Tag Archives: racing

What Did You Say? Running Terms for the Non-Runner

Lots of runners have friends who aren’t. In spite of the fact that one of us might be hanging out with people who could care less about your latest long run, there’s only one thing we like more than actually running. Talking about running. To make sure your friends can stick with you, give them Team ECRP‘s basic list of running terms to guide them.

Race Pace – This is the pace at which a runner tackles a race. It varies with race distances since we run faster for a 5k than we do for a marathon but the idea is always the same. running terms

LSD – This does not reference the narcotic and there’s no hallucinating here. It stands for Long Slow Distance run and is a staple of all training plans. The one your runner friends stay in on a Friday night for. Longest run of the week, the LSD is a weekend staple.

Fartlek – Swedish for speed play, fartleks aren’t only fun to say, they’re fun to do. Used by the best runners in the world, these constantly varied outings are an important part of training at any level.

Bonk – Also known as hitting the wall, it typically happens around Mile 20 of the marathon. Bonking is the moment your body starts to quit on you. You’re out of fuel, energy and the final 10k is pure willpower. It is possible to avoid, however, through proper mental and physical training.

PR/PB – Personal Record in the US and Personal Best both here and abroad this stat is a runner’s most prized. It’s their fastest time a given race distance. A runner’s PR is different for every race length so make sure you know them all.

Foot Strike – Runners don’t strike like unions, they strike the ground with every step. It’s also been hot topic of debate lately. Often equated with another running error known as over striding, foot strike is not the concern it was once thought to be.

DNF/DFL – Did Not Finish or Dead F*****G Last. There are a million reasons you might DNF a race. It could be an injury during the last few weeks of training. Bad weather popping up before you’re finished. Digestive issues from the pasta dinner has been a culprit. The truth is most runners have had one. DFL, however, is less common. Since someone has to be last, races usually have a sweeper. To make sure no one is left behind the sweeper stays behind the final runner for the duration of the race.

BQ – The ultimate, bucket list goal for many runners. BQ is one of the most hallowed running terms. Short for Boston Qualify, it means you’ve earned the right to run in America’s most famous Patriot’s Day race. Achieving a BQ is an incredible accomplishment and often a dream come true for any marathon runner.

And this just covers the basics. There are a ton of running terms out there to learn if you want to. Luckily, if you take these with you next time you go support a friend or family member at a race no one will know you’re a newbie!

Coach Meredith

3 Comeback Tips for a Bad Race

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Fall race season is in full swing. Sometimes things go well. Sometimes they don’t.

And having a bad race is pretty much the worst. Yes, there are horrible things going on in the world but in the moment you cross that finish line after a less than ideal performance things can get emotional. It’s important to remember that bad races happen and don’t mean the end of your running career. Look how gracious Meb was after a not-so-wonderful Olympic experience! We’re not all that talented but we work hard for those PRs and it hurts to miss a goal. Here are 3 ways to bounce back after a challenging race:

Vent: Be angry and sad and frustrated. Feel all of the feelings. Let it all out so you can move forward. It might take one deep breath, maybe a cocktail or beer, possibly days but failing to move on will impede your next training cycle by lowering your confidence and sucking up your motivation.

Evaluate:
Your pre-race ritual: While you can’t go back and change anything that happened during the race, you can change what happens before. Did you eat the right food fuel the night before? Were you sleeping enough? Was your taper adequate? Did your travel plans give you time to adjust to the altitude and time difference or recover from flying? Each of these factors can change your body’s ability to perform at its best.

The Weather: There’s only so much anyone can do about weather. And that is a whole lot of nothing. High winds, freezing temperatures, loads of humidity and heat waves can all have a major impact on your performance. Sometimes a bad race isn’t all your fault and remember, everyone else out there had to deal with it, too.

Your goal: Was your goal really reasonable? Aiming to shave 45 minutes off a marathon over one season is noble but probably not attainable. Make sure you set feasible goals that push you without bordering on miraculous.

