most successful coaches tailor the training to fit each type of runner. Here are my four…
THE SIMPLEST, MOST EFFECTIVE RUNNING FORM CUE I was lucky to run at a high school where the coach and the upperclassmen focused on proper running form. It was something we worked on frequently. As a result, nearly every runner leaving the program had very good form. Notice that I didn’t say “the same form.” We…
