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Revision as of 12:44, 2 January 2012

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, or see me on Google+. If you find this site useful, please Spread the Word.

1 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.
  • Drink if you're thirsty. Over-hydration kills!
  • Electrolyte Capsules
• Nutrient Timing When you eat is more important than what you eat! Covers optimum sports drink, as well as recovery. More at #Nutrition Tips

2 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.
• Stillness in Motion
• Is cycling or running better?
• 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 heat calculators
    • Running Heat Model The math behind the heat calculators
    • Perceived Temperature For Runners What will the temperature feel like when running?
    • Heat limited running pace How fast can you run at different temperatures/humidities?
    • Optimum Running Temperature What's the ideal temperature to run at?
  • Heat Acclimation Training
  • Impact of Heat on Marathon Performance
• Running in the Dark and Running Lights
• Running Trails
• Running and Lower GI Problems and Running and Stomach Problems
• Running Economy and Calories burned running and walking

3 Training Tips

Supercompensation

• Golden Rule of Training
• Supercompensation 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
  • A Comparison of Marathon Training Plans
• Don’t pause your watch
• The importance of a training log and Training Log Comparison
  • SportTracks - The best training log, with extensible functionality via plugins.
  • Dailymile - This is my top pick for social logging. Casual runners can use this site as their only training log, or combine it with SportTracks fir more sophisticated analytics.
• 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 Exposure and Intermittent Hypoxic Exposure 101
  • AltoLab (The altitude training system I use)
  • Viagra, Exercise and Altitude Surprisingly, Viagra (Sildenafil) may improve performance at altitude.
  • Altitude Training 101
• Stretching
• Weight Loss and Performance

4 Racing Tips

NYC Marathon by Martineric

• The Golden Rule of Racing
• Tapering
  • Golden Rule of Tapering
  • Practical Tapering
  • Tapering Tips
  • Tapering 101
  • Taper Psychosis
  • Three Phase Taper
  • Carbohydrate Loading
• 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
• Back to Back Marathons For running marathons on consecutive days
• The Last 10K The marathon is a 10K race with a 20 mile warm up
• A Great Marathon Some thoughts on what makes a marathon great
• Pacing Your Marathon An answer to 'What is the best way to pace a marathon?'
  • Using a marathon pace group
• Race Checklist
• Going out too fast A common problem at the start of races.

5 Barefoot & Minimalist Running

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

6 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
• Crewing an Ultra

7 Nutrition Tips

My daily salad, with lots of beets

• Nutrition is Important
• Mid Run Fueling
• Beetroot and Running Performance A simple way of improving your performance.
• Gels
  • How to eat a Gel
  • Comparison of Energy Gels
  • When to eat Energy Gels in the Marathon
  • The Science of Energy Gels
• 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. It's critical for runners, but also good for migraines and preventing diabetes
• Carbohydrates and Glycemic Index
• Protein
  • Protein Powder Contamination
• MSM and Migraines
• GOMAD Grazing

8 Injury prevention and healing

• Coping with Injury
• Cryotherapy - Ice for Healing and Icing with a Camelbak
• NSAIDs (Ibuprofen/Acetaminophen) for runners, impairs healing and interferes with hydration
• Trigger Points Why you don't fix the place it hurts
  • Massage
  • Injury prevention using 'The Stick'
  • Foam Roller
  • Thumper
  • Teeter Inversion Table
• Blisters
  • Blister Prevention If I can avoid blisters, you should be able to
  • Should you pop a blister? It's a bad idea, but sometimes you have to.
  • Blister Prevention and Socks
  • Toughening Feet
  • Taping your feet to prevent or treat blisters
  • Injinji Liner Socks
  • Extreme Shoe Modifications
• Racing while injured
• 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.
• Sore Feet
• Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
• Mortons Neuroma
• Anticancer Advice on avoiding and mitigating cancer

9 Gear Reviews

• Best Running Watch
• Injinji Liner Socks, Dry Max Socks and Blister Prevention and Socks
• Modified Nike Free
• Why compression clothes?
  • Under Armor Heat Gear Top Cooler than bare skin
  • A review of graduated compression wear
• Injury prevention and treatment
  • Thumper - deep muscular massage
  • Theratherm - for heat treatment
  • Injury prevention using 'The Stick'
  • Teeter Inversion Table
• Portable Pharmacy
• Headphones for Running and Fixing iPod remote headphones
• Dirty Girl Gaiters
• Race Ready Shorts and Tights
• Arm Warmers
• SunUp Dawn Simulator
• Body Fat Measures
  • Skinfold Calipers A cheap and easy way of checking your own body fat
• Running Lights

10 Book Reviews

• Book Review - The 4 Hour Body
• 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

11 Race Reports

• 2011 North Coast 24 Hour National Championships
• 2011 Hampton 24 Hour
• 2010 Freedom Park 24 Hour
• 2010 Derby 50K
• 2010 Mountain Masochist Trail Run
• 2010 Hinson Lake 24 Hour
• 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

12 Software

• SportTracks Dailymile Plugin
• SportTracks Polar ProTrainer Sync Plugin
• Garmin Foot Pod Calibration Tested with 310XT - reports of success with other Garmin devices is mixed
• VDOT Calculator (online)
• Marathon Pace Band (online)
• Running Efficiency Calculator and Alternative Efficiency Calculator

13 Off Topic and Tangents

• Email Etiquette
• Training Macrolog My high level training notes
• Observations from 2011 Umstead 100 Aid Station
• 2011 Statistics
• Thoughts on Marathon Pacing
• The Ivan Scale Of Perceived Suffering
• Back Surgery
• Slowing up at Weymouth Woods 100K
• Notes from a high mileage experiment
• Internal Control Index
• Remixing Music For Running
• SafeHex How to setup a safe browsing environment and notes on virus removal
• Why Google+ rather than Facebook

14 External Links

These are links to articles that I would have added to this site if they did not already exist.

• A great proprioception by the author of "Brain Training for runners". This article has most of the valuable points from the book - http://www.active.com/running/Articles/Sensory_cues.htm
• An analysis of elite runner's weekly mileage and performance showing that 'more is not better' http://www.powerrunning.com/Training/An%20Interesting%20Analysis%20of%20Some%20Elites.htm
• A comparison of ultramarathon difficulty based on finish times - http://realendurance.com/index.php?FinishTimeList&s=ul
• A compendium of links to other ultrarunning sites, including a race calendar and the most comprehensive list of ultra marathon training programs I've found. http://www.ultramarathonrunning.com/training/index.html
• One of the best ways of understanding your muscles is Body Smart, a flash based site that animates the muscles of the body. http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/menu/menu.html
• myTrainLocal is a site for finding local running groups. http://www.mytrainlocal.com
• For the best running product reviews, check DC Rainmaker http://www.dcrainmaker.com/p/product-reviews.html
• If your GPS does not show the right distance on a race, which is right, the GPS or the course measurement. http://www.hamptonrockfest.com/hamptonhalf-GPS.html