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From Running tips for everyone from beginners to racing marathons and ultramarathons

These running tips are intended to cover all levels of runner, from a beginner to a competitive athlete. Many of the tips are general in nature, but specific attention is given to the marathon and ultramarathon distances. I don't claim to have any specific training or experience beyond my own running and I advice you to Trust No One.

To help people follow updates to this Wiki, I use blogs as a notification feed. (The RSS feed from the Wiki software is rather poor.) You can also contact me to ask specific questions, suggest articles, or disagree with what I've written. This site is based on the philosophy that Documentation Is Evil so don't expect long articles.

Want to follow my training? I post all my runs, at Dailymile so check out http://www.dailymile.com/people/JonathanS

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Contents 1 Critical Tips 2 General Running Tips 3 Training Tips 4 Racing Tips 5 Barefoot & Minimalist Running 6 Ultrarunning Tips 7 Nutrition Tips 8 Injury prevention and healing 9 Gear Reviews 10 Book Reviews 11 Race Reports 12 Off Topic and Tangents

Critical Tips

If you only read a few tips, these are the ones that I believe are most critical.

• Running Breakthroughs The things that have radically improved my running.
• Cadence, Arm Position and Cadence Q&A The most important tip I give most runners is to improve their cadence.
• How Often To Run Less can be more
• Modified Nike Free The ultimate running shoe?
• Practical Hydration and Hydration 101 Dehydration is dangerous, but hyponatremia (low blood sodium) is more likely to kill a runner. Understanding the simple rules can keep you safer and perform better.
• Nutrient Timing When you eat is more important than what you eat! Covers optimum sports drink, as well as recovery. More at #Nutrition Tips

General Running Tips

• Motivation How to find motivation
• Starting to run Start with a simple walk/run pattern and build on it. It's the easiest way.
• Why compression clothes?
• Running and long term health Is running bad for you? Does it wear out the joints? See what the science says!
• Running in the Rain
• Running in the Cold (See Traction Aids)
• Running in the Heat
• Running in the Dark
• Running Trails

Training Tips

• Golden Rule of Training
• Supercompensation and Why exercise does not make you fit
• How Often To Run Less can be more
• Individuality and the Experiment of One Everyone is different
• Downhill Running Why uphills are easy and downhills are important
• Introduction to Workout Types
  • Introduction to Interval Training and Safe Speedwork
    • Practical Interval Training
    • Practical Aerobic Intervals and Aerobic Interval Training 101
    • Tabata High Intensity Interval Training
    • Medium Intensity High Volume Intervals
    • Downhill Intervals and Downhill Running Speedwork that builds endurance
    • Broken 5K My favorite speedwork
    • Yasso 800s
  • Recovery Runs and Toxic Miles
  • Fartlek
• Training Plans
  • Jack Daniels Running Formula and Limitations of Jack Daniel's Running Formula
    • VDOT
    • VDOT Calculator and VDOT Based Intensities
  • FIRST (Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training) "3plus2" - running three days a week
• Don’t pause your watch
• The importance of a training log With reviews of a number of training logs
• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
• Walking Breaks
• Heat Acclimation Training - especially important for spring races
• Training for your first 100 mile race
• Altitude Training
  • Altitude Training Approaches
  • Comparison of Altitude Training Systems
  • Intermittent Hypoxic Training and Intermittent Hypoxic Training 101
  • AltoLab (The altitude training system I use)
• Stretching While it is a common belief that runners should stretch, the evidence refutes this.

Racing Tips

• The Golden Rule of Racing
• Tapering
  • Golden Rule of Tapering
  • Practical Tapering
  • Tapering 101
  • Tapering Tips
• How to eat a Gel and When to eat Energy Gels in the Marathon
• Pre-Race Meals
• In a race, walk before you have to
• Impact of Heat on Marathon Performance It's surprising just how much difference a small temperature increase makes
• Your First 100 Mile Race
• Racing 2 Marathons Thoughts on racing two marathons in short succession
• The Last 10K The marathon is a 10K race with a 20 mile warm up.

Barefoot & Minimalist Running

• Are your running shoes injuring you?
• Minimalist Running Footwear and Modified Nike Free
• The Journey to Minimalist Running
• Toughening Feet

Ultrarunning Tips

• Essential Ultrarunning Tips The basics
• A brief guide to ultramarathon distances
• Training for your first 100 mile race
• Your First 100 Mile Race
• Sleep Deprivation in Overnight Events
• Walking Breaks
• Fueling in an Ultra
• Aid Stations
• Drop Bags

Nutrition Tips

• Nutrition is Important
• Nutrient Timing When you eat is more important than what you eat! Covers optimum sports drink, as well as recovery.
  • Fellrnr's Go Juice What I drink when I train and race
  • Chocolate Milk for Recovery Tastes great as well
• The Runners Diet and Weight Loss
• Magnesium, my favorite micronutrient (Important for runners, but also good for migraines)
• Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index
• Protein
• MSM and Migraines

Injury prevention and healing

• Coping with Injury
• Cryotherapy - Ice for Healing and Icing with a Camelbak
• Trigger Points Why you don't fix the place it hurts
  • Massage
  • Injury prevention using 'The Stick'
  • Thumper
  • Teeter Inversion Table
• Blisters
  • Blister Prevention If I can avoid blisters, you should be able to
  • Popping Blisters
  • Blister Prevention and Socks
  • Toughening Feet
  • Taping
  • Injinji Liner Socks
  • Extreme Shoe Modifications
• Shin Splints
• Iliotibial band syndrome AKA ITBS; pain in the outside of the knee
• Cramps
• Plantar Fasciitis My experiences with PF
• Stretching While it is a common belief that runners should stretch, the evidence refutes this.

Gear Reviews

• Injinji Liner Socks, Dry Max Socks and Blister Prevention and Socks
• Modified Nike Free
• Under Armor Heat Gear Top Cooler than bare skin
• Race Ready Shorts and Tights
• SunUp Dawn Simulator
• Teeter Inversion Table
• Injury prevention using 'The Stick'
• Portable Pharmacy
• Headphones for Running and Fixing iPod remote headphones
• Thumper - deep muscular massage
• Theratherm - for heat treatment
• Dirty Girl Gaiters
• Body Fat Measures

Book Reviews

• Book Review - The end of overeating
• Book Review - Nutrient Timing
• Book Review – Altitude Training and Athletic Performance
• Book Review – Fixing Your Feet
• Book Review – Trail Guide to the Body

Race Reports

• 2010 Keys 100
• 2010 Umstead 100
• 2010 Mount Mitchell Challenge
• 2009 Derby 50K
• 2009 Hinson Lake 24 Hour
• 2009 Laurel Valley 35
• 2009 Sweaty Butt 50K
• 2009 Massanutten Trails 100
• 2008 Double Crossing of the Grand Canyon

Off Topic and Tangents

• Thoughts on Marathon Pacing
• Back Surgery
• 2009 Statistics
• Slowing up at Weymouth Woods 100K
• Weight Loss and Performance
• Notes from a high mileage experiment