Training Tips

I stepped to the starting line of the 1991 Junior World Cross Country Championships in Antwerp, Belgium knowing I was a favorite to win. I had a plan based on whether scenario “A” or “B” transpired among my competitors. Neither did. As I rounded the final hairpin turn of the tight, ribbon-like 4K course I…

Runners face undue, and unhelpful, expectations around weight and eating. Here are tips to combat dangerous disorders and behaviors. I first experienced food and body issues in middle school. My home life was stressful—my mom had cancer and my dad had lost his job—and I felt an urge to control something, anything. I experimented with…

 Here’s what to pay attention to, especially for young runners. Splits, cadence, power—oh my! With a proliferation of running data available at our fingertips, it’s easy to dive in deep. How fast was my first mile and my last? How does my stride length stack up to last week? How do I rank on that…

Why runners—starting in youth—should schedule peaks, breaks and variety into their running year. Have a new year’s resolution to get faster? Periodization can unlock improvement, and lead to long-term success. Periodization is a fancy way of saying plan your training season and year in phases with different stimuli. It’s based on a loose formula that’s…