Your training: How did your training go? Did it include enough speed work? How about a long enough base phase? Did you train for the terrain you would be racing on? Take a good hard look at your journal to examine what workouts were good and which ones weren’t. Most importantly, make sure you weren’t over-training or pushing through an injury.

Move on: At the end of the day, OK, it was a bad race. Was it the worst race ever in the whole world? Probably not. Even more important is to look at all the things you learned and focus on positive parts of the event. Make sure you’re emotionally ready then go sign up for another.

Coach Meredith

Upper Body Strength for Runners

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All runners know they need strong, stable legs and hips to get the most out of each run. Equally as important, and often overlooked, is upper body strength. Being powerful above the hips as well as below will help you run faster and perform better during every workout. Your arms move in precise coordination with your legs to help maintain rhythm while your shoulders work to maintain good posture that allows your lungs and diaphragm to do they best job they can. A strong core stabilizes against rotation that wastes energy and helps propel you forward.

So how do you build upper body strength? There are tons of exercises you can use. Focusing on muscle groups that improve and maintain posture is the best path to building strength that will make you a better runner. That means your back, chest, shoulders and, most importantly, core. While you don’t want to end up carrying extra muscle weight by bulking up, you do want strong, stable muscles that will hold you up when the going gets tough. Here are four of Team ECRP‘s favorite upper body moves:

Push-Ups: Push-ups stabilize shoulder, strengthen arms and work those important core muscles. Performing them correctly, with your elbows tight to your ribs and externally rotated shoulders, will improve running form and efficiency.

upper body strength Plank Rows: These toughies challenge your entire upper body. Your shoulders and core work to stabilize your position while your back works to lift that weight.

Pull-Ups: Adjustable for everyone, this challenging exercise is a great way to get a stronger, more stable upper body. From strict pull-ups to ring rows, the wide variety of scaling options means there’s no excuse not to try. upper body strength

Overhead Press: Yes, any overhead press will do. Whether it’s a strict press, thruster, push-press or clean and jerk, lifting weights over your head takes skill and strength. Your core stabilizes your entire body while shoulders work to push the weight up.

Use these four moves to help build upper body strength. You’ll earn better running form and faster race times.

Coach Meredith

Are Racing Flats Right for You?

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It’s race season! That brings up the question of needing a pair of racing flats. With so many fancy shoes out there, do you need a special one for race day?

The answer is maybe. The contrasts between training shoes and race flats isn’t as dramatic as the differences between basketball and trail shoes but they are there. More than looks or drop, the type of shoes you want for race day depend on what kind of runner you are. Here are 5 ways to tell if you’ll want to stay clear of racing flats.

You’re a new runner. Throwing on a lighter shoe won’t actually make you that much faster. Hours of training and hard work do that. A less cushioned, less supportive pair of racing flats is more likely to lead to an injury than a new PR.

Marathoners. The marathon is a long race and you’ll be taking lots of steps while beating your body up. Don’t make it worse by stripping away the layer of protection between your foot and the road. Happy feet are fast feet so give them a little love on race day with nice comfy shoes. The longer the race, the more shoe you’ll need.

Heavier runners. You’ll need that extra cushioning for support over the length of the race and the barefoot movement hasn’t been all its cracked up to be. Typically, less protection means more injuries. No matter what the scale says, your gait can have a big impact on how much pounding your bones take with each step and swapping into a lightweight shoe on race day can change the way you move and lead to injury.

You’re injured. If you have any hint of soreness, fatigue or muscle strain, stick with your trainers since you probably won’t be pushing yourself for the race’s entire duration anyway. It always better play things safe than toy with making a minor injury more serious.

You didn’t train in them. Nothing new on race day, right? That especially goes for shoes. Whether you’re tackling the course in brand new trainers or fancy racing flats, definitely spend time training in them. Take them out for easy runs, a track session or two and maybe even a long run. You have to prepare your body for the demands of a lightweight shoe.

Coach Meredith

East Coast Run Project

Destination Faster

Tag Archives: racing

What Did You Say? Running Terms for the Non-Runner

3 Comeback Tips for a Bad Race

Upper Body Strength for Runners

Are Racing Flats Right for You?

How to Run Your Best Race