Advanced Running

These articles go beyond the basics of running, but they may be of interest to new runners as well as those with more experience or competitive goals.

• Running has a large mental component, requiring Motivation and Mental fortitude. Runners tend to have an internal Locus of Control, reflecting their belief in their ability to control their life.
• Runners commonly find peace and freedom from their running, which is reflected in the concept of Stillness in Motion.
• Having good Running Form helps avoid injury and can optimize Running Economy. (There's no clear evidence on what type of Foot Strike is best.)
• There's good evidence that even moderately warm temperatures will slow up marathon runners. While Heat Acclimation Training won't avoid all of the slowdown, it will reduce it.
• Overtraining Syndrome is a serious problem for athletes and it can afflict runners of all levels. The name is misleading as Overtraining is caused more by lack of recovery rather than too much training. A better name would be "Training Induced Clinical Depression", as Overtraining Syndrome appears to be a type of depression and its effects can last months and sometimes years. A promising training metric for avoiding Overtraining is Training Monotony which looks at how much training varies. There is no good test for Overtraining, but the simplest and possibly most effective is to check Mood State.
• Many runners and training programs focus on running up hills, but actually there is a far greater benefit available from Downhill Running (it reduces the Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness that occurs with long distance running.)
• Altitude Training can improve running performance at altitude and at sea level. There are various Altitude Training Approaches, so I've created a Comparison of Altitude Training Systems to help you choose. I have even developed a DIY Altitude Training system. While it sounds like a joke, the science shows that Viagra can help with running at altitude.