By Rebecca McConville Just as you run smart, you must fuel smart. To progress in your training as predicted, nutrition must be built into the foundation of the program. If fueling is neglected, you will struggle to reach your endurance capacity, hit target zones and recover promptly and optimally. SMART fueling stands for sweet spot, [...]
By Adam Wright, Ph.D. "On the roads, there is fitness and self-discovery, and the persons we were destined to be." - George Sheehan. Nike's famous battle cry, "Just Do It," has inspired runners since it debuted in 1988. The brand’s first commercial featured an 80-year-old runner, Walt Stack, who proclaims to the camera, mid-stride, that [...]
VDOT Coach Leah Rosenfeld shares some useful feedback on staying focused in the age of social distancing. With so much changing everyday it can be difficult to stay motivated, but I’ve found that routine, community, and play help keep me on track, even when I’m not allowed on one ;). Staying in a routine is [...]
On a very warm/humid day VDOT Coach Nick Hilton took home his second victory at the Disney Marathon with a negative split. We asked Nick how he adjusted his strategy and managed the conditions in the race so well: Knowing that it might be warm and humid in Orlando, and since I live in a [...]
By Dr. Jack Daniels @dreambigrunner [Editor's note: Many runners training for the Boston Marathon are faced with challenging conditions in the winter so they either embrace the treadmill or only use it when they really have to. Another challenge for some Boston qualifiers is the ability to mimic the course terrain in training or find [...]
By Dr. Jack Daniels @aperturebysd Step Count Workout Start with about 10 minutes of easy running, a few strides and some stretching, and then proceed as follows: Counting each right foot landing as one step, run hard (H) for 10 steps (about as hard as you would run in a race lasting about 10-12 minutes). [...]
[Editor's Note: Thanks to Coach Jim Partridge for submitting a question for Jack. Q: "In early marathon training, like 5 months before, which is better to focus on? VO2Max or Lactate Threshold work? (assuming ~50mpw volume mostly easy miles)."] Credit: @bibwearingdad By Dr. Jack Daniels The answer to this depends on what running has been [...]
(Photo: Renée Haip) Editor's Note: We received an email from a high school coach whose team trains/races at 2,570 ft but has to go to 4,650 ft for their State meet. High School Coach: I have not been able to find anything reputable that suggests little change in elevation (roughly 2,100 feet) makes any kind [...]
By Matt McClintock View Part I (The Taper and One Final Workout) here. PacingProper pacing is the single most important factor in running a successful marathon. Runners at all levels, from the everyday and sub-elite runners I coach to the highly specialized and trained athletes I race, make the same mistake of going out too [...]
By Matt McClintock In December 2018, I ran my first marathon at the California International Marathon which served as the United States Championship for 2018. While walking away with an Olympic Trials Qualifier in 2:18:03 was on the low end of my expectations for the race, the entire experience, from training to racing, provided me [...